Political – Local

Polling Day Eve

Brian Riley Local Colour, Political - Local , ,

Vote for BrianTomorrow is polling day for the Suffolk County Council election. My family and friends have worked tirelessly to cover Hadleigh with leaflets and letters designed to remind my supporters that I am the right choice and I need their votes.
Hadleigh needs someone who can ensure that the town gets its fair share of the County’s budgets and who can make a positive contribution to the town’s well being.
The Council is responsible for the following major services:
Transport and streets: maintaining and improving Suffolk’s roads, footpaths and public rights of way, road safety, public transport co-ordination.
Social care: care for older people who are physically or mentally infirm, or have a mental health problem, those with physical or learning disabilities and children and families who need protection and support.
Education and learning: schools, evening classes for adults, youth clubs and higher education grants.
Environment: conservation of the countryside and public access to it, waste disposal and archaeological services.
Business and trading standards: enforcing fair trading laws, protecting consumers and giving advice.
Leisure and culture: library services, archives and support for arts and museums.
Public safety: fire fighting, rescue and emergency services, safety advice.
Registration: births, marriages and deaths.

So, all in all, it’s an incredible job to suggest to the electorate that I am the right choice.
The work has been done, only time will tell whether I have worked hard enough and have been deemed worthy.

Promoted by Brian Riley of Baskwood House, 4, Benton Street, Hadleigh, Suffolk IP7 5AT

Pay Policy Statement 2013/2014

Brian Riley Money Matters, Political - Local ,

 Flag bTuesday’s  Babergh District Council Meeting was a quiet affair being mainly concerned with formalities of approving matters already agreed upon elsewhere. For example who sits on and who leads the various sub committees.
However at the back of the morning we got around to looking at paper “N9 Pay Policy Statement 2013/14”. It was introduced in a gentle way. We were reminded that our approval was required in accordance with Section 38(1) of the Localism Act 2011.
However, under Financial Implications, we were informed that “The pay policy has been produced within existing resources and there are no financial implications”
I interpreted this statement to mean that Babergh produced the policy without chopping down any more trees than had already been killed in manufacturing the paper and that (perhaps) more importantly we had not used any external consultants.
This was not the information I would have liked. As always the key to analysis is not only to examine what is in front of you but what you are not seeing and what I was not seeing was an indication of how much this policy was costing us on a year on year basis.
After much standing up and sitting down the Chief Executive affirmed that there would  be no increase in the payroll as a result of the policy. I was grateful for the unequivocal statement along these lines and thanked the Chairman, the Chief Executive and the Head of Corporate Organisation.
It was like pulling teeth without anaesthetic .
Whilst I was congratulating myself of achieving unexpected reactions it did occur to me that perhaps there will be increases in the overall payroll but they won’t be due to the policy but to something else.
I’ll ponder on this when the time comes, probably in the small hours of a morning.

Out of the Frying Pan – April

Brian Riley Local Colour, Political - Local ,

Recently Babergh’s full  Council discussed and approved a proposal that a vacant piece of land in Lady Lane (just up from The Green) be transferred to a Registered Provider (of Social Housing) and that a four bedroom house be built possibly with a capital contribution from the Council.
At no time were we given an estimate of the land value. Nor were there figures to indicate the financial implications of the proposal.
I dislike giving approvals when I am not aware of the potential price tags. Similarly we were not told why the Council was ignoring its own policy which states that the greatest need in the housing market is for small (one and two bedroom) and medium  sized (three bedroom) houses.
If we built two two bedroom houses we could then relocate two families who no longer need their four bedroom houses – their children having flown the nests.
Joined up thinking was not in evidence that day. On the one hand we were being asked to approve a scheme for a four bedroom house. On the other long term Hadleigh residents are being encouraged to move from their “empty nests” to smaller housing elsewhere.
It is not the first time that policies have been pursued without regard to local needs.
One department is busy implementing under occupancy penalties and another does nothing constructive to reduce its incidence.
The paper presented never mentioned why the Council thought there was a need for more four bed room social housing accommodation in Hadleigh.  The Babergh Development Framework Core Strategy (2011- 2031) Submission Draft is quite clear as to perceived housing demand. What is the point of having policies and then ignoring them?
I have asked about the intended Registered Provider  and why it was so important that they are the recipient of this particular property.
National Mushroom Day is not until October, but I have the feeling that I am being kept in the dark and covered with opprobrium.

This post first appeared in the Hadleigh Community News for April 2013

In Touch

Brian Riley Canine Matters, Local Colour, Political - Local, Uncategorized ,

Hopefully there can be few people who are not aware that I am hoping to be elected County Councillor representing Hadleigh on May 2nd. The current weather situation has precluded me and my team of helpers from delivering leaflets. However with just over a month to go it’s time to crank up operations.
I enclose a link to my In Touch leaflet.  Can you help by displaying a poster for me and/or by delivering leaflets? Canvassing support on the doorstep is not everyone’s cup of tea but if you fancy that, please come and join me enjoying inter-action with the residents.
The leaflet includes an article on land in Cock’s (Cox’s) Park which is used by St. Mary’s school. I have had an interesting response by the Head of St. Mary’s School advising that the field is not ‘common land’ or public land.  The field is owned by Suffolk County Council, for the school (and has been in the County Council’s ownership since the 1960s).
The field is open to tCox's Park 1303he public out of school hours (evenings, weekends and holidays).   The pedestrian gates are always left unlocked, other than in exceptional circumstances, such as when the playgrounds are being resurfaced.  (The gates I saw locked were  the double gates for vehicles. These are always locked unless the County Council Grounds team are mowing the grass).   It is very uncommon for schools not to have a fence around their land.  This is for obvious safety reasons and I have some sympathy for the school in the way in which dogs foul the grounds.
 However, none of this moves us from the point that some time in the past, land which was part of Cock’s (Cox’s) Park was transferred from the town to the school via the County and we need to be vigilant that in future (for whatever reasons) green space is not given up without the full consent of the people.

No Dogs – Polite Notice autumn 2012

Supporting the High Street

Brian Riley HadCham, Local Colour, Money Matters, Political - Local , , ,

Hadleigh Loyalty CardMary Portas writes how people can be categorized as watchers and doers. Watchers watch (and criticize)
and doers do. There will always be  those happier about talking about the death of the High Street than actually doing something about it.
The Hadleigh Chamber of Commerce are only too aware of the situation of our High Street, especially now that Morrison’s have opened and new shopping habits are being  formed. The Chamber is working hard to create a High Street for the twenty first century.
Monday evening sees the second of a series of meetings (at Hadleigh Town Hall) with retailers to plan ways forward. Hadleigh now enjoys a population of 8,000 people which roughly equates to 4,000 families. If each family resolved to spend £25 a week in our High Street (and it’s not that difficult to find what you need at a price which is affordable) then we are looking to a boost of £100,000 coming into the High Street shops. We enjoy first class butchers, florists, farm fresh green grocery, wine merchant, bookshop, pet food shop, health food shop,delicatessen with artisan breads and cheeses, picture framer and decent and welcoming pubs. The High Street is one of the reasons why we chose to move here. For that reason alone we should support it vigorously. The High Street also brings social interaction, a chance to meet your neighbours and friends and to catch up on their news.
So tomorrow’s jobs include ordering the Easter lamb from the butcher and also a nice piece of brisket for slow cooking during the week.
Money has to go somewhere and if it doesn’t go in our neighbourhood then it goes somewhere else – not always to our benefit!

Three Cheers for Tendring

Brian Riley Local Colour, Money Matters, Nice Things, Political - Local ,

Mistley TowersYesterday’s East Anglia Daily Times reports  that Tendring District Council’s innovative free parking scheme is being hailed a success after businesses said they have seen a significant increase in footfall.  The Council is set to continue the popular initiative which allows people to use their car parks for 12 hours during the day completely free of charge. A survey carried out by the local authority on hundreds of businesses found that around 50% had noticed a higher footfall through their town centres since the free permits were issued to households. Approximately 30% of businesses said they noticed an increase in the number of customers coming through their doors. Tendring introduced the scheme at the end of July last year. Every council taxpaying household in the district was issued with a free parking permit for use at any of the council’s 25 car parks from 10 a.m. to midnight. Tendring District Council’s initiative has seen town centres buck the national trend, encouraging shoppers to visit their local retailers. Business leaders in Suffolk last night said the success of the scheme “bursts the balloon” of those who claim there is no correlation between free parking and increase in footfall. Mark Cordell, chief executive of town centre business improvement group Bid4Bury, said: “This scheme is a great example of the local authority listening to, and acting upon, the views of businesses. It is no surprise to me that it has been a huge success”.
Three cheers for a council that sees car parking as support for commercial well-being and not as some form of cash cow useful for balancing the cash flow deficit The full reports can be read on (http://www.eadt.co.uk/news/politics/tendring_free_parking_scheme_boosts_business_1_1951477

On the Buses (contd)

Brian Riley Local Colour, Nice Things, Political - Local , ,

Hadleigh Bus Station d

Last May I reported how together with three “partners in crime” we had persuaded Suffolk County Council to reinstate the evening and Sunday bus service between Hadleigh and Ipswich.
The service was restored on a pilot basis on the 20th August and since then we have encouraged everyone to use the service whether it be for the cinema, shopping, education or participating in the evening economy. On Friday we learned that the pilot has been successful and that the service will be reinstated until February 2014.
For the time being we can rest easy about the people of Hadleigh being connected to Ipswich and beyond. The service still needs to be used because as always it’s a case of use it or lose it.
Success can be seen in many ways. In addition to the “official purposes” the bus service enhances people’s lives in unexpected ways. One Sunday user told me that “…it lets me visit my mum in her Ipswich nursing home.” And one bus driver told recently that romance blooms as young swains can now get back from courting their  inamoratas.
The late evening and week end bus service is a success at so many levels.

 

Being Mugged By Local Government

Brian Riley Local Colour, Political - Local , ,

Hadleigh High SchoolIn early November I blogged on the relationship of Hadleigh High School with its neighbours. (See:  Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?). Today the neighbouring residents got their day in front of Babergh’s Development Committee to challenge the erection of an amenity light. The specific  proposal was to  retain  one  amenity light  which was located on one of the columns which also carried one of the permitted floodlights. The amenity light to be retained overlooked the path from the school and car parking areas rather than the MUGA itself (Multi Use Games Area). Well, it was an interesting experience. First the Council’s own documentation contained errors – so much so that they recognised that there may have been invalidities. Additionally, the recommendation to the Committee referred to Lister Road as Lister Lane (according to Google to be found in Halifax and Bradford). The nearest property in Station Road is 50 metres from the light not 85.
The applicant had stated that the light was required to access the MUGA in a safe manner. However you do not need a 12 m high light for safety purposes unless you are running a lorry car park or similar. The Council officials pronounced MUGA as MUGGA. Which is just how the residents felt – mugged. The object in challenging the application was so that some of the previous decisions could be amended to correct past mistakes and unintended consequences. The Committee approved the application without giving the residents what they needed and ignored their entitlement to the peaceful enjoyment of their possessions. From my point of view – it was a sad day for justifying the democratic process. And a sad day for the residents.

The Morning(s) After

Brian Riley Local Colour, Nice Things, Political - Local

Magdelan Road Recycling 130101Hadleigh people certainly know how to party. On January 1st the town’s Magdelan Road recycling centre was overflowing with the evidence of very merry Christmases indeed! I informed Babergh District Council on the evening of the 1st January and by the afternoon of the 2nd the glass had been collected and the street care team had cleared all the bags and boxes left behind.
To be picky, leaving one’s rubbish by the bottle banks is littering at best and fly-tipping at worst.
Three cheers then for the Council and its teams for responding so quickly and so well.

Jargon Generator

Brian Riley Nice Things, Political - Local, Political - National and other

DictionaryThe Economic Jargon Generator (http://www.dack.com/web/bullshit.html) is a joke page meshing triple vocabulary elements to produce high falutin’ expressions defined as always to baffle the brains of the recipient. Which is why I tell myself that the five/six most important words a politician can say are: “I don’t understand, please explain”. One of my New Year resolutions will be to try to avoid being accused of using the jargon generator. Now that is a fundamentally irrevocable undertaking!