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-   -   Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right! (https://www.accringtonweb.com/forum/f69/cllr-britcliffe-is-doing-things-right-55112.html)

Ken Moss 03-10-2010 08:30

Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
New member vimtocreed has put it to the forum that Peter Britcliffe must surely be doing something right:

http://www.accringtonweb.com/forum/849408-post35.html

It has been levelled at me, quite fairly, that I have not exactly been over-complimentary of the Hyndburn Conservative policies, with particular reference to Peter Britcliffe's way of doing things.

To balance things out it would be nice to hear about some of the things that the public at large think he has done well.

Over to you....

Less 03-10-2010 08:50

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Ken Moss (Post 849463)
Over to you....

He's brought up a very charming Son who is a dab hand with a teaspoon & a jar of instant coffee.
(There you go beanzie another free advert on accyweb, please don't bother to thank me, Oh, you weren't going to).:D

jaysay 03-10-2010 09:02

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
He's A Rovers Supporter:D

SPUGGIE J 03-10-2010 09:02

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Ken Moss (Post 849463)
New member vimtocreed has put it to the forum that Peter Britcliffe must surely be doing something right:

http://www.accringtonweb.com/forum/849408-post35.html

It has been levelled at me, quite fairly, that I have not exactly been over-complimentary of the Hyndburn Conservative policies, with particular reference to Peter Britcliffe's way of doing things.

To balance things out it would be nice to hear about some of the things that the public at large think he has done well.

Over to you....

Crikey Ken that is a bit heavy for a Sunday morning is it not? Would this count/discount Ossy or is it borough wide? Not quite up to speed on the goings on in the borough as I should be.

SPUGGIE J 03-10-2010 09:03

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by jaysay (Post 849468)
He's A Rovers Supporter:D

That aint a good thing as such he should be a Stanley supporter. ;):p

Ken Moss 03-10-2010 12:03

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by SPUGGIE J (Post 849469)
Crikey Ken that is a bit heavy for a Sunday morning is it not? Would this count/discount Ossy or is it borough wide? Not quite up to speed on the goings on in the borough as I should be.

Borough-wide, including Oswaldtwistle.

It would be a good indicator if people state which community has been most affected in a positive way.

cashman 03-10-2010 12:05

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
well if ya hadn't included ossy, ya could have said- answers on the back of a postage stamp.:D

Ken Moss 03-10-2010 12:07

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
No one has actually come up with anything tangible yet beyond being a Rovers fan!

Come on, anything at all???

Wynonie Harris 03-10-2010 12:56

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by SPUGGIE J (Post 849470)
That aint a good thing as such he should be a Stanley supporter. ;):p

Agreed!! :D

katex 03-10-2010 12:58

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
Flower Towers ... well, I love 'em.

jaysay 03-10-2010 14:44

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by SPUGGIE J (Post 849470)
That aint a good thing as such he should be a Stanley supporter. ;):p

Why:confused: Like a lot of us Stanley weren't around when we started watch footy in earnest,

SPUGGIE J 03-10-2010 14:46

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by jaysay (Post 849545)
Why:confused: Like a lot of us Stanley weren't around when we started watch footy in earnest,


Mores the pity.

jaysay 03-10-2010 14:59

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by SPUGGIE J (Post 849547)
Mores the pity.

I've never regretted watching the Rovers over many years home and away, most years in which Stanley didn't exist, you don't stop following your team just because Stanley are back in league, although I do like to see them win and there's is the second result I look for, if I'm not logged on here getting updates;)

Less 03-10-2010 16:11

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by jaysay (Post 849545)
Why:confused: Like a lot of us Stanley weren't around when we started watch footy in earnest,

There is no happy medium on this site, if a football thread or whatever, isn't turned into a political thread, we end up with a political thread turned into a football thread!

jaysay 03-10-2010 17:54

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Less (Post 849560)
There is no happy medium on this site, if a football thread or whatever, isn't turned into a political thread, we end up with a political thread turned into a football thread!

Well at least we are versatile Less:D

Ken Moss 03-10-2010 19:17

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by katex (Post 849538)
Flower Towers ... well, I love 'em.

When they're done right they do pretty up a community no end but we had a whopping slice taken out of our Area Council budget to pay for the ones in Rishton.

If we'd given the same amount to the local Prospects group they would have landscaped the whole village and most of Great Harwood as well!!

Not a good example of value for money, in my opinion, plus we aren't a market town and never will be.

garinda 03-10-2010 22:37

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
1 Attachment(s)
The lovely calendars always make me smile, and like Katex, I do like the flower towers.

Barrie Yates 03-10-2010 23:04

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Ken Moss (Post 849590)

If we'd given the same amount to the local Prospects group they would have landscaped the whole village and most of Great Harwood as well!!

Not a good example of value for money, in my opinion, plus we aren't a market town and never will be.


You have obviously done a cost comparison. Are you not going to share that with us and provide us with hard facts to support your statement?
Does a town have to be a Market Town to look attractive?

Alan Varrechia 03-10-2010 23:05

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Ken Moss (Post 849590)
When they're done right they do pretty up a community no end but we had a whopping slice taken out of our Area Council budget to pay for the ones in Rishton.

If we'd given the same amount to the local Prospects group they would have landscaped the whole village and most of Great Harwood as well!!

Not a good example of value for money, in my opinion, plus we aren't a market town and never will be.

Ken i'm not sure Accy will be a market town for much longer:D

steeljack 04-10-2010 05:56

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
To original poster , Seems to me as an 'interested outsider' an ex Arroder (Gt Harwood) who has links to Ossy (my parents got wed at Ossy Emmanual Church) my Mom being a 'West End girl' ... at one time Ossy had one of the most deprived areas in Hyndburn (Greater Accrington) any mention that you came from the "Back o Johns area " and you were immediatly labeled as lower than dirt , not sure but maybe through Councillor Britcliffes efforts I dont think the area carries the same social stigma anymore, as someone who represents the Spring st. area of Rishton , maybe , just maybe after a few years hard work and effort you can bring the same rejuvination to the areas you represent.
Methinks as a newcomer to the area , not born and bred (think you once mentioned you were from Preston or Chorley area) you should learn a bit more of the history of the Borough
;) :D

Ken Moss 04-10-2010 06:07

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Barrie Yates (Post 849654)
You have obviously done a cost comparison. Are you not going to share that with us and provide us with hard facts to support your statement?
Does a town have to be a Market Town to look attractive?

Bear in mind I am a landscape gardener among other things and for around £150 (£200 at most) we could have planted up all four of Rishton's towers. The towers themselves cost the money but the point is that no one was asked, the cash was just sliced off Rishton's budget and it has caused some resentment with residents because they haven't been properly installed and look cock-eyed.

If you aren't familiar with your Prospects group (most wards have one in Hyndburn) then just have a quick look online but the one in Rishton does some marvellous work and has been instrumental in making some lousy areas into places of beauty. If I had offered our group £200 and asked them to turn four small grotspots into flower beds they would have jumped at the chance and the rest of the money could have bought a new bus shelter that lower Rishton badly needs.

In terms of floral areas, Rishton already looks pretty good so no, I don't believe that anywhere needs to be a Market Town to look attractive.

Ken Moss 04-10-2010 06:25

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by steeljack (Post 849659)
To original poster , Seems to me as an 'interested outsider' an ex Arroder (Gt Harwood) who has links to Ossy (my parents got wed at Ossy Emmanual Church) my Mom being a 'West End girl' ... at one time Ossy had one of the most deprived areas in Hyndburn (Greater Accrington) any mention that you came from the "Back o Johns area " and you were immediatly labeled as lower than dirt , not sure but maybe through Councillor Britcliffes efforts I dont think the area carries the same social stigma anymore, as someone who represents the Spring st. area of Rishton , maybe , just maybe after a few years hard work and effort you can bring the same rejuvination to the areas you represent.
Methinks as a newcomer to the area , not born and bred (think you once mentioned you were from Preston or Chorley area) you should learn a bit more of the history of the Borough
;) :D

Do you honestly think I haven't been doing research into the borough I represent? How little you must think of me.

Oswaldtwistle is an impressive sight to me once you get to Alleytroyds and there is much to look at and heap praise on but we have now had a decade where almost nothing has been spent on major projects in outer wards. Even Mercer Hall baths has now had the money pulled from it and is in danger of closing by the end of the year.

The problem as I see it is that there is no joined up thinking regarding projects which is why regeneration seems to be taking such a long time across the borough. Bits of ideas are have had money thrown at them but with no thought as to how they will be completed.

Pendle Street in Central ward is a prime example of waste. Why on Earth did the council buy those and leave them stood empty and structurally unsound when insurance payments to the original owners would have circumvented the whole problem? As I understand it, it was a quick fix election promise which has now lumbered us with a very expensive and practically useless asset that will inevitably cost us even more in future.

Project Phoenix in Springhill/Central is symptomatic of the obsession with pulling down terraced houses in favour of modern housing but if you look at what is being built they are essentially terraced houses and are even closer to the main road than before! There isn't the money around at the moment for the developers to complete the project so the area will be left with a gaping wound of open space.

You mention Spring Street, something I have now drawn up a practicable solution for, but it does rather rely on the money being allocated and I don't pull the purse strings.

Ken Moss 04-10-2010 06:28

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Alan Varrechia (Post 849655)
Ken i'm not sure Accy will be a market town for much longer:D

I sincerely hope that is not the case.

The refurbished Market Hall is fairly impressive but the management of it is a complete fudge. All it would take is a bit of common sense and all would be well but the traders and opposition councillors are tilting at windmills where that is concerned because two people have their idea of how it should be and will simply not back down in the face of overwhelming public opinion that they are wrong.

Neil 04-10-2010 06:41

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Ken Moss (Post 849660)
If I had offered our group £200 and asked them to turn four small grotspots into flower beds they would have jumped at the chance and the rest of the money could have bought a new bus shelter that lower Rishton badly needs.


Last year Prospects charitable spending was £735,200 according to the Charity Commission figures here. Could they not have slipped you a couple of hundred quid for some flowers in Rishton?
Maybe when the windfarm on Oswaldtwistle Moor is up and running they will be able to spare some of the £2.5 million that they are expecting to receive, although why this money is being given to Prospects to do with what they want is a mystery to me.

steeljack 04-10-2010 06:50

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Ken Moss (Post 849664)
Even Mercer Hall baths has now had the money pulled from it and is in danger of closing by the end of the year.

.

Mercer Hall baths , one of the biggest mistakes a Labour controlled HBC ever made after the amalgamation of the UDCs (but thats hindsight, sp?) a George Slynn project , the "original" Mercer Hall was a town treasure , remember going there from infants and junior school to hear musical recitals from members of the Halle orchestra (the acoustics were supposed to be superb) the dance floor was a good as Accy Con club (another place allowed to fall into rack and ruin ).
Seem to remember that a new swimming bath was proposed to be built on land between the Mercer Hall and the 'old' Library (site of the now closed oboslete Co-op), But Councillor Slynn sold out and shafted Arrod (Gt, Harwood)

Ken Moss 04-10-2010 06:50

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Neil (Post 849669)
Last year Prospects charitable spending was £735,200 according to the Charity Commission figures here. Could they not have slipped you a couple of hundred quid for some flowers in Rishton?
Maybe when the windfarm on Oswaldtwistle Moor is up and running they will be able to spare some of the £2.5 million that they are expecting to receive, although why this money is being given to Prospects to do with what they want is a mystery to me.

I think the idea is that to compensate for 'defacing' Oswaldtwistle moors they are giving money back to an environmental charity that benefits the whole borough.

Although I am part of the Rishton Prospects group the actual allocation of money from the main pot is nothing to do with me and I'm not even sure whether they have had any money yet.

Neil 04-10-2010 10:22

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Ken Moss (Post 849673)
I think the idea is that to compensate for 'defacing' Oswaldtwistle moors they are giving money back to an environmental charity that benefits the whole borough.

Why the whole Borough if it is only 'defacing', as you say, Oswaldtwistle?

JCB 04-10-2010 10:31

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
The Council , under the leadership of Peter Britcliffe , allowed the tenants of Hyndburn Council houses to vote whether the stock of council houses should remain under Council ownership , or be transferred to Hyndburn Homes , thus enabling money to be spent on the upgrading of the houses . The tenants voted to transfer to Hyndburn Homes .

The Labour opposition supported this policy .

Neil 04-10-2010 10:48

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by JCB (Post 849704)
The Council , under the leadership of Peter Britcliffe , allowed the tenants of Hyndburn Council houses to vote whether the stock of council houses should remain under Council ownership , or be transferred to Hyndburn Homes , thus enabling money to be spent on the upgrading of the houses . The tenants voted to transfer to Hyndburn Homes .

The Labour opposition supported this policy .

That was a bad move in my opinion.

I think Council houses should remain Under Council control but should be managed correctly.
Why can a private company manage upgrade the houses when the Council could not?
I also disagree with selling Council houses to tenants at reduced prices. Its like burning Council Tax payers money.

Ken Moss 04-10-2010 13:58

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Neil (Post 849702)
Why the whole Borough if it is only 'defacing', as you say, Oswaldtwistle?

It wasn't asked for, it was just promised to Prospects which is borough-wide. Since Prospects aren't going to concentrate all the money they get in one ward it will be to the benefit of all.

Less 04-10-2010 14:46

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
Could I just ask, no not you Ken, could I just ask the members of AccyWeb, both new and old, but especially the old.
When the site started and indeed now that fortunately the members still take the bother to post on the site, do any of us want the site to be like Hyndburns Councillors , always bitching about each other or do we want it to return to a site with the need for ordinary people to bitch about our politicians on?:)

cashman 04-10-2010 14:54

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
makes no difference at all to me personally, am quite happy some take the trouble to come on, be better still imho if all parties did. i do like to bitch about politics n would like even more if i could bitch at all of em, if i had the need.:)

Neil 04-10-2010 15:02

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Ken Moss (Post 849725)
It wasn't asked for, it was just promised to Prospects which is borough-wide. Since Prospects aren't going to concentrate all the money they get in one ward it will be to the benefit of all.

Maybe this is another mistake by the Council who must have had some involvement with this.

I am not convinced the money will be handled without bias to Prospects own agenda and can think of a group that would possibly be a better choice.

Barrie Yates 04-10-2010 17:02

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Less (Post 849726)
Could I just ask, no not you Ken, could I just ask the members of AccyWeb, both new and old, but especially the old.
When the site started and indeed now that fortunately the members still take the bother to post on the site, do any of us want the site to be like Hyndburns Councillors , always bitching about each other or do we want it to return to a site with the need for ordinary people to bitch about our politicians on?:)

Perhaps there should be a section just for political discourse rather than the many attempts to hijack other threads with political backstabbing. The ordinary man/woman do need the opportunity to have their say on politcal matters, but I for one do get a bit aggrieved when so many threads are twisted (hijacked), to continue with the personal hate complaints of a few.
To set the record straight, I do not have any political affiliations, I consider all politicians of whatever persuasion to be tarred with the same brush and contrary to English Law they have to prove themselves innocent and free from blemish IMHO.

jaysay 04-10-2010 17:47

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Neil (Post 849706)
That was a bad move in my opinion.

I think Council houses should remain Under Council control but should be managed correctly.
Why can a private company manage upgrade the houses when the Council could not?
I also disagree with selling Council houses to tenants at reduced prices. Its like burning Council Tax payers money.

The council were unable to use outside investment to refurbish council houses by law, but as an housing association they can use outside investment. As a tenant of Hyndburn Homes I voted in favour and think it was the right move and am still of that impression, given the fact that before the vote everybody was given the chance to look at a video presentation, and was visited by officers from HBC housing

jaysay 04-10-2010 17:53

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Barrie Yates (Post 849766)
Perhaps there should be a section just for political discourse rather than the many attempts to hijack other threads with political backstabbing. The ordinary man/woman do need the opportunity to have their say on political matters, but I for one do get a bit aggrieved when so many threads are twisted (hijacked), to continue with the personal hate complaints of a few.
To set the record straight, I do not have any political affiliations, I consider all politicians of whatever persuasion to be tarred with the same brush and contrary to English Law they have to prove themselves innocent and free from blemish IMHO.

Well I can see where your coming from Barrie, but the thing is if people don't like certain threads they can always bypass them, but If Labour take control of the council it will soon revert to the old days, because they will disappear into the sunset, much like they did when their Westminster counter parts were getting stick on here and there were no political points to be scored:rolleyes:

JCB 04-10-2010 18:24

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Ken Moss (Post 849664)

Pendle Street in Central ward is a prime example of waste. Why on Earth did the council buy those and leave them stood empty and structurally unsound when insurance payments to the original owners would have circumvented the whole problem? As I understand it, it was a quick fix election promise which has now lumbered us with a very expensive and practically useless asset that will inevitably cost us even more in future.

I am not sure what you mean when you refer to a quick fix election promise .

More than two years ago the residents of the terrace in question in Pendle St had a meeting in Scaitcliffe House with three members of the Council staff .
The residents were told of the concern regarding the structure of this one terrace , one out of the four terraces in Pendle St . There were to be two independent surveys , one internal and one external , of the terrace , after which the Council would decide the appropriate action to take .

Both surveys took place . Both put the houses on the terrace into the category which meant that the Council had no option but to decide on demolition .
Some of the houses are still inhabited , but about three quarters are boarded up , the residents having sold them to the Council , and gone to live elsewhere .
When all the properties are empty I presume the terrace will be demolished .

I don't know the ins and outs of procedures for dealing with such circumstances . I don't know if the Council did anything wrong . It all seems above board to me , but I am eager for anyone to put me in the full picture if I am mistaken .

DaveinGermany 04-10-2010 18:31

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by jaysay (Post 849777)
Well I can see where your coming from Barrie, but the thing is if people don't like certain threads they can always bypass them

Not always possible Jay, look back over many threads in the last couple of months, they start off as something non political, but someone somewhere will throw in a little dig & then the thread wanders off into an all out bashing of one party/politician or another ! Barrie's making a valid point.

jaysay 04-10-2010 18:34

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by DaveinGermany (Post 849798)
Not always possible Jay, look back over many threads in the last couple of months, they start off as something non political, but someone somewhere will throw in a little dig & then the thread wanders off into an all out bashing of one party/politician or another ! Barrie's making a valid point.

I don't know about that Dave, the mods seem to be clamping down on thread wandering at the moment;)

DaveinGermany 04-10-2010 18:38

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by jaysay (Post 849803)
I don't know about that Dave, the mods seem to be clamping down on thread wandering at the moment;)

Well that's fine by me, like I say I'm a neutral stuck out over here so it has no direct bearing on my way of life. :)

jaysay 04-10-2010 18:42

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by DaveinGermany (Post 849804)
Well that's fine by me, like I say I'm a neutral stuck out over here so it has no direct bearing on my way of life. :)

Well I'm in the middle of it and it don't have any bearing on my way of life either Dave:D

g jones 04-10-2010 20:18

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
A political section would be interesting. It would give legitimacy to those posting.

shillelagh 04-10-2010 20:32

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Neil (Post 849731)
Maybe this is another mistake by the Council who must have had some involvement with this.

I am not convinced the money will be handled without bias to Prospects own agenda and can think of a group that would possibly be a better choice.


what group ...

Neil 04-10-2010 21:53

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by g jones (Post 849836)
A political section would be interesting. It would give legitimacy to those posting.

It has been discussed before and it was decided we have enough sections to cover everything now.

What we need is for certain members to stop trying to turn every thread into a political one.

BERNADETTE 04-10-2010 23:28

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by DaveinGermany (Post 849798)
Not always possible Jay, look back over many threads in the last couple of months, they start off as something non political, but someone somewhere will throw in a little dig & then the thread wanders off into an all out bashing of one party/politician or another ! Barrie's making a valid point.

I agree with both yourself and Barrie Dave. It seems to me that threads are being used as cheap point scoring exercises all the time. Only trouble being we never get any gist into how things would be different if Labour had the overall vote in Hyndburn. Like yourself and Barrie I have no particular affilliation to any party but would like straight answers on issues raised by the general public from any party rep and I am not talking about Accringtn Market here, maybe a straight answer on immigration policy could be a start, how long is this country just going to keep allowing people to extract the urine???

Neil 05-10-2010 07:37

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by BERNADETTE (Post 849883)
.....maybe a straight answer on immigration policy could be a start, how long is this country just going to keep allowing people to extract the urine???


Not really something Peter Britcliffe has any control over, local parties can only work on local issues.

garinda 05-10-2010 07:38

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by BERNADETTE (Post 849883)
...maybe a straight answer on immigration policy could be a start, how long is this country just going to keep allowing people to extract the urine???

Is that another hijack attempt on a thread?

:p

Accy Web in the 'old days', and what it is today, seem much the same to me.

Somethings interest me, and others I avoid, because they don't.

A lot of the silliness has stopped. Mainly because people can use other social networking sites, were it's easier to find more people of like minds.

There's nothing to stop people starting non-political threads.

Just as there's nothing to stop people from starting them.

If all talk ot politics was banned from pubs, it would probably have had a more devastating effect than the smoking ban.

Nearly everything can be seen as political.

Which neatly brings me back on thread, and therefore I don't run the risk of having some of my very considered posts consigned to the ether.

:D

garinda 05-10-2010 07:41

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Neil (Post 849901)
Not really something Peter Britcliffe has any control over, local parties can only work on local issues.

You obviously never lived under a loony left council, such as Lambeth, in the eighties.

We were a nuclear free borough.

:rolleyes:

:D

Neil 05-10-2010 07:50

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
I suspect Hyndburn is a nuclear free borough as well

Ken Moss 05-10-2010 07:53

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by JCB (Post 849795)
I am not sure what you mean when you refer to a quick fix election promise .

More than two years ago the residents of the terrace in question in Pendle St had a meeting in Scaitcliffe House with three members of the Council staff .
The residents were told of the concern regarding the structure of this one terrace , one out of the four terraces in Pendle St . There were to be two independent surveys , one internal and one external , of the terrace , after which the Council would decide the appropriate action to take .

Both surveys took place . Both put the houses on the terrace into the category which meant that the Council had no option but to decide on demolition .
Some of the houses are still inhabited , but about three quarters are boarded up , the residents having sold them to the Council , and gone to live elsewhere .
When all the properties are empty I presume the terrace will be demolished .

I don't know the ins and outs of procedures for dealing with such circumstances . I don't know if the Council did anything wrong . It all seems above board to me , but I am eager for anyone to put me in the full picture if I am mistaken .

As far as I am aware, one section of those houses was built on land which was not deemed to be stable enough for housing. Lo and behold, some years later.....

Whatever the ins-and-outs of it, the council should not have taken those on as assets and demolition is not cheap. Even if they are demolished, what then? More open land which is an invitation to travellers or a demilitarised zone similar to the Esther Street area in Blackburn?

It was a very costly move and a mistake, in my opinion.

Ken Moss 05-10-2010 07:55

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Neil (Post 849907)
I suspect Hyndburn is a nuclear free borough as well

Certain areas always will be. Oswaldtwistle is ringfenced on Ordnance Survey maps as an area where dangerous installations are prohibited.

garinda 05-10-2010 07:58

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Neil (Post 849907)
I suspect Hyndburn is a nuclear free borough as well




Suspect.

We knew, because we had banners on buildings, and signs on every lamp post, telling it as fact.

;)

Ken Moss 05-10-2010 07:59

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Neil (Post 849731)
Maybe this is another mistake by the Council who must have had some involvement with this.

I am not convinced the money will be handled without bias to Prospects own agenda and can think of a group that would possibly be a better choice.

Possibly, but do tell us which group would have been a better choice.

Friends of Rhyddings Park?

It's a lot of money which will ultimately be filtered into every ward in the borough in a positive way to people who genuinely want to improve their towns and villages. Since it will be spent on things that the people actually want I suspect it will go much further than giving it to the council.

The things that the Rishton Prospects group have done with a pittance is a glowing credit to them and I am proud to be a small part of that.

BERNADETTE 05-10-2010 08:05

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Neil (Post 849901)
Not really something Peter Britcliffe has any control over, local parties can only work on local issues.

Of course what you say is true and I was only siting immigration as an example. The point I was trying to make is that when major issues have been raised in the past we have never had a clear answer from any of our councillors as to what their personal views are on such issues.

Ken Moss 05-10-2010 08:06

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by BERNADETTE (Post 849916)
Of course what you say is true and I was only siting immigration as an example. The point I was trying to make is that when major issues have been raised in the past we have never had a clear answer from any of our councillors as to what their personal views are on such issues.

You've levelled this at us before, Bernadette. I've told you, ask away!

garinda 05-10-2010 08:12

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
We've asked our M.P. in the past about national issues, and be given answers.

I wanted to know how Greg Pope was going to vote on a free vote on stem cell research.

I suspect our current M.P. would be similarly obliging.

cashman 05-10-2010 08:16

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
our current M.P. will answer questions on any subject as i witnessed personally sat afternoon, when a friend was asking. n me mate aint one of his constituents either,

BERNADETTE 05-10-2010 08:20

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Ken Moss (Post 849918)
You've levelled this at us before, Bernadette. I've told you, ask away!

Ken I have no issues to raise at the moment but rest assured if and when I do have anything to ask I will:)

jaysay 05-10-2010 08:52

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by garinda (Post 849912)
Suspect.

We knew, because we had banners on buildings, and signs on every lamp post, telling it as fact.

;)

So what your saying is if there was a nuclear attack, Lambeth would have been protected in a bubble, :rolleyes: I can always remember back in the early 80s how much safer I felt when going to Manchester and I passed the signs Manchester a Nuclear Free City;)

jaysay 05-10-2010 08:57

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by garinda (Post 849902)

If all talk to politics was banned from pubs, it would probably have had a more devastating effect than the smoking ban.

I only ever had two rules when I went out for a drink, don't talk about religion and politics:D

garinda 05-10-2010 10:45

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by jaysay (Post 849939)
I only ever had two rules when I went out for a drink, don't talk about religion and politics:D

I see.

You took a political decision.

There's just no getting away from it.

:D

jaysay 05-10-2010 10:58

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by garinda (Post 849966)
I see.

You took a political decision.

There's just no getting away from it.

:D

No a sensible one:rolleyes:

blazey 05-10-2010 11:49

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
I saw him in a café in town on Sunday morning. I've forgotten its name, the one with the sweets and ice cream. He seemed to be very popular in there. He's a lovely man from what I know of him.

cashman 05-10-2010 12:20

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by blazey (Post 849976)
I saw him in a café in town on Sunday morning. I've forgotten its name, the one with the sweets and ice cream. He seemed to be very popular in there. He's a lovely man from what I know of him.

well he would be very popular in yon blaze.;)

garinda 05-10-2010 15:31

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by cashman (Post 849981)
well he would be very popular in yon blaze.;)

Perhaps Sunday is pay day.

:D

jaysay 05-10-2010 17:43

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by blazey (Post 849976)
I saw him in a café in town on Sunday morning. I've forgotten its name, the one with the sweets and ice cream. He seemed to be very popular in there. He's a lovely man from what I know of him.

Looks like you do talk some sense blazey:rolleyes::D

JCB 05-10-2010 18:04

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Ken Moss (Post 849908)
As far as I am aware, one section of those houses was built on land which was not deemed to be stable enough for housing. Lo and behold, some years later.....

Whatever the ins-and-outs of it, the council should not have taken those on as assets and demolition is not cheap.

It was a very costly move and a mistake, in my opinion.

And what were the residents of Pendle St expected to do when their houses were condemned ?

Neil 05-10-2010 21:32

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by JCB (Post 850069)
And what were the residents of Pendle St expected to do when their houses were condemned ?

Is that not what buildings insurance is for?
Why should the Council have to sort it out?
Come to think of it I don't know the full story behind Pendle Street so I might be talking out of my backside again.

Ken Moss 06-10-2010 06:12

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by JCB (Post 850069)
And what were the residents of Pendle St expected to do when their houses were condemned ?

As Neil has posted, the magic wand called 'buildings insurance' which would have sorted the whole problem out.

For some reason the council promised to take it on during an election campaign and all of a sudden we're left with a collossal liability that we can't do a thing with.

You're coming across well as a Tory sympathiser but if Labour had done the same thing I don't think we'd be having this discussion. I wouldn't be happy if our lot had been responsible either.

A good example of council acquisitions is South Shore/Blackpool Street in Oswaldtwistle which I have seen recently and am very impressed with. Again, the management could have been better but buying up empty houses and trying to bring them back into use for first-time buyers is a good idea and one that I'm pursuing. The timing just happened to be lousy in this instance but it wasn't really anyone's fault that the housing market chose that particular moment to collapse.

Neil 06-10-2010 07:50

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Ken Moss (Post 850194)
As Neil has posted, the magic wand called 'buildings insurance' which would have sorted the whole problem out.

Don't agree with me, people will think your insane as well :D

For me if someone's house become unfit to live in or unsafe and they did not have insurance to cover it or can not afford to make it safe/fit they should get nothing. The Council should take the property, correct the problems and sell it on to pay for the work.

This should include business properties as well so we would not have some of the eyesores we do around the Borough like the Commercial in Church and the Paladium in Ossy.

People should not get free handouts and have the value of there properties increased at my expense because they neglected it themselves.

In fact the whole Phoenix project is not quite right in my opinion but if we go down this route we will end up way off thread :D

JCB 06-10-2010 07:55

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Neil (Post 850136)
Is that not what buildings insurance is for?
Why should the Council have to sort it out?
Come to think of it I don't know the full story behind Pendle Street so I might be talking out of my backside again.

Thanks for info .
I don't know the procedures needed to be taken when a terrace is judged unfit for dwelling by two surveys carried out by the Council .

If building insurance was the way to sort the matter , then clearly the Council was doing things the wrong way .

I know a lady who lived on the terrace in question . She is in her late 60s and asked if I would go with her to the meeting at Scaitcliffe House when the residents were told what action the Council was taking , starting with the two surveys .

Building insurance was never mentioned . Basically the residents were told that if the surveys resulted in the houses being considered unfit for dwelling they could sell them to the Council .
My friend , when she found out that demolition was the only option , took the money being offered by the Council and bought another house .

That's all I know . I don't know what goes on behind closed doors .

JCB 06-10-2010 08:02

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Ken Moss (Post 850194)

You're coming across well as a Tory sympathiser but if Labour had done the same thing I don't think we'd be having this discussion.

:confused::confused::confused: Does everything have to be reduced to party politics ?

Ken Moss 06-10-2010 08:08

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by JCB (Post 850211)
:confused::confused::confused: Does everything have to be reduced to party politics ?

Not to criticise your citation, but what did the line I posted after that say? Since the thread was originally about political decisions you seem to be someone confused as to the nature of the discussion here.

Context is a wonderful thing, especially when quotes are taken out of it.

Neil 06-10-2010 08:25

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Ken Moss (Post 850214)
Context is a wonderful thing, especially when quotes are taken out of it.


Often on a forum like this if you quote the whole post we end up with pages of massive quotes and it gets a little unreadable.

By just quoting that bit it makes it easy to see who and what he is referring to.

jaysay 06-10-2010 08:42

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Neil (Post 850218)
Often on a forum like this if you quote the whole post we end up with pages of massive quotes and it gets a little unreadable.

By just quoting that bit it makes it easy to see who and what he is referring to.

I totally agree Neil, seeing I've just learnt how to do it:D

Neil 06-10-2010 08:44

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by jaysay (Post 850226)
I totally agree Neil, seeing I've just learnt how to do it:D

mmmm I think you need more practice, I spend too much time on here fixing your messed up quotes already, I suspect it is about to get worse :p

jaysay 06-10-2010 08:58

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Neil (Post 850227)
mmmm I think you need more practice, I spend too much time on here fixing your messed up quotes already, I suspect it is about to get worse :p

Don't you be cheeky, twas uncle Less who showed me the way:D

Less 06-10-2010 09:41

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by jaysay (Post 850233)
Don't you be cheeky, twas uncle Less who showed me the way:D

I may have shown you, that doesn't mean you took any notice.
:)

JCB 06-10-2010 09:41

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Neil (Post 850136)
Is that not what buildings insurance is for?
Why should the Council have to sort it out?
Come to think of it I don't know the full story behind Pendle Street so I might be talking out of my backside again.

I don't know whether this would have any bearing on buildings insurance , but at the meeting the residents were told that the terrace was being assessed as one entity . If half of the terrace was deemed as sound and half as in need of demolition , the whole terrace would have to be demolished .

Tealeaf 06-10-2010 09:52

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Ken Moss (Post 850194)
As

A good example of council acquisitions is South Shore/Blackpool Street in Oswaldtwistle which I have seen recently and am very impressed with.

What a coincidence! The council also bought and did up some houses on South Shore Street and Blackpool Street in Church...

jaysay 06-10-2010 09:58

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Less (Post 850247)
I may have shown you, that doesn't mean you took any notice.
:)

I always take notice of you Less:rolleyes:

JCB 06-10-2010 09:59

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Ken Moss (Post 850214)
Not to criticise your citation, but what did the line I posted after that say? Since the thread was originally about political decisions you seem to be someone confused as to the nature of the discussion here.

Context is a wonderful thing, especially when quotes are taken out of it.

I am not confused regarding the fact that you said that I was coming across as a Tory sympathiser .

I am confused that you needed to make such a remark . What bearing did it have on what I was saying ?

I am even more confused now by the whole Pendle Street business now that the insurance issue has been brought up .
Insurance was never mentioned by the Council officials at the meeting .
If it was pertinent I am wondering why it wasn't brought up .

MargaretR 06-10-2010 11:17

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
I doubt whether many of the residents of Pendle St actually had buildings insurance.
The population there is mainly of asian origin and they don't buy using conventional mortgages which would require such insurance.

Asian property purchases are made from their own equivalent of a person/persons who provide finance, similar to the Italian 'godfather' system.

PS - that is why an asian prospective buyer can offer you a 'cash sale'

Neil 06-10-2010 12:07

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by MargaretR (Post 850275)
I doubt whether many of the residents of Pendle St actually had buildings insurance.

So its there own fault if they fall down not Hyndburn's Council tax payer

gynn 06-10-2010 13:02

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
The houses in Pendle Street didn't fall into disrepair overnight. It was a process that took several years, so buildings insurance (renewable annually) would have long since ceased to be available.

The Council always used to deal with with such problems through its Slum Clearance programme, and got the money back from central government. Nowadays it has to meet the costs itself. It doesn't have a choice if the houses are in a bad enough state (as the surveys apparently show).It is a statutory duty.

Don't blame the ruling group. Blame the system.

Neil 06-10-2010 15:10

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by gynn (Post 850287)
The houses in Pendle Street didn't fall into disrepair overnight. It was a process that took several years, so buildings insurance (renewable annually) would have long since ceased to be available.

So that makes it ok to neglect your house for years then get the Council to fix it.
How do I get HBC to come and re plaster my dining room? When I took the paper off all the plaster came with it. Its ok I have neglected to decorate this room for years :rolleyes:

gynn 06-10-2010 15:46

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Neil (Post 850309)
So that makes it ok to neglect your house for years then get the Council to fix it.
How do I get HBC to come and re plaster my dining room? When I took the paper off all the plaster came with it. Its ok I have neglected to decorate this room for years :rolleyes:

It doesn't make it ok, but it DOES put the responsibility on the Council, and they don't have any choice about dealing with the problem. :(

Neil 06-10-2010 16:27

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
I best go and spank myself for taking us off thread

Ken Moss 06-10-2010 16:36

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by JCB (Post 850248)
I don't know whether this would have any bearing on buildings insurance , but at the meeting the residents were told that the terrace was being assessed as one entity . If half of the terrace was deemed as sound and half as in need of demolition , the whole terrace would have to be demolished .

Not necessarily. Buttresses have been quite successfully used to shore up partial terraces in the past and the houses in question were added onto the original block in the first place against advice.

S215 notices are there to make owners sit up and make sure their houses are in good repair. If we go down the route of buying up everything shoddy we'd be broke within three weeks.

Bad landlords/owners are a perennial bugbear across the borough and we need blanket legislation against this. It came into force in five areas on 1st October for a five year period, why not Hyndburn-wide I don't know because we've been screaming for it in Rishton for years.

gynn 06-10-2010 17:27

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by JCB (Post 849795)
The residents were told of the concern regarding the structure of this one terrace , one out of the four terraces in Pendle St . There were to be two independent surveys , one internal and one external , of the terrace , after which the Council would decide the appropriate action to take .

Both surveys took place . Both put the houses on the terrace into the category which meant that the Council had no option but to decide on demolition .

There is "shoddy" and there is "no option to demolish". The Council has discretion over the former, but has a statutory responsibility over the latter.

Neil 06-10-2010 17:34

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by gynn (Post 850351)
There is "shoddy" and there is "no option to demolish". The Council has discretion over the former, but has a statutory responsibility over the latter.

Ok thats fair enough. How do they decide how much to pay for the properties?

jaysay 06-10-2010 17:42

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Neil (Post 850325)
I best go and spank myself for taking us off thread

Naughty Naughty Neil:whip:

gynn 06-10-2010 17:54

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Neil (Post 850359)
Ok thats fair enough. How do they decide how much to pay for the properties?

Unless things have changed since I was around in local government, it is the District Valuer that provides an independent valuation..

Valuation Office Agency - homepage

JCB 06-10-2010 18:19

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by MargaretR (Post 850275)
I doubt whether many of the residents of Pendle St actually had buildings insurance.
'

My friend whom I mentioned did have insurance .
She kept her house in good condition .
A widow , she had lived in the house since her marriage in the 1960s .
It had many memories for her , and although some , not all , of the property around her was neglected she wanted to stay there .

In 1994 the renovation of the other 3 terraces in the street was completed . For some reason her terrace wasn't renovated . The row of houses back to her on Fountain St weren't renovated , but the terrace facing them on Fountain St was .

All so strange and confusing .

Neil 06-10-2010 18:25

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
I want mine renovating for free as well please. We are in a conservation area but I don't see HBC or LCC conserving anything :(

jaysay 06-10-2010 18:38

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Neil (Post 850373)
I want mine renovating for free as well please. We are in a conservation area but I don't see HBC or LCC conserving anything :(

You live on one of the nicest streets in Ossy:D

Neil 06-10-2010 21:47

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
I know but there is still no conservation done here

Alan Varrechia 06-10-2010 22:09

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
Nice streets and Ossy. Come on Jay which one do you mean????

jaysay 07-10-2010 09:16

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Alan Varrechia (Post 850426)
Nice streets and Ossy. Come on Jay which one do you mean????

Sorry Alan won't put anybodies abode on here, would get my hands and face smacked by the mods, and it could be worse in Neils case as he is a MOD:eek::eek: :D Any way they are all nice streets in Ossy, God's own country:D

g jones 10-10-2010 22:09

Re: Cllr Britcliffe is doing things right!
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Neil (Post 849706)
That was a bad move in my opinion.

I think Council houses should remain Under Council control but should be managed correctly.
Why can a private company manage upgrade the houses when the Council could not?
I also disagree with selling Council houses to tenants at reduced prices. Its like burning Council Tax payers money.

I agree. I did not vote for stock transfer as it gave away the peoples money/assets accrued over decades with little return. RTB should have been good thing but has been a disaster. Poorly thought out, badly executed.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ken Moss (Post 850194)
As Neil has posted, the magic wand called 'buildings insurance' which would have sorted the whole problem out.

For some reason the council promised to take it on during an election campaign and all of a sudden we're left with a collossal liability that we can't do a thing with.

You're coming across well as a Tory sympathiser but if Labour had done the same thing I don't think we'd be having this discussion. I wouldn't be happy if our lot had been responsible either.

A good example of council acquisitions is South Shore/Blackpool Street in Oswaldtwistle which I have seen recently and am very impressed with. Again, the management could have been better but buying up empty houses and trying to bring them back into use for first-time buyers is a good idea and one that I'm pursuing. The timing just happened to be lousy in this instance but it wasn't really anyone's fault that the housing market chose that particular moment to collapse.

Blackpool and SS St. IIRC 19 of the 27 were owned by private landlords who had run the properties down. It is in St Andrews Ward. The council spent around £1.4million IIRC of Council Tax (equivalent to £42 per property in Hyndburn) doing them up with no return, ie the landlords got a free property repair worth around £40,000 per property. I could be slightly out with the figures as memories merge!

Subsequent surveys,though i made the point prior, surveys were not required it was obvious, that internal works serve no purpose and in some cases enforcement can be used for external works including appearance.

This should have been the option. It was an option I did point out at the time. We should not be doing up private landlords properties for them to simply make more money from.

Quote:

Originally Posted by gynn (Post 850287)
The houses in Pendle Street didn't fall into disrepair overnight. It was a process that took several years, so buildings insurance (renewable annually) would have long since ceased to be available.

The Council always used to deal with with such problems through its Slum Clearance programme, and got the money back from central government. Nowadays it has to meet the costs itself. It doesn't have a choice if the houses are in a bad enough state (as the surveys apparently show).It is a statutory duty.

Don't blame the ruling group. Blame the system.

This misses the whole point. At each sale point an individual survey should have been carried out revealing the damage to the foundations. Those that noticed it should have had retrospective claim on he surveyors. Or if the defects were discovered later, on their buildings insurance.

Like Blackpool Street,if the Council has to step in then in short it wants all of it's investment back in the form of equity.

Most properties are landlord owned on this block. Most done by cash sale with no insurance or survey. The Council should pay the actual value.

The cost is now £2.3m to be paid by every Council Tax payer in Hyndburn. Or £70 per household. I think there are 21 houses?? Or thereabouts.


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