Posting has resumed on Norman Bonney's regular website on community councils with an item on the valuable role that community councils play in the current weather emergency
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Wednesday 8 December 2010
Saturday 4 December 2010
What the 'vote No for the single candidate for national president' campaign achieved
The campaign to 'vote NO for the single candidate for national president' campaign has raised the level of performance of ASCC by producing the first keenly contested election to national officer positions in the history of the association. It could well be the start of a normal expectation that there will, in the future, be regular contests for such posts in the annual ballot.
The fact that 18 community councils voted against the single official candidate for national president demonstrates, too, that there is substantial dissatisfaction among a significant number of community councils with the procedures and policies of ASCC and belies the claim that this dissatisfaction is simply the work of a few malcontents with personal agendas. There are concrete issues that need attention.
The more vibrant the democratic process in ASCC the more responsive it will be to its membership. The campaign to vote NO has done a service to ASCC members.
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The fact that 18 community councils voted against the single official candidate for national president demonstrates, too, that there is substantial dissatisfaction among a significant number of community councils with the procedures and policies of ASCC and belies the claim that this dissatisfaction is simply the work of a few malcontents with personal agendas. There are concrete issues that need attention.
The more vibrant the democratic process in ASCC the more responsive it will be to its membership. The campaign to vote NO has done a service to ASCC members.
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Monday 29 November 2010
Another annual meeting
At the weekend I attended the annual meeting of a national UK membership association.
Candidates for national office and for the national committee presented their case to an audience of 150 or so members and were subject to questioning. The votes of those present determined the outcome of the elections. There was vigorous debate over a motion and all present left, I sensed, feeling that they had had an opportunity to participate and influence the organisation for another year.
Might not this be a better model for ASCC than postal balloting which does not appear to produce a higher turnout and which lacks the vital sense of face to face discussion and debate that is so central to the democratic process?
Candidates for national office and for the national committee presented their case to an audience of 150 or so members and were subject to questioning. The votes of those present determined the outcome of the elections. There was vigorous debate over a motion and all present left, I sensed, feeling that they had had an opportunity to participate and influence the organisation for another year.
Might not this be a better model for ASCC than postal balloting which does not appear to produce a higher turnout and which lacks the vital sense of face to face discussion and debate that is so central to the democratic process?
Saturday 27 November 2010
Results of ASCC postal ballot
ASCC annual postal ballot results are now on the webpage of ASCC at http://www.ascc.org.uk/
Thursday 25 November 2010
Timeline to Exclusion
How Edinburgh and the Lothians came to be excluded from full involvement in the deliberations of the Executive Council/Board of ASCC
December 2009
Resignation of the previous elected area representative from Edinburgh
March 2010
Regional meeting for Edinburgh and Lothians should be held (two years since the previous one)
April 2010
Election of ASCC area representatives for Edinburgh, West Lothian and Midlothian. Midlothian representative re-elected. No nominations for East Lothians.
A continuing vacancy on the Board/Executive throughout the year for one of the two positions for Edinburgh and Lothians. The other position continually occupied through extension of the expiring two year term of the representative from Midlothian.
14 August 2010
Edinburgh and Lothians regional meeting finally held in Livingston at which both positions on the Board/Executive for the region should have been decided among the three area representatives in post. None of the three area representatives able to be present.
15 August 2010 - 1 October 2010
7 week period in which the Executive Council/Board could organise an election among the three in post area representatives for the two positions on the Board for Edinburgh and the Lothians. This period also included a meeting of Board/Executive/area representatives on 25 September 2010 when the election could have been held.
October 2010
Executive Council/Board with an unfilled place for Edinburgh and Lothians makes nominations of single candidates for election to national officer positions.
19/20 November 2010.
Slate of single candidates for national officer positions declared elected. No results published as of 25 November but they are there on 27 November 2010.
21 November 2010 onwards
A continuing vacancy on the Board for Edinburgh and Lothians
December 2009
Resignation of the previous elected area representative from Edinburgh
March 2010
Regional meeting for Edinburgh and Lothians should be held (two years since the previous one)
April 2010
Election of ASCC area representatives for Edinburgh, West Lothian and Midlothian. Midlothian representative re-elected. No nominations for East Lothians.
A continuing vacancy on the Board/Executive throughout the year for one of the two positions for Edinburgh and Lothians. The other position continually occupied through extension of the expiring two year term of the representative from Midlothian.
14 August 2010
Edinburgh and Lothians regional meeting finally held in Livingston at which both positions on the Board/Executive for the region should have been decided among the three area representatives in post. None of the three area representatives able to be present.
15 August 2010 - 1 October 2010
7 week period in which the Executive Council/Board could organise an election among the three in post area representatives for the two positions on the Board for Edinburgh and the Lothians. This period also included a meeting of Board/Executive/area representatives on 25 September 2010 when the election could have been held.
October 2010
Executive Council/Board with an unfilled place for Edinburgh and Lothians makes nominations of single candidates for election to national officer positions.
19/20 November 2010.
Slate of single candidates for national officer positions declared elected. No results published as of 25 November but they are there on 27 November 2010.
21 November 2010 onwards
A continuing vacancy on the Board for Edinburgh and Lothians
Sunday 21 November 2010
Mixed reviews again - this time for ASCC annual meeting
The annual ASCC conference in Glasgow Saturday 20 November 2010 was well attended with well over a hundred present.
The programme contributions were all good - but perhaps went on too long - thus reducing time for discussion of national ASCC matters.
There was a clear expressed need among the attending community councillors for the annual meeting to be more of the usual agm business meeting character with which people are familiar. There is a clear need for face to face discussion and debate about the organisation and policies of ASCC and there isn't enough time for that in this existing format.
Clearly a need here for further constitutional change.
It was surprising too, that having declared that all of the single candidates for national office elected, those acting as national officers were not able to give the figures for and against each candidate.
The programme contributions were all good - but perhaps went on too long - thus reducing time for discussion of national ASCC matters.
There was a clear expressed need among the attending community councillors for the annual meeting to be more of the usual agm business meeting character with which people are familiar. There is a clear need for face to face discussion and debate about the organisation and policies of ASCC and there isn't enough time for that in this existing format.
Clearly a need here for further constitutional change.
It was surprising too, that having declared that all of the single candidates for national office elected, those acting as national officers were not able to give the figures for and against each candidate.
Thursday 18 November 2010
Mixed review of ASCC after four years of the new constitution and leadership
A mixed review of ASCC is in order after four years of operation of the currrent constitution and the changed leadership.
There have been major improvements - a much better website with improved content which is a great resource for community councillors - a higher profile in policy making circles - the achievement of better levels of funding - an occasional improved newsletter - and regional meetings to meet the members.
However this is all jeopardised by a culture which does not tolerate opposition or views that are critical of the leadership and its performance and which seeks to expel or exclude those with contrary opinions. A clear example of this is the failure to ensure that the Edinburgh and Lothians region is properly represented on the Board/Executive while steps have been made to ensure that other regions are so represented when vacancies arise.
Too many community councils find their experience of the constitution disempowering. Too many shackles are put upon independent initiative. Vigorous debate on the policies of ASCC (an essential element of a democratic and membership organisation) is relegated to the end of the agenda of the annual meeting.
Above all, the failure of the Executive/Board to present members with a choice of candidates for national officer posts indicates that it just seeks endorsement rather than participation from its membership . Contested elections are an essential feature of democracy, especially in a large membership based organisation.
Failing a choice of candidates a substantial section of the membership has this year decided to vote NO against the single candidate for national president to express opposition to the disempowering nature of the constitution and the leadership of ASCC.
There have been major improvements - a much better website with improved content which is a great resource for community councillors - a higher profile in policy making circles - the achievement of better levels of funding - an occasional improved newsletter - and regional meetings to meet the members.
However this is all jeopardised by a culture which does not tolerate opposition or views that are critical of the leadership and its performance and which seeks to expel or exclude those with contrary opinions. A clear example of this is the failure to ensure that the Edinburgh and Lothians region is properly represented on the Board/Executive while steps have been made to ensure that other regions are so represented when vacancies arise.
Too many community councils find their experience of the constitution disempowering. Too many shackles are put upon independent initiative. Vigorous debate on the policies of ASCC (an essential element of a democratic and membership organisation) is relegated to the end of the agenda of the annual meeting.
Above all, the failure of the Executive/Board to present members with a choice of candidates for national officer posts indicates that it just seeks endorsement rather than participation from its membership . Contested elections are an essential feature of democracy, especially in a large membership based organisation.
Failing a choice of candidates a substantial section of the membership has this year decided to vote NO against the single candidate for national president to express opposition to the disempowering nature of the constitution and the leadership of ASCC.
Thursday 11 November 2010
Does your community council want to vote on urgent motions at the Annual Meeting?
If your community council representative wants to have a vote on any urgent motions at the ASCC annual meeting on Saturday 20 November make sure that you have consulted clause 11g of the ASCC constitution at
www.ascc.org.uk/documents/ascc-governance
www.ascc.org.uk/documents/ascc-governance
Wednesday 10 November 2010
Prime Minister's statement in Beijing
Any analogies here for ASCC?
Mr Cameron pointed out that, were he not in Beijing, he would have been preparing for Prime Minister's Questions and suggested such scrutiny forced leaders to listen to criticism and adapt their policies in response.
"All the time the government is subject to the rule of law. These are constraints on the government and at times they can be frustrating," he told the students at Beida University.
"But ultimately we believe they make our government better and our country stronger," he said, adding that a free media ensured people were better informed and that those with different views from the government were able to take part in public debate.
news.bbc.co.uk 10/11/10
Mr Cameron pointed out that, were he not in Beijing, he would have been preparing for Prime Minister's Questions and suggested such scrutiny forced leaders to listen to criticism and adapt their policies in response.
"All the time the government is subject to the rule of law. These are constraints on the government and at times they can be frustrating," he told the students at Beida University.
"But ultimately we believe they make our government better and our country stronger," he said, adding that a free media ensured people were better informed and that those with different views from the government were able to take part in public debate.
news.bbc.co.uk 10/11/10
Thursday 4 November 2010
ASCC new online bulletin
Stung by online criticism it looks like the Association of Scottish Community Councils is beginning to improve its communication with members by introducing an online bulletin.
This is a welcome development but there is still no answer as to why constitutional amendments proposed by eleven member community councils have been ruled out of order.
Nor is there any explanation of why members are not presented with any choice of candidates in the annual ballot.
More reasons to vote NO for the single candidate for national president.
This is a welcome development but there is still no answer as to why constitutional amendments proposed by eleven member community councils have been ruled out of order.
Nor is there any explanation of why members are not presented with any choice of candidates in the annual ballot.
More reasons to vote NO for the single candidate for national president.
Wednesday 3 November 2010
What happened to proposed amendments to the ASCC constitution?
A kafkaesque episode
Eleven community councils put forward proposals this autumn to amend the constitution of ASCC within the arrangements provided for in the existing constitution. They have never been informed by the ASCC National Executive/Board why their proposals were not accepted. The proposals could have been included in the annual national ballot now in front of member community councils.
Yet another reason to vote NO for the single candidate for national president of ASCC
Kafkaesque - a term deriving from the work of the Czech writer Franz Kafka meaning 'having a nightmarishly complex, bizarre or illogical quality'
merriam-webster online dictionary 17 November 2010
Eleven community councils put forward proposals this autumn to amend the constitution of ASCC within the arrangements provided for in the existing constitution. They have never been informed by the ASCC National Executive/Board why their proposals were not accepted. The proposals could have been included in the annual national ballot now in front of member community councils.
Yet another reason to vote NO for the single candidate for national president of ASCC
Kafkaesque - a term deriving from the work of the Czech writer Franz Kafka meaning 'having a nightmarishly complex, bizarre or illogical quality'
merriam-webster online dictionary 17 November 2010
Sunday 31 October 2010
Questions on the constitution and operation of the ASCC - sound the alarm!
Why does the website provide contact details for national officers but not for other members of the Board of Directors/Executive Council?
Why, in most cases, are the contact details of your local authority area representative not available on the website?
Why do most members have to go through an application procedure on the website to discover who their local area representative is?
The quorum of one quarter of the current membership of the Board/Executive Council means that if only, say 12 of the 16 are in post, a quorum would be 3 members. Is this right?
What is the attendance record of members of the Executive/Board of Directors?
How common is proxy voting by absentees on the Board/Executive?
Do absent members of Board/Executive meetings concentrate their proxy votes in one person or spread them around to avoid the concentration of influence?
This is the fifth year of operation of the current constitution. Isn't it time to revise the constitution and make it more effective and responsive to membership influence?
To register your concern about these and related matters Vote NO for the single candidate for national president.
Why, in most cases, are the contact details of your local authority area representative not available on the website?
Why do most members have to go through an application procedure on the website to discover who their local area representative is?
The quorum of one quarter of the current membership of the Board/Executive Council means that if only, say 12 of the 16 are in post, a quorum would be 3 members. Is this right?
What is the attendance record of members of the Executive/Board of Directors?
How common is proxy voting by absentees on the Board/Executive?
Do absent members of Board/Executive meetings concentrate their proxy votes in one person or spread them around to avoid the concentration of influence?
This is the fifth year of operation of the current constitution. Isn't it time to revise the constitution and make it more effective and responsive to membership influence?
To register your concern about these and related matters Vote NO for the single candidate for national president.
Thursday 21 October 2010
Fire a warning shot - vote NO for the single candidate for national president
The ASCC Executive Council/Board has now issued a statement backing up its decision to nominate one candidate alone for the post of national president – in addition to the candidate’s statement issued with the annual ballot pack.
In evaluating whether to vote for or against this candidate member community councils should bear in mind that the Executive Council/Board has not had the full complement of 16 members when authorising these actions and statements.
The vacancy on the Executive Council/Board for Edinburgh and the Lothians is evident on the ASCC website (22 October 2010 at 9.24 am). This vacancy, and the replacement or re-election of CCllr Sam Campbell of Midlothian who has now been in post for 7 months longer than the intended two year tenure, could have been filled under the constitution by the Executive Council/Board calling a special meeting of the three in post local authority area representatives (who were elected in April 2010) from 15 August 2010 onwards. It has not done so.
In addition two other of the members of the Board of Directors listed on the ASCC website on 22 October 2010 at 9.24am (and this is still the case on 31 October at 4.34pm) actually demitted office several weeks previously.
If these latter two vacancies have been filled and are not notified on the website then it demonstrates that the Executive Council/Board can act to implement the required procedures to fill vacancies when it wishes and has been failing in its responsibility to secure full representation on the Executive Council/Board with respect to Edinburgh and the Lothians.
If these other vacancies have not been filled then there is considerably more under-representation on the Executive Council/Board than might be apparent from examining the website listing.
These arguments add to the case for voting NO for the single candidate for national president in the ASCC annual postal ballot. Such action is a warning shot across the bows - it will not disable the organisation but it will express the serious concerns of member community councils about the way that ASCC operates - a concern that was expressed to me when I was elected as Edinburgh area representative of ASCC by the city's community councils in April this year. And these concerns have not been allayed in the several months since.
In evaluating whether to vote for or against this candidate member community councils should bear in mind that the Executive Council/Board has not had the full complement of 16 members when authorising these actions and statements.
The vacancy on the Executive Council/Board for Edinburgh and the Lothians is evident on the ASCC website (22 October 2010 at 9.24 am). This vacancy, and the replacement or re-election of CCllr Sam Campbell of Midlothian who has now been in post for 7 months longer than the intended two year tenure, could have been filled under the constitution by the Executive Council/Board calling a special meeting of the three in post local authority area representatives (who were elected in April 2010) from 15 August 2010 onwards. It has not done so.
In addition two other of the members of the Board of Directors listed on the ASCC website on 22 October 2010 at 9.24am (and this is still the case on 31 October at 4.34pm) actually demitted office several weeks previously.
If these latter two vacancies have been filled and are not notified on the website then it demonstrates that the Executive Council/Board can act to implement the required procedures to fill vacancies when it wishes and has been failing in its responsibility to secure full representation on the Executive Council/Board with respect to Edinburgh and the Lothians.
If these other vacancies have not been filled then there is considerably more under-representation on the Executive Council/Board than might be apparent from examining the website listing.
These arguments add to the case for voting NO for the single candidate for national president in the ASCC annual postal ballot. Such action is a warning shot across the bows - it will not disable the organisation but it will express the serious concerns of member community councils about the way that ASCC operates - a concern that was expressed to me when I was elected as Edinburgh area representative of ASCC by the city's community councils in April this year. And these concerns have not been allayed in the several months since.
Sunday 17 October 2010
The Annual Ballot 2010 - Association of Scottish Community Councils
ASSOCIATION OF SCOTTISH COMMUNITY COUNCILS (ASCC)
ANNUAL BALLOT
VOTE NO FOR THE CANDIDATE FOR NATIONAL PRESIDENT
This year’s ballot papers are currently being distributed to member community councils. Yet again, for the fifth year in a row, member community councils of ASCC have been denied any choice in the annual ballot as to who will be elected to the posts of national officer.
The ASCC national executive, which should have a full complement of 16 members, has decided again to put only one candidate forward for election to each post.
If most community councils make no return to the ballot, as is usually the case, unhappiness with this situation will not be registered. Casting a ballot, however, suggests acquiescence in these arrangements.
The most effective way to respond would be to vote NO for the candidate for national president.
This line of action would make an important point and allow the ASCC to continue functioning if the single candidate for president is not endorsed.
These considerations again underline the need for a change to the ASCC constitution as proposed this year by a number of community councils to ensure that in future member community councils have a direct choice as to who their national officers in ASCC will be.
EDINBURGH AND LOTHIAN COMMUNITY COUNCILS EXCLUDED FROM NATIONAL OFFICER NOMINATIONS PROCEDURE
Edinburgh and Lothians local authority area representatives on ASCC were elected in April 2010. Six months later ASCC has not yet convened the meeting to elect two of them to be the members of the national executive council on behalf of community councils in the Edinburgh and Lothian regional area. This is the case despite opportunities at meetings of Executive members and area representatives in April, July and September and a Lothian regional meeting in August.
Edinburgh and Lothian community councils were thus not properly represented this year on the Executive Council/Board in the process to nominate candidates for ASCC national offices.
YET ANOTHER REASON TO VOTE NO FOR THE CANDIDATE FOR NATIONAL PRESIDENT
Norman Bonney, ASCC area representative, City of Edinburgh
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