A BAD (WEEK) AT THE OFFICE AHEAD FOR NCC

Since reluctantly vacating my seat on the Borough Council I have had the opportunity to spend more time looking into affairs across the road at County Hall. A case of David Kennedy's gain being Paul Blantern's loss I guess? Anyhow for those who have wanted me to post some more local political stories I offer you up a treat in the days ahead and here's a small trailer of whats to come.


CARRY ON CARRILION?

Remember all those promises made by the County Council after the Carrilion fiasco? assuring us that future contracts will be let more openly and with far more transparency and democratic accountability? Well what would happen if it happened again, but with another private company? and how about we throw in a few undeclared personal interests into the pot and stir it all around with a spoonful of financial confusion, pension deficit and undemocratic practices? Hubble Bubble, someones in a lot of trouble! More to come on Thursday.


PARKING UP THE WRONG TREE

Sometimes, just sometimes you have to be prepared to stick your neck on the block in order to see fair play and to garner a response from a large unwieldy authority like NCC. But imagine your delight if you had been complaining to the Council through all the right formal channels for 2 years without any success? Imagine then if you had to take such drastic action to prove your point that it could have a devastating financial comeback on you if you lost the case? Imagine then your delight if you were to be proved right on all counts leading to a lot of red faces on the authority and a huge bill to rectify years of incompetence. Imagine no longer and look forward to thier being thousands of relieved residents who will at last see fair play from the Council, not through the Councils own grace but by having to be dragged kicking and screaming to the alter of justice! More on this story here and in the Chronicle just as soon as the official notices land on the doormats.


CHARGE OF THE STREETLIGHT BRIGADE

News reaches me of a potentially wonderful example of direct action being planned by person or persons unknown. It seems that they have got themselves fully trained in turning on streetlights turned off by NCC and intend to do just that.

Now should a County Councillor support direct action being taken against the authority? Yes I should in this instance as in my book the Council has no moral or democratic authority to turn them off in the first place. The decision taken by councillors allowed for full consultation to be held between local Cllrs, the Police and residents groups before the switch off was implemented, and the County Council undertook no such consultation. In a response to Joe Joyce Chair of Spring Borough residents the Council tried to suggest that the consultation on the budget back in December was sufficient, and also suggested that any comment on consultation between the Police and NCC was a "security" matter and the detail shouldn't be disclosed. Well let me disclose that no such consultation was held. as a result for the first time in five years the number of Sex Workers working in Castle Ward has increased not decreased.

So to those who plan to take their own action I have this advice. Make sure you are completely safe and that you are qualified to carry out the task in hand,  this is not a task for the DIY enthusiast, do not put yourself or any others at risk, ensure that all lamp boxes are securely locked after you have visited them. Stick to the above and you have my support and my thanks for making the streets of Castle Ward and elsewhere safer places to be.