Friday 30 November 2012

Movember

For an easy read version of Stewart Cree's posts see Nigel's Blog above or follow this link for a full translation
Chortle, Chortle
“Good morning Convener”
Chortle, Chortle
“Is there something about my appearance that’s amusing you Convener?”
“Na, na -  its nae you Nigel.  Mind you, that’s nae tae say that you dinna’ look funny as weel.”
“So what’s funny on this occasion Convener?”
“Weel, I’ve jist come doon frae the cooncil chambers an’ this Movember lot are jist a picture!”
Movember, Convener?”
“Aye, ye ken, there’s a bunch o’ Cooncillors hiv been growin’ moustaches a’ through November.  They’re daein’ it tae support some mannies health initiative - oh bit they look a richt motley crew noo.!”
“Yes, I have seen some rather hirsute upper lips in the Chambers in recent weeks.”
“Hirsute?  It’s like a rogue’s gallery up there.  Ther’s ane o’ them looks like Groucho Marx an’ anither ane looks like Fu Manchu.  Syne ther’s Fermer Giles and a fair impression o’ Adolf Hitler.  I’d an afa’ dae tae tell fa wiz fa.”
“Well I suppose it must be difficult on occasions recognising them in their new guise”
“That’s the pint.  See doon in Westminster, fin the Speaker invites an MP tae address Parliament, he says, “The Chair recognises the Right Honourable Member” Well I felt like sayin’ - I dinna recognise ony o’ you lot.  An’ the Chief Executive telt ma I would be oot o’ order tae say  - ‘A richt Fu Manchu, fit hiv you got tae say’.”
“Yes Convener, but it is for a very good cause.”
“Oh I ken that.  Far too mony macho mannies are ignorin’ their health an’ nae takin’ responsibility fir lookin’ efter ‘emsels.  So, maybe haein’ a shufty at that lot ‘ill be jist the shock they need tae bring them tae their senses.”
“Quite so Convener, but I notice that you haven’t joined them in their tonsorial celebration.”
“Tonsorial?  I hid ma tonsils oot fan I wiz a bairn, fit’s ‘at got tae dae wi’ it?”
“No Convener, in this context tonsorial means hair grooming.”
“Weel, I’m nae growin’ anither moustache.  I hid the last ane fir damn near forty ‘ear an’ that wiz lang eneugh.”
“So why did you remove it Convener?”
“Weel, I grew it fin I wiz a young bobby.  I thocht it made ma look aall’er, an’ that it added tae ma gravitas.  Ye see – ye need a bit a gravitas -  fin ye’r dealin’ wi hardened criminals!”
“Hardened criminals Convener?  I thought you were a country bobby”.
“That’s richt! - I wiz.  I wiz the scourge o’ Banff and Buchan.  See onytime there wiz dogs attacking livestock?  I wiz yer man!”
“Oh, I understand Convener -sheep worrying
“Oh a’ the time, they were jist on the edge o’ their seats - fair frettin’!”
“So Convener, if you grew the moustache to make you look older, why did you shave it off?”.
“Nigel - get a grip.  Tak’ a guid look at my fizzog.  Dae ye really think I need onythin’ nooadays tae mak’ ma look aller?”
“Point taken Convener.”
“Na, I’ll nae be growin’ anither moustache - but I will be lendin’ the loons ma moral support, an’ maybe pittin’ a bit o’ siller intae their collection.”
“Collection Convener?”
“Oh aye, they’re raisin’ money for men’s health charities wi’ this lark and onybidy that wint’s tae gie a donation can go ontae the Interweb thingy and pledge their support.  An’ jist for us Cooncillors - there’s a wee collectin’ boxie ben the hoose.  In fact, I think a’ll awa ben and pit simthin in it iv’noo.  For a’m weel kent as a generous contributor!”
“Quite so Convener”
“Wait a mintie tho’……….. hiv’ ye got change o’ 50p?”
“Oh Convener !”

There’s still time to contribute to the Team Moray’s Movember efforts and help raise awareness of men’s health issues.  All donations will go to men’s health charities – in particular testicular and prostate cancers.
Click on this link to donate.

Friday 23 November 2012

The best laid schemes.....

For an easy read version of Stewart Cree's posts see Nigel's Blog above or follow this link for a full translation.

Good morning Convener, and how are you this lovely morning?

“Oh just hingin’ the gither Nigel.  I’m in an afa mineere.   I’ll hae to hae a redd oot”

“Redd oot” Convener?

“Aye, it’s this budget consultation, a’ve got bits o paper an’ e-mails an’ a’thin a’ ower the place.  I’m in a richt redd up.  So - fin you’re in a redd up, you hiv tae hae a redd oot – see?”

Well, whatever you say Convener - but what was it that you wanted to see me about?

“Well I’ve jist heard that David Cameron has got somethin’ ca’d an ‘App’ on his phone to help him rin the country.  So, I thought, I could hae ane o’ them to help me rin the Moray Cooncil.  Only thing is - I dinna’ ken fit an ‘App’ is.”

Well Convener, an ‘App’ is a small computer programme that you can have on your smart phone to help you do things like book a hotel or find the nearest restaurant or..

“Could it find ma car keys?”

Well, I presume there is an ‘App’ for that too Convener, but I really don’t think that it’s the sort of ‘App’ that the Prime Minister would have.

“Oh I widna’ bet on it!  Onywey I want an‘App’, I want a Sat Nav ‘App’

Sat Nav ‘App’ Convener? But you already have Sat Nav in your car.

“I ken, but fit I really want is a Doric Sat Nav”

Doric Sat Nav? Whatever for?

“Weel the wifie in my Sat Nav’s got an afa’ snooty voice.  She keeps sayin’ things like “continue on the A96 for 31 miles”.  Fit I want is somethin’ that says, “Haud gan til you reach Inverurie”.  An’ fin I dinna dae fit ‘am telt, an’ I miss ma turnin’ aff, she says “Recalculating, Recalculating, Recalculating.  It fair gets on my wick.  I’d far rether she jist said “Far on earth do you think yer gan, ye gype”. 

Yes Convener, I’m sure that’s all very interesting, but I doubt whether there’s much of a market for a Doric Sat Nav ‘App’.  Perhaps you will just have to manage without one.

“Well I winna’ ken far I’m gaun”

I doubt if anyone will notice the difference Convener!

“Are you suggestin’ that I dinna ken fit I’m daein?  Or fit direction the Cooncil’s gaun in?”

Not at all Convener. Not at all, but it’s something I have been meaning to speak to you about for some time.  It’s the new Local Development Plan you see. 

“Development Plan?”

Yes Convener.  One of the big jobs for any Council is to publish a Development Plan which sets out how land should be allocated for the next 4 or 5 years.  In that way we can make provision for land for housing, industry and recreation amongst other things.

“So fits the big deal aboot that?”

Well Convener it’s extremely important to give everyone a steer on where the Planning Authority wants to see new houses or industrial estates being built or, indeed, not built as may be the case.

“Planning authority? Is ‘at us?”

Yes Convener, the Council acts as the planning authority for the whole of Moray and right now we are starting the process of producing the next version of the Development Plan. So, like everyone else in Moray, you have an opportunity to make suggestions about how the land should be used.  The Council will then decide which of these proposals will be included in the Development Plan.

“So let me get this richt.  Onybody can mak’ a proposal or suggestion an’, if the Cooncil agrees, then it’ll be in the Development Plan an’ that’ll be fit the grun is used for?”

Well that’s a bit simplistic but I think you’ve got the gist of it Convener.

“Richt! I want to mak’ a proposal.  I propose we hae a Casino”

A Casino, Convener?

“Aye,  I propose that an island in the pond in the  Cooper Park in Elgin be allocated for a Casino.  Will that dae?”

Well I suppose, in theory, that’s a competent proposal although I can’t see it gaining any support.  Why on earth would you want a Casino in the Cooper Park?

“Well a pal o’ mine is jist back fae his holidays in Las Vegas and he says that there’s a Casino in Las Vegas wi’ Gondooolas”

Gondooolas? Convener?

“Aye I’m nae afa’ sure fit they are but apparently they go in the waatter.  So I wis thinkin they might be a bit like the swaans and jukes that we hiv in the Cooper Park. An’ maybe, if we got a pair o them, they wid breed syne we wid hae plenty o’ Gondooolas for oor casino”

Convener! You're off at a tangent again.  What you should be doing is encouraging people to make contributions to the Development Plan so that they are not faced with any surprises over the next 5 years.  By having this debate now, we can allow everyone, developers, community organisations and private individuals, to make plans for the future based on what they can reasonably expect from the Development Plan.  Does that make it clear?

“Oh absolutely, Nigel.  It’s nae only clear - but it’s afa close to makin’ sense!.

Thank you, Convener.

“So I suppose fit yer really sayin’ is that the Gondooolas is oot the question?”

Yes Convener!

B*@$$^?



For full information on how you can help shape the next Moray Development Plan visit the Moray Council Website by clicking here.

Monday 19 November 2012

Photies Frae Forres





's nae Monopoly

Ah Jist thocht ye wid aa like tae see ane or twa photies frae Forres on Friday nicht.  So here ye are!!!


  
A good turnoot!



A Cooncilor deep in thocht

Colin mak's a point!
 



Friday 16 November 2012

Workshops


For an easy read version of all Stewart Cree's posts see Nigel's Blog, and for the translation of this post use this direct link.
“Two forty five … two sixty five … two seventy five … two eighty.  Nae enough!”
“Good morning Convener, still figuring out the budget?”
“Aye Nigel, rich noo I’m on the Catering Budget.  It’s a bit o’ a job though.”
“So how much have you got so far?”
“Well ‘am at two eighty, but it’s nae enough!”
“Two hundred and eighty thousand pounds off of the catering budget?  That’s remarkable – and you don’t think it’s enough?”
“Awa’ ye go!  I’ve got two pounds an’ eighty pence!  But it’s nae enough for a three poun’ sandwich for ma denner oot o’ thon vendin’ machine.  My budget’s jist like the Cooncil’s – my stomach has demands and expectations that canna’ be met wi’ ‘current resources’.”
“Well, we’re all going to have to make sacrifices Convener.  I suppose that you’ll just have to choose something less expensive”
“Weel I wis goin’ tae hae ‘Tai Chicken in Chilli Sauce’ but I’ll jist hae tae mak dae wi’ tuna or cheese”
“Well that’s the sort of choices that are facing us now.  It’s no good having a caviar lifestyle on a corned beef budget”
“Oh I like corned beef! My Granny ayewis gave us corned beef.  I had corned beef every Tuesday richt up ‘till 1964”
“1964 Convener?”
“Aye, that wis’ the year o’ the Typhoid ootbreak in Aberdeen.  It wis blamed on the corned beef – so efter that we jist hid tae mak’ dee wi’ a biled egg - until Edwina Currie came alang and put the kybosh on them!  Syne wi’ BSE in hamburgers and Listeria in cheese.  It’s a wunner we’ve onythin’ left tae eat a’ ta.  Have ye seen fits in sandwiches nooadays?”
“In them? Convener?”
“Aye, look fit it says on this sandwich packet -“This product contains mechanically recovered chicken”.  Sounds like it fell doon a hole an’ then they howked it oot wi’ a JCB!
Convener! - you’re off at a tangent again!”
“Aye, bit my granny wid never have ….”
“Yes Convener, I think we’ve heard quite enough about your granny, this is getting us nowhere.  What was it that you wanted to see me about.?”
“Oh! it’s this budget workshop thingie.  I’ve got the first ane in Forres the nicht an’ I dinna ken fit I’m supposed tae say or dae.  I’ve never been tae a workshop before – dae ye hae tae tak’ a hemmer an’ saa?”
“No Convener.  A workshop is an event where people get together to work on options for saving the Council money.  The have discussions and exercises to go through.”
“Exercises?  Oh, I’m nae up for rinnin’ on the spot or star jumps.  Nae at my time o’ life!”
“No Convener.  They’ll be undertaking desktop exercises that help us prioritise the way that money is spent.  You see, our budget’s really about choices – we know we’ll be getting less money so it’s what we use it for that counts.  The people at the workshops help us make these decisions by comparing different council services and deciding which, in their view, need to be protected from any cuts or, alternatively, those that might be reduced.
“So, it’s nae aboot me tellin’ them fit tae dae an’ then listening tae fit they hiv tae say?
“Not at all Convener. That’s not the way it works this time. We want to hear ideas from the public.  That’s why the workshop gives them the opportunity to introduce their own ideas and to challenge the way things are done at present.
“Ye mean they’re goin tae tell me fit tae dae?”
“Absolutely, Convener”
“Well that’s a new idea.  Fa’s idea wis that?”
“Mine Convener!”
“Ah weel, dinna’ get too cocky, ‘cos we’ll probably need aa’ the ideas we can get. Mind you, I’ve nae heard oney frae you – can you help an’ a’?
“Of course Convener”
“A’ richt – lend me 20 pence for ma sandwich then!”
“……..Yes Convener.”

There are still places available for the forthcoming Budget Workshops which will be held as follows;
  • Forres area - Forres Town Hall on 16 November 7-9pm
  • Buckie area- Fisherman’s Hall on 19 November 7-9pm
  • Elgin area - TA Centre on 21 November 7-9pm    
  • Keith area - Longmore Hall on 27 November 7-9pm
  • Lhanbryde area - Community Centre on 29 November 7-9pm
  • Elgin area - Bishopmill Hall on 30 November 7-9pm
  • Speyside area - Fleming Hall, Aberlour on 4 December 7-9pm
  • Lossiemouth area - Lossiemouth Town Hall on 6 December 7-9pm
Places can be booked by calling 01343 563996 or via the budget consultation section on the Council website at www.moray.gov.uk.   If there are still places available on the night then every effort will be made to accomodate anyone who might turn up, however it should be stressed that this will be strictly on a first come first served basis and we cannot accomodate more than 64 persons at any venue. 
 

Friday 9 November 2012

Recycling


For an easy read version of all Stewart Cree's posts see Nigel's Blog, and for the translation of this post use this direct link.

“Good morning Convener.”
“Fit like Nigel foo’s yer doos?”
“Foo’s my what Convener?”
“Oh it disna metter. Fit’s new the day?”
“Well I was wondering how you were getting on with the budget consultation exercise?  We really need to make sure that our message is getting out there and that people recognise what’s in front of us.”
“Well it’s been nae bad.  I wis up at Aberlour the ither nicht and there wis a fair turnoot.  Mind you, it cwid hae been better ‘cos we were up against Inverness Caley playin’ Rangers in the League Cup.  So maybe that hid somethin’ tae dee wi it”?
“And do you think that the people in Moray now understand the scale of the problem and the sacrifices they may have to make?”
“Well I’m nae afa sure.  There wis a gey few o them seekin mair money to be spent upgrading roads and pittin on mair buses and improvin’ libraries and the like, fin a’ we’re tryin to dee is save money I dinna ken foo tae get the message across.”
“Well what about recycling?  Recycling costs a lot of money you know.  For every ton of rubbish that the Council sends to the landfill sites, it costs us £64 pounds in landfill tax.”
“Landfill tax!  Noo there’s a good idea.  Fit do we spend that money on?”
“No, no Convener, you misunderstand.  The landfill tax is imposed by the Scottish Government.  The money goes to the Government not to the Moray Council.”
“Wait a mintie!  That’s nae fair – we collect the rubbish, trail it a’ the wye to Dallachy an sine we’ve to pey £64 a ton to pit it in the grun!”
“Precisely, Convener.  And the really bad news is that the cost rises by £8 a ton every year.  Its a way of encouraging local authorities to stop sending their refuse to landfill because of the environmental impact that this has on all of us.”
“Is there nae a “get oot” clause?”
“Get out, Convener?”
“Aye.  Ye ken, nudge, nudge , wink, wink.  You boys hiv aye got weys o getting roon aboot this sort o’ thing.  Is there nae some wey we can avoid peyin?”
“I’m afraid not Convener.  The process is strictly monitored.  The only way we can avoid it, is by recycling.  Are you a keen recycler yourself?”
“Oh - fairly that, I’ve been recycling since I wis a bairn.  I even hid a bitsa bike!”
“Bitsa? Convener.?”
“Aye you ken, it wis made frae bitsa ae bike and bitsa anither een.  We got them up at the dump an’ jined them thegither . Syne ye hid a bitza bike!”
“Yes, very good Convener but I think we need more modern examples to encourage people to recycle.”
“Well they can pit their lemonade bottles back for a start!.  My granny aye sent me tae the sweetie shop to get thrupence back on ivry ane.  And it wis the same wi the milk bottles, a quick sweel oot and they were oot the door for the milky in the mornin’ – recycyled!.”
“Yes, Convener.  Most illuminating - but we need to concentrate on the here and now.  Perhaps you should do more to encourage waste food recycling.”
“Waste food recycling?  There’s nithin new aboot that either.  My granny used to keep a bucket at the back door and onythin that wis left ower efter oor denner – mind you there wisna muckle – went in the bucket and syne she fed it tae the hens.  Then, every noo and then, we would recycle a hen”
“Recycle a hen Convener?”
“Aye, she wid dra it’s neck an’ we wid hae it fur wir denner!.  Then a day or twa later, nature wid tak it’s course an’ we wid recycle it”
“CONVENER!, that’s far too much information.”
“Aye but that wis real recycling”
“Well that’s what you’ve got to do now Convener.  You’ve got to help persuade people to use their food recycling containers and cut down the amount of food waste that is sent to landfill.  Remember, every ton of food waste is another £64 pounds.
“Fit aboot a poem?”
“A poem, Convener?”
“Aye, like we hid at school fin we needed tae mind something. Ye ken – Thirty days has September, April June and November .. it made it easier tae mind fit ane wis fit…”
“Well it might work, Convener…”

“A’ Richt, here we go
Dinna’ throw your food waste oot
Nae foosty loaf nor rotten fruit
Nae cabbage leaves or tattie parins
Or brussel sproots left by the bairns
Jist pit it in yer grey container
There ye go -it’s a real no brainer!
“Will ‘at dae?”
“Yes Convener but perhaps you should start with the line “With apologies to William McGonagall””

For further information on how you can help save money by recycling all waste (including food waste) visit the Moray Council website by clicking the link here.

Thursday 8 November 2012

Lost in Translation

For an easy read version of all Stewart Cree's posts see Nigel's Blog, and for the translation of this post use this direct link.

“Nigel ! Nigel ! – come ben here a mintie”
“What’s up Convener?”
“It’s this thingymablog thing – it’s nae workin’!”
“Not working Convener?”
“No – naebody understan’s a word ‘am sayin’.  Rupert’s left a comment.  He’s bein’ afa’ kind aboot fit ‘am tryin’ tae dae bit the peer man’s nae got the foggiest fit ‘am on aboot!”
“Oh dear, Convener”
“Oh dear a’ richt! – it wis your bloomin’ idea!!  Fit are we gaun tae dae?”
“Well Convener, I do agree that I should take some responsibility, but it seemed like such a good idea.  Perhaps I could tidy it up a bit – you know – take out some of the more unusual expressions?”
“Nae on yer Nellie, Nigel !”  ‘At’s the wey I spik an’ I’m tryin’ tae communicate in my mither tongue”
“But Rupert’s right Convener.  There’s little point of trying to get a message out if it sounds like Greek to a large section of your intended audience.”
“ Dinna mention the Greeks!  They’re in a richt sotter in a’.  Bit we’ll hae tae dae something.”
“Well maybe I could provide an alternative version – you know, on my own blog.”
“Fit? Hae a Nigel’s blog as weel?”
“Yes Convener”
“That's nae a bad idea, then fin oneybody is haein’ a bit o’ a chaav wi’ the Doric they can still get the message somewey else.  A bit like haein’ Google Translate for Doric?
“Yes Convener”
“Weel that should please Rupert – a’ hope he disna’ bear a grudge.  Bear a grudgeRupert – ye get it?”
“Unfortunately yes, Convener”

Friday 2 November 2012

Yes Convener

So they said “You should have a blog”.
”Fit’s ‘at?” I replied.
“Well”, he said, never trying to conceal the diplomatic tone in his voice, “Many Councillors of your ..er… generation  have become somewhat left behind in the field of modern communication.  There’s more to it these days than simply issuing a press release or firing off an email”.
“Email?” I replied, “Oh aye…I can dae email”
“Yes Convener, we know you can do email but today’s generation communicates in an altogether different way.  They explore new digital pathways, you know, Facebook , blogging  and twitter”
“But fit wid I wint tae twit aboot?”
“No Convener, you don’t twit, you tweet.  People using twitter, tweet.”
“And so you wint me to bleet?”
“Bleet Convener?”
“Aye, bleet - ‘cos if twitters tweet, bloggers must bleet”
“No Convener!  I don’t think you’re getting the hang of this although, I have to admit, some of your colleagues have suggested that you do tend to bleat a bit. Nevertheless, bloggers blog.”
“So fit am I supposed to blog aboot onywey?”
“Well Convener, blogging’s about giving a personal insight into what you are doing, what you hope to do and what your ambitions for the Moray Council are.  It’s an intimate exchange of information - rather like a family conversation”.
“So I can blog an’ tell them fit I really think?”
“But of course, Convener”.
“Can I tell them fit I really think….. o’ the opposition?”
No Convener - that would be most unwise even if those who read the blog might indeed welcome the occasional reflection on such views”
“So fit wid I blog aboot the day?”
“Well Convener, you could tell everyone about the work that you’re doing on the Community Consultation on Council Priorities”
“Och, awa ye go! That wid pit them right aff!.  I thocht ye said I needed tae tell them  something interestin?”
“Yes Convener, but not everything can be interesting.”
“Aye – mair’s the pity, but come tae think o’ it - I wid like tae get them interested in the Community Consultation”.
“Well the first thing you can do is tell them where and when the consultations are taking place”.
“Well I suppose I cwid dae that.  An’ while I’m aboot it, I cwid tell them fit it’s a’ aboot eh?”
“Yes Convener”.
“A’ richt, I’ll gie it a go.  Here we go .. get this doon ….Stewartie Cree - Blog No. 1
The Moray Cooncil is in a richt sotter ‘cos they’re looking at a £30 million cut back.”
No, no Convener, that’s far too negative.  You need to put it some other way.”
“Oh a richt!.  The Moray Cooncil, like a’body else, is goin’ tae hae tae pull its belt in.  But we need to ken ‘far aboot and foo ticht the belt his tae be dra’an. 
So, seein’ as foo we dinna hae a’ the answers, in fact damn’t few, wir seeking your ideas aboot fit the maist important things are for you and for yer femily and for yer granny and for…. oh!...  jist a’body. 
So if you wint tae mak’ a difference tae the wye the Moray Cooncil spends its siller ower the next fower year, then ye better haud doon tae ane o’ wir Workshops.  There’s a hale list o them at the bottom o this thingymablog  thing.  So haud gaun an’ mak’ sure that you hiv ye’re say. 
We a’ ken it’s nae gaun tae be easy - and I dinna think onybody’ll  be pleased at the hinner eyne.  But the least you can dae is tae tell us fit ye wint - fit ye really - really - wint.  Will that dae?”
“Well, more or less Convener although we could, perhaps, drop the Spice Girls bit at the end!
To find out the dates of the remaining Roadshows and Workshops please visit this link