This should be a fairly quiet time as a Cllr, but casework keeps coming (especially as a result of canvassing) and there are big decisions to be made:

• What Scrutiny Commissions to be on next year
• What other Council groups to be involved with
• Group decisions on how “politically vocal” to be next year

 These are behind-closed-doors discussions, so ’nuff said for now - more to follow soon.

In the meantime, I’ve been working on the following:

• Securing the gates to St Mary’s park & requesting an internal barrier to prevent dogs/kids going straight onto the main road, following the alterations to the lights outside the gates (top of St Annes Rd)
• Enquiring about the double yellow lines on Bury New Rd outside said park
• Reporting asbestos fly tipping (how mad can people be?!?!) - with thanks to the public for that
• Thanking our helpers individually, for stakeboards & posters, delivering leaflets etc.
• Chasing up the closure of Prestwich cash office - who/why/where/when was the decision made?
• Considering road improvement schemes for 2008/9
• Chasing up outstanding work (e.g. the partially painted M60 J17 roundabout)

On the subject of that roundabout - some numpties still can’t follow the coloured lines, so I’ve asked for much better signage coming south from Whitefield.

Also been doing loads of my own stuff:

• Sorting cars out (tax/insurance/servicing etc.)
• Gardening/weeding
• Seeing family/friends
• My will & funeral arrangements (Really! - No wonder I’m a bit grumpy at the moment!)
• Refereeing
• Playing football & going to the gym
• Walking the Pennine hills, whilst my wife & her friends did the same route on horseback
• Oh yes, and a full time job, too!!!!

This morning I blogged about not going to conference, and instead got stuck into some leafleting, some DIY, and family stuff.

I never got to go for that walk, it took much longer to power-wash the patio than anticipated. This was mainly due to the interruptions of having to deal with local youths smashing up a derelict house nearby. First time I went down, I told three lads to get lost (or words to that effect!) and that they did. I picked up a mobile phone off the ground near where they’d been standing, intending to pass to the police.

However, when I got back home I noticed that they were back, and so this time I ‘phoned the police. Whilst I was on the line describing the miscreants & their nefarious activities, the Peelers arrived! - Talk about rapid service!! I went down & described the kids, gave the bobbies the mobile phone (which was switched on) and left them to it.

As I was returning home, I spotted the kids, and told the bobbies. They knew the kids, and said they’d deal with it appropriately.

So when Labour’s retiring Cllr. Maggie Gibb and her little helper say they’ve been doing something about Shrewsbury House, you can tell them that their words were of no use whatsoever, and that LibDem Councillors prefer action to talk!

The truth (as I understand it) about Shrewsbury House is that the current owners want to sell it & the land, for development. However, the house is in a conservation area so must be maintained in appearance, and many of the surrounding trees are under “preservation orders”. Any developer who wants to buy it probably can’t make money on doing up the house & grounds, then selling it on. The only way to make money on it is to build something else in the grounds, such as starter-homes or a block of flats (which would be difficult because of the trees!) Bury Council also has put a halt to building new homes in most parts of the Borough (apart from town centres), so developers can’t get planning  permission to put extra dwellings in the grounds even if they could overcome the tree problems.

The owners have not replaced the roof that was partly stolen a couple of years ago, so the house timbers will be rotten, and it will not be economically viable to repair the house - most of the interior needs totally replacing. I suspect that the owners hope that vandals will burn it down, so they can demolish it & save themselves lots of money. I will try to ensure that this doesn’t happen, and ask Council if they can make the owners keep it water-tight, due to it’s historic value to the area (I’ve already asked them to ensure it is re-secured on several occasions).

So today, at least, I can confirm that actions DO speak louder than the words of Maggie Gibb or even Nick Clegg (Leader of the LibDems)!!!

Donal

Reported various issues raised with me(or requested further detail), this week:

Sherbourne Street lights are out and the road is uneven due to nearby works on former Tulle Court; Youth nuisance on Shrewsbury Rd; Planning situations on Warwick St, St Mary’s Rd.

A planning proposal has come in for the Longfield from the current owners of the buildings. This is strange, as I undestood that they’d been told by Officers about the Regeneration study, and thus should hold back until that’s complete.

However, it needs to be given due consideration, and I’m confident that Officers are working diligently on it as I type.

On the subject of Regeneration, we’ve asked Council to supply a small questionnaire or flyer into every Prestwich Council Tax demand, but this has been rejected, and I’m awaiting an answer as to why. It must be the most cost-effective way to ask all residents of Prestwich if they have an opinion? The Consultants have only budgeted for 5000 residents to be contacted, but there are more like 15000 residents living nearby who really should be contacted. We WILL find a way, I assure you of that.

Tonight is the Town Centre Regeneration meeting, which reports to Prestwich LAP on the review & study currently being undertaken by Urbed. Should be quite interesting, with a number of important issues coming to light, and it’ll require a firm grip on debates from me (as Chair) to ensure that we get through the whole agenda. We’re considering the following main issues tonight:

1. The progress of the Urbed study
2. The Consultation Event
3. Suggestions from a group known as the Regeneration Commission
4. Traffic/Planning Issues for Highfield Rd & Whittaker Lane

More to follow…

Pleasant night out, commiserating with colleagues made redundant today.

One would have thought that a bank could ensure final payment to employees they are making redundant, but no, this was too much! Nevertheless, they (the staff) all seemed to enjoy it!

On my taxi ride home (taxi was early - hoorah!) we were stopped by Police officers. I don’t know the reason, I suspect that they did him (my driver) for excess speed. The clock time was 23.41, location Bury New Road, Higher Broughton.

The police officers got very upset when I started taking notes, and asked me to return to the vehicle. Apparently, it was “Nothing to do with you”. Not please, not sir, just a curt demand for compliance. Hmmmm! Not the best way for someone to get me to comply (ask my mother/wife/friends etc.)

For fun I complied, but nevertheless took details of one officers’ number, the other refused to provide his, saying that details were upon the ticket (is this an issue for data protection, for me as a witness?)

I asked the driver to show me the ticket, as I wanted to see the officers’ number. The number was illegible. It then took a call to GMP Traffic (856 4080) which was cut off after 5.30 minutes ringing (despite assurances later that they are staffed 24/7); followed by another call to central no. (872 5050) who put me through to central control , and after I explained the issue, they then said “putting you through” without explanation to whom, and then left me on hold for 5 mins and then cut me off; I then telephoned the switch (872 5050) again, and explained exasperatedly why I did not want to be put through without explanation - they told me it was my role to explain this to the control officer!

I finally got through, and explained why I did not want to be put through to anyone, without the existing operator being present (is it any wonder police time is wasted?!?!?) The member of staff was quite helpful, but could give me no names (including hers!) but finally got me the correct number of the officer concerned.

Given the incident reported on national news last week re. police officers being impersonated, and a cash transfer house being cleaned out of £50M+ (of which Police have recovered less than half - well done chaps/chapesses) is it any wonder people want to know who and why the vehicle in which they were travelling was stopped?

Wouldn’t it be interesting to know how many legitimate taxis (for such was I riding in) were used in illegal acts over the last 12 months? On Thursday night? In this area?

Wouldn’t it be interesting to know how many muggings, violent acts, burglaries, domestic violence issues etc. were reported on Thursday night in that vicinity (Rialto area, Higher Broughton)?

Wouldn’t it be interesting to know how many speeding tickets and other cautions were issued by those 2 officers to persons engaged in “otherwise” legal actions?

Maybe the number of collisions/pedestrian accidents/near misses occured in that vicinity at 11pm-12am on a Thursday night over the last 12 months? (Why were the officers there?)

Wouldn’t it be interesting to know how many police (of any rank) were operating in the area at that time?

Let us then compare the statistics, and judge the police upon the statistics that count TO US, not the blurb quoted by endless temporary Chief Constables learning their political skills in Bury, before being moved to scary places, such as David Anthony, and his predecessor. Yes, I know Broughton is not in Bury, but can you explain a faster route to Prestwich from Manchester at that time on a Thursday?

Maybe one for the new Chief Constable or his rep. at Safer/Stronger Scrutiny, maybe even “Budget Council”?

A final note, to help worry you to sleep - the control room spent ages before confirming they could give me no further information, after I refused to give my details. I said that they have my telephone record & number traced, so they can always call me if they need to. However, when I asked whether it made a difference if I made a complaint at some time in the future, nobody seemed to know! SO WHY ASK FOR IT?!?!?

One thing is for sure, when the LibDems run our country, the truth will (mostly) out!

Cheers,

An angry Councillor!