Councillor Britcliffe Called off the AGM

[andrewb]

Originally Posted by Ken Moss

You'll have to direct me to that because I don't recall reading it.

The Observer also reported that Graham was elected as Greg Pope's predecessor, so possibly things aren't so black and white.

Not sure what it has to do with being Greg Pope's predecessor?

The link is Leader accused of opportunism over accident - Accrington Observer

He said: "I arranged with the Commons whips that I wouldn’t go down to London because of the meeting. It will now cost the taxpayer, because if I have to come back up and down it will cost £250 for the second class train fare."

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by claytonender

Unfortunately one person does make the executive decisions. You don't expect Hyndburn Council to be a democracy do you?

Well It wasn't between 1986 and 1999

[Ken Moss]

Originally Posted by andrewb

Not sure what it has to do with being Greg Pope's predecessor?

The link is Leader accused of opportunism over accident - Accrington Observer

He said: "I arranged with the Commons whips that I wouldn’t go down to London because of the meeting. It will now cost the taxpayer, because if I have to come back up and down it will cost £250 for the second class train fare."

Which Council Leader put him in that position?

If this is your idea of a good way to run a borough then I wouldn't give a groat for any political studies qualifications you might have.

All council meetings should be at 7pm. The End.

[andrewb]

Originally Posted by Ken Moss

Which Council Leader put him in that position?

If this is your idea of a good way to run a borough then I wouldn't give a groat for any political studies qualifications you might have.

All council meetings should be at 7pm. The End.

Ken, again, I haven't defended the changing of times. I simply mentioned that Graham was willing to break the expenses rules.

The rules state and rightly so: "7.2 Members may claim Travel and Subsistence Expenses for journeys which are necessary for the performance of their parliamentary functions".

Graham's second job is not apart of his parliamentary functions. I'm also not sure why he's paying £250 for a ticket.

[Ken Moss]

Originally Posted by andrewb

Ken, again, I haven't defended the changing of times. I simply mentioned that Graham was willing to break the expenses rules.

The rules state and rightly so: "7.2 Members may claim Travel and Subsistence Expenses for journeys which are necessary for the performance of their parliamentary functions".

Graham's second job is not apart of his parliamentary functions. I'm also not sure why he's paying £250 for a ticket.

Last minute tickets are very expensive and Graham is still both a councillor and a county councillor so it may well be that it would be claimed under one of those positions. I haven't spoken to him about this point specifically so I could be completely wrong but you could always ask him yourself?

I might offer up the advice never to believe everything you read in the papers, hence the quote about Graham being elected as Greg Pope's predecessor.

[Less]

Originally Posted by andrewb

Ken, again, I haven't defended the changing of times. I simply mentioned that Graham was willing to break the expenses rules.

Perhaps if you had mentioned it in it's own thread it would have some validity, but to use it as you did in an attempt at diverting the attention from one 'shocking' fact by inserting another 'shocking' fact, just shows you to be Tory right or wrong, and as usual you are so wrong.

[Wynonie Harris]

Originally Posted by andrewb

Ken, again, I haven't defended the changing of times.

Don't treat us as stupid on here, Andrew, a child could see through your pathetic little machinations. It's obvious you're creating a smokescreen in a futile attempt to draw attention away from the changing of the meeting times. An elementary political ruse and one that you obviously haven't got the hang of yet!

[andrewb]

Originally Posted by Ken Moss

Last minute tickets are very expensive and Graham is still both a councillor and a county councillor so it may well be that it would be claimed under one of those positions. I haven't spoken to him about this point specifically so I could be completely wrong but you could always ask him yourself?

I might offer up the advice never to believe everything you read in the papers, hence the quote about Graham being elected as Greg Pope's predecessor.

Well he was quoted in the paper and didn't say he was misquoted when he replied here. He shouldn't claim for it on his other jobs either. He is a district and county councillor for Hyndburn. I don't see why the people of Hyndburn should pay his rail travel from London.

[Ken Moss]

Originally Posted by andrewb

Well he was quoted in the paper and didn't say he was misquoted when he replied here. He shouldn't claim for it on his other jobs either. He is a district and county councillor for Hyndburn. I don't see why the people of Hyndburn should pay his rail travel from London.

The people of Hyndburn do not want Peter Britcliffe in charge of Hyndburn Council but unfortunately they're rather stuck with the situation, at least until Wednesday.

Your precious Tory party in Hyndburn are headed by a man who has forced an awkward situation upon the whole council in an effort to save his skin as Leader.

Post what you like on this forum or any other to try and get away from the primary point of this thread, but the fact remains that Wednesday's AGM has been moved around purely to satisfy the vanity of one man who you would hold him up as a shining example of a Hyndburn councillor.

I don't know what has led you to believe that a dictator is best for the borough but as soon as you start paying full taxes and see just what goes on with your money you might want to take a step back.

Try living in Rishton, Spring Hill or Huncoat and see how revered Cllr Britcliffe is in those wards.

[garinda]

Originally Posted by cashman

and i dont see why the members of accyweb should take any notice of a pathetic little maggot.

They don't.

Along with everything else, he must have lost the book we bought him, before he got the chance to read it.

How to Win Friends and Influence People: Amazon.co.uk: Dale Carnegie: Books

[andrewb]

Originally Posted by Ken Moss

The people of Hyndburn do not want Peter Britcliffe in charge of Hyndburn Council but unfortunately they're rather stuck with the situation, at least until Wednesday.

Your precious Tory party in Hyndburn are headed by a man who has forced an awkward situation upon the whole council in an effort to save his skin as Leader.

Post what you like on this forum or any other to try and get away from the primary point of this thread, but the fact remains that Wednesday's AGM has been moved around purely to satisfy the vanity of one man who you would hold him up as a shining example of a Hyndburn councillor.

I don't know what has led you to believe that a dictator is best for the borough but as soon as you start paying full taxes and see just what goes on with your money you might want to take a step back.

Try living in Rishton, Spring Hill or Huncoat and see how revered Cllr Britcliffe is in those wards.

I've said what I think of moving the AGM. Cllr Prichard has said he will support the Tories. The Tories therefore have a majority. There's a lot of crying wolf from your side, when you know you don't have the majority when all the democratically elected councillors are there. If Labour thought they had a majority when all elected councillors were there, I imagine they'd want to wait until they could all attend too.

If writing what you think I believe and what you think is my tax situation, helps you defend Graham's expenses, that's fine.

[Ken Moss]

Originally Posted by andrewb

I've said what I think of moving the AGM. Cllr Prichard has said he will support the Tories. The Tories therefore have a majority. There's a lot of crying wolf from your side, when you know you don't have the majority when all the democratically elected councillors are there. If Labour thought they had a majority when all elected councillors were there, I imagine they'd want to wait until they could all attend too.

If writing what you think I believe and what you think is my tax situation, helps you defend Graham's expenses, that's fine.

Let me put it to you like this then: if you're paying full council tax to Hyndburn then it would be Peter Britcliffe and not Graham Jones that should be getting your vitriol over the £250 rail fare. The original slot for the AGM would not have caused this situation or the cost.

Labour on its own does not have a majority, but working with the Independents would oust the Tories. You come across as someone who likes to think he is politically aware so why am I spelling this out to you?

It does you no credit at all as a political student when basic facts escape you and you are accusing Labour councillors of 'crying wolf' on the back of it.

[Ken Moss]

Originally Posted by andrewb

If Labour thought they had a majority when all elected councillors were there, I imagine they'd want to wait until they could all attend too.

It is quite clearly stated to all councillors that you are expected to attend ALL full council meetings, which generally isn't a problem at 7.00pm.

Cllr Britcliffe knows that most Labour councillors work during the day and has rigged the AGM twice in a row now to suit his personal needs.

It is not a good way to run a borough, there just isn't any getting around it.

[andrewb]

Originally Posted by Ken Moss

Let me put it to you like this then: if you're paying full council tax to Hyndburn then it would be Peter Britcliffe and not Graham Jones that should be getting your vitriol over the £250 rail fare. The original slot for the AGM would not have caused this situation or the cost.

Labour on its own does not have a majority, but working with the Independents would oust the Tories. You come across as someone who likes to think he is politically aware so why am I spelling this out to you?

It does you no credit at all as a political student when basic facts escape you and you are accusing Labour councillors of 'crying wolf' on the back of it.

Again you don't know what I pay or what I don't. If Peter Britcliffe was wanting to claim an inflated train fair, at taxpayers expense, I would be saying the same thing. It's against the expenses rules to claim for money that is not apart of an MPs parliamentary duties.

The 'basic facts' are not escaping me. The Conservatives have 17 councillors. One independent, Cllr Prichard, is in the local paper saying he'll support Peter Britcliffe. That's 18 councillors. There are 14 Labour councillors, and 3 other independents. That's 17 if they all vote together.

[garinda]

Originally Posted by Ken Moss

Cllr Britcliffe knows that most Labour councillors work during the day

I wonder if all those councillors, with full time jobs to do, have been awarded massive pay rises recently?


'A VOTE to increase councillor's expenses sparked cries of disgust from the public gallery at Accrington Town Hall on Tuesday, during a Cabinet meeting.'


'Labour members had tabled an amendment which would have scrapped an estimated £5,000 rise in the allowance for council leader, Councillor Peter Britcliffe but this was defeated.'


'His basic allowance has jumped from £17,032 to £19,842, but he is also allowed to claim allowances for more than one special responsibility, which has led to the extra £5,000 he can claim.'


'This equates to a whopping pay increase of around 20 per cent.'
Expenses rise sparks fury in council chamber - Accrington Observer