Councillor Britcliffe Called off the AGM

[cashman]

Originally Posted by jaysay

Exactly what you would do if you were in the same position and you know it is, so don't even think of denying it

When and who called the last "Afternoon" meeting? or any afternoon un fer that matter,to me yer defending the indefensible.

[andrewb]

If all councillors attend, Peter Britcliffe becomes leader. As it happens one has had a car crash and can't attend. You're telling me that if another party had a majority they wouldn't hold off until all their councillors could attend? Yes as much should be done to get all councillors there, but it seems to me theres a lot of crying wolf from a party that knows they don't have a majority anyway.

Meanwhile we have an MP wanting to charge the taxpayer £250 for a trip to London for purposes which are not to do with his job as an MP.

[cashman]

Originally Posted by andrewb

If all councillors attend, Peter Britcliffe becomes leader. As it happens one has had a car crash and can't attend. You're telling me that if another party had a majority they wouldn't hold off until all their councillors could attend? Yes as much should be done to get all councillors there, but it seems to me theres a lot of crying wolf from a party that knows they don't have a majority anyway.

Meanwhile we have an MP wanting to charge the taxpayer £250 for a trip to London for purposes which are not to do with his job as an MP.

you really are pathetic, still expect nowt else from a loser.

[Less]

Originally Posted by andrewb

If all councillors attend, Peter Britcliffe becomes leader. As it happens one has had a car crash and can't attend. You're telling me that if another party had a majority they wouldn't hold off until all their councillors could attend? Yes as much should be done to get all councillors there, but it seems to me theres a lot of crying wolf from a party that knows they don't have a majority anyway.

Hey Toryboy, read the first post properly before Talking around that foot you keep in your big gob!

Originally Posted by JCB

His reason was the mayor's accident but Graham Jones had agreed to pair off with the mayor so that the mayor's absence would not give Labour an advantage.

[andrewb]

Originally Posted by Less

Hey Toryboy, read the first post properly before Talking around that foot you keep in your big gob!

If it is to do with another councillor being unable to attend then the same applies. I'm not defending the decision, I just think it's rather dull for Labour to cry wolf as if they have a majority and Peter Britcliffe is trying change the times to stop them.

[Less]

Originally Posted by andrewb

If it is to do with another councillor being unable to attend then the same applies. I'm not defending the decision, I just think it's rather dull for Labour to cry wolf as if they have a majority and Peter Britcliffe is trying change the times to stop them.

Instead of all the above, you could have said,

"Oops Sorry everybody, I got it wrong, again!"

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by cashman

When and who called the last "Afternoon" meeting? or any afternoon un fer that matter,to me yer defending the indefensible.

It was always afternoon, then it changed in I think 2002, when Labour were in control for one year

[Bernard Dawson]

Originally Posted by jaysay

It was always afternoon, then it changed in I think 2002, when Labour were in control for one year

There has been one full Council meeting in the afternoon in the last thirty years. Full Council have always been held at 7pm Tuesday evening.

Why in the evening? because that's when its most convenient for members to get there.

[Ken Moss]

Originally Posted by andrewb

If it is to do with another councillor being unable to attend then the same applies. I'm not defending the decision, I just think it's rather dull for Labour to cry wolf as if they have a majority and Peter Britcliffe is trying change the times to stop them.

Andrew, we have a ludicrous system at the moment where protocol and consistution rules are flouted and bent to the will of one man who represents the best interests of both himself and his own ward. Hyndburn, whatever mystical land that might be, does not really exist outside the boundary of Oswaldtwistle.

There are set rules about full council meetings which have not been fully adhered to and which have passed through the legal and executive system with rather suspicious ease.

If the Leader of the Council truly believed in a democratic society then every vote would be by secret ballot and all full council meetings would be at a convenient time. 7.00pm is convenient for everyone, so why hold it in the afternoon unless you're desperate to get a vote to go your way and re-elect yourself as Leader of the Council?

Secret ballots can be requested if one third of the council want one, but this can be overturned by a mere six councillors who want a named ballot - the majority overturned by the minority.

As it stands, Cllr Britcliffe is not 100% guaranteed to be voted Leader of the Council next week as you seem to be forgetting the Independent councillors also have voting rights and are not over-enamoured of him.

By moving the full council meeting to 1.30pm it makes it quite difficult for all Labour councillors to make it to the meeting, therefore enabling Cllr Britcliffe a clear definite majority of at least one vote. It is jerrymandering and not in Hyndburn's best interests for any Leader to behave this way.

Just keep an eye on those purse strings if he gets re-elected. There is no money in the pot for any ward this year (in fact the Area Council in Rishton have been given a whopping £12k to spend for the year and we're quite well off with that compared to others) but just wait and see how many Oswaldtwistle projects get the green light.

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by Bernard Dawson

There has been one full Council meeting in the afternoon in the last thirty years. Full Council have always been held at 7pm Tuesday evening.

Why in the evening? because that's when its most convenient for members to get there.

Sorry Bernard, I'll hold my hand up when I'm wrong, was thinking we were talking about the AGM (Mayor Making) which was always in the afternoon.

[Bernard Dawson]

Originally Posted by jaysay

Sorry Bernard, I'll hold my hand up when I'm wrong, was thinking we were talking about the AGM (Mayor Making) which was always in the afternoon.

The Mayor Making for years was always in the evening as well. At that time it was combined with the AGM. In recent years the two have been split. The more formal AGM has been held in the evening, whilst the Mayor Making has tended to be on a Saturday morning.

I use to like the Mayor Making in the evening. You could have a few pints after the meeting.

[Wynonie Harris]

Originally Posted by Bernard Dawson

I use to like the Mayor Making in the evening. You could have a few pints after the meeting.

Spoken like a true Accy lad!

[andrewb]

Originally Posted by Ken Moss

Andrew, we have a ludicrous system at the moment where protocol and consistution rules are flouted and bent to the will of one man who represents the best interests of both himself and his own ward. Hyndburn, whatever mystical land that might be, does not really exist outside the boundary of Oswaldtwistle.

There are set rules about full council meetings which have not been fully adhered to and which have passed through the legal and executive system with rather suspicious ease.

If the Leader of the Council truly believed in a democratic society then every vote would be by secret ballot and all full council meetings would be at a convenient time. 7.00pm is convenient for everyone, so why hold it in the afternoon unless you're desperate to get a vote to go your way and re-elect yourself as Leader of the Council?

Secret ballots can be requested if one third of the council want one, but this can be overturned by a mere six councillors who want a named ballot - the majority overturned by the minority.

As it stands, Cllr Britcliffe is not 100% guaranteed to be voted Leader of the Council next week as you seem to be forgetting the Independent councillors also have voting rights and are not over-enamoured of him.

By moving the full council meeting to 1.30pm it makes it quite difficult for all Labour councillors to make it to the meeting, therefore enabling Cllr Britcliffe a clear definite majority of at least one vote. It is jerrymandering and not in Hyndburn's best interests for any Leader to behave this way.

Just keep an eye on those purse strings if he gets re-elected. There is no money in the pot for any ward this year (in fact the Area Council in Rishton have been given a whopping £12k to spend for the year and we're quite well off with that compared to others) but just wait and see how many Oswaldtwistle projects get the green light.

I can't agree with you that a secret ballot is more democratic. Councillors should be held accountable for how they vote. The people of Hyndburn can't hold them accountable if they don't know which way they've voted.

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by Bernard Dawson

The Mayor Making for years was always in the evening as well. At that time it was combined with the AGM. In recent years the two have been split. The more formal AGM has been held in the evening, whilst the Mayor Making has tended to be on a Saturday morning.

I use to like the Mayor Making in the evening. You could have a few pints after the meeting.

It never stopped me in the afternoon either Bernard, it was just that I tended to get more gatted that's all Think the last mayor making/AGM in an afternoon I attended was when Dog Hayes was Mayor, I ended up in the Heys Inn while god knows what time that I think was 10 years ago?

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by andrewb

I can't agree with you that a secret ballot is more democratic. Councillors should be held accountable for how they vote. The people of Hyndburn can't hold them accountable if they don't know which way they've voted.

There is already a facility for that, or there was? by asking for a named vote (am I right Bernard) whereas the who voted which way is recorded in the minutes of the meeting