Friday, May 28, 2004

Council House Modernisation Problems 

Council houses in Stafford Borough are being modernised on a rolling programme. In general this has gone well with the majority of tenants being satisfied with what has been done to their homes. However in a few cases there have been problems. Tonight I went to visit one local resident who had written to me to tell me that he had been refused a new kitchen as part of the modernisation scheme although this had been provided to his neighbours.

I had to tell him that this was not uncommon as I’d already dealt with a number of similar cases. It appears that a standard modernisation package was not available to all tenants. Each was asked early in the process to say what they would like done to their homes. Some asked for new garden fences or drive ways as well as a new kitchen and bathroom. Inspectors then called on each home to check the condition of the property and to look for other items that might need replacing such as roofs and doors. Following this an individual list of modifications was drawn up for each house. This has resulted in each tenant being treated differently.

Having looked at the kitchen I cannot understand why it was not replaced but like any other Council project this one seems driven more by saving money than by providing a decent service to the tenants. I had to break the bad news to the gentleman in question that I thought it very unlikely that the Council would respond positively to his request, as from experience I was always met with the same answer – “We don’t have any money”. Even so I will be taking up the issue with the Council’s housing department!

Meet The Public Cancelled 

This mornings “Meet the Public” meeting as again been cancelled! The meeting were started some years ago by the Borough Council so that members of the public could meet with the Chief Executive, and the 3 Party Group Leaders. They’ve never been that well attended, but in the past, if no members of the public turned up the time was used by the Group Leaders and the Chief Executive to discuss items of common interest. However since the Conservatives took control of the Council last year things have changed and very few meetings have been held. I remember well, prior to the Tories coming to power, Judith Delgarno – their leader – always raising the issue that she did not know what was going on and that she was being kept in the dark about what was happening. Funny how things change! Now that she has such a large majority and knows exactly what is happening it appears these meetings between the Group Leaders are not important as is the exchange of information they sometimes did allow!

Thursday, May 27, 2004

Seighford TB Tests 

This afternoon I spent an interesting couple of hours on a farm in Seighford watching a local vet carry out TB tests on some of the cows. It was clear from my conversation with the vet that TB is certainly spreading in parts of Staffordshire and for many farmers it was a problem. Luckily the tests this afternoon showed the farm I was on was clear of the disease.

If any of the cows had reacted it would have meant difficulties for the farmer. As the farm is beef enterprise he would, after disposing of the infected cow, have been forced either to send the rest of his cows for slaughter or would have been made to keep them on the farm until the tests showed the farm was clear. Either of these options would have affected the farmers income drastically and at a time when the whole agricultural industry is struggling to survive this could have spelt disaster for the whole business.

What is clear is that the Government have no real policy on Bovine TB and far more research must be carried out into its cause and how it should be dealt with. While badgers certainly seem to be in the firing line as the carriers of the disease this has not be scientifically proved beyond doubt and pressure groups on both side of the argument are arguing their cause extremely vocally. The look of relief on the farmers face was clear when he heard the results and Government owes it to him and his fellow farmers to take this matter seriously and make more funds available so the underlying science is discovered and then acted on.

Wednesday, May 26, 2004

Planning Training Workshop 

Tonight I attended a workshop designed to introduce Councillors to how the Borough Council carries out it’s planning function. Believe me this workshop is not before time as I’ve become more and more despondent with planning and the way some decisions are made.

Given the importance of the Council’s planning function I was disappointed that to-nights meeting was attended by less than half the Council and even some of these left before the end! However I suppose I should be the last to complain about the few who left early as I was about 30 minutes late arriving as I’d been held up by a telephone call from a local resident who had a pressing housing problem.

In the end I think the event got across some messages. In fact the 15 minutes left for questions at the end was perhaps the most enlightening, as quite a few new Councillors asked some quite searching questions. It was interesting to watch the faces of some of them as the penny began to drop and I’m quite sure they will approach future planning meetings in a different way.

However I even more convinced that some of the decisions taken by the Council over the past few months are questionable and that some Councillors have sailed very close to the wind or indeed have crossed the line when they voted on some applications. I’ve already raised the matter with the Chief Executive and are now more determined than ever to take the matter further. The Borough Solicitor, who presented part of the evening suggested that the Council could be left open to judicial review or an investigation by the ombudsman if the Councillors did not follow the rules. It looks as if this is the route I now need to follow!

Monday, May 24, 2004

Well tonight’s meeting of Haughton Parish Council went with a bang.

Towards the end of the meeting the position of the Village handyman was discussed. At the last meeting the Council appointed the Chairman and Vice Chairman to form a panel to interview applicants for the vacant handyman post. Well tonight they reported on the outcome of those interviews, which was perhaps a bit late as the new handyman was cutting the grass outside the Village Hall while the meeting was taking place.

The agenda item made it clear the two members were to make a recommendation to the rest of the Council. However during their introduction the bomb shell was dropped. They had offered the job to one of the applicants and had offered him a pay rise over what the last handyman was being paid. You could have heard a pin drop when this announcement was made, as at no time were they given the delegated power to up the pay on offer. Once the news was announced all hell broke loose, as the previous handyman had been refused a rise just before he resigned!

The two panel members tried to say they were only making this recommendation to the Council, but it was pointed out that as the new handyman had started work there was little the Council could do but agree. After about an three quarter of an hours heated debate the Treasurer sided with the Chairman and Vice Chairman to vote to employ the new handyman on the terms the panel had agreed. Three Councillors abstained on the principle that the position was a fait-accompli and I vote again the plan.

This move has soured relationships within the Council which I'm sure will never heal. Perhaps the two Councillors in question should think long and hard about their position!

Thursday, May 20, 2004

County Council Regneration Moves 

Thursday morning was taken up by a meeting of Staffordshire County Council. These set pieces are quite boring with nothing really being achieved. Today was no exception.

One noticeable item was a presentation by John Wakefield the Cabinet Member for Regeneration. Standing in for Ron Hilton, the Director of Development Services, John gave a detailed rundown of the work of the department and what steps were being taken to bring new employment to the County. This was followed by a long debate which covered a wide range of items some of which had very tenuous links to regeneration. I got involved by asking John what steps were being taken by the County Council to ensure high quality, high density jobs were being established, rather than the low quality - low density - warehouse / distribution type employment which now seemed to be the norm. I used as an example the case of Prime Point 14, Stafford’s main employment site. It appears that the developer of this site prefers large distribution warehousing rather than smaller high-tech industrial units. I pointed out that the development of the technology park, next to the university has shown that these types of units are needed and can be let. I also reflected that the growing number of job loses in the town were from more skilled sectors and that warehousing were likely not to provide either the number or quality of these lost jobs. John listened with interest but neatly sidestepped the issue in his answer by saying that as a planning application was currently under consideration for the Prime Point 14 site he did not want to comment on the matter. However he had completely missed the point as all I wanted was his assurance that the County Council recognised that some jobs were of low quality and that the regeneration unit was doing everything in their power to ensure the County was not just swamped with this type of employment!

Wednesday, May 19, 2004

Planning Farce 

Tonight’s planning meeting at Stafford Borough Council showed once again the bad face of local government. The meeting was the first since the committees membership had been changed at last weeks Annual Council Meeting. These changes had meant some of the old committee members had returned following their spell of enforced layoff – members are only allowed to serve on the committee for two years before being forced to withdraw for two years!

The meeting at time broke down into ciaos as the members exchanged jokes across the room or just shouted out comments and suggestions. Even the Chairman joined in which I’m sure did not give any of the members of the public who were there as observers any confidence in the proceedings! Luckily, my spell on the committee finished in May so I sat on the sidelines watching the proceedings and wishing the floor would open up and swallow me. At least that would have been a quick way out of the embarrassment I felt.

What is clear is that something must be done if local residents are not going to dismiss the planning process as a complete farce.

Tuesday, May 18, 2004

Church Eaton Grass 

The long the grass in Church Eaton is high on the agenda. Chris Byford, the Parish Councillor responsible for the Village’s entry in the best kept Village competition has been on the phone to complain that it has not been cut. I’ve taken this up with the County Council only to be told that it was being cut as I spoke, and that a cut had not been missed but that the grass had grown rather long since the last one!

One would have thought that would have been the end of the matter, but as the Council’s contract does not include the collection of the grass cutting I knew what was to come. Sure enough I had a number of complaints about the haymaking activity in the Village and the fact the cuttings had been left. The only thing I had to offer the callers was the fact the details of the contract and the fact the grass was only cut 8 times a year. I know I must try to get the Council to change the contract when it is next reviewed but the costs will astronomic and I’m sure the ratepayers in Staffordshire will not want to pay more. Unless the Parish Council agree to take on the grass-cutting and then top up the money the County council will pay them to do the work nothing will improve. However this will still mean the ratepayers of Church Eaton paying extra for the improved service, this time through their Parish rate!

Firework Meeting 

Tuesday morning’s meeting about the proposed changes to the laws surround firework was quite an eye opener and was well worth attending. It was one of a number of meeting across the County that had been arranged by the County Council’s Consumers Services Department. It was held at the Blind Centre in North Walls and was well attended by representatives of local Parish Councils, the emergency services, Borough and County Councillors, and representatives of other community groups.

Its clear that the Government does want to tighten up on the sale and use of fireworks but I do think the proposal do not go far enough. They rely on the County Council overseeing and licensing the sale of fire works and the police regulating the use. This will include a general curfew of the use of fireworks set at 11.00pm (there are a few exceptions to cover new year, November 5th, and some religious dates). However I’m at a loss to know how the police will stop fireworks being set off after that time, as by the time the police have arrived the fireworks will have long gone out! However I do support anything that prevents the antisocial use of fireworks and will support the police in their actions.

I raised the question of better labelling of fireworks with a clearer indication as to what size garden they should be suitable for. While this suggestion got general support from the audience it was not that well received by the representative of the County Council who appeared to be on the side of the firework manufacturers. As he was responsible for the inspection of Cosmic Fireworks whose headquarters is in Staffordshire I suppose I was not surprised!

Saturday, May 15, 2004

Stafford Virginia 10 Year Anniversary 

Stafford has been linked with Stafford Virginia USA for ten years and tonight that event was celebrated in style at the Gatehouse Theatre. The evening was hosted by the new Mayor Frank Finlay. The main formal part of the evening was taken up with speeches by the Mayor, Bob Gibbons – a member of the Board of Supervisors at Stafford County (the Board is equivalent to our Council), Jack Kemp the Chairman of Stafford County Friendship Association here in Stafford UK and Sara Fartro his counterpart in the USA. The speeches were followed by an exchange of gifts. We gave the USA a turned wooden bowl with an engraved silver centre and they gave us a Stafford lamp again with a suitable inscription.

With this part of the evening out of the way the Stafford Morris Men took the floor for a twenty minute demonstration. I have to say I’m not a great lover of Morris Dancing, but our American guests enjoyed it so that is all that matters. The American party were staying with various host families around the town which is the good thing about this friendship link, although I have to say that I am concerned it does seem to be becoming dominated by “professional twinners”, but as the Association has tried in vain to get more members of the general public involved without these folks the friendship link would just not happen!

After the buffet, the evening finished with a barn dance – another activity I not keen on - and judging by the number of people who were leaving at the same time as me they were of the same opinion! However I was told that those that were left thoroughly enjoyed themselves and the last dance saw everyone on the floor.

I must say that a number of people worked hard to make the evening and the visit in general a success and they should be thanked for the efforts. The Borough of Stafford benefits greatly from this friendship link and long may it continue.

Thursday, May 13, 2004

Ranton Parish Council 

Tonight saw me wearing my County Council hat and attending Ranton Parish Council. There meeting are always short and too the point, so I do enjoy going.

Mark Winnington, who is the Borough Councillor for Seighford Ward, is a member of the Parish Council so I usually get an easy ride. As usual the hall was packed with members of the public – well one, which is not unusual for any of the Parish Council’s I attend. Perhaps the lack of attendance is a reflection of the fact that the villagers are happy with what is happening, but I suspect that it more the fact the Parish Council is not held in any particular high regard. This is a real pity as Parish Council’s can make a real difference and should be supported.

In Ranton’s case the main thrust of their work seems to be the mowing of the grass throughout the Village, and this meeting was dominated by a discussion of the mowing equipment, insurance for the equipment and operator, the quality of the work, and who should carry it out. It is clear however that if the Parish Council did not carry out this maintenance task the village would be a poorer and more untidy place, as the County Council only cut grass in the village 8 times a year!

Monday, May 10, 2004

Conservative Power 

Tonight’s Council meeting was the usual one-sided affair. It was just twelve months ago that the Conservatives won control of the Borough council with a huge majority, and tonight they showed just how effective that is. The meeting was the Annual Council meeting at which the Council appoints its leader and cabinet and the committee and outside bodies membership is decided.

Having survived last weeks leadership challenge from Doug Davis, Judith Dalgarno was again elected Council Leader for the second time. Even though Doug had mounted the unsuccessful challenge to her she still left in him with his cabinet post as leader for Planning and Regeneration, which many think says more about the lack of other suitable and experienced members on the Tory benches rather than an olive branch being offered by Judith! The other cabinet posts were left with Mike Smith (Leisure), Trevor Reeves (Housing) and Stan Highfields (Environment and Community), while Mike Heenan was brought in to the role of Resources Leader to fill the post vacated by frank Finlay who is now mayor.

One thing is clear is that the leadership challenge will leave some lasting scars in the Tory group and it will be interesting to see how they develop over the coming months. One criticism levelled at the Tories over the last twelve months was they lacked any kind of direction and with nothing changing tonight I don’t think things will improve.

When it came to the distribution of places on outside bodies the Tories used their full voting power to get their own way. In all about nine different outside bodies were voted on and in ever case the Tories voted as a pack and won every vote 32 votes to 14 or 15. Even if every Councillor had been present (59) they would have still won by miles.

One must question if having such a big majority is good for democracy as decision are now taken in Conservative Group meetings, behind closed doors and away from public scrutiny.

Saturday, May 08, 2004

Annual Mayor Making 

Today’s Mayor making celebrations went off without a hitch; well almost if you disregard the long silence that followed the retiring Mayor’s request for nominations for his replacement. The council chamber in the County Building was packed for the event. It was Councillor Doug Davis who should have nominated Frank Finlay to be the new mayor, but he was miles away when his moment in history arrived. Luckily some gave him a nudge and the whole ceremony staggered back into life.

My role was to give a three minute vote of thanks to the retiring mayor – Liberal Democrat John Russell. I always enjoy these occasions as the speech does not have to be too serious and does not have to be political or indeed try to score political points from the opposition.

John has been a wonderful Mayor and has done a great job represented both the Borough and the Liberal Democrat Party to the wider community. This is even more surprising as had less than a day to get used to the idea of being Mayor.

The Liberal Democrat nomination for the job had been Frank James, but two days before taking up his post last May he lost his Council seat in the elections. As Group Leader I’d been watch how things were developing as the election day got closer and had had a number of meeting with the Council’s Chief Executive to discuss a back-up plan if Frank failed on polling day – as it seemed likely he would. As it turned out my fears were realised and John stepped into the breach. From day one he was excellent.

Unfortunately now the balance of power has shifted on the Council, and now the Liberal Democrats have only five Councillors it will be many years before there is another Liberal Democrat Mayor.

Friday, May 07, 2004

PPC Selection 

Tonight, I am delighted to say, I was selected by the Stafford Constituency Party to be their Prospective Parliament Candidate for the coming General Election. Having stood as a candidate in two previous General Elections in other parts of the County I had always wanted to stand in Stafford. As a Staffordian I believe passionately in the town and the surround area and know only too well the fears, hopes, and aspirations of the local residents.

So far two other candidates have been selected – David Kidney the sitting Labour MP and David Chambers for the Conservatives. In the past Liberal Democrats have done quite well in Stafford and in the earlier 1990’s came with an couple of thousand votes of winning the seat. Since that time the Party’s fortunes has slid but with the current political climate nationally I’m sure this is about to change.

Being a Borough and County Councillor will give me a strong advantage and will open quite a few doors. What is clear however that the coming months will be hard, but I’m sure enjoyable, work. Being PPC will give me a great opportunity to meet and help various groups something I am looking forward too immensely.

Thursday, May 06, 2004

American Visitors 

This morning I was at the Borough council offices at 8.00am to meet a party of visitors from Stafford sister town in the USA – Stafford Virginia. I have been involved with this twinning link for the past ten years and in that time have made many friends in the USA.

The party this time will be staying with host families in Stafford for a couple of days before travelling to the south coast to spend five days site seeing there. Following that they will return to Stafford to spend another three days in the town. During that time the Council will be marking the tenth anniversary of the friendship link and have organised an evening of entertainment in the Gatehouse Theatre next weekend.

I’m always worried about the way twinning is perceived by the public. To many it is a club, which is just dedicated to giving its members free or cheap holidays. I must say I do sometime wonder if this is the case as there does seem to be a large band of “professional” twinner’s in Stafford. It is evident as the same faces appear on the committees of each of the four twinning associations. I do believe it is important that twinning should be more than just the same people, and that for it to succeed it should appeal and be open to everyone.

The one thing I know is that in the past ten years I've always paid full price for my trips to the USA and have never received a free or cheap holiday. Now-a-days I prefer to arrange my own visits as I do find some members of the twinning group are to intent on ensuring the trips are run for their own convenience rather than the furtherance of good will and understanding between the two communities!

Wednesday, May 05, 2004

New County Council Boundaries 

At long last the Boundary Committee for England has published it report on the new County Council boundaries. My own division will see some massive changes. I’ll lose Western Downs and gain the whole of the Borough Ward of Seighford, all of Doxey and the new Timberfields estate. In some ways this does make sense as the majority of the area gained is rural and as such will have the same problems and inspirations as what is left of my existing division. However Doxey and Timberfields will certainly be the odd ones out, as they can only be described as urban. Unfortunately the process of redrawing the boundaries is more to do with numbers than the joining together of similar communities.

The one saving grace is that Doxey residents have recently submitted a petition to the Borough council asking for their support in an attempt to get a Parish Council established in Doxey. At the Council meeting last week when this was reported I was pleased to speak in support of this move. As A parish Councillor myself I firmly believe that Parish Council’s do benefit the communities they serve and can provide a useful, and local service.

Over the next few weeks I’ll be starting my campaign to raise my profile in the new areas of the division!

Monday, May 03, 2004

Stafford Castle Medieval Fair 

This afternoon I had an enjoyable visit to the Medieval Fair at Stafford Castle. Although this was purely a social visit it did give me the opportunity to see how well the Borough Council had organised the event and speak to some of the staff on duty.

I must say it was well attended, although I was disappointed at what was on offer for the £5 entry charge. While the whole event was billed as focusing on the living re-enactment / living history displays the main focus seemed to be on the various stalls selling items with some historical connection. There was no clear indication as to where the living history section was or indeed any description of what you were looking at. Even the main arena seemed to be an after thought and we waited over an hour and a half before anything happened.

On the other hand all the Council staff I spoke too were enthusiastic and welcoming and were working hard to make everyone’s visit an enjoyable one. Mark Hartwell the Heritage Site's Manager certainly leads from the front and was right in the thick of it on car-park duty when we arrived, which cannot always be said for some Council senior staff who like to play the role of managers and walk around looking important rather than getting down to do some hard work!

All in all I thought the afternoon was over-priced and would certainly think twice about going again especially as when I came to get something to eat at 3.00pm the catering van had run out of food except for crisps!

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