Well done Nigel! I’m so glad to hear you’re doing more for your community than simply standing on your high horse! However, what are you going to do for Northfields Library is the specific question? Come on now, no more sanctimonious excuses about what you’ve done in the past and about how hard you work now! You’re nothing special and yes, we all do that. Let’s get straight to the point. Will you put yourself up now for volunteering in Northfields Library or do you expect someone else to do it for you? You should listen to Eric Pickles and then you’ll get a measure of exactly how much effort is needed from the keyboard cynics. So, no more excuses and down to action Nigel, big society and all eh?So you put yourself up for council 20 years ago, so why not now? Councillors get allowances not pay Nigel. If we expect them to bear the brunt of all the expenses they face then I suppose we can only expect the ranks to be filled with the retired and the rich. Hardly representative? But some might think it’s good that this diverse borough is restricted to being represented by such a narrow group of society I suppose. Small section of society, narrow-minded, conservative with a small ‘c’ agenda perhaps? Maybe you have always been well-off enough to divert some of your potential earning time to voluntarism? Wonderful Nigel, but I think not everybody will be in your fortunate position.I, personally, think it’s a good idea to have a mix of people represent us, we can’t have councillors who are all drawn from the white, balding, male, elderly, middle-class, middle-age spread ranks can we? Younger people have difficulty giving up valuable earning time to ‘local politics and voluntarism’. My partner is a councillor, but not in this borough, but I live here. Councillors that I know dedicate most evenings, most weekends and much more too and have to stump up for all associated expenses themselves, and it comes at a cost to social life, earning potential, family life and leisure time as well as real financial costs. My girlfriend and I have a hefty mortgage to pay for many years to come, and maybe soon some day, a family to raise, and just maybe we can shed a light onto what it’s like for people of our age group, our aspirations, experiences and circumstances, but you seem to want to price ordinary people like us out of being able to represent ordinary people like us. I hope not. Nobody seriously makes money out of being a local councillor so let's not pretend they do and let's keep it open to people from all ranks of society, eh? Please? Susan, my name is John Holt fyi and YES I'm real and I live in Ealing!
John Holt ● 5495d