Neighbourhood Management

andrewb · 30-07-2009, 13:50

I don't know if it's the whole Labour group, but certainly our resident politition Graham Jones is going to boycott Neighbourhood Management Boards according to the telegraph.

I'm confused on two parts. In the article it's suggested that residents won't be able to attend and won't be represented on Neighbourhood Management Boards, but as far as I'm aware they will (see Rishton)? Secondly I thought Graham had taken credit for and wanted the introduction of these Neighbourhood Management's, now he's against them?

g jones · 30-07-2009, 14:46

It's simple. Residents and I set up Neighbourhood Management from scratch 4 years ago. It is working well and we have an office on Nuttall St and a variety of schemes.

The Tories loathe the fact I am Chair, residents love NM because it was non-political and they have a say in Peel & Barnfield. It is why residents did not like Area Council's because the Council appointed the chair and controlled the agenda and Google Page Ranking.

NM gave people a chance. However because the Council channel funds from Elevate (£30k per year for 4 p/t staff) they used this authority without consultation to rewrite the contracts so that all chairs and vice chairs will now be appointed by the Leader of the Council and all residents who want to go on the new council NM one are vetted so some 'problematic' residents could be thrown off and kept off. So we have gone full circle back to Area Council's.

The Council two weeks ago then tried to take over our NM agenda and timetable of meetings misleading people into believing new meetings had been arranged when they had not. It was the Leader who called this alternate meeting with 9 just days notice.

As a result residents are furious and all of them have decided they want nothing to do with Teh Council's NM Board and have been to see Greg Pope MP. I agreed to tell everyone it was cancelled from our viewpoint and included Councillor Pritchard who I texted, Mr Britcliffe's nomination for new chair. I sent a text to Mr Pritchard informing him that at short notice of 5 out of the 6 resident board members plus 4 out of 7 Councillors could not make it. The Council have been trying to run a wrecking spree on NM in East Accrington and I was keen we avoided an unnecessary showdown between The Council and residents.

The meeting was called by Mr Britcliffe on Immanuel election night so Labour Councillors would be distracted.

Everyone knows what is at the heart of all this. The Conservatives are trying to stop residents in East Accrington from being empowered because all the money is going down Blackburn Road. A lot of lies were put out by Cllrs Pritchard and bussom buddy, Cllr Britcliffe to say I personally did not care. Actually ff they cared they would have worked with people, not against them and asked the public how they wanted NM in this area to run. But they won't because they don't like the answer.

All the residents bar one have now declined the Council's approaches to be part of this new franchise. Instead they have decided, with local Councillors, to carry on (as originally) because what we were doing was not political (unlike the Council), it was what was best for our area.

We have now lost 4 years momentum for Peel & Barnfield and face the prospect of being knocked back several squares in the struggle for this area.

This was all planned. Two Conservatives were caught discussing on remembrance sunday at the cenotaph how they could stop me (as chair - because i was doing too good a job!), and the Council take back control of NM.

It always has been Cllr Britcliffe plotting. This time though it's the residents he has kicked into the long grass.

g jones · 30-07-2009, 15:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by andrewb

I thought Graham had taken credit for and wanted the introduction of these Neighbourhood Management's, now he's against them?

Andrew. I am with the residents against the views of someone like yourself because you are not interested in our area. It is why you lost the Accrington South County Council seat. People are sick and fed of your politics and I told you they would take it out on you at the ballot box. And they did!

I am for a 'people led' NM like the one I set up. The Council NM is not NM but a gestapo approach to resident coercion.

This is another kick in the teeth to residents and I think it is only a matter of time before the two Conservative Barnfield Councillors also pay the price of authoritarianism and neglect.

cashman · 30-07-2009, 15:42

andrew will always see the "Conservative" Truth, don't waste yer breath.

andrewb · 30-07-2009, 17:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by g jones

Andrew. I am with the residents against the views of someone like yourself because you are not interested in our area. It is why you lost the Accrington South County Council seat. People are sick and fed of your politics and I told you they would take it out on you at the ballot box. And they did!

I am for a 'people led' NM like the one I set up. The Council NM is not NM but a gestapo approach to resident coercion.

This is another kick in the teeth to residents and I think it is only a matter of time before the two Conservative Barnfield Councillors also pay the price of authoritarianism and neglect.

Thank-you for the response, it makes things a lot clearer than the article.

It is a shame that you had to make your second post though. You make a lot of incorrect assumptions. Have you ever thought of taking up a ventiloquist act in Oswaldtwistle Theatre?

If you want to attack councillors for their actions then go ahead, but please don't say false things about me.

g jones · 30-07-2009, 21:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by andrewb

Thank-you for the response, it makes things a lot clearer than the article.

If you want to attack councillors for their actions then go ahead, but please don't say false things about me.

Fair point and you are right. I meant it in the general sense. It's a disgrace what Tories have done in our area. Now NM which had become a beacon for people is now a directionless shambles run from the Leaders office with a useless puppet, Malcolm Pritchard now anointed (not elected) as new Council chair and residents resigning left, right and centre.

garinda · 31-07-2009, 00:25

At least with Graham Jones, as with with Greg Pope, you can start a thread on Accy Web, asking them an urgent question, and as if by magic up they pop, to give their point of view.

Many people have asked similar questions on here of the ruling party councillors here in Hyndburn, but not a dicky bird.

Though there was that one and only post from HisMaster'sVoiceHBC, or whatever it was Peter Britcliffe chose as his username. Though that wasn't very enlightening, and something of an anticlimax.

When it comes to answers to questions from our Conservative councillors on here, we have to rely on the Chinese whispers from the Three Stooges, Curly, Larry, and Moe.

cashman · 31-07-2009, 00:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by garinda

At least with Graham Jones, as with with Greg Pope, you can start a thread on Accy Web, asking them an urgent question, and as if by magic up they pop, to give their point of view.

Many people have asked similar questions on here of the ruling party councillors here in Hyndburn, but not a dicky bird.

Though there was that one and only post from HisMaster'sVoiceHBC, or whatever it was Peter Britcliffe chose as his username. Though that wasn't very enlightening, and something of an anticlimax.

When it comes to answers to questions from our Conservative councillors on here, we have to rely on the Chinese whispers from the Three Stooges, Curly, Larry, and Moe.

thats true but the absense of em is due to the big stones they crawl under, very hard to lift.

andrewb · 31-07-2009, 06:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by garinda

At least with Graham Jones, as with with Greg Pope, you can start a thread on Accy Web, asking them an urgent question, and as if by magic up they pop, to give their point of view.

I think you make an interesting point about communication. You and I might know how to contact my councillor by e-mail or phone but a lot of people don't. Hyndburn residents rarely hear from their MP or council outside of election time which is in quite a contrast to other areas of the country.

garinda · 31-07-2009, 07:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by andrewb

I think you make an interesting point about communication. You and I might know how to contact my councillor by e-mail or phone but a lot of people don't. Hyndburn residents rarely hear from their MP or council outside of election time which is in quite a contrast to other areas of the country.

Thanks for sharing that misinformation with us Larry.

Bernard Dawson · 31-07-2009, 08:50

I'm also member of the Peel and Barnfield Neighborhood Management committee that was formed mainly as Graham Jones as said, to bring much needed investment into those two areas

The N.M.B was made up of residents, who for the first time could see the possibility of real improvements in the area that they live in. For years we have seen major investment into the Blackburn Rd area and very little into any other area. And this was a chance to spread the money out a bit

There was absolutely no reason for leader of the council to change anything, the committee was working really well. We had real residents involvement But the leader of the council will not leave things alone, even if it's obvious that it's working well. He has to control everything.

Graham, and and the residents of Peel and Barnfield are right not to have anything to do with Mr Britcliffe's new committee. And I won't be attending it either.

jaysay · 31-07-2009, 08:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bernard Dawson

I'm also member of the Peel and Barnfield Neighborhood Management committee that was formed mainly as Graham Jones as said, to bring much needed investment into those two areas

The N.M.B was made up of residents, who for the first time could see the possibility of real improvements in the area that they live in. For years we have seen major investment into the Blackburn Rd area and very little into any other area. And this was a chance to spread the money out a bit

There was absolutely no reason for leader of the council to change anything, the committee was working really well. We had real residents involvement But the leader of the council will not leave things alone, even if it's obvious that it's working well. He has to control everything.

Graham, and and the residents of Peel and Barnfield are right not to have anything to do with Mr Britcliffe's new committee. And I won't be attending it either.

Toys out of the pram as well

Bernard Dawson · 31-07-2009, 09:27

It,s absolutely nothing to do with "toys out of the pram". What it's fundamentally about is letting the residents of Peel and Barnfield in this case, have the final say as to what happens in the areas that they live in.

The Leader of the Council is totally opposed to this concept. For Peter it's about Control

g jones · 31-07-2009, 09:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaysay

Toys out of the pram as well

well that's not the only toys out of the pram is 479 John and you know it. Because you lost, the leader is throwing his toys out of the pram and having a hissy fit about it. This is his childish response.

andrewb · 31-07-2009, 09:39

How do neighbourhood management's work then? Is there a vote to allocate funds within them? Presumably this means the chair would only have the casting vote in a tie and must remain impartial. Would the Labour group not have more influence and freedom if they were not tied up chairing the meeting and left it to an independent councillor?