HBC leader in frock shock!
 

No, it isn't guess the headline of this week's Observer front page, though it is featured inside this weekend's edition.

'Our' Graham Jones has reported Peter Britcliffe to the local government's watchdog, for allegedly speaking out in favour of keeping Accrington's bus station where it is, without telling them of an interest he has in a ladies dress shop in nearby Infant Street.

Cllr. Jones alledges that Cllr. Britcliffe told one meeting
'I am the leader of the council and I say where the bus station goes and that's all there is to it.'


There is really only one question to ask.......will hemlines be up or down next season?:D

Re: HBC leader in frock shock!
 

Awwwwww Rindy i thought it was the headline of the Observer :( then thought that cllr Britcliffe was caught cross dresssing :eek:

lmao!!!!:D

Re: HBC leader in frock shock!
 

They only go up to size 24, reportedly.;)

Re: HBC leader in frock shock!
 

And the problem with that is? There seams ;) little point of being in charge if you can't make decisions. Yes I know it will go to a vote but don't the Tories have most Councillors at the moment to vote his way. Sounds like Cllr. Jones is wishing he had some power - maybe a touch of green eyed monster going on here.

Re: HBC leader in frock shock!
 

In fairness, as well as being big in ladies frocks, Cllr. Britcliffe did point out that Cllr. Jones was himself a private landlord. Tit for tat. Miaow.;)

Although Cllr. Britcliffe has declared his interest in the ladies fashion shop, he didn't make it known at the meeting about the siting of the bus station.

Re: HBC leader in frock shock!
 

Funny that, I thought that the decision about the bus station was down to Lancashire County Council not HBC, so why the song and dance. If Cllr. Jones wants the bus station away from the town centre why doesn't he just drop a some of his mates at County Hall a few quid and everything will be okay. I hear that Labour are partial to a back hander or two, its surprising just what you can get with a swift pound or two in the back sack.

Re: HBC leader in frock shock!
 

Well it would have to be either the bus station or the market. Food stalls close to all those fumes.

WHERE ARE THE NANNY STATE BRIGADE WHEN NEEDED!!!!

Re: HBC leader in frock shock!
 

You surely know, according to your introduction thread being...


'Middle Class, Right wing bolshevik, retired and interested spectator of aall that goes on in the Borough.That includes some of the daft nonsense I sometimes read on this site'


that the internet is under the same libel laws as any other printed matter?:D

Re: HBC leader in frock shock!
 

Oh ballcocks some on hear are up past their nappers in cow pats if libel lawyers come on. :o

Re: HBC leader in frock shock!
 

Good point Spug. Though to print wild accusations without saying reportedly, is quite foolish, allegedly.;)

Especially when some gob sh&te has quoted it.:)

Re: HBC leader in frock shock!
 

Love the saftey the word "alledgedly" gives. :D

Re: HBC leader in frock shock!
 

The problem is that you can't make decisions that will benefit you financially without declaring an interest. From what I understand either he will benefit if the bus stops right outside his shop or he will benefit if the shop needs to be compulsory purchased in order to develop the bus station.



The bus station development is about £3m and there were two possible sites on the table. If the other site had been selected he would not have benefitted so surely he should have mentioned that one site would benefit him and the other site wouldn't.

Re: HBC leader in frock shock!
 

What with being reported to the watchdog for the lovely calendar, now this, someones going to be a busy boy.

Re: HBC leader in frock shock!
 

I can't decide if a bus stop outside a shop is good or bad. If lots of people are waiting outside it might put shoppers of.
Do you really think Peter is stupid enough to set himself up by something as glaringly obvious as this? I think Graham Jones will have to get out of bed earlier if he wants to catch Peter upto no good.

Re: HBC leader in frock shock!
 

It is considered a very serious matter to get yourself in a position where you are chairing a committee then ensure that a decision is made that could be in your favour and not declare an interest.

Re: HBC leader in frock shock!
 

His alledged quote-

'I am the leader of the council and I say where the bus station goes and that's all there is to it.'

brings to mind Marie Antoinette. Does his shop sell crinolines as well?

Re: HBC leader in frock shock!
 

if there are 2 sites that are suitable flip a bloody coin for petes sake ( excuse the pun ) :)

Re: HBC leader in frock shock!
 

Well, you should know Gayle:engsmil:

Re: HBC leader in frock shock!
 

Now that has got me interested.
Are you suggesting Gayle has been a naughty girl?
Maybe you would like to explain what you are accusing her of.

Re: HBC leader in frock shock!
 

Yes please explain what you are accusing me of.

I don't chair any meetings for a start!

Re: HBC leader in frock shock!
 

Yet again someone wants to make allegations without substance.
By all means accuse Gayle or any of us if we have done something. Making accusations without backing them up just makes you look silly and suggests you are just trying to have cheap digs at Gayle.

Re: HBC leader in frock shock!
 

Peter had little interest in the location prior to his lease. He stands to make (or lose) thousands of pounds. However consultants, highways engineers, planners, architects, bus companies, the county council, the public are against the site. No one is in favour.

The bus companies do 1 million passsengers per year, 62 buses per hour. They say Peel Street is unsafe; "the next fatality is just around the corner" they told Peter recently. There were recently 4 argumentative rows between them and Peter. They threatened to pull all services in and out of Accrington because of the nonsense Peter was talking.

Back in 2004 the architect Roman Strazla was asked to draw up 2 plans for Peel Street. The Tory cabinet agreed with him they were both unsatisfactory. They accepted that Edgar Street was the prefered site.

The Council have just used £100,000's Elevate (govt) monies to have a town centre master plan done. This will enable CPO's and and smooth planning permissions if neccessary. LCC are in consultation but it will be funded more than likely by private finance, hence LCC's reduced role, though they are the highways authority.

Peter has made it clear where and what he wants against alll advice and opinion without informing anyone of his personal interest. In the LET Feb 2006 he said the reason for a £3m bus station on Peel Street was "We want to keep that part of town vibrant". His deputy said if they moved it it would adversely affect businesses in that area.

Brian Walmsley. Tory cabinet member when quizzed by the public about why Peter had not mentioned his interest when confronting planners, architecets, LCC, bus operators etc.. said "I'd rather not answer that, i might lose my cabinet post".

Cllr Walsmsley like many had long considered Edgar Street or Eastgate as the two options along with all other experts and the public. When asked why he did not know of a cabinet shift in policy to Peel Street he said something like "i must have missed that memo".

The whole fiasco has dragged because Peter wants Peel Street and everyone else wants anywhere but Peel Street due to serious safety reasons and the fact there are only 17 stands and Accrington needs 23 (now) plus at least 6 lay overs. Thats before Pilikingtons return to operation. The bus inspectors (the ones left after the latest sackings) have warned contnualy about the safety of Peel Street and of the high risk of loss of life as it currently is.

I do not own a number of properties. I own a house I intend to move into on Hodder Street which was vacant for a while before a friend leased it temporarily and then an old woman (approached us) and said she would like it for a while. We decided to do up our house we were going to sell on Cedar Street instead. Peter tells lies for fun and people who are easily influenced (or plain stupid) buy into them.

Peter is a very ambitous person who can pull the wool over peoples eyes easily (and he boasts about it to). Neil needs to question more the facts rather than offer a knee jerk reaction. Why don't you read the Councillors Code of Conduct and the Standards Board for England rules before engaging your ill informed opinion.

All I can say is what people around here say about me. You get it straight, whether you like it or you don't. I care about were I live, Hyndburn, not what I can get out of it.

As an honest person, it is my duty to report anything that is wrong. Anything less is a neglect of duty. Lining your own pockets is a very serious matter.

Re: HBC leader in frock shock!
 

There are a lot of quotes and 'facts' in there Graham. I wonder if you can substantiate any of them.

At least by this time next week all this petty bickering will go away for a couple of years untill the next Local Elections

Re: HBC leader in frock shock!
 

...yes that's all well and good, but will taupe still be big, come the Autumn at Maison Britcliffe?

Re: HBC leader in frock shock!
 

allegations without substance; Neil see above post. The Standards Board for England don't put two investigators on a case without it being very serious.

I understand Peter has sent in two Standards Boards complaints about me in retaliation. Childish.

Re: HBC leader in frock shock!
 

I think you are confused by my post's again Graham. I did not mention Peter, my post was with regards this one
I was not aware Gayle has been reported to the Standards Boards. What naughty things has she been accused of?

Re: HBC leader in frock shock!
 

Come on Graham, you could at least try to explain it all away after dropping Gayle in it with your above comment. I thought you were trying to score cheap point's against Conservative candidates not your own Labour comrades

Re: HBC leader in frock shock!
 

Neil

I fail to see how Graham has dropped Gayle in it with his comments. He has stated the exact terms of the complaint to the Standards Board.
Graham is an extremely hard working and dedicated councilor.
You should stop trying to be sarcastic about him, and maybe you should try doing the work of a councilor and then you would not make some of the inane comments you have made about Graham.

Re: HBC leader in frock shock!
 

For those at the meetings or who have read the reports it's all there Neil. Local journalists were the people who first mentioned why the Labour opposition was doing nothing about it.

Re: HBC leader in frock shock!
 

You questioned whether it would be a good thing or a bad thing to have a bus stop outside your shop - well what can be better for a business than a fresh bus load of people being dropped off in front of your shop every 20 minutes?

So you're trying to imply that I am corrupt as well, - It's an old trick using a question instead of a comment because afterwards all you need to say is 'well I only asked the question' but for the record - I have not been reported to standards and I have NOT done anything naughty.

Re: HBC leader in frock shock!
 

I know that red won't be very popular!

Re: HBC leader in frock shock!
 

HAve the handbags now been put away? It was starting to read in parts like a P3 argument over a doll.

Re: HBC leader in frock shock!
 

So, Peter "I'm worth every penny" Britcliffe, is attempting to use the limited amount of clout he has at his disposal to line his own pocket at the expense of the taxpayer? And we are expressing not shock, horror and outrage, but mild amusement?

I cannot say that the antics of the Idiot-in-Chief come as anything of a surprise. Anyone who can consistently mislead the electorate in the way Britcliffe has done over the last few years is capable of anything. It strikes me that far from heaping criticism on Gayle and Graham, we should be directing our invective against the single biggest cause of Hyndburns woes; Councillor Peter Britcliffe, who, if memory serves, is compelled to stand for re-election next week. If I were a voter in St. Andrews' ward, I know where my vote would not be going.

It is high time that Britcliffe and all his shabby fellow travellers were shown the door, they are a disgrace to the party that they claim to represent and an affront to the people who elected them.

Re: HBC leader in frock shock!
 

Jaysay are you Councillor Peter Britcliffe?

Re: HBC leader in frock shock!
 

Not unless he talks about himself in the third person, as he tells us in another thread that 'Britcliffe is on to it', regarding the blue and white carabuncle on Broadway.

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Still think he has done a sneaky and registered.

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He might take more of an active part here, after the election results are announced.:D

Re: HBC leader in frock shock!
 

Only if he wins so he can rub noses in it. :eek:

Re: HBC leader in frock shock!
 

Not the 'lets try to guess who Peter is on here' game again :D

Re: HBC leader in frock shock!
 

The difference this time is it's not a guess is it Mr Britcliffe !!!

Re: HBC leader in frock shock!
 

....its surprising just what you can get with a swift pound or two in the back sack.......

Or around the waistline. Been on a sugar free diet recently to lose a few pounds. Thought about taking up cycling and I have asked the wife if she'll drive behind me with all my gear in the car!

Re: HBC leader in frock shock!
 

Cycling good for you. :D

Wife following in a car not so good. :o

Re: HBC leader in frock shock!
 

Well its all the rage *looking* green. Its even spread to Hyndburn. Peter has said that he is a Green Conservative two weeks ago.

Anyway with elections over, we are off to Norway for a quiet break ;)

Re: HBC leader in frock shock!
 

Pedal power PB nice ring. :D Enjoy the break.