County Council Election Candidates: The Definition of 'Independent' and 'Local'

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  • #130714

    WrexhamUser
    Participant

    Am I the only person who feels that we need an overhaul about the ‘descriptions’ provided by some of the local County Councillor candidates?

    The meaning of ‘Independent’ is becoming murkier. On a personal basis, I would like to know if the candidate is truly ‘independent’, or if they have recently decided to stand as an ‘independent’ after recent party political involvement. For example, I am aware of one candidate that has previously stood elsewhere as a conservative candidate and later as UKIP candidate. As a voter, I would like to know about that involvement, so I am aware of their past political beliefs, and so I can ask them questions to learn if their views have since changed or if they are still the same even though they are now ‘independent’. It is my suggestion that the rules should be modified whereby candidates should have to declare any earlier political party membership for a specified period, for example, ten years.

    The definition of ‘living locally’ also seems tenuous. I am now never sure what local means and some candidates appear to have a broad definition of local. Again, from a personal viewpoint, I prefer a candidate to have links with the ward as a resident or business owner. Some candidates appear to avoid the issue. It may be more transparent if candidates stated their personal ties with the ward they are standing in, or more controversially, making it mandatory that only those registered to an address or business in the ward can stand as a candidate.

    The changes would make identifying true ‘independents’ with actual ward links easier. I expect it is all a dream as some candidates have much to gain from hiding earlier political activities, and political parties, from ‘parachuting’ in candidates!

    #130716

    wrexview
    Participant

    Candidates should all give their home address and therefore electors can easily judge Local. There are many wards where a street is the dividing line between two wards. A couple of examples are Bennions Road, partly in Erddig and partly in Hermitage and Chester Road that is partly in Little Acton, Garden Village, Stansty and Grosvenor Wards. Also remember when elected a Councillor represents their ward on one level and all of us on another. Independents are slightly different, especially when some Councillors who were elected as Labour Party Councillors resigned from the party and re named themselves “independents” , and took seats on the enlarged Executive Board. There have been many excellent truely independent Councillors over the years , working for the benefit of the people they represent rather than voting the way the party tells them.

    #130723

    Matt
    Participant

    Agreed on this, the fact that so many people are independent – adds another layer that lacks transparency to proceeding. Also, as a result of so many people being independent and under-representation of key parties in certain wards now so close to a general election it has created apathy towards the local elections, people are struggling to find the parties they want to get behind on both a local and national level. I also feel with people distracted by the GE the usual council suspects are going to get in on another low voter turnout and we are in for further years of misery and messing about.

    On a side note this forum has also been rendered almost unreadable by the sheer number of council electioneering shill accounts, who are posting anonymously (again a lack of transparency) that seem to be dominating conversation and stifling most of the regulars or anyone who is not a political bozo. I can’t wait until it’s all over and they leave the general public to our misery again.

    #130740

    steveg
    Participant

    If candidates call themselves “independent”, then they should be standing on their own cognisance and should be expressing their own views and ideas of how they would be running the town. If these so-called independents start coalescinG into a grouping, then they are no longer independent. Candidates running under the auspices of a particular political party have a clear manifesto to work towards, typically drafted in a consultative manner and addressing the situation across the entire Borough rather than on a ward-by-waRd basis.

    #130745

    Peterthewatcher
    Participant

    How Independent is an Independent when the Leaders of the two Independent Groups in Wrexham have been in discussion with the Independent candidates to try and get them to join THEIR Group of Independents to form a Group which then means the Independents will be able to act together and yes get the better paid jobs on the Executive and Committee Chairs rather than acting independently they will have a group of Independents who no longer are permitted to think independently because the Leader of their Independent Group will make sure that they tow the ‘party’ line.

    #130754

    WrexhamUser
    Participant

    [quote quote=130723]. On a side note this forum has also been rendered almost unreadable by the sheer number of council electioneering shill accounts, who are posting anonymously (again a lack of transparency) that seem to be dominating conversation and stifling most of the regulars or anyone who is not a political bozo. I can’t wait until it’s all over and they leave the general public to our misery again.[/quote]

    Matt, I cannot agree with this comment, and reading the posts for some time, I am quite sure that this was a general comment and not directed at anyone. I can say that I am not a politician, I have never stood for any public office, neither is that likely to happen in the future. In relation to ‘posting anonymously’ is that not the case for all of the contributors? I am a disgruntled voter, both with local and national politicians, and see a need for many changes to the electoral system. Due to some people’s work, we have to stay apolitical or risk the consequences! I do hope that I am not considered a council electioneering account as that certainly is not the case.

    Surely, forums are meant to debate the ‘issues of the moment’, inclusive of all views, and should not limit themselves to a group of ‘regulars’?

    #130770

    Matt
    Participant

    [quote quote=130754]
    Matt, I cannot agree with this comment, and reading the posts for some time, I am quite sure that this was a general comment and not directed at anyone. I can say that I am not a politician, I have never stood for any public office, neither is that likely to happen in the future. In relation to ‘posting anonymously’ is that not the case for all of the contributors? I am a disgruntled voter, both with local and national politicians, and see a need for many changes to the electoral system. Due to some people’s work, we have to stay apolitical or risk the consequences! I do hope that I am not considered a council electioneering account as that certainly is not the case.

    Surely, forums are meant to debate the ‘issues of the moment’, inclusive of all views, and should not limit themselves to a group of ‘regulars’?

    [/quote]

    I’m at a complete loss here , I replied to your post because it was worthwhile and I was in support of it, I’m not bothered about who is new or has been here a while. It has been discussed in multiple other threads here recently that there are multiple councillor candidates who have suddenly signed up anonymously to discredit other councillor candidates within their own wards and other wards. The point has also been made that these people should have the brass to actually tackle their opponents head on as their own public persona rather than hiding behind an anonymous screen name. There are plenty of candidates on here who are public about who they are and have largely been positive or have taken to debate with complete transparency, I have no problem with these people. Likewise, new people who have signed up to the forums to discuss anything are more than welcome. It’s just there is undeniably underhanded mudslinging going on and adds to the whole point I was making about transparency. If you are a candidate in an election you should be expected to be completely transparent whether you are stating that you are independent or working with a political party formally or informally, you should also be making all your public statements or attacking your opponents publicly and not hiding like a common troll.

    I hope that clears things up.

    #130795

    Interested
    Participant

    If Independent meant Independent then I could live with that. It muddies the waters and deceives the public when they join a group. But…on the other side with the current system can an Independent be properly Independent and be effective?? If votes were taken at Full Council by all councillors then it could work.

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