Local elections - a weighing up of the issues

[Miss Marple]

So what are you saying Duke ? That social workers should be cut have you really any idea how many cuts to services have been made ?  I agree they should start cutting at the top but it is front line not back office that's being cut !  All that said Stockport really does have excellent services compared to other authorities

I know it's not a Stockport council role but whilst we still have public sector roles that are the likes of a Nuclear-Free secretariat, there is a long way to go with the cuts.

Social workers? my experience of them was that they were hopeless and far too many of them. My Mother had 36 various social workers dealing with her 'case' it took them 8 months to come to an utterly unacceptable compromise which basically covered their individual back-sides rather than give any quality of life solution to my Mum [who was suffering with vascular dementia].

I can almost be 100% sure that your mother didn't live in Stockport, it would have been better if she had. Stockport has an excellent social services dept which prides itself in multi disciplinary working that thankfully protects dementia clients from slipping through the net. 

[Duke Fame]

Not too sure about Miss M's comments about our current Councillors. Whiffs to me of bald assertion without any evidential component.

I am sure that they are less than perfect but I think that Marple is a pretty good place to live in and some of the credit for that must surely go to the local Councillors. They probably benefit from a swift prod now and again but that applies to all people in public office as complacency so easily becomes the name of the game.

Being all the same party has obvious drawbacks but also some benefits. There are some Area Committees throughout the land that are absolutely paralysed by warring, party - politics, they can't agree on the smallest issues and never get any business done. It takes a year to get planning permission for your house extension. This is because all Committee members have different political colours. This doesn't apply to Marple as they are all of the same party.

If an independent candidate were to present then what would probably happen is that they would take 300/400 of the Lib Dem vote and let the Conservatives in. Have you seen what the all Conservative local Councillors have done to Bramhall? In the last ten years its become like staly- vegas. They've let everybody and everything in. Bars, Restaurants, Pubs, Takeaways, Tesco. Anything as long as it brings in money.

That's not what I want for Marple.
  
If an independent Candidate stood - the only thing that we could be sure of was that the independent Candidate wouldn't win.

Oh dear, they've allowed business to create wealth, we can't have that, no, absolutely not. They'll be creating jobs next.

[Duke Fame]

So what are you saying Duke ? That social workers should be cut have you really any idea how many cuts to services have been made ?  I agree they should start cutting at the top but it is front line not back office that's being cut !  All that said Stockport really does have excellent services compared to other authorities

I know it's not a Stockport council role but whilst we still have public sector roles that are the likes of a Nuclear-Free secretariat, there is a long way to go with the cuts.

Social workers? my experience of them was that they were hopeless and far too many of them. My Mother had 36 various social workers dealing with her 'case' it took them 8 months to come to an utterly unacceptable compromise which basically covered their individual back-sides rather than give any quality of life solution to my Mum [who was suffering with vascular dementia].

[Miss Marple]

So what are you saying Duke ? That social workers should be cut have you really any idea how many cuts to services have been made ?  I agree they should start cutting at the top but it is front line not back office that's being cut !  All that said Stockport really does have excellent services compared to other authorities

[Duke Fame]

Hmm, I see. So the idea is to spend even more on heating the market, while cutting the rents and business rates? Just as well these guys aren't running the council or we'd end up like Greece ;-)

Ah Greece, the Ed Balls model!

Business rates are raping business out of existence. Surely it's better to cut the ridiculous non-services of councils and cut council staff than kill off real business that provide things that people really need as well as provide real jobs.

The obvious answer for the market would be to sell it to a commercial enterprise which has an interest in being consumer focussed?

[Miss Marple]

This may be a wild comment but should you and Annette have not questioned all that you are posting on this site whilst in attendance at the  Area Committee meeting ? I am sure you are both more up to speed with how this works than myself but from what I saw when I was in attendance  on Wed the chair asks if the public have comments or as you must be aware there is a facility to submit questions before hand.   This is not a criticism, just an observation, but surely the opposition party in attendance at an Area Committee meeting would be best placed to raise the issue there directly.  I was present a couple of months ago and witnessed Syd Lowe (conservative ) from another constituency going head to head with our local councillors over the Gypsy camp site issue.  For an opposition party to just attend and not oppose appears a little strange to me, but there again I do not fully understand the intricacies of Area Committee, but I know what I would have done In your position ? Just a thought ?

[Dave]

Hmm, I see. So the idea is to spend even more on heating the market, while cutting the rents and business rates? Just as well these guys aren't running the council or we'd end up like Greece ;-)

[Duke Fame]

Myself and Annette Finnie (Marple North) attended the Marple Area committee meeting on Wednesday. We were shocked that this Lib Dem dominant
council wanted to put extra costs onto businesses at a time when they are already struggling to survive. Although some of the elected Lib Dems did
ask for common sense from the member of the council, it was left to the floor to really get her to understand why charging for a licensing system for
A-Boards mainly, is a bad idea.

I hadn't realised this was a Lib dem policy, I was told it was an idea promoted by a Sue Stephenson rather than a Lib Dem initiative.
I agree, putting even more cost on business shoulders in order to pay for council's indulgences is incredibly selfish. I'd love to see a
council give a little back to businesses and encourage us to expand rather than raping us for as much money as possible.

I'm not saying its Lib Dem policy, I am saying that the council is Lib Dem dominant and therefore they have the most power over things.

The council don't seem to want to help businesses that much, Take a look at Stockport Market for example, its freezing in there everyday.
The underfloor heating was put too low, so it doesn't work, they wont put over door blowers in or radiators in ever stall because its not in
keeping with the market heritage. Customers are complaining to the traders all the time about it, but the council don't seem to care,
more people would go to the market, stay longer and spend more money with the traders if it wasn't so cold.

Declaration of interest: My company has a stall on Stockport Market.

Just look at this:

'Nearly a third of all shops in Stockport town centre lie empty'

Cllr Dave Goddard response does not fill me with confidence, rents need to come way down. Nationally, the Conservative led
coalition is trying to help businesses with extended business rates relief, but landlords (inc. the council) need to act aswell.

Read more at: http://menmedia.co.uk/stockportexpress/news/s/1481553_anger-as-stockport-tops-the-empty-shops-table

You are not wrong there, business rates are ridiculous and the last national government continued to increase the rates to the point were they were non-collectable.

[finetimefontaine]

Carl


The "A" board proposal at the AC the other night was absolutely nothing to do with the Lib Dem dominance of the Council. It was a proposal in DRAFT form put forward by a council officer - Sue Stevenson. I doubt that any local politician of any colour knew anything about the detail of it until they received the AC minutes a few days before the meeting.

If my information is correct , at Marple AC, two Councillors spoke out about it and from what I was told they were against the charges. None of them actually spoke out in support.

As far as the Conservative led coalition trying to help businesses.... I'm a local businessman and the first thing you did to "help" me as soon as you got elected was put my VAT rate up.  Very helpful indeed ... 

[Carl Rydings]

Myself and Annette Finnie (Marple North) attended the Marple Area committee meeting on Wednesday. We were shocked that this Lib Dem dominant
council wanted to put extra costs onto businesses at a time when they are already struggling to survive. Although some of the elected Lib Dems did
ask for common sense from the member of the council, it was left to the floor to really get her to understand why charging for a licensing system for
A-Boards mainly, is a bad idea.

I hadn't realised this was a Lib dem policy, I was told it was an idea promoted by a Sue Stephenson rather than a Lib Dem initiative.
I agree, putting even more cost on business shoulders in order to pay for council's indulgences is incredibly selfish. I'd love to see a
council give a little back to businesses and encourage us to expand rather than raping us for as much money as possible.

I'm not saying its Lib Dem policy, I am saying that the council is Lib Dem dominant and therefore they have the most power over things.

The council don't seem to want to help businesses that much, Take a look at Stockport Market for example, its freezing in there everyday.
The underfloor heating was put too low, so it doesn't work, they wont put over door blowers in or radiators in ever stall because its not in
keeping with the market heritage. Customers are complaining to the traders all the time about it, but the council don't seem to care,
more people would go to the market, stay longer and spend more money with the traders if it wasn't so cold.

Declaration of interest: My company has a stall on Stockport Market.

Just look at this:

'Nearly a third of all shops in Stockport town centre lie empty'

Cllr Dave Goddard response does not fill me with confidence, rents need to come way down. Nationally, the Conservative led
coalition is trying to help businesses with extended business rates relief, but landlords (inc. the council) need to act aswell.

Read more at: http://menmedia.co.uk/stockportexpress/news/s/1481553_anger-as-stockport-tops-the-empty-shops-table

[Duke Fame]

Myself and Annette Finnie (Marple North) attended the Marple Area committee meeting on Wednesday. We were shocked that this Lib Dem dominant
council wanted to put extra costs onto businesses at a time when they are already struggling to survive. Although some of the elected Lib Dems did
ask for common sense from the member of the council, it was left to the floor to really get her to understand why charging for a licensing system for
A-Boards mainly, is a bad idea.

I hadn't realised this was a Lib dem policy, I was told it was an idea promoted by a Sue Stephenson rather than a Lib Dem initiative. I agree, putting even more cost on business shoulders in order to pay for council's indulgences is incredibly selfish. I'd love to see a council give a little back to businesses and encourage us to expand rather than raping us for as much money as possible.

[Carl Rydings]

Myself and Annette Finnie (Marple North) attended the Marple Area committee meeting on Wednesday. We were shocked that this Lib Dem dominant
council wanted to put extra costs onto businesses at a time when they are already struggling to survive. Although some of the elected Lib Dems did
ask for common sense from the member of the council, it was left to the floor to really get her to understand why charging for a licensing system for
A-Boards mainly, is a bad idea.

I would just like to say a few things on the differences between the parties. If you have ever been to a Stockport Council Meeting you will see that
the three main parties don't agree with each other on alot of things and there are really differences between the three main parities nationally and locally.

Secondly, lets take a look at the political landscape here:

Marple South - 2011 Results (Similar in Marple North)
Liberal Democrat - 1,948
Conservative - 1,493
Labour - 783
UKIP - 380

These figures show that alot of people would love to see the Lib Dem dominance in this area come to an end. Also, If we start electing some younger candidates
(like they have done in Hazel Grove) and to have a mix of parties elected in the area, we will start to see things being challenged alot more and we will also see
the view of the area from the youth in the area, hopefully some of the youth who are involved in crime will be able to relate better to a younger councillor and
hopefully look up to them.

Its time we tried something new in Marple, rather then sticking with the status quo.
Its time we have a more representative board of councillors with new ideas.

In Marple South were just 455 (based on 2011 results) votes away and in Marple North
were just 381 (based on 2011 results) votes away from giving you a new voice.

I believe the Lib Dems are complacent and feel that their six seats are safe, let's prove them wrong in May.

[Miss Marple]

I beg to differ on an the independent not being elected as I have said before Marple is watching the supermarket situation  very closely and the. People will then decide what is in their best interest more of the same or a new broom ?

[finetimefontaine]

Not too sure about Miss M's comments about our current Councillors. Whiffs to me of bald assertion without any evidential component.

I am sure that they are less than perfect but I think that Marple is a pretty good place to live in and some of the credit for that must surely go to the local Councillors. They probably benefit from a swift prod now and again but that applies to all people in public office as complacency so easily becomes the name of the game.

Being all the same party has obvious drawbacks but also some benefits. There are some Area Committees throughout the land that are absolutely paralysed by warring, party - politics, they can't agree on the smallest issues and never get any business done. It takes a year to get planning permission for your house extension. This is because all Committee members have different political colours. This doesn't apply to Marple as they are all of the same party.

If an independent candidate were to present then what would probably happen is that they would take 300/400 of the Lib Dem vote and let the Conservatives in. Have you seen what the all Conservative local Councillors have done to Bramhall? In the last ten years its become like staly- vegas. They've let everybody and everything in. Bars, Restaurants, Pubs, Takeaways, Tesco. Anything as long as it brings in money.

That's not what I want for Marple.
  
If an independent Candidate stood - the only thing that we could be sure of was that the independent Candidate wouldn't win.

[Miss Marple]

Yes Mrs O I have also  watched the Area Committee meeting in the park several times on the link on this site.  The  more I view it the more inconsistencies I notice from what was said by councillors and SMBC officials and what has now come to light via Freedom Of Information requests,it is quite concerning isn't it ?