The Seat Warmer

THE SEAT WARMER

(Inertia Bureaucratus)

This type of Councillor runs term, after term, after term, for no better reasons than to pad out their pension with the money this gig nets, and to feel somehow still relevant. And because ratepayers don’t pay attention to the travesties of local government it’s very difficult to displace a Seat Warmer so they get in again, and again, and again, trading on their name recognition and voter apathy.

They fail to see that, thanks to their poor stewardship, local government has gone off the rails over the last decade. They are quite happy with the status quo and since they would change nothing, they bring absolutely no ideas to the table.

Like many other Councillor Types, they have no intention of doing their job and show no signs of knowing what the actual job is. Troublesome upstarts, coming into office demanding better systems, oversight and accountability will be roundly put down by the Seat Warmers, with arguments falling hard upon deaf ears.

Seat-warmers have learned which committees offer the most lucratively paid positions for the least amount of effort, which functions are worth attending and generally how to get by doing the bare minimum.

They mostly go along with the administration's recommendations, but have learned exactly when to grandstand and appear to be the people’s champion when the occasion arises. It is not about doing the right thing, so much as being seen to do the right thing (even when it's the wrong thing).

Skill rating:

Read reports: 4/10 (skim)

Effective oversight: 0/10

Waste ratepayer money: 5/10

Performance manage CEO: 2/10

Local government needs better elected members.

#wakeupjoondalup