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I'm going outside now, I may be some time
Cllr Britcliffe made a spectacular early exit from a meeting yesterday, this time at Cabinet. After leaving an Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting in May, the ejection from Full Council in June and then the en masse walkout from Full Council in September I'm just wondering if this is a new trademark?
Bye bye 'good news', hello Captain Oates.... |
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I never quite understand why people do this or hang up the phone as you can't actually influence anything unless you are party to the conversation. IMHO it demostrates a lack of confidence in your ability to negotiate, debate or in the courage of your conviction itself.
Otherwise know as Childish..... |
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Is there not an analogy here? If this was a board meeting of a private company, then a director who regularly walked out of meetings would be dismissed. It seems to me that the most important role of a councillor is to attend meetings such as this if elected to do so. However, local councils are a democracy and providing a councillor is not in fragrant breach of the rules then he is only answerable to his electorate. But surely questions must now be asked as to the level of financial remuneration that this councillor is claiming to do a job which he is blatantly not doing.
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Can we have information what the ruling group are now doing for the council tax payers, such as the new Core Strategy and Accrington Area Action Plan,instead of all this piffle
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Here you go: Accrington Town Centre Area Action Plan - Accrington Area Action Plan (AAP) |
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Maybe he wanted to check his Blackberry?
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A fragrant breach ? This sort of thing leaves a bad smell. Kick up a stink, Ken.
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I'm certainly not making excuses, as I'm supposedly a Labour apologist.
However, he's had a traumatic time very recently, discovering the dead body of a close (mutual) friend. Probably nothing to do with this, but cutting him a little slack, if it is, might be appreciated. |
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While I understand that personal problems can influence our actions in everyday life, he is in a position of responsibility and should be able to manage his life.(he has enough life experience)
Everyone has problems of one sort or another in these troubled times, it does not excuse what is, put simply, childish, diva type behaviour......it makes me think he isn't getting quite enough attention, so manufactures events/situations that will push him into the limelight again. How sad! When I was in charge of staff I would offer what support I could, but made it quite clear that if they were not up to doing the job they were paid to do, then they should take sick leave/compassionate leave....if they chose to come to work then problems were left at the door and could be picked up again on their way out. This may seem harsh but you have to be realistic....and you have a service to run, a job to do. |
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As I said, it isn't an excuse. I do know he's devastated, and just wondered if it might be connected. |
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If it is, then he should make it plain to his colleagues so that they could offer him some support....me, being the cynical person that I am, feel that is most likely to be the other reason I cited.......publicity starvation. A fall in his megalomania levels.
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He's just a bit long in the tooth to be chucking his toys out of the pram......spitting the dummy.
It will not gain him any friends or support. |
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The Leader of the Opposition Party has no constitutional standing whatsoever at a Cabinet meeting. He made sure of that when he was Leader of the Council.
So his departure, however childish, attention-seeking or provocative, was basically irrelevant. |
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Once a prat always a prat, prima donna Britcliffe, do us all a favour & bog off for good.
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Maybe he needed the loo :rolleyes: |
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Neil, come on, you wouldn't leave a meeting in a 'spectacular'(and I know this is a very subjective word)way if you were just popping out for a pee.......you would excuse yourself and go. Why would Ken need to sensationalise the situation?
No, it sounds childish and petulant! |
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John, I appreciate what you are saying, but Ken doesn't usually employ these kind of tactics(IMHO).
Someone sensibly said earlier that you cannot influence events by walking out of a meeting...you can only influence them by being part of the discussion.. I stand by my earlier comments....and would go so far as to say 'if you can't take the heat, then get out of the kitchen'. I think PB has probably had people do his bidding in the past, and finds it a bit tedious to not have the power anymore. |
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Sorry but if ( and it wouldn't happen until hell froze over) I had voted for Cllr Britcliffe and he kept flouncing off instead of being there to represent me I would be pretty niffed off, it is relevant no matter what Mr Farrer ( who seems to fall out with PB when it suits him) says.
If he has indeed suffered some personal crisis , then if he let his colleagues know I'm sure there would be steps taken to ensure this kind of situation didn't happen, but as it is it smacks of him being pompous and publicity seeking all over again. |
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How anyone can defend this pompous clown is beyond belief.:rolleyes:
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Partly because it's personal, and more likely, nothing to do with him leaving the meeting. I'd only just woken up, and it was the first thing to cross my mind. Come on Ken. Less Sun headline writer, and more facts. How long before the meeting ended did he leave? Was it connected to something being discussed? What exactly defines a 'spectaculat' exit? Was it similar to Anne Widdecombe being hoisted on trick wires on Strictly, and flying off at great speed? :rolleyes::D |
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I was unaware of Peter's personal issues and indeed I have had my own recently but sincerely hope that it has not affected my performance as a councillor. I may only have been here 17 months but I flatter myself I have at least a whiff of professionalism about me. Cllr Britcliffe does not strike me as a man to use such things as an excuse either, in fairness to him. However, this repeated 'walking out' appears to me to be little more than political showboating. |
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Yesterday at Cabinet there was no deliberate political sniping, just facts and regrettably that included making references to the government's decisions and their implications for Hyndburn Council. They were given as facts, not used as an excuse to blast the coalition but Cllr Britcliffe seemed to be determined to try and turn it into a political warzone at every opportunity. I was also disappointed that even Cllr Roberts made a jibe regarding the Labour group and Accrington Stanley as I have always found his style of presentation to be very professional and factual rather than attempting to score points. The vast majority of those present as spectators were members of the council so why attempt to make things antagonistic to score points, who was swayed by it? In addition to that, we had a young man who was Leader for a Day and I don't think it portrays council work in a very good light if members are seen to be storming out over a difference of views or raising their voices in such a heated manner (and I include myself regarding the latter). Personal opinion, but I think councillors should be better than that. |
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I'm afraid I don't know the person who you're all talking about - as a person who always avoids conflict and is subject to emotional involvement i can empathise with him and feel sorry when someone gets savaged by the pack...I'm sure he is a genuine human being in a difficult period of his life.
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Couldnt have put it better me-self!! :D |
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Talk about hitting some-one when they're down...
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As I have said before, if you don't want your actions to be picked apart in public, don't become a councillor. |
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I still haven't had an answer to my question regarding precisely how the 3000 extra visitors to the town were recorded following the refurbishment of the Market Hall. |
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Come on Ken.
Why was it such a 'spectacular' exit? My mind's going into overdrive. Bumpy Night - YouTube Did he take a long draw on his Nicorette, and proclaim 'What a dump!', turn on his heels, and then depart? Recreate the dramatic scene, for those lucky enough not to have been there. |
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It was following a decision to halve the council costs for an advice centre for three years until the national Universal Credit is introduced in 2014. Cllr Britcliffe called the council decision the worst he had ever seen, having previously described it as nepotism and racism. There was a heated exchange between himself and Cllr Parkinson and he left the room shortly before the meeting was wound up.
As far as I recall, there was no Nicorette involved. |
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So really it's just bickering business as usual at H.B.C.?
How disappointing. Hardly up there with Cecil B. DeMille parting the Red Sea, for the dramatic Exodus of the Tribe of Israel. More like the spectacle of someone lobbing a few bangers over someone's back yard wall. http://freeemoticonsandsmileys.com/p...%20beating.gif |
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Perhaps you should have a look at some of the things that this man did while he was leader of the council before commenting. |
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You silly... http://www.accringtonweb.com/forum/f...ffe-37025.html Billy. :D |
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Accy Web classic. :rofl38::rofl38::rofl38: Even if I didn't get a chance to chip in until page 5. :rolleyes::D |
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Anyway, this storming out of a council meeting is starting to get a little bit boring. If Councillor Britcliffe wants to impress, he should try something different. He could, for instance, strip naked in the council chamber and refuse to budge; he could get his agenda papers, rip them up in a tantrum, eat some of 'em and then throw the rest at the leader of the council. Or maybe he could just sit there with a brown paper bag on his head, making the occaisional grunt.
I've got a few other ideas - I think I'll send them in on a postcard to Peter, c/o Scaitcliffe House. |
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Then when he has done all those things that Tealeaf suggests, the men in the white coats will haul him off to a lovely place called Hillview. They will give him a fine jacket that fastens at the back, shoot him full of mind altering chemicals, and then he will be returned in a much saner state!
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I quite like seeing different cabinet members telling me what they are doing and not just seeing the same person all the time. The only issue appears to be the name of the column, it is no longer the Leaders Column but the Council Column. |
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From the outside it looks like those that are out are trying to make those that are in look bad so those that are out can try and get back in next time. A bit like cricket and just the same as it was when the Tories were in and Labour were out - just do a search for some of Graham's earlier posts and your own for that matter. |
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so nothing much changes then does it?
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Does this sound sensational to you? Quote:
Its just party politics, one side bashing the other with whatever they can, always has been always will be. Its a lot easier to see when like me, your unbiased. |
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Are you saying I am biased Neil?
I have no political allegiance.......I support no political party, local or national. Yes, there will always be the school yard stuff(It was 'im that started it Miss, not me) which I find childish....especially when these people are there to do a job......reperesent their wards. They cannot do that if they aren't in the meeting. As for the rabble in Parliament, they are a very poor example...they call themselves 'Honourable', but they would not know honour if it came in a large parcel with its name printed all over it. They are only there for one thing.....the filthy lucre, which is funded by our money and a 'high on the hog' lifestyle. This is part of the reason why a lot of the electorate are so disillusioned with the whole thing, and I include myself in this. There should be a commonality of purpose. This is especially true in local politics. Instead we get childish behaviour which takes up time and energy that could be better employed in tackling the current problems, in both the country and the borough. And to answer your question, the childish bit it the walking out |
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If you mean it is a tactical game then it might be a bit like chess, but it takes some reasoned thought processes to play chess well, and to me these actions do not show reasoned thought proceses, they show reactions. Not good, in the people who are holding responsible posts in our borough.
It is Mickey Mouse antics, comic stuff...except, I don't find it the least bit funny. |
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From a dictionary of Slang... |
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Peter still gets his name and face in every week, no one ever needs to worry about that.... |
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If nothing else, it is just one more thing to drag out the length of meetings. |
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The very first tome Cow&gate was mentioned on here...
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'Silly cow' was mimed! Give Us a Clue. You couldn't make it up. http://www.smileyvault.com/albums/us...72/holycow.gif |
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I know a narcissist when I see one.
I had the misfortune to be married to one for 8 years. We went for hypnotherapy during a brief reconciliation attempt, and the therapist refused to continue treating him because 'he has a personality disorder which would be dangerous to attempt to remove'. Narcissistic personality disorder - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia |
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With a hot poker. :D |
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Anyway all the details of his tantrum/walkout are published in the Obby today.......no picture of PB in that article, but he still manages to get his mug in the rag on another page. Neil, when you implied I was biased...you are right. Not in a political sense, but in the fact that do not like PB........I haven't ever made any secret of that. I think hell would have to freeze for me to warm to that man. |
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Not all Council meetings are adversarial. Before the Cabinet meeting when Peter did his walkabout, we had a Planning meeting which went on for nearly 3 hours, and everyone behaved themselves.It was an excellent meeting.
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So it can be done then........so why on earth should one member of the council bring it into disrepute?
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There are productive cross-party discussions every day, it just seems to be the odd member who tries to turn every one of them into a soapbox. |
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don't they call it 'grandstanding'?.........I think my initial thoughts on the situation were the right ones.....he is lacking the oxygen of publicity. How sad!
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and when you report something they don t want to nowe
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Interesting letter in the Observer.
From the Springhill Community Association, the West Accrington residents' group, and the Milnshaw Residents Association. Who seem to side with Cllr. Britcliffe, over the issue which prompted his early departure. They have basically labelled the closure of a town centre advice centre, which is to be relocated in a 'B.M.E.' (Black & Minority Ethnic) centre on Hannah Street, up a steep hill, not on a bus route, and a long way from the town centre as 'racist'. Apparently the B.M.E. centre has secured funding from the council of £36,000.00 for the next three years. Elsewhere in the paper it's reported closing the Cannon St. advice centre will save £10,000.00. Not sure if it would have caused me to leave a meeting early, or if it's racist, but when the facts start to appear, it does make you wonder if Cllr. Britcliffe was right to be angry, with what the council have done. Personally I would remove all funding using tax payers' money from any B.M.E. centre. Who by nature, and their very name are racist, separatist, and divisive, when it comes to a unified community. Thinking about it, I wouldn't have walked out. I'd have stayed. Shouting things about 'idiocy', and 'disgrace'. Carry on Britcliffe bashing now.... |
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There is nothing wrong in being angry, there is nothing wrong in having a discussion....but walking out is not the answer....especially not if you want to solve the problem.
You stay, you lock horns and you try to come to some kind of compromise. Removing funding from the B.M.E. would result in cries of 'racist'....because those pepole are the ones who think that racism only affects them....and it doesn't. We have had this discussion before about racism. Positive descrimination in favour of B.M.E's is just as racist as racism against them........but it doesn't seem to count for much. However much you agree with PB's point, he was still wrong to walk out on a meeting where he might have made a difference. |
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I mentioned the other week, when town centre benches were removed, to stop drunks fighting, that I'd had a déjà vu moment, imagining that I was back living in loony Lambeth in the eighties.
I think I've just had another. |
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I wouldn't have left the meeting early, as I said. Now the facts are emerging, I'd have stayed, and probably burst a blood vessel. |
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See my post #2, only way to influence anything is to be party to the debate
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Yes, I spotted it and mentioned that someone had made this observation....and it is right....absolutely spot on!
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'The decision was passed by the cabinet committee on Wednesday, prompting a walkout from the Conservative leader.' 'Coun Britcliffe said 'I'm going to leave now. Quite frankly it stinks.' When it's all done and dusted, bit pointless carrying on arguing, when there's no way to change someting, that quite frankly is begining to have a very unpleasant odour. Indeed, every time I hear of tax payers' money being used to fund 'Black & Ethnic Minority' anything, I smell the terrible stink associated with racism. |
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It's the way the country and it's rulers have gone. It's not racism, it's a lack of balls by politiicians, constantly pandering to the political correctness that has this country on it's knees. |
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It is like being back in loony Lambeth. Discrimination of any sort, positive, or not is abhorent. Please, just for a laugh, someone apply to H.B.C. for thirty six grands worth of funding for the Accrington White and Non-Ethnic Centre. Er...councillors, we have laws that make it illegal to discriminate on every conceivable issue possible. We are all supposedly equal. There is absolutely no need at all to spend our taxes on bodies, who by their very nature, differentiate and divide people. |
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Only 2 points really....
1) Don't pin anything on the great "universal credit" , everytime I hear it mentioned it's slipped back another year or so and by the time the DWP have got it sorted whoever is in charged will have come up with some other fantastic solution. 2) The only stink from this thread is coming from Mr B's biggest mate, a man so hypocritical I'd rather have no mates at all that one like him. Face it John, he's not in power in any more and is making a pretty poor of job of just being a councillor. ( or maybe he could come on here and share his views , since you think it's so important that every other councillor does....) |
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One of the points which hasn't so far been mentioned, is that this centre which was situated on Cannon Street, was mainly used by B.M.E's....the number if indigenous people as Councillor Britcliffe called them, was negligible..........The letter complaining about the move of the centre had no ethnic names as signataries.......so does this mean that the people who put their name to this letter have complained because the ethnic minorities are getting a service they have always used........(and which we have failed to use) money allocated, and feel aggrieved because of this?
I don't know....I'm only asking the question......why is it important all of a sudden when locals (non ethnics) have rarely used it in the past? Perhaps someone will enlighten me. |
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Ok, he didn't make many posts, but that was his choice.......and there is absolutely nothing stopping him from coming on here at any time and posting his views....and maybe telling us his own point of view on the situation of this non thread. He doesn't deserve you to be fighting his corner....he could do it himself. |
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More facts are needed. Though there is an unpleasant whiff about it all. |
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Maybe the centre has gone to Hannah Street because it is an area where there are a lot of ethnic minorities.....who actually use this service.
Maybe if the work of the centre was publicised more, it would be used by more non ethnics(not sure if this is PC or not)....and if the local non ethnics had a real need for this service they would get there....after all Hannah Street isn't exactly Outer Mongolia........buses may not go past the door, but a taxi will take you anywhere you want to go....and won't be much more expensive than the bus(it might even be cheaper). |
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Ah, but it isn't in line for heafty chunk of council funding.(unless you have some inside information) I think that is the nub of the issue, plus it is seen to be ethnic people who get the benefit of the service....but it is these people who make the most use of it.
There is nothing stopping non ethnics from using the service if they have need of it. |
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I've already posted links on this forum to B.M.E. groups, in receipt of H.B.C. funding, who openly state ONLY black or ethnic women are able to attend various events. |
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This centre isn't only for BME's, it is for everyone, but it seems that not many people other than the BME's have used it. As for the question...'would I feel welcome'........I suppose it isn't about feeling welcome, it is about getting help for a particular problem........and if the problem was pressing enough and I needed the help....then I would get over it....and getting to Hannah Street would not be insurmountable either. The situation just feels a bit 'dog in a manger-ish'........we(the non ethnics) don't use it, but why should the money be spent on the ethnic community. It is just how it appears to me...and you know I will say it how I see it. |
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That is wrong. Legally, since we have race discrimination laws in this country, it is also more than questionable that making such a statement isn't criminal. I think it is very wrong that Hyndburn Borough Council are using tax payers' money to fund any body which makes reference to anyone's race or colour. It's wrong, and creates more sparatism. Whether they are able to go in there or not, calling anything a Black & Ethnic Minority centre will put some folks off going there, thinking they're barred because they don't fit the required ethnicity. |
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To answer the points raised on here, it isn't a BME service, it is and always has been open to all but hard facts were given to the committee that the number of non-Asians who had used the centre over the past 25 years was negligible and those who were came largely from Polish origin.
The Accrington Observer also notes that it serves 6 people per week on average which again is untrue, it is an average of 6 people per day in person and does not take into consideration the people who phone up. Moving the service out of Cannon Street will save around £10,000 per year but the paper has not picked up on the further saving of £12,000 per year by halving the council allowance for it until 2014 when it will be stopped altogether. All this should be minuted online under 'Cabinet'. It is interesting to note that Cllr Britcliffe did not respond to the question put to him at Cabinet that if this is such an outrageous decision that he kept funding it during his 10 years in control at a cost of £24,000 every year. Essentially, the same service will be provided for £22,000 less and then phased out. |
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I always said you'd make a great O&S scrutineer Ken. The decision is to reduce now, and then phase out Council funding for this activity in a way that is acceptable to everyone.
The stupidity of Britcliffe's argument is in the fact that he continually funded this at £24,000 per year. |
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BME Hyndburn Black & Minority Ethnic Why is tax payers' money being spent on any body or organisation, that differentiates on race, or ethnic background? Would H.B.C. fund an exclusively white organisation? I'll answer for you. Er...no. That would be seen as being 'racist'. There should be no difference. But sadly there is. Every citizen in Hyndburn should be treated as equals. Positive discrimination stinks, and creates division. Instead of uniting communities. |
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However it's scrutinised. |
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I wonder how he mimed "silly"? |
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'It is not possible at this stage to be precise about the level of savings that will arise from this proposal as these depend, in part at least, on negotiations with the existing staff, and with the Hyndburn Cultural Association.'
http://www.hyndburnbc.gov.uk/downloa...e_Services.pdf Have these 'negotiations' with the Hyndburn Cultural Association taken place yet? |
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