Last Nights Council Meeting

[garinda]

Strange how folk are quick to brand some people who criticise our council as a 'Tory basher', yet seem unwilling to label them a 'Labour basher', when they do the same thing of our government.

Odd that.

Perhaps not too odd really I suppose.

It's the old one party blinkers they wear, but without which I can happily criticise or praise, wherever I see fit, regardless of which political party or nincompoop happens to be in charge.

[Bagpuss]

Originally Posted by Neil

Could be, maybe next time we are at a meet together we could talk about it.

Why wait, lets hear what you know and who gave you the info.

[garinda]

Originally Posted by garinda

Strange how folk are quick to brand some people who criticise our council as a 'Tory basher', yet seem unwilling to label them a 'Labour basher', when they do the same thing of our government.

Odd that.

Perhaps not too odd really I suppose.

It's the old one party blinkers they wear, but without which I can happily criticise or praise, wherever I see fit, regardless of which political party or nincompoop happens to be in charge.

I've had second thoughts about these one party political blinkers, as I think they are only available in blue, and not red.

The Conservative supporters on here are quick enough to label people Tory bashers, if they dare to criticise the Tory run council, but I can't recall Labour party members doing the same when we criticise the Labour government. Indeed they sometimes join in the criticising.

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by garinda

I've had second thoughts about these one party political blinkers, as I think they are only available in blue, and not red.

The Conservative supporters on here are quick enough to label people Tory bash, if they dare to criticise the Tory run council, but I can't recall Labour party members doing the same when we criticise the Labour government. Indeed they sometimes join in the criticising.

To be quite honest how could they defend this set of useless clowns that call itself a government. Its quite different to the time when all the Labour election leaflets were endorsed by Tony Blair, not long after when he became known as Tory Blair amongst the locals, they didn't want to be associated with Labour Nationally, But as the saying goes Rindi local or national they al use the same pot as to say, they are the same party whether they like it or not and will be judged accordingly

[garinda]

Originally Posted by jaysay

To be quite honest how could they defend this set of useless clowns that call itself a government.

Personally it baffles me when people try to defend some of the actions of the council, and it's leadership.

I suppose those blinkers only allow them to see a very narrow view of things, and not the overall picture.

[Gayle]

Here's a controversial thought,

Perhaps things work best when there are two strong opposing factions! Perhaps, PB and GJ need each other to create a balanced council, perhaps, the stronger the leader is the stronger the opposition needs to be. Yin and yang - creates balance and ultimately benefits the public.

So, whether they like or whether we like it or not, they both need each other and we need both of them.

Ok, now i'll go and hide.

[SPUGGIE J]

Originally Posted by Gayle

Here's a controversial thought,

Perhaps things work best when there are two strong opposing factions! Perhaps, PB and GJ need each other to create a balanced council, perhaps, the stronger the leader is the stronger the opposition needs to be. Yin and yang - creates balance and ultimately benefits the public.

So, whether they like or whether we like it or not, they both need each other and we need both of them.

Ok, now i'll go and hide.

Why hide? For any kind of govenance to work yes there has to be opposition that is strong and able to fight for the benifit of the public. Yet there will be times when they need to work together for the common good. The more conflict between both sides there is then it is detrimental to the good of the populace at large.

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by Gayle

Here's a controversial thought,

Perhaps things work best when there are two strong opposing factions! Perhaps, PB and GJ need each other to create a balanced council, perhaps, the stronger the leader is the stronger the opposition needs to be. Yin and yang - creates balance and ultimately benefits the public.

So, whether they like or whether we like it or not, they both need each other and we need both of them.

Ok, now i'll go and hide.

Gayle I actually agree with you, back in the mid 90s the council framework was 44 Labour 3 Tory councillors and to be quite honest it was pointless, much the same as the Tory Government in the 80s with 100 plus majorities and Labour Government in the late 90s early 2000 with 100 plus majorities. For any democracy to work there has to be a strong opposition otherwise you may just as well forget it altogether

[Bernard Dawson]

Originally Posted by Gayle

Here's a controversial thought,

Perhaps things work best when there are two strong opposing factions! Perhaps, PB and GJ need each other to create a balanced council, perhaps, the stronger the leader is the stronger the opposition needs to be. Yin and yang - creates balance and ultimately benefits the public.

So, whether they like or whether we like it or not, they both need each other and we need both of them.

Ok, now i'll go and hide.

Interesting point Gayle. I would take issue on one point though, the present leader of the council being a strong leader.

Strong leaders don't prevent other people speaking, strong leaders are also prepared to listen to other peoples views. A strong leader doesn't throw personal abuse at people as a means of shutting them up. I could go on, but I'm sure you could include a few yourself.

Strong and effective leadership is fundamentally about being inclusive, not exclusive. What you see from the present leader of the council is weakness not strength.

[Neil]

Originally Posted by Gayle

Here's a controversial thought,........
So, whether they like or whether we like it or not, they both need each other and we need both of them.....

Are you suggesting that they are friends?
Maybe they go for a beer together and laugh at us lot being conned by them.
I wonder if Peter has gone away with Graham.

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by Robert Owen

Interesting point Gayle. I would take issue on one point though, the present leader of the council being a strong leader.

Strong leaders don't prevent other people speaking, strong leaders are also prepared to listen to other peoples views. A strong leader doesn't throw personal abuse at people as a means of shutting them up. I could go on, but I'm sure you could include a few yourself.

Strong and effective leadership is fundamentally about being inclusive, not exclusive. What you see from the present leader of the council is weakness not strength.

What would you know about leadership Bernard you've always been a bit part player, voting how your told to

[Benipete]

Must have been a flaming long meeting,are they getting paid enough?

[Bernard Dawson]

Originally Posted by jaysay

What would you know about leadership Bernard you've always been a bit part player, voting how your told to

By your reaction I assume you agree with me.

[garinda]

Not being a member of any political party, nor indeed having always voted the same way, I tend to look at the evidence before me, rather than blindly attacking or defending any one team's performance.

Since I moved back here five years ago this is what I've seen to sway my opinion on H.B.C., and it's leadership.

Cons-

The idea that the name of the borough should be changed, which would have involved enormous expense, and brought no discernible benefits to the people or towns in Hyndburn.

The town/parish council idea. We were told every residence in Hyndburn would receive a form so their thoughts would be considered. We then discover many hundreds of homes never received a form, making that exercise a complete waste of time and money. That's aside from the fact that no one, including the council, knew what this new layer of bureaucracy would be responsible for, and which actual budgets they'd be able to raise money for. It might have been a great idea, but we'll never know, as it was presented before it was even half baked, and not even the council knew what it's purpose would be, though they did admit it would result in an increase in council tax.

The £591,000.00 that was granted to the council for a community internet forum, and was wasted on the now defunct site.

The £500,000.00 that was spent on refurbishing Broadway, which saw less seating, and those few seats there are were so badly designed that they remain wet even the day after it's last rained. I pass no judgement on the design quality of the various brushed steel modernernist street furniture, that is supposedly an improvement on what was there before.

The appalling and dangerous state of the town centre pavements.

The lack of money that's been allocated for essential maintenance of the parks in the borough.

A council who decide to buck every other trend, and go against the findings of an independent body, and award themselves massively increased allowances.

A council leader whose party two years ago voted for what equated to a 20% pay rise for that same council leader, again bucking the national trend of everyone else in the country's pay rise.

A leader who it's reported in the press called a fellow councillor a 'silly cow', at a publicly attended meeting in council chambers.

The placing of hanging baskets out of reach of shop owners, which saw many dead in a matter of days because they couldn't be watered, whilst the council's own truck drove past watering the ones they'd placed on the lamposts.

A council apparently committed to recycling, and issuing fines to those who refuse, yet making no provision for trade waste in the borough to be recycled, including that from council offices.

Pros-

The flower towers, and the Floral Market Town campaign.

[SPUGGIE J]

G that was shock n awe n left me nigh on speachless.