Originally Posted by Gayle (Post 890763)

...someone could surely ask for those figures and be able to find out for themselves what the numbers were before Aldo and after Aldo!!!

Originally Posted by garinda (Post 890766)

Someone surely could.

Hopefully not the person who counted 400 dancers taking part in the flash mob event.

:rolleyes:

Originally Posted by Less (Post 890767)

A simple way to find out if these things are any good is,

ask the traders if their profits have increased, during and since.

Originally Posted by garinda (Post 890766)

Someone surely could.

Hopefully not the person who counted 400 dancers taking part in the flash mob event.

:rolleyes:

Originally Posted by Gayle (Post 890770)

If you must bring that up again. I never said there were 400.

Originally Posted by Gayle (Post 864560)

Here's what I saw last Saturday

About 400 people in the town centre that came in specifically for the dancing.

Originally Posted by garinda (Post 890778)

http://www.accringtonweb.com/forum/f...tml#post864560

Perhaps you and Mystic Marlene should team up, and get a caravan on Blackpool Prom.

With your abilities to decide why a group of people have stopped to see what the hell was going on, you should prove very popular.

Originally Posted by Gayle (Post 890789)

Ok, perhaps I did say 400 - oops, but in my defence that was after the Observer had used that number. :o

If there was a large group of people standing around watching the dancing then I think it's fair to assume that they were watching the dancing.

Originally Posted by Gayle (Post 890789)

Ok, perhaps I did say 400 - oops, but in my defence that was after the Observer had used that number. :o

If there was a large group of people standing around watching the dancing then I think it's fair to assume that they were watching the dancing.

Originally Posted by Gayle (Post 890759)

There is a censor/clicker thing on the market door, I believe, that counts people going in.

Originally Posted by garinda (Post 890793)

Any tips for lottery numbers for this weekend, for those who play?

:rolleyes:

Originally Posted by lancsdave (Post 890794)

I know about that because I have to limbo underneath it when I am FORCED to use the Market Hall toilets :D

I really can't see them justifying or proving any figures, they make up their own. Still waiting to see how the 10,000 pound saving has been made closing Peel St toilets, as with everything else they say it's totally exaggerated.

Originally Posted by garinda (Post 890793)

How do you know they were 'about 400 people in the town centre that came in specifically for the dancing', and not folk going about their normal Saturday shop?

Originally Posted by garinda

People weren't asked. I was there.


:rolleyes:

Originally Posted by garinda (Post 890798)

Has anyone actually seen a breakdown of this supposed £10,000.00 saving, from closing the Peel St. toilets, and just how it'll be achieved?

Originally Posted by Ken Moss (Post 890686)

My motion to abolish council buffets was defeated. Cllr Britcliffe suggested that it was a back door for the Labour group to increase their expenses.

You may check my expense claims anytime you like, you won't find any meal claims and I have no intention of taking them in future.

My motion on writing to Royal Mail to reclassify the Hyndburn postcodes away from Blackburn was withdrawn as Cllr Britcliffe had coincidentally already had items of correspondence addressing both of my motions.

The Conservative amendment to my original motion was therefore not allowed and legal advice was sought as to whether I could do this.

I could.

Cllr Peter Clarke wrote to me on 4th March 2011 to complain that I had written on the local internet discussion forum Accrington Web about the £250,000 allocated to Rishton by the Leader of the Council for improvements to the area:

(See post 4 on 'Hyndburn 2m bonanza' thread)

Before I wrote this paragraph I failed to check my facts and have now been reassured by Cllr Clarke that no members of his family live on Norfolk Street. Therefore I wish to apologise unreservedly for making the statement on Accrington Web.

Cllr Peter Clarke told me in his letter that he considered the statement to be 'libel against (him) personally' and he asked that I apologise publicly to him in order to 'prevent legal action'.

I wish to confirm that I accept my statement about his personal connection with the playing field proposal in Norfolk Street is completely without factual basis and I wish to ask Cllr Clarke publicly to accept this sincere apology for the distress or embarrassment caused by my ill-founded remarks.

I trust that in complying with Cllr Clarke's request the matter can now be closed without resorting to legal action.

I also asked a question on notice:

Would the Leader of the Council confirm that he condones the £2,765.47 claimed by former Cllr Roy Atkinson as Chair of the Employment Committee between 2006 and 2010, despite the fact that this committee has not met since 2004?

Cllr Britcliffe's response suggested that as I was relatively new to council I may not understand fully how things work and that the fact that the committee had not met was an indicator of the good job that Cllr Atkinson had done in the role.

A supplementary question was disallowed by the Mayor for having no relevance to either the first question or the reply:

Can the Leader of the Council confirm that he claimed £1,073.25 as Chair of the Licensing Committee between 2007 and 2008 even though the committee did not convene in either of those years?

I stated that the connection was with members' allowances but accepted the Mayor's authority on this and sat down.

I also asked a second question on notice:

Would the Leader of the Council please verify the claim by Cllr Marlene Haworth in The Accrington Observer on 25th February that an extra 3,000 people have been brought into the town following Aldo Zilli’s appearance and explain how the council measured that figure?

Although the immediate response was to suggest that I was talking the town down while others were trying to talk it up, when asked a second time he indicated that there were several devices in the town centre to do this and that he was satisfied that anything Cllr Haworth had stated was true.

Originally Posted by lancsdave (Post 890743)

Apparently there will be a famous 'balcony' scene on this weekend's politics show :(

Originally Posted by lancsdave (Post 890804)

Suprised nobody has picked up on this. Which famous Accrington landmark would be best served as a backdrop for a television appearance by his holiness, come on I've given you a clue :D

Originally Posted by garinda (Post 890806)

"It generated lots of editorial in the media worth thousands of pounds and brought an extra 3,000 people into Accrington, boosting the local economy.' It's reported that Cllr. Marlene Haworth told the press.

Row after council spends £9,000 on celebrity pair | Accrington Observer - menmedia.co.uk

Where was the 3,000 figure plucked from, and over what period?

She says into 'Accrington', so that can't be assessed from the clickity-clicker in the Market Hall.

In all the years I've been shopping in Accy, I know who I've seen, and also never seen. In the town centre shops, or the Market Hall.

Odd that.

:rolleyes:

Originally Posted by lancsdave (Post 890804)

Suprised nobody has picked up on this. Which famous Accrington landmark would be best served as a backdrop for a television appearance by his holiness, come on I've given you a clue :D

Originally Posted by lancsdave (Post 890815)

Strange really, wasn't Zildo there early December, according to the council leader told the Telegraph on 2nd Jan the town centre was badly affected by the weather in December, so when did these 3,000 people turn up :confused:

Originally Posted by garinda (Post 890816)

Is Greg Pope coming back as a community artist, based on the balcony?

He'll produce white smoke when the bogs are vacant, and black smoke when they're engaged?

I once saw a stripper in Hamburg doing something very similar.

:eek:

:D

Originally Posted by Gayle (Post 890801)

Perhaps you're right

Originally Posted by garinda (Post 890819)

No perhaps about it.

I am.

;)

Originally Posted by Gayle (Post 890820)

So there were more than 400 there? If you're right. :p

Originally Posted by Less (Post 890522)

I would have though the term Independents was wrong surely? We can be independant, (singular), but not Independents, (plural).

So we have a group of Independents, possibly independent of the independents that are at the moment on the Council working in cahoots with the very man the first group of Independents wish to depose.
We need to find out if the first group is independent of the second group of Independents and if perhaps they aren't are they independent enough? Or, have these independents now become a break away group of independents from themself?
Also, if they are truly independent no point voting for them as they could never work together, these people tend to be loners and like their independence.

Confused? so am I, that's the problem when you are just one individual attempting to understand none-party Politics, you have no-one to turn to for advice.
:confused:

Originally Posted by g jones (Post 890856)

I am not sure. Doing an interview with Peter isn't easy. Topic 1 HMR, 2 PCP, 3 Big Society.

Originally Posted by Tealeaf (Post 890857)

HMR..??????

PCP...???????

Sorry Graham...but what are these?

Originally Posted by Tealeaf (Post 890857)

HMR..??????

PCP...???????

Sorry Graham...but what are these?

Originally Posted by lancsdave (Post 890871)

No offence to Graham but I won't be watching it, I can't afford a new telly to replace the one that will have something thrown at it

Originally Posted by jaysay (Post 890803)

It shows a good man who apologies when he is wrong, maybe the use of the word "allegedly", may have avoided that, or the start of any sentence where your not 100% sure of your facts could srart "is it true" nobody can be pulled up for asking a question Ken:rolleyes:

Originally Posted by accyman (Post 890872)

why risk damage to your tv when you have a perfectly good HBC callendar to throw darts at?

or have you already worn it out ?

Originally Posted by lancsdave (Post 890883)

What happened regarding the allowance rise ?

Originally Posted by garinda (Post 890889)

Was it mentioned that there might be a conflict of interest, with the butties and buffets coming from a firm closely associated with someone who's now a councillor?

Originally Posted by Ken Moss (Post 890885)

It would seem that it is still going ahead. The Leader of the Council intimated that any councillor could reduce their allowances in private without making it public.

For the record, every member of the Labour group has signed a statement to say that they will not be taking the 3.6% increase next year. I personally will happily do what I feel is right and keep myself publicly accountable, regardless of whether it is regarded as 'gesture politics' or 'tokenism' by the Conservative group, labels which seem to have replaced 'good news' as new buzz words.

The public put me where I am, they deserve to know what is happening with their money.

Originally Posted by Ken Moss (Post 890885)

It would seem that it is still going ahead. The Leader of the Council intimated that any councillor could reduce their allowances in private without making it public.

Originally Posted by claytonender (Post 890937)

.... I know we have been instructed not to make any 'token' gestures and to reduce our allowances in private, but I am not prepared to be dictated too by the leader of another party.

Originally Posted by Ken Moss (Post 890881)

This came shortly before a question regarding the £17,500 mentioned last week in the Conservative budget which turned out to be payments of £500 per councillor to spend on whatever they saw fit in their ward.

Originally Posted by gynn (Post 890948)

A sort of Re-Election Fund?

Now that DOES sound dodgy.

And very, very illegal.

There is that word again!

:eek::eek:

Originally Posted by jaysay (Post 890971)

So long as its not spent on electioneering and is available to all councillors can't see the problem gynn, bur even so you ain't going to buy to many votes with 500 quid are you;)

Originally Posted by accysimon (Post 890976)

Maybe not, but it would cover a large slice, if not all, of the leaflet and poster printing costs.

Originally Posted by jaysay (Post 890979)

Any money spent has to be accounted for, and I think you'll find it has to be spent on community projects

Originally Posted by jaysay (Post 890971)

So long as its not spent on electioneering and is available to all councillors can't see the problem gynn, bur even so you ain't going to buy to many votes with 500 quid are you;)

Originally Posted by Ken Moss (Post 890989)

Unfortunately, the Conservative Leader's Budget spreadsheet indicates much spending which has little or no connection to community projects.

£120.91 on newspapers?

£100.00 on a buffet for a group meeting?

£35.00 on pie and peas for a group meeting?

£77.60 on drinks and decorations for the Leader's office?

£59.50 on a camera?

I understand from discussions I have had with senior executives at Scaitcliffe House that the £17,500 discussed is to be counted within next year's Leader's Budgets.

Originally Posted by gynn (Post 890990)

No you aren't, but its 500 quid more than the other candidates (of all parties) are getting. That creates an uneven playing field in each ward.

Which is illegal.

Originally Posted by jaysay (Post 890998)

There is no way you could use that money for election purposes end of story

Originally Posted by Barrie Yates (Post 891032)

Whilst the general concensus on Accyweb does appear to be very strongly anti-PB, I am sure that it would be worthwhile if a larger proportion of Hyndburn residents could be made more aware of the nefarious practices that are being perpetrated.
I believe that the membership of Accyweb is approximately 25% of the population of Hyndburn. I do not know what the % relationship between members and the turnout at the last local election was, perhaps someone can advise, but obviously not all members can, or will, vote, but when one starts to apply various estimations of turnout and persuasion, it could easily turn out that H.E. could still be in power after May.

Originally Posted by Barrie Yates (Post 891032)

Whilst the general concensus on Accyweb does appear to be very strongly anti-PB, I am sure that it would be worthwhile if a larger proportion of Hyndburn residents could be made more aware of the nefarious practices that are being perpetrated.
I believe that the membership of Accyweb is approximately 25% of the population of Hyndburn. I do not know what the % relationship between members and the turnout at the last local election was, perhaps someone can advise, but obviously not all members can, or will, vote, but when one starts to apply various estimations of turnout and persuasion, it could easily turn out that H.E. could still be in power after May.

Originally Posted by Barrie Yates (Post 891032)

I do not know what the % relationship between members and the turnout at the last local election was, perhaps someone can advise, but obviously not all members can, or will, vote, but when one starts to apply various estimations of turnout and persuasion, it could easily turn out that H.E. could still be in power after May.

Originally Posted by Ken Moss (Post 891611)

I hope that the people of Rishton will see just how much Cllr Britcliffe has done for the village and vote accordingly for his candidate in May.

The Conservatives seemingly can't even decide who their candidate is in Rishton this year as Cllr Horne has told me he is standing again yet a man in the gallery on Tuesday night told Clare Cleary (someone who put herself forward as Labour candidate last July) that he is standing this year for the Tories. Good luck to them all but the cynicism that is washing through Rishton at the moment regarding the cheques that are being handed out doesn't look good for the blues.

There is more to being a councillor than dishing out money every four years and the people know it.

Originally Posted by jaysay (Post 891681)

Smoke and mirrors Ken:D

Originally Posted by Josie Bloggs (Post 892464)

The minutes say allowances are expected to go up by 3.something per cent. Someones told me its nearer 4.7 %

Which is it?

The staff are getting f all.

Originally Posted by lancsdave (Post 892471)

Why would council staff get extra, one man on his own does everything for Hyndburn, didn't you know that ? :rolleyes:

Originally Posted by shillelagh (Post 892581)

i actually dont see why not go back to the old system ... you got expenses for the phone calls you made, the meetings you attended ie petrol/diesel used ... rather than a flat amount for the year ... as you volunteer to stand for council so you must want to do it .... and to me volunteering means giving your time for free ....

Originally Posted by ClarePritchard (Post 888573)

...the other morally corrupt, vote grabbing, blatent electioneering parts of it turn me sick to the stomach.

Originally Posted by garinda (Post 951597)

Terrible, that feeling.

I have it right now.

After our council recently voted to support a resolution favouring only one side in the Kashmir conflict, despite there being reported evidence that there have been horrendous human rights abuses, and violent atrocities carried out by both sides in this conflict.

How did you vote Clare?

It might ease that sick to the stomach feeling, if I know.

Originally Posted by Wynonie Harris (Post 951598)

Good morning, Councillor Dawson, how nice to see you here!

Perhaps we could ask YOU to tell us how you voted on the above issue?

Originally Posted by Wynonie Harris (Post 951598)

Good morning, Councillor Dawson, how nice to see you here!

Perhaps we could ask YOU to tell us how you voted on the above issue?

Originally Posted by Wynonie Harris (Post 951636)

Oh no! He's scampered off again! What an elusive chap he is. Do you think he's shy? ;)

Originally Posted by cashman (Post 951638)

Nah think he may have gone looking fer claire,to tell her shes required.:D

Originally Posted by jaysay (Post 951728)

Been gone 7 hours cashy and ain't come back:D

Originally Posted by Wynonie Harris (Post 951816)

Nope, he's gone again. Elusive sort of fellow, isn't he?