Neighbourhood Management

[Bernard Dawson]

Originally Posted by Royboy39

My take on this....If it's not broken, don't mend it.
I am a Tory, Yes....but don't like the sound of this.

You're absolutely right, as you say if it's not broken,don't mend it. It's a point Iv'e been trying to get over to leader of the council for years.

He will insist on trying to mend things that are not broken, more often than not at a cost to the ratepayers of this Borough.

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by Bernard Dawson

You're absolutely right, as you say if it's not broken,don't mend it. It's a point Iv'e been trying to get over to leader of the council for years.

He will insist on trying to mend things that are not broken, more often than not at a cost to the ratepayers of this Borough.

That ain't what the audit commision say Bernard, I'll take notice of what they say not what an opposition who will stop at nothing to try and gain power. HBC has gone from a poor performing council when the Tories took over from your lot to an excellent performing council today. This is stated by the Audit Commision who are independent and have no political axe to grind, I'll take their word for it Bernard if you don't mind

[jaysay]

No answer Bernard

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by jaysay

Just to add to my earlier post, you say that I may want to vote Labour, that's very strange when only last week your official candidate at a by-election couldn't even put that on her leaflets, If your official candidate is so ashamed of your party that she won't put that statement on her literature why would anybody want to vote for her, or your party for that matter

No answer Graham

[garinda]

I always think it's more important for the people that live in a borough to decide if a council is 'excellent'.

They are the ones who have to judge if the amount of council tax they pay, from their hard earned money, is worth the level of service received.

I would imagine the two wouldn't tally, in many cases.

[andrewb]

Originally Posted by garinda

I always think it's more important for the people that live in a borough to decide if a council is 'excellent'.

They are the ones who have to judge if the amount of council tax they pay, from their hard earned money, is worth the level of service received.

I would imagine the two wouldn't tally, in many cases.

Of course not, people don't like to be taxed. People also wouldn't understand why they pay more for band A in Hyndburn than their friends or family in the Ribble Valley. The council tax system itself is unfair on low income districts. A district with lots of band A properties and hence lower income for the council than a council with lots of band D properties, still has to deliver the same services. Therefore council tax is charged at a higher rate to the district with mostly band A housing.

Do you trust that our political parties will explain these things so that residents can make an educated decision, or will those with the most to gain scream about how much council tax is?

[Bernard Dawson]

My point is that there are several occasions in the past when Peter Britcliffe's insistence on trying to mend things when they are not broken has cost this borough money.

I'll give you two recent examples. One was the name change. A lot of money spent,and then it disappears without a trace. Why because people didn't want the change.

Town Council in Gt Harwood,again a lot of money spent. What happens it disappears without a trace.

In both these instances he knew there was no great desire for change, But he won't listen.

On the excellent council. The judge of whether or not Hyndburn is an excellent council should the be the ratepayers of this Borough. It's about service delivery. Do we as a Council provide an excellent service for the money people are paying in council tax?

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by Bernard Dawson

My point is that there are several occasions in the past when Peter Britcliffe's insistence on trying to mend things when they are not broken has cost this borough money.

I'll give you two recent examples. One was the name change. A lot of money spent,and then it disappears without a trace. Why because people didn't want the change.

Town Council in Gt Harwood,again a lot of money spent. What happens it disappears without a trace.

In both these instances he knew there was no great desire for change, But he won't listen.

On the excellent council. The judge of whether or not Hyndburn is an excellent council should the be the ratepayers of this Borough. It's about service delivery. Do we as a Council provide an excellent service for the money people are paying in council tax?

Well according to the Audit Commission YES, and you mean that Graham is a good listener, only to his own voice he is

[Bernard Dawson]

Originally Posted by jaysay

Well according to the Audit Commission YES, and you mean that Graham is a good listener, only to his own voice he is

The Audit Commission doesn't look at service delivery. That's part of the problem.

[accyman]

Originally Posted by garinda

I always think it's more important for the people that live in a borough to decide if a council is 'excellent'.
.

funny you should mention that because yesterday when coming from blackburn into rishton i saw a sign saying welcome to hyndburn and underneath it says AN EXCELLENT COUNCIL

now apart from anyone who has any dealings with them most likely strongly disagreeing with that comment and have spent days in their office or hours on the phone trying to sort out a minor issue ,been over charged for council tax , had rent suspended for no justifiable reason or had to leave tehir back yard unlocked for days or weeks so that rubbish can be taken away i would love to know where they got that nugget of information from

the borough of hyndburn may well be OK'ish but teh council is far far far from excellent

[g jones]

The audit commission had a quick lookover and were handheld around the Borough for a week by the Council. I was not allowed to speak to them. That tells you straight away they have something to hide.

[Neil]

Originally Posted by g jones

The audit commission had a quick lookover and were handheld around the Borough for a week by the Council. I was not allowed to speak to them. That tells you straight away they have something to hide.

I would expect that most Councils do the same thing. It is the same thing with schools and OFSTED inspections.

[BERNADETTE]

Surely the audit commission were shown the books to prove that the councils debts had decreased. They wouldn't have been able to grade the council otherwise.

[Bernard Dawson]

Originally Posted by BERNADETTE

Surely the audit commission were shown the books to prove that the councils debts had decreased. They wouldn't have been able to grade the council otherwise.

Bernie, it's not so much what the audit commission look at, more what they don't look at.

The audit commission only looked at a couple of areas of council activity. A council can be quite good in some areas, and not so good in other areas.

What they don't do also is talk to people who receive council services,the Public.

If the council tax payers of this Borough think they are getting an excellent service from the council then fine. I would more than willing to recognise this council as an excellent performing council.

But I'm far from convinsed that's the case.

[Gayle]

The other side of that, though Bernard, is that the majority of people who live in Hyndburn judge Hyndburn on all of the services - but a lot of the services are provided by LCC. This clouds the issue somewhat.