Certified Charter Accountants in Marple

Author Topic: Local election candidates announced  (Read 46580 times)

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Duke Fame

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Re: Local election candidates announced
« Reply #70 on: April 11, 2012, 10:29:09 AM »
Contrary to what you believe, Duke, I haven't voted Labour for about 30 years. However, I am thinking of doing so on 3 May. What do the spending priorites of Manchester City Council tell us about what might happen if a Labour council were elected in Stockport? Oh, and please, we don't want to hear any more about Sir Richard Leese ;-)

The way I see it Dave is this. The council had a budget cut, despite them crying foul, it was only a cut equivalent to their 2007 budget (in real terms - taking consideration of inflation etc). The truth of the matter it that we as individuals have seem our budget cut because the council have enjoyed generous inflation busting increases in their budget for many years.

So there is a cut in councils budget we can all agree, I say about time too, you may say that's wrong but that is a different matter.

Like any of us, when faced with a reduction in budget, we have to look at what in life we really need, what's nice to have and what is essentially a waste.

So, a council? I'd say we still need streets cleaned, libraries, sports facilities etc all things that are classic council services. If I were a leader of a council, I'd try my best to protect these and in Manchester city council's case, they easily afforded these services in 2007 so there is absolutely no reason that a competent council can afford to keep them going in 2012. Of course, for a Labour council, competence isn't something that comes easily. Given the cut in budget, Manchester city council announced large cutbacks of these council services that most would think are core to what a council should be doing. They did this with great fanfare and some (even me) would suggest these cuts which play with people's lives were not just down to incompetence but were actually a cynical move by a Labour council trying to make political capital with a total disregard of those who pay council tax or those who depend on the council's services. So they are either cynical power crazed dictators or totally incompetent or a mixture of both.

Ok, you may say but they lost there budget, where could savings have been made? Well, the council carried on with it's Summer and winter entertainments programme, music festivals and other funded events for people who like itchy clothing, None of this was cut! It did seek sponsorship for it's main indulgence in he summer and claimed that it would be self-financing , guess what, it wasn't cost estimates now suggest more than £1m!! What else could it have done? Perhaps there were no other areas that could be cut. Well, here is just a sample of jobs that are still going strong, paid for by the council tax payer. Whilst the council could not afford a librarian at £12k a year, it has advertised for the following posts: Nuclear Free Local Secretariat & Policy and Research Officer @ £37k, New Media Manager @ £38k, Link Worker - Indian and East African Asian on £25,940; a Cultural Regeneration Officer (1) @ a cool £30k; another Cultural Regeneration Officer on a mere £28,919,  Assistant Specialist Market Manager on £ 27,016...well it is only an assistant post, Corporate Lead Officer, Lesbians' issues ( I kid you not ) on £38k, Corporate Lead Officer, Gay Men's Issues, another £38k, a 'Zest' Hub Co-Ordinator ( whatever that is ) on £30k, Climate Change Officer £37,206, Team Strategic Development on salary of £41,616, a Creative Director on a juicy £120,000, An Expressive and Performing Arts Technician @ £21,519, a Travel Change Team Policy Officer on £34,549.....

Maybe it's just my preference and that's why my local authority wasn't the one I voted for. Maybe that's democracy but those are not my priorities for a local council.


Oh yes, Richard Leese lied through his teeth about Tif - I can't imagine why....actually I can think of thousands of reasons before tax + expenses.

Steptoe and Son

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Re: Local election candidates announced
« Reply #69 on: April 11, 2012, 10:13:26 AM »
whats up with labour ?

Vermin Fawlty!

Seriously, 13 years of national cock up is a start.  Locally, you just have to look over to manc to see how they prioritise their spending. Awful awful people who must never be let near the public purse ever again.

Vermin, a trifle harsh even in jest...the way you speak about them you'd think they were all accountants, lawyers, or bankers.

Steptoe and Son

  • Guest
Re: Local election candidates announced
« Reply #68 on: April 11, 2012, 10:08:00 AM »
Can the Conservative candidate let us know his standpoint regarding the supermarket on Hibbert Lane?
 

Dave

  • Guest
Re: Local election candidates announced
« Reply #67 on: April 11, 2012, 07:35:38 AM »
Contrary to what you believe, Duke, I haven't voted Labour for about 30 years. However, I am thinking of doing so on 3 May. What do the spending priorites of Manchester City Council tell us about what might happen if a Labour council were elected in Stockport? Oh, and please, we don't want to hear any more about Sir Richard Leese ;-)

Duke Fame

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Re: Local election candidates announced
« Reply #66 on: April 10, 2012, 11:52:08 PM »
whats up with labour ?

Vermin Fawlty!

Seriously, 13 years of national cock up is a start.  Locally, you just have to look over to manc to see how they prioritise their spending. Awful awful people who must never be let near the public purse ever again.

Miss Marple

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Re: Local election candidates announced
« Reply #65 on: April 10, 2012, 10:49:00 PM »
MIA have decided not to put forward a candidate this year so it is not possible for me to get out there    Also for me to stand could be seen as a conflict of interests in my current employment role, but that maybe  due to change very soon   When you say I am not in touch with the community, I can not tell you how much in touch I really am on a daily basis  and that's why I possibly make would be witty quips at some people on this forum who are so far removed from reality it's frightening.   That  also goes for some of our elected members who since the supermarket issue raised it's head  I have been observing whilst  attending  Area Committee Meetings.  I have  witnessed some elected members speaking  to people who raise issues as if they were beneath them and appear to take pride in belittling the issues raised    

Heritage

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Re: Local election candidates announced
« Reply #64 on: April 10, 2012, 10:15:26 PM »
Seems clear to me just reading these threads, Miss M, that beneath all the bluff and bluster you're not really properly engaged with community issues in any meaningful way. To assert that a community isn't "ready for you yet" just makes you seem silly and, well, irrelevant. At the risk of having my post removed for inappropriate content, the sense I get is that you enjoy idle keyboard banter but have no real awareness of how to make a difference on the ground. The posts you put up seem actually to belittle proper issues by reducing them to would-be witty quips which just sound desperate. Why not actually try and change the status quo, emerge from behind your PC, and get out there and show everyone what a real force-for-change you are? Or is that....too hard really....

Dave

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Re: Local election candidates announced
« Reply #63 on: April 10, 2012, 09:16:08 PM »
I see. So 'consultation' means a show of hands among a random group of people who happen to be free when the Area Committee takes place, and have the time, independent mobility  and motivation to attend. Sounds like a recipe for the tyranny of the pressure group to me!

Miss Marple

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Re: Local election candidates announced
« Reply #62 on: April 10, 2012, 07:16:23 PM »
What do you suggest Dave ? Do you honestly think our elected members can continue to make ill thought out decisions on our behalf.   Consultation does not cost anything albeit a possible addition to their newsletter which could alert the community that an issue of importance will be discussed at Area Committee on such and such a date, then those with an interest could attend.   It's not flipping rocket science is it ?  :-\.    My God, Dave old boy ,   I have missed my way in life if that was supposed to be a Mensa  test  :-*

Dave

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Re: Local election candidates announced
« Reply #61 on: April 10, 2012, 06:33:49 PM »
Miss M repeatedly states that she wants councillors to 'consult' us on specific issues.  Is this a campaign for repeated referendums to be held on every issue? If so, who is going to pay for it? And if not, how is this consultation supposed to be organised? 

Miss Marple

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Re: Local election candidates announced
« Reply #60 on: April 10, 2012, 04:50:11 PM »
Heritage believe me when I say that Marple is honestly not ready for me yet.   ;)

Heritage

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Re: Local election candidates announced
« Reply #59 on: April 10, 2012, 04:42:45 PM »
.....but you don't feel sufficiently passionate to stand for election yourself, though? You seem to have the altruism and zeal often said to be lacking in political  candidates, coupled with an astute awareness of the weaknesses often found in them. Why not put your skills to the test and let us vote for you?  :P

Miss Marple

  • Guest
Re: Local election candidates announced
« Reply #58 on: April 10, 2012, 04:12:49 PM »
Whatever happened to that faintly ludicrous Annesley Abercorn guy with his London Bus? Haven't seen him shopping in Marple recently....although I might have missed him in Greggs last week... ;D
Well as it happens I met him canvassing with Annette Finny along Stockport Rd last week.  To be honest I found them both to be very knowledgeable on issues such as the proposed supermarket on Hibbert Lane, Connect 2 and the Rose Hill super school.  
Both felt that our current elected  members failed to consult on major issues and gave assurances that they fully understood the need to keep people informed.  
I remain  convinced that the reason our current elected members fail to consult on major issues is because we have allowed them too, the  same way as we have allowed them to have total autonomy on major changes in Marple. But hopefully  that's all going to change, because if the supermarket issue has done anything it has hopefully made elected members remember and reflect on the fact that the community put them there to serve in our best interests  and to also remind them all, that they are accountable and that it's no longer a safe position to be in.
And just for the record I have not made my mind up where my cross is going, let's see their election addresses to see if they are worthy of representing Marple  :o

Howard

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Re: Local election candidates announced
« Reply #57 on: April 10, 2012, 03:57:57 PM »
whats up with labour ?

You're new here aren't you? Duke has an aversion to all things Labour.

bluebelly

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Re: Local election candidates announced
« Reply #56 on: April 10, 2012, 12:58:25 PM »
whats up with labour ?