Taxi Driver Online

Kind of thing that drives me nuts, for a whole host of reasons, but particularly when during most of my 30 years in the trade I've been getting home into the early hours. And, in both Dundee and across the water in St Andrews, drivers now getting home a couple of hours later compared to 30 years ago because of the extension of liquour licensing hours

But if you're one of those entitled types who's always playing the victim then the problem is missing your tea because committee meetings are starting at 5pm


VIDEO: Dundee council row breaks out over ‘men playing politics’ jibe

https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/news/54 ... es-change/

Councillor Nadia-El Nakla argued 5pm meeting times for several committees puts women at a disadvantage.

Proposals to change the times of Dundee City Council’s committee meetings sparked a fierce row after councillor Nadia El-Nakla labelled the current set-up ‘men playing politics’.

An item had been placed on the agenda of Monday’s meeting of the city governance committee updating councillors on the outcome of a consultation on committee timings.

The majority of Dundee City Council’s (DCC) committee meetings are currently held at 5pm on weekdays.

DCC is one of only three council areas in Scotland that hold meetings in the evening.

Other local authorities, including Angus, Perth and Kinross, Fife and Stirling, all hold theirs during the working day.

A three-week consultation was held last year asking the thoughts of councillors and the wider public on changing the times of Dundee’s committee meetings.

It came at the behest of the SNP administration, who had proposed the change.

The majority of respondents favoured no change for each of the committees who currently meet at 5pm.

Watch committee row below

https://content.jwplatform.com/previews/2KTfawwB

However, a motion was put forward by the SNP group on Monday night calling for the meetings to be moved to a Tuesday afternoon following the 2027 council elections.

Depute Lord Provost Ms El-Nakla argued the current set up puts women at a disadvantage – revealing she “cried” when elected as a councillor over childcare concerns.

She said: “At present, around 64% of elected members do not have any caring responsibilities. That is visible and clear as the chamber remains male dominated.

“Evening meetings are often defended on the grounds that they suit people with other jobs and I understand that argument but I need to be brutally honest about two things.

“Being a councillor is a paid job, it’s your work. This role involves great accountability, responsibility and a significant time commitment.

“While working people deserve consideration, having another job is not a protected characteristic in law. Gender, care and responsibilities, disabilities and age all are and that is who disproportionately disadvantaged by evening meetings.

“We should be honest about the culture this reflects. This was built on a model where men finished their real 9-5 jobs and came to play politics and exercise power in the evening.

“That is archaic. It belongs to a different era where woman were excluded from decision making and power was structured around those with the fewest competing demands.”

Motion labelled ‘disgraceful’

The move by the SNP group was fiercely opposed by the Liberal Democrats, who argued the evening meetings had nothing to do with gender.

The group subsequently put forward an amendment calling for the committee times to remain as they are.

Addressing the chamber, councillor Craig Duncan said: “I take great exception to phrases like ‘playing politics’ being bandied around.

https://content.jwplatform.com/previews/WHOeyRO7

“I suspect somebody has been playing at politics this evening and it’s not me.

“This is about trying to move the goalposts, not inclusion. It has nothing to do with equality.”

West End representative Michael Crichton added: “The way this has been conducted is disgraceful.

“Some of the statements tonight about what this is really about I think are shocking.”

The SNP administration motion was subsequently passed.

You'd think it was compulsory to stand for the council and then take on other roles like the Depute Lord Provost

And her husband and former first minister of Scotland Humza Yousaf doesn't have to be an MSP living in a posh part of Dundee, while attending the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh 60 miles away, and representing a part of Glasgow 80+ miles away


But the dafties driving taxis till 4am before charging up their EVs are mainly white, old and male, so obviously don't matter

Actually, I'm not sure if they are mainly white in Dundee these days, but it was certainly a sea of gammon when I was working there


Usual - it's all about power, status and climbing the greasy pole, basically, as opposed to equality between the sexes

From another source:


How do you get it at 3am

Surely if the meetings start at say, 2.00 pm, then that would affect councillors who need to pick up their children from school.

There are a multitude of reasons for having meetings at a multitude of times, but someone, or some people, will always be at a disadvantage, akin to the Vicar of Dibley's committee meeting arranging their Valentine's Day party.

Those councillors should just suck it up, or go and pontificate somewhere else.

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IDFIMH