Aren't you glad you voted for this numpty?

[Barrie Yates]

Is there an election due?

[accyman]

darwen is a good example neil they get sod all done now all the money is pumped into Blackburn.Probbably to fund their relentless chase to become a city.

[Guinness]

Originally Posted by g jones

There is no substance and your main argument is based on personal abuse. Hyndburn's future should be based on intelligence. The majority of people will read the above post and learn nothing.

Hyndburn is a great place and I'll continue to be a strong advocate to make things better for constituents and the borough.

Good luck with your personal abuse.

Substance and intelligence such as asking the prime minister during a debate if he had ever watched sky?

As for people learning from my posts, I don't imagine or believe that I speak for the 95% majority, nor do I attempt to instil knowledge, I just post my opinion. And my main argument was about you not wanting a merged constituency yet wanting a merged local authority. I think some on this forum understood the allegory that followed even though you obviously didn't.

Hyndburn's future based on intelligence????

The intelligence of building a bus station away from the centre, the intelligence of the market hall fiasco, the intelligence of the 'new' market, the intelligence of removing benches for the old and infirm to stop drunks, the intelligence of building a supermarket without decent access that constantly causes gridlock....

Oh yeah..some really intelligent thinking there.

I think the people of Hyndburn have more intelligence than you give them credit for, they know what a u-turn is, they know what a broken promise is, they know what being sold down the river is too.

Good luck keeping your seat.

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by g jones

The debate about County Hall (72%) and the Districts (15%) is important. There is foi t there is duplication neither is their any doubt that the County element is remote.

Britain has a significant number of unitary authorities, all the metropolitan areas. It is also clear that they are be fitting significantly from City deals and that having two authorities causes confusion and when they compete with each other provide a disservice.

There is no doubt that we are paying several people to do the same job and Hyndburn has merged some services with Blackburn and Rossendale.

If we want deep cuts we have to make tough decisions. The luxury of multiple people doing the same job in each area is costly and cutting front line services to protect these 'multiple senior highly paid jobs' is not the choice I would make.

If we want strong leadership, if we want 72% of services brought back to East Lancashire, if we want to end multiple high paid jobs, have 60 just councillors instead of 300, to be taken seriously by government and be able to lobby government, then we need a unitary east lancs council.

Some would disagree but I'd be interested in the rational for keeping the status quo.

For once I can agree with you Graham, I have long been an advocate of Unitary Authorities, Hyndburn should have taken that road when Blackburn decided to go it alone back in the 90s, it would mean everything raised in rates (council tax) would be retained and spent here in Hyndburn, plus streamlining of local government officialdom, cutting down on unneeded staff. Its an eye opener going to county hall, I couldn't believe how many people were walking about with a piece of paper in their hand looking busy.

[cashman]

Hells Bells, Fer once i can agree wi you Jaysay.

[g jones]

Originally Posted by jaysay

For once I can agree with you Graham, I have long been an advocate of Unitary Authorities, Hyndburn should have taken that road when Blackburn decided to go it alone back in the 90s, it would mean everything raised in rates (council tax) would be retained and spent here in Hyndburn, plus streamlining of local government officialdom, cutting down on unneeded staff. Its an eye opener going to county hall, I couldn't believe how many people were walking about with a piece of paper in their hand looking busy.

I appreciate that John.

There's clearly two sides to this argument. A local small advocate, the district council offers accountability that would be at risk with a larger authority.

The counter view, my view is that already happens with county providing 72% of the services. Strategic clout offers more benefits than the the comfort of a district council. Then there's duplication of well paid staff and division of responsibility between upper and lower local government.

I appreciate that Guinness has made some articulate points and that's the way it should be if we are to make Hyndburn a better place. Progressive debate.

What I'd want to say in response to the list is its about the big issues. 12 months ago I was told by LCC CEO that the pupil premium in Hyndburn was lower than it should be. That HBC had personal data that could identify 00's of pupils entitled to free school meals triggering a pupil premium to that school. I got HBC with the leaders help to write twice to every family that looked like they may be entitled. I had no interest in broadcasting this effort until the papers wanted to print a story that Hyndburn schools this year were to receive huge increases in funding via the pupil premium. That's what I mean about commitment, about important issues, about having an MP who is continually striving for this area.

This like quite a few issues is under most people's radar but we've made a different to tight school budgets.

[Guinness]

Originally Posted by g jones

I appreciate that John.

There's clearly two sides to this argument. A local small advocate, the district council offers accountability that would be at risk with a larger authority.

The counter view, my view is that already happens with county providing 72% of the services. Strategic clout offers more benefits than the the comfort of a district council. Then there's duplication of well paid staff and division of responsibility between upper and lower local government.

I appreciate that Guinness has made some articulate points and that's the way it should be if we are to make Hyndburn a better place. Progressive debate.

What I'd want to say in response to the list is its about the big issues. 12 months ago I was told by LCC CEO that the pupil premium in Hyndburn was lower than it should be. That HBC had personal data that could identify 00's of pupils entitled to free school meals triggering a pupil premium to that school. I got HBC with the leaders help to write twice to every family that looked like they may be entitled. I had no interest in broadcasting this effort until the papers wanted to print a story that Hyndburn schools this year were to receive huge increases in funding via the pupil premium. That's what I mean about commitment, about important issues, about having an MP who is continually striving for this area.

This like quite a few issues is under most people's radar but we've made a different to tight school budgets.

I'm always up for a reasoned debate..

Are you saying that the list of Hyndburn electorate concerns that I mentioned are small issues?

Regarding the pupil premium which appears to be a new name for free school dinners, well done you, but not really your job to sort this out is it? At least not according to item 14 on the FAQ below.

http://media.education.gov.uk/assets...ium%20faqs.pdf

Is it really the role of the LCC CEO to tell the MP, who then tells the BC, who then write to parents, not once but twice before funding is released to schools? Because I can’t find that anywhere in the FAQ

Unless I'm reading it wrong the following document tasks the schools to do this job not MP's or CEO's

http://media.education.gov.uk/assets...%20and%20a.pdf

Have any heads rolled (pun intended) for this oversight?

On a pedantic side note why contact people twice? Isn't that a waste of hard pressed council resources?

[Guinness]

Gah! Over corrected my last post.

Should have read...the pupil premium appears to be a new fund based on how many get free school meals

Note to self* (must be more careful attempting to debate with a professional debater)

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by g jones

I appreciate that John.

There's clearly two sides to this argument. A local small advocate, the district council offers accountability that would be at risk with a larger authority.

The counter view, my view is that already happens with county providing 72% of the services. Strategic clout offers more benefits than the the comfort of a district council. Then there's duplication of well paid staff and division of responsibility between upper and lower local government.

I appreciate that Guinness has made some articulate points and that's the way it should be if we are to make Hyndburn a better place. Progressive debate.

What I'd want to say in response to the list is its about the big issues. 12 months ago I was told by LCC CEO that the pupil premium in Hyndburn was lower than it should be. That HBC had personal data that could identify 00's of pupils entitled to free school meals triggering a pupil premium to that school. I got HBC with the leaders help to write twice to every family that looked like they may be entitled. I had no interest in broadcasting this effort until the papers wanted to print a story that Hyndburn schools this year were to receive huge increases in funding via the pupil premium. That's what I mean about commitment, about important issues, about having an MP who is continually striving for this area.

This like quite a few issues is under most people's radar but we've made a different to tight school budgets.

LLC has always been a white elephant in my eyes, especially when its the general public picking up the tab, not sure what the numbers are but there used to be over 6,000 people employed through county hall who's wages are paid through the council tax, and that's before they tackle social services, education, road repairs, (how many potholes have been allowed to become craters. A unitary authority would cut down on costs freeing up more money for essential issues to be tackled

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by cashman

Hells Bells, Fer once i can agree wi you Jaysay.

You stick wi me mate ya won't go fare wrong

[g jones]

Originally Posted by Guinness

Gah! Over corrected my last post.

Should have read...the pupil premium appears to be a new fund based on how many get free school meals

Note to self* (must be more careful attempting to debate with a professional debater)

I worked at Daltons Printers for 10 years and lived up Plantation Street for 30 years and my conversations are more likely to take place in pubs or working mens clubs. A long way from Eton debating society.

A lot of things are not my job in terms of decision making however I live here and people expect me to be involved. The work we did on the pupil premium certainly helped Hyndburn families, Hyndburn schools and beneficiary children. Result in my book.

[Guinness]

Originally Posted by g jones

I worked at Daltons Printers for 10 years and lived up Plantation Street for 30 years and my conversations are more likely to take place in pubs or working mens clubs. A long way from Eton debating society.

A lot of things are not my job in terms of decision making however I live here and people expect me to be involved. The work we did on the pupil premium certainly helped Hyndburn families, Hyndburn schools and beneficiary children. Result in my book.

No argument from me about the result (as I said, well done)...just the same argument I posted about the person who's role it is to source this funding not doing his job, resulting in the need for the involvement of a CEO, an MP, and the use of hard pressed council resources (twice) to do his job for for him.....does he still have his job?

[Guinness]

Our Graham has been banging on about Credit Unions on Twitter today.

No argument from me that credit unions are better to get loans from than Wonga, Provident or the guy at the bottom of Avenue Parade...

But..just shows how living in the land of the fatted calf called Westminster obscures the vision...

Hello..wake up call to the real world...people who borrow from usurers do NOT have the funds to make regular savings deposits to Credit Unions so that they qualify for a loan. They have no choice!

'Are you a member'..'No'...'Sorry, try Wonga'....

So..is this a solution to usury or just another soundbite and picture opportunity for an MP?

[cmonstanley]

credit unions are not just for loans . they can be used for credit management if you are struggling managing your money

[US Angel]

well don't they all promise you the moon to get your vote LOL