I want your desk cleared by 5....

[lancsdave]

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington

instead of using their energy in in-fighting, name calling, etcetera. It takes away the dignity and respect that the electorate may have held for that person, when you hear of the childish behaviour and name calling.

I think this is probably the biggest single reason why we have such low turnouts for elections in this country

[Margaret Pilkington]

Originally Posted by lancsdave

I think this is probably the biggest single reason why we have such low turnouts for elections in this country

I am sure you are right about that.

I don't care about what political party is in charge, as long as they can do the job.
The other thing about making local elections apolitical....it would do away with the mentality of spending what is in the coffers before the opposing lot get their hands on it. This makes for better distribution/use of scarce resources.

Free local elections from party political bias and we would have much better services because there would be no back biting, name calling and the like.

I have lived in the borough all of my life, but I cannot remember what it was like before PB and his team ran the place....but I cannot forget how PB and his cronies spent money in ridiculous ways...ways that have left the borough worse off.

[Neil]

Originally Posted by Ken Moss

On a personal level, in Rishton we have now confirmed the demolition of a row of unsightly derelicts which have dragged an area down for 10 years and the council will be recouping that money from the owners. The council is not there to hand out money simply when people come a-knocking and all that has been abolished as well.

The news of the demolition is really good and its excellent that those accountable will pay and not the rest of use, well done.

Originally Posted by Ken Moss

Other 'good news' will be reported to the public when something concrete has been put in place, not some hypothetical votewinner which may never happen or figure which has been plucked out of the air in order to sound good.

That is good news as well, so much can be done with relatively small amounts of tax payers money when put up as match for external funding.
That will hopefully leave you more money for the projects that are hard or impossible to seek external funding for.

[cashman]

Whilst i agree it certainly contributes, meself i think the biggest reason fer low turnouts,is the penny has finally dropped n folk realise that "None" of the major parties give a toss about the lot of the ordinary voter.

[Margaret Pilkington]

And that, Cashy, is why political bias should be removed from local elections.

It is expected that the people who wish to be councillors have a desire to serve the community.......do they really need a political banner to enable then to do so?......My own feeling is that they don't, and that political ties just get in the way of these people doing a good job.
If I wanted to be a councillor, I could not align myself to any political party........OK, I could be an independent, but in my view people(the electorate) see independents as indecisive, weak as water and because they are not aligned to any of the major political parties, they haven't much clout.

[Neil]

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington

......OK, I could be an independent, but in my view people(the electorate) see independents as indecisive, weak as water and because they are not aligned to any of the major political parties, they haven't much clout.

You could go half way then and join the Independents of Hyndburn but I have no idea at all what the point in that is.

[Margaret Pilkington]

No Neil, I don't think I will bother.

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington

And that, Cash, is why political bias should be removed from local elections.

It is expected that the people who wish to be councillors have a desire to serve the community.......do they really need a political banner to enable then to do so?......My own feeling is that they don't, and that political ties just get in the way of these people doing a good job.
If I wanted to be a councillor, I could not align myself to any political party........OK, I could be an independent, but in my view people(the electorate) see independents as indecisive, weak as water and because they are not aligned to any of the major political parties, they haven't much clout.

Depoliticising local councils has always been a thing I have passionately believed in for many years, but I'm afraid that will never happen, especially when the former leader of the labour group often branded every Tory Councillor as a wast of space. As I have often said there are good hardworking councillors in all parties, I might not always agree with Ken Bernard and Joan but from what I have heard and indeed read in the local press they do a fine job for there own areas, that is all the public ask of their elected representatives. Peter Britcliffe has come in for some tremendous stick on her, some of it totally justified, but ask most people in Ossy who their councillor is, they will say PB irrespective of which ward they live, because like it or not over the last 28 years he's worked bloody hard for Ossy and he HAS made a difference, when all's said and done that's why most people go into politics, and if they don't they shouldn't be there in the first place.

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by Ken Moss

'The grapevine', what a load of old twaddle. Do yourself a favour, call a spade a spade. If you mean that there has been a cull of staff then just ask your little grape to do a bit of research further along the vine. There's been a cull of wasteful spending, that's all.

Just ask your little grape how it was expected that £2m could be promised to the residents of Woodnook and the same £2m could also be intended for Township Regeneration proposals?

You're an intelligent man, wake up and take off the Tory blinkers. I'm a Labour Councillor and I'm not blind to Labour's faults in the past, it doesn't mean we all have to rigidly to them in the future.

The grapevine Kenneth old chum is where I get a lot of my info these days, you have to remember that when I was politically active I had contact with a hell of a lot of officers at HBC and from time to time still here from some of them, I haven't heard from one member of the Tory Party since May 5th what so ever. I know you think I have a hot line to PB on my desk but that is so far from the truth, the only things I here about him or anything else for that matter is on here or in the press, except the odd call from old friends.

[Margaret Pilkington]

John, there is no disputing that PB has worked hard for his Ward,(but isn't that what he is paid to do...no medals for doing your job, even if you do it well) but it has to be said that he has got a it above himself(and that is an understatement).

No man(or woman for that matter) is bigger or better than the council they work for....and PB has demonstrated in so many ways that he thinks he is the big cheese.
Big cheeses go mouldy...and some of them find their way onto the spike of a mousetrap.

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington

John, there is no disputing that PB has worked hard for his Ward,(but isn't that what he is paid to do...no medals for doing your job, even if you do it well) but it has to be said that he has got a it above himself(and that is an understatement).

No man(or woman for that matter) is bigger or better than the council they work for....and PB has demonstrated in so many ways that he thinks he is the big cheese.
Big cheeses go mouldy...and some of them find their way onto the spike of a mousetrap.

Quite agree Margaret, In fact there should actually be a limit to the length of time these positions are held no matter how good or bad a job you've made of it. The Yanks have the right idea the president can only serve to 4 year terms max as can state governors, think the same should apply here

[g jones]

Originally Posted by jaysay

Depoliticising local councils has always been a thing I have passionately believed in for many years, but I'm afraid that will never happen, especially when the former leader of the labour group often branded every Tory Councillor as a wast of space.

I do not think that and have never said such a thing. What i have said on many occasions is that PB is one of the hardest working ward councillors. That Douglas Heyes is too. Add Brian Roberts, Judith Addison and believe it or not Marlene Haworth. These people are committed to their areas.

However the Council has a huge budget and the main reason for being a councillor is not to ensure a new park bench every now and again, but to run a £30m business and remember this is about jobs and prosperity, not charity with the constant flow of £100 cheques.

In that respect I stand by the view that the last lot, for whatever reason were incapable and that there are incapable Labour councils too.

Whatever the faults of political alliances, anything less would be a disaster. Last year the three independents pretty much had three opposite views on every subject "because independence is their byword". Without teamwork and cooperation and with the right of veto at any time it would be chaos and carnage. Just look at Lancaster. A new leader every two months, a new cabinet every 4 months, can't agree on policies, have no way at all of making progress with everyone reserving the right to vote against.

Worse; The Council is a huge business and needs to be divided up into about 14 leaders taking responsibility over different services. If each disagrees, how can the others make progress. If you start without a basis of compromise and direction how can you know you aren't wasting your time or that someone else is doing what you don't want in another position? You end up with the grotesque position of just wasting time and money on a grand scale and the whole Council collapses. You also end up inward looking as each independent fights for votes for a position whereas a leader nominates and the group is outward looking.

[entwisi]

but to run a £30m business and remember this is about jobs and prosperity, not charity with the constant flow of £100 cheques.

To me the above is key, we ( Hyndburn) are a massive company and yet we let it be run by people who by the very way they are in position have no experience of running such an enterprise. To control such a budget efficiently cannot be done in parallel with party political arguemnts, personality clashes or any other antagonistic behaviour. You need clear direction from a strong Leader and by that I mean people with proven Leadership qualities not someone who happens to be best of a bad bunch.

I would rather a properly recruited, experienced business minded individual run the council than the current mechanism, supported by the best people to do the job in each area of specialisation. Contracts can easily be short term defined length with the people of the town voting if we think they have done a good job and should be renewed.

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by g jones

I do not think that and have never said such a thing. What i have said on many occasions is that PB is one of the hardest working ward councillors. That Douglas Heyes is too. Add Brian Roberts, Judith Addison and believe it or not Marlene Haworth. These people are committed to their areas.

However the Council has a huge budget and the main reason for being a councillor is not to ensure a new park bench every now and again, but to run a £30m business and remember this is about jobs and prosperity, not charity with the constant flow of £100 cheques.

In that respect I stand by the view that the last lot, for whatever reason were incapable and that there are incapable Labour councils too.

Whatever the faults of political alliances, anything less would be a disaster. Last year the three independents pretty much had three opposite views on every subject "because independence is their byword". Without teamwork and cooperation and with the right of veto at any time it would be chaos and carnage. Just look at Lancaster. A new leader every two months, a new cabinet every 4 months, can't agree on policies, have no way at all of making progress with everyone reserving the right to vote against.

Worse; The Council is a huge business and needs to be divided up into about 14 leaders taking responsibility over different services. If each disagrees, how can the others make progress. If you start without a basis of compromise and direction how can you know you aren't wasting your time or that someone else is doing what you don't want in another position? You end up with the grotesque position of just wasting time and money on a grand scale and the whole Council collapses. You also end up inward looking as each independent fights for votes for a position whereas a leader nominates and the group is outward looking.

You have a very very selective memory Graham, if I remember rightly I once invited you to make those claims face to face with Brian Walmsley

[g jones]

What I said has always been my view and said frequently in public. I must have had a few slurps and was misinterpreted!