A Grand Day Out……………..in

[MargaretR]

Today has quite unevenful - apart from trip to round up 3 turkeys who had escaped from nearby allotments. I had very selfish intentions -- they were creating quite a lot of noise like chickens being attacked by dogs, which I thought was happening,--- just needeed them to be home safe by nightfall or they might have been squalking all night.
Hasn't it been hot today? -my living space is 1st floor and gets hot because the loft space heats up -- tried out my air conditioner today --YIPEE --works fine.

[garinda]

Originally Posted by Tin Monkey

I thought the council had no majority after the recent elections? Last I heard, the Tories, Lib Dems and the independents (For Darwen Party) had formed an alliance and were the controlling party in Blackburn with Darwen.

May 2007 election[discuss] – [edit]
Summary of the 3 May 2007 local election results for Blackburn with Darwen CouncilPartiesSeatsPreviousNet
Gain/LossLabour3132-1Conservative1715+2Liberal Democrats13130For Darwen31+2England First000Independent01-1Vacant02-2Total6464

[garinda]

^ I hate it when it does that.

As of the elections in May, 2007.
Labour- 31 councillors.
Conservatives- 17
Lib Dems- 13

[Tin Monkey]

Originally Posted by garinda

^ I hate it when it does that.

As of the elections in May, 2007.
Labour- 31 councillors.
Conservatives- 17
Lib Dems- 13

Plus a couple of councillors from the For Darwen Party. 17 + 13 + 2 (or maybe 3) = 32 (or 33). Labour have more councillors as a party, but no longer have a majority compared to the 'opposition combined, and therefore no overall power on the council. That's what I meant in my post

[andrewb]

Originally Posted by garinda

^ I hate it when it does that.

As of the elections in May, 2007.
Labour- 31 councillors.
Conservatives- 17
Lib Dems- 13

Labour - 31 Councillors
Conservatives - 17
Lib Dems 13
Others - 3

So nobody has control, unless somebody makes an alliance to make 33 or larger
17+13+3 = 33

I don't know if they actually have made an alliance. I should read local papers more.

[garinda]

Originally Posted by Tin Monkey

Plus a couple of councillors from the For Darwen Party. 17 + 13 + 2 (or maybe 3) = 32 (or 33). Labour have more councillors as a party, but no longer have a majority compared to the 'opposition combined, and therefore no overall power on the council. That's what I meant in my post

Agreed, but since most of the recent changes in Blackburn were planned and implemented before May of this year, I stand by my original observation.

[garinda]

Just comparing the regeneration of Church Street in Blackburn, to the wishy washy, half baked, badly designed, abomination, that is the 'new and improved' Broadway, is very sad.




I couldn't even find any photographs of Broadway. Perhaps the photographers couldn't find a seat, or if they were lucky enough to be seated, ended up with a wet bum, or piles.

[harwood red]

Originally Posted by [email protected]

I had the misfortune of having to work in Blackburn centre at Broseley House for 2 separate years in 1970 & 1993. Both were years I would rather forget.
That Broseley House - I described it as 'a submarine in a cesspool'. The heating system provided overlarge piping which extended several inches from the walls (as in a submarine) and the cesspool bit came from the deisel fumes from the buses which parked next to and underneath the 'bridge' section. Altogether the most undesirable working environment I have ever been subjected to.
PS - I suppose if one of your hobbies is 'shopping' you might like it - It never has been nor ever will be a hobby of mine

I have also had the misfortune of working in Brosley House from 2001, in fact my office was on the bridge and you couldn't open the windows in summer due to the exhaust fumes of the buses at bus stops below..it was a nightmare...luckily we moved out a year later!!

As for Church Street, when it was done alot of people from Blackburn were in uproar about it...but I quite like it myself, unfortunately if you walk down there at most times it still is deserted

[andrewb]

Originally Posted by garinda

Just comparing the regeneration of Church Street in Blackburn, to the wishy washy, half baked, badly designed, abomination, that is the 'new and improved' Broadway, is very sad.




I couldn't even find any photographs of Broadway. Perhaps the photographers couldn't find a seat, or if they were lucky enough to be seated, ended up with a wet bum, or piles.

To be fair Blackburn is much bigger so they have more money to spend.

Though I guess this is where you come back at me having done research and tell me the Blackburn Church street was cheaper or something

Blackburn also has the added bonus of having nice surroundings round there, rather than a bunch of chain stores..

[Royboy39]

Originally Posted by Cyfr

Labour - 31 Councillors
Conservatives - 17
Lib Dems 13
Others - 3

So nobody has control, unless somebody makes an alliance to make 33 or larger
17+13+3 = 33

I don't know if they actually have made an alliance. I should read local papers more.

The alliance was formed which meant a new Conservative Leader and the executive was formed by the coalition. Labour now in opposition and long may it remain so

[Ianto.W.]

The only things Blackburn has not got, are free car parking (for what it's worth) and those marble pile probucing seats, as far as i'm concerned they are welcome to both of them. Accrington Market has to much competition from nearby supermarkets and 'cash and carryes' the one on Brown st is far cheaper than the market. I can remember when would be stall holders queued up early in the morning, to see if someone had missed their slot, and names were put on waiting lists to get a stall, The market is no longer competitive.

[garinda]

Originally Posted by Cyfr

To be fair Blackburn is much bigger so they have more money to spend.

Though I guess this is where you come back at me having done research and tell me the Blackburn Church street was cheaper or something

Blackburn also has the added bonus of having nice surroundings round there, rather than a bunch of chain stores..

It isn't about cost. It is about having the vision to carry out a programme of good, and innovative design, and I suppose having the knowledge in the first place, to tell the differences between good versus bad design.

The near half a million pounds spent on refurbishing Broadway, is nothing less than disgraceful.

A mish mash of competing tar-mac, a few backless benches, which retain water on their seats hours after it last rained, a couple of fret worked fixed steel gates, leading God knows where, and which can only be viewed properly if you stand in the doorway of the pound shop, and a few young Oak trees supported by Ten Ton Tessy's callipers.

Well designed, and visionary, it ain't, whatever the cost.

[Doug]

Originally Posted by garinda

It isn't about cost. It is about having the vision to carry out a programme of good, and innovative design, and I suppose having the knowledge in the first place, to tell the differences between good versus bad design.

The near half a million pounds spent on refurbishing Broadway, is nothing less than disgraceful.

A mish mash of competing tar-mac, a few backless benches, which retain water on their seats hours after it last rained, a couple of fret worked fixed steel gates, leading God knows where, and which can only be viewed properly if you stand in the doorway of the pound shop, and a few young Oak trees supported by Ten Ton Tessy's callipers.

Well designed, and visionary, it ain't, whatever the cost.

Get your crayons out rindy and show us what you would have done? I had noticed a load of concrete balls dotted round town which I thought was nicely done and the street sculptures and older monuments sat well together. Yes HBC did let itself and the community down, but progress is an unceasing beast and change will come again to Broadway and around Blackburn Road no doubt.

[garinda]

Originally Posted by Doug

and change will come again to Broadway

...at what cost?

Better to have spent wisely the first time round.

A fool and his, or rather our money, is soon parted.

[Eric]

Blackburn ... great place ... I was born there ... what can I say!