Like McCaig's folly in Oban we here in Renfrewshire have our own version courtesy of the SNP/Libdem administration. Stood there looking out over the Paisley skyline is what I would like to suggest should be called "Mackay's Folly" I refer of course to the huge and spectacularly ugly scaffold tower put there at huge expense to accommodate a 17 minute firework display. This would be a suitable monument to the conceit and lack of common sense of SNP Council leader Derek Mackay and the massive ego and self-importance of his puppet master the truly awful Libdem leader Cllr. McCartin. Sadly we have to reflect that McCaig in Oban paid for his folly out of his own pocket while the SNP/Libdem cabal picked our pockets, yes yours and mine, to pay for their delusions of grandeur here in Renfrewshire. It's short sighted, gratuitously ugly and over priced and as such it's not difficult to see why the SNP/Libdem coalition found it attractive.
Hot on the heels of this ignominy we had more embarrassment for the scattercash administration with huge amounts of our money being paid to entertainers to switch on Christmas lights, a job which used to be done just as well by local schoolchildren. All of this comes on top of a Bill of £30,000 to bring the Mod to Paisley. These are what we call vanity projects by the administration designed to give a quick boost to their support and their ego, they rely on people not complaining because no one wants to seem like a scrooge or a killjoy: it is about as contemptuous as you can get but it doesn't wash with me.
Running a council administration is like running a household budget: unless you are very rich indeed it is a matter of priorities. Put simply when money is tight do you buy a nice big decorated cake which all the family will enjoy or do you buy "tatties n mince" which is what they need, this administration metaphorically have bought the nice big cake and let the family go hungry. We all like Music, Fireworks and Christmas Lights but here is the important question, do we have more important priorities? The answer to that is a thunderous yes; we have more than enough to make the council spending border on the criminal and a shameful buying of votes.
The SNP?Libdem council have made it plain that Gaelic Choirs are more important than elderly wardens and music tuition in our schools, fireworks are more important than Classroom assistants and teachers and Christmas lights are more of a priority than providing safe transport to school for our children or centres for our elderly population and those citizens with learning difficulties. This is the reality of electing an SNP council or one aided by the Libdems who sit in power at Westminster while sharing power with the SNP here in Renfrewshire, these people have no shame and no conscience, they are a disgrace to the people of Renfrewshire.
When a fragile and vulnerable old person complains about losing their warden the coalition will say "what are you on about; you can hear a Gaelic choir; if you can afford it of course, if you don't speak Gaelic you can always learn right" or a parent complains about a lack of teachers they will say "you don't know how lucky you are you got a fireworks display for a full 17 minutes" (£2,941 per minute) and to the worried parent who fears for their child's safety when walking in cold dark weather to school they say "you have never had it so good didn't you see Olly Murs switch on the Christmas lights, what do you mean whose Olly Murs? "
The real question for all you voters out there is, does this SNP/Libdem administration share your priorities? well does it?
I think that anyone who has the priorities of this SNP?Libdem council should not be sanctioned to run a whelk stall, you the citizens who have paid for this scandal should go along to your Councillor's surgeries' and tell them what you think of them or; you could put your thoughts down in writing and send them to SNP Council Leader Derek Mackay and his 'minder' Libdem deputy council leader Eileen McCartin. Both these chancers are standing for election to the Scottish Parliament that's what the extravagant fireworks etc. were really about, they are treating you with contempt, don't let them away with it!
27 comments:
why were your pals Grady and Murrin happy to attend the Lights switch on, also demanding 8 extra VIP tickets. Oh thats right they are hypocrites!! You other pal Douglas Alexander loved it too!!
As for your tatties and mince, pity your own party didnt apply that philosophy when in power, maybe we wouldn't be in the mess we are in now!!!!!!!
If this was all so bad why did one of your Labour Councillor pals (Cllr. M)turn up to the event and demand six extra free tickets for the area next to the stage ??? And why did Labour Cllr G (from Renfrew) also turn up to see the show for free ???
In April this year you and all the Labour group approved the MOD coming to Paisley.
You even argeeed to 'congratulat all those involved in securing the Mòd for Paisley'
Don't you remember that ?
it would seem that MS mccartin wants to rewrite history she appears in the PDX letters page telling them that everybody has got it wrong including them, and they should nice things about HER council, of course she has got every thing right and everybody else is wrong she has no shame the voters in renfrewshire better wake up or her rag tag mob of four will end up running the council after the next council elections
By Anonymous on 20/11/10
Cllr. McCartin is an unprincipled bully, a jaw dropping mixture of ignorance and arrogance; she is up for sale to anyone if they meet her price.
She has no shame and she represents everything that is wrong with voting reform, her party came in last in the votes cast and took 4 out of 40 seats and she is now running the council.
I have known her for years and I have tried and failed to find any shred of decency or ounce of charity in her, despite her claims I find her to be the least Christian person I have ever met.
The decision to bring the MOD to Paisley and the expenditure on the Fireworks and Christmas lights were made before the recent budget. These items of expenditure were looked at after that vicious budget of cuts by the SNP?Libdem coalition. The SNP/Libdem are guilty of having the wrong priorities aren't they?
By Anonymous on CHILDREN, ELDERLY AND DISADVANTAGED PAY FOR SNP’S ... on 19/11/10
I was asked how many tickets I wanted for these shows and I said none, there was no mention of any payment, what are you on about?
Who did or didn’t go to these things is not the point the expenditure was committed before the budget of vicious cuts, that’s what sparked the enquiry and the discovery of the costs. Had the SNP/Libdems had the courage to state at the budget that they were spending nearly £3,000 a minute on a 17 minute Fireworks display and £20,000 on getting the Christmas lights switched on it would have been highlighted right away that this was a political publicity stunt. It also was no coincidence that Mackay and McCartin who are Holyrood candidates would benefit from it.
They didn’t just forget to mention it they deliberately hid it from the public.
By mags on on 19/11/10
I answered this nonsense at 2.44 pm today.
“maybe we wouldn't be in the mess we are in now!!!!!!!”
Have you ever heard of places like Ireland, Norway, Iceland, Greece, Spain, Germany, France, oh and don’t forget America, you are clearly a cretin aren’t you?
Do events which shake the rest of the world not affect Scotland?
Let's talk about money.
Your friend Tommy Williams defrauded Glasgow Council for approximately £26000 and deprived the council of a much needed social worker.
You went and sat at his trial for weeks to support him when you should have been attending your council duties.
This is the type of person that you are.
Your friendship and support for a swindler comes before your duties a Councillor and your reponsilities to your constituents.
You are at the bottom of the food chain.
Please tell me that I am wrong about this.
.
By Ronnie on CHILDREN, ELDERLY AND DISADVANTAGED PAY FOR SNP’S ... at 17:26
“Please tell me that I am wrong about this”
I will try but I don’t hold out much hope.
“Your friend Tommy Williams defrauded Glasgow Council for approximately £26000 and deprived the council of a much needed social worker”
One right and two wrong, 1/ he is my friend 2/ he did not defraud Glasgow Council of anything and 3/ he did not deny them of a social worker.
“You went and sat at his trial for weeks to support him when you should have been attending your council duties
One right and one wrong. 1/ I did support him at his trial but 2/ I was under no obligation to be anywhere else Renfrewshire Council included.
”You are at the bottom of the food chain"
Not with creeps like you around I'm not.
I tend to think that low life rodents like you would have more credibility if they called Tommy Williams a swindler in public and you can throw in any accusation you like about me as well and we will take it from there.
Well Ronnie, what about it? Should I hold my breath, you certainly sound tough but, are you?
Are you saying that Tommy Williams did not falsify Time sheets to Glasgow Council.
Idiot.
Did you see how much Labour spent on their fireworks and Xmas lights switch on in Glasgow.
You are a Diddy and it is good you are retiring.
Just had a wee check.
Glasgow Labour Council spent £86000on their Xmas light switch on this year.
BAD BAD Labour
Let me get this right Mr Kelly.
1. Are you saying that Tommy Williams did not falsify time sheets for working at Glasgow Council.
2. Are you saying that he did not receive any payment relating to the falsfied time sheets.
Anyone who falsifies time sheets and extracts payment from the taxpayer for something that he didnt do is a SWINDLER.
You keep some company Councillor.
Hi Big T,
Why have you not answered the point about Cllrs. Murrin and Grady and Mr Alexander MP ? Have I missed that bit ?
Tommy Williams did not defraud Glasgow of £26500?
He admitted the timesheets were bogus and paid the money back.
The court verdict was 'Not Proven'. I'm not sure I've ever seen a more confusing story than this.
CHILDREN, ELDERLY AND DISADVANTAGED PAY FOR SNP’S ... at 12:31
I did answer that by saying the people who attended the event have got nothing to do with the article I wrote. The attendees were not responsible for deciding that fireworks were more important than getting children to school safely that was the SNP/Libdems who decided that.
By Jim on CHILDREN, ELDERLY AND DISADVANTAGED PAY FOR SNP’S ... at 13:18
Jim, the judge in ‘charging the jury’ was at great pains to explain that in such cases ‘not proven’ carried exactly the same weight as ‘not guilty’
The time sheet arrangement was sanctioned by his senior manager and was designed to protect his pension because he was unable to attend work, a fact which he never tried to hide.
He was not in the Bahamas when not at Glasgow City Council he was in Renfrewshire Council attending meetings and helping as deputy council leader to run the council.
By Ronnie on CHILDREN, ELDERLY AND DISADVANTAGED PAY FOR SNP’S ... on 22/11/10
I’m saying that I was there and I heard the judge say “Mr. Williams you have been acquitted you are free to go” I am saying that he was innocent of the charges. What exactly are you saying?
By Anonymous on CHILDREN, ELDERLY AND DISADVANTAGED PAY FOR SNP’S ... on 22/11/10
It wasn’t Glasgow Council who made the decision that fireworks were more important than getting children to school safely that was the SNP/Libdem cabal in Renfrewshire Council who decided that. Don’t they just make you proud to be one of them? What does Glasgow City Council have to do with outrageous callous decisions made by the SNP/Libdem clowns in Renfrewshire?
Did you not miss the full council meeting to attend the trial?? Surely if Labour were so opposed to the money spent on the christmas light switch on they should have boycotted the event, not demanded more tickets!!! You are a party of no principles!!!!
so is it wrong to spend money to bring people into Paisley?
By Anonymous on CHILDREN, ELDERLY AND DISADVANTAGED PAY FOR SNP’S ... on 22/11/10
Thank you for giving me the chance to repeat this.
I am a tax payer who lives here in Renfrewshire and I am angry and appalled at the cynical stunts being pulled to help Mackay SNP and McCartin Libdem gain propaganda for their Holyrood ambitions.
When fireworks are preferred to safe transport for school children and class room assistants we can safely say that this is a new low reached by the SNP/Libdem mob.
There is a stench of dishonesty and callousness coming from the SNP/Libdem chancers.
By mags on CHILDREN, ELDERLY AND DISADVANTAGED PAY FOR SNP’S ... at 15:41
I would be delighted to put my council attendance up against anyone especially the SNP councillors.
Talk of boycotts doesn’t cut it but I’m glad as always to remind the people of the SNP/Libdem priorities.
Is safe transport to school for our children more important than Fireworks ? SNP answer! NO we prefer fireworks to safe transport to school for children.
Are Classroom assistants and Teachers more or less important than paying pop singers to switch on lights ? SNP answer LESS important, we prefer to pay pop singers than employ Teachers and Classroom assistants.
Should we spend money on feeding the elderly or on Gaelic singers ? SNP answer we prefer gaelic singers to providing affordable meals for the elderly.
you didn't answer the question. Did you miss the full council to attend the trial??
" I was under no obligation to be anywhere else Renfrewshire Council included."
sorry I ask again, should the full council not have taken priority?????
Labour are closing 22 schools and nurseries in Glasgow but can still find plenty of money to spend on lavish firework displays and xmas light switch ons.
I hear that they are also about to chop over £13,000,000.00 of care funds for disabled people and people with learning difficulties.
Protecting the vulnerable - Don't make me laugh!!!
By Anonymous on CHILDREN, ELDERLY AND DISADVANTAGED PAY FOR SNP’S ... at 09:49
The last time I looked I lived in Renfrewshire and I pay my taxes here to. I would rather see elderly people enjoy their traditional trip ‘doon the water’ children travelling safely to school, more teachers employed, affordable meals for the elderly at their day centres, disabled drivers getting free parking etc. etc. than make huge increases in SNP/Libdem vanity projects which are designed to help their own narrow political agendas. In this case the Holyrood ambitions of their candidates.
The SNP/Libdem cabal and their supporters have made their choice, they have made their priorities very clear. When children are making that dangerous walk to school they can comfort themselves by whistling the latest Gaelic hit tune, courtesy of the Renfrewshire Council’s SNP/Libdem ruling coalition, those who might forget this stuff will be reminded when the time comes.
By mags on 22/11/10
I have already answered you but perhaps you need to hear it several times before you understand something if that is the case go and read my answer again.
I note your rather ham fisted use of the word priority which of course allows me to reflect on that word.
“Priority” would an example of that be when Renfrewshire’s SNP/Libdem Council decide that Gaelic sing songs, Fireworks and Christmas Decorations are a higher priority than Child safety, affordable meals for pensioners and free parking for the disabled. Have I got the definition of priority correct? Or would you like to correct me, feel free, go ahead, it’s not a complicated argument. It’s real, real easy to understand and we will make sure that everyone understands it when the time comes; you have my solemn promise on that.
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