The weak response to last week’s furore over the time available to curtail firework sales for Bonfire Night highlights a failing in the way Dundee City Council operates.
Questions were asked about the absence of action.
But, one brief response from John Alexander aside, silence.
Councillors should answer constituents’ questions.
A council should operate like the real world.
In other workplaces, employees show they are reaching key performance indicators (KPIs).
Line managers ask workers to list what they have been doing. Work is inspected, praised or criticised. Employees are given targets.
If this is what you have to do, why shouldn’t councillors do it? Their boss is the electorate. They should demonstrate how they meet their KPIs.
Dundee voters expect answers from councillors
Councillors pop up for various causes, aiming cheesy grins at the camera, then run away when a difficult question arises.
The leader of the council wrote to The Tele recently, defending his new committee structure. But when other letters appeared with searching questions the response was…silence.
The anger constituents feel at such behaviour is, I assure you councillors, very real.
Some councillors trumpet on Twitter the wonderful things they are doing. Or champion “obvious” causes, like allowing mobility scooters on buses — which is fine, that’s what they should be doing.
But all Dundee laughs at their panic when asked for an opinion on the humiliation of city MSP Shona Robison, in collusion with the Tories, deciding Aberdeen deserved Investment Zone status and Dundee didn’t.
The council’s selective secrecy is an insult to voters. When they make no comment on big issues, cringe down when they should stand tall, they can’t be surprised if voters resent this.
I challenge them all to follow the lead of Lord Provost Bill Campbell and write a month-end blog on the council website revealing what they’ve been doing with their time.
A timesheet, like other workers fill in.
Councillors will, I’m sure, be proud to show off how they meet their KPIs.
Their blogs should also be, importantly, a vehicle to explain their opinions on all matters important to the town, not just the easy stuff. And they should put down in black and white how they vote on issues, and give personal justification.
These blogs should have a comments section, so voters can leave praise, suggestions, or constructive criticism. And for questions to be asked. And answered.
Councillors will love it. Here is the ideal way to diarise how they’re making a difference for their city.
They can get their personality across, show what an industrious, bold, free-thinker they are. The people will see the excellent job they are doing.
It’s a reasonable request. Surely they aren’t above speaking to their constituents, explaining what they do and what they think on Dundee matters?
Next time you see your councillor, ask if they’re doing a blog. Write to me with their answers.
Conversation