Carl Faulkner
Independent
Spotland & Falinge Ward
Address
51 Rooley Moor Road
Rochdale
OL12 7AX
What will it take for people to wake up and realise that voting for political parties at local elections just gets in the way of good local democracy?
Since I last stood in 2016, party councillors have given themselves obscene increases to their allowances; the former Labour leader has been accused of lying under oath; the current leader has been heard threatening to withhold our money from parts of the town if voters don’t meet his political criteria.
But this is what happens when people vote for the same old type of parties. You get the same old type of councillors – the ones who will always put the interests of themselves and their chosen organisation first.
As an independent councillor I would not be part of this tired, self-serving party system. I would be free to support or oppose any councillors or council officers, as I see fit.
Having observed how business is done at council meetings, an issue that desperately needs to change is the culture of unaccountability. To combat this, simple changes can be made:
- Unless a legally valid exemption applies, all council meetings should be audio/visually recorded and published online.
- All councillors' individual votes should be recorded and published.
Unlike the usual selection of fair-weather candidates hoping to be elected for the first time, I actually get involved in council proceedings. I'm quite happy to be judged on my record over the years in respect of this.
Can others say the same? Not in my ward, that’s for sure.
A few things I’ve been involved with:
- Chaired Spotland and Falinge Area Forum for 3 years
- Member of the TBA working party
- Member of Touchstones Challenge which successfully campaigned for fundamental and positive changes to the management of our Arts and Heritage
- Member of Friends of Denehurst Park
- Chaired the Spotland and Falinge Development Fund
- Thwarted the Council’s attempt to unlawfully take and build on charitable playing fields at Lenny Barn.
See my website
