Comment posted Good appointment to council press office by newsroom.
Our job is calling to account so the answer to your ‘how long?’ questions is as soon as she puts a foot wrong, as with everyone. We’re only ‘for’ Argyll.
Recent comments by newsroom
- White smoke rises from Councillor Duncan MacIntyre’s chimney as two-man College of Cardinals settle a deal
Short and sweet for short and sweet: don’t be simplistic.
No one could defend Councillor Robb’s sudden swerve last Thursday, leaving his loyal colleagues like flotsam and jetsam.
But that does not mean that he did not deserve the support he was given by his colleagues when he was given it.
Life is not a simple business. - Russell to make parliamentary statement on rural schools today
In the circumstances of the destructions of the SNP councillors group in the last 12 months, you can hardly expect credibility elevating the importance of ‘collective’ action?
Being ‘collective’ when it suits one to harvest support from others it not what collectivity or collegiality is about.
And many in Argyll now know more than enough about your party, its councillors, its members, its structures and its wonderfully elastic ‘rules’. - Russell to make parliamentary statement on rural schools today
This was a RESPONSE to a party political slanting of the issue – scoring points in an internal SNP turf war which should never have happened, was consciously manipulated, and has divided a party I voted for and was a member of until relatively recently – when I stopped my subscription in a mixture of anger, despair – and contempt – at what was and is – being done to hopes for better governance in Argyll and Bute.
You might also reflect upon the contradictions inherent in approving of For Argyll for being straight speaking when it suits one agenda and condemning it when what it says – equally objectively, is less comfortable. - Russell to make parliamentary statement on rural schools today
Don’t take this as an argument against rural schools – which it is not.
There is, though, a very real argument about the relative educational and social value of classes as small as one or two.
In being in favour of rural schools, it is still important not to lose sight of good judgement, Nothing is, per se, the right or wrong provision. There’s no formula. It’s a question of context – and there does have to be a point where the best use of available money really is an issue.
The issue centres on an honest examination and presentation of the facts – and of proposed solutions – by all concerned, with no cooking of the books and with due scrutiny to encourage integrity. - First Minister’s call for ‘grown up politics’ countered by order – from the top
What’s ROTFL, J?
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Congratulations on your appointment Aileen.
May I on behalf of the Museum thank you for your interest and assistance in our activities.
A new opportunity for you with which I wish you every success.
Kindest regards.
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Congratulation Aileen. I wish you well in your new post.
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Quite why Argyll & Bute Council employ an army of well paid spin doctors when we are told there is no money for essential services is a mystery to me .
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Newsie, is that the same Dunoon Observer that you exclusively revealed was due to close before Xmas last year??
“bunker mentality and dubious practices”? Pffft.
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Now that we have a new appointee to the press office, do we need to continue paying for the absentee, Jo Smith?
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Is this also the same Dunoon Observer that doesn’t report on fatal accidents and never seems to follow up on stories that do not involve ferries?
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Well said JimB. You’re not the only one who notices that the Observer never follows up on reported stories. Most frustrating. This weeks paper was all police reports and courts, golf and bowls ! Then again baybe nothing happened……….
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Good appointment. Aileen is a well known and respected journalist in Argyll, big loss for the Dunoon Observer but ABC needs the quality in these positions. Don’t imagine this administration will give her the same amount of fire fighting the last lot created.
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When the Jo Smith saga eventually comes to some conclusion does this mean everybody who was abused by the press office under the various councillors and officials orders will get their day in court.Anything else is a complete waste of time.
As a interested bystander what exactly does A&B,s press office actually do.
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I can’t say specifically what the A&B press office do but more generally a council press office’s duties will include the likes of:
Dealing with media enquiries.
Producing internal and external communications including things like staff magazines, and also keeping people like MSPs, us punters, other partners etc informed about services and issues.
Maintaining the council website.
Managing the ‘brand’ of the council to ensure consistency.
It is actually an important part of a council and effective if managed well.
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Whilst I wish this lady success in her new appointment, I can’t help thinking that this indeed is a very safe appointment by the council. The Observer’s lack of criticism of A&B over the past few years has been obvious to all, no doubt guided by the fear that they may lose local government advertising (something that should have happened years ago!). Still, looking on the bright side, one less member of staff should help their dire finances.. and probably increase the coverage of golf and bowls!
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Yes newsie, you are welcoming her now, but i wonder how long it will be before you turn on her when she doesn’t want to deal with you. Never mind, no doubt you can make up something and add a gate to the end of it. I wish the woman all the luck in the world, she will need it.
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Our job is calling to account so the answer to your ‘how long?’ questions is as soon as she puts a foot wrong, as with everyone. We’re only ‘for’ Argyll.
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Indeed, but who calls you to account?
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Simon
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Maybe Simon could point out some of the errors in this piece then. I will leave it to him.
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By the look of this site she’s got her work cut out. What few on here seem to have twigged is that Ms McNicol will be required to protect the council’s reputation, just the same as her predecessors will have tried to do. From what I’ve read of Argyll & Bute Council, it has been its own worst enemy, conducting some kind of witch hunt until it had nobody in place to prevent the complete car crash that was the Martha Payne/NeverSeconds fiasco. Ms McNicol is no longer a journalist, she has been employed to act as gamekeeper rather than poacher. No doubt, in due course, she will fall foul of the self-righteous vitriol all too apparent in this blog. Best of luck to her, I wouldn’t have touched the post with a barge pole.
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