The Hardest Working Councillor?
When out canvassing last week I was asked by a constituent about whether the Lib Dems will bother to canvass and deliver a leaflet. I said that I did not know, he would have to ask them. Well the Lib Dem bounce is well and truly here because the same constituent rang me today to tell me he had a newspaper delivered from the Lib Dems. I told him to keep it for me to look at in case I don't get one delivered in my street.
The resident asked what the Lib Dem Parliamentary candidate was like and I replied that she was ok. He said that the newspaper said that she is the hardest working councillor in Reading. He asked who decided that? I replied, she did.
Well it's one thing to admit how bitter you are, but it's quite another to be unapologetic about it!
ReplyDeleteThere's absolutely no need to start spreading inaccruate opinions when there are objective supporting facts - you always get found out.
I've been collecting the Acolaid Statistics
for some time now and they consistently show Cllr Benson well ahead in the amount of casework she does (regularly outworking you by two or three times, and to give you your dues you're well above average).
So as you criticise someone who does well by the public you cover up those of your colleagues who are almost completely inactive and the effect is that you are working to lower standards and you only grow your own reputation for negativity.
I wonder, how many new votes will you win like that?
Come on Cllr Ennis, the tribalism you demonstrate in this post is exactly the sort of old politics which is on the ebb. A man of your experience should be able to do much better than that!
Hello Oranjepan, hope you are well. Are you sure it is not you that is bitter. Anyway you know who I am but I don't know who you are. How can you make serious political comment disguised as a lovable jungle animal!
ReplyDeleteNow back to the comment. I find it a trifle arrogant to be the self proclaimed hardest working councillor when you don't know what other coucillors are doing. I put in at least 30 hours, 7 days a week as a local councillor and a Lead Councillor for the most rewarding but challenging portfolio of Children's Services and I wouldn't even suggest that I am the hardest working councillor.
I saw a cllr at a meeting recently record 15 Acolaid Enquiries, ranging from the traffic lights out of sync to a rubbish bin full up in the town centre, not in her ward. It took her five minutes to complete so the yardstick of cllr enquiries is a bit mythical to say the least. If you walked around all day using twitter you could record thousands, which is great, but it don't make you the hardest working cllr.
I only use Acolaid cllr enquiries for cases involving people. I tend to contact officers about other issues and I don't use enquiries for my own area of Children's Services as a rule.
Hope this clears this issue up.
Hi John,
ReplyDeleteIf you claim to be able to report 'thousands' of cases using twitter, then it begs the question why more people aren't doing this.
I appreciate the weakness of the acolaid system, but this still represents the only reliable way of measuring comparative performance.
It is really all we have to go by.
Therefore to argue the claim that Cllr Benson 'self-proclaims' she is the hardest working councillor is inaccurate as these figures back provide evidence to back it up.
Additionally I want to say I don't underestimate the effort put in by individuals in their own way, so instead of criticising the way the figures are used it is up to us to use them to encourage better practise by those who are clearly not doing enough for members of the public.
We don't want excuses, we want action.
Hi Oranjepan, hope you are well.
ReplyDeleteYou say "we don't want excuses, we want action, who is that then the lions and elephants in the jungle. Do like your blog but struggle to take you seriously.
Cllrs Tony Page and Mike Orton have topped the acolaid poll by the way.
I'm flattered by your admiration, no, I really am.
ReplyDeleteAs for how seriously you take *me*, I don't know whether to take that as a compliment or an insult.
I guess it's just a matter of perspective.
Fair play to you Oranjepan. Of course I take you seriously. Why else would I keep on replying to you. I always read your blog with interest and you deserve rerspect in the blogging world. I am just ribbing you about your blog title.
ReplyDeleteI acknowledge that Acolaid Enquiries are a prime measure of councillor activity, but it is not the only measure as there are other factors to take into consideration of what a councillor does.
Good to have a lively debate about matters.