Notebook by Bill Heaney
There’s news this week that the Police Federation – that’s the police officers themselves – have turned to social media to expose how badly the Scottish police service is set up and underfunded.
And how exposed the public are, now that local forces have been disbanded and gone national, to criminals, anti-social behaviour and increased exposure to sexual predators who prey on women after dark. Not to mention domestic abuse for which West Dunbartonshire tops the league.
No wonder they sit unmotivated in their vans down side streets.
Police Scotland’s own in-house, very expensive, official communications department seems to have failed in their efforts to appease their own officers who complain about the state the national force is in, and how the Thin Blue Line is becoming thinner by the day.
And, of course, elected members of local councils and police boards choose to do anything about this since they think that is something that’s just not done.
They fear that the police will get their own back on them by taking the registration number of their car and making a point of pulling them up for the most innocuous road traffic offence.
We have come to a point when our public services are under-staffed, under-resourced and poorly motivated to do the work allocated to them.
And since the cops and the clerks are in the front line facing the public, they take the brunt of the criticism.
Who speaks for them? The official communications department of Police Scotland is of little or no assistance to the police on the beat, so they have had to turn to social media to hold their bosses to account.
That is why they have turned to social media to bring matters of concern out into the open.
If the police can’t look to our elected members of parliament and local councils to fight their cause then who can blame them for going public?
They can’t look to the press as they may have done in the past. Press releases from Police Scotland don’t come near revealing the actuality of what the police are faced with on a day to day basis.
Instead of revealing the facts of what’s happened and who is involved in a traffic accident they choose to tell us the make of the cars involved. Now, who cares whether it’s Jaguar or a Toyota that’s involved in a traffic accident?
If housebreaking is a major problem, then why aren’t the public being alerted to the areas where this is prevalent, whose house is involved and what’s been stolen?
Unlike councillors and other elected representatives, the Police are not well paid for the work they do.
This year West Dunbartonshire Council awarded themselves a 21% pay increase.
On social media today, one woman has urged council taxpayers to wait till they see what Stirling awarded themselves.
And invites the question: “Why in God’s name do people vote for pro union parties?”
Stirling Police Office
Lorraine Mitchell, who is unquestionably making a political point, asks: “Did you vote Labour and got Tories thrown in? – Or – Tories and got Labour thrown in? Instead of sticking to REAL Scottish ONLY parties/politicians = Stirling did! – Mugs!
Now their top councillors (Conservative & Labour) have decided to give themselves a 40% pay rise – And just WEEKS after giving residents a 9% council Tax hike!
Senior councillors at Stirling Council voted for themselves and agreed with themselves at a meeting on Thursday.
Totalling around £700,000 for all 23 elected members.
That’s £700,000 off your council services, going straight to their pockets, while council taxpayers in the area pay an extra 9% council tax for the privilege of electing them……. good for you Stirling.
You really gave it to SNP didn’t you!
The Labour administration, backed by Tory councillors, agreed that the number of senior councillors will remain at six (breathe a sigh of relief, it was going to be increased to 10, if not for the backlash of people finding out, sharing the info, and stirring up a storm) – However, those six will still be divvying up between them, the maximum combined total which can be payable to all senior councillors…. £317,646. Senior councillor remuneration will go from £26,686 up to £37,548 per annum.
LABOUR Council leader Gerry McGarvey’s salary will increase from £35,580 to £50,063 (about £1,000 a week and similar to Martin Rooney’s salary in Church Street) – a 40 per cent hike – and the basic councillors’ salary will increase from £21,345 to £25,982 – a boost of 21.7%They also voted to raise the salary for the role of Lord Provost, Elaine Watterson (CONSERVATIVE), as the Civic Head, to £37,548 per annum – in line with the MAXIMUM allowed by statute!
Senior councillors are also to be paid the upper-level payment allowed – £37,548 – in line with what was described as, longstanding practice at LABOUR councils.
The SNP groups amendment disputing the pay rises was of course ignored. The dirty little coalitions by unionists that numpties help to elect to position, means that no-one cares what the ACTUAL REAL Scottish party councillors have to say!
Stirling Council’s senior councillors who decided on the astronomical increases to themselves include:
Robin Kleinman (CONSERVATIVE)
Neil Benny (CONSERVATIVE)
Danny Gibson (LABOUR)
Jen Preston (LABOUR)
Rachel Nunn (CONSERVATIVE)
Martin Earl (CONSERVATIVE)
Now there’s something you didn’t know and which never in a million years would these councillors want you know.
If, like me, you probe too deeply for their liking, they will have you banned from talking to their communications officers. Or spin doctors. They were costing £500,000 a year in Dumbarton until not so long ago. I don’t know what the figure is now.
They won’t speak to The Dumbarton Democrat. Too busy taking complaints about bins being lifted and not being lifted.