New Boys and Girls Club.

One of the most discussed topics at the moment that residents are ringing up about is the proposed Boys and Girls club. This is on Mesnes playing fields and the people behind the scheme are Mr Dave Whelan and the Ainscough brothers, Martin and Bill. This fields was left for the people of Wigan for their use.

What certainly seems the case is that people want this field to be left alone and for Wigan Council to retain it as it is. I know of certain things that residents are doing and these will no doubt spring up in the near future.

Skips in the road.

As a local Councillor you get many varied requests and there have been a number of occasions were residents have rang up over skips, with no lights on in the road. When I have looked into this matter they also need a license from the Council and at times some operators do not apply for the license. This cheats Wigan Council tax payers of revenue but more important leaves the public and the operator at risk. As if there is an incident were people crash into a skip and there is no license then the operators insurance is invalid and the person injured as a harder time of getting any money for compensation and/ or to repair their car.

There are the majority of operators that go by the rules and this is good news but this is an area were the Council needs to make sure we come down on any rogue operators of Skips and a letter will soon be going out to all operators saying that this kind of action will not be tolerated by the Council.

You could not make it up!

After dealing with Wigan Council now as an elected member for a number of years it never suprises me whn they cock up, i.e leaving laptops out on desk with 33000 children names and details on etc.

I submitted a motion or one of a few motions on the 28 August for tomorrows Council meeting. I got told last night that it could not go forward as it was not competent. I had spoken with the Council over my motions and this was never flagged. Had it been I could have amended it and got it through but being told last night was just after the deadline. All I get is a sorry send it for the next meeting if you want.

While I accept that we all make mistakes I feel if you do it is then up to you to correct that mistake. I am sure this happens with people every day in work. But yet Wigan Council does not seem to do this. I have said I want it sorting and I await their response.

Later got a meeting over Orica site in Shevington as Cllr Bland and Fairhurst have another meeting.

Today's events

Will be having a meeting with the group later tonight about Wednesday Council meeting and preparing for that. This is looking to be a highly charged event and I would always recommend that members of the public come and view the event and see what their Councillor are doing or not doing and see how the debates go.

Also had a question from the press about my Brighter Borough and why I have so much. I have said that I do not spend just for the sake of it and I would use it when needed. I think this money should be scrapped and the Council Tax being reduced.

Also any groups need any funding please get in touch and let me know and I will see what I can do.

Also I see that the local paper has picked up about the developer issue where he might get away with knocking the two houses down on Wigan Lane without planning permission. I have attached a web link to the story. This is called Conservation or Devastation!

New option for Council to choose.

The Council has been asked to choose a new option for how it is run The two options are a leader and cabinet, which Wigan currently has or the second option is an elected Mayor, like what London has.

I would say that the second option is best as we have this system already by the back door. The Labour leader picks who he wants in the Cabinet and if they do not do what he says he kicks them out. The only difference is that he is not elected to run as an individual. I believe that the people should hold one man accountable and that would free up local Councillors to run for themselves rather than being ran by party politics. This way the people should get better Councillors as they will work more for them rather than the party.

Responses have to be in by 2 October 2009 and I would urge people to ask for them to have a choice of which system they want rather than having being forced on to them by the Council.

Take Control back!

New Option for dam.

I have received a letter today regarding the dam. A local resident of Coppull Lane has said he has been in contact with the British Waterways on this matter and they say they have never been consulted on this matter and this is possible. This information is very useful will hopefully help enormously.

Another busy old morning

Started the day with a photo shoot with a local resident over a parking issue then went to meeting at the environment agency. That was some time and then responded to emails and returned phone calls.

The meeting was very interesting. This was interesting in the sense that I have uncovered yet more questionable behaviour from the Environment Agency and they Council. I have asked the Council whether they have agreed a certain practise and await their response.

I will over the weekend be working on the legal papers for the high court

Busy old morning.

Day started off with a radio interview at Wish FM over the dam issue. They have picked the campaign up and wanted to report on it, which will help get more and more known about the issue and get more involved and support the campaign.

The facebook campaign, STOP THE DAM was launched last night and already a number of people have joined the campaign, which is re assuring.

Then the local press wanted to organise a photo shoot over the Charles street parking issue and this went back and forth between us and the residents and that has now been arranged for tomorrow morning.

After that I will go straight to meet with the Environment Agency over the dam.

Finally dealt with some emails from officers of the council wanting to arrange meetings with either myself or the group to update us over things and also to get more info on I am a Councillor get me out of here later on in the year.

Dam issue growing in strength

As previous blogs show I have been fighting this dam proposal and the growing of feeling against the dam is growing. The environment agency have asked me for a meeting with myself and this has been arranged for Friday morning whilst on route to work. Many people ask me how I can be a father, husband, councillor and also have a full time work but the way I do is to work things into things like meetings whilst driving past to work or similar ideas etc.

The public strength like I have said is growing and now a local radio station want to get on board and want to do an interview tomorrow morning, again whilst I drive past on route to work.

Some one has mention a face book group as well and I will look at this tonight, so keep your eyes open on the web.

Enviroment ask for meeting!

After much publicity on the planning application for the new dam the environment agency have asked for a meeting with myself over the possibility of a legal challenge. The meeting is now set to take place on Friday at 9.30am in their office

They want us to both sing for the same hymn sheet so I guess an interesting meeting is likely. Once the out come of the meeting is known I will post this on the blog too.