No one is universally liked.
Someone’s going to think you’re an idiot.
Someone’s going to think your crap.
But……………………..
In the last week I and my family have read , on a combination of comments pages on media reports as well as social media , how I and the council are doing things behind closed doors to” line our own pockets” . ”Brown envelope” and “backhander” quotes a plenty.
Going into exempt business “ so we can’t see what they are up to”
I saw one that said “ No wonder Gwilliam isn’t standing next year; he’s fleeced enough out of us in the last 4 years” I found this particularly galling as I’ve been leader for 6 years.
Of course, you then get the veiled threat ones, “ these bastards need sorting” you know the kind of thing.
Nothing clearly threatening but if its about you or your loved one, it’s enough.
And why have we had this torrent ? This latest abuse? This latest worry ?
A crap unbalanced , ill-judged and inaccurate report, written by an annoyed journalist , based on nothing except the squealing of an opposition group and the journalist’s own ego.
I can’t even really have a go at the journalist , although he’s had his last interview with me, it’s the way media is now. We use media when it suits us and complain when it doesn’t.
No one’s buying local papers, so his readership are the surfers, the clickers who have to read a torrent of paid for adverts if they wish to read the story.
So, to get them to want to read the story , it has got to be a grabber !!
A statement has been put out by the Council now explaining fully why we have to go into exempt business. It explains why when we are talking about investments, how we need to protect the organisations and businesses we may be purchasing off, how we have a legal requirement to do so. How it isn’t Councillors who decide what goes into exempt business but very clever legal people whose job it is to make sure that the FODDC don’t drop a mighty wotsit. It says how ALL councillors are involved in any decision-making process, why Councils need to invest to bring finances in to provide services following years of financial cuts and it shows that it’s a transparent and open process.
But its too late now isn’t it?
“ The Postman “ as he calls himself , isn’t going to read it and remove his comment about corruption. The loudmouth builder bloke from Mitcheldean is still going to be semi erect as he sees the number of likes he has received for his comment about me being on the take and wasting tax payers money.
The damage is done, the die is cast.
And who is to blame if Big Dave from Coleford, struggling to pay his household bills, feed his kids and find a decent job gets his council tax bill one day, wakes up in a bad mood.
Then he falls out with his wife over something trivial or worse MONEY or the lack of it. Under all that pressure,with all those worries , what if Big Dave should then be strolling through Coleford and see yours truly.
The corrupt council bloke, taking all his money and then swindling a little bit more, earning a fortune and still being greedy enough to be corruption. When he can’t buy Jasmine her new shoes.
What if Big Dave thinks I deserve a good slap , or worse?
Who is to blame ?
Is it Dave for being daft enough to believe that stuff?
Is it me for being in the position I’m in ? Is such behaviour part of a politician’s lot? Did we sign up to it ?
Or is it the media
For me its less the actual story, that’s simply the catalyst.
Having been subject to several such trails over the years, it’s the readership interaction where it gets nasty.
Those comments, the replies.
Most of the time they are anonymous , but they can start a rolling tirade of abuse.
And its supposed to be OK, Its supposed to be the modern way.
If you don’t like it , don’t get in the job.
The Guardian reported that Council leaders have long demanded urgent measures to tackle what they say is a tide of abuse against councillors.
A meeting of senior local government leaders from across England heard of regular death threats against councillors and routine abuse or accusations of corruption on social media and in comments under local newspaper website stories.
Ive heard of meetings where a series of councillors recounted receiving death threats, saying that the extent of intimidation risked seeing many people put off from putting themselves up for election.
“You shouldn’t have to be a brave superhero to want to stand and represent your community,” said Tudor Evans, the leader of the opposition on Plymouth council, who said he had once been sent a death threat because of a temporary traffic light scheme.
Evans recounted how the previous week in Plymouth, a man had gone into a cafe with a knife in his belt and made threats against local councillors.
Nick Forbes, the leader of Newcastle council, said he had quit almost all social media due to a “daily background” of messages containing homophobic comments or accusations of corruption.
Cabinet colleagues and I have stepped right back from our social media because its just incessant. Its such a shame as it can be such a useful tool.
One Cabinet colleague is at the time of writing subject to trolling and what she considers to be abuse and bullying because she questioned her own town councils precept rise.
Isobel Seccombe, the leader of Warwickshire county council, who heads the LGA’s Conservative grouping, said she too had received threats, but was worried that it was becoming so routine that it was seen as inescapable.
She said: “That’s the problem, that we do accept this as a consequence of being a councillor. And our acceptance of it is, in a way, contributing to the problem.”
If it is the norm, if its going to be the way forward, who in their right mind will stand for a position in local government or higher?
All this things, the media, the anonymous contributors, Big Dave and all, I know who I blame most.
Councillors.
Or I should say , political opponents, not just mine but generally the way campaigns are now being fought.
For the latest incidents I write about here?
I lay the blame for these at the door of one group leader, a councillor who I have lost all respect for.
I did have a description of my view of this councillor at this point in this passage but . on reflection ,have removed it , I think it wise considering the subject matter.
What I will say is that in my view they are someone who politically has nothing to put forward other than this kind of dirty, spiteful and downright dangerous kind of politics.
They conduct and use a tactic aimed at damaging the Cabinet and Councils reputation by a continuous sermon in which they relay misinformation and falsehoods and the veiled suggestion of impropriety, when they know full well that there's no such thing.
It is thrown out regularly at public meetings as a readymade clickbait offering to the media.
And they are not alone.
Recently there was uproar and more abuse when the cost of a new interim Head of Paid Service was revealed in the media. Alongside it quotes from a Councillor about how disgraceful it was paying this much, how we should offer the job to someone for less money, go through the process again, Shame on us all.
That Councillor was part of the selection panel for the new Head of Paid Service, actually sat on the interview panel. They proposed and voted for the new appointment. They were of course aware of the costs etc but still caused uproar , because it suited them.
So now our new Head of Paid Service will start a new role , in the eyes of some people the devil incarnate. How is that right ?
Do they not see how dangerous this can be ?
Do they not read about attacks and worse on MPS ,councillors, officers and others?
This isn't a world where it’s safe to do this stuff.
We could end up in a very serious situation and yet because their party are languishing and they cannot challenge us on our record, their desperation makes them believe its fair game. a political tactic,
It isn't, its bloody dangerous.
I have been subject to and observed this in six years as Leader and I take no pleasure in saying that its my view, that if things don’t change, we in the Forest of Dean will see a major incident involving a Council representative in the next term of Council.
It is in my view inevitable that someone’s going to say the wrong thing at the wrong time or be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
It could even be that online abuse effects a councillor in a tragic way,
I don’t know how but I am convinced it will happen unless there’s a major change.
And I blame us Councillors.
I certainly hope I will do things differently in future
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