Angus Nicolson - a political activist in the Western Isles of Scotland


About me

I was elected to Comhairle nan Eilean Siar in 1999 and re-elected unopposed in 2003.

I stood down as a Councillor in 2007 after eight years in the top echelon of Comhairle nan Eilean Siar. I was the youngest ever Chair of a Committee (Environmental Services) as well as leading the SNP Group during that period.

Until Autumn 2007 I was also international President of the Local Authorities International Environmental Organisation (KIMO), the first member of the Comhairle ever to hold such an honour.

I wanted to spend more time with my young family and with my rapidly growing business.

I retain an enormous interest in the politics and Party Politics of the Western Isles, not least because the future of my family is so tied up here.

I was expelled from the SNP for saying I might stand as an Independent Councillor in 2007, due to the inability of the SNP to have a coherent and plausible renewable energy policy. And they still don't have one.

I've not deleted my previous pages, just updated the front page and archived the rest.

I haven't lost my desire to keep current politicians on their toes, so my blog is regularly updated with (I hope) interesting and provocative stories.

I'm not supporting any particular party at present, preferring to campaign on particular issues.

Many people suspect me of being trying to undermine sitting elected representatives.  Nonsense, I'm keeping them on their toes.

I'm on a sabbatical from the Comhairle for a few years.

I'm no longer a Councillor

Angus Nicolson

I am currently working on a platform for potential candidates for the Comhairle elections in 2012.

There are a lot of people interested in standing, and a lot of sitting Councillors have indicated that they will not stand again, so there appears to be an opportunity to bring major changes to the Council.

Why have a platform? I believe that potential candidates need to understand what they are trying to achieve before they stand; and if a group of like-minded individuals can bring coherent and cohesive action for good, then so much the better.

The key elements of the platform - and this is a continually evolving document - are detailed below.

Openness

Too many items are being heard in private, or in unadvertised meetings. Whilst the move to putting all the agendas and supporting papers on the web is to be welcomed, further openness is essential.

Many items will continue to need to be taken in private, to deal with private matters, and with contract negotiations, but the default setting has to change to full disclosure.

All Council employees should assume that everything they do will get into the public domain, and as a consequence, there should be wider expectation of full disclosure.

'Commercial confidentiality' should virtually disappear. As part of the process of becoming a supplier to the Comhairle, suppliers must expect that their tender documents, and associated arrangements will become public knowledge.

Accountability

Councillors are elected by the public. Officers are responsible to the public.

Accountability isn't something that happens to others, and stops somewhere at middle-management.

Nor does it exclude Councillors.

If the Council gets it wrong, then it needs to acknowledge this by admitting it's failings.

I'm not suggestiong that someone is sacked for every single failure; but nor am I suggesting that incompetnence, stupidity, or criminality can be swept under the carpet and the employee (or Councillor) allowed to continue without reprimand. That doesn't help the good staff to continue with their high standards.

Bias towards - not against - local suppliers

"It can't be done" will be the cry. Yes it can, on all tenders below EU thresholds.

It is all about ensuring a level playing field that recognises that local suppliers recycle their income through the community.

Copyright 2011 by Angus Nicolson.