A bout of Insomnia this week (the full moon was so bright my body thought it was dawn at 2.15 am), sent me onto you tube, to find out what had happened in Australia. As with the UK they have had a hung parliament (however after nearly a week they are still counting - how strange is that1 Normally in the UK they are done and dusted by 6pm the next day). Three things stood out for me:
1. Election of young people- In one area (Longman) they elected a 20 year old called Wyatt Roy. One thing political parties aren’t very good at is selecting the next generation of councillors or MP’s. Normally what happens is a party is voted out either nationally or locally and the next set of councillors hopefully come forward to stand for the seats. If you scan the images of Councillors on a Council website you can often see which parties are holding the door open for people to stand for them, and which are running a ‘closed shop’ where only those who are in the know tend to get selected to stand. I am of the view that the decline in the Labour Party locally in the long term won’t be because they become unelectable, but because they fail to bring on a new set of activists to follow on from those are currently looking to wind down. At the end of the day the key is to open the door to others in the same good will, as others once gave you the opportunity to stand.
2. How different the UK parliament is to the Australian one - Follow the link to watch the video. They like to argue a bit, well actually a lot.
3. How great is Joe Hockey MP - The man is a typical Aussie and isn’t too full of himself (which sometimes happens with politicians).
Having just come to the end of a week’s holiday from work, I have had what can only be described as an eclectic week.
Council - wise I have been trying to clear a backlog of case work which seemingly overtook me over the past few weeks. The house also needed a damn good tidy up, and I have finally seen what the bottom of my laundry basket looks like! We also have had a regular Conservative Group meeting which discussed the upcoming effects of the national drive to reduce the deficit. It’s no doubt the challenge of reducing our income from the government by between 20-25% over five years will be a stiff challenge. Although it is worth noting that the grant from Government isn’t the only source of income the council has. Over the years our forefathers have invested in industrial land and other assets which does provide an income. The sad thing about the current national debt is that the last government operated a ‘buy now pay later’ economy, we are now in the pay later time, but what have we really to show for the spending binge that they went on. Living on the never never is not an approach we take in the Council, and it should never have been allowed nationally either.
Since Thursday I have received a letter and an email from a couple of local groups in relation to my previous post regarding Special Interest Groups (SIG’s), wishing to make comment. I was genuinely surprised to find that this website is read so widely, I have previously joked that most of the times it is read by my Mum or other Councillors.
On other websites I have known, in the past when people have wished to complain, it can often lead to a ‘handbags at dawn’ situation. The person writing the blog can tend to fly off the handle somewhat and usually complains that they are having their ‘free speech’ impinged, the person making the comments obviously feel that they have a some valid points to make. Anyone is free to leave a comment on the article – infact I would encourage anyone who has a differing opinion to do so. My only comment editing policy is to remove spam and unsure that I do not end up being a third party in a libel action. People who know me know that I am quite even mannered and wish to be fair to all. My approach is that if someone feels the need to contact me, the least I can do is re examine the article and self edit where I feel that it is the appropriate to do so, and this case I have re-edited the article. I have made the following changes voluntarily, and the article will be reposted over the weekend in a better edited version.
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The article was written about SIG generically, and was not meant to hold up a particular group. Because some groups locally have words such as ‘Save’, in their title. It could be implied that I was singling them out. That line has now being changed, with a better explanation of what a SIG is.
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The comment was made in an email that they spend hours and hours of their own time meeting council officers to raise issues their issues in a way that they feel is constructive. That I feel is fair comment so have edited a line to reflect that.
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Election results – This line has been removed and edited into a new paragraph. I had used one local example of SOS, and had forgotten that the Lonsdale had also put up candidates in 2005 I chose not to use the example of the David King grouping as Mr King had passed away some years ago. This of course implies that am treating one group separately to another. In addition because of the way candidates appear on the ballot paper by law during these elections they have to go under either no party label or be classed as independents. (Which actually I think is an unfair feature of the electoral system). Therefore I have changed that line and used the example of a group outside of the Carlisle, which had registered as a political party.
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Code of conduct (planning bias & tone) – A comment was made that I was operating outside of the Councillors Code of Conduct. In terms of Planning Bias as there are no active planning applications on recent high profile issues I therefore don’t feel that any comment made has blinkered my view of any planning matter. In terms of tone the words mocking and disrespectful have been used to describe the article. I often try to be light hearted in my approach to writing articles, and do this because so much of the work of a Councillor is quite detailed and heavy. I try to be less of an iron fist and more of a light touch I personally do not feel that I was disrespectful in writing the article and consider that given these edits to the text that this is now clearer. The last two paragraphs of the original article have been tightened and tidied up in editing terms to better reflect the message was trying to convey and have used a couple of examples to better illustrate this. I often when writing articles struggle to conclude them in a satisfactory way, and think this is an example of this, they do come across as rather confusing and do need some clarity.
Today’s announcement that the Audit Commission is going to cease, is I feel a good thing for Councils in England. The processes of Audit Commission’s involvement in the day to day financial processes of bodies such as councils has been an eye opener. It’s rather like having the bank manager living with you. That the work will move into the private sector is an example of the shackles coming off the public bodies in the UK. Less officer time and Council Tax payer money will now be spend chasing the tick boxes of this particular quango. Councils need to change and dragging the vast hinterland of boards and commissions and agencies will only hold back the best, whilst failing to improve the worst. It feels a little like the Ancient Mariner had finally got rid of the Albatross.
When I first joined the council in 2006, a stand off had developed between Carlisle City Council and the Audit Commission. In essence the accounts of the Council had, in the view of the Audit Commission, some errors. No money had gone missing or anything like that, but the right amounts had shown up in the wrong columns. One example of this was that a monetary grant for an archaeological dig in 1999 had been classed as a revenue grant, when in fact it was a capital grant. It all got sorted but the trouble it caused (which lasted for at least a year) to me highlighted some of the inefficiencies of the Public Sector. In the private sector this would have been sorted in a few days, with less fuss and less cost and with better clarity.
The visit by the Audit Commission could have gone better.
At one point it reminded me of an episode of Dynasty, in all it’s shoulder-padded glory. The crying shame is that it happened in Councils up and down the UK, so the total cost of the foot stamping would have run into millions. That money could have, and should have, been spent on better things than paper shuffling.
This often gets said at election time. When I was a little bit green around the Gills, it always rather stumped me. However over the last four years I have watched the Labour Party locally to a greater degree. I actually don’t dislike most Labour Councillors. As a Grandson of a Midlands Labour Councillor, I wouldn’t think of using such broad generalisations. Actually one of the things that annoys me so much about the local Labour group is that they are led so poorly by the current junta that it virtually makes a mockery of itself. After five years as a Councillor they are some Labour Councillors who are easy to work with, some however have never made an effort to speak to other Councillors. Such is life, we use to have one Conservative Councillor who was such a complete ‘git’ (lets call a spade a spade), that virtually no one could stand them.
The main difference is the loyalty to the political tribe. To be honest as Conservatives our approach is more pragmatic, if we see a good idea we will go for it. The Labour Group however feel that the political dogma is all that matters, and that any view that they don’t agree with is therefore not to be touched. One local example of this involves £20,000 that we had last year when a project relating to job evaluation came under budget. We were planning to ‘bank’ the saving. Cllr Stothard (Labour) however made the suggestion that the money be used to enable staff to undertake training so that they were better skilled at their jobs. After a discussion within the Conservative Group we actually took the view that it was a good idea in the long run, and it happened. This can be contrasted with the approach Carlisle Labour has taken on several issues such as Post Office Closures, Tullie House, abolishing of 10p tax ect, ect, ect. They take the view that it is almost an insult to them that you don’t think that they are right, even if their viewpoint is so bizarre as to be a pastiche of itself, over time they have become an echo of themselves as they try to fight yeserday’s battles, whilst everyone else has moved on.
This week I have been car-less (picking up a new-ish car on Tuesday) and God I really have missed the car and the freedom it provides. I tell you the one thing Carlisle really needs is two bus operators. I really hope that Reay’s Coaches make a success of the service they picked up from Stagecoach, their buses are clean, smart on time and you don’t feel that you have been mugged when paying for a ticket.
I always had a view that as a British citizen I ought to support my country in my choice of car. However by the time I bought my first car (a 1999 Ford Fiesta) the British Car Industry had vanished. As of Tuesday I will be found in a 2008 Toyota Aygo. John Reardon and the local Green Party will delight in it’s low carbon, high recyclable qualities. I however look forward to the cheapness of it’s upkeep and the economy of it’s drive.
The best bit of gossip I heard this week involves a Councillor, who according to the rumour a resident told me has ‘pulled strings’ and got a dog walker arrested. This Councillor, because of their outside interests will be in very hot water if this is the case, so I better not reveal any names. Wouldn’t want to get an ASBO or anything like that !
The resident’s referral letters from Houghton continue to arrive, each raising a view or a concern as to to the area and/or the council. I greatly look forward to them, and am greatly enjoying dealing with them. The plan after Houghton is done is to ‘hit’ other villages, it had gone so well.
The Crindledyke homes application has been reported on in the press as going before the Planning Committee on the 20th of August. This is something, at this time which I highly doubt will actually happen. For it to be presented on that date the report by the City Council’s Planning Officer would have to be completed by the 5th of August. A lot of information that ought to have been provided by the County Council’s Highways and Educational Departments is still outstanding though. I could be proved wrong but I have a feeling that the deadline is too tight to be met.
Had a mild hissy fit in a Council Meeting on Thursday. Having got out of bed on the wrong side, I attended the Resources Committee and got more and more grumpy at the repetition of some of the issues being raised. After one hour (and still being on the first main agenda item), during which I must have looked like John Prescott chewing a wasp, I rather lost my even temper slightly with the Liberal Democrat Chairman, much to the amusement of Cllr Boaden. No doubt I’ll be made to sit on the City Council equivalent of the ‘naughty chair’ at some point!
This Tuesday (and in a better mood) Marilyn and myself will be having a ward walk in both Houghton and Crindledyke, looking at issues raised and trying to progress them with officers. Rather looking forward to that.
I have a little phrase I use for the occasional times I have to deal with Special Interest Groups. I call the Julie Andrews groups. It comes from a quote by Christopher Plummer that working with Julie Andrews was like:
Being hit over the head with a Valentine’s Card.
S.I.G’s or Special Interest Groups come in all shapes and sizes. The National Trust could be classed as such a group and so could the Village Green Preservation Society. They usually know Council procedures and the local media well enough in order to give their group a voice, but wouldn’t generally dream of perhaps standing for council themselves. I guess they wouldn’t want to spend half an hour discussing play area materials or spending half an afternoon on Licensing training. Such groups of course argue that they will spend many hours and in some cases their own money developing their organisations. It often causes frustration that groups think Councillors have a disinterest in their organisation, whilst a Councillor having several often disparate issues to ‘juggle’ (in some cases not well), can only offer a limited input. It is often like comparing a sniper’s rifle (the work of an interest group) to a machine gun (the work of Councillor). Such groups often stand for election at some point, though it can make an uneasy situation. In Lincolnshire the Boston By-pass group took control of the district council, but their impact has been limited given that the District Council concerned had little to any influence on what was a County and national transport matter.
Anyway I digress; when you first meet these pressure groups in most cases you do have some sympathy for them. Though relationships between the groups, Councils and Councillors often can be stormy, and at times mutually frosty. My main concern is that I feel that personally sometimes the existence and attention given to groups may at times; crowd out the voice of the individual resident. For example when planning applications are decided it has been known in the past in that I am aware of, that a particular group will make block bookings on the limited speaking places available, perhaps to the detriment of a person who is not a group members. Also given the limited resources we now live in, should say a street light go to the street where the residents have joined together to ask for one or where there is most need. Sometimes the two are not the same.
Now before anyone thinks I’ve gone ‘all liberal’ I don’t mean that David Steel, but rather David Steele who has just retired from Carlisle City Council.
His job over the last three decades in part has been to manage the cash reserves that we have in the bank, making sure that every pound invested was earning for the council tax payer the interest it deserved. Whilst the cash in the bank from the sale of Capital assets can not be used on revenue (ie day to day expenses), the interest it earns can do so. Wise investments by David on behalf of the council has saved us all on our Council Tax bills.
Also of note is whilst councils across the UK were seeking out the easy returns of Icelandic Banks, David held back, I think it was because of concern about the council’s money leaving for a foreign country’s banking system. The rest they say is history.
I wish him a long and happy retirement.
Today’s News and Star contains an article on the comments made by the Penrith and the Border regarding the dress style of some members of the agricultural community. The concept of using twine to hold up your trousers is something that I haven’t seen for about five years, but when I was growing up I do remember twine being used to hold up farmers trousers. I am sure I wouldn’t have to climb up my family tree too far to find a twine wearer.
I count my lucky stars that I never had to experience the grinding poverty that was prevalent for my Grandparents who farmed. A County Councillor of my party also grew up in the harsh economy that existed in the pre-World War II farming world, the mod-cons that we both take for granted would have seemed to be space-aged to our predecessors. It seems a world away from how we live now, but in fact was only 70 or so years ago. However I am immensely proud of them and the work ethic they instilled.
I think we have all at times have said things that when they are repeated, we are embarrassed at the context they seem to take on. I suspect this is the case here. I think the twine wearers I have known would have had broad enough shoulders to understand that.
Tuesday’s meeting I have to say was pretty well chaired by Cllr Styth as Mayor. The main ‘ding dong’ was over the reduction of funding by the City Council of it’s 12 Community Centres. Carlisle City Council is one of the biggest funders of Community Centres in the country, relative to our size. The debate on Tuesday has been reported on in The Cumberland News, not entirely evenly, in truth the opposition leader was all over the place, the quotes given to him by the reporter were probably the only lines that had any notion of being a coherent argument. Following on from Cllrs Bradley and Boaden, who as Labour leaders, both knew any subject inside out before speaking on in and had foresight to plan what they would say, Cllr Watson (the current leader, certainly as I write this) was dire. I knew he wasn’t going to be great, but I hadn’t realised he would be so bad. As a man who has sat as a Councillor for nearly, 30 years his knowledge of how a council works in terms of finance and funding was dire. The other Cllr’s in his party looked shocked, in fact 2 shook their heads as Reg spoke. The motion he worded was so poorly done that it said:
“we call upon the Executive to reinstate the reduction in support to all of the community centres.” (click on the words to read the motion in full)
The original reduction totalled about £98,000 over three years, we reduced it to £68,000 over three years. Cllr Watson was actually asking us to reinstate a higher spending reduction. Bizarre.
Hello and thank you for visiting my website. Alongside Councillor Marilyn Bowman I am proud to represent Stanwix Rural on Carlisle City Council. We live in a wonderful part of the UK, with a great way of life. This website is designed to illustrate the work I undertake as a Councillor, as well as highlighting some of the issues which affect our daily lives, both locally and nationally. Please feel free to contact me via this website. If you would like to speak to me in person about any matter within Stanwix Rural or Carlisle my mobile is 07896 300997. All the best!