Comment posted Council Elections: the tally in Argyll and Bute by Robert Wakeham.
Has anyone heard the rumour that Robin Currie, Donnie McMillan and Rory Colville are forming a breakaway independent group of councillors, ‘Argyll Worst’, with the primary intention of aligning themslves with whatever group can offer them extra perks in the form of financial benefit for chairing committees etc, of nodding when told to, of conveniently forgetting whatever promises they’ve made their electorates, and of formation flipflopping at their leader’s command?
Robert Wakeham also commented
- And the wonder is that at the same time that Keith Brown is trumpeting the benefits of Serco as northern isles ferry operator he’s silent on the shambles that is SPT’s Kilcreggan ferry service. It’s obviously the big picture that counts, the small communities can go to hell.
- Maybe Donald’s not so much representing the Conservative party as just stating that he’s a Conservative voter in national politics – after all, presumably the vast majority of independent local politicians vote for one of the main parties at national level, but think that national party policies might be unnecessarily constricting – or inappropriate – when dealing with local issues at local level. I know this will be interpreted by some as just ducking the issue of committing to specific policies, and that this has been the core problem with the behaviour of Walsh & Co, but it’s surely a valid viewpoint for those local politicians who do have integrity.
Recent comments by Robert Wakeham
- McGrigor supports small scale hydro schemes but is concerned about lack of grid connectivity
If not ‘bitter’, then how about ‘negative’, ‘petty’, or just plain miserable?
Effective ways of providing energy for this country is an increasingly fraught subject, with government commitment to ‘green’ power leading to the perception that our politicians are swimming with sharks, and a proliferation of wind farms that are good for some sectors of the local economy but which are a major cause of price inflation.
And the Kintyre / Arran power emergency this spring served to highlight the fact that large scale wind generated electricity can be likened to a rough single malt – no use unless it’s blended with other spirit to make it palatable.
I live in hope that SSE’s Sound of Islay tidestream power project will prove more user-friendly – as are the hydro power plants described by Jamie McGrigor, as far as I can gather.
Here in mid Argyll we’re being shown the next windfarm proposal – 25 turbines for Electricite de France above Brenfield, which would form a backdrop to Ardrishaig, and would be so close to the recently unveiled proposals by E.ON for up to 24 turbines above Inverneill as to be semi-detached.
That’s up to 49MW plus up to 90MW, that would all presumably have to be ‘blended’ with power from elsewhere to make it digestible, and if anyone thought that ‘fast breeder’ only referred to a type of nuclear reactor, just look at the emerging cluster of wind farms south of Ardrishaig. - Argyll Flyer spotted going into Ardmaleish yard on Bute this afternoon
Doesn’t the SPTE have a remit to co-ordinate public transport provision here? – maybe I’m imagining it, or maybe they’re just pretending, or maybe they’re only really interested in Strathclyde bus services and the Glasgow subway (on the basis that only a tiny proportion of voters use the Gourock ferries, and politics is all) - 31 hour shout Tobermory Lifeboat’s longest ever, ending in joint operation with Oban lifeboat
The Oban Times reported on 6th June on the MAIB report on a similar incident last July when a small container ship rammed the Isle of Bute, and apparently legal action is ongoing. - Refloated cargo ship MV Fri Ocean escorted to Lynn of Lorne – and on into Oban
Not being a mariner, I wonder why – in this day and age of almost universal use of radar (and GPS?) for navigation – ships don’t seem to be equipped with a proximity alarm, a bloody great klaxon fit to waken the dead, that is triggered if the boat closes with an identifiable hazard.
It would have to be capable of deactivation in harbour areas and, eg, places like the Corran Narrows – but would surely be invaluable, especially at night.
Maybe it would be seen as a dangerous threat to the need for proper watch keeping. - Auchindrain in crisis: facing paying off its two permanent staff
Considering how all the wind farm developers are so keen (and can clearly afford) to provide substantial funding to help local community ventures, this is surely a prime example of an exceptionally good local cause with national significance.
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Just a query.
You say that the Conservatives and Unionists have got two seats, as before. The Argyll & Bute website lists four Con&Un councillors: David Kinniburgh, Gary Mulvaney, Maurice Corry & Donald Kelly.
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But Donald Kelly is not a real Tory, is he?
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Unless he did a last minute U turn I thought that Corry, of Lomond North altho’ he lives in Helensburgh, stood as a Conservative.
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He did indeed. This was our mistake entirely. All the necessary connections have been made and we apologise to Mr Corry, to the Scottish Conservatives and to readers for the error.
Mr Corry’s win takes the membership of the Conservative group within the council to 3.
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It is a matter of public record that Donald Kelly declares himself to be a member of the Conservative party but does not join the COnservatove grop in the council.
He is one of the three founding members of the Argyll First group that really have brought change to the way many voters in Argyll now see local politics.
His local constituency have nothing withheld from them and have enthusiastically endorsed his position in a triumphant fist place .
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And Maurice Corry – whom you list as an independent?
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He was wearing a blue rosette at the count and looked and sounded like the genuine article to me.
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newsroom – I think BFOandC’s point was that Maurice Corry was on the slate as Conservative & Unionist, not independent as you have shown above. There are three Conservatives plus Donald Kelly elected.
Congratulations to Iain MacDonald in Ward 5 – evidently his driving policy of bringing some ‘glasnost’ to Kilmorograd has struck a chord with the electorate.
NB Neil MacKay was in Oban North & Lorn, not Oban South & Isles.
Interesting result overall – if Dunoon returns the same 3 (2 Alliance + 1 SNP) as last time, Alliance+LibDem+Tory will still be unable to form a majority administration, even if both MacDougall & R G Macintyre join them. But then neither would SNP+Argyll First+genuine independents… there will need to be some musical chairs amongst the party groups it would seem.
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Has anyone heard the rumour that Robin Currie, Donnie McMillan and Rory Colville are forming a breakaway independent group of councillors, ‘Argyll Worst’, with the primary intention of aligning themslves with whatever group can offer them extra perks in the form of financial benefit for chairing committees etc, of nodding when told to, of conveniently forgetting whatever promises they’ve made their electorates, and of formation flipflopping at their leader’s command?
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Obviously 1300 people in Argyll disagree! Power to the People!
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Possibly the funniest post I’ve read this year. Thanks Robert, for raising a smile on this frosty morning!
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Heaven forbid we get the same ruling group. Another few years of that lot would be a disaster.
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the snp have chosen today of all days to award the northern isles ferry contract to serco , i fear a political stitch up
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And the wonder is that at the same time that Keith Brown is trumpeting the benefits of Serco as northern isles ferry operator he’s silent on the shambles that is SPT’s Kilcreggan ferry service. It’s obviously the big picture that counts, the small communities can go to hell.
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But you can’t be both a Conservative and Argyll First as Donald chooses. Well you can but why do represent a political party if you don’t intend to stand shoulder to shoulder with your fellow party councillors? Saying that Donald is a fine Councillor, arguably the best in Argyll!
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Maybe Donald’s not so much representing the Conservative party as just stating that he’s a Conservative voter in national politics – after all, presumably the vast majority of independent local politicians vote for one of the main parties at national level, but think that national party policies might be unnecessarily constricting – or inappropriate – when dealing with local issues at local level. I know this will be interpreted by some as just ducking the issue of committing to specific policies, and that this has been the core problem with the behaviour of Walsh & Co, but it’s surely a valid viewpoint for those local politicians who do have integrity.
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Sandy Taylor , the successful first time candidate in Mid Argyll, is an SNP member
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