Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington (Post 916526)

instead of using their energy in in-fighting, name calling, etcetera. It takes away the dignity and respect that the electorate may have held for that person, when you hear of the childish behaviour and name calling.

Originally Posted by lancsdave (Post 916527)

I think this is probably the biggest single reason why we have such low turnouts for elections in this country

Originally Posted by Ken Moss (Post 916488)

On a personal level, in Rishton we have now confirmed the demolition of a row of unsightly derelicts which have dragged an area down for 10 years and the council will be recouping that money from the owners. The council is not there to hand out money simply when people come a-knocking and all that has been abolished as well.

Originally Posted by Ken Moss (Post 916488)

Other 'good news' will be reported to the public when something concrete has been put in place, not some hypothetical votewinner which may never happen or figure which has been plucked out of the air in order to sound good.

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington (Post 916533)

......OK, I could be an independent, but in my view people(the electorate) see independents as indecisive, weak as water and because they are not aligned to any of the major political parties, they haven't much clout.

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington (Post 916533)

And that, Cash, is why political bias should be removed from local elections.

It is expected that the people who wish to be councillors have a desire to serve the community.......do they really need a political banner to enable then to do so?......My own feeling is that they don't, and that political ties just get in the way of these people doing a good job.
If I wanted to be a councillor, I could not align myself to any political party........OK, I could be an independent, but in my view people(the electorate) see independents as indecisive, weak as water and because they are not aligned to any of the major political parties, they haven't much clout.

Originally Posted by Ken Moss (Post 916514)

'The grapevine', what a load of old twaddle. Do yourself a favour, call a spade a spade. If you mean that there has been a cull of staff then just ask your little grape to do a bit of research further along the vine. There's been a cull of wasteful spending, that's all.

Just ask your little grape how it was expected that £2m could be promised to the residents of Woodnook and the same £2m could also be intended for Township Regeneration proposals?

You're an intelligent man, wake up and take off the Tory blinkers. I'm a Labour Councillor and I'm not blind to Labour's faults in the past, it doesn't mean we all have to rigidly to them in the future.

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington (Post 916589)

John, there is no disputing that PB has worked hard for his Ward,(but isn't that what he is paid to do...no medals for doing your job, even if you do it well) but it has to be said that he has got a it above himself(and that is an understatement).

No man(or woman for that matter) is bigger or better than the council they work for....and PB has demonstrated in so many ways that he thinks he is the big cheese.
Big cheeses go mouldy...and some of them find their way onto the spike of a mousetrap.

Originally Posted by jaysay (Post 916580)

Depoliticising local councils has always been a thing I have passionately believed in for many years, but I'm afraid that will never happen, especially when the former leader of the labour group often branded every Tory Councillor as a wast of space.

Originally Posted by g jones (Post 916890)

I do not think that and have never said such a thing. What i have said on many occasions is that PB is one of the hardest working ward councillors. That Douglas Heyes is too. Add Brian Roberts, Judith Addison and believe it or not Marlene Haworth. These people are committed to their areas.

However the Council has a huge budget and the main reason for being a councillor is not to ensure a new park bench every now and again, but to run a £30m business and remember this is about jobs and prosperity, not charity with the constant flow of £100 cheques.

In that respect I stand by the view that the last lot, for whatever reason were incapable and that there are incapable Labour councils too.

Whatever the faults of political alliances, anything less would be a disaster. Last year the three independents pretty much had three opposite views on every subject "because independence is their byword". Without teamwork and cooperation and with the right of veto at any time it would be chaos and carnage. Just look at Lancaster. A new leader every two months, a new cabinet every 4 months, can't agree on policies, have no way at all of making progress with everyone reserving the right to vote against.

Worse; The Council is a huge business and needs to be divided up into about 14 leaders taking responsibility over different services. If each disagrees, how can the others make progress. If you start without a basis of compromise and direction how can you know you aren't wasting your time or that someone else is doing what you don't want in another position? You end up with the grotesque position of just wasting time and money on a grand scale and the whole Council collapses. You also end up inward looking as each independent fights for votes for a position whereas a leader nominates and the group is outward looking.