The Week that ended....29 Sept '13

Last week of Sept. Where does time go. It only seemed yesterday that the kids were going back to school and already people are talking about half term and xmas.

This week has been a relative busy week. Monday say me attending the Call in meeting of The Pines Residential Care home. Full Story here. I still can't believe after the way that the Council handled Mere Oaks they still continue on in this way. Arrogance! All I can say to that.

Tuesday, I highlighted the fact that the Council are looking to lose the road outside the Globe pub as a road and allow it to be a seating area for drinkers. Whilst we have had a great summer, these are not often and even then not many people would want to drink outside on a regular occasion - so I can't see why this is being allowed. After all the situation has worked for many years so why change it?

Also I believe anti social behaviour will increase in the area too. For the full story see here. The Council say that they have a great outdoor seating area policy and pointed to Wallgate to me. I would say this is a disaster. I have had comments from people that walk up from the train station were the same people seem to sit outside all day drinking and smoking, and swearing is not uncommon too. Is this really a policy that the Council want to push and promote for a good image of the Borough?

Wednesday I attend the Confident Places Scrutiny meeting where play equipment was nearly discussed. I say nearly as the Chairman clearly didn't want Councillors to discuss this issue. He even said this to Councillors that belonged to his own group, which demonstrates how Labour likes to keep their minnows quiet. I suggested that if the Chairman wouldn't allow the discussion because he thought it was not in the report that we set up another meeting to discuss the matter, which seems to be taken up. Time will tell if this is the case.

Nominations closed for the Winstanley By-election. on Friday lunch time. There is 7 candidates in the election and it will be interesting battle. Labour will be confident but I am not sure they should be. UKIP in the last by-election had a good second place and then Community Action Party have a good candidate in Stan Barnes and he has been a Councillor for the ward before too, so he will have a good chance too. Some are now putting him favourite. For the full list of candidates see here