It's election morning - we're voting for Parish Councillors (for Melksham Without Parish Council) where we can choose up to 10 of 11, and for West Wilts District Council where we can vote for 3 out of 10.

For perhaps the first time, I feel that I really know a number of the candidates - that I can make a decision based on some knowledge of how they operate, rather than on party ticket and on how their pictures look. Some of them promise help and come through very well with that, others profess to that help but them seem to go no further than that - though at times it's hard to know if they're doing anything in the background.

At District Council Level the question of "Party Ticket" is an interesting one; should I ignore or strongly consider the actions of parties in power at national or county level when I vote for their local candidates? Or is it useful to have an elected member from the same party that's in power as that gives us a politician with an extra lever via the party machine that has certainly opened a few doors in recent years? Even if I disagree with many of the policies? Should I consider national and county policies of parties that are NOT in power at that level? Should I (answer - NO) use my votes to express my view on Iraq and party support for it?

We have a number of good candidates for the District Council and I am - I think - decided on 2 out of my 3 votes. There are a number of good candidates for my "third" ... so there are bound to be a number of candidates who I would like to be in a District position who won't be. I wish them all personally "Good Luck" and admire them for taking on a role and responsibilities that I would not want (indeed, I refused an approach which would have placed me on the list) and I look forward to working with them for the ongoing future of West Wiltshire.

The Parish Council where we vote for up to 10 candidates out of 11 seems - with those figures - to be akin to a vote AGAINST one individual. With such a large voting area - it's the majority of Melksham Without in a single ward - the idea of local voting for the representative for "your street" seems to have gone out of the window. I'm somewhat in favour of proportional Represenentation and multi-member wards but the 3-member district is good and the 10-member parish is at least 5 members too far. The (very) local guy will, for sure, be one I support. The jury's out on the one who used his position (and parish council letterhead) to pontificate about public services in South Devon - a well intentioned loose canon that, regretably, caused a major "Friendly fire" incident.

And the whole business of Melksham being split into two parishes disenfranchised 6000 of the population (those of us in Melksham Without) from Town decisions. It's perhaps an illogical grouping of areas. We know that major changes are coming up in local government in the next few years with removal of one tier, so these will possibly be the last elections at District or Parish level. We might end up with a County Council (the level we're not voting for today), then a Community Council, to include ALL of Melksham and the surrounding area for which it's "Home Town". If Done right, that could be sensible, But what a big IF.
(written 2007-05-03 04:36:32)

 Z300 - Politics and Religion
  [2640] How is your tax pound spent? - (2010-02-18)
  [2353] All change - Wiltshire Parliamentary - (2009-08-13)
  [2288] Wiltshire Community Area Partnerships - (2009-07-15)
  [2279] Understanding the new local government structure in Wiltshire - (2009-07-11)
  [2270] Wiltshire - a chance to improve life for everybody - (2009-07-05)
  [2257] Ramblings on church and state linkage in Melksham - (2009-06-25)
  [2206] Spot the odd one out - (2009-05-29)
  [2178] Melksham Candidates for Wiltshire Unitary Election - (2009-05-12)
  [2075] Supporting Parkinsons and Trains - (2009-03-11)
  [2028] Things people say on the phone - (2009-02-06)
  [2012] The Wiltshire Police - (2009-01-29)
  [1987] One Cheer for Local Democracy - Asda in Melksham - (2009-01-11)
  [1882] Wiltshire Council says - part 2 - (2008-11-14)
  [1881] Wiltshire Council says - part 1 - (2008-11-13)
  [1872] Barack Obama wins US Predidency - (2008-11-05)
  [1769] July child ponders on August children - (2008-08-23)
  [1729] Back from the future - (2008-07-30)
  [1579] Rome, and the faith of Rome - (2008-03-17)
  [1573] Budget tax increases hit vehicle market - (2008-03-14)
  [1526] Carers at work - court case changes - (2008-02-01)
  [1428] Travel Across Wiltshire - the game - (2007-11-11)
  [1386] New software product for warmblooded programmers - (2007-10-10)
  [1350] FSB (Federation of Small Businesses) Western Region - (2007-09-13)
  [1260] An inspirational business talk from one of our prospective MPs - (2007-07-06)
  [1247] An afternoon at a public enquiry - (2007-06-27)
  [1135] Government pressure on me to shut up after I make the papers - (2007-04-05)
  [1109] False imprisonment - a contrast from the news - (2007-03-15)
  [1060] What a relief from the tax office. - (2007-02-01)
  [1003] Room at the Inn, Guy at the station - (2006-12-21)
  [967] Realistic on line shoot'em up - (2006-12-05)
  [875] Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones - (2006-09-22)
  [780] Separation and Integration - (2006-06-27)
  [750] Almost everyone loses - (2006-06-07)
  [696] Is than an uphill or downhill task? - (2006-04-23)
  [682] Iran has enriched uranium ... - (2006-04-12)
  [674] Wiltshire to get an extra MP - (2006-04-07)
  [671] Both ends of the animal - (2006-04-05)
  [607] On being British - (2006-02-14)
  [602] MP face to face - (2006-02-12)
  [539] rich and famous - (2005-12-23)
  [505] Would you steal ... petrol? ... a training course? - (2005-11-26)
  [469] Yesterday was Kiss and Ride - (2005-10-19)
  [415] Campaign Drift and efficiency. - (2005-08-15)
  [384] Managing conflict and disappointment - (2005-07-20)
  [377] A Strengthened City - (2005-07-14)
  [335] Sad priorities - (2005-06-03)
  [326] UK Tax payment totals and where the money is spent - (2005-05-27)
  [313] Making bona fide international marriages more difficult - (2005-05-16)
  [301] General Election day, UK - (2005-05-05)
  [289] MP for Devizes, Wiltshire - (2005-04-23)
  [280] Spotted - the local MP - (2005-04-15)
  [257] Politics gets nasty. Must be an election coming up. - (2005-03-25)
  [216] Cheap purchase - votes paid for with selfish promises - (2005-02-15)

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