Have you ever considered becoming a Thanet District or Kent County Councillor? I know I consider it on a regular basis mainly from utter frustration with each and every lat one of our councillors - the decent ones included.

It turns out that there is a site dedicated to helping regular folks like you or I becoming County Councillors. The site can be found at www.beacouncillor.org.uk and has the normal collection of self congratulatory hyper but also some interesting and useful videos and links.

I think many readers might be particularly interested in the section called First Steps to Becoming a Councillor. Fancy a new challenge in life?

It's not just the run-away councillor that has let down Dane Valley by not showing up to council but the entire party but not showing up to Dane Valley.

For example why is a Dane Valley Councillor Mayor and not a Margate Councillor? Dane Valley is big enough and complex enough to need three councillors. With one doing duty as mayor, one on permanent vacation and one yet to show up on the estate but at least is available in session I think it is time for a by-election in which all three councillors take a hike. Especuially the two whose only representation of Dane Valley is on paper.

The conservatives managed to win the last round of lacklustre voting to scoop all three seats in Dane Valley in what had to be the easiest win in ages. With the Labour party dropping the ball by not giving much of a damn about the area the Tories had an excellent opportunity to rub their noses in it and do better - they did worse.

The ready to retire do-nothings that the Labour party put in place in Dane Valley prior to the last elections have shown a lack of consideration for the people of Dane Valley but we have since learned that not even being able to spare an hour a week for the people you represent is something that Stephen Broadhurst, Michael Jarvis and Ted Watt-Ruffell are just as good at.

When the right wing parties get more than a nominal foothold in a council estate dominated area it is a sure sign that the people of the area are mightily p*ssed off with their political representatives. From there it is a short timer wherein the centre and left can redeem themselves before the likes of the National Front show up and start winning seats.

Given the local racists, Nazi's and other less acceptable members of the political fraternity seem unable to get much of a foothold it seems that the Tories (Conservatives party to you and I) were enjoying a free ride. A free ride they seem to have cocked up mightily.

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» Continue Reading: Tory Failure in Dane Valley