Local Town/parish Elections - 2 May 2013

[Malcolm Robinson]

My turn to rant again about the state of our town and the general degeneration of the market square and the 'flea pit' stalls that abound whereas we should be expecting something more akin to a market town. Traders are being put off by the second hand goods stalls and the greasy spoon caravan - why can't we have something more akin to the needs of the people. I had friends visiting from out of the area a couple of weeks ago and what an ear bashing I got for sitting back and letting the area go to seed. If our councillors can't be bothered to get the place smartened up then let's kick them out and put people in who will do something about it - the whole situation really makes my blood boil and I know that I am not alone.

Couldn't agree more tomtom and I am not electioneering!

Looks to me like our 'local' council prefers to invest in its own bureaucracy rather than the image and wellbeing of the town. With more than half their income going on things like office and admin costs they are now taking on an extra clerk so that's going to push that percentage up even higher!

So invest in unproductive staff would seem the order of the day.

If we really have to have these little councils then someone needs to get a hold of ours and give it a dammed good shake!

[tomtom]

Good for you Malcolm - now I realise that I am not a voice in the wilderness - I now know who will get my vote.

[John Fox (foxy)]

Good for you Malcolm - now I realise that I am not a voice in the wilderness - I now know who will get my vote.

AND SO SAY ALL OF US!!!!!!

[Malcolm Robinson]

Listen I wasn't electioneering honest, but I do think much more can and should be done.

[keith lockey]

Malcolm, who is in charge of bus shelters? (Highways Dept' or is it Arriva?) Because we suddenly have loads of seats and hanging basket 'posts' being put up down our way. The bus shelters have no windows in but 'whoever' is supplying us with gardening and seats!!! (Ludicrous)

[Cyril]

Couldn't agree more tomtom and I am not electioneering!

Looks to me like our 'local' council prefers to invest in its own bureaucracy rather than the image and wellbeing of the town. With more than half their income going on things like office and admin costs they are now taking on an extra clerk so that's going to push that percentage up even higher!

So invest in unproductive staff would seem the order of the day.

If we really have to have these little councils then someone needs to get a hold of ours and give it a dammed good shake!

Well its just an opinion and I know nothing about how our council/councilors are supposed to spend their/OUR money, I assume their given a budget to spend to OUR advantage and to be held accountable on how its spent?

But I am aware on how to run a business so there must be parrellels albeit different scenarios.

If I waste money it costs me personally and I feel and get really pee,d off if I waste it say on an advert that does,nt pay or materials that I take a chance on don,t sell, so I x my t,s and . my i,s, because I hate wasting money especially if it,s my fault and if THE people, who WE the voters decide to put in charge maybee were more proffessional and bore in mind WHY their there and took the responsibility more personal instead of just SAYING they care and tell the people what they think they want to hear (especially voting time) well maybee Bedlington may rise from being the poor relations and become what folks on here feel passionatly about, I have said it on here before I honestly think we have a lot as a town to offer and with the right people in charge we can achieve it.

[Malcolm Robinson]

Malcolm, who is in charge of bus shelters? (Highways Dept' or is it Arriva?) Because we suddenly have loads of seats and hanging basket 'posts' being put up down our way. The bus shelters have no windows in but 'whoever' is supplying us with gardening and seats!!! (Ludicrous)

Actually Keith, probably the parish council. Bus shelters and their upkeep were one of the devolved services that went through over a year ago.

Unless there is a 'special expenses' on your parish rates demand then its definitely the parish council. If they refused to take them on the county still charge for them but call it special expenses.

Now is it just me or does that smack of double taxation coz as far as I am concerned we paid NCC to oversee bus shelters, and a lot more which could be coming the Parish and Town council's way! Play grounds, allotments, etc.

Last bit of factual info so everyone can draw their own conclusion, whilst NCC took the Government 'Shilling' (£3M PA) and didn't raise their rates charge for the last 3 years there is no such restriction on parish precepts (rates). In fact the parish councils can put up their charge by as much as they like!

So we have NCC getting £3M for not raising charges and at the same time they devolve some of their services to the Parish councils who have to out up their charge to cover their increased costs! Slight of hand or smoke and mirrors or what!

Interestingly last autumn NCC sent the usual scare story around (they have done it twice before) about devolving a huge amount of services and the cost for the West Bedlington Town Council would have been more than the total they currently collect in parish rates. Someone must have remembered there was an election coming up coz that little wheeze was scrapped but the cat was out of the bag, some of us saw the figures! Our council then promised a no increase this year even though they have increased the rates EVERY year since their inception, really as far as I could see for no good reason! Even that back fired when an increase was foisted onto them.

I am starting to limber up now if any of the trolls want to come on and really debate this stuff!

[Malcolm Robinson]

Well its just an opinion and I know nothing about how our council/councilors are supposed to spend their/OUR money, I assume their given a budget to spend to OUR advantage and to be held accountable on how its spent?

But I am aware on how to run a business so there must be parrellels albeit different scenarios.

If I waste money it costs me personally and I feel and get really pee,d off if I waste it say on an advert that does,nt pay or materials that I take a chance on don,t sell, so I x my t,s and . my i,s, because I hate wasting money especially if it,s my fault and if THE people, who WE the voters decide to put in charge maybee were more proffessional and bore in mind WHY their there and took the responsibility more personal instead of just SAYING they care and tell the people what they think they want to hear (especially voting time) well maybee Bedlington may rise from being the poor relations and become what folks on here feel passionatly about, I have said it on here before I honestly think we have a lot as a town to offer and with the right people in charge we can achieve it.

That's one hell of a leap of faith Cyril………..accountable.

All politicians say they are accountable at the ballot box which if everyone actually voted might have a grain of truth.

It's almost exactly the same as running a business except, and there's the cruncher you will enjoy, if they want more money to spend they just vote through a tax rise! I have been to my council's meetings where the next year's rates charges were discussed and set and I have to say I found the process unbelievable. One year's increase was put through because the majority felt they should! It wasn't even aligned to costs! The public are not allowed to speak at these events but I do think we should be handing out rotten fruit to be used as we see fit!

I ran my own business Cyril and I once had an argument with a councillor at a public meeting who wanted to double the rates so they could spend the money on 'feel good' projects. I asked him what did he think would happen if I decided I wanted to double my pay so I went in the next day and doubled the cost of everything I was selling. I am not even sure he understood the analogy but a lot of his compadres did and told him to shut up!

This is the problem, spending other people's money is the easy bit and most councillors have never had to actually go out and make money for themselves, if they did they might value the stuff and where it comes from a bit more!

I am not saying every councillor has to have been self-employed to be competent only that the vast majority seem to me to display a disconnect between the real world and how they manage the public purse. The perfect example is Westminster where our great and good leaders have never had anything approaching what most people would call a real job, how the hell can they make decisions which affect the vast majority of people in the country: there is absolutely no empathy or understanding we might as well have Martians ruling us!

[Cyril]

Well your absolutly right Malcolm and I while I dont expect all our councilors/officials to be Lord Sugar,s in the making I think there should be business people or those who understand the ethos of running a business to be in certain positions within the council and INVITED for their advice and experience these people should again in my opinion not have to be elected but employed as advisors and advice offered acted upon and listened to.

And is,nt it amazing how the leaflets that are dropping through our letter box,s are full of self praise from our posse of "councilors" who seem to convince certain folks that they are the "only" alternative and as the parents of the voters have voted for them for years the rest of the family should too.

It amazes me......

[Malcolm Robinson]

Sorry can't resit............it is the last week!

Here is one a bit different to what you are describing Cyril:

Malcolm leaflet.pdf

[Keith Scantlebury]

Sorry can't resit............it is the last week!

Here is one a bit different to what you are describing Cyril:

Malcolm leaflet.pdf

I bought a spark plug from you in 1996, it stopped working last week. I expect you to replace this faulty item free of charge at the earliest opportunity .

[Malcolm Robinson]

Of course, I certainly will.

You will, naturally, be expected to provide proof of purchase, as well as nationality, blood type, inside leg measurement, hat size and registration of the vehicle that plug was fitted to.

Failing that see Tesco terms of trading!

[Cyril]

Sorry can't resit............it is the last week!

Here is one a bit different to what you are describing Cyril:

Malcolm leaflet.pdf

Well Malcolm I don,t know you personally but your leaflet and the obvious passion you have for our Town is plainly evident something which has been missing for decades regardless of what our current crop have to say (especially at election time).

And your slogan is absolutly spot on, I wish you well.

[Keith Scantlebury]

Of course, I certainly will.

You will, naturally, be expected to provide proof of purchase, as well as nationality, blood type, inside leg measurement, hat size and registration of the vehicle that plug was fitted to.

Failing that see Tesco terms of trading!

OK !! I'll send the Lockey brothers round, spark plugs are their speciality. They also have experience with dead horses ( well, their heads anyway ) :dribble: Edited April 25, 2013 by keith

[Symptoms]

Parish budgets, bus stops, Tescos are all very well Mal, but what's your position on Trident, the situation in the Middle East, the EU, and breakaway Jockoland. We need to know!!!!

[Malcolm Robinson]

, , ,

[Stephen]

Actually Keith, probably the parish council. Bus shelters and their upkeep were one of the devolved services that went through over a year ago.

Unless there is a 'special expenses' on your parish rates demand then its definitely the parish council. If they refused to take them on the county still charge for them but call it special expenses.

Now is it just me or does that smack of double taxation coz as far as I am concerned we paid NCC to oversee bus shelters, and a lot more which could be coming the Parish and Town council's way! Play grounds, allotments, etc.

Last bit of factual info so everyone can draw their own conclusion, whilst NCC took the Government 'Shilling' (£3M PA) and didn't raise their rates charge for the last 3 years there is no such restriction on parish precepts (rates). In fact the parish councils can put up their charge by as much as they like!

So we have NCC getting £3M for not raising charges and at the same time they devolve some of their services to the Parish councils who have to out up their charge to cover their increased costs! Slight of hand or smoke and mirrors or what!

Interestingly last autumn NCC sent the usual scare story around (they have done it twice before) about devolving a huge amount of services and the cost for the West Bedlington Town Council would have been more than the total they currently collect in parish rates. Someone must have remembered there was an election coming up coz that little wheeze was scrapped but the cat was out of the bag, some of us saw the figures! Our council then promised a no increase this year even though they have increased the rates EVERY year since their inception, really as far as I could see for no good reason! Even that back fired when an increase was foisted onto them.

I am starting to limber up now if any of the trolls want to come on and really debate this stuff!

Sounds to me like only one person is trolling Since I'm not standing in these elections or involved in anyone else's campaign I don't think it appropriate for me to debate with anyone. To any candidates reading this I wish you luck, especially if you get elected. The Town Council can make a difference, especially in the next four years now that it isn't being set up from scratch. My guess is that there will be no single party running it and all new councillors, regardless of party or independence, will have a role.

[Malcolm Robinson]

Don't you mean trawling?

Anyway you know I always thought you were one of a very limited amount of elected members who could discuss matters with a degree of detachment and we have done so many times and disagreed profoundly. Unsuprisingly this is another case in point.

I think given the fact that several members had been WDC councillors and two were also long standing NCC councillors there should have been enough experience there to bed even a brand new parish council down after say the first year. Others managed it! You seem to be implying our Town Council couldn't make a difference because it had been set up from scratch but at the same time putting an onus onto the next one to do so?

Secondly, and I think most importantly, the mention of "no single party running it” speaks volumes seeing as my campaign is about politics being part of the problem not part of the solution. How many times did we hear the Mayor telling us to shut up even though there was more specialist knowledge in the public gallery about the item being discussed that was apparent within the ranks of the elected councillors. You yourself suspended standing orders when you chaired a subcommittee to ask me about my organisation's experience with another body so you understood their input into our area.

One way allows decisions based on merit and knowledge the other expediency, hegemony and hubris! To intentionally ignore potentially valuable information can only lead to poor decisions and I think we have seen plenty of them. We even saw the elected members vote against a planning application and they didn't even know where the place was!

Finally I read through the rules, regs and recommendations regarding Parish councils when they were imposed onto our area 4 years ago and in part of it was mentioned the fact that political parties should have no mention. The recommendation was that Parish councils should be independent of any sort of party political control. Funnily enough that isn't in the rewritten one out now, mores the pity!

[Adam Hogg]

My guess is that there will be no single party running it and all new councillors, regardless of party or independence, will have a role.

NO SINGLE PARTY RUNNING IT ! There should be no party politics in a parish/town council. It should be run by the people (who live in West Bedlington) for the people (of West Bedlington), which it will be if i and the other independent candidates have any say in the matter/get elected. Under the parish council you were part of we saw 3 Councillors who lived in Bedlington Station making decisions that did not affect them (3 years of precept increases) voted for 8 in favor, 1 abstain or in 2 over meetings 7 in favor, 1 abstain because 1 Councillor was missing from both precept meetings and worst of all no member of the public in the precept meeting was allowed to speak if you spoke the chairman/Mayor would threaten to suspend the meeting, how can that conduct be answered for?

[Dajazar]

For the record, can I just say that no councillor abstained in the precept increase voting. However, one councillor voted AGAINST the increases and that councillor was ME. I agree that the public should have been permitted to engage in a discussion over the merits or otherwise of increasing a precept. After all it is public money and affects everyone. Similarly, I am also in favour of an increase in the public input into Town Council meetings. I had to accept that I was in a minority in these beliefs but always voted in line with my views and if re-elected, will continue to do so and thereby represent the views of the community of West Bedlington where I too live.

[keith lockey]

NO SINGLE PARTY RUNNING IT ! There should be no party politics in a parish/town council. It should be run by the people (who live in West Bedlington) for the people (of West Bedlington), which it will be if i and the other independent candidates have any say in the matter/get elected. Under the parish council you were part of we saw 3 Councillors who lived in Bedlington Station making decisions that did not affect them (3 years of precept increases) voted for 8 in favor, 1 abstain or in 2 over meetings 7 in favor, 1 abstain because 1 Councillor was missing from both precept meetings and worst of all no member of the public in the precept meeting was allowed to speak if you spoke the chairman/Mayor would threaten to suspend the meeting, how can that conduct be answered for?

Ah! democracy at its best.

[Cyril]

NO SINGLE PARTY RUNNING IT ! There should be no party politics in a parish/town council. It should be run by the people (who live in West Bedlington) for the people (of West Bedlington), which it will be if i and the other independent candidates have any say in the matter/get elected. Under the parish council you were part of we saw 3 Councillors who lived in Bedlington Station making decisions that did not affect them (3 years of precept increases) voted for 8 in favor, 1 abstain or in 2 over meetings 7 in favor, 1 abstain because 1 Councillor was missing from both precept meetings and worst of all no member of the public in the precept meeting was allowed to speak if you spoke the chairman/Mayor would threaten to suspend the meeting, how can that conduct be answered for?

Well Adam I 100% agree with you, the ONLY people who live in a particular parish should be allowed to stand for the particular parish council, and IF there are points to be made regardless of who wants to make them as long as its done in a fit and proper manner I think the chairman /mayor should act appropriately and listen ........... now that is democracy.......

[John Fox (foxy)]

Sounds to me like only one person is trolling Since I'm not standing in these elections or involved in anyone else's campaign I don't think it appropriate for me to debate with anyone. To any candidates reading this I wish you luck, especially if you get elected. The Town Council can make a difference, especially in the next four years now that it isn't being set up from scratch. My guess is that there will be no single party running it and all new councillors, regardless of party or independence, will have a role.

For the record, can I just say that no councillor abstained in the precept increase voting. However, one councillor voted AGAINST the increases and that councillor was ME. I agree that the public should have been permitted to engage in a discussion over the merits or otherwise of increasing a precept. After all it is public money and affects everyone. Similarly, I am also in favour of an increase in the public input into Town Council meetings. I had to accept that I was in a minority in these beliefs but always voted in line with my views and if re-elected, will continue to do so and thereby represent the views of the community of West Bedlington where I too live.

It is elections coming up, Pity we couldn't get a response during the last four years

Edited April 27, 2013 by foxy

[Cyril]

It is elections coming up, Pity we couldn't get a response during the last four years

Bliddy hell us in Sleekborn get nowt like this..... its mint... I recon Malcolm/Foxy 2-0 Stephen/Dajazar......

I will keep my opinions on our bunch to myself......unless they decide to knock on my door instead of pushing green bin rubbish through my letterbox....

[Dajazar]

It is elections coming up, Pity we couldn't get a response during the last four years

You could have from me. Town council meetings are minuted. I have no problem whatever speaking to anyone either before or after these meetings as others will attest. My literature for these elections also carry my e-mail address (tracy.aynsley@gmail.com) and a mobile contact number which is 07925756470. I have given contact numbers on all my literature delivered in West Bedlington during the last 4 years and have frequently been contacted by members of the community as a result. I don't think there is any point in trying to hide because it's just not posssible. It is similarly impossible to engage in every topic of discussion/argument either on here, on other forums or in the press/media. In any event, there are others more eloquent than I who can offer a sensible view.

Foxy et al are welcome to discuss any community/council business with me providing it involves West Bedlington.