[Graham Jones]

Originally Posted by Neil

I apologize now as I think this might get long and is rather off topic.


I agree with you it was shambolic. I personally believe that the mass Labour turnout was a mistake

on your part. I think that all you managed to do was make people suspicious, myself included, as to

the ulterior motive for your presence. After all why would 3 or 4 Labour Councillors from outside

Oswaldtwistle want to attend the meeting as claimed observers? The behavour of certain members of

the Labour party only served to annoy people, in fact several residents mentioned that to me at the

time and since the meeting.



I have a few reasons to disagree with that but I do not wish to discuss Gayle on here except to say

that I personally have a lot of time for her and think she would have made an excellent committee

member. We discussed Rhyddings Park both in PM's and in person. Some of which was in confidence so

no I won't say what about.



The whole idea of the group is to be non political, that is why Coucillors are excluded from being

allowed on the committee. You heard the comments of some residents on this subject when the

Constitution was discussed. After all what would be the point of the Council devolving the park to

other Councillors?


Whatever name you want to use someone had to keep the meeting on track. He said himself that the

group should not be political and was opposed to Councillors being involved at Committee level


I have already stated on this forum that I am not a supporter of Peter.


Why Illuminating?


Have you actually read any of my posts on AccyWeb? If you had you might withdraw that statement

If you want to discuss the subject further I will buy you a pint in The Stag on Saturday night so I

don't get slapped for thread wondering.

I'll wander once as well!

Your understanding of that meeting and all around it is not mine. I would like to challange your assumptions.

Friends of Oakhill Park last week, organised like FoRP by the Council has no exclusion of Councillors and residents are happy.

No-one wants me to step down as chair of Arden Hall as yet. Having a chair as a councillor is a big asset, and thats with 2 years of experience. We have Tories on our committee I am sure, so IMHO I think people make problems where there aren't any. Resident chairs have a big learning curve in front of them [in terms of the complexities/networking of councils, NGO's] but if they work hard they can suceed.

This meeting was trumpeted as pilot for a new council policy so it would have been a dereliction not to be there.The problems were nothing to do with politics, and everything to do with Peter Britcliffe's style of leadership.

Someone wrote the following week in the paper they would never vote Labour again which was ironic because 3 Conservative voters outside told me this will be the first time they will not vote Conservative at the local election [they're voting Labour] because of the way that meeting was organised. Obviously not everyone thought PB handed it well at all.

Peter's track record is overtly polictical and I just hope you are not tinged and manage to make it a success. We will meet anyway at the Green Spaces Forum now you are chair of a Friends. Should be interesting with your cross political views