Hyndburn Local Elections - 5th May

[Margaret Pilkington]

Originally Posted by Neil

So do you not believe in providing safe areas for our kids to play?

Where would these safe areas be then, Neil?

Most parents I know, do not want their children to play anywhere other than where they can be seen...usually in thier own back yard or certainly where they can be supervisedby their own family.......often in the street.
Parents worry all the time that perverts or paedophiles are watching their children in public parks, playgrounds and the like.

The times when it was thought safe for children to play out in fields and parks (without the parents overseeing them) are long gone.

[gynn]

Originally Posted by Ken Moss

For the record, I have been appointed Chair of the Resources Overview and Scrutiny committee to examine the way the council spends it money.

Not just how it spends its money, but also how it gets money in.

At budget time, we talked about the income generation that was part of the 2011/12 Budget ie

Additional Income Generation - Pest Control 30,000
Budget Re Alignment Income - Env. Health 40,500
Additional Income From Better Waste Management 28,000
Increased Rental Income 2,500
Regeneration - Additional Income Fees 418,689
Additional Fees on Environmental Schemes 4,400
Accountancy Services - Increased Income 21,000
Corporate Services - Additional Income 82,416
Total 627,505

This was all new money, never previously received, and we thought it warranted a full explanation. As I understand it, requests for an explanation were blocked by the Cabinet and the then Chair of Resources Overview and Scrutiny.

Well, now is your chance. Ask for:-

1. A full breakdown of where this 627,505 will be coming from, and who will be paying it to HBC.

2. 7 Weeks into the new financial year, how much of this 627,505 has been secured?

Nobody will be more delighted than me if a satisfactory answer is received.

[Neil]

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington

There are areas of this town that are very run down.......and nowhere did I suggest that private landlords be given public money.....there are other ways of going about regenerating areas.
You are intelligent enough to know that too.

I must be a bit stupid then because we are seeing houses renovated that belong to private landlords

[Neil]

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington

The times when it was thought safe for children to play out in fields and parks (without the parents overseeing them) are long gone.

How sad that you think that. I am so glad not everyone does or our children would have a boring upbringing.

Go for a walk in our many parks on a nice sunny day and see the children having fun it really is a lovely sight.

Personally I prefer to see them in parks than on street corners.

[Margaret Pilkington]

Originally Posted by Neil

I must be a bit stupid then because we are seeing houses renovated that belong to private landlords

Why call yourself stupid, when it is clearly plain that you are anything but stupid......or was that a bit of irony/sarcasm?

What you are saying may be true, but that isn't what I advocated....nor ever would.

What I actually said was, the money should be used where it can do the most good....and at this point I will add...to benefit as many people as possible.

[g jones]

I cannot see labour;

1) funding private landlords - that will stop - there are other ways and tough enforcement is one, as is open market sale and CPO.

2) We need to stop the giveaway cash handout culture and ensure as a principle for every £1 we put in - we should be looking to get back as much as possible so we can continue a regeneration programme. We are exploring exciting ways we may be able to do this with outside partners.

Conservative giveaway facelift grants and expensive group repairs, £30k relocation grants and £30k 'lifetime' loans are on the axe list.

[Margaret Pilkington]

Originally Posted by Neil

How sad that you think that. I am so glad not everyone does or our children would have a boring upbringing.

Go for a walk in our many parks on a nice sunny day and see the children having fun it really is a lovely sight.

Personally I prefer to see them in parks than on street corners.

I didn't say I thought that....but I know many parents do.
I do visit parks and I see children playing, but usually close by there is a parent/grandparent......because even these idyllic surroundings are not seen as safe.

Street corners aren't ideal, but if you can look out of your window and see your children, then surely it must be a comfort......though still not exactly safe.

[Eric]

Originally Posted by g jones

I cannot see labour;

1) funding private landlords - that will stop - there are other ways and tough enforcement is one, as is open market sale and CPO.

2) We need to stop the giveaway cash handout culture and ensure as a principle for every £1 we put in - we should be looking to get back as much as possible so we can continue a regeneration programme. We are exploring exciting ways we may be able to do this with outside partners.

Conservative giveaway facelift grants and expensive group repairs, £30k relocation grants and £30k 'lifetime' loans are on the axe list.

You do realize that if, as Margaret P suggested ... post #231, I think ... party politics were not a part of municipal government, this whole issue of Labour spending vs. Tory spending would disappear.

[Margaret Pilkington]

Originally Posted by Eric

You do realize that if, as Margaret P suggested ... post #231, I think ... party politics were not a part of municipal government, this whole issue of Labour spending vs. Tory spending would disappear.

Yes, that was my point....that those elected would be able to focus all of their energies on what benefits the community as a whole.
We would be saved the whole'they did this, and so we'll do that' mudslinging/slanging match.

[Neil]

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington

I didn't say I thought that....but I know many parents do.
I do visit parks and I see children playing, but usually close by there is a parent/grandparent......because even these idyllic surroundings are not seen as safe.

Street corners aren't ideal, but if you can look out of your window and see your children, then surely it must be a comfort......though still not exactly safe.

We may be talking about different age range of kids, I was meaning teenagers, these are the ones that need facilities in Hyndburn. All most want to do is hand about with mates chatting or kicking a football about.

Thats why the friends of Rhyddings park working with HBC funded and built the multi use play area and youth shelter in the park. HBC could not pay £100,000 for such a facility so we applied for the funding with the assistance of HBC and it was specified using their expertise and built by contractors. I cant remember the figures but a small amount of money, less than 10% was provided by HBC and £100,000 provided by the friends from the lottery.

Its not enough though and our towns and villages need more of these facilities if we want to stop seeing groups of kids on street corners.

I am hoping the new administration are forward thinking and will be looking at ways to provide these facilities.

[garinda]

Originally Posted by Mancie

Marg. ..you where one of the most pro Tory posters on here up to the last General Election.

Just when you've been doing so well, you go and drop a howler.



Marg has posted what paper she reads. But being a vociferous reader, I suspect that's because compared to every other daily newspaper, there's physically a lot in it to read.

You don't half like your labels, don't you Mancie?

I suspect if you'd have beeb born with a daisy, instead of a little tail, you'd have been one of those mad feminists in the seventies, who'd have labelled all men as rapists, and anyone who bought The Sun, with it's pin-up, on a par with a mass murderer.

[garinda]

Now the King Emporer has been deposed, I hear certain brown nosers have already been sniffing around.

Looking for a new home, in which to stick their schnozzles.

[Margaret Pilkington]

Yes, we were talking of a different age group.
And my observation is that lots of teens don't really play in the parks, they hang around......but they do sometimes seem to prevent the younger children from playing, by their aggressive behaviour.
Teens are a totally different ball game(pardon the pun)....they need to be kept occupied.
Over the years, there has been a move away from organisations which gave the teens a focus.(scouts Guides, Sea Cadet,Church Activities etc)

Teens see these as 'uncool'.
Street corners seem to be where these youngsters want to be.......although if asked, they will tell you they would like something better to do, but I bet a pound to a penny, if you organised a Drama group or something organised, it would fold, because not enough of them would join.......or they might join for a few weeks and the numbers would dwindle and that would be the end of that.

Part of the problem of children on street corners is, because they are teens, they think they are grown up, and above'playing'.

As I said previously, I am i n favour of public money being spent on things that will benefit the greater good of deprived communities, and it isn't for me to designate just how it is spent, it is up to the people in charge of the money, ensuring that the money being spent is on something that is good value for money.
In the past this (in my opinion, for what it is worth)has not been the case.

[Margaret Pilkington]

Originally Posted by garinda

Just when you've been doing so well, you go and drop a howler.



Marg has posted what paper she reads. But being a vociferous reader, I suspect that's because compared to every other daily newspaper, there's physically a lot in it to read.

You don't half like your labels, don't you Mancie?

I suspect if you'd have beeb born with a daisy, instead of a little tail, you'd have been one of those mad feminists in the seventies, who'd have labelled all men as rapists, and anyone who bought The Sun, with it's pin-up, on a par with a mass murderer.

Yes, I have posted what newspaper I read, the one I get delivered....but I read many others online too....so I get a balanced view of the world about me.
This is what allows me to make informed decisions. Decisions not based on narrow ideologies.

I am not the only one in my house, and did you ever stop to think that the newspaper that is pushed through our letterbox, could be the choice of the other person in the house.

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by garinda

Just when you've been doing so well,
I suspect if you'd have beeb born with a daisy, instead of a little tail, you'd have been one of those mad feminists in the seventies, who'd have labelled all men as rapists, and anyone who bought The Sun, with it's pin-up, on a par with a mass murderer.

Thats funny I thought he already was