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George one of our associates decided to put a little fun into the election and asked the local bookie if they could give him some odds on who might win a seat in the Forth Ward Stakes. Although he was told that no actual betting would be made available, they would give george some sporting odds just for the fun of it.

George gave the bookie the names and what flag they where standing under and this is what they came up with.

In no particular order.

Marilyn Sangster -SSP 25/1 against

Alan Jackson-Tory 1/9 on

Billy Fitzpatrick -Labour 1/1[even money]

Kate Joester-Green 20/1

Fred Marinello-Independent 2/1

Elizbeth McGinnis-Labour 1/1[even money]

Willie Black-Solidarity 25/1

Steve Cardownie-SNP 2/1

Elaine Morris-LibDem 9/4 

These odds where based on the information George gave the bookie and of course do not represent the bookies own information. Nevertheless it shows the Tory Jackson in a commanding position and that is democracy for you. As for the other three spots available the bookie decided to play the safe card and gave tight odds. Apart from the Solidarity,SSP and Green candidates the bookie reckons that Morris, Marinello, Mcginnis, Cardownie and Fitzpatrick are all in with a fighting chance. With 12 days to go it may well change,it all depends on the voting public. We don’t have long to wait. 

We have had some of our associates out and about in the community this week as election fever grips the community,or not as the case may be. We have taken the time to speak to as many people as time allows and the sheer sense of frustration at what they see as been taken for granted is all to apparent. Both the gruesome twosome Messers McGinnis tell us gleefully that they have been councillors for over two decades,yes that’s right hard to believe but true. We don’t think given their dire record that’s something they should be proud of.

Both should have taken the money and run,and given this community a chance to breath again and ridden ourselves of the stench of underhand dealings and nowght to do with me mentality. One of the biggest building sites in Europe on our doorstep and not a single job of any note for the local community. The promise of affordable homes has not materialised,and the one concession we got was some yellow lines in West Granton Road which nowght to do with me Fitzpatrick claimed credit for when in fact it was nowght to do with him and the locals forced the issue,talk about being useless.

So instead of parking in West Granton Road which we will remind the good councillor still goes on these bad mannered motorists now park in the  side streets of Granton Mains,so what are you going to do ,about that then councillor,or is that nowght to do with you. In fact he may have seen it for himself as he posed for his photo outside Telford College alongside the ever cheesy smiling Waterfront Liz.

We think Bill Bailie might be better off at his favourite watering hole Jinglin Geordies where he can recite tales of community achievments and there is nobody around to say any different. Of course Waterfront Liz would never be seen dead in a seedy joint like that she much prefers the more upmarket establisments where you pay to have a piss but the punters are a much more classier bunch,you know the types bullshiters in the extreme, with their copy of readers wives in their briefcases. Probably better off in jinglin geordies.

But enough of this hilarity,while we joke the holes in the pavements get bigger,the punters have no real say in the way they have to live,more shity shoe box houses get built and our green spaces decrease,and we have the horror of community planning still to come,aren’t we lucky. told how to live,given no say, jobs for the boys,shity streets and pavements and Dave fatboy Hewitt ready to take a job at a moments notice. Oh what a wonderful life.   

As our demands for an open investigation into the terrible events concerning workplace bullying at Muirhouse Social Work Centre continue to be ignored,and senior managers dive for cover,Pilton Sucks and associates condemn the shameful behaviour of the three local councilors in this serious matter Lesley prada Hinds,Bill nowght to do with me Fitzpatrick and empress McGinnis.

All three of these upright citizens have chosen to bury their heads in the sand as victims of workplace bullying where made to suffer at the hands of a jobsworth thug and his single brain celled assistant. Two of these three,empress McGinnis and nowght to do with me Fitzpatrick are standing for election under the cover of the Labour Party,and if by some fluke they where elected the Muirhouse Social Work Centre would come into their remit.

As defenders of the community they had a duty to look into this matter and nowght to do with us is not an excuse,after all what is the point of voting if the elected members turn their backs at the first sign of trouble.If this is an example of their commitment to this community then shame on them,they don’t deserve one single vote as they have consistently ignored a problem which they cannot deny they knew about.

Certainly Councillor McGinnis has looked after her own interests and made sure she was alright,thank you very much,and now she wants our support to carry on building her empire,no chance. As for nowght to do with me Fitzpatrick most of the shame is at his door. We expect Lizzie to feather her own nest and snub anyone who raises an eyebrow at why this empire buliding is allowed,but Pilton Sucks might have expected more from the rank and files hero Bill Baillie. But no he to has decided to shy away from the truth and allow deviant behaviour to run riot in this community.

This bully is responsible for some of this communities most vunerable people and he is a nutcase,what’s more his bosses deep down know it as there is a mountain of evidence to prove it. We are told Unison who some people have nicknamed  useless have reams of evidence incriminating this thug and knew about him and his antics many moons ago. Why have the Health and Social Care Department consistently refused to punish this criminal? Why when a number of people have come forward describing what happened to them under his management has nothing been done? Why have more people left the Community Service team in Muirhouse or been bullied to leave than any other team in the city? Why have management not asked the simple question what is going on there?

Why have Messers Fitzpatrick,Hinds and McGinnis all who are asking for your vote done nothing to raise this serious problem at City level,after all they tell us proudly that they are experienced councillors,so it can’t be that then. We do not believe that it is nowght to do with them, so what’s the problem. We can only concieve from their lack of action that they are not interested in the plight of victims who have suffered at the hands of a rouge element in a could not care less department.

Pilton sucks will continue to campaign against workplace bullying and we will continue our demand for an open investigation into the unlawful antics of this thug who hides behind anyone who will protect him,such is his cowardice. 

Pilton Sucks has up to now been neutral in it’s political leanings,but from what we have  experienced in terms of lack of action on this very serious matter,we say to our readers today that A VOTE FOR FITZPATRICK OR MCGINNIS IS A WASTED VOTE.

13 DAYS AND COUNTING.  

Well friends and readers,election fever is well under way,and we are sure you are all wetting yourselves with excitement. Bill nowght to do with me Fizpatrick is hanging on to the tails of empress McGinnis as they do their best to hang on to their positions. It seems even though their vote is slipping away,they are busy particularly Bill Bailie telling anyone who is daft enough to listen that the four places available are already sewn up and himself and the ruhless greedy empress will get second and third.

Arrogance in the extreme,and from someone who shys away from having to do anything as his now infamous catch phrase nowght to do with me testifies to. The empress is not so daft as to publicly say anything as stupid as that,she is more canny and realises her outside politics dealings have been less than smart and are now catching up with her,this and her outward arrogance with it’s I know better than you mentality may yet see her out on her ear,and privately she must know how stupid she has been as well as greedy.

But that won’t stop them trying to con the voters into giving them another go,but the feeling we are getting in the community is that their numbers may well be up regardless of what tall stories they tell us. Each of them tell us they have been councillors for 2o years or more,that is not something you want to brag about considering the state of parts of this community. As for that useless article Chisholm who is telling us that he has always put the priorities of this community first is a downright liar. He hasn’t lifted a finger to help this community just turned his back because he hasn’t got an idea in his head.

This aloof waste of space has used this community to further his own ends and then paid us fleeting glimpses until it is election time then he is round and about like a bad smell. The three musketeers have some serious questions to answer that a smile and a handshake and a few lies won’t paper over the cracks.

Why is there little or no local employment on this new development despite the lies we are told?

How does councillor McGinnis manage a project which receives monies from an organisation she chairs?

Why when serious problems affect this community they are no-where to be seen?

Why does councillor McGinnis keep her dealings with the waterfront board a secret,what is there to hide?

The people of this community have been lead a merry dance by Ms. McGinnis and her poodle nowght to do with me Fitzpatrick,who should have had the balls to say enough is enough and put the empress in her place. But no as in a number of matters Councillor nowght to do with me Fitzpatrick is found wanting. Pilton sucks believes that with empress McGinnis you get what you vote for,her own self interests and grabbing as much filthy lucre as she can get her mucky hands on.

As for nowght to do with me Fitzpatrick,a number of people in this community will tell you he just can’t be trusted,he will let you down and then trod out that old familar catchphrase nowght to do with me. After over twenty is this the choices we have,is that it. Well fortunatly not,this new voting system has thrown up a number of alternatives,and we as a community would be wise to look closely at the ballot paper and the choices on offer.

The thought of another four years of self interest and greed coupled with another four years of nowght to do with me,would be far to much to bear.

15 DAYS AND COUNTING. 

As new development contines at a frantic pace,and our community becomes squeezed,what do you think is the grand plan for us. Is there one? or is it just let market forces dictate our future. Given that we live in what is classified as a multiple deprived community our future if allowed to be dictated by market forces is a bleak one. Are we forever to live with the scourge of high unemployment when all around us is the new booming economy ,with it’s  sardine can size overpriced properties and it’s outside labour.

Major refurbishment should have been undertaken at the same time as our new world was being constructed.Not the case unfortunatly. How many of the new inhabitants will use the welfare advice so readily available to the existing community. How many will be involved with the new structures proposed for us? not to many we think.How many will have to live in homes crying out for upgrading?none we imagine. So as the grand plan for the new world order takes shape we are left to ponder on what might have been or more precisely what should have been.

The sense of gross unfairness is felt everywhere ,people  rightly feel let down by their noble rulers.Nowght to do with me is no excuse, as we watch from a well kept distance the emergence of a concrete jungle not designed for community living or for integration, the feeling of lonliness as you walk around the new concrete village is all to real where nobody knowes each other and community living is something better left in the past.

This is a sorry state of affairs the story we where spun of social integration.of local employment, a community at ease with itself are mere pipe dreams told to us to placate any voices of desent. We where never to be included as part of the driving force for the future just merely bystanders watching the world go by before our very eyes. This friends is the grand plan for Greater Pilton watch,wait and see,and if you are lucky you might get a cleaning job or be employed picking up someone elses crap. You might even reach the heady hights of a security job watching over the new world and all it’s hidden goodies.

Don’t whatever you do think above your station that would not do would it?We have been battered into near submission as we are pulled one way then another,and told it’s for your own good.

Never have we needed leadership before as we do now.the present incumbants have lost the will if they ever had it to put this community first,after all this is where up to this election where their support came from. But instead of leadership we got bullshit and plenty of it, and when questions where asked all we heard was the tones of it’s nowght to do with me. Our noble rulers passed the baton to the greedy a long time ago and papered over the cracks in an attempt to fool us into believing we had a stake in the future.

the stake we have is right through this communities heart,and as long as we don’t pull it out it will remain there. On May3rd you have the chance to pull the stake out and breath again. Don’t leave it in it will eventually kill us.

17 DAYS AND COUNTING.

As our noble rulers press on regardless of the peoples wishes with their tram night mare and ignore the evidence which is available to them on the cost effectiveness of such a scheme. We ask could this money,anything up to a billion pounds be better spent? Well lets see shall we. It is reasonable to assume with the figures available that somewhere in the region of 10,000 houses could be built all of them being made afforadable to rent or buy. Now think of the good that would do for the many prople who cannot get on to the property ladder.

Instead we face many years of upheaval and congestion on a scale unprecedented even for a city like this which has more roadworks than anywhere else you go. Just look at the state of the roads in this city at present they are a disgrace and a disaster area.Should some of this vast sum of money not be better spent on getting this problem right. Invest in the bus service and then we might not have campaigns to save services. Dosen’t make sense does it,or possibly it does if you care to look a little closer. Ask yourself this,if the tram operators think that they cannot make money out of this scheme,then why would they bother,certainly not for the good of the people.

It’s simple really,gradually run down the bus services over a period of years and leave the way open for the tram to come in and pick up the slack. We understand that as many as three to one are against this scheme,so what does that tell you. the unseemly rush to get this expensive project off the ground rather than take the time to fully explore the for’s and against’s lets the people know exactly what the politicians think of their opinions.

We had a referendum on the so called congestion charge the people said no, we had a referendum on housing stock transfer the people said no. We have had no referendum on this tram system. Wonder why? 

17 DAYS AND COUNTING.     

Bob Dalgleish himself a former Labour Councillor comments in Mondays Evening News of  the dangers of  building new housing schemes without any real thought. He tells us that our new housing schemes are not communities but the dormitories of today,the pensions of tomorrow and the slums of the day after. Nail on the head comes to mind,as we look at the new development at the Warerfront. Souless and empty of character built to make money and very little else.

The other important point Mr. Dalgleish makes is the history of East Pilton. He tells us it started 75 years ago as a garden styled community with many open spaces and plenty of jobs within walking distance of the houses. Now we have little or no local employment except for those in the poverty industry and what is left of green space is being sold off as quick as possible. The ruling Labour Group have sold off the communities to the highest bidder and what is left is fast becoming a concrete jungle.

Housing stock deliberatly run down flats allowed to stay empty until they are no longer habital,people now have less say than they ever did in running their communities,and this is called progress. Community planning is the next big white hope,but in reality it is just a job for the boys scheme,with the citizens pushed further back in the pecking order. So bogged down in bureaucracy we cannot breath never mind get involved in decision making. Once this community planning dodge gets a grip we will be suffocated and at the mercy of the chosen ones. Our community councils are toothless tigers when in fact they should be handed real decision making power making services in this community answerable to the councils and therby the community.

Mr. Dalgleishes history lesson is a valuable one and should have been part of a master plane for this community. Alas greed won the day and our noble elected rulers jumped into bed as quick as they could with their new found developer friends.

Even that is a secret nobody bar the elite know what is going on down there and our representative and chair of the board Councillor Liz Mcginnis tells the community nothing of what is going on. There are no local people on these boards why not? no doubt the slippery politicians will give us a bullshit reason,but it’s all crap. Liz and her buddies don’t want anything to do with us,they couldn’t bear the thought of having to sit down at the table with the likes of us,oh what a dreadful thought. That dear friends is a direct result of Labour Mis-rule, secrecy and jobs for the boys.

Until  we rid ourselves of this kind of behaviour all we will get is more reasons why this or that cannot be done. Pilton Sucks asks the question WHY IS THEIR PLENTY OF RESOURCES AND MONEY FOR THE COMMUNITIES DESTRUCTION BUT LITTLE OR NONE FOR ITS SALVATION?

17 DAYS AND COUNTING.

Well friends and readers we live in interesting times. It seems another two candidates have put themselves forward for the forthcoming council election in the Forth Ward. A Green candidate and a candidate for the SSP. We had been asking for the voters to have a wider choice than the usual suspects and we now have it.

This may well prove to be one of the tightest wards fought in the election. With the Labour party in a complete shambles and begging for money to run a campaign it could turn out to be a very open contest. We even had a report of how they where trying to cut up the ward to maximise their vote. No thought of the issues and concerns of the community just self interest and survival. With the local community disenchanted with what Labour have on offer and no wonder,there really is a mood of change coming quickly our way.

We offer some condolence to Messers Fitzpatrick and McGinnis as we are nothing if not fair. Our Liz should have listened to proper advice instead of listening to a little self interest clique and being mighter that thou. As for regular sucks reader Bill Bailie,the tag of nowght to do with me sticks like glue and he has probably said it so many times that he dosen’t realise he is saying it. Complacency,arrogance and general dismissal is the legacy they leave behind them,but of course it is up to you the voter. So vote you must and then we can have no complaints.

Greater Pilton and it’s new neighbours of the Forth Ward can make history. Out with the old and in with the new. You don’t need to phone a friend or ask the ForthWard audience,or even go 50-50.Just vote with your head and change our fortunes. You know it makes sense.

18 DAYS AND COUNTING. 

We reported to you some time ago about the alledged mis-managment at the secure units of St Cathrines and Howdenhall and the part Mr. Frank Phelen has in all this. Mr. Phelen as you might remember is the principle officer of both St Cathrines and Howdenhall.

Our latest information concerns the tragic case of Danielle Scott who died after been giving a lethal cocktail of drugs.

The Evening News reported on January 16th 2007 that Peter Meaney met Danielle by chance on February 7th 2005 when she was on an authorised evening out from StCathrines/Howdenhall secure unit.

This is in fact not the case and we are reliably informed that on Danielle’s previous authorised evenings out the staff knew that she was going to meet Mr. Meaney. On the fatal night in question February 7th  2005 Danielle had not returned to the unit at the specified time and because of this later on that same night she was reported as an absconder. Subcequently since this high profile case became public knowledge, files and paper work concerning Danielle have apparently gone missing.

The staff are rightly concerned that a major cover up is going on concerning this whole tragic episode. The staff feel that the invisible man himself Mr. Frank Phelen should come clean as he is told everything that goes on in the units,and we would and we are sure a lot of other people would like to know how much Mr. Phelen knowes about missing paperwork and a report concerning an assault on a male youth by a male member of staff which we are reliably told has not been investigated and the male member of staff has not been suspended. Is this yet another cover up Mr. Phelen.

While we are on this most tragic of circumstances,we would like to ask Mr. Phelen whatever happened to the female residents diary which had some very interesting entries and entries which would justifiably be considered shocking.

So Mr Phelen what about it. Would you care to come clean and tell the powers that be what is really going on at the units and not what the investigators reported.

It seems that the Evening News/Scotsman and the inspectors had the wool pulled over their eyes wouldn’t you say so Mr. Phelen. We think the public have a right to have these vunerable young people properly cared for. Mr. Phelen needs to think that way to.   

Friends and readers our very own Matthew Corbett lookalike Malcolm Principles Chisholm,has much explaining to do about his lack of effort in trying to secure local employment on the Waterfront Development and his lack of pressing for affordable housing. It seems our Malcs is not that interested in working class people getting training and employment or their ability to find a home they can afford to live in.

We would have thought that as an ex school teacher he might have been tuned in to the needs of young people and the value of training and education. But alas no Malcs is to busy on much more important matters on the world stage. Our honourable MSP had a great opportunity to make a difference when he was communities minister,but nothing happened except hot air and vauge promises. Unfortunatly Mr. Principles Chisholm has far to snooty an attitude for the position he is in and does not have the ability to get his lily white hands dirty,not unlike his buddy Waterfront Liz.

He covets the position of MSP and the salary that goes with it but when it comes to taking action on vital community issues he is nowhere to be seen. In fact Lord Snooty would walk past you in the street head in the air rather than pass the time of day with you. Now that an election approaches he will be only to glad to talk to you as long as stay at arms length.Truely we have been badly let down by our man of principles most of the time.

In his efforts to keep in with the dwindling number of Labour Party members,and a desperation to be re-selected as he watched the spectre of camp follower Keith i want selected Geddes hovering over his shoulder waiting to pounce on any slip up Malcs should make,he neglected his duties that he was elected to undertake. The activists have lost heart and no longer truely believe Chisholm or his party cronies are working on their behalf.

What promised as a new beginning for communities around Scotland,and our community in Greater Pilton has gone up in smoke and we are no better off than before we got our super duper Parliament,and our so called new people and fresh ideas. Ask yourself this,in the time our honourable member has been an MP and now an MSP has he ever come up with even one idea that would have benifited this community. We could not find one person who could tell us.

The peoples party is in real trouble both locally and nationally,trouble they have brought on themselves,with a dollop of arrogance and a great big helping of complacency. It is concievable that Labour gets a real kicking at the polls and so they should. Greater Pilton has suffered the same faces and we do mean suffered for a considerable time and they have taken us for granted. How many times has Mr. Chisholm raised the plight of his constituents in Parliament,did he take a stand on his constituents behalf when the utility companies where and are robbing us and putting peoples lives at stake. Well if he did we didn’t hear him or any of our local councillors shouting about the greed of these companies.

No just keep your heads down and hope nobody asks you to do anything. The peoples party did nothing to fight and take on these greedy bastards,the Labour party sold it’s own supporters out and left them to burn on the pire of greed. You can see the votes slipping away yet such is the fear they have got that they might lose the support of the middle classes,Chisholm and his cronies say and do nothing. The Labour party lost it’s way some time ago and sold out to greed and deceit.

There is no way back for them now. Councillor Fitzpatrick has to go into this election with a reputation for backing off and telling all who will listen it’s nowght to do with him. Councillor McGinnis goes into this election having to answer very difficult questions about how she managed to build herself a little empire and turn her nose up at those who suspected all was not well. And our Malcs who has hidden long enough,and should come out and tell us all about how much he has done that has benifited the citizens of Greater Pilton.

18 DAYS AND COUNTING.