Can we trust Labour on what they say?

Obviously Wigan Council are saying Ashfield is safe in their hands. they are saying that Ashfield is safe and not being sold for Houses.

Below, I have published a leaflet that Labour put out with what the Council was saying on Mere Oaks special school.

Not the best scan, I agree, but if you look at what Labour and the council say on Falsehood 2. In their response they say that Mere Oaks is safe and children can still attend. This leaflet was done in 2003 and it closed it doors in 2006 for the final time. Also look at falsehood 1 where they say no houses are coming to next to the Line. This was just behind the Shamrock. Guess what? They said no houses but yet we have houses!

So what is the reason to publish this old election leaflet from Labour? It is to demonstrate that Labour and this Council cannot be trusted, they said Mere Oaks was safe, we now have houses on the site. They said no houses where coming to the Line, we have houses. Now they say Ashfield is safe. Do we believe them? Not a chance!

On a final note I have seen on the internet a lady saying, after reading the emails between then developers and the council, why won't the Council show us the letter to Persimmon Homes saying that they will never sell Ashfield for no money?

Ashfield - THE TRUTH!!!!!!!!!!

Wigan Council are obviously getting desperate. They have issued a press release saying that the Village Green Application is based on False Information. This is not true and here's why.

Below are the emails that I got from the council under the Freedom of Information. In the emails it is quite clear that Persimmon Homes submitted a pre planning application to build on Ashfield. As part of that Pre Application a detailed plan was submitted. I say this because in the emails it discusses and mentions it. In the emails you see the then Director of Planning, Steve Normington, saying it was a good idea to move the football pitches to the former Golf Course site.

All this is not subjective nor me just saying this, should you read the emails you can see the threat to Ashfield is real. Don't take my word for it see the emails and see for yourself. Don't forget to start at the bottom and read up as that how they are dated. Again these are the Council emails with Persimmon Homes.




Now Wigan Council are urging people not to subscribe to the Legal Battle Fund. Why? Because it is unlawful? NO, because the barrister that we have is one of the most highly respected in the land and they know that they will have a fight on their hands. Every penny can be accounted for and I have even mentioned to the Police that their are liars out there saying that it is a dodgy campaign.

As someone has said  when they have just rang me  - Labour Lie they even put out a leaflet saying Mere Oaks was safe just months before they announced they were closing it. That leaflet is being scanned and sent to me and once I have it I will upload it on here.

Wigan Council cannot be trusted as we all know and there is more to come.

Public Inquiry for the two housing appeals

Persimmon Homes, who have permission for 250 houses on the former Golf Course site, have put in a further application for a further 250 houses - this was called phrase 2. this was refused. Also Jones homes put in an application for just under 150 houses, that too was refused and they again have appealed.

I can announce that these two appeals will be heard on the same starting the 14th July 2015 at the Community Church on Pottery Road, Wigan.

People of Standish will no doubt be at the very least disappointed that it is not being held in Standish. The Council they could get a venue in Standish but they where to expensive. This is ridiculous the Council waste money like it is going out of fashion and now they say they are watching the purse strings. I would suspect they will try this for the Ashfield Village Green Public Inquiry later in the year.

For me this speaks volumes that the council do not want the people of Standish to hear what is going on and the reason is, I believe, they are going to lose and they don't want the people of Standish to see their argument.

The people of Standish wouldn't mind the cost of a venue in Standish, after all they put more in the pot than any other area. To be treated in this way and manner just shows their lack of respect for the people of Standish.

Health and Wellbeing Scrutiny meeting last night

And they're off. Last night was the first meeting for me and other Cllrs for the first Committee meeting of this Council's year.

Last night was a pretty long meeting and for a number of reasons. This committee is there to look at the health aspect of the people of Wigan. The way that the local Government framework is set up is a few Labour Cllrs in a Cabinet make the decisions. The Scrutiny Committees are there to hold them to account and in all my years they have never gone against a decision of the Cabinet. Just goes to show that they don't work because over the years the Cabinet have made some howlers.

Anyway moving on so last night first item was about the Devo Manc where 6bn of funding is coming to the 10 local authorities that make up Greater Manchester. I have a number of issues with what we have. First and foremost where did the 6bn arrive from. Did someone sit down and say these services will cost 6bn? Or did they they say 6bn will be enough to fund everything in this plan? I would guess not. The figure was arrived at by the Government and said you are getting 6bn to run the services. The NHS cost a lot and I am unsure if this figure will come with the NHS in the area and social care, another expensive area.

Secondly, I want to see and understand re-admissions. Now I might have an interest in this because I was set home out of hospital myself in 2013 so that they freed up my bed. Prior to this I say them going round the ward saying right send  him home. Not, they are well enough now so you can release them. However, the number of re-admissions is high and last yr I learnt that Wigan has the highest re-admissions. For me the most cost effective way to way to treat someone is get it right first time!

Fundamentally, there is no plan B if this 6bn is not enough or it goes wrong having the 10 Greater Manchester Authorities run them. One Labour Cabinet member said last night that doing it ourselves cannot get be any worse! Really? So they have done this deal that effects us so much just because they think they can do better - but have no plan or idea how or why they can do it better. O dear we are now getting fag packets out and drawing plans on them now. Doing things this way is a disaster waiting to happen.

Whilst I am not totally against doing things locally I do think they need to be thought out and worked first. For example if someone was setting up business and worked out a business plan and then found they needed £x to make it work. They wouldn't just start without working out what they needed and how it all worked.

Another item on the agenda was Dementia and I think the key thing that I took out of this was we need to stop the stigma people have with Dementia or even the illness. I agree and it will be interesting some of the work that is being done and I wish the team well and look forward to seeing how they achieve getting better in this area.

Finally, there was an item about living well and it is about if someone keeps coming back for Food Parcels we need to know why and get to the root problem. This is just one example there are many more. I agree with this area we simply can't just be a net to life off we need to understand how we can help and where we can help. That way it is better if we can learn more and then help them people to help themselves. It would help their confidence, their way of life and so much more. One of the interesting things that I saw in the presentation was that a large majority hit this team they had been in the system, asking for help, but then going round and round, only them to hit rock bottom and for me one of the first things that needs to be done - which has been identified, is for teams to work together. That way people don't go round and round and then get worse. Hopefully this will get resolved and that will reduce the number of people hitting the crisis team.

The week that ended......31 May 2015

If you step outside you would not guess that it is the end of May. it feels more like the beginning of March. Hopefully, the weather will realise that we need to get the sun in quick time.

So this week has been a bit busy and a sense of normality setting in. Wednesday was the annual meeting of the Council and I did a blog post about that here. For me it saddens me that the tone for the Council was set in such a way that Labour are obsessed with trying to micro managing everything, including the opposition. They do this so then the opposition lose their seats. There are a number of good examples that people can choose from. For me it is not trying to get what you can for yourself personally but the best for your community and that is why they will never micro manage us.

Local Life is a great little magazine and I am sure that many have it dropping through their doors. Have a look at the back inside page, A view from the Lump. We get a great little mention in their and it did make me and others chuckle. If you have not seen it here it is again below.

Local Life Inside back Page

ASHFIELD

In our work as local Cllrs we are working with a couple of football teams to help them get on Ashfield to play games and after the Council removed the changing rooms, hopefully we can get them back on. Time will tell. Also on Ashfield a number of people are commenting about the state of Ashfield, and surrounding paths and fields. This is a concern for us too and we are discussing the issues with the Council. Again hopefully we can get these resolved.

Ashfield is a great issue for the Village Green, for obvious reasons. I would have loved to announce the dates for the Village Green Public inquiry  this week but Wigan Council have not accepted my two other proposal for dates and  now we are in limbo a bit. This next week we should know more about the matter and move forward. The issue is I put forward week 3 of August. Wigan Council could not do that date for one of their witness's was not available. Fine, it is holiday season. My second proposal was 2 weeks later - the first week in September. Council declined those again saying that they want to do it before Sept. My initial feeling is that if it is Sept then we have most of our witness's back of Holiday and also the field will be being used in it's prime. This would strengthen our case.

 

Also if it was Sept then once the Public Inquiry has concluded it may take the Inspector a number of months to take in everything that was put to him from both sides and then to write his report with his recommendation. That will then be sent to us all, including the Council. Then that report and recommendation will have to go before the licencing and regulation committee. That again can take time for them to consider and take a vote on it. That could mean that the final verdict would be around or just after Xmas. Should it come after Xmas Wigan Council are worried that it could well help myself in the election as we will all know what the inspector has recommended. Reason why I say this is because it will be fresh in people's mind. If they can push it so that we can get everything in by November the Council will hope people will have forgotten about in by May (the next Local Elections).

We'll see what this week brings - who knows. For me the Council are now arguing over 2 weeks. We have waited this long why does 2 weeks matter?

Coming Week

This coming week is a busy week with a number of committees kicking off, which I will be attending. Who knows there may even be people waiting for me outside to accost me like what happened today after my surgery. It just makes me smile how some people are. But hey, if they want to waste time hanging about for me only to shout and swear then they have little to offer. I must say this person that waited for me is not one of the people I directly suspect with regards the ongoing Police Investigation (which I will not be commenting on until after the investigation has concluded for obvious reasons). Like I said they could not communicate why he was there or what he wanted just shouting and swearing, he promised to come and see me again. Why ? Who knows.

Cllr George Fairhurst is also back in the Village after his UK holiday and great election win that has been described as a thumping win. For an independent to win in a General Election is massive as turn out increases for the major parties. See the article above.

Summing Up

Some people have already started talking about next year's election, really? The Labour Candidate has now come 3rd 2 years on the trot and with the stuff that she is coming out with then I would hope that the Labour Party choose her again. Let's see if we can make it 3rd place 3 yrs in a row. The way this Labour Council ignore Standish is despicable and only keeping them out sends the message, again see the article above. The Tory candidate has said he will be running again and that's up to him. For me it is business as usual and representing and fighting for the people of Standish and the community of Standish. Unlike the other two just mention who just want to pedal their national party politics.      

Finally, it has been a great month for the blog. I have mentioned in the past how much it gets read. This month has seen a record number of hits and just under 10,000 is huge and it demonstrates that so many people read it, so thank you. 

Start of the Municipal Yr does hold much hope.

Today was Wigan Council's first meeting of their year. This is like a school Yr running from Sept - Aug, The Council's runs from May to May. This is because it has to be held after the election.

The forst meeting really shouldn't be controversial or anything too much. The bit of business is electing the next Mayor, The next Deputy Mayor and thank the outgoing Mayor. Then the bit is just to appoint Cllrs to the relevant Committees etc. How these are worked out is prior to the meeting the officers of the Council work out the percentage of each groups on the Council and allot so many seat by percentage to the relevant committees.

Because Cllr Bob Brierley (Hindley Green) and Cllr Robert Bleakley are not members of any political groups they are classed as non group members. As part of the allotted places the non groups members also get seats on committees. Cllr Bob Brierley put forward his seats but Labour blocked this. These seats are democratically his and he should be allowed to go on but because he will not go allong with the Quango Standards committee rulings on a couple of issues they are blocking him. He has never had any complaints against him in committees and therefore me there should be no reason why he should be blocked.

Labour are just trying to get to him in his election Yr. For me the people of Hindley Green will be disgusted at Labour and I am sure they will be more determined to use their vote next Yr wisely and vote for him and send a message to Labour that they should respect who they choose.

For me this blocking just sets up the yr and I am not expecting any better from council meetings. Same old as they say.

Update on the Trolls, stalkers and harassment

Some may have seen the statement that I made on here over the weekend about the trolls that have been trying to make my life hell. Whilst a distraction, I am not going to bow down to bullies or internet trolls. If a resident had come to me and asked for help I would give them advice. I have followed my own advice.

Firstly, the police were informed and the collecting of evidence started. Little did the evil parasites know that everything was being recorded from that point on. Secondly, I got the lawyers in and yes I am sure the Trolls will giggle that they have cost me money but this money will be well spent and if recoverable, then i will go for a court order later, but that is not important - certainly at this stage.

Today the local paper ran the story and my solicitors communicated with them on Friday on the matter and things were agreed and we said we would watch. The paper did what they said would do and keep people away from being directed to these evil cesspools. However, a national media outlet ran the story on their website and we had to make contact with them and point out we would be taking legal action. Within minutes they agreed to make immediate amendments to the story and they have now done so. Legal recovery will now being discussed. They also have asked for a story from my side and to carry an article on this.

One of the things I am keen to expose is these trolls ID. One thing Stalkers, Trolls and people that carry out harassment do not like is being named and shamed. One of the trolls and person carrying out this vile treatment of being a stalker has now identified themselves and said she is a stalker of mine. This evidence has now in with the other large number of evidence that we have and will be passed to the Police at our agreed meeting to move the this criminal investigation further.

One of the other trolls I have ID on twitter and he finds it upsetting that I have ID and put his name out there. What do I say to someone like this - tough. Your neighbours and others now know what you do behind your closed door, hiding away. Smile when you set out side people will know you for what you are. Actions have consequences and if you make your bed - lie in it!

I make no apology of moving on this in the way I have - hard and fast. My solicitor has communicated with Twitter now on Friday and this week there will further communications between them for the civil side of the matter.

Also, and this is important, the Trolls have now realised their actions have been illegal and have tried to back track. One of the fake accounts has now been removed and the other renamed, trying to defuse their actions. To little - too late. We were watching and recording everything,as I have said, hence why I have not been on social media much and not responding as I normally would have.

I wish I can say more but I agree with my Counsel on what bits I have to leave out on this message for Legal reasons but I feel that people are now getting worried of arrest, and so they should be. As a Local Cllr I will not stand for this kind of behaviour and jail is too good for these people.

Finally, I would like to thank everyone that has rung, spoken with me in the street and emailed me with their kind words of support, I do appreciate them. Whilst being a hard hitting Elected member no one should be subjected to this evil treatment, and why? Because we won!