I refer to the article in last week's Hawick News announcing that it was all over for Hawick Community Council, with comments from a former chairman and a vice-chairman who are now SBC Councillors, blaming apathy as the reason. This may indeed be to blame but there may be other reasons that merit further consideration.
A previous article in your paper, published on May 1 under the heading 'Community council facing meltdown', alerted many people for the first time as to what was going on but by then it was too late. Nominations closed at noon the same day.
Witho
ut doubt apathy is one reason for people not putting themselves forward. However, the same problem occurred two years ago but on that occasion the closing date was extended and enough people did come forward to save the day but not enough to require an election. The decision not to repeat this exercise will result in projects being lost due to a lack of continuity.
With the funds frozen for six months or longer, Hawick in Bloom will be wiped out this year and planning for the Christmas parade will also be affected.
I have already written to SBC pointing out that the so-called election process on this occasion was flawed to such an extent that it should be rerun. There was a serious lack of information given out and it appears that the majority of the residents in Hawick were not even aware that a community council election was due to be held. Apathy or not they were effectively denied the opportunity to put themselves forward or nominate others had they wished to do so. Everyone eligible to vote is entitled to be informed by all reasonable means and given the opportunity to make that choice in the interests of fairness and democracy. The only intimation given in this instance was by way of a small advert in the Hawick News. Notices of election were never displayed on public noticeboards anywhere in the town.
Anyone who did happen to know about the election and wished to apply may have been discouraged somewhat as the availability of nomination forms was another problem. In previous years these forms were readily available centrally at the council offices to any member of the public requiring them. On completion they could be handed back there and this was a well established and convenient practice. This year this was not the case. Prospective candidates were required to write to, or call at, an address in Burnfoot, located some distance from the town centre and indeed outwith the jurisdiction of Hawick Community Council. There was no procedure in place to supply relevant information or nomination forms online. This arrangement could not be described as user friendly.
Over the past two years members of the outgoing community council have served the town well and some fully intended continuing to do so for a further two years if given the chance. Most were new to the job and they got together and worked in harmony with no political motive in mind and have never sought publicity or reward. Many have given up a huge amount of time and put in a great deal of effort to make things better in the town. They receive very little credit for it. This year it fell on the chairman, who is a very busy man, to organise the election with very limited resources. He had no previous experience of running elections and was left to get on with it as best he could. He received no training and very little support. Previously he would have had the voluntary services of an experienced solicitor to advise on legal matters and organise elections but unfortunately he moved on three years ago and that expertise has been lost.
Local representation should be a matter of some concern since SBC councillors have voted against Area Committees making decisions on planning matters. This will almost certainly result in the demise of our local Area Committees. Local democracy appears to be ebbing away and Teviot and Liddesdale is the only area in the Borders which does not have councillor representation on SBC's executive. This means they have limited clout on the main decision making body. There is no doubt that this is the wrong time for Hawick to lose the voice of the community council, an effective lobbying body, for six months or even longer.
Hopefully, there will be second thoughts on this regrettable affair and a decision will be made to allow a properly organised rerun to take place so that the people of Hawick have the opportunity to determine the future of their community council. There is very little cost involved and if it fails again and the community council does go down the tubes then so be it. That is democracy and we will know for certain that apathy rules. On the other hand, however, a much stronger community council could emerge with a clear mandate from the people of Hawick.
