hyndburn life website - Page 7

WillowTheWhisp · 14-11-2006, 06:30

Ah but you see 'technology has outstripped' them! Is that another way of saying nobody has a clue how to update the blessed thing?

As for the money. It's all very well that it came from outside the borough but the point is it could have been spent in a far more worthwhile way! OK so it had a label attached to it saying 'money - technology for the use of' but there are people living within Hyndburn itself who could have done a better job with it than the white elephant we ended up with.

Less · 14-11-2006, 10:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by WillowTheWhisp

Ah but you see 'technology has outstripped' them! Is that another way of saying nobody has a clue how to update the blessed thing?

More like some Bullsh*tter baffled them, as you've said yourself many times they bought off the shelf rubbish and didn't set it up right, anyone that had problems logging into them was ignored, (we have told you time and time again there isn't a problem logging in so go away!) and anyone that tried to advise them of some of their very basic mistakes, (mainly you), was told to butt out because you didn't know what you were talking about.

Yes it could have been a useful site but with the attitude of the administrator and his staff, it was doomed from the outset.

WillowTheWhisp · 14-11-2006, 10:38

That's about it in a nutshell Less. The words "head" and "brickwall" are another way of putting it.

g jones · 14-11-2006, 18:11

The SRB Board are very concernend. Three shocked members have contacted the Labour Group to find out how the money was wasted on this 'business site'.

There is to be a inquiry by the SRB Board. They also approved £266,000 of Hyndburn Council SRB monies besides the Tory Cabinet. They meet Friday. Clr Jean Battle is on the board. Back then she recomended refusal but the board (full of Nigel Rix's friends) authorised the monies.

The funding document (put forward by an HBC Officer for the Council) states "Responsible Authority=HBC", "Accountable Body=HBC" "Initial Delivery Organisation=HBC with use of Consultants" "Monitoring=HBC" "Mainstreaming=HBC" "Financially Responsible Body including any overspend=HBC" "Maintenance and Content=HBC". The only outside body was the firm who collected some £300,000 to set it all up.

The Council's e-strategy group at the Council was charged with monitoring the site's development.

And here's the Council spokesperson launching the site. Note the words OUR SITE....
http://www.accringtonobserver.co.uk/...l_website.html

... also note at the end not ONE business has signed up.

g jones · 14-11-2006, 18:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by WillowTheWhisp

Ah but you see 'technology has outstripped' them! Is that another way of saying nobody has a clue how to update the blessed thing?

As for the money. It's all very well that it came from outside the borough but the point is it could have been spent in a far more worthwhile way! OK so it had a label attached to it saying 'money - technology for the use of' but there are people living within Hyndburn itself who could have done a better job with it than the white elephant we ended up with.

The money came from within the Borough. SRB and ERDF. The Borugh/The Council has been given £8m SRB to spend from 2002-2008 and I think £4m ERDF to spend which I think is between 2001-2007.

The site didnt get updated because IT have only 7 staff out of 13 (and they have to run complex financial servers wth personal infornmation on such as Council Tax). Chronic staff shortages are how they have magically covered up the £1.8m black hole and other financial mismangement.

This portal is showing up so many flaws,
Financial incompetence all around
Poor politcal leadership - naked uncontrolled ambition
Chronic staff shortages and problems under the carpet
Failure of financial monitoring systems (SRB and ERDF Boards & Council)

Roll on May....

SPUGGIE J · 14-11-2006, 18:49

Are you incinuating that if HBC had been a business it would have gone to the wall with investigations in to how it all went wrong? At the end of the day councilloers might chang but the civil service ones are still there and have to cop for some of the mistakes as well. They advise so should cop for it as well.

g jones · 10-12-2006, 22:20

All councillors have received the following letter from Peter Britcliffe. In it it says;

The project was delivered successfully if not expensively in order to keep to the very rigourous demands of a Labour Government.

Technological developments have now outstripped the original vision and there is less demand for Community Groups to use the site as they prefer to do it themselves rather than use a partner.

It is interesting is it not that whilst we successfully launched our Portal, other Councils including Labour controlled Lancashire County Council have been unable to deliver anything despite spending millions of pounds.

Yours Sincerely

Peter Britcliffe.

Roll on May.... time for change.

KIPAX · 10-12-2006, 22:27

The thing is... he is right that Technological developments (i copied them 2 words cus i cant spell) are advanced and companies do prefer to do it themselves rather than use a partner as they where offering.... His point is true and valid... However his timing is out because not only is it true.. it was true way way way! before hyndburn life was thought of... thus it was never going to be a success..

For his statement to hold water... some people would ahve taken up the portal partnership when it started but since left or numbers gone down.. in reality no independant company took up the offer... I know this because you can search companies using the portal on hyndburn life...

His statement reads like he thinks he is being clever.. Like someone has given him that guff and said thats believable... people in hyndburn are too thick to understand computers let alone the business or e-commerce side of it..... tell em this and you will be OK

hmmmm

WillowTheWhisp · 10-12-2006, 22:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peter Britcliffe

Lancashire County Council have been unable to deliver anything despite spending millions of pounds.

Now that is the bit which really intrigues me. LCC have spent millions of pounds on nothing? Do we have evidence of this?

Sorry Mr. B but that still does not convince me that Hyndburnlite was ever a success. They could not even manage to ensure that the web pages had a closing tag for every opening tag of html and you simply cannot get much more basic than that. (No pun intended

)

Sparkologist · 12-12-2006, 06:45

That statement smacks of Mr Britcliffe attempting to shift the spotlight away from his own sorry excuse for a community website, or in this case, lack of!

garinda · 03-07-2007, 15:34

It looks like even more funds are being sought to resurrect the disaster that was Hyndburn Life.

Councils Flop Website Set For Relaunch (from Blackburn Citizen)

Lolly · 03-07-2007, 15:40

Will they never learn??

garinda · 03-07-2007, 15:45

Mr Britcliffe again saying that the £600,000 that was wasted on the forum, doesn't really matter because it wasn't Hyndburn's own money, still doesn't wash.

Wherever the money came from, it was 'our' money, be it raised by national or local taxes.

This was a scandalous waste of resources, and a wasted opportunity to boot.

KIPAX · 03-07-2007, 16:00

Also it gives the impression that it's been closed down. Well it's still there with the same useless information.

The trouble is none of the items have proper dates on. so unsuspecting visitors will think the info is current.

Biggest mistake was using the actual software and system they used (I mean frames for goodness sake).. from there it was downhill.

They should offer me the job of rebuilding and running the site. I would make it a success.. but it will be a job for the boys and another flop...

WillowTheWhisp · 03-07-2007, 17:18

I was talking to Counsellor Pritchard about this on Saturday and got the impression that he thought it was a waste of money too.