Anyone made a secret Freedom Of Info request about me ? Andrew?

[Royboy39]

Originally Posted by garinda

I've posted earlier in the thread when asked, that though there is much that this government has done that I strongly disagree with, if a General Election was called for Thursday I'd vote for Greg Pope to continue being M.P. for Hyndburn.

It is a balance, weighing person against party, but at this moment in time Greg Pope would secure my particular vote. He's proved himself to be an excellent Member of Parliament. A man with strongly held principles, and someone not afraid to rebel and stand up to the Party Whip, and who's fought to the best of his ability for the people of Hyndburn.

Peter Britcliffe, the leader whose party you say you wouldn't vote for here, has twice stood against him, unsuccessfully.

Sadly for the local Conservative party that's the quality of candidate they field.

I agree with that completely....what aboiut the search and the Home secretaries London Expenses?

[Eric]

Originally Posted by garinda

There are Independent councillors on Hyndburn Council.

You can see the party breakdown on the link below.

Councillors - View by name

Thanks for the info .... but I counted 35 councillors .... why so many? For a population of 82 thousand! Is it too simplistic to suggest that council expenses could be reduced by reducing the number of councillors? The City of Kingston has a population of 117 thousand plus the students at Queens' and St. Lawrence College and RMC, (about another 20 thou) and the floating population of Canadian Forces Base Kingston and we have only 12 councillors and the Mayor, who is elected at large. The present council is doing a crappy job, and the mayor will be turfed out on his ass come election time ... but still, there are more than enough bodies to run (or Mis-run) the city ...

[Eric]

And what in god's name is "non-metropolitan Lancashire"?

[shakermaker]

Originally Posted by g jones

My goal has always been to make the Borough better and I could sit down and rhyme off the key issues and how we need to change.

I don't trip you up. You make the decisions and you have lost £000,000's of Council Tax payers money.

Labour Councillors are the only councillors with any courage, honesty and integrity in Hyndburn. You know that because you come to Council meetings.

Even an AccyWeb member (who said they had not voted Labour) said they were quite surprised by what they saw. 'Labour allowed the childish gibes to pass by and stuck to issues that mattered'. If Shakermaker turned up he would change his opinion too.

In other Borough's I am sure the Conservatives have the best ideas and work harder, their Labour counterparts poor or useless.

The best way to form an opinion of someone is to judge how they instantly react to situations. You get a pretty true picture. Mr Jones I have seen you react to Andrew's request for an FOI and that has given off an image of your character and politics that stinks to high heaven. Observing how you carry yourself in a rehearsed arena such as the Council meeting where you act under rules and protocols would serve no purpose.

As I have said earlier, my knowledge of local politics is average at best. In truth, it bores me. I am sure a lot of people are in the same boat as I. I care about everyday issues such as when the bins are coming and the quality of the shops in the town centre. Aside from that? Not much else. On a general level however I like my politicians to shut up unless they're telling me how they're improving the issues of bin collections/quality of town centre shops etc.

I suggest you think before posting in future, Mr Jones.

[lancsdave]

Originally Posted by Eric

Thanks for the info .... but I counted 35 councillors .... why so many?

Probably for the same reason we have nearly 650 MP's, just over 70 mep's, the various members of the House of Lords, countless number of staff etc etc. Probably equates to 99% of tax paid. The rest goes on a few plasters for the NHS

[Eric]

Originally Posted by shakermaker

The best way to form an opinion of someone is to judge how they instantly react to situations. You get a pretty true picture. Mr Jones I have seen you react to Andrew's request for an FOI and that has given off an image of your character and politics that stinks to high heaven. Observing how you carry yourself in a rehearsed arena such as the Council meeting where you act under rules and protocols would serve no purpose.

As I have said earlier, my knowledge of local politics is average at best. In truth, it bores me. I am sure a lot of people are in the same boat as I. I care about everyday issues such as when the bins are coming and the quality of the shops in the town centre. Aside from that? Not much else. On a general level however I like my politicians to shut up unless they're telling me how they're improving the issues of bin collections/quality of town centre shops etc.

I suggest you think before posting in future, Mr Jones.

The point you make about "everyday issues" is a good one: there is nothing dramatic or profound about having the garbage picked up on time, or having reliable policing, or filling in the potholes in spring (unless of course this bread and butter stuff doesn't get done); but I still fail to see what party politics has to do with running a town. Say you have two candidates running: one is an intelligent, reasonable, committed individual who will probably do a helluva fine job, and he is a Conservative; the other candidate has the IQ of a salad bar and the personality of a fecal sandwich without the bread, and he is Labour ... and the ward they are running in is predominantly Labour ... well, you get the picture ....

[Eric]

Originally Posted by lancsdave

Probably for the same reason we have nearly 650 MP's, just over 70 mep's, the various members of the House of Lords, countless number of staff etc etc. Probably equates to 99% of tax paid. The rest goes on a few plasters for the NHS

I agree 100% ... I think that 12 is too many for Kingston ... I believe that having large numbers of politicians around increases the chances of turning normal inefficiency into a full-blown FUBAR.

[Eric]

This would be more fun if all the contestants piled into the Chat Room and duked it out ... could call it Last AccyWebber Standing

[Royboy39]

Originally Posted by Eric

This would be more fun if all the contestants piled into the Chat Room and duked it out ... could call it Last AccyWebber Standing

I think it may be Accywebs last stand? or Alamo?

[Eric]

Originally Posted by Royboy39

I think it may be Accywebs last stand? or Alamo?

Maybe everyone could wear Santa Anna t-shirts and hats

[garinda]

Originally Posted by Royboy39

I agree with that completely....what aboiut the search and the Home secretaries London Expenses?

I've posted my feelings on a different national site just today, but briefly I think what Jacqui Smith has done is totally unacceptable.

She certainly is a woman of no strong principles.

I'd sack her.

Again I've posted on here before that after so long all power seems to corrupt, and this government reminds me of John Major's, which certainly isn't a favourable comparison.

(By the way, when's your twin brother, Royboy1, coming back from his holidays, the one who says white is black, if I'd said it was the other way around?)

[lindsay ormerod]

I have spoken to Graham Jones on a couple of occasions and found him helpful and civil, I am happy to have him as my councillor and would trust him to get the job done. On the contrary I have a close friend who lives in St Andrew's Ward in Ossy and you would not get a good word out of him regarding his councillor, regardless of political preference if the person you deal with face to face, or phone to phone is rude and unpleasant ,you are not likely to vote for them, even if you were a confirmed Party voter.
I know who I would rather have, but it's my personal opinion, based on my dealings with that person.
(and I am not related to any councillors at the moment , that I am aware of !)

[Bagpuss]

Originally Posted by Royboy39

Thats why I would probably vote Labour in local elections

Surely you don't get a vote in our local elections as well?

[Bagpuss]

Originally Posted by lindsay ormerod

I have spoken to Graham Jones on a couple of occasions and found him helpful and civil, I am happy to have him as my councillor and would trust him to get the job done.

I know who I would rather have, but it's my personal opinion, based on my dealings with that person.

As I'm from the same ward I totally agree with you Lindsay.

Like Garinda in the locals I vote for the best person for the job but the General Election is different.

[Eric]

Originally Posted by lindsay ormerod

I have spoken to Graham Jones on a couple of occasions and found him helpful and civil, I am happy to have him as my councillor and would trust him to get the job done. On the contrary I have a close friend who lives in St Andrew's Ward in Ossy and you would not get a good word out of him regarding his councillor, regardless of political preference if the person you deal with face to face, or phone to phone is rude and unpleasant ,you are not likely to vote for them, even if you were a confirmed Party voter.
I know who I would rather have, but it's my personal opinion, based on my dealings with that person.
(and I am not related to any councillors at the moment , that I am aware of !)

But it would be different if you were voting for the national govt. wouldn't it? When what you are voting for is a party that best reflects you views on which direction the country should go? But if your post reflects how you, and no doubt many others, vote locally, why bother with party politics at all at this level of govt.? All it seems to do is generate pages of insult and innuendo, which, altho' it is entertaining, is still "a tale told by an idiot" etc.