Poor language used on my leaflet

I have a letter in the paper on Thursday modifying the comments on my leaflet and apologising if the language I used misled anyone.  I said I had acted on various "tip-offs" from the public about OIC staff appearing to behave badly or inappropriately and then I gave 3 examples.
This has concerned some staff, and with hindsight I can see why as it may give the impression that there were serious or widespread problems in these areas.
So my letter clarifies that these were 3 separate incidents that were reported to me by members of the public.  When I investigated them with senior staff, of the 3, only 1 staff member was at fault and this person had already been dealt with by management.  I was content that these were isolated incidents and I go on to say that I think the OIC staff do a good job and that I value them greatly.  After all, the quality services we have in the county are all delivered by our OIC staff.

The reason for me to make the statement in the flier was to show that I don't shy away from difficult issues and I will act on public queries.  If I get elected again I will continue to do that, but I will just be more careful with the way I say things in future.

I hope that explains things better than what I had in the leaflet.

A lot of houses and steps

A week of delivering leaflets and chatting to people confirms the interest local people have in local and national issues.  Locally it is wheelie bin concerns and speeding traffic that top the bill while nationally it is the independence referendum.  If elected I could do something about the flawed wheelie bin proposals and the concerns of people in the likes of Quoybanks Crescent with 12 steps to the road and no space for 3 bins (and with OIC staff telling people that call in - to stop using disposable nappies or to store the bins in the neighbour's shed - it is little wonder people are concerned).  A relative in London has just 1 wheelie bin and then a box and a bag for recyclates.  This would seem to me to be a more realistic expectation on the public (using the existing boxes and bags that we have already issued).

The independence referendum is high on the list of topics on the doorstep too.  Overwhelmingly NO is the answer I get.  Overwhelmingly NO is my answer too.  On our doorstep we had a visit from Ewan Loudon and A Smith MEP.  They asked us the question and I said I would vote against - and it was at that moment that I could understood why a high paid MEP wasn't doing his job in Europe but spending days and days walking around Orkney with candidates unlikely to get voted in - he is here trying to suss out the likely result of the referendum in Orkney so he can inform the central strategy on the roll out of the referendum. 

Other issues raised across the ward - garden waste collections in Kirkwall, footpaths needing resurfacing, the increase in walking and cycling and the benefits of the improvements to the paths network, understanding the voting system and a bonny garden competition for Orkney.

It is a real pleasure to be out speaking to folk and I am sorry it has come to an end - I haven't managed to cover the whole area but have done better than the 2 times I stood before.

If I get in I will do this every year, as people who would not normally contact a councillor are often keen to speak.  It puts you in touch with what is bothering people and what is important to them.

Best of luck to all the candidates who put their names in the hat and I am confident the public will elect the best 21 councillors to represent them.

Yours faithfully  Jack Moodie