Local Politics

[Malcolm Robinson]

Any pundits with forecasts on next Thursday's results?

Also might WDC agree to take Milibands radioactive waste? The inward investment looks tailor made for Wansbeck but I wonder where it would go!!!!!!!!!!

[Pencil_Neck]

Any pundits with forecasts on next Thursday's results?

Also might WDC agree to take Milibands radioactive waste? The inward investment looks tailor made for Wansbeck but I wonder where it would go!!!!!!!!!!

Newbiggin......it can't hurt

[threegee]

Any pundits with forecasts on next Thursday's results?

So there's an election, is there Malc?

The town is simply awash with excitement; you can feel it in the air! And all today I thought it was only wet leaves blowing in my face in the gales!

[Malcolm Robinson]

So there's an election, is there Malc?

The town is simply awash with excitement; you can feel it in the air! And all today I thought it was only wet leaves blowing in my face in the gales!

I understand where you are coming from Threegee but the fact remains the only way to change things is to embrace the system and change from within. Who is going to make the decisions about how this million quid will be spent on the town and who will make sure the right development goes into the "Gap Site"? If there was a bit more input there might not be so many negative comments on this board regarding the town and its appearance.

[Dave]

I understand where you are coming from Threegee but the fact remains the only way to change things is to embrace the system and change from within. Who is going to make the decisions about how this million quid will be spent on the town and who will make sure the right development goes into the "Gap Site"? If there was a bit more input there might not be so many negative comments on this board regarding the town and its appearance.

I vote they trust me with the million quid

[Joe Rooney]

I vote they trust me with the million quid

The reason many people don't care to join the system, apart from general laziness, is that if they do, they may have to shoulder some of the blame when something goes wrong.

From their point of view it is much more satisfyingly virtuous to do nothing, while loudly complaining and sneering at the presumed ineptitude of those who try!

In politics, as in life, you get what you give.

Joe

[Pete]

The reason many people don't care to join the system, apart from general laziness, is that if they do, they may have to shoulder some of the blame when something goes wrong.

From their point of view it is much more satisfyingly virtuous to do nothing, while loudly complaining and sneering at the presumed ineptitude of those who try!

In politics, as in life, you get what you give.

Joe

You've got that spot on Joe, especially the last bit (you get what you give)

But there's good news the Goverment anounced yesterday thet their giving more power to local councils and you will be able to hold your councilors to account, they even mentioned more Mayor

http://news.bbc.co.u...ics/6084998.stm

[Malcolm Robinson]

I agree Joe but "shy bairns get nowt", far better to ask and get turned down than say nothing and get no consideration. Your view might half way explain why the Bedlington councillors have always been sooooo silent!

"But there's good news the Goverment anounced yesterday thet their giving more power to local councils and you will be able to hold your councilors to account, they even mentioned more Mayor"

Accountability in local gov, now there's a novel idea! Bedlington could have had it's own Mayor many years ago, all that was needed was for a Town council and a very small percentage of the local people could have willed it. That is notwithstanding the little fact that two Authorites in the country effectivley banned Parish/Town councils. One was North Tyneside the other.......begings with W, ends in K!

[Pete]

"But there's good news the Goverment anounced yesterday thet their giving more power to local councils and you will be able to hold your councilors to account, they even mentioned more Mayor"

Accountability in local gov, now there's a novel idea! Bedlington could have had it's own Mayor many years ago, all that was needed was for a Town council and a very small percentage of the local people could have willed it. That is notwithstanding the little fact that two Authorites in the country effectivley banned Parish/Town councils. One was North Tyneside the other.......begings with W, ends in K!

Mobilize the troops and get it changed.

[Dave]

The reason many people don't care to join the system, apart from general laziness, is that if they do, they may have to shoulder some of the blame when something goes wrong.

From their point of view it is much more satisfyingly virtuous to do nothing, while loudly complaining and sneering at the presumed ineptitude of those who try!

In politics, as in life, you get what you give.

Joe

I can take the blame just give me the money .. I'll spend it well. But seriously its not gonna take the brains of an archbishop to work out what bedlingtons needs are. So i'd invest it , its gonna take more than a million.

[Malcolm Robinson]

I can take the blame just give me the money .. I'll spend it well. But seriously its not gonna take the brains of an archbishop to work out what bedlingtons needs are. So i'd invest it , its gonna take more than a million.

If it was invested in the "right things" the "payoffs" and "interest" could last for many years, However transient politicians need quick results to keep them in office so I would expect some superficail development which might look good in the short term but misses long term potential.

You also fall into the trap of HAVING to spent the money within certain dates or loose it!

[Malcolm Robinson]

You've got that spot on Joe, especially the last bit (you get what you give)

But there's good news the Goverment anounced yesterday thet their giving more power to local councils and you will be able to hold your councilors to account, they even mentioned more Mayor

http://news.bbc.co.u...ics/6084998.stm

Pete,

Just read some of your link and it seems it is more about the way councils are funded and what it means to ratepayers. The main reason more and more money needs to be raised year on year is because it pays for civil servant pensions and they only go one way! That is the pensions of the guys and women working for the likes of WDC is met, predominentily, by the local ratepayers! Now that looks like a huge black hole to me and one which will need more and more to plug the gaps in the years to come. That should be one change everyone shouts about as it could half or even quarter rate demands! Yes the money has to come from somewhere but hiding it behind a house tax which most people think pays for local services.......

[Mysterious Dave]

Malcolm,

If what you say is true, and I have no reason to believe that this is not the case, then may I suggest one way of plugging the gap would be for public sector employees to no longer have final salary pension's schemes? These schemes are no longer the norm in private industry, even among large multinational companies as they are not economically viable. Private industry and individuals should not bear the burden of public sector pension short fall.

Before you assume I am some sort of Thatcherite Nazi, I believe they should be adequately compensated in terms if their basic salary.

[Malcolm Robinson]

Malcolm,

If what you say is true, and I have no reason to believe that this is not the case, then may I suggest one way of plugging the gap would be for public sector employees to no longer have final salary pension's schemes? These schemes are no longer the norm in private industry, even among large multinational companies as they are not economically viable. Private industry and individuals should not bear the burden of public sector pension short fall.

Before you assume I am some sort of Thatcherite Nazi, I believe they should be adequately compensated in terms if their basic salary.

MD,

If you remember there was an attempt not so long ago to sort this out, regarding civil servants pay, conditons, pensions etc, if I remember correctly Mr Brown backed off? He did say widespread cuts were needed in the civil service and even put a figure on the jobs needing cutting, the result, a short series of strikes, and I belive even WDC staff were on strike for a day or two, and then............nothing? Up to 50% of rates has been mentioned as going towards Civil servants and their packages and that is the figure for now. As you say final sarley schemes are almost not available in the private sector the reason quoted for the civil servants to get them, they are paid proportinatly lower saleries than they could expect in the private sector so pensions are a viable way of attracting the right people! Personally I might have a different take on that one!

[Pencil_Neck]

The reason many people don't care to join the system, apart from general laziness, is that if they do, they may have to shoulder some of the blame when something goes wrong.

From their point of view it is much more satisfyingly virtuous to do nothing, while loudly complaining and sneering at the presumed ineptitude of those who try!

In politics, as in life, you get what you give.

Joe

Perhaps but the system is defined so why bother, it's hardly worthwhile, it aint

changing unless you're Jamie "Shirley Temple" Oliver.....

[Pete]

Perhaps but the system is defined so why bother, it's hardly worthwhile, it aint

changing unless you're Jamie "Shirley Temple" Oliver.....

But that's the problem (the system is defined so why bother) you can only change somthing by getting involved, I don't mean you personally but if we all got involved the system could be changed.

We have a Goverment that does not listen anymore but they will listen if they lose the next general election.

[Pencil_Neck]

But that's the problem (the system is defined so why bother) you can only change somthing by getting involved, I don't mean you personally but if we all got involved the system could be changed.

We have a Goverment that does not listen anymore but they will listen if they lose the next general election.

No, I doubt the Tories would listen to us, anyone above the Watford gap is !*!@#

[Pete]

No, I doubt the Tories would listen to us, anyone above the Watford gap is !*!@#

All the more reason to get involved

[Malcolm Robinson]

No, I doubt the Tories would listen to us, anyone above the Watford gap is !*!@#

So PN would you advocate PR as a way of redressing the balance or does that produce inneffectual Gov?

I have to agree with your sentiments, Labour take the area for granted and needn't do anything to sweeten electors and the Tories get very very few seats in the area so why bother. One thing I stumbled across recently which might make the Labour bit slightly askew is that something like 55% of new jobs created in the NE over the last number of years are civil servant jobs. If that is the case at worse then it looks like an unholy burden on local ratepayers in the years to come given the texts of recent postings and at best a kickback for all the safe seats they have!

I still find it strange that an MP who is supposed to represent an electorate never canvasses public opinion from that same electorate? The only people who get in to see them are the vocal minorities who they seem to cater for at the expense of the vast majority!

[Dave]

I read in a paper last week that the mp for blyth spent just over 400 quid on stamps in a year ( it was an article on expenses ) does that means he uses telepathy to communicate with his constituents or is it he doesnt write many letters. Bearing in mind the highest spent was 8000 quid a year or something.Maybe he's been in the seat for that long he can tell the opinions of his constituents on any given matter by gazing out of the window ... Its correct ! We've been taken for granted for years.

[Pencil_Neck]

So PN would you advocate PR as a way of redressing the balance or does that produce inneffectual Gov?

I have to agree with your sentiments, Labour take the area for granted and needn't do anything to sweeten electors and the Tories get very very few seats in the area so why bother. One thing I stumbled across recently which might make the Labour bit slightly askew is that something like 55% of new jobs created in the NE over the last number of years are civil servant jobs. If that is the case at worse then it looks like an unholy burden on local ratepayers in the years to come given the texts of recent postings and at best a kickback for all the safe seats they have!

I still find it strange that an MP who is supposed to represent an electorate never canvasses public opinion from that same electorate? The only people who get in to see them are the vocal minorities who they seem to cater for at the expense of the vast majority!

Max Clifford would make a difference

[Denzel]

No, I doubt the Tories would listen to us, anyone above the Watford gap is !*!@#

Trouble is all the buffoons round here will continue to vote Labour. Give someone else a try.

[Pete]

What were the local election results, who won?

[Malcolm Robinson]

What were the local election results, who won?

Sorry Pete it was the American mid terms, I was just interested to know if anyone thought the results might have a bearing on domestic policies. For my money it looks like they already have as we now see a scramble to have a timed withdrawl from Iraq. Also if the people knocking on your door ask you to vote in a local election, for a national political party, then then their policies must be questioned locally. I know at least two "sons of Bedlington" who have been over there fighting for......well....er....hmm....the oil interests of the USA, Saddam apart of course! If we now justify the war by saying the removal of a dictator was the reason for it and that in itself is a good enough reason to go in then when do we invade North Korea et al, or do we now just accept the hypocracy clearly on show?

[Denzel]

Sorry Pete it was the American mid terms, I was just interested to know if anyone thought the results might have a bearing on domestic policies. For my money it looks like they already have as we now see a scramble to have a timed withdrawl from Iraq. Also if the people knocking on your door ask you to vote in a local election, for a national political party, then then their policies must be questioned locally. I know at least two "sons of Bedlington" who have been over there fighting for......well....er....hmm....the oil interests of the USA, Saddam apart of course! If we now justify the war by saying the removal of a dictator was the reason for it and that in itself is a good enough reason to go in then when do we invade North Korea et al, or do we now just accept the hypocracy clearly on show?

Let's just kill all the foreign bastards.