Seil Chat

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Once again there is a Community Council by-election with - as far as I can see - no local advertisng whatsoever. It seems particularly remiss of the Seileachan to have not reported this in its latest issue. You would almost think the Communty Council did not want new members.

Nomination packs can be downloaded here.

Nomination papers must be lodged with the Depute Returning Officer , Municipal Buildings, Albany Street on any weekday up to 4pm on Monday Sept 3rd. The 'election' itself is on the 27th September.

In defense of the Seileachan (here speaking as editor), at the time of publication, I was unaware of any impending bye-elections, and only became aware of this when the subject was mentioned in the Oban Times.
If the Community Council knew about it before Seileachan publication date, then the lack of broadcasting lies at their door - if they were unaware of it at that time, then they are blameless and it is the County Council not letting the left hand know what the right hand is doing.
It is also worth recording that both the Seileachan distibutors, who keep the whole islands informed, and the Community Council members who act on everyone's behalf, are all volunteers who get no remuneration for their efforts. Unlike County Councillors, MSP,s, MP's, MEP,s whose recompense for their efforts could possibly be described as being on "the gravy train"
But that is a different can of worms.

And some of these can even get a seat at the Scottish Parliment without anyone ever casting a single vote for them personally.
Dubious way to go about things to say the least

jimcee wrote:In defense of the Seileachan (here speaking as editor), at the time of publication, I was unaware of any impending bye-elections, and only became aware of this when the subject was mentioned in the Oban Times.

If the Community Council knew about it before Seileachan publication date, then the lack of broadcasting lies at their door - if they were unaware of it at that time, then they are blameless and it is the County Council not letting the left hand know what the right hand is doing.

Jim, no blame can be attached to you and I am sorry if you thought I was attempting to do so - obviously you can only publish things you know about.

I find the idea that the Community Council did not know about this by-election prior to the publication of the Seileachan extraordinary. However, the alternative - that they did know about it prior to the publication of the Seileachan but witheld that information - does not really bear thinking about.

I see that there are no candidates, so our Community Council will remain undisturbed.

An unanswered question - but who is to answer it?