Pilton Sucks dotCom

Over at Edinburgh Sucks,they have raised a serious issue concerning what is happening to the city centre. With Mappin and Webb about to close and George Street fast becoming a down market booze cruise.our city is slipping into an alcoholic daze. We took Edinburgh Sucks at it’s word and sent one of our associates along George Street at 1am in the morning.

It was a sight to see.Punters spilling out into the streets shouting and swearing worst the wear for drink and not a policeman in sight,probably to busy chasing motorists that had not paid their parking fines. This is not good for the city’s image and tells us a story of where our elected members interests are. Scotland has record deaths from alcohol abuse and our city fathers are doing nothing to reduce this. Our city is awash with pubs of one sort or another,just ask Tom Ponton,the host with the most whose own watering hole is in the Grassmarket.

Our very own regular sucks readers Bill nowght to do with me Fitzpatrick can often be seen proping up the bar in Jingling Geordies changing the world with his council buddies. One sharp witted reader remarked that he would be better off doing his surgeries in there. We could’nt possibly comment on that,could we? Edinburgh now swims in a pool of alcohol supported by our booze cruise fans the city council.

Surely if the council are stupid enough to grant liquer licences willy nilly, then they should be policed properly,that would mean getting the police to leave the motorists alone and keep the streets clear of drunken yobs who would make other peoples lives a misery. Better still remove the licences from pubs who knowingly and willingly sell drink to people who they know have had more than enough, spill out into the streets and cause havoc. 

The council have enforced the smoking ban,why can’t they monitor pubs that sell drink to punters who are already drunk,or better still don’t issue any more licences. 

We have received a question from Anna,one of our readers which we are unable to answer,so we will throw it out into the community to see if anyone can answer it,anyone that is except the local politicians,nobody trusts them.

Anna asked. How many members of the Pilton Partnership board have directly benifited from any grants given,I.E employees and/or managers of local projects. We don’t have the answer to that,but maybe somebody in the community does. If so you can leave the answer in the comments box. You can remain anonymous if you wish,after all we don’t want anybody intimidated or bullied. After all nobody in this community would want to be associated with bullying,we will leave that to the Muirhouse Social Work Centre,they have an expert and experienced bully there.

Pilton Sucks is determined to uncover what is going on in your community. We will tell you what the politicians would rather hide and sweep under the carpet. We believe that Greater Pilton has been lead a merry dance,while one or two  major benificiares of this quickstep,have done okay,thank you very much.

There is unquestionably  a conspiracy of silence where information is shared around only a small number of people,each with self interest at heart.Each relies on the other,but we are pushing at this house of cards,and cracks are beginning to appear. What Edinburgh sucks has uncovered in Craigmillar we will uncover in Greater Pilton. There is no hiding place for those who would live off the backs of this community while thumbing their noses at the rest of us.

Question everything do not believe everything you hear,as a large part of it is stuff and nonsense designed to fool you and make you feel wanted. What we need is a register of interests to let us know who is doing what and why. It is clear that those in a position of authority have to be above reproach,can we honestly say that about some of our elected reps. A community clear out is necessary for the waters have become murky with conflicts of interest, and under the table deals.

It has never been explained to this community,what happened with the Muirhouse Six Circle project. What happened to the project manager,who paid off any outstanding debt, what responsibility did the management committee abdicate from,and who cobbled together a deal to bail them out. If there was a police investigation and there should have been what was the outcome. This all seems to have been buried in a hope it will go away. it won’t,the people have a right to know.

There is a bad smell in this community,it is a smell which consists of staleness and underhand methods of operating. There is also a rotten smell of greed,and one or two members of this community should be ashamed of themselves.

We will dig and dig and try to leave no stone unturned. However it is hushed up information will always leak out,for there are some in this community that cannot abide what is going on and will tell others,and we too will find out.

The days of doing what you like are over, those who take the decisions will have to account for them,those that benifit personally from those decisions,will have a lot of explaining to do. The days of the free lunch are over.

As our noble leaders jockey for position,in an attempt to get kid on community involvement,how involved do you actually feel.As the election fast approaches and panic amongst the establisment candidates sets in,there is tasteless race going on to see who can talk about community involvement the most,without actually meaning it or doing anything to encourage it.

The only way we will be involved is to force the issue and make your vote count. There is no mileage in voting for the establishment candidates as they are more than happy with the status quo. Rocking the boat is not on the agenda,but should be,if communities are to have a real say in deciding their future. The Labour Party have taken for granted the working class community vote for far to long,and are no longer deserving of our support. The Torries, well they are just a joke,and not a funny one. The opportunist SNP have yet to answer how a vote for them will be benificial for working class communities. As for the Lib Dems,they twist and turn,and after the dreadful speech by the just as dreadful Nicol Stevens,a 19% opinion poll rating flatters them.

Whats left,if you don’t fancy any of those chancers. There is no doubt alternative candidates will stand at the elections and serious consideration must be given to those who don’t follow blindly the party message. Party politics have failed the people miserably and will do so again if voted back in. They are greedy and you only need to look at how many have been caught with their fingers in the till to prove that. A revolution in political thinking is needed,new ideas ,new thinking,not just a rehash of old ideas,to make yourself sound good.

We will not get that from the present lot,just read the leaflets as they come flooding through your door. Smiling faces looking back at you promising jam tomorrow if they can have your vote. A list of achievments as long as your arm,none of which they managed without comminity pressure. So right there what does that tell you,when the community shouts the politicians jump,and say how high. Otherwise they are in a world of their own looking out for themselves and building little empires just in case they get booted out. The only thing is sometimes they get spotted doing it,and do get rightfully booted out.

You are elected to serve,not to feather your own nests and surround yourselfs with yes people,but to fight and argue to better the community you are elected to represent. One word of warning - If the people of Greater Pilton elect the same lot again,we are destined to become a sideshow as others benifit off our backs.

Don’t say we didn’t tell you.   

Friends and readers. Why is it so many people do not get involved with or in the political process. We suggest because it is a one way street which finishes at a dead end. We the people are not required other than to cast our vote every so often,so what’s the point? Nobody asks your opinion,you are told what is good for you.

This is not democracy,this is politics by deception. We as a nation if we are to function in a fair and even handed way have to be involved at every stage of the legislative process. We are told of course that this is impossible,and only our betters know what is good for us,and the medicine we need to take. If you could be bothered and watched any of the Scottish Liberal Democrat conference,you would have witnessed the worst presentation of a speech by a party leader in living memory. Nicol Stephens performance was truely dreadful and smacked of something that was badly rehearsed even though he was reading it from a board somewhere at the back of the hall.

How on earth does that sort of drivel put over as badly as that encourage people to get involved. Do people prefer the more abrasive type of knock about politics as portrayed by Nicola Sturgon. Even with her soft new shiney look it put’s people off all except the diehards and they are a dying breed. Andy Bell Goldie is no better,and our glorious leader Jack my suits are to big for me McConnell,who always looks like he is going to the gallows every time he speaks.

Where in all that do the people really get to have a say in their own destiny,put your choice on a ballot slip and take a chance. Party politics is dying and most people realise it. It is fast becoming a joke which is a serious situation as these are the people who are trying to lay down the law and tell you it’s their way or nothing. Where and how do the people engage in real democracy. The politicians will tell you they want more people involved and then put up barriers to prevent you,and push their own pals forward.

The Scottish parliament is not a peoples parliament,it is a home for ex westminster has beens  or ex town councillors. How many new people are actually in the  Holyrood parliament,not political parties actual new to politics people. Only a small handful,and why?Because the parties put the squeeze on them and make it impossible to stand as a candidate. The political parties have the monopoly and do not want to let go.

So people are turned of by the boring antics and mindless ramblings of an overpaid fatcat cartel who offer nothing but more of the same.We are mindful of that situation and fear for the future of democracy as people are squeezed out of the process. How can you engage in anything when the door is shut in your face and the no entry sign is put up. At least you can engage with us even if it just restricted to local goings on, but nevertheless we value your opinion and you are given a free hand to express your opinion,and you don’t have to pay a subcription to do so or hold any kind of membership card.

We actively seek participation in the democratic process and the freedom of speech which is hated by so many who preach the faith of party doctrine and obediance to the code.

There is much going on in communities like ours which some would rather you did not know,but where we find it we will tell you and you can make up your own mind. Sites like PiltonSucks allows people of all political persuasions to engage in activity and make their point known. Establishment politicians do not like this neither do the organisations who are there to serve us, they would rather you did not know what was really going on as much of it is embarrassing and dodgy to say the least.

So come and join us for free and give us your point of view, it  won’t be censored or some sort of spin put on it. We understand that regular sucks readers such as the punters punter Bill Bailie Fitzpatrick sings our praises and wishes he had just a fraction of the jobs that Dave fatboy Hewitt has had. Ask your self this Bill how did he get them? We will tell you what the NEN should be telling you,but unfortunatly it is driven by party politics,which is a shame really because it has the potential to be a good community news sheet,but at the moment it carrys a little to much political baggage.

The freedom to express views is a fundemental building block of democracy, we are witnessing the crumbling of the old guard and the fortress that surrounds them,and what we hope is the new signs of life will breath new life into community democracy which actively seeks out people to engage in the due process. We will give you an example. The people of Greater Pilton should have a bigger say in the workings of the city organisations in our community E.G. The two social work departments and the housing department. How many people actually know what goes on there. We have the community councils now so lets use them and allow them to question the workings of these prehistoric departments.

How many local people  actually work there apart from cleaners and security staff,very few and thats a certainty. We are good enough to clean up and bounce people out but not good enough for anything else. We believe in local people for local issues. How many housing workers,social workers or any other kind of worker are actually locally based and understand the needs of local people,again we say very few. So the alternative is to bring them to the table to answer for what they do in this community.

This is not anarchy,just a new type of political thinking,bringing the services to the table to explain what and why they do what they do,and for us to insist on a community agenda. The establisment politicians will have a heart attack at that thought,as they are stuck in the past and allow these monstrous departments to run roughshod over them. We need to change the way we are told to live ,we need to set the agenda,and make sure we have the people to carry it out.

At present we are at the mercy of anyone who wants to pick us off and the establishment politicians tell us with that worn out record IT’S NOWGHT TO DO WITH US. So stand aside and let change take place,our present lot are the barrrier to any real progress,as the status quo suits them perfectly. Do you think Empress Mcginnis wants any kind of people power unless she picks them,of course not. Neither does our old friend and regular sucks reader Bill boy Fitzpatrick. As for Malcolm Principles Chisholm he would puke up at the thought of real participation and would probably reach for one of his many pre signed resignation letters,which he keeps handily in his hip pocket.

So you pays your money and takes your choice,the status quo and a do nothing mentality or as little as you can get away with,or do you change track  completly and vote for real community participation and rule. Who can tell the ballot slip might tell us.  

We were wondering if any of our readers had been or could be bothered visiting our splendid new seat of government down Holyrood way. One of our associates George paid a visit,but had to get past the crowd of Japanese tourists with their umbrellas and camcorders. Once he did,he wandered round and was pleasantly suprised at the quality of the building,as long as you avoided the buckets that were collecting the rainwater,from the leaks in the roof.

He passed one or two pompous MSPs who were busy dashing around trying to avoid the tourists, even denying who they were in order to get away. He spotted our Justice Minister Madame Jamison who was flicking through the racing section of the sporting life,curseing her bad luck at the previous days racing. It’s good to see our interests are being looked after. He also spotted Green MSP Robin Harper guitar in hand complaining about the cold and could somebody please turn the heating up,nothing like saving the planet Robin,how’s that for the pot calling the kettle black.

In the debating chamber itself nothing much was happening,and that could be heard from the loud snoring that was coming from the direction of the sleeping Andie Bell Goldie the Tory terrier. Apart from all that excitement nothing much was going on,so presumably the country was running itself, DIY government. The only real activity George witnessed was the large queue at the end of the building where much pushing and shoving was going on coupled with a large amount of colorful language. When George asked what was going on he was told that,that was the MSPs expences queue,and it was always like that.

Well at least our overpaid political fatcats get excited about something. As George was about to leave the building he witnessed our green hero Robin Harper thumping a colleague with his guitar for pinching his place in the expence queue. Can’t even go to the toilets that don’t work Robin without some low life pinching your place in the queue.

What kind of world are we living in.

Opportunity to purchase off plan a traditional built penthouse flat with stunning views to the Forth Estuary. Individually designed. September completion. Lounge, Dining/kitchen with appliances, 3 double bedrooms/one en-suite bathroom. Gas central heating/double glazing. 2 terraces,lift,parking.

No friends and readers we are not going into the estate agents business. This little gem is for sale with the grand address of 35/11 Waterfront Avenue. And you can have all these delights for the bargain basement price of £285,000. Yes friends your very own affordable property,that is if you can afford the asking price. Of course you will have to add on the factoring costs estate agents and solicitors fees, but never mind these small details,you can have your own piece of heaven for an arm and a leg and of course community charge on top.

We don’t think many citizens from the Greater Pilton area will be rushing to view this building masterpiece as it does not seem to be in the affordable bracket,but heh wait on the elusive affordable properties are still to come aren’t they? But there is one person we all know whose desire it is to own one of these top floor flats,our old comrade Liz waterfront Mcginnis. She would probably be one of the very few people in this community who could afford it. So there you are it is an affordable property after all.

We have received information which implicates an employee of the infamous Muirhouse Social Work Centre with the notorious CCS[Capital City Service] otherwise known as the Hibs Casuals. This employee has access to sensitve information held at this Social Work Centre,which in itself is disturbing.

We received this information anonymously which placed this employee as an enthusiastic participant of the CCS. We are obviously concerned that if true places this employee in an position of trust that he should not be in. This coupled with the serious allegations of workplace bullying at the same centre leads us to believe there are serious problems that have to be addressed quickly. We are already aware of a third person who has suffered bullying, coupled with this latest revelation brings this centre into complete disrepute.

Are Health and Social Care senior managers aware of this employees links with this notorious organisation,and if not why not. Could it be he has lied about his past or just forgot to mention his involvement. Since we received this information,further stories have reached us. It would seem that this employee was seen several times at Branigans night spot,a meeting place for the CCS. This in itself is not proof of involvement but it would seem to be a bit more than a coincidence.

Taxpayers and service users have a right to know what kind of people are involved in positions of trust/sensitivity. If our information is correct it seems that someone got through the net  

We hear on the grapevine although we have no knowledge ourselves of this,that a community meeting is in the offing to select a community candidate to contest the election in May. We have heard this rumour before and a couple of names have been mentioned,but nothing concrete.

We say carry on this is good news for democracy,a community selecting it’s own candidate. It is just a shame that the political parties did not think of the same idea,instead of restricting it to members only,and they are few and far between. Of course if this had happened it is unlikely the same old faces would have been selected. But there you go democracy in action,well behind closed doors. 

Its that time of the month again,the gathering together of the newly formed community councils. From what we are told and have seen for ourselves it’s a steady as you go process,and they need time to gel and find their feet. But will they get it? We hope so as they could be useful forums in which to debate issues and look at things from a community angle.

Of course as in all new born babes they need nurture and support to flourish,and that is where our doubts come in. We hear that the ruthless Liz is still trying to dominate Royston/Wardieburn community council,indeed she is trying to fill it with what supporters she has left so she can decide what is on the agenda and do away with any resistance. How the so called mighty fall and decend into oblivion,we hope Royston/Wardieburn survives but the jury is still out on that. 

As for the others.Well Drylaw/Telford the most experienced community council and Labour party mouthpiece[just look at the office bearers] continues on it’s merry way,if it could just lose that silly underhand stupidity of backdoor political party support,they could offer the new community councils the benifit of their experience,but lose the political crap first,it fools nobody.

Over in West Granton/Pilton,it would seem that,apart from the odd resignation all is  not to bad,and as we have said previously our pal Bill Bailie leaves them alone to get on with it, which is a good move as it allows the community council to grow,and we give credit where it is due,so well done to the punters punter Big Bill Bailie who receives our gold star for delegation. It didn’t take him long to twig on that his presence might not be to welcomed unless required.

Over in sunny Muirhouse the picture is a bit confusing.The party lackies would like to take the council in their direction but they are getting a bit of resistance from those who see the ruling party as a ball and chain and want more community say.We say carry on and push for community rule.

So there we have it the latest  installment of the community council soap opera. Who will come out on top. Will Royston/Wardieburn sink in the mire of the rule of the empress. Will Drylaw/Telford shake off the smell of party politics. Will West Granton/Pilton go from strength to strength. Will the members of the sunny Muirhouse council win the battle for hearts and minds. The next nailbiting episode will be the same time next month. It’s better than Eastenders. Oh and while we are on the subject of Eastenders,how about using the Anchor Inn as our version of the Queen Vic. Now there’s a thought.