The week that was....05 July 2015

So another week passes and we enter into the month of July. Time fly's when you are having fun, as they say. People are talking about Christmas already, which seems a bit early.

For myself this week started of with a meeting about Ashfield and an update on what was happening. The Friday before I was meant to get 5000 leaflets to distribute and that would have informed people of the meeting. the printer did not deliver the leaflets, which let us down a bit. So only a couple of residents who are wanting the Village Green turned up as they saw the poster in a shop window.

 I know that the Council and the other political opponents of the Village Green will be happy for Ashfield not to get Village Green status, which then allows the Council to build on it, they will be happy at the dismal turnout too. I then went knocking on people door's and asking them what they think.

The response has been fantastic. The main theme - we all got the council leaflets and thought lying gits. Only one said he was not sure what to think but he was moving out of Standish any way. Other comments after seeing that program about the Council they don't want to believe or trust them to pick litter up and want them out. Good Call. So much so a number of residents are now wanting to get involved with us politically and this too is heartening.

Back on Ashfield we have to exchange the bundles of evidence later this month and we will see what the council are saying and they will see our argument. we both then have till the start of the Public Inquiry to prepare for the inquiry, which starts on the 1st of Sept. A member of the public asked me to ask the council - where will they extend the historic gardens for Ashfield and will it included all the front part of the fields. As usual no answer from Wigan Council.

On the Don't blame the Council people will be also heartened that I submitted a motion to the next Full Council meeting to call for a full investigation. This has now started and the officer running the dept has been relieved of his duties whilst an investigation goes on. For me this is not completely what I was after but I want a full investigation, i.e. we don't just want a scapegoat scenario. For me the Councillor in charge of that dept should be removed out of Cabinet and also the Leader of the Council should go. I say this because in the first part the cabinet member should have known what the council dept was run like and he has allowed this. Secondly, many agree that the Council has become a joke, which is a shame as there are many many hard working people but the Leader has allowed it to be run like an organisation for the 70's. It needs a full overhaul.

I will be back out door knocking in a little while and quite possible more during the week. We have the Wigan Jazz Festival on and I think I will also pop down to a couple of the shows. If you are going - see you there.