Shrimpsvoices

Listening to a local council official on the radio today stating council policy about the multitude of different bins we now have and the problems they face in certain areas of Lancaster where occupiers back yards are too small to accommodate all the various bins resulting in them having to leave them in the back alleyways between the streets and therefore restricting access, the Council official was unable to answer the question of 'Ok what would you do given the same set of circumstance and it was your property?'

All he did was reiterate council policy time after time after time.

This is not an isolted case. Those who languish in the coridoors of power refuse time after time to answer a question directly. It must be so bloody frustrating for those asking the questions. If it were me, I'm sure I wouldn't be able to keep my cool!

A certain female MP who is a member of the Cabinet (Financial Secretary or something similar) is probably the most infuriating of the lot! Get her on Question Time and she has mastered the art of saying a lot without answering a direct question.

If this was an 'official' then you're being unfair, Neil.

He is a paid employee of the council.

Basically he is paid to carry out duties along strict guidelines set by councillors (our elected members) through their decision making processes.

He is not paid to (and shouldn't) express an 'opinion' live on a radio show.

Basically it's like you or anyone in any job being asked 'what do you think about that thing that your company is doing that is being criticised' by a radio interviewer, live on air.

Had it been a 'councillor' it would have been a different matter (and if it was then they SHOULD have felt free to give an opinion).

They could give whatever opinion they wanted and not risk getting the sack (at least until the next election).

It's fair to ask a councillor what they think about a policy (though they may not want to criticise their council colleagues) but 'officers' asked for 'opinions' will (and should) always just give the council's policy as an answer.

Any experienced interviewer should know this.

Cheers Glen.
I never actually thought of it in those terms.
Interesting to read the opinions of a former Editor.
It's still frustrating as hell though when MPs squirm their way out of answering questions.

Christies Child wrote:It's still frustrating as hell though when MPs squirm their way out of answering questions.

You are'nt the only one frustrated

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRRYDVaXdaA

marky No.1 wrote:

Christies Child wrote:It's still frustrating as hell though when MPs squirm their way out of answering questions.

You are'nt the only one frustrated

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRRYDVaXdaA

..but he still won!

Christies Child wrote:Cheers Glen.
I never actually thought of it in those terms.
Interesting to read the opinions of a former Editor.
It's still frustrating as hell though when MPs squirm their way out of answering questions.

It is frustrating with MPs - they have a party line to 'toe' but often you think 'come on, surely you can give a proper answer on that, we're not going to shoot you!'

The TV show The Thick of It (and its film version 'In the Loop') give a great insight into the world of 'spin' in that respect.

On the council thing I speak from experience. When I was a press officer at the county council I had a reporter ring me about a council planning decision. I gave her the decision details - which were a matter of public record, a matter of fact.

Then she said: "And what do you think about that? How can you justify that?"

I said: "I'll give you the number for the chairman of the committee so you can ring him for a comment."

She said: "But what do YOU think about it?"

I said: "I'm a paid employee of the council. I can give you the facts of the meeting and the decision that was taken, if you're looking for a comment, an opinion, then, as I say, I'll put you in touch with the committee chairman who can answer all that and give you a quote."

She didn't phone the councillor, instead quoting all of that last paragraph in the paper (in East Lancs) after 'Glen Cooper, council press officer, said: ".....


I had to ring her and her editor the next day to explain that, in future, I'd have to preface each sentence I ever said to her with the words "This bit is OFF the record" or "This bit can be ON the record".

Going back to the original question, if the bins are out in the back alley the council can prosecute them for putting them out too early.