HBC at it again

[Ken Moss]

Originally Posted by BERNADETTE

As another shop is due to close it appears that the talks with the owners of the Arndale aren't going to well. As for the new bus station, a complete waste of money IMHO, you are taking people away from the market and to an area where more and more shops are closing. You can bet your bottom dollar that more stalls will diappear from the market when the planned bus station emerges.

To be fair Bernadette, these are pretty exceptional times. We've seen some major players go into administration in the past 12 months and attracting names to Accrington is not going to be helped with people such as Cllr Britcliffe who this week was once again spouting in the Council chamber about what we don't have rather than what we can do.

No one has ever said that town centre regeneration is easy but we really do need to accentuate the positives if we are to get anywhere. There is plenty still going for Accrington and I've got lots of things I needed without going further afield.

[Ken Moss]

Originally Posted by Guinness

You are quite keen on establishing the fact that Rishton is a 'village'...it has a thriving butchers, sandwich shop, a small independent supermarket, 2 chemists, a furniture shop, a computer shop, a carpet shop, a couple of takeaways, a restaurant, newsagents, post office, three pubs and three clubs....

The mind boggles that you think it needs more

It is my job to do the best I can for Rishton, it's what I was elected for. In terms of facilities Rishton is not too badly off but that doesn't mean I can stop trying to improve things for the good of the residents.

Or would it be better to rest on my laurels and wave the red flag every four years?

[Gordon Booth]

Originally Posted by Ken Moss

There is no shortage of planning applications for small houses packed together and in my view Hyndburn is the ultimate area for low cost starter homes - I live in a terrace and it is a fantastic house which has cost a fraction of something smaller but which would have been marketed as bigger. We are desperate for bungalows and housing for the elderly, I want to make this a condition of new development on this land.

In terms of shops, a small supermarket wouldn't go down too badly with residents from the research I've been doing and maintenance fees could be bundled in with any rents to ensure that the stretch of waterway was kept clean and tidy.

The document is way off being completed yet but I have high hopes that we can make something interesting for future developments that will actually improve the community rather than just sucking resources out of it.

You're on the spot and in the centre of things, I'm not so I defer to your opinion.
But if you don't bring life back into the town centre soon you may have won a battle(in Rishton) but you'll have lost the war(in Hyndburn).

[Ken Moss]

Originally Posted by Gordon Booth

You're on the spot and in the centre of things, I'm not so I defer to your opinion.
But if you don't bring life back into the town centre soon you may have won a battle(in Rishton) but you'll have lost the war(in Hyndburn).

A fair point Gordon and I'm a Hyndburn Councillor too which means it is my duty to see the bigger picture but believe me we all do. I have every faith in my colleagues who are doing everything they can for Accrington.

That is one bloody big hill to climb though at this present time, we just are not getting the money from central government that we need to invest in capital programmes.

Hyndburn has had the biggest cuts in grants of the entire country because officially we are spending more as a Council per resident than places down South.

Work that one out.

[susie123]

Originally Posted by Gordon Booth

I thought 'poxy shoebox houses and flats' were called 'low cost housing ' for first time buyers and young couples? And the Labour Party were all in favour of 'low cost housing' and not bungalows (with spare bedrooms) for rich old people.

Bungalows don't have to be for the rich(?), they can be part of low cost housing too.

Originally Posted by Ken Moss

We are desperate for bungalows and housing for the elderly, I want to make this a condition of new development on this land.

Absolutely right Ken, please can there be some in Accy as well as Rishton? My cousin who is 82 has been trying for a council bungalow for years, every time one comes up, which isn't often, they're as rare as hen's teeth, she is no further up the list and gets very frustrated.

[cashman]

Originally Posted by susie123

Bungalows don't have to be for the rich(?), they can be part of low cost housing too.

Absolutely right Ken, please can there be some in Accy as well as Rishton? My cousin who is 82 has been trying for a council bungalow for years, every time one comes up, which isn't often, they're as rare as hen's teeth, she is no further up the list and gets very frustrated.

Shes probably English and worked all her life susie? Hence yeh get nowhere in this world, not just Hyndburn.

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by Ken Moss

In my dreams, John....

I've just got off my arse and done some legwork that's all.

About time all this money your being paid

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by Ken Moss

Comments noted Cash and I'll make sure that this is brought up with the Town Centre team. It's not something that I work on but if it needs addressing (which it clearly does) then I'm sure it can be looked at as part of ongoing works.

Which it clearly does Hell I hadn't been in Accy Town Centre for years, I was absolutely amazed at what has happened, there wasn't a soul to be seen on Abbey Street except people wandering around and sitting on a wall waiting for the good fairy to arrive with goodies, Broadway was nearly as bad for the same reason, only the happy people had already been serviced up the road and were freely wandering down the road to annoy what shoppers were there. Its not like the "Town Centre Team" don't know what's going on, I've seen enough of um wandering around admiring the sights, maybe they haven't the bottle to take on Saint Dorothy and tell her enough is enough, but believe me nothings about to change anytime soon, not even new businesses nor a new Bus Station will alter the situation until the underlying problem is sorted and even then it could be too late, people have already found new place to shop, and its going to be very hard to persuade them to come back

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by Ken Moss

To be fair Bernadette, these are pretty exceptional times. We've seen some major players go into administration in the past 12 months and attracting names to Accrington is not going to be helped with people such as Cllr Britcliffe who this week was once again spouting in the Council chamber about what we don't have rather than what we can do.

No one has ever said that town centre regeneration is easy but we really do need to accentuate the positives if we are to get anywhere. There is plenty still going for Accrington and I've got lots of things I needed without going further afield.

Well we all thought it would be Britcliffe's fault, that's all you can ever say, it might be an idea to cast your mind back a few years when may the negative comments your lot were spouting week in week out might have had a negative effect then, no doubt another case of the kettle calling the pan sooty bum

[Less]

Originally Posted by Guinness

2 chemists,

two chemists?
Good grief there must be alot of unhealthy people in Rishton, Oh hang on though on a quick count there are at least 5 just on B'burn Rd Accy.

[Ken Moss]

Originally Posted by jaysay

Well we all thought it would be Britcliffe's fault, that's all you can ever say, it might be an idea to cast your mind back a few years when may the negative comments your lot were spouting week in week out might have had a negative effect then, no doubt another case of the kettle calling the pan sooty bum

Yes, obviously it's his fault. I remember vividly saying that.

Or perhaps not, and I seem to remember saying repeatedly that Accrington is not as bad as people keep making out. Every time I go it extracts money out of me which is surely proof enough.

Find me an example of a Labour Councillor saying something truly detrimental about Accrington town centre because I don't remember any of my lot doing that.

The Peel Street toilet debacle does not count either, that was an HBC decision and a bloody stupid one that cost us the taxpayer £300,000.

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by Ken Moss

Yes, obviously it's his fault. I remember vividly saying that.

Or perhaps not, and I seem to remember saying repeatedly that Accrington is not as bad as people keep making out. Every time I go it extracts money out of me which is surely proof enough.

Find me an example of a Labour Councillor saying something truly detrimental about Accrington town centre because I don't remember any of my lot doing that.

The Peel Street toilet debacle does not count either, that was an HBC decision and a bloody stupid one that cost us the taxpayer £300,000.

Spend an hour or two looking through your back posts, when you were first on here every morning noon and night, calling Britcliffe and the Tories up hill and down dale, mind you when in opposition you can say anything you want, its only when it comes around that your the one answering all the questions that the appearances die off and become just a token appearance, well especially at this time of year, leading up to vote for us time.

[Guinness]

Originally Posted by Ken Moss

A fair point Gordon and I'm a Hyndburn Councillor too which means it is my duty to see the bigger picture but believe me we all do. I have every faith in my colleagues who are doing everything they can for Accrington.

That is one bloody big hill to climb though at this present time, we just are not getting the money from central government that we need to invest in capital programmes.

Hyndburn has had the biggest cuts in grants of the entire country because officially we are spending more as a Council per resident than places down South.

Work that one out.

If a council can afford to allocate 20k looking at the viability of building a canalside development with shops, supermarkets and cafes for an area that doesn't really need it, whilst turning down the whitebirk plan, which offered pretty much the same for free, it just gives those halfwits in central government the ammunition to validate such savage cuts.

Go figure

[Less]

Ah, right Jay, now we know why you didn't leave, we're coming up to elections and you wish to remain as a Tory sounding board, (or is that a Tory sounding bored?), (perhaps even a boring Tory?), maybe it's a Tory without a cause? Wake up and see what they are doing to the poor, not all on sickness benefit or the dole are scroungers.
For once admit how mean your party is to the vulnerable.

[Ken Moss]

Originally Posted by jaysay

Spend an hour or two looking through your back posts, when you were first on here every morning noon and night, calling Britcliffe and the Tories up hill and down dale, mind you when in opposition you can say anything you want, its only when it comes around that your the one answering all the questions that the appearances die off and become just a token appearance, well especially at this time of year, leading up to vote for us time.

You're changing tack now.

Of course I called Britcliffe while I was in opposition, at every opportunity and for every witless policy, but I thought your point was that I was now criticising him for the very same thing that you think Labour did, ie. talking down the town centre?

We've never done that simply because it doesn't help the town centre.

Still the Britcliffe puppet after all this time, spinning words to make it sound like dirty Labour versus poor Peter.

Disappointing.