Originally Posted by jaysay (Post 1046128)

There's not much of a shop in fake shop front either Margaret its just a façade :rolleyes:

Originally Posted by Guinness (Post 1045874)

Yeah..let's pick on spelling, much easier than explaining why Rishton keeps getting allocated money over other areas much more in need...20k for planning cafes, supermarkets and shops in a village with 2 supermarkets, a spar, 2 cafes, a restaurant and umpteen shops, 10k for allotments and 5k for looking at unadopted roads.

But hey, coming from a guy who has probably made more sensational posts about the former council (before he was elected) than an amalgam of any 5 other members of this forum..why let facts get in the way!

You and Graham Jones exemplify what is wrong with the politics of this country...when you were looking for votes you were all over this forum, since you both have been accountable you have been conspicuous by your absence, chipping in occasionally usually to bemoan that you are misunderstood or that you know better than us plebs. (And in Graham Jones's case it's probably because some unpaid intern has copy/pasted the info from Google for him beforehand)

I don't like Jay's political stance, but I would never stoop so low as to use spelling or grammar as an argument against his political leanings. How far has the socialist ideal fallen that it attempts to make political gain over spelling....pathetic

Originally Posted by Ken Moss (Post 1046200)

Perhaps my somewhat sporadic posting these days stems from an immediate distrust as soon as my party took control of the Council. Maybe you have time to come onto a forum that disbelieves everything you put in writing in public, I'm afraid I personally have better things to do with my time than argue with people who suddenly seem hell bent on getting me to prove that every last thing I say isn't some sort of lie. I don't ever recall saying that I know more than anyone else either, unless you have evidence that states otherwise?

Rishton gets no more money than anywhere else, I just shout louder about what we actually do get. You seem to know a lot about what we're using our Area Council money for, one might almost assume that you live here.

If that's the case then why are you so worried that your Councillor is actually doing what he said he would?

Originally Posted by jaysay (Post 1046207)

Glad to hear you haven't the time to come on here now Ken especially because you think that nobody believes a word your saying, I believe not long ago you too had all those doubts about other politicians but its obviously curable.;)

Originally Posted by Ken Moss (Post 1046200)

Perhaps my somewhat sporadic posting these days stems from an immediate distrust as soon as my party took control of the Council. Maybe you have time to come onto a forum that disbelieves everything you put in writing in public, I'm afraid I personally have better things to do with my time than argue with people who suddenly seem hell bent on getting me to prove that every last thing I say isn't some sort of lie. I don't ever recall saying that I know more than anyone else either, unless you have evidence that states otherwise?

Rishton gets no more money than anywhere else, I just shout louder about what we actually do get. You seem to know a lot about what we're using our Area Council money for, one might almost assume that you live here.

If that's the case then why are you so worried that your Councillor is actually doing what he said he would?

Originally Posted by Guinness (Post 1046218)

I'm sorry but you had one very minor spat with one member who was intent on flogging a particularly dead horse....it would have been easy enough to stop responding and move on to other discussions, instead of taking your ball home and drawing the curtains for six months.

Coming on here and arguing the toss when not in power is easy, staying around and fighting your corner when you are in power and therefore accountable is much more gutsy...

Regardless of where I live ;), I maintain the right to disagree and question what I consider to be trivial and/or pointless council spending of my hard earned wampum.

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington (Post 1046238)

For me, I view the local political scene in an entirely different way to national politics.
I think I am more trusting of local politicians....for a variety of reasons.....they are much more accessible(Yes, I know that MP's have their surgeries where you can see them with a problem or issue) you can see your local councillor in the post office, or on the market and often he/she will pass the time of day with you....their children may go to the same school as your and you meet them at Parents Evenings and at the school gates.
They haven't got elevated too far above what most MP's see as the hoi polloi.
They have their finger on the pulse of local events....and while they should not be immune from criticism if they are not pulling their weight....they should be recognised for the good work that they do.......and I have said this before PARTY POLITICS shouldn't come into it, because that is where rancour arises, and often is unwarranted and benefits no-one.

Originally Posted by Ken Moss (Post 1046230)

Yes, and despite finding answers for various members of this forum I suddenly found myself turned on by a great number of them as soon as I became part of the ruling group. Flogging a dead horse has never been one of my strong points, particularly when it has been pulling the bandwagon that quite a few people jumped on.

With regard to questioning Council spending, I would maintain your right to do so as well but would hope and pray that you do at least cast your vote each year, regardless of colour. I meet an awful lot of people who have very strong criticisms of the Council but never actually bother to vote.

I'm all for measured arguments too but the danger of the Internet is that there is a lot of bravado behind the safety of a keyboard and many debates descend into slagging off the Council for the sake of it. I have had hundreds of bravura comments online but can count on one hand the number of abusive debates I've had in the real world regarding the Council. Everything usually boils down to the fact that my answers don't match the ones in their head so it's fair game to mark out the politician as a liar.

Most people are nothing like that in person, thankfully.

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington (Post 1046254)

In general elections I have been known to spoil my paper or to not vote at all....and this isn't due to being lazy/apathetic....it is down to me not being able to choose a candidate, because although they may sport coats of a different colour(in relation to political ideology) they are all the same, they lie to us, cheat us and treat us, the electorate, with contempt.
In the main they think there are different rules for them, the elected ones, to us...the ones who elected them. Their contempt for us is palpable as is seen by the fiascos of the Huhne case and the Lord Rennard allegations.
National politics is rotten to the core and needs some desperate event to sort it out.
Those at the Palace of Westminster care nothing for the common man....or for the future of this country. The only thing they care about is saving their necks and having a nice fat nest egg to live high on the hog off.
(Yes....I know my cynical pills are wearing off....I'll just go and take another one, or maybe two for good measure)

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington (Post 1046262)

Yes, John...that was then, and life back then was different...politics was different.
And to some people, supporting a political party is done blindly without asking yourself any questions.
The people I am talking about do not see that the political parties have changed beyond all recognition....the lines that separated the parties have become blurred, so that voting for one of the main parties is really no different from voting for the other main party.
These people think that the ideologies followed by the parties, are the same as they were in the fifties and sixties...which anyone with half a brain cell can see quite clearly, it is not the case.
They think that socialism...real socialism exists.
They think that one party will care for and look after the old, the vulnerable and the sick.......it is all an illusion....there is no red, there is no blue...there are just different shades of mauve now.