Scottish Votepods.com

Votepods - An epilogue

So the election is over, the horse-trading has begun and the Votepods team are piecing together the evidence we collected about public participation through our Ten Big Lottery and BT sponsored debates.

• Did music make a difference by attracting non-anoraks and relaxing the meeting so exchange was more full and frank ?
• Did we attract people who'd never been to political hustings events before?
• Did postings audio on itunes and video highlights on YouTube extend proceedings to an online audience?
• Did we fill halls or attract a minimum of 200 people every time ?
• Were audiences generated by voluntary agencies and pressure groups representative of the general public? 
• How well did politicians perform?

We hope to have an analysis online next week. But if you attended a votepod debate and want to give some feedback which doesn't have to be complimentary but should try to be constructive! please email us here.

Meantime, many thanks to the ten event organisers who marched out of their comfort zones to hire big venues, dispelling their own fears about public apathy and thinking big to place their issues at the heart of the Holyrood election campaign. Thanks to the video students at Napier and Abertay who stood filming for hours through each debate and then sat up into the wee small hours -- voluntarily -- to excise the juiciest moments from masses of video and put the highlights online. Thanks to the musicians who helped us professionalise every event with brilliantly chosen songs and tracks and in the case of the Big Student Debate and our sole comedienne Janey Godley, pinpoint accurate jibes.

Thanks to politicians who travelled sometimes for miles and hours beyond their constituency boundaries and therefore well beyond the limits of their own self interest. Thanks to our media partners the Herald, our main sponsors the Big Lottery and BT, to the Joseph Rowntree Trust who funded our use of electronic votepads, the Chartered Institute of Housing who funded the Big Neighbourhood Debate in Leith and the Federation of Small Businesses who sponsored the Big Islands Debate on Skye.

And finally, thanks to Chris Smith, Neil Fraser and Jim Piggott who formed the core of the Votepods team together with myself. We've been planning, travelling, up-loading, posting, blogging and talking for the best part of four months to find out one thing.

Is the public is fed up with politics or just with un-entertaining events? Did we succeed? I'm sure you'll let us know.

Photos of everything

Over at our associate Scottish Votepods Unplugged there are photos of all of the Debates.

If you want to see images form the events then please take a look. Indeed, if you have a better shot that you would like to share then please send it to us for consideration.

Yours aye.

Another success for voting

The interactive voting pads were in action again last night in Dundee at the Big Skills Debate. Surprisingly enough, there were some seeming contradictions between what was said and the results of the vote.

Take a look at the results and listen to the audio clips...it is a fascinating insight how these key issues are being evaluated by the electorate. The full results are available here

Download the_big_skills_debate.pdf

We'd love to hear what you think. It is also worth pointing out that the voting intentions, if they mean anything, seem to be consistent across the debates.

Big Work Debate - Dundee

The last Votepod event took place at Abertay University, Dundee with a stormy discussion on a range of work related topics. With the election campaign in the final stage, an audience of around 120 tackled the panel of politicians about low pay and carers, public service jobs, training and education. 

As usual, we have broken the debate down into managable sections that you can listen and view directly on this page. You can also view videos on the Scottish VotePod Channel on You Tube, subscribe to the audio podcasts on iTunes or directly download the audio files. Our audio clips allow you to listen to the discussion in detail, while the videos will feature shorter highlight clips.

The panel for the debate were

Alex Neil - SNP
John McAllion - SSP
Murdo Fraser - Conservative
Alex Cole-Hamilton - Lib Dem
Shiona Baird - Green
Iain Luke - Labour

AUDIO

Section 1: The evening started off with discussion on carers allowance following this question from Jim Milne of the Anti-Poverty Forum.

Download the file here

Section 2: The focus changed to the employment difficulties faced by disabled people following this point from a lady in a wheelchair.

Download the file here.

Section 3: The debate then moved on to consider how the loss of manufacturing jobs could be halted and new jobs created in Dundee.

Download the file here.

Section 4: Education and training for young people and proposals for Skills academies were the next topic.

Download the file here.

Section 5: The panel were then asked about how Scotland could do more to help the developing world through developing Fair Trade policies.

Download the file here.

Section 6 : The next point was about Trident and the war in Iraq.

Download the file here

Section 7: The final section debated the issue of free school meals for all schoolchildren.

Download the file here.

VIDEO

The panel respond to a question about the minimum wage and how discriminates against young people.

Shiona Baird of the Green Party talks about their policy on reforming the benefits system/

The issue of carers allowances and how to adapt the benefit system propted much discussion

The discussion on carers continues with contributions from Murdo Fraser and Alex Cole-Hamilton

Videos produced by students from Abertay University

Review of Leith Debate

Last Thursday's debate in Leith is reviewed on the website of You Scotland. The author Alan Smart clearly enjoyed the evening saying

'...the overall quality of debate and contribution from the floor first class, informed but rarely angry, just as good hustings should be. And all genuinely good. Nice venue, nice people, good music , some half time poetic satire, and great sandwiches! More please Votepod'07 '.

We're glad he enjoyed it.

If you want to catch the last of our events, The Big Work Debate in Dundee at 7.00pm tonight -  check out ticket availability here.

Big Island Debate - Skye

There was a full house at the  Aros Centre in Portree on Skye for the Big Island Debate. The issues under discussion included energy, wind farms, political leadership and the future of the Gaelic language.

The debate has been broken down into managable sections that you can listen and view directly on this page. You can also view videos on the Scottish VotePod Channel on You Tube, subscribe to the audio podcasts on iTunes or directly download the audio files. Our audio clips allow you to listen to the discussion in detail, while the videos will feature shorter highlight clips.

The panelists were

Anne MacLeod - Solidarity
Dr Stephen McCabe - Local GP
Jamie McGrigor - Scottish Conservative Party
John Farquhar Munro - Scottish Liberal Democrats
Donnie Nicolson - Scottish Socialist Party
Michael Russell - Scottish National Party
Eleanor Scott - Scottish Green Party
Rhoda Grant – Scottish Labour Party

AUDIO

Section 1: The audience was particularly interested in discussing wind farms and the impact they are having both locally and nationally. This question from the floor started the debate.

The file can be downloaded here.

Section 2: The debate over energy continued with a range of questions from the floor including best practice elsewhere, the role of Scottish Natural Heritage and the lack of political leadership delaying decisions.

Download the file here.

This part of the evening finished with a question on recycling, land fill and how it could be improved on the islands.

Download the file here.

Section 3: Skye is, of course, one of the heartland areas of Gaelic and the ongoing development of the language was the next topic to be raised.

The file can be downloaded here

Section 4: Difficulties in providing health and other professional services comparable to other areas, is an issue of major concern to island communities. The father of a young autistic adult talked about his experience

Download the file here

Section 5: In common with other rural areas housing is a major issue on Skye. Provision of water supplies, affordability and the impact of 2nd homes were all raised.

Download the file here

Section 6: The final question of the evening asked the politicians what difference there would be should they be in government after the election.

Download the file here

VIDEO

The panel debate the merits of various forms of renewable energy generation within island communities.

The panel were then questioned as to whether they still saw a place for nuclear power.

MORE TO FOLLOW

The Big Neighbourhood Debate - Leith

Ocean Terminal, a symbol of the ongoing regeneration of Leith, was the venue for the Big Neighbourhood Debate. The issues under discussion affect many similar parts of Scotland and included affordable housing, regeneration of communities, youth unemployment and training.

As usual, we have broken the debate down into managable sections that you can listen and view directly on this page. You can also view videos on the Scottish VotePod Channel on You Tube, subscribe to the audio podcasts on iTunes or directly download the audio files. Our audio clips allow you to listen to the discussion in detail, while the videos will feature shorter highlight clips.

The panel were
Labour - Malcolm Chisolm
Conservative - Iain Whyte
SNP - Davie Hutchieson
Lib Dems - Siobhan Mathers
Green - Stuart Callicon

Watch Lesley Riddoch introduce the panel

AUDIO

Section 1: All around Leith there are major new housing developments. However for many local people the properties are too expensive. The debate started off with this question from a young local woman, Danielle.

Download the file here.

Section 2: The debate over housing widened out to discuss the impact new builds have had on reducing the amount of parks, recreational and other green spaces in the city.

Download the file here.

Section 3: The second half of the debate started off with discussion on the impact the regeneration of Leith is having on the traditional working class nature of the area. It then moves on to the lack of support local people get for their own regeneration projects.

Download the file here

Section 4: The issue of the stench from the sewage works at Seafield, raised considerable passion amongst bothe the panel and this member ofthe audience.

Download the file here.

Section 5: Concern over access to an Accident and Emergency unit prompted this question to the panel.

Download the file here.

Section 6: The final section includes some quickfire Q&A's on smoking, skateboard facilities, shops on Leith Walk and the state of the roads.

Download the file here

VIDEO

This video features several members of the audience putting their questions and points to the panel

The topic of affordable housing for locals is raised in this video.

The stench from the sewage works at Seafield prompted this question.

This video asks whether the Accident and Emergency Unit at the Western General Hospital will be reopened.

The failure of regeneration professionals to respect the working class culture of Leith was the next point raised.

Videos Produced by Journalism students from Napier University.

Big Island Debate to be Broadcast Live

The Big Island Debate taking place in Skye this Thursday will also be broadcast live on Cuillin FM and Two Lochs Radio. The community stations will join Scottish Votepods at the Aros Centre, Portree on Thursday 26th April. And, of course, there'll be audio and video highlights available on this website.

There are still some tickets available for the event so if you want to attend the debate reserve a ticket by calling Aros on 01478 613750.  The tickets are free.

Lesley Riddoch will be in the Chair, and there will be music from Babelfish - Jo Bingham (flute, whistle); Iain Copeland (drums, percussion); Adam Sutherland (fiddle); John Somerville (accordion); Andy Thorburn (keyboards)

The final list of panellists is as follows:
Anne MacLeod - Solidarity
Dr Stephen McCabe - Local GP
Jamie McGrigor - Scottish Conservative Party
John Farquhar Munro - Scottish Liberal Democrats
Donnie Nicolson - Scottish Socialist Party
Michael Russell - Scottish National Party
Eleanor Scott - Scottish Green Party
Rhoda Grant – Scottish Labour Party

Grey Power Debate - Glasgow

The Victorian splendour of the Banqueting Hall of Glasgow City Chambers played host to over 200 pensioners in the latest Votepod Debate. In a very lively event, Grey Power was on show tin tackling a panel of leading politicians on the Council Tax, law and order and the provision of care and health services to the elderly.

As usual, we have broken the debate down into managable sections that you can listen and view directly on this page. You can also view videos on the Scottish VotePod Channel on You Tube, subscribe to the audio podcasts on iTunes or directly download the audio files. Our audio clips allow you to listen to the discussion in detail, while the videos  will feature shorter highlight clips.

On the panel were

Labour - Rhona Brankin
Lib Dems - Robert Brown
SNP - Sandra White
Conservative - Bill Aitken
Solidarity - Tommy Sheridan
SSP - Colin Fox
Scottish Senior Citizens Party - John Swinburne.

AUDIO

Section 1: The afternoon started with a topic of considerable concern to pensioners  - the Council Tax.

Download the file here.

Section 2: A very lively and extensive discussion took place around the theme of law and order. Policing, anti-social behaviour, youth crime and lack of support for voluntary work and community facilities brought a lot of passionate points and questions from the audience.

Download the file here.

Section 3: In the final section of a fiery hustings, the panel were tackled on funding for health care, dementia, care in the community and hospital car parking.

Download the file here.

VIDEO

The first clip features some of the passionate comments and questions from the audience.

The panel are asked about their support for a local income tax to replace council tax

The tax discussion continues with Rhona Brankin and Bill Aitkin defending the Council Tax

Videos Produced by students from Napier University

Come to Grey Power Debate in Glasgow Today

If you're in the Glasgow area, why not come along to the Grey Power debate in the City Chambers, George Square at 2.00pm today. Lesley Riddoch will be chairing the latest of the Votepod events and there's a top line up of politicians there to answer your questions. On the panel are
Labour - Rhona Brankin
Lib Dems - Robert Brown
SNP - Sandra White
Conservative - Bill Aitken
Green - Robin Harper
Solidarity - Tommy Sheridan
SSP - Colin Fox
Scottish Senior Citizens Party - John Swinburne.

If that isn't enough there'll be music from Sheena Wellington who sang at the opening of the Scottish Parliament. The debate is taking place in the Banqueting Hall of Glasgow City Chambers, so there's the added bonus of seeing round the Victorian splendour of this magnificent building.

Entry is free