There are a few occasions as a councillor when you are torn between doing your council work or doing your job. There are times too when family issues take precedence. However, there are other drains on our time which really ought to come second, on each and every occasion, to doing your council business.
So I was bemused to hear about a councillor in Norwich who put party politics before council business recently.
When Norwich City Council were meeting to discuss the mess left after Connaught collapsed, leaving 320 employees in Norwich out of work and a big question mark over local services in the City, one senior Labour councillor was apparently at the party conference, not in the council chamber defending Labour's actions over awarding the contract to Connaught.
I guess if you are desperately trying to get selected as a parliamentary candidate, attending party conference means you tick the right boxes with your political masters. But it should raise a few eyebrows amongst the electorate who don't hold politicians in high regard at the best of times.
3 comments:
I don't know if it s the same councillor we have in mind, but mine is touting herself around the local Labour Party trying to become the new PPC for Norwich South and she was blogging from conference when her Labour council colleagues were trying to defend their position on Connaught.
Putting herself before her party has not endeared her to local members.
Cllr macd had a comment teasing her about this which she removed!
Cllr MacDonald was elected as the party delegate months before I was elected as a councillor. I am very flattered that people think I am touting myself as the PPC by attending the party conference - it was my party duty. At the time of going to conference I was not a "senior" councillor.
In reference to the Connaught situation, the comment to which "anonymous" refers is on my blog to be read! I have friends who were made redundant and on the Thursday prior to conference I spent two hours talking to employees who had been made redundant - as I say some of which are friends, not just ward members!
PS I do't need to remain "anonymous" I am indeed Cllr MacDonald.
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