Town Ward by-election- increased majority for Labour

Town Ward, North Lincolnshire Council. Lab hold. Lab 1141 (53.6%, +4.1), C 856 (40.2%, +2.8), BNP 133 (6.2%, +6.2). Swing 0.7% from Con to Lab since 2011

Am a very tired little campaigner today, but also a very happy one.

By-elections are never much fun, due to the fact that they’re often caused by Ill health or a sad death, in this case the very well respected and close colleague and friend Darrel Barkworth.

the local Tories targeted this ward las year at the local elections so we knew they were going to throw everything they had this time around, which they did. would love to have a fraction of what they must receive in donations as clearly they had money to burn.

Despite their very best efforts though, including dirty tactics, highly suspect activities and fictional literature, common sense came through and we increased Labour’s majority with around a 35% turnout – impressive for a by-election (I was elected in a by-election in ’97 on a 14% turnout!).

Now that’s over we must concentrate on holding the Tories on North Lincs to account and keeping the electorate up to date on their continuing slide into undemocracy.

 

Open letter to all employees from Chief Executive, North Lincs

There is much talk about the letter all employees at North Lincolnshire Council received with their wage slips this month from the Chief Executive at North Lincolnshire Council, as instructed by the controlling Conservative Group.

Confusion abounds. The main body of the letter talks about those who currently qualify for the essential user car allowance such as Social Workers, Home Care Workers and others who’s job it is to cover the whole county in their day to day jobs.

However, the letter (as you can see below) also states the removal of weekend enhancements and overtime rates. What isn’t clear is whether this would only afffect those on the essential user car allowance scheme. This doesn’t make sense. It also goes on to state that “we intend to dismiss and re-engage our employees”. What does that mean?

I can’t see that this threat is only aimed at those who receive the car allowance – which is bad enough. If that is the case then what happens to Social Workers who cover emergencies and those who carry out valuable home care and visits at weekends?

If in fact, if the threat does cover all workers, then picture the amount of unemptied bins left at the side of the road once normal working hours are reached…not a pretty picture is it?!

I have asked Simon for clarification on what this letter actually means, but have not yet received a response.

The tone of the letter is absolutely awful. We have dedicated, enthusiastic staff who are being treated with contempt. Despite perception, working for this council is anything but a ‘doddle’!

 

Disheartened, disappointed and disillusioned

Today has not been a good day.

Today we were lied to, told that ‘we’d lost the election, get used to it, and like it or lump it’ – in a public meeting.

I accept that we lost the election in 2011. Of course I do. But I, along with 19 of my Labour colleagues were actually elected. 20 Labour seats, 23 Tory seats. So yes, they have control, but a majority of 3 members (all of which were very close results), does not I believe give them a mandate to railroad all decisions through without any thought to what their democratically elected colleagues, and the public who put them there actually want.

Changes to the consitution were pushed through today, changes which have a direct impact on all of us. Changes to the way the public will be able to communicate through the website (well I think that’s what it means as we weren’t actually given an answer). I had to push a respected officer for an explanation on other things as, no matter how hard we tried that information was not forthcoming. Even then, a Tory councillor tried to make out that explanation was wrong. So…I’m still very confused by a number of things. No doubt I’ll be told in a few months that I’m supposed to be aware of some ridiculous decision as it was ‘voted through’ at Full Council.

Their arrogance knows no bounds. Really it doesn’t. They then push through decisions to reduce member’s allowances yet again. I don’t expect any sympathy from council tax payers. However you have to put it into context – they reduced Labour’s responsibility allowances whilst not touching their own in the main – whilst happily claiming, in some cases up to 200% more than they did before they came to power. Their answer to this, and I quote “you lost, like it or lump it”.

It’s time they realised that they are not the Masters, but the servants, like the rest of us.

It’s not too late to vote in my poll on how you would have voted had there been local elections here this year http://t.co/aehLpMsF

 

Would you have voted the same if we’d had local elections this year? vote in my poll

 

AGM time at North Lincolnshire Council

Today will see the ceremonial Full Council meeting – one of only 4 Full Council meetings per year – one being the AGM, one being the Budget meeting, leaving only 2 for ‘debate’ and ‘business’.

On the agenda today

- Tories remove all Labour members from North Lincolnshire Homes Board, choosing to take all positions themselves – even though the vast majority of North Lincolnshire Homes properties being in Scunthorpe where all councillors are Labour.

- Tories remove all Labour members from the Humber Bridge Board, choosing to take all the positions themselves, even though Labour campaigned tirelessely locally and nationally to reduce the tolls.

- Tories remove powers from Vice-Chairs of Scrutiny Panels, the non political committees of council

- Tories take the Chair and Vice-Chair positions on the Standards Committee. The position of Chair has always been held by an independent member in the past. Interestingly, the new Chair will be Cllr Neil Poole. You may remember he’s the ex Lib Dem who crossed the floor when the Tories came into power so one may question his morals and therefore his suitability in this role?!

Lastly, on a positive note (I would love my blogs to be more positive but under Tory control it’s difficult to find any silver linings) – congratulations to Cllr Ivan Glover and my very best wishes for his Mayoral year.

 

Tories on N Lincs use sad death of Labour Cllr to cut democracy

On a further cut to democracy on North Lincolnshire Council, it now appears that Labour’s places on committees have been cut to take into account the current vacant position.

They will have to revisit this following the by-election on 31 May in the Town Ward due to the sad death of well respected Labour Cllr Darrell Barkworth. However, due to the fact that they’ve already cut Full Council meetings to only 2 business meetings per year, they won’t have to do anything to put this right for a number of months.

Will they stop at nothing to make sure they force their unwanted, undemocratic policies through unchallenged?

 

AGM time, and the North Lincs Tories slash democracy once again

Just read my papers for next week’s Full Council meeting. This is the AGM so there are no opportunities for public speaking and remember of course this is one of only 4 meetings per year.

They’ve hidden within changes to the constitution the removal of powers of Vice-Chairs of committees. Usually in the absence of the Chair of a committee, the Vice Chair would become take the role of Chair. The Tories have insisted this is removed from the council’s constitution in relation to Scrutiny Panels. These are the only panels which are non-political and therefore the opposition party holds the Vice Chair positions (a move introduced by a Labour controlled council to ensure scrutiny has a proper non-political role. Doesn’t take a genius to work out they want to ensure absolute control over these ‘non-political’ panels.

The Tories have also stripped down the Scrutiny Panel’s membership down to only 2 Labour members. per panel. Previously panels were made up of 4 Tory, 3 Labour…now that has been reduced to 3 and 2.

These changes will unfortunately go through on the nod at next week’s meeting, but one has to question the legality of such moves. They clearly have no conscience.

 

 

Tories on NLincs spend over £100k on decorating

We understand the Conservatives on North Lincolnshire Council have spent £16k redecorating the foyer of the Civic Centre, a completely unnecessary task and the only thing visitors will see tha is different is 2 pot plants!

They have also spent £6k redecorating and remodelling their own offices.

The biggest expense was the Registry Office suite which will still have some difficulties with parking and facilities for disabled facilities.

Also worth a mention is the fact that they employed an Interior Designer to do this work.

Good use of tax payers money? You decide.

 

Tory councillors on NLincs making more ‘urgent’ decisions to avoid the scrutiny accountability process

The North Lincolnshire Tory Cabinet members are making more and more of their executive decisions ‘urgent’ and secretive.

By doing so, they avoid any accountability and nobody can question the decision in public. They are supposed to justify why the decision is considered ‘urgent’ but the excuses they are coming up with are pathetic. The latest one, made today,  says they needed to give 23 days notice. Yet we’ve all known about this for weeks and it was actually in yesterday’s paper. To give the paper plenty of notice, and to give themselves a public pat on the back, they had to have given the press release at least a week ago.

Also it makes a farce of the Cabinet member making an executive decision when clearly the decision had already been made as they’d already been to the media on it.

The democratic process on this council has simply disappeared.

The decision I’m talking about is free parking after 3pm…something everyone will welcome, the one hour’s free parking has not given good results and means that people have probably been rushing to get back to their cars instead of strolling around the shops in Ashby and Scunthorpe at their leisure.

Although it’s only in selected car parks so don’t get caught out!

Allanby Street, Scunthorpe
King Street/Winterton Road, Scunthorpe
King Street (rear of flats), Scunthorpe
Ashby High Street (301), Ashby

For info….the one hour’s free parking has also cost the council over £400,000.

 

Outsourcing of Leisure the favoured option in NLincs?

The outcome of the recent ‘consultation’ has been released today and it would seem that the preferred option is (surprise, surprise) outsourcing.

You can read the full report here http://www.northlincs.gov.uk/EasysiteWeb/getresource.axd?AssetID=39340&type=full&servicetype=Attachment

It’s clear that the preferred option is for the service to remain under council control, but then the leading question of course, which they are now going to use as a basis for outsourcing) was about who else could provide the service if the council wasn’t able to.

That is ‘option 2′ within the report.

There were 1001 surveys returned, probably due to our social media campaign.

The key results of the employee survey were as follows.
• 97% believe that Sport, Leisure and Culture benefits the local
community and helps to make the area a better place to live and
work.
• 37% think the council does not have to run the service while 45%
believe that the council should continue to manage services
• Given the choice of service closure, reduction or alternative
management, 3% supported closure, 16% service reduction and 64%
another organisation.
• The type of organisation in rank order was:
- not for profit company/trust
- another local authority
- community organisation
- town/parish council
- private company

Option 2 – Outsource to a private sector
operator
This would involve the transfer of the services to a private
sector operator and entering into contractual arrangements for
the delivery of agreed service outcomes
Partnership with an existing nonprofit
distributing organisation
(NPDO)

Very worrying that they simply don’t listen. This was the outcome they wanted and they’ve manipulated the findings to justify it.

Nothing wrong with private companies and private industry. However, they cannot choose to subsidise those well off, or to provide free swimming for under 16′s or reduced costs for other vulnerable groups etc.

Once it’s gone, it’s gone