Reported missing
The town's community council feels "sidelined and ignored" by the three elected members who represent Selkirkshire on Scottish Borders Council.
That was the angry response from chairman Gordon Edgar after not one of the trio – Kenneth Gunn, Vicky Davidson and Carolyn Riddell-Carre – turned up at Monday’s monthly meeting in the Victoria Halls.
“To say I am disappointed is an understatement,” said Mr Edgar.
“These people, who are non-voting members of the community council, are paid and pensioned by the taxpayer to represent the views of the community they serve, but how on earth can they do that if they don’t come to hear these views and concerns?”
He explained that Mrs Wilma Gunn had called him on behalf of her husband at 5pm on Monday to extend his apologies for not attending the meeting, which began at 7pm.
“When I got home after the meeting there was an email message from Mrs Riddell-Carre saying she would also not be there and a voicemail message from Ms Davidson, saying she was ill.
“Whatever the reasons for not attending and for leaving it so late to let us know, it is just not on.
“I increasingly get the impression that SBC members see us as a minor irritant and, unfortunately, we cannot force them to attend because they have no job description.
“With so many issues of concern in Selkirk at this time, we feel sidelined and ignored. I hope they make a better effort in future.”
Mr Gunn told us: “I had a bug and a severe cough which I did not want to spread around.
“I had no idea the others would not be there and to question my commitment is ridiculous. It is very seldom that I fail to attend.”
Ms Davidson said she had also been ill on Monday and had left her apologies on the answerphone of community council secretary David Bethune.
“When I discovered in the late afternoon that he [Mr Bethune] was away, I tried Gordon [Edgar] and Lindsay [vice-chairman Dr Lindsay Neil] but missed them both.
“I must stress I take my role seriously and have always worked well with the community council and was especially sorry to be ill as I had quite a few things to report back to them.”
Mrs Riddell-Carre told us: “I said to the community council last September, when I was the only SBC member present, that having one councillor seemed to work very well and that I would in future be at one in three of their meetings.
“I have honoured this promise and have attended more than that.
“The only news which seems to come out of the community council is whether the SBC councillors are at the meetings.
“Attendance is not everything. Unlike anybody else in Selkirk, I have served on SBC’s administration with Mr Edgar. His attendance was perfect.
“He attended every possible meeting. And he sat mumchance [silent] throughout every meeting.
“I suppose it’s how you define work.
“You can sit like a lump throughout hundreds of meetings. Or you can engage your brain to question and to challenge.
“Unlike some others, I possess a brain and I am prepared to engage it.”
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Weather for Selkirk
Friday 25 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 9 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 7 C to 18 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: North east
