The Northern Herald

Musings

2008-05-15T21:47:00.000+01:00

The musings of the last few days have certainly drawn a little bit of attention, and for once, some sensible comments. As per usual a couple of posts did pass the usual tests, but hey, everybody has their stalkers! Trying to link these policies to any political party is, whilst flattering, also ridiculous.

Everybody has a wish list, the “something for the future” posts incorporate how I would like to see the Borough progress – nothing more, nothing less.

Anyway, it’s back to drawing board for the final couple “wishes”.

Call back Friday if you’re interested.

Something For The Future – Free Leisure Facilities

2008-05-14T20:59:00.002+01:00

If the control of South Tyneside Council is to be eventually wrestled from the hands of the Labour elite in 2 years time, then it will attract media attention not only on a regional scale, but also on a national basis. Whilst this would be an accolade for those involved, I myself would want the Borough to be a political beacon for what it actually does, not for who controls it. With a two year gap before the local elections return, there is an ideal opportunity to formulate some radical and ground breaking policies to put before the electorate. I have already mentioned the possibility of a referendum for an elected mayor. I would now also like to introduce a second approach, that of Borough wide “free at point of use” leisure facilities, to include all community associations, leisure centres, swimming pools and all associated bodies etc.

The thud you just heard was the Chief Executive of South Tyneside as she fainted, the thought of all that Temple Park revenue disappearing overnight. However, the idea has more merit than first assumed.

1 This country is on the brink of a health crisis that has it’s origins in both poor diet, but more importantly, a lack of physical activity. What better way to re-introduce swimming, squash, badminton, football etc into the family ethos, than by offering it for free?

2 If Gypsies Green Stadium is indeed demolished, then the South Shields area of the Borough will have no athletics facilities for the first time since the 1950’s. Council Leader Ian Malcolm and David Slater (Regeneration and Resources) have both in the past promised that money from any Foreshore development would be ring fenced for leisure construction. This money should be used to create an all weather running track at Temple Park, with ample left over to subsidise its free use.

3 Whilst the income stream “through the doors” would end, Temple Park can still recoup revenue from other sources:
- Upgrade of restaurant to include evening meals based on a healthy and nutritionally balanced approach.
- Grants from outside sports bodies, National Lottery, European sources etc
- Sponsorship from local businesses etc
- Retail outlets - sportswear shops on high streets make thousands of pounds selling sport associated clothing. Lease a unit to them in Temple Park
- Savings in Council expenditure. For example, South Tyneside Council has spent millions on market research, consultants etc. This work can be done “in house”, with the savings being used to subsidise leisure costs.

All of a sudden, the concept of free leisure access doesn’t seem so far fetched. As the obesity time bomb ticks onwards to destruction, society needs to radically change its approach to how it utilises it’s spare time. Free access to leisure facilities is certainly a step in the right direction.

All that is needed is the vision and the will.

Something For The Future – Elected Mayors

2008-05-12T22:35:00.002+01:00

The recent election victories for the South Tyneside Alliance represented a massive change in the regions political make up. Not only did Labour loose its leader, but after decades of manipulative and hedonistic control, their strangle hold on the Borough is now under serious threat.

Despite this ray of political sunshine, many people still remain negative and dismissive of the regeneration of public involvement in Council politics, their doom and gloom attitude focusing on one tenant – it doesn’t matter which political party is in control at local level, they still have to administer national policies, guidelines and directives. The end result will therefore always be the same.

There is however, a way round this admittedly fairly large stumbling block, and that is the provision of a regionally elected mayor!

The Local Government Act 2000 was Labour’s first major pieces of legislation which was aimed at radically changing the way that local councils and institutions operated. Enshrined in this law was the public’s right to hold a referendum on the election of a mayor to head local governing bodies. To date the electorates of 13 regions have directly chosen their mayors, the most famous being “Robocop” Keith Mallon (Middlesbrough) and Hartlepool’s Stuart Drummond, famously voted in whilst attired in a monkey suit!

Whilst primarily a Euorpean/American concept, the idea of an elected head of the local executive is still in its infancy as far as the English voters are concerned. However, evidence shows that when it comes to regional governance, the concept does work.

~ Keith Mallon – reduced crime by 18% in his first year as an elected mayor
~ Hartlepool Council – 4 star rating achieved under the direction of Stuart Drummond
~ Hackney Council – prior to an elected mayor, the council was on the verge of being taken over by the government. However, to coincide with the period of its elected mayor, it is now on course for a 4 star rating (currently 3).

In conjunction with this evidence, I have always considered the case for an elected mayor to be extremely compelling. Government ministers have always been more willing to devolve powers to councils whose leaderships deliver effective and accountable local governance – in this instance mayoral models score highly. They also collectively form a powerful political voice for change, particularly in local police accountability, revenue generation, political change and economic development. Perhaps more importantly however, they provide visible and accountable leadership and a sense of direction for communities within their regions.

South Tyneside is politically well placed for the introduction of an elected mayor. We have a plethora of eligible candidates, both politically and no-aligned. We also have an increasingly politically active electorate, and together with the changing political landscape, we have a Council institution which is now being viewed as unreflective, unaccountable and stagnant.

Legislation calls for a referendum on the idea of an elected mayor to be endorsed by a majority of councillors or 5% of the eligible electorate. In the case of South Tyneside, this would mean just over 5000 people out of 114166 signing a verifiable petition. The Gypsies Green development opposition group Save Our Seafront managed to get just under 8000 signatures for their petition against the Tavistock hotel plans!

Anything is therefore possible.

Abbott and Potts - Comedy Duo

2008-05-11T08:48:00.002+01:00

Whilst aid might not be able to reach Burma, over at The Chief Whip’s office, news has been released of a couple of committee position “free” hand outs http://thechiefwhip.wordpress.com/2008/05/10/you-heard-it-here-first/

As we all suspected George “Judas” Elsom has been given a committee position as a reward for putting his wife up for election in the Beacon and Bents Ward. Olive’s inclusion on the ballot paper as an “Independent” was purely aimed at splitting the vote. The voters weren’t fooled however and she only polled 43. I suspect poor old George will pay a severe price for his treachery when he is next up for re election. We have all seen what happens when the Independent Alliance works a ward – they win!

As to Abbott and Potts (weren’t they a comedy duo in the 40’s and 50’s – sorry that was Abbott and Costello) surely their appointments have nothing to do with the fact that Labour is desperate to avoid the creation of an “opposition block” of councillors. How better to diffuse the situation than draw some of the main players into the committee system. However, they needn’t have bothered – the comedy duo has never opposed anything in the Chamber for years so their silence hardly needed to be bought.

Here’s the prediction – Liberal Democrat and Conservative Party support for Labour policies over the next 12 months. Let’s start of with the TOP’s report.

Surely they must be related?

2008-05-09T20:08:00.002+01:00

Thanks to Curly at his Corner Slop for the revelation. I somehow don't think Potts will say "Oh Yes!"

Eye Eye!

2008-05-09T19:53:00.003+01:00

Rumours are gathering force that Councillors David Potts (Con) rather public exhibition of a bloody nose and black eye are not all they seem to be. Wild and wonderful parties have been mentioned, over indulgence has risen its ugly head and dodgy pavements outside of certain watering holes are in the frame. Even his good old buddy at the Corner Slop has had a dig at his black eye http://curly15.wordpress.com/2008/05/05/knockout-result/. Pity his wasn’t so vocal about his lack of attendance at Council meetings.

Do(g)dy throat, dodgy eye, dodgy nose – what ever next for the poor afflicted Councillor? Dodgy…… whmmm.... I wonder if the Chief Whip has anything to add!

Lets face it, whilst a 10 hour knock out for a nose bleed seems a bit strong, who really cares?

Well apparently the Private Eye magazine and the Chancellor do!

Sources reveal that both the magazine and No 11 have been more than happy to receive the Gazettes picture of said Potts with “Billy Bunter” eye for the forthcoming national election, whenever it may come.

Who in Scotland would vote for an (English) man this mug shot on his election address?

Whoever advised Councillor Potts to allow his picture to appear in our local paper should be sacked.

If not, at least punched in the eye!

In The Clinch Of The Finch

2008-05-09T19:28:00.002+01:00

Fridays Gazette carries a nice piece on Councillor Gordon Finch (Independent), newly elected Councillor for Horsley Hill.

I know Gordon well, and canvassed his ward on many a cold night. He is an honest and honourable man, and the Ward will be well served by him.

As they say, once you get the first Independent in the ward, the rest fall like dominoes!

http://www.shieldsgazette.com/news/Thanks-for-voting-me-in.4066024.jp

Judas No 2

2008-05-08T18:09:00.002+01:00

Talking of controversy, the Hebburn Town Centre debacle rumbles on.

Councillor McAtominey is quoted in today’s Gazette as saying that when it comes to the best bidder for the town centre regeneration, money was “just part of the equitation”.

Sadly, McAtominey is economical with the truth – Tesco’s are involved - money is the centre of the equation.

Read the “Private Eye” magazine Councillor, if indeed you can! If this super store is involved, then money is the issue, and South Tyneside Council wants to trouser the lot, regardless of who objects.

Even Councillor Nancy Maxwell (who she? surely they are not related) has dropped a clanger.

“Come back in 5 years and people will be thrilled” she says of the development.

That assumes Nancy, that in 5 years you still have a Council seat!

Roll on 2010!

http://www.shieldsgazette.com/news/Hebburn-revamp-39is-value-for.4060733.jp

Family Feud

2008-05-08T18:03:00.002+01:00

Some time ago the Gazette printed a horrendous artist’s impression of the proposed £2m indoor development plans by Michael Sheeran for the Ocean Beach Pleasure Park area of South Shields.

Today’s paper outlines the opposition to the project by 17 current operators, stall holders and caterers, many of whom envisage job losses and the end to long running family businesses.

Not only do they object, but so do Mr Sheeran’s brother and sister in law, Joseph and Sally.

The brain(less) child of Council Deputy Leader Ian Malcolm, the Foreshore programme is surrounded by controversy. This family spat only adds to the melting pot of discontent that shrouds the Council’s plans. The focal point of the development is focused on Gypsies Green Stadium, but rumour has it that Tavistock have not only got cold feet as a result of Labour losses at the last election, but that the “credit crunch” has also eaten into their reserves.

Only time will tell!

http://www.shieldsgazette.com/news/Fairground-tenants-not-amused-by.4062912.jp

Lady Linda – Intrepid Explorer!

2008-05-06T19:56:00.002+01:00

As a footnote to the local election proceedings, I have via my travels managed to somehow accumulate election material from every Borough ward.

If it actually interests anybody, the worst material originated from the printing press of The Progressives, who despite years of political experience, managed to make an Asda receipt more interesting than their election address. Naturally, I found the Independent Alliance’s pamphlets generic but targeted for the wards they were distributed in. The Labour Party’s were professional but long winded and boring, and the Conservatives lacked enthusiasm and commitment. As for the Liberal Democrats – they were yellow, which mirrors their political stance!

As I file them all away for posterity, I can’t help but laugh at Joanne Bell’s (Labour) effort in the Boldon Colliery Ward. Quoting direct she says of Independent Alliance candidate Ed Keller:

“Do you want (a candidate)…who is not standing as an Independent Councillor in his own ward? (The Bede Ward, Jarrow) Why not?”

The reverse of the sheet then goes on to mention Ward Councillor Linda Waggot, virtually describing her as the “Patron Saint of Schools”. It fails to mention of course, that the Lady Linda does not live in the Boldon Colliery Ward, but in fact in the voting district of Fellgate and Hedworth. She does in fact live at the top of Ed Keller’s street. It also fails to mention that whilst highlighting the Bede Ward, a certain election there two years ago rejected said Lady Linda, mainly because…..she didn’t live in the Ward!

Political acumen? Media sensitivities? Creative abilities? Attention to detail? Sadly these are gifts that deserted the South Shields Labour Party many moons ago, and ones which on recent evidence, will never return.

New Kid On The Blog

2008-05-06T15:37:00.002+01:00

Whilst I have been trawling the streets of the Borough’s wards over the last few weeks, rattling letter boxes and persuading the electorate to vote for various Independent Alliance candidates, somebody has been setting up an extremely swish and well balanced local blog.

Billed as the “best informed blog in South Tyneside”, the http://thechiefwhip.wordpress.com/ site is well presented, well written and well informed. It certainly “out techs” these pages, and with out doubt offers a far better perspective than that pontificated over at the Corner Slop.

As I assume a more sedate and specific role within the South Tyneside blog community, I wish the Chief Whip all the best, and as the months plod on I shall attempt to “cultivate” a constructive relationship with its anonymous author.

However, judging by the posts over the last few days, he/she needs no help from me!

A to B

2008-05-05T20:31:00.003+01:00

As South Tyneside Council goes through the (Labour) mechanisms of a new elected leader, the usual throw back to the “A” and “B” team scenario has once again reared its rather embarrassing head.

First of the blocks was Ian Malcolm, with the poisoned chalice firmly in the hands of his bank balance; now it appears that Michael Clare may have appeared as an “I, Claudius” candidate!.

The “B” candidates have been sucked in by a certain “Me Myself and Irene” syndrome.

Good luck to them. Who needs a liability beginning with "M"!

Either way, if a South Shields Councillor assumes the “Don” position, then the Jarrow Wards will demand second stage.

Oh God, what a mess the Labour Party is in!

(Self) Felled Councillor

2008-05-05T19:32:00.003+01:00

Poor old Councillor David Potts (Con, Cleadon and East Boldon) – today’s Gazette is reporting that he wasn’t able to attend the local Election count on Thursday as some one had given him a bloody nose and a black eye. Luckily the culprit was "himself" and not some doorman who didn’t know who he was. Also lucky for me to – I may have found myself top of the list of suspects and at the mercy of a police interview.

Apparently Councillor Potts was unconscious for 10 hours – he obviously thought he was at a full Council meeting along with his side kicks representing the “Rip Van Winkle” Party.

Talking of suspects, Councillor Rob Dix (Labour, Harton) will find himself up in front of the beaks this Wednesday over his racial comment allegation (if all goes legally to plan that is – Councillors have a habit of avoiding the law).

Interesting.

Surely not a bye -election so soon after the local count?

http://www.shieldsgazette.com/news/Tory-leader-out-for-count.4048963.jp

Independence Day

2008-05-04T22:21:00.003+01:00

With the dust starting to settle on the carcass of the local elections, and with a number of South Tyneside Labour Councillors now seeking more standard employment, things can now return to “normal”.

It seems pointless going over the results at this late stage, the link below gives you all the information you need.

http://www.southtyneside.info/elections/results/LocalGovernment.aspx?id=15

In hindsight, April was quite a month. I estimate that I delivered 30,000+ leaflets and knocked on 2000+ doors for the South Tyneside Alliance. On the day of the election I canvassed in 6 Wards, attended the postal voting opening and verification sessions, and finally arrived home after the count at 3.30 a.m. on Friday morning. The rest of the day was spent at work and the evening was devoted to a social night celebrating the Alliances successes the day before. Back to work again on Saturday, with today being the first day I have had free to start posting again. Whilst I can pat my own back and congratulate myself on being part of the victory, if a table were compiled to reflect who did the most work, I would be mid league, the equivalent of “Blackburn Rovers”. Other people worked far harder than me, and that was the reason behind the Independent Alliance’s success – they took to the streets and put politics back into the hands of the people of this Borough.

So what of the future, both for this site and the Borough’s political make up?

Posts on this site before the elections were averaging at about 4 per day. This wont be repeated for the following reason:

The South Tyneside Alliance made serious progress in this year’s elections. As a result of this success, 18 candidates will be standing at the next elections in 2010, with an overall majority highly probable. I intend to work very closely with them over this two year period, and spare time will therefore be in short supply (campaigning in some areas will actually start in June!). The site will therefore concentrate solely on the Borough of South Tyneside. Posts will be frequent, but will only concern local political matters.

There are also many outstanding issues which need to be addressed. Certain concerns were put on hold over the campaign period, some of which have great ramifications re the issue of who actually runs this Borough. For example, some one, some where, is going to have a whopping great incinerator built on their door step!

These issues and others will be returned to in earnest now that the election is over.

There is also the small matter of the South Tyneside Democracy Forum which was launched prior to the election. A website is under construction, and I shall report on their activities via The Northern Herald. The Forum has a rapidly growing membership, drawing support from all walks of life and political persuasions. Five major projects are in the pipeline, all of which directly relate to the Borough. Information on the Forums plans will be outlined here at the end of the week.

May 1st 2008 was a defining day for South Tyneside. Finally the Labour stronghold over the Borough is collapsing. No longer will council meetings be run like private clubs, and no longer will the public be ignored.

To quote Bob Dylan “The Times They are a’ Changin”

http://www.southtyneside.info/elections/results/LocalGovernment.aspx?id=15

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

2008-04-14T21:35:00.002+01:00

Today’s Gazette carries the profiles for candidates standing in the local elections. Unfortunately, there doesn’t appear to be a link on the site for you to view the information on line.

Olive Elsom forgot to send her picture in – a post card from Canada would have sufficed. Neil Maxwell, standing for Labour in Harton Ward, also didn’t manage to get his photo included. How can the Ward members vote for him when he can’t even manage this simple task!

The best has been left to last. Together with ugly policies, the BNP must have some ugly candidates – they failed to provide pictures for 4 of their storm troopers. Something about the 9 o’clock watershed and children reading the paper underneath the quilt. Personally I think it’s because they could find any mug shots where they didn’t have their jack boots on.

Roll on the vote.

Keeping your powder dry!

2008-04-14T07:45:00.000+01:00

In response to a couple of emails, thanks for the kind words re the pictures from The Sand Dancer 10k last week. It is strange to see snow at this time of year, and with the runners finishing the race with open blue skies, we certainly witnessed the full gambit of British weather that day. In answer to a comment, I have decided to start a daily photo section, beginning on May 3rd when I will be returning to a more regular pattern of posting. Feel free to use any of the pictures I post, particularly those who have emigrated and yearn for news from “home”.

Other people however, have been clearly very busy. Its rather gratifying knowing that you have caused certain individuals so much discomfort that they have to spend hours festering away trying to find ways to knock you down. Luckily for me I have more rewarding things to do in my life, particularly at the moment, but more about that later.

That does leave the issue of what to do about various comments and issues that have been raised. Should I lower myself or should I take the moral high ground and leave it in the gutter where it belongs?

Tactics, dear boy, tactics!

Fancy a Bargain?

2008-04-13T14:06:00.002+01:00

Rumour Mill Election Style

2008-04-10T23:02:00.000+01:00

George and Olive Elsom are so committed to standing in the ward of Beacon and Bents that they have taken themselves of to Canada to see how our dominion cousins conduct local elections. Olive and Oily may be back in time to deliver election leaflets to 6 houses in the Ward (3 of whom don’t vote).

Colin Campbell has withdrawn his candidature for Cleadon Park, no doubt with the promise of a clear run in a couple of years. Then again, Colin may have moved on by then, such is the shifting sands of his political philosophy.

The Word According to McCabe!

2008-04-09T18:58:00.002+01:00

Poor old Councillor John McCabe (Labour - Hebburn South) has today objected to his Independent opposition election candidate (Stephen Rhodes) referring to him as a “Judas” for crossing the floor to the Labour side when he was elected 4 years ago (Mr McCabe was elected originally as an Independent).

I surprised that this pre election knock about even made the Gazette – the election period normally puts pay to publicity for this type of verbal spat. Mind you, they may have run the story just for McCabe’s final comment:

“And I must point out that Judas was still a disciple of Jesus”.

Now who would Jesus be then – surely not Malcolm or Waggott! Perhaps we should be told who thinks they can walk on water.

Either way, the paper will have to politically balance the article by allowing Mr Rhodes a reply.

http://www.shieldsgazette.com/news/39I39m-no-Judas39-says-councillor.3959813.jp

Who What Where

2008-04-08T15:09:00.000+01:00

When the list of candidates came out for the local elections in May many people were surprised to see an addition to the expected roster for the Beacon and Bents Ward. Top of the list is “Olive June Elsom”, standing as an “Independent”. Olive doesn’t live in the ward, she resides in the Cleadon Park Ward with her husband George, who as it happens is also a “real Independent” councillor for their residing ward. Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with standing in a ward where you don’t live, but what is strange is that Beacon and Bents already has an “Independent” candidate, and a very high profile one at that. In March Robin Coombes (Independent – South Tyneside Alliance) decided not to stand against George Elsom’s colleague Terry Haram in the Whiteleas Ward as he did not wish to split the vote and allow Labour to take the seat by default.

I wonder why George has not adopted such a conciliatory approach. I wonder why his wife did not stand in the Ward where they live and George already sits. The situation is even more difficult to understand when you take into account an email sent by George on the 26th March to an unnamed source on the issue of another “Independent” (not linked to the Alliance) who was standing against his “real Independent” candidate in Cleadon Park.
“I certainly wouldn’t put someone up against your candidate so cannot see why you should want to put up one against mine. The only beneficiary to a split vote will be labour.”
The argument is good enough for Cleadon Park, but not Beacon and Bents.

Hmmm…………………………

Some one's got the hump!

2008-04-07T20:33:00.003+01:00

Well, you take a few days off and all hell breaks loose.

That odious little man at the Corner Shop (Mr Rigg for it is he) has certainly got the hump(s)

Whilst his technical analysis is both amateurish and ignorant of how my Site Meter works (the link he highlights is a basic précis for the public, it’s not the full version which I have access to) he has caused a few problems for this site.

The route to the Site Meter has always been open for anyone to view – there is nothing to hide about visitor rates and no claims as to self inflated figures have ever been made etc (unlike his site where no public access to his “popularity” is available). Without my own log on details, this site has always enjoyed an increasing readership base. However, by publicising the fact that the link exists, attempts have been made to “hack” into the site (and my computer) via the open gateway – my AVG and Zone Alarm software is working over time.

The Site Meter link is therefore off line at the moment, and whilst Mr Rigg will pop many a gasket with claims of skulduggery, it’s his fault that this happened.

What a paranoid man he has turned out to be.

However, what is more important is that his obsession with this site (Graham, why do you get up so early to check what I have posted on?) has meant that I have had to look at the legal situation and the following information has been offered by my advisor – something which perhaps “all” bloggers (and one in particular) should take note off before the situation escalates to far for certain individuals.

As we all know, the Data Protection Act regulates the collection and use of personal data. As such, IP addresses become personal data when combined with other information that is held (by any source) i.e. a name or a very specific location. The Site Meter link offered only an IP (or ISP address), whilst Mr Rigg has offered both an address and name. In my case, he has highlighted my name and my IP address – this is against the law and contravenes the Data Protection Act as he has identified electronic data about myself without my permission.

This will be taken up as a separate issue.

For anybody else who has recognised their IP address or has had their name highlighted (though not necessarily linked to an address) you need to be aware of the comments of the Information Commissioner, Elizabeth France, in 2001 (the legal precedent has not changed) who passed the following judgement:

“If static IP addresses were to form the basis for profiles that are used to deliver targeted marketing messages to particular individuals they, and the profiles, would be personal data subject to the Data Protection Act 1998. Thus the scope for using IP addresses for personalised profiling is limited…They will only become personal data if the website operator has some means of linking IP addresses to a particular individual, perhaps through other information held or from information that is publicly available on the internet”.

This interpretation also includes the deliberate linking of IP addresses and individuals names. May name have been linked to an individual IP address by Mr Rigg – this is interpreted by the Data Protection Act as personal profiling. This is against the law.

To make matters worse for Mr Rigg, the independent advisory EU body called the “Article 29 Data Protection Working Party” (it sets guidance rules for member state's) has offered the following binding judgement on how data cannot be used:

“The possibility exists in many cases, however, of linking the users IP address to their personal data (which is publicly available or not) that identify him/her, especially if use is made of invisible processing means to collect additional data on the user (for instance, using cookies containing a unique identifier) or modern data mining systems linked to large databases personally identifiable data on internet users”

The use of caches, cookies, and Google links to link IP addresses and names are therefore against the law.

This will be taken up as a separate issue.

Finally, lets us not forget how the Data Protection Act has been officially interpreted:

“If you wish to use IP addresses to identify or build a profile on each….visitors as an individual, even if they are never identified by name, you should assume that the Data Protection Act applies…. A Court will be influenced by the Information Commissioners guidance on this point….(and) gain consent before processing an IP address for these purposes, for example, via a data protection notice”

Therefore before any IP address can be linked to an individual, consent must be first obtained. The person who has offered this information, in this case Mr Rigg, must also issue a data protection notice or register as a data holder. I am 99.99% sure he has not done so. If he has, the public must have access to this notice.

I am surprised at Mr Rigg, surely he should have checked out his legal position in full before he embarked on his paranoid venture – but then again, this is the man who is pivotal to the BRENDA affair and the slanderous allegations which were made on his site and which he allowed to sit there unchecked.

It looks like his complete lack of intellectual judgement has let him down once again.

Better things To Do!

2008-04-07T20:30:00.000+01:00

Whilst many people looked for far more exciting reasons for my lack of posting over the last few days, I was in fact devoting most of my free time to the South Shields Harriers” Sand Dancer” 10k Race which took place yesterday. Hundreds of athletes braved the snow storms to run just over six miles of beautiful coastal paths to finish up by completing a lap of Gypsies Green Stadium and a well earned pint in the Sand Dancer pub (sponsors of the race).

Well done to every body who lent a hand – marking the course, processing the entries and results, preparing hundreds of goody bags, completing the mile high piles of paper work etc – it all takes time and it’s all donated freely.

The race is essential to the Harriers funding requirements – it pays to train junior athletes, cover entry fees, transport costs etc.

If Gypsies Green is knocked down, this will have been the last race.

It was noticeable that the runner’s numbers, donated by Nova Sports, carried the name “Manchester City Council”. South Tyneside’s name was no ware to be seen, nor were any local councillors present at the race.

The photos tell it all – well done all the runners. A full article and results service should be in either Tuesday’s or Friday’s Gazette.

Below are a few pictures taken by the family on the day.

http://www.shieldsgazette.com/jarrow-news/Fun-run-revived-after-20year.3927685.jp

One Man and His Dog

2008-04-07T20:29:00.000+01:00

No, the ship has thankfully not hit the pier!

2008-04-07T20:28:00.000+01:00

Yes, it is April!

2008-04-07T20:26:00.002+01:00

Their Off!

2008-04-07T20:26:00.001+01:00

The Lost Official

2008-04-07T20:25:00.000+01:00

The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner

2008-04-07T20:23:00.000+01:00

Juniors

2008-04-07T20:22:00.000+01:00

Election Period

2008-04-04T21:07:00.002+01:00

Normal service will resume Monday 7th April - Election Period

RIP

2008-04-01T23:11:00.001+01:00

As I put the cat out for the night, and persuade the dog to spend at least one night in bed, Councillor Rob Dix of South Tyneside Council has second spot on the local text news (BBC 1).

As for the local blog world being united against racism, it died a dreadful death tonight.

RIP

A Racist in our Midst!

2008-04-01T21:49:00.002+01:00

Poor Old Rob Dix, apparently the charge has more “stick” than a Teflon frying pan. That can only mean he’s kicked out of the Labour Party, and if he does the honest thing, a bye election will follow his expulsion (he is currently suspended).

However, what of the other players?

Deputy Council Leader Ian Malcolm comes out of the whole affair covered in the brown stuff. He tried to keep it quite, but a certain Gazette reporter D. MacLean got his teeth into it, and that was the cover up broken!

Labour has been engaged in a series of “spin” meetings at least since the weekend, but couldn’t come up with a suitable excuse for their racist member!

Sadly, David Miliband MP was unaware of the impending scandal, and when he found out (no doubt via the full page spread his constituency news paper put out in his home town) the flak was so bad that diplomatic relations between said Foreign Secretary and Deputy Leader of South Tyneside Council now resemble the governments relationship with Zimbabwe i.e. they are as frosty as the Antarctic.

Let’s not forget that Mr Miliband was parachuted into the region to curb the excesses of “Malcolm in the Diddle”.

Said “I” Malcolm may have “diddled” too far.

With WAGGGOTTT on the rocks, the Council’s Deputy Leader has been to slow to tackle the problem of racists in his own ranks.

I also note the lack of coverage of the issue by local South Tyneside bloggers.

Hang your heads in shame boys, and don’t resort to the “innocent until till charged” defence. By then it will be too late.

You’re all as guilty for not commenting on the issue. What will you do when Dix presents himself in court in May! Ignore it?

What’s the matter Mr Rigg, the time stands at 12.34 p.m and the Borough has a racist in its midst. Surely your copy of the Gazette has arrived by now – or perhaps the Labour grape vine has stopped you from commenting.

“What is multiculturalism?”

Clearly Rob Dix doesn’t know, and neither do you lot at the Labour Party!

http://www.shieldsgazette.com/news/Councillor-arrested-in-39racial39-parking.3933902.jp

Dix by name, Dix by nature!

2008-04-01T17:23:00.004+01:00

What a day to start a blog holiday!

Councillor Rob Dix (Harton Labour) has been arrested for racially aggravated disorder, the charges relating to his verbal attack on a traffic ticket warden. His employee, Parcel Force, are also investigating the issue. Dix has been bailed to appear again before the police 0n 7th May.

Eye witnesses accounts have collaborated the charges, so it doest look to good for Dix's long term political future, unless of course the BNP want him for free.

No doubt I will be returning to this issue.

http://www.shieldsgazette.com/news/Councillor-arrested-in-39racial39-parking.3933902.jp

Time for a Breather!

2008-04-01T09:06:00.003+01:00

It’s April 1st, but as I look at my work diary for the next four weeks or so, I wonder who the fool is. Local news is slow at the moment – with the local elections looming there will be no loose talk or veiled comments, and there will certainly be no "green" documents. All things South Tyneside will only begin again on May 2nd when the election results are known (something also tells me that this is one of the most important local elections in this Borough certainly for the last two decades).

Now therefore seems a good time to have a little bit of a breathier and tie up a few loose ends etc. Posts will continue, but no to the same degree as the last 5 months. Rest assured however, us local commentators are an opinionated bunch and as such cannot keep our mouths shut on any issue. So keeping checking the site because there will always be something to read.

Especially on May 2nd – now there's a date for your diary.

Clegg - Over

2008-04-01T09:02:00.002+01:00

I used to think that life as a Liberal Democrat must be a pretty mundane existence. However, an article carried by “GQ” magazine reveals a side to Nick Clegg which so far has gone unnoticed by the media and Play Boy. “Clegg-Over” not only reveals his drinking habits, but lets the electorate the number of women he has slept with, a round figure of about 30. Before we all jump to conclusions about dirty Nicks bedroom habits, perhaps he has used the word “sleep” in its truest sense. Have you ever read a Liberal Democrat manifesto – it is the safest cure to insomnia I have ever come across. Here is how Cleggie’s warm up patter may have gone:

CLEGG OVER – “Here darling, have a look at this for size” (Hands over manifesto to young lady)
YOUNG LADY: “Oh, Nick, you are naughty. OK then, just a quick look….zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!

Or something like that.

Clegg is quoted as saying on the Charles Kennedy drink problem that it would have been “pretty hard” to run the country as an alcoholic. Perhaps not as hard as he thinks – George Brown is giving it a go and he’s a fool!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2008/apr/01/nickclegg.pressandpublishing
http://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/?zed

Shake Your Money Maker

2008-04-01T09:01:00.001+01:00

Today’s Independent reveals what most of already suspected – there was no official plot to murder and cover up the deaths of Diana, Princes of Wales and her partner Dodi Fayed. Why this media circus was allowed to roll on in the full view of cameras, script writers, book writers and movie moguls is beyond me. Sadly, the whole affair was a money maker from the word go (let’s not forget the lawyers) and the public needs to prepare itself for a plethora of books, serialisations and without doubt a Hollywood block buster. The conspiracy theories will also continue long past the point Charles realizes he will never be King.

Nobody gained from this pantomime, especially the tax payer – the bill has come in and its £10 million.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/no-conspiracy-diana-coroner-concludes-after-16310m-inquest-803107.html

Making It Easy

2008-04-01T08:59:00.002+01:00

Yesterday I posted on the dangers of the BNP making significant gains in May’s local elections. Today the Lords gave them a leg up.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article3656171.ece

A Tonne To Many

2008-04-01T08:57:00.001+01:00

Matthew Taylor, who was head of the No 10 policy unit under Tony Blair, has told today’s Telegraph that there are far too many ministers and that their number should be slashed by 25%. Gordon Brown has about 100 ministers under his control – that’s a fairly hefty number of people needed to run the country badly.

If the “Northern Rock” rational were applied to government departments, heads would roll – but that would be akin to turkeys voting for Christmas would it!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?view=DETAILS&grid=&xml=/news/2008/04/01/nminister101.xml

Adam Applegarth is a leech

2008-03-31T18:38:00.002+01:00

I’ve tried to avoid the subject because to be honest it’s verging on criminal. It’s immoral and it’s definitely insulting. It’s also crass and due to what is happening with those who are left to pick the pieces up, particularly in this region, it’s very insensitive.

Sadly it’s all very legal and not at all unprecedented.

Adam Applegarth, the Chief Executive responsible for the collapse of the Northern Rock Bank, has been awarded a £750,000 pay off. He will also receive a £2.5 million pension when he reaches 55.

2000 Northern Rock jobs are to go as a result of his incompetent leadership.

The man is a leech.

http://www.shieldsgazette.com/news/Fury-over-exNorthern-Rock-chief39s.3930069.jp

A Nasty Shock

2008-03-31T18:15:00.002+01:00

Most people will be aware that the BNP is going through a little spot of internal turmoil at the moment. However, the strife is only at the top end – the grass root organisers remain active and well prepared for the local elections in May.

Today’s Time’s has a comment article on the subject by Tim Hames. Here’s some pertinent extracts:

“A by-election was held in Redwell West last Thursday. The Conservatives easily retained the seat but there in second place, eight votes ahead of Labour and with four times the strength of the Liberal Democrats was the British National Party candidate. At Yapton, seven days beforehand, the BNP had come third, a mere seven votes behind the Liberal Democrats, and with almost a fifth of the vote. A fortnight earlier Lawford and New Bilton had witnessed a cracking contest with Labour hanging on by a single vote over the Tories and with the BNP securely third on 15 per cent, well ahead of Nick Clegg's contender.”

“The last local by-election conducted in London was on March 20 at Gooshays in the Borough of Havering. The BNP had narrowly won it in May 2006 in something close to a statistical fluke but now had to defend it after the departure of its councillor. It was assumed that this might be a challenge for the BNP. Far from it. Its share of the vote went up from 28 per cent to 38 per cent. The Liberal Democrats, for the record, managed the singularly strange feat of finishing sixth.
The ward of Gooshays is striking for the lack of immigrants who live there. The ward is 96.4 per cent white, making it one of the least ethnically diverse in London. The place, however, is polarised by age (disproportionately large numbers of very young and very old voters), has comparatively high unemployment and very low levels of educational attainment. It is ideal terrain for the BNP and there are other Gooshays in London. That being so, the stealth success of the BNP could be the real story of the local elections.”

Hames then goes on to list three reasons why the BNP could do better than expected this May. Firstly, this year there is a lack of a European vote and UKIP candidates. Secondly, the BNP are better organised than ever and thirdly, a plethora of fed up voters are waiting to knock their party of choice - Labour voters sick of Brown and the state of the economy, Conservatives voters disappointed with the lack of a solid anti immigration policy and a Liberal Democratic Party which cannot attract any votes at all.

Unfortunately all the ingredients for a gain in seats exist – it’s up to those who can see through the racist overturns to stop them. Whilst voter disillusionment will account for some of their votes, so will the apathy of those who campaign against them.

We all need to be on our guard.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/tim_hames/article3648815.ece

Once a Mosley, always a Mosley!

2008-03-31T18:12:00.001+01:00

Poor old Max Mosley, boss of Formula One’s governing body (Federation Internationale de l’Automobile) the FIA. Max is the son of Oswald Mosley, the pre war leader of the British Union of Fascists and part time friend of Adolf Hitler. Mosley Jnr has admitted himself that even now he still comes across negative reactions to his unfortunate lineage. Perhaps then, posing for a video whilst being whipped by 5 women, and also acting out a scene from a concentration camp strip search with added sado masochistic sexual overtones is not the best way to combat allegations of Nazi parenthood.

Naturally, Jewish organisations are livid that one of the world’s most powerful sporting administrators has been caught out behaving like, well, his father!

Time to leave the starting grid Max!

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/formula_1/article3649197.ece

No Parking

2008-03-31T18:10:00.002+01:00

In February I sent a question in to Full Council concerning how many parking tickets had been cancelled on appeal in the Borough since the decimalisation of parking. Due to the 20 minute rule the question was not put and it was to be answered as if it were a Freedom of Information request. I correspondingly received my reply, but it was concerning another question put at a previous meeting.

After reading today’s Times, I think I may know why the Council may be “reluctant” to answer the question. 60% of parking ticket appeals are successful, and Caroline Sheppard, the Chief Adjudicator of the Traffic Penalty Tribunal, has today introduced measures which will make it even easier to appeal against a fine – and so she should. 8 million tickets are issued every year in this country, giving rise to £1 billion in revenue. No wonder Councils are keen to see them handed out like confetti. They have also secured the permission to issue tickets via the post. What happens if the offender doesn’t receive them in time and how will this impact on the work needed to present the evidence that the ticket should not have been issued in the first place?

The appeals procedure is now even more important. Below are a couple of website address which explain how you can go about it.

http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/transport/article3649188.ece
http://www.patrol-uk.info/site/index.php
http://www.trafficpenaltytribunal.gov.uk/site/custom_scripts/Videos/videos.html

Oh Lordy

2008-03-31T18:05:00.002+01:00

Not content with MP’s in the House of Commons making a profession out of eating from the trough of plenty, their brothers and sisters in the House of Lords want some of the action. Today’s Guardian highlights a crisis meeting of the Lord’s Privilege Committee which will meet to discuss allegations of expenses fiddles and the payment of certain “fees” to certain Lords, particularly from the arms industries (now there’s a surprise).

Of course we should really feel sorry for the poor old Lord’s and Lady’s in the upper chamber. Their expenses structure is not as good as their riff raff cousins in the Commons – they can only claim £308 per day for attendance. All they have to do is clock in mind, they don’t have to stay.

Oh, and by the way, the Lords Privilege Committee is a toothless lion with fewer powers than its Common’s counterpart, and that’s saying something.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2008/mar/31/lords

Willie the Wonker!

2008-03-30T20:00:00.002+01:00

What BA said before the opening

“Will T5 open without a hiccup? Yes and yes.”

Willie Walsh, chief executive of British Airways in The Sunday Times last year

“We have done as much as we possibly can and we are ready. Our customers will absolutely love T5 and our people will love working there.”

Walsh, writing in British Airways News, March 20

“The terminal will be fantastic. I think it’s particularly pleasing that we’ll get an opportunity to do a better job at Heathrow when we move into Terminal 5.”

Walsh, the day before the terminal opened What BA said after the shambles

“I’m sorry for passengers, and I’m sorry for staff. If you want to blame someone, you should blame me.”

Walsh on Friday

THE VISION

Terminal 5 cost £4.3 billion and took more than ﬁ ve years to build. Designed to handle 30m passengers a year, it has a computerised baggage system capable of processing 12,000 cases an hour on 11 miles of conveyor belts travelling at up to 23mph. The terminal’s ﬁ ve ﬂ oors could accommodate 50 football pitches.

THE OPENING REALITY

The baggage system ground to a halt from overloading. Mountains of bags from transfer passengers are stuck in storage at other Heathrow terminals. More than 240 ﬂ ights were cancelled in the ﬁ rst three days, affecting 20,000 passengers. Thousands more have suffered delays.

http://travel.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/travel/news/article3646538.eceWillie

The Trough of Plenty

2008-03-30T13:12:00.002+01:00

Sitting with my pot of tea and catching up with yesterdays Gazette, it would appear that South Tyneside’s senior executives have had a pretty good year when it comes to trousering lots of money. A report by the Tax Payers Alliance shows that four senior executives earn over £100,000 per year, with Irene Lucas naturally coming in first with £129,135 for the year 2006/2007. Ms Lucas only earns £58,000 less than Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

Missing ballot boxes, anger over regeneration projects, school closures and Gerry Mandering of Council meetings, South Tyneside’s Chief is hardly value for money. In fact, she should offer the people of South Tyneside a refund on their money so disgraceful has her performance been over the last 12 months.

Unfortunately, the people of the Borough cannot unseat Ms Lucas with their vote. If they could, she would be at the job centre on 2nd May.

http://www.shieldsgazette.com/news/100k-pay-packerts-for-council.3926788.jp http://tpa.typepad.com/home/files/council_spending_uncovered_4_town_hall_rich_list_2008.pdf

?????????????

2008-03-30T11:00:00.001+01:00

So what happened to Saturday’s posts? Work, because nobody bothered to turn up. The remainder of the day was taken up with exhaustion. Such is life.

Head of Centrica (British Gas) – Sam Laidlaw - £1.87m in pay and benefits, 80% rise on last year

2008-03-30T10:58:00.001+01:00

Head of Centrica (British Gas) – Sam Laidlaw - £1.87m in pay and benefits, 80% rise on last year

Laidlaw – basic salary - £873,000, £753,000 bonus, £180,000 additional payments, £64,000 benefits

5 top senior executives at Centrica – paid over £5 million last year

Centrica - £1.9 billion profit

Average household bill - £1000 per year

British Gas customers – 15% rise in fuel bills

Number Crunching ITV Style

2008-03-30T10:57:00.001+01:00

Michael Grade – pocketed nearly £2 million in his first year as Chair of ITV (includes share of £1.6 million bonuses).

ITV shares – value has fallen 40% in last year

Fly in a bottle

2008-03-30T10:54:00.001+01:00

It’s always good to laugh – but perhaps not so good while you’re broadcasting live to the nation on Radio Four’s flagship news programme “Today”. Enter one Charlotte Green, who whilst covering the worlds oldest recording (a woman singing “Au Clair de la Lune” in 1860) got a fit of the giggles as the recording sounded like a fly in a bottle. Unfortunately for Ms Green, the mirth continued into the next item – an obituary!

Moments like this, whilst slightly unprofessional, remind us that perhaps sometimes we take things a little too seriously. Who can forget the Goons splitting their sides over nothing, Spike Milligan laughing at his own (terrible) jokes on his “Q” BBC 2 series, or the link below, Jonathan Agnew and Brian Johnson – an absolute classic!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/fivelive/sport/bestcommentary/

Number Crunching Local Election Style

2008-03-28T21:45:00.002Z

Decisions so far delayed

TOP’s – not Top of the Pops, but the decision to close some of the regions best schools, especially in the Labour hinterland

Gypsies Green and the Foreshore Development – planning permission delayed till June.

Ambulance Call Centre – Hebburn Call Centre delayed, especially now that they may have to leave the Iona Club where it is!

Leaks to the Northern Herald News Desk have been extremely revealing when it comes to the Iona Club situation. May I quote directly from the most recent email – I don’t like bad language on this site remember.

“Your f****d McAtominey, you t** f***d b*****d, the leadership will never be yours because of this project”.

I presume the sender referred to the fact that WAGGGOTTT will loose Fellgate, and then the in fighting will really start.

Malcolm’s (in the middle) beware – it’s not quite in the bag just yet!

Oh dear, Conservatives of a similar ilk!

2008-03-28T21:29:00.001Z

How they seem to multiple!

It’s just getting a bit to close to home.

http://www.shieldsgazette.com/news/Councillor-suspended-over-euthanasia-remark.3924510.jp
http://thenorthernherald.blogspot.com/2008/01/deport-lot-and-be-done-with-it.html
http://thenorthernherald.blogspot.com/2008/03/sterile-argument.html

Would you really trust this bunch of Victorian reprobates with the safety of your children?

Terminal - ly Ill

2008-03-28T20:12:00.004Z

Despite the fact that the new Terminal 5 at Heathrow Airport cost £4.3 billion to build and has been running “tests” for the last 18 months, the baggage system yesterday suffered a complete failure.

34 flights were cancelled and thousands of passengers lost their luggage.

Despite the fact that BA and BAA have been singing the new terminal’s praises for the last five years, they couldn’t get it right on the first day – and who was to blame? According to BA, it’s the staff's fault for not being familiar with the “system”. Hmm!

British Airways promised that Terminal 5 would transform the flying experience – it certainly did, the planes never left the ground!

Wembley Stadium, Olympic Games, The Dome - blah blah blah – we couldn’t build a Lego house on time with windows that worked!

Riot Force

2008-03-28T20:08:00.004Z

Today’s Times carries a disconcerting picture of riot police just before they go into action in London.

Operation Mista took place yesterday and it involved 1000 policemen and women. The targets concerned drug dealers, money launders, receivers of stolen goods and forgers. 56 addresses were raided. The picture says it all.

1000 policemen in a series of raids – that’s why when you call the police on a Friday night about social disorder they never turn up till Saturday.

As somebody on the Times blog said - surely 3 policemen on these streets 365 days a week would have stopped all this crime.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/article3635722.ece

Spitting Satire

2008-03-28T20:06:00.002Z

Regardless of your political persuasions, nobody could have failed to appreciate the antics of the “Spitting Image” creators (1984 – 1996). The programme is to be resurrected in digital format ala Toy Story format, with original writer Henry Naylor being joined by that master of wit and impersonation Rory Bremner.

The programme starts a week this Sunday.

Be there!

Tommy’s Tribulations

2008-03-28T20:03:00.003Z

It just goes to show that patent leather loafers and Saville row tailored suits can’t disguise the crook that lurks within.

All hale Tommy Sheridan, socialist, capitalist, liberal, snappy dresser and all round sleaze merchant. Yesterday Tommy and his equally communist wife were arrested and charged with lying under oath. The charges relate to a News of The World libel trial and a certain award of £200,000 to the Sheridan’s ISA Account.

Looking like he’d been Tango’ed, Tommy and Mrs Tommy are 2 of 7 who have been charged with regards to the original trial.

Yet another court case to follow in detail.

Number Crunching Nimrod Style

2008-03-28T20:00:00.003Z

How costs took off:

Cost when approved: £2.8 billion

Cost estimate now: £3.5 billion

Original in-service date: April 2003

Current forecast in-service date: September 2010

Cost rose at the end of 2006-07 by £687 million

Cost rose in 2007-08 by another £100 million

Air craft carriers and now support aircraft, this country cannot build anything on time and at its original cost.

If this country were forced into a war similar to the 1939 conflict, we would need 8 years notice.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article3628743.ece

Thats All Folk's!

2008-03-27T08:26:00.003Z

Research issues will take up a lot of time tonight, so it’s a case of “That’s All Folks” for today.

A Fishy Tale

2008-03-27T08:07:00.002Z

It looks like Michael Martin isn’t the only MP to have fishy smell of decay about him. Have a look at MP Alex Salmond’s (also Scotland’s First minister) expenses claims for his House of Commons duties.

Total claims – over £130,000
Overnight Stays - £2331
Staff - £846664
Incidental expenses - £18591
Travel - £3856
Communications - £2221
Stationery - £1017
Postage - £4768
Computers - £1255

During the time period for these claims, Mr Salmond made only 6 appearances in the Commons and voted 18 times.

What a stinker!

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article3628721.ece

Back of the Queue

2008-03-27T08:05:00.001Z

When it comes to the dishing out of brains, House of Commons speaker Michael Martin was definitely at the back of the queue, if he was in it at all. Despite months of stinging coverage over his own personal abuse of MP’s expenses schemes, the last few weeks have also involved some pretty poor coverage for an elite group of his colleagues (again including Martin) who seem to view homes and their contents like Monopoly pieces.

You would have thought then that Mr Martin would want to avoid any further controversy – oh no, remember where he was in the queue!

Despite an Information Tribunal (the body which deals with Freedom of Information appeals) decision forcing the release of the expense details of 14 prominent and retired MP’s, Martin has seen fit to not only block any Commons debate on the issue, but he also gone to the High Court to have the Tribunals decision over turned.

The words “something to hide” immediately come to mind. If Martin is prepared to go to these lengths, hammering the nails into his own employment coffin as he goes along his merry way, then there must be something in this information worth protecting.

Oh, and by the way, the cost to the tax payer for the court appearance has already passed the £100,000 mark.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2008/mar/27/houseofcommons

Twelve months to tell the truth!

2008-03-26T19:00:00.006Z

After nearly a full year of prevarication, denial and cross accusation, South Tyneside’s Head of Corporate Governance, Mr Brian T Scott, has finally admitted that the case of the 18 missing ballot boxes was his fault and his alone. He has even gone as far as to offer a full and extremely humiliating apology. If Mr Scott were a Cabinet member of government, he would have had to resign today – he may even have been sacked. As it stands, he remains in full employment.

Today’s Gazette covers the issue in full, the information etc coming from a Council press release which released today. I have placed the relevant links at the end of this post. It is pointless reproducing the arguments – they are fully outlined in the links. You would be well served to visit my original post 30 January 2008 which exclusively highlighted certain court documents etc.

Nearly 12 months after the event, this issue is still drawing front page attention. The Gazette’s letters page will be forced to cover another double spread. However, we should not allow this to be the end of the affair and should instead look at three main points.

Firstly, Mr Scott should not be allowed to hold the position of Returning Officer for any future elections. His mistakes have cost the Borough dearly in its reputation for fair play, and he has shown that he has exhibited a degree of incompetence which is astounding in legal circles. He may even find himself being referred to the Law Society for gross negligence.

Secondly, had Mr Ahmed Khan not lodged his original petition, the public would never have known that these ballot boxes had gone missing – we may rest assured that the Council would not come clean on the issue of their own accord. The question must then be asked – has this happened before?

Thirdly and finally, the issue centres on why the Council and Mr Scott have gone to these very humiliating lengths to issue the apology. The answer to this question lies not in a sense of public duty, transparency or accountability, but on the fact that 45000 missing ballot box news letters were distributed by the Independent Alliance to individuals and households within the Borough. It was the Alliance’s actions which brought the truth to the voters, not the council.

So much then for open government!

http://www.shieldsgazette.com/news/Election-officer-slams-missing-ballot.3915268.jp

http://www.southtyneside.info/press2/release.aspx?pk=4480

http://thenorthernherald.blogspot.com/2008/01/justice-south-tyneside-council-way.html

Whiteleas Ward

2008-03-26T18:39:00.001Z

Earlier this morning I posted on the fact that Robin Coombes would not be standing for election in the Whiteleas Ward. He was in fact stepping to one side to allow Terry Haram a clear run at the seat. To gain some background to the affair, I spoke to the South Tyneside Alliance and obtained the following statement:

“Robin has been out of the country for a couple of weeks and when he returned he independently decided to speak to the wards current incumbent, Terry Haram, about the forthcoming election in May 2008. Robin was of the opinion that if “two” independent candidates were on the ballot paper, Labour would take the seat by default and without a mandate. Robin offered to do the honourable thing and stand aside to let Terry have a clear run in the vote. We fully understand and support his decision. As we are not a political party, he will not be replaced by an alternative candidate.

Robin has indicated that he will work with Terry to achieve what is best for the ward, both before and after the election. We understand that Robin will stand for election in two years time. The Alliance therefore fully supports Terry in his desire to be re-elected in May. Our individual members and associates will no doubt offer him any help they can, as we would any other candidates, either Conservative or Liberal Democrat, whose reason for seeking election is to break the Labour Party’s control of the Borough. South Tyneside needs an effective, independent opposition not bound by party issues, and we would encourage those who feel the same to support any individuals who adopt similar approaches”.

Well done Robin, you have taken a dignified stance, and good luck Terry.

Rumour Mill

2008-03-26T09:14:00.001Z

It has finally been confirmed that Robin Coombes will not be standing in the Whiteleas ward election this year. After discussions with the current incumbent Terry Haram, it was felt that two” independent” candidates in the ward would split the vote and allow Labour to take the seat. Robin has done the honourable thing and stood aside to allow Terry a straight win. However, the two will work closely together after the election on issues that affect the ward, with a view to Robin standing unopposed in two years time.

This pragmatic approach deserves praise – we want an opposition in the Council Chamber, not Labour members voted in by default.

Well done Robin – so much for “independent” standing against “independent”.

I am currently collating significant quotes from the Independent Alliance sources, and will update this post later today.

Consulted my A**e!

2008-03-25T19:32:00.002Z

It seems that all is not to well at the local Hebburn “Iona Social Club”. Despite being earmarked for a massive regeneration programme which will include err…. a Tesco’s, the lads at the club would rather stay where they are and not see their club knocked down – and why not, this is their watering whole, they own the land they stand on and the members feel it is the heart of their community.

Sadly, the members of the club will have been consulted on the issue before plans were made……accept that they weren’t! Claims today in the Shields Gazette quote club officials as saying the first they new of the demolition plans was when the paper itself highlighted the development. In essence, South Tyneside Council decided on the regeneration plans, which included bulldozing the club, and then decided to consult the club stewards etc. Its like saying to a dead man – sadly you’ve passed, but would you like this life saving drug!

At a recent Regeneration and Resources Scrutiny sub committee meeting on the Foreshore Development Plans (including Gypsies Green) I personally witnessed an exchange which went along these lines:

E. Malcolm (for it is he) – You were consulted prior to the plans to demolish Gypsies Green were you not?
South Shields Harriers Rep - No, we were only contacted when the press released details that the Stadium was to be demolished.

My well toned Sherlock Holmes senses are beginning to spot a Council pattern here – could the strategy be “let’s only consult when the plans are so far down the line that opposition is useless”.

To make matters worse, two of the current Liberal Democrat Hebburn councillors take refreshments at club – I bet their made to feel welcome under the present climate. No wonder rumours still prevail that their going to cross the floor to the Labour side next month.

Put it this way, the only place left for them to drink will be the Fountain Inn!

http://www.shieldsgazette.com/news/Club-members-fight-Tesco-supermarket.3910515.jp

A sterile argument

2008-03-25T09:25:00.001Z

During the period of the kidnapping of Shannon Matthews there was a definite story which was running under the surface of the main police enquiries to find her, and that was the childs social back ground. Shannon was living with her mother and step father, neither worked. Shannon also had six other brothers and sisters, all off whom had different fathers. Unlike the McCain’s, they weren’t media friendly and they had no PR gurus to fight their case. They were therefore always questioned outside of their council house, looking dishevelled and untidy. One major news paper reported that whilst the child was missing, they actually had the shame to have a Chinese meal delivered.

Many friends of mine held the view that this family should be stripped of any benefits they received, thrown out of their home and all the children taken into care. The word “spayed” was also used by a particular individual.
Nothing surprises me much these days, but I was taken aback by these view points, voiced in some cases by articulate and intelligent people.

This whole issue has been further highlighted by the comments of a Medway Council councillor in Kent. John Ward commented on his own site:

"There is an increasingly strong case for compulsory sterilisation of all those who have had a second child - or third, or whatever - while living off state benefits. It would clearly take a lot of social pressures off all concerned, thus protecting the youngsters themselves to some degree, and remove the incentive to breed for greed, i.e. for more public subsidy."

Clearly, this view point is held by a wider proportion of people than I initially thought. What worries me is that not only does this stance have the stamp of the Nazi regime, but it is an indication that compassion has disappeared from certain elements of society.

My own personal view point is that the system of social payments made to those in need who have support needs root to branch reforming. Money needs to be targeted to those who really need it, and diverted from those who expect it. However, we cannot simply either abandon people or split up their families because we don’t like what they have done or become. The state system created these people, and only by re education can they be removed from the subsistence trap that they find themselves in. If this country can support an influx of nearly ¾ million migrant European workers, then we can retrain and re-educate ¾ million of benefit receivers into worth while employment.

Surely that is a better approach than neutering?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?view=DETAILS&grid=&xml=/news/2008/03/25/ntory125.xml

Strange Bedfellows

2008-03-25T08:50:00.001Z

Many moons ago there was a pop group called “Mull Historical Society” fronted by lead singer and song writer Colin MacIntyre. The “Mulls” played pretty honest music, but weren’t prepared to ditch their admirable artistic trappings and be sucked into the mainstream music mangle.

Colin has now gone solo.

Many moons ago there was a Labour politician called Tony Benn. Mr Benn, like him or loath him, was a pretty honest guy. He wasn’t prepared to ditch his admirable views and be sucked into the mainstream political mangle.

Tony left the House of Commons and went solo.

The two have now got together and an album of music has emerged. Benn has penned the lyrics to the final track on the album, and it represents the left wing veteran’s first venture into humanist poetry. Sneak previews of tracks from the album reveal some excellent songs.

This is a far cry from Neil Kinnocks ventures into the world of music (Red Wedge, Tracey Ullman) but it shows that pop and politics can still mix it!

http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/house-music-tony-benns-debut-solo-album-800170.html

http://www.colinmacintyre.com/

There’s only one certainty in life and that’s death!

2008-03-25T08:33:00.002Z

So the old phrase goes, but if you live in Zimbabwe, you might hope that the certainty might just delay itself for a few more years or at least till the economy is under control.

Latest reports show that the cost of a funeral in the country has risen to Z$1 billion (in words to emphasis the amount “1 billion Zimbabwe dollars). The highest denomination note now available is Z$10 million.

This is Robert Mugabes Zimbabwe – with elections looming next week end there has never been a regime so ripe for change. However, there are already reports emerging from the country that corruption will prevent Mugabe from loosing his control, and international observers (the ones who have been allowed into the country) are already preparing to leave.

Whilst we rightly complain about 18 missing ballot boxes, we should always remind ourselves that our system whilst not fool proof, has stood the tests of time.

CCTV To Far

2008-03-24T20:07:00.000Z

Not a great fan of late, but nobody really deserves this type of treatment.

Something has gone very wrong in society for this to happen.

http://curly15.wordpress.com/2008/03/24/sex-pictures-shock/

NTR

2008-03-24T20:00:00.003Z

Thanks to Bryan at http://tynedockgreen.blogspot.com/2008/03/50.html for this post, though I don’t think his link took me to where I wanted to be.

I’m not a great fan of anything nuclear, bomb or power.

Thatcher hated CND with a vengeance. CND is still going strong, but Thatcher was err….. kicked out and dumped by her own party!

http://www.cnduk.org/pages/campaign/ntdtrep.html

What a drag!

2008-03-24T08:41:00.001Z

Radio 5 this morning is leading on the plans to ban the display of cigarettes in shops, pubs, clubs and restaurants. The Daily Telegraph also covers the issue with a pretty good summary of the situation.

Being a non smoker, I take great pleasure in leaving pubs etc, not smelling of someone else’s dreadful habit. I do also despair when I see school children beginning their daily journeys with a couple of Lambert and Butler’s before the school gate beckons.

However, banning cigarette display cabinets etc will not stop young people smoking, and it’s this element of society we need to tackle first. If you can stop young adults from taking up the habit and educate them as to its dangers and social restrictions, then as mature adults the site of a row of Embassy Number 1’s when they buy their local paper is not going to make any difference to the their judgement.

Education and price restrictions are the only things which will deter the potential smokers of the future, not draconian restrictions which only increase the level of state censorship in our daily lives.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/core/Content/displayPrintable.jhtml;jsessionid=VX1NBLAYULZQBQFIQMFCFFOAVCBQYIV0?xml=/news/2008/03/24/nfags124.xml&site=5&page=0

I vote for none of the above!

2008-03-24T08:24:00.000Z

Today’s Guardian headlines with an interesting article on what it claims are government plans to radically change the traditional “first past the post” voting system. The plans, backed in principle by Gordon Brown, would involve a second transferable vote, polling stations open on weekends and even the possibility of making voting compulsory. The ideas are based on the desire to restore trust in our political structures and encourage higher voter turn out

Being very much a traditionalist, I like the current system. It produces clear winners (in the main) and every body knows who they are voting for. However, I do except that it is outdated and needs amendment. Whilst opening polling stations for two days is a valid change, the idea of compulsory voting has no place in a democratic society. The desire to vote or not as the case may be, is intrinsic to the principles of moral and political free will: the action of not actually voting is often a decision based on the lack of support for either the party’s involved in the election or the system under which they operate. It was compulsory to vote in Communist Russia – do we really want to replicate those totalitarian principals?

If politicians really want to restore public trust and encourage public turn out, perhaps they should look at themselves first. Expenses claims, payments to family members, poor attendance in the Commons, an unelected second chamber based on privilege – reform is needed firstly from within, then you can look at the voting laws.

Mind you, compulsory “attendance” laws would be a major step forward for MP’s and Councillors, but where would that leave certain local representatives?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2008/mar/24/localgovernment.voterapathy/print

School Report Cards

2008-03-23T12:11:00.003Z

Once again the mists of time have rolled over South Tyneside Council Chambers, with our elected (and unelected) representatives packing their satchels up and heading of home to prepare for the elections. Who knows, some may never return again and their desks will be used be new faces after May. As committee meetings grind to a halt, it also that time of year to see who went to school and who played hooky – yes, its school report card time!

Over the next week or so I shall be looking at the register for councillors, relating them to their attendance rates at both full and sub committee levels.

Who will be head prefect, and who will be expelled? Put it this way, read the two posts below and see where the bookies money is going!

An Appeal from The Panel - Have You Seen This Man?

2008-03-23T12:09:00.006Z

Once again I have been forced to put pen to paper and comment on the goings on surrounding that intrepid explorer, Councillor David Potts (Cleadon and East Boldon Ward, incorporating Edinburgh for good measure).

Oh no you cry, here we go again. Perhaps, but this time it’s a case of “here we don’t go again”. Here’s a little scenario which was put to me a couple of days ago. Please read on – this one is a classic.

There exists in the South Tyneside Council sub committee structure a body called the “Appeals Panel”. Heres how the Councils web site describes its remit:

“This Panel deals mainly with appeals by individuals against housing allocation decisions and employee related appeals but it is also used to hear appeals in relation to certain other Council services. The Panel is actually a pool of Councillors from whom 3 are selected each time, to hear specific appeals, as they arise. As the appeals are always of a confidential nature they are always held in private. You will not therefore find any papers for these appeals sessions stored in this system.”

No this sounds pretty important to me, especially say if as a couple you’ve been on a housing list for a long time and feel aggrieved that you may have been missed out unfairly. The fact that the hearings are conducted in private is also an indication of the serious nature of some of these meetings.

As the preamble states, 3 councillors are chosen from a pool of 12, thereby ensuring continuing impartiality. One member from the three Chairs the Appeals Panel for that particular gathering. All three members must be present for the meeting to go ahead. So far so good. Looking at the Council’s web site, I can find no record of the Panel not being able to meet as a result of its appointed members not turning up.

That is of course until 14th March 2008. Enter one (or not as the case may be) Councillor David Potts.

At the last Appeals Panel, three Councillors’ were appointed to attend the next gathering. One of these was Mr Potts, and he was also given the additional honour of acting as Chair. Times, venues etc, were all given to the three councillors so no body was in any doubt of what was required of them. Everybody gathered on the appointed day, everybody except would you believe it, Councillor Potts. Not only was the Chair missing (in) action, but without his presence, the meeting was not a quorum and could not go ahead.

A series of frantic phone calls took place. Councillor Potts was finally located at about 10.30 a.m (the meeting began at 10.00 a.m.) Guess what, he was on a train coming back from Edinburgh. No problem, perhaps his train was just running late. Yes problem, the train was running to timetable. OK then, perhaps he would just be a little late then. Not OK, he had no intention of going to the meeting and err…..that was it. His failure to appear no doubt had nothing to do with the Conservative Spring forum being held at The Sage Gateshead, sadly at the same time as the Appeals Committee.. As we all know the Sage is very near to Newcastle Central Train Station, were trains from Edinburgh also regularly stop.

The meeting therefore had no Chair and not enough Councillor’s present to deal with the appeals that were on the agenda, including members of the public who have given up their time to present themselves to the Panel. Not to be deterred and in the interests of accountability and fair play, council officials contacted the next representative on the list, in this case Councillor Ken Hickman. With a deep sense of civic duty, he agreed to turn up. The meeting was able to go ahead, and the appeals were dealt with.

Firstly, well done Councillor Ken Hickman, at least you had the decency to acknowledge your duties as a public representative.

However, what of Councillor Potts?

Let us remind our selves of a recent sermon by said councillor which appeared in the Shields Gazette. Attacking the fact that government minister for the North East, Nick Brown, had allegedly snubbed South Tyneside, the article posed the question “where exactly is he?” A hand full of lines later Pott’s offers his own views on the situation;

Coun David Potts, leader of the Conservatives in the borough, said: "We haven't seen hide nor hair of him in South Tyneside."How dare our local Labour MPs pretend that they care for the people of South Tyneside when their own 'Minister for the North East' can't even be bothered to turn up?

Oh dear, what an own goal.

Cant be bothered to turn up, pretend that they care for the people of South Tyneside, kettle calling pot black - how dare indeed, especially when the first quote could actually apply to the Councillor himself.

So there you have it. It is now official - the trivial concerns of the public are of no concern to Councillor David Potts. His craving for self publicity matters more to him that the discharge of his public duties and representational obligations. What matters even less are the tribulations of the people of this Borough, many of whom are referred to the Appeals Panel because they have a valid grievance against the Council, particularly when it comes to housing matters – what can be more important to people than the roof (or lack of it) over their heads. There is also the problem of the concerns of his own Ward members – who is looking after there welfare when Pott’s is north of the border? Who indeed!

Councillor Potts has a particular penchant for first class rail travel; I sincerely hope that the Council is not reimbursing any of costs re his jaunts to Scotland. That would be very wrong, and I suspect it would also contravene every rule regarding councillor’s allowances. However, as somebody once said to me, Mr Pott’s relationship to the Labour hierarchy in the Borough is to close to be of a formal nature. Whether it’s close enough to see a repeat of the infamous “Cambridge” claims will all be revealed at the end of the month when Councillor expenses claims and allowances are available for public scrutiny. That’s when the diaries come out, meetings are cross referenced and journeys north are plotted on the map.

In the mean time, Councillor Pott’s continues to lead the polls when it comes to having one of the worst attendance rates for council committee meetings.

God help the people of Cleadon and East Boldon if he is re elected in May, but worse still, what will the good people of Edinburgh think of him when this type of behaviour is highlighted by Alistair Darling et al at the next general election?

http://www.myvenues.co.uk/news/Destinations%20UK/NewcastleGateshead-lands-Conservative-Spring-forum-in-2008/552/

http://www.shieldsgazette.com/news/Minister39s-snub-for-South-Tyneside.3868312.jp

One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest

2008-03-23T12:06:00.003Z

Perhaps people might like to avail themselves of this post which appeared some time ago on the Corner Shop web site http://curly15.wordpress.com/2008/03/07/tory-urges-support-for-environmental-bill/. Like a cuckoo Councillor Potts sometimes drops an egg into the site in an effort to gain a little bit of self publicity.

What a grandiose motion, full of potential and heart felt calls for cross party support – very House of Commons material. In his preamble Potts talks of taking “responsibilities seriously” and complains about “frivolous motions” being put to full council.

In the post said proprietor of the site asks a couple of questions of the cuckoo, but misses out on the essential one – “since I have given you such coverage, will you actually turn up and propose the motion and therefore not make me look like a berk for giving you the publicity”. If Mr Rigg had posed such a query, he would have received a resounding err….no, because that’s what happened. Once again Councillor David Potts didn’t bother to turn up at the meeting, not even to propose and support his own motion.

Taking responsibilities seriously, frivolous motions, party of opposition – Mr Potts must wear steel capped boots because the amount of times he has shot him self in the proverbial foot with his hypocritical mutterings leaves me surprised he can even walk!

Who knows, perhaps that’s the reason he never attends meetings, he’s to busy filling his boots somewhere else!

Private Eye's Little Eye

2008-03-23T12:04:00.000Z

SPOT THE DIFFERENCE

NUMBER CRUNCHING

Spot the difference - which one is a muppet?

2008-03-23T11:49:00.009Z

Number Crunching Polls Style

2008-03-23T11:49:00.008Z

55% - percentage of Iraq’s expressing optimism about the future, according to opinion poll on anniversary of invasion

7% - percentage of Britons expressing optimism about the future, according to opinion poll on Budget

Number Crunching Money Style

2008-03-23T11:49:00.007Z

£5616 – annual income beneath which someone is living in poverty, according to government rules

£6335 – public money MP’s can spend on installing a new bathroom, according to parliamentary rules

Number Crunching Bottled Water Style

2008-03-23T11:48:00.002Z

£141000 – shocking spend on bottled water per year by Hampshire Council revealed in BBC’s Panorama programme last month

£313000 – shocking spend on bottled water per year by BBC in London and Glasgow.

Not the first time

2008-03-22T08:36:00.000Z

Have a look at this post from Mr Rigg is at his Corner Shop dated some time in November 2007. Nothing to do with Mr Ahmed Khan, but he still put his photo next to the article and headline so you would all be misled. Hardly impartial is it?

Am I the first to spot a pattern?

The Daily Sport awaits your abilities!

Thanks to Bryan for the email.

http://curly15.wordpress.com/2007/11/02/councillor-cheated-way-back-into-seat/

Update

2008-03-22T08:34:00.001Z

Just like the missing ballot boxes, here are 2 “missing posts” from over the last few days. Work, work, work. Hopefully, things will be back to normal Sunday.

Dont Panic!

2008-03-22T08:32:00.001Z

Like an incompetent Captain Mainwaring, Gordon Brown intends to resurrect “Dads Army” in the form of a civil defence network and national alert register. The plan is for members of the public to join in and help local authorities during times of national crisis. Such emergencies will include terrorist activities, Cyber war fare, pandemics (flu), climate change and “suspect visitors to the UK”.

With MI5 staffing levels to rise by 4000 and terrorism analysis budgets to rise by 10%, Brown also wants to create a civilian counter terrorist force capable of “going anywhere in the world”.

Oh dear, the British obsession with committees, groups, lists associations and clubs, all designed to tackle problems which frankly, we don’t even no if they exist. Put it this way, if a flu pandemic does break out, by the time “Browns Army” has had its meeting, produced its report, printed it in duplicate, risked assed the findings, put the tenders out for scrutiny, sourced the PFI funding and ratified the final version – we will al be dead.

May I be the first to nominate an entry for the national threat register – Labour.

Oh What A Circus!

2008-03-22T08:29:00.002Z

A couple of days ago I posted a rather a long comment by “Anonymous”, not because I agreed with him or her, but more specifically because somebody had taken a lot of time to pen it and therefore deserved some sort of accolade!

However, with the news of the malicious run on the Halifax (HBOS) shares, perhaps Mr Anonymous is not that far of the mark. Whilst current financial jitters are centred on the credit squeeze and lack of “hard” money in the lending market, Halifax’s problems come from rumours spread by stock market manipulators after a quick, but handsome, profit. The attack wasn’t the result of problems in the USA or the Banks own liquidity issues – it came from within the UK market. If unscrupulous traders, motivated by greed and profit, can wipe nearly 20% of a Banks share value via a couple of false emails, then the financial markets are in worse turmoil than currently acknowledged. The worlds banking system currently resembles a game of “Jenga”, and the last wooden block is about to topple!

The question nobody seems to be asking is where were the FSA (Financial Service Authority) the Bank of England and The Chancellor in this fiasco. Once again, they were to slow to react and powerless to stop the Halifax’s shares from plummeting. All three resemble the lion tamer who is mauled by his animal in a fit of aggression.

So who really runs the circus – the ring master or the clowns?

“Bt is bt, it just goes by different names”

2008-03-20T20:02:00.004Z

Easter is always a busy time, none more so than for those involved in the food industry. Posts will be light until Saturday PM at the earliest.

However, I couldn’t part company without reference to a press release from our local Labour Party in South Shields.

A couple of days ago I received an anonymous email warning me that the both the Council and the Labour ruling group were considering seeking a court injunction against the “Electoral Fraud” leaflet which has been distributed to 30,000 homes across the Borough. Grateful for the tip of, I kept of the subject for 48 hours. Another email informed me that legal advice had gone against the Council, and no injunction would emerge. What a surprise.

However, the “Malcolm’s” in the Middle have penned a response via the local Labour Party site, showing that they have got their loyal red knickers in a right twist. Entitled “Here We Go Again “(how imaginative – how they must have brain stormed in The Fountain that night) the text represents the last throw of the dice for the Boroughs controlling elite before the election campaign begins in full.

The first section of the release quite frankly is absurd – it rambles more than a Malcolm at a Meeting. Postal votes – fraud – but never once refers to the election petition (a legal document) filed at the High Court. What an omission and how convenient!

It’s the next section which really shows that Labour is rattled!

Under the title “It’s a Fact” the release goes on to cover……. err…… not the facts.

NO BALLOT BOXES USED DURING THE ELECTION WENT MISSING
But their contents did. Somebody therefore deliberately opened them, disposed of their contents, and blamed a porter. That’s right, the Labour Party blamed the man at the bottom of the chain – what a vote of solidarity for the Borough's work force!

ELECTRONIC COPIES OF THE DECLARATION FORMS STILL EXIST
This is news to me – no reference has been made to this element publicly. Why have they not been offered for scrutiny then?

THE COUNCIL HAS NOT REFUSED TO ANSWER QUESTIONS ON THOSE MATTER
Wrong. Freedom of Information requests leaked to this site via an unknown source indicate otherwise. The Labour Party's claim is entirely without foundation.

THERE IS NO MYSTERY
Of course there is – there is no greater mystery than “where are the ballot papers?” Somebody out there knows, and I wish they would reveal the truth.

THE COUNCIL CANNOT SUPPORT THE PUBLIC PAYING £30,000 FOR A DEFEATED CANDIDATES PUBLICITY STUNT.
A little bit disingenuous, especially when the Labour Party omit to mention that election officers have Indemnity Insurance to cover them for such eventualities, something which the Council have failed to reveal details of via a Freedom of Information enquiry (I told you the Council had failed to answer questions on this issue). As towards the public paying costs, any donations are given freely, and the public purse is not affected. For the benefit of the Chuckle Brothers, the public have given remarkably generously! They wont be so generous with their Labour votes when it comes to the election.

What the circular fails to mention is the details included in the original election petition, particular a certain surname - “Malcolm”. I wonder why they have been so selective - they have had full view of the Court papers since at least May 2007? Must have escaped their collective memories.

Oh, before I forget and sign of, another 15,000 “Election Fraud Leaflets” are to be distributed before the election campaign begins (that’s 45,000 in total so far), such is the demand for them in Wards which have so far been spared the truth. Another 5000 are ordered for next Tuesday - something tells me the sound clanking letter boxes will drown out the sound of Labour's lies.

The Chuckle Brothers may be popular with the kids, but the adults have seen through the facade, and they want the truth – and their going to get it!

South Tyneside Democracy Forum

2008-03-19T22:14:00.003Z

I would like to refer every one to an article which has been published in today’s Gazette.

More events, statements and letters to the press are in the pipe line.

Surely the Council didn’t think the matter had gone away?
30,000 letters to house holds and individuals should have told them better?

http://www.shieldsgazette.com/news/Council-candidate-on-way-to.3890546.jp

The posts are long, but have you seen the comments!

2008-03-19T20:12:00.002Z

Some people receive comments, but not this big!

Here’s a one I received yesterday, but sadly (s)he won’t give their name!

1 – 2 of 2
Don’t believe one optimistic word from any public ... Don’t believe one optimistic word from any public figure about the economy or humanity in general. They are all part of the problem. Its like a game of Monopoly. In America, the richest 1% now hold 1/2 OF ALL UNITED STATES WEALTH. Unlike ‘lesser’ estimates, this includes all stocks, bonds, cash, and material assets held by America’s richest 1%. Even that filthy pig Oprah acknowledged that it was at about 50% in 2006. Naturally, she put her own ‘humanitarian’ spin on it. Calling attention to her own ‘good will’. WHAT A DISGUSTING HYPOCRITE SLOB. THE RICHEST 1% HAVE LITERALLY MADE WORLD PROSPERITY ABSOLUTELY IMPOSSIBLE. Don’t fall for any of their ‘humanitarian’ CRAP. ITS A SHAM. THESE PEOPLE ARE CAUSING THE SAME PROBLEMS THEY PRETEND TO CARE ABOUT. Ask any professor of economics. Money does not grow on trees. The government can’t just print up more on a whim. At any given time, there is a relative limit to the wealth within ANY economy of ANY size. So when too much wealth accumulates at the top, the middle class slip further into debt and the lower class further into poverty. A similar rule applies worldwide. The world’s richest 1% now own over 40% of ALL WORLD WEALTH. This is EVEN AFTER you account for all of this ‘good will’ ‘humanitarian’ BS from celebrities and executives. ITS A SHAM. As they get richer and richer, less wealth is left circulating beneath them. This is the single greatest underlying cause for the current US recession. The middle class can no longer afford to sustain their share of the economy. Their wealth has been gradually transfered to the richest 1%. One way or another, we suffer because of their incredible greed. We are talking about TRILLIONS of dollars which have been transfered FROM US TO THEM. All over a period of about 27 years. Thats Reaganomics for you. The wealth does not ‘trickle down’ as we were told it would. It just accumulates at the top. Shrinking the middle class and expanding the lower class. Causing a domino effect of socio-economic problems. But the rich will never stop. They just keep getting richer. Leaving even less of the pie for the other 99% of us to share. At the same time, they throw back a few tax deductible crumbs and call themselves ‘humanitarians’. Cashing in on the PR and getting even richer the following year. IT CAN’T WORK THIS WAY. Their bogus efforts to make the world a better place can not possibly succeed. Any 'humanitarian' progress made in one area will be lost in another. EVERY SINGLE TIME. IT ABSOLUTELY CAN NOT WORK THIS WAY. This is going to end just like a game of Monopoly. The current US recession will drag on for years and lead into the worst US depression of all time. The richest 1% will live like royalty while the rest of us fight over jobs, food, and gasoline. So don’t fall for any of this PR CRAP from Hollywood, Pro Sports, and Wall Street PIGS. ITS A SHAM. Remember: They are filthy rich EVEN AFTER their tax deductible contributions. Greedy pigs. Now, we are headed for the worst economic and cultural crisis of all time. Crime, poverty, and suicide will skyrocket. SEND A “THANK YOU” NOTE TO YOUR FAVORITE MILLIONAIRE. ITS THEIR FAULT. I’m not discounting other factors like China, sub-prime, or gas prices. But all of those factors combined still pale in comparison to that HUGE transfer of wealth to the rich. Anyway, those other factors are all related and further aggrivated because of GREED. If it weren’t for the OBSCENE distribution of wealth within our country, there never would have been such a market for sub-prime to begin with. Which by the way, was another trick whipped up by greedy bankers and executives. IT MAKES THEM RICHER. The credit industry has been ENDORSED by people like Oprah Winfrey, Ellen DeGenerous, Dr Phil, and many other celebrities. IT MAKES THEM RICHER. Now, there are commercial ties between nearly every industry and every public figure. IT MAKES THEM RICHER. So don’t fall for their ‘good will’ BS. ITS A LIE. If you fall for it, then you’re a fool. If you see any real difference between the moral character of a celebrity, politician, attorney, or executive, then you’re a fool. No offense fellow citizens. But we have been mislead by nearly every public figure. WAKE UP PEOPLE. THEIR GOAL IS TO WIN THE GAME. The 1% club will always say or do whatever it takes to get as rich as possible. Without the slightest regard for anything or anyone but themselves. Reaganomics. Their idea. Loans from China. Their idea. NAFTA. Their idea. Outsourcing. Their idea. Sub-prime. Their idea. High energy prices. Their idea. Obscene health care charges. Their idea. The commercial lobbyist. Their idea. The multi-million dollar lawsuit. Their idea. The multi-million dollar endorsement deal. Their idea. $200 cell phone bills. Their idea. $200 basketball shoes. Their idea. $30 late fees. Their idea. $30 NSF fees. Their idea. $20 DVDs. Their idea. Subliminal advertising. Their idea. Brainwash plots on TV. Their idea. Vioxx, and Celebrex. Their idea. The MASSIVE campaign to turn every American into a brainwashed, credit card, pharmaceutical, love-sick, celebrity junkie. Their idea. All of the above shrink the middle class, concentrate the world’s wealth and resources, create a dominoe effect of socio-economic problems, and wreak havok on society. All of which have been CREATED AND ENDORSED by celebrities, athletes, executives, entrepreneurs, attorneys, and politicians. IT MAKES THEM RICHER. So don’t fall for any of their ‘good will’ ‘humanitarian’ BS. ITS A SHAM. NOTHING BUT TAX DEDUCTIBLE PR CRAP. In many cases, the 'charitable' contribution is almost entirely offset. Not to mention the opportunity to plug their name, image, product, and 'good will' all at once. IT MAKES THEM RICHER. These filthy pigs even have the nerve to throw a fit and spin up a misleading defense with regard to 'federal tax revenue'. ITS A SHAM. THEY SCREWED UP THE EQUATION TO BEGIN WITH. If the middle and lower classes had a greater share of the pie, they could easily cover a greater share of the federal tax revenue. They are held down in many ways because of greed. Wages remain stagnant for millions because the executives, celebrities, athletes, attorneys, and entrepreneurs, are paid millions. They over-sell, over-charge, under-pay, outsource, cut jobs, and benefits to increase their bottom line. As their profits rise, so do the stock values. Which are owned primarily by the richest 5%. As more United States wealth rises to the top, the middle and lower classes inevitably suffer. This reduces the potential tax reveue drawn from those brackets. At the same time, it wreaks havok on middle and lower class communities and increases the need for financial aid. Not to mention the spike in crime because of it. There is a dominoe effect to consider. IT CAN'T WORK THIS WAY. But our leaders refuse to acknowledge this. Instead they come up with one trick after another to milk the system and screw the majority. These decisions are heavily influensed by the 1% club. Every year, billions of federal tax dollars are diverted behind the scenes back to the rich and their respective industries. Loans from China have been necessary to compensate in part, for the red ink and multi-trillion dollar transfer of wealth to the rich. At the same time, the feds have been pushing more financial burden onto the states who push them lower onto the cities. Again, the hardship is felt more by the majority and less by the 1% club. The rich prefer to live in exclusive areas or upper class communities. They get the best of everything. Reliable city services, new schools, freshly paved roads, upscale parks, ect. The middle and lower class communities get little or nothing without a local tax increase. Which, they usually can't afford. So the red ink flows followed by service cuts and lay-offs. All because of the OBSCENE distribution of bottom line wealth in this country. So when people forgive the rich for their incredible greed and then praise them for paying a greater share of the FEDERAL income taxes, its like nails on a chalk board. I can not accept any theory that our economy would suffer in any way with a more reasonable distribution of wealth. Afterall, it was more reasonable 30 years ago. Before Reaganomics came along. Before GREED became such an epidemic. Before we had an army of over-paid executives, bankers, celebrities, athletes, attorneys, investors, entrepreneurs, developers, and sold-out politicians to kiss their asses. As a nation, we were in much better shape. Strong middle class, free and clear assets, lower crime rate, more widespread prosperity, stable job market, lower deficit, ect. Our economy as a whole was much more stable and prosperous for the majority. WITHOUT LOANS FROM CHINA. Now, we have a more obscene distribution of bottom line wealth than ever before. We have a sold-out government, crumbling infrastructure, energy crisis, home forclosure epidemic, 13 figure national deficit, and 12 figure annual shortfall. The cost of living is higher than ever before. Most people can't even afford basic health care. ALL BECAUSE OF GREED. I really don't blame the 2nd -5th percentiles in general. No economy could ever function without some reasonable scale of personal wealth and income. But it can't be allowed to run wild like a mad dog. ALBERT EINSTEIN TRIED TO MAKE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND. UNBRIDLED CAPITALISM ABSOLUTELY CAN NOT WORK. TOP HEAVY ECONOMIES ALWAYS COLLAPSE. Bottom line: The richest 1% will soon tank the largest economy in the world. It will be like nothing we’ve ever seen before. The American dream will be shattered. and thats just the beginning. Greed will eventually tank every major economy in the world. Causing millions to suffer and die. Oprah, Angelina, Brad, Bono, and Bill are not part of the solution. They are part of the problem. THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A MULTI-MILLIONAIRE HUMANITARIAN. EXTREME WEALTH MAKES WORLD PROSPERITY ABSOLUTELY IMPOSSIBLE. WITHOUT WORLD PROSPERITY, THERE WILL NEVER BE WORLD PEACE OR ANYTHING EVEN CLOSE. GREED KILLS. IT WILL BE OUR DOWNFALL. Of course, the rich will throw a fit and call me a madman.. Of course, they will jump to small minded conclusions about 'jealousy', 'envy', or 'socialism'. Of course, their ignorant fans will do the same. You have to expect that. But I speak the truth. If you don’t believe me, then copy this entry and run it by any professor of economics or socio-economics. Then tell a friend. Call the local radio station. Re-post this entry or put it in your own words. Be one of the first to predict the worst economic and cultural crisis of all time and explain its cause. WE ARE IN BIG TROUBLE.

19/03/08

Balls!

2008-03-19T19:57:00.003Z

I love it when stories hit the press about famous pianists or violinist having their hands and fingers insured for thousands of pounds – it is a reminder that everything has its price. Today’s Daily Mail however, has beaten all the other bizarre insurance policies I have come across.

Ilja Gort is a wine maker, and owner of Château De La Gardein Bordeaux. The vineyard produces 80,000 bottles of gold medal wine every year. So what is the most essential part of his business? His estate manager, the type of soil his vineyard grows in, the sun to ripen the grapes? You’ve guessed it, its none of these – it’s his nose!

While the tongue has only 5 areas of taste, the nose can distinguish millions of scents. Girt considers his own particular bugle to be essential in ensuring the quality of his wines, and has had it insured against loss of smell, and indeed in case loss of nose, for £3.8 million.

Now that’s one hell of a valuable nose, but not something criminals would want to kidnap for a ransom. As long as Mr Gort doesn’t stick his proboscis where it isn’t wanted, he should be ok.

It has occurred to me that David Beckham’s nickname was “Golden Balls”!

Wonder what he had insured?

Rigg holds hostage and tries to kill her with cleaver (Corner Shop Shock)

2008-03-19T19:38:00.005Z

Good God, not the “Rigg” who runs the Corner Shop Site? Has he lost the plot?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/4488362.stm

No, this is another Rigg, but they share the same surname. However, some of you may have thought that Mr Rigg had run amok, such was his dissatisfaction with the lack of Conservative representation in the Borough...

Some of you may have also thought that the “Khan” quoted in said Rigg’s post http://curly15.wordpress.com/2008/03/19/khan-banned-from-holding-offic-for-five-years referred to Mr Ahmed Khan of the Beacon and Bents Ward missing ballot box case.

Sadly for Curly and his Labour supporters, it is not. It relates to something completely different which is highlighted by the link at the end of this post.

When you read the original article, the “Khan” in question has nothing to do with South Tyneside, nothing to do with Ahmed Khan, and nothing to do with missing ballot boxes.

Clearly, certain people will stoop to any measure to deliberately inflate their own egos or propagate their own political view. This sadly is a case in question.

Its cheap, it’s poor and it demeans the writer.

It also follows a pattern of a man demanding a lost past and forlorn future.

I thought you had more decorum Mr Rigg – sadly you clearly don’t.

The post is the worst piece of deliberate innuendo I have ever come across.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article3578882.ece

R.I.P.

2008-03-19T19:37:00.001Z

Arthur C Clarke 1917 – 2008

Over 100 books

Hal says “hello”

BWAS

2008-03-18T09:46:00.001Z

A little piece in yesterdays Shields Gazette highlights another example of an element of society taking their welfare into their own control due to a dissatisfaction of existing structures which are supposed to represent them.

The owners of some of the town's Indian restaurants have come together to form the Bangladesh Welfare Association (BWAS), and will operate to encourage members of the Borough of South Tyneside who have Bangladeshi origins to become more proactive in the community.

Hopefully, this will include all elements of the regions structures, both social and political.

Thousands of people in this Borough feel that they are not being represented, particularly on a political front. The BWAS is another example of a section of society who feel that they have to pursue another direction in order for their voice to be heard and their community acknowledged.

http://www.shieldsgazette.com/news/Restaurant-bosses39-plans-to-curry.3885770.jp

How to delay bad news (Patent: South Tyneside Council)

2008-03-18T09:21:00.003Z

Five years into the Iraq war, the situation is about as dangerous and as fluid as it ever was. Even Tony Blair, a man who referred the issue to God for tactical advice, is starting to admit that the decision to go to war may have been flawed.

The momentum for a public enquiry is beginning to once again pick up steam. However, it appears that Gordon Brown may have taken a tactical prompt from South Tyneside Council (TOPS, Tavistock Hotel development delay). Whilst acknowledging that an enquiry may be warranted “we believe that is not now”. So when will “now” be? Clearly after any election when the bad news that will emerge from the findings will be forgotten, buried and glossed over well before another election.

That assumes of course, that Gordon secures another term.

Hmmm……, no enquiry then.

Poll's Apart (1)

2008-03-18T09:02:00.003Z

Backing up polls from the weekend’s papers, the Guardians ICM Poll has the Conservative Party (42%) 13 points ahead of Labour (29%). At the last election, Labour won with 36%.

If these figures were extrapolated to a regional remit, Labour would potentially be wiped out. However, that clearly won’t happen. Looking at South Tyneside, the Conservatives will struggle to field candidates in every ward, never mind drum up enough votes to make a difference. The likely winners will be the Independent Alliance candidates, but again their roster does not embrace all wards.

Regionally under fire and nationally criticised, those Labour candidates up for re election must be extremely worried about their seats. This is an area where the Northern Rock is viewed with pride and compassion – the perception is that Labour allowed it to become a victim of the financial wolves – nobody likes to see people loose their job, but they like it even less when they are made redundant at the hands of a Labour government.

There is a price to pay for incompetence, and local labour councillors are going to have to settle the bill!

Poll’s Apart (2)

2008-03-18T09:01:00.002Z

Yesterday a YouGov poll in the Evening Standard (highlighted again in today’s Guardian) placed London Mayor candidate Boris Johnson 12 points ahead of sitting incumbent Ken Livingstone. Brian Paddick trailed in third. Embroiled in scandal after scandal, Ken has obviously passed his sell buy date and looks set to be taken of the shelf.

Why, hundreds of miles away in South Tyneside, should we be concerned about what happens in the metropolis of London, clearly an area which has no concerns about what goes on in our own Town Hall? Two reasons. Firstly, London sets the trend. The first city to introduce congestion charges predominately as a money making exercise, other cities and Boroughs are queuing up to milk the cash cow and impose their own schemes. The second – the Olympic Games 2012. With an influx of 100,000 construction workers expected over the next 3 months, and with billions of pounds sloshing around the city in building costs, consultancy fees and advertising revenue, the potential for corruption, mis-spending and white elephant projects has hit 10 out of 10 on the “problem” scales. In six years we may be not just looking at one “Dome” situation in London, but several, and it won’t be just London who will be expected to pay the cost – we all will.

So who is the right mind man to lead the capital forward? Sadly, none of those standing have so far shown that they have the capabilities to meet these challenges.

However, at least when Boris slips up, he’ll do it with flourish and aplomb!

A Stubborn Stranger to Political Correctness

2008-03-17T19:28:00.001Z

So today’s Times describes 50 years of “Carry On” films. After 31 outings, 300 guests gathered to celebrate half a century of innuendo, titillation and “kiss me quick” humour.

Proving that this quintessential style of British mirth never dies, Ned Hudis (85), who was a screen writer for the first six films, said:

“Not many of us are left. We thought we’d better have the reunion this year. Next year it could have been a séance”.

As a child I have fond memories of the Carry On brand, and I defy anyone from that era (or todays) not to watch the films without a little giggle. They were harmless, they were funny and they starred some brilliant character actors. Who can forget the comic genius of the likes of Sid James, Kenneth Williams and Charles Hawtrey?

In 1992 a reprise of the series stalled with “Carry on Columbus” – it died a tragic death at the hands of the critics and was even less well received by the public. However, plans are afoot for one more outing. “Stars” such as Vinnie Jones, Shane Ritchie and Daniella Westbrook have been pencilled in for the project, loosely based on a British version of the Oscars. To be honest, this sounds like a “Carry On To Far”, but who knows, perhaps now is the time to once again inflict a specific and profitable element of British humour on an unsuspecting but very politically correct public.

Mike Myers got away with it with Austin Powers, so why can’t our own Vinnie give it ago?

3000 P45's

2008-03-17T18:08:00.001Z

Despite having absolutely nothing to do with the fiasco surrounding the crash of Northern Rock, it appears as if the staff are going to bear the brunt of cost saving measures. Today’s Times reveals that the Bank faces being “shrunk to half its present size”.

Are the measures being taken to ensure the Banks survival? Are they part of an overall rescue plan? No, the cutbacks are the result of the need to satisfy European Union competition rules. Alastair Darling, a man loosely described as the Chancellor, will inform the European Commission of the “radical slimming down” plans today, though he has yet to inform the Bank staff or indeed the House of Commons.

Branches will close and up to 3000 jobs will be lost. Not because they have done anything wrong, but because unelected officials in Brussels demand it.

Now there’s democracy for you!

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article3564488.ece

Number Crunching Northern Herald Style

2008-03-17T17:45:00.001Z

This site has now passed the 10,000 visitor mark

Double Speak

2008-03-17T08:00:00.000Z

Just a quick one to start the day of with. David Miliband, Foreign Secretary, has just been interviewed on Radio 5 over the recent violence in Tibet. When asked if Gordon Brown had any plans to meet the Chinese leadership to discus the issue, Miliband replied along the lines of “At the moment he doesn’t not have any plans to meet them”.

Microsoft Spell Check calls this “negation use”. I call it Double Speak.

Why didn’t he just say he doesn’t know?

Whistleblowing and what rights do whistleblowers have?

2008-03-16T17:07:00.008Z

Over the last few months I have received a series of emails to TheNorthernHeraldNewsDesk@Yahoo.Com asking for details on “whistleblowing” or how to raise issues which are causing people concerns as a result of who they work for, what they do, or in some cases, what they know. Not all are from the same person, and most are from outside this Borough. I always reply to such contacts, and if you have received one of these answers, you will know what I have to say on the issue. However, many people out there, particularly in the public work place, are not fully aware that they have a series of protections which not only guarantee their confidentiality, but also offer them legal and employment protection.

Let’s begin with the concept – what is whistle blowing? Whistle blowing occurs when an employee raises issues of an ethical or legal concern, particularly about the organisation they work for. This may relate to an instance where they know their employer has broken the law, engaged in an activity which has damaging consequences for the public or other workers, or where an individual within the organization has been involved in illegal activities i.e. awarding contracts to family members or accepting bribes for business contracts. In other words whistleblowing concerns the breaking of the law, but because you work for the people involved, you cannot raise your concerns directly with them.

Many people are actually afraid to “whistleblow” on their employers. However, what they don’t realize is that specific legislation exists to protect them. The main piece of law designed to help them is Public Disclosure Act 1998, which has also been incorporated into the Employment Rights Act 1996. If you believe an injustice has occurred or the law has been broken by the people you work for, then this Act will protect you from dismissal etc. Many large employers, particularly public bodies, now incorporate proactive whisteblowing procedures within employment contracts etc.

The scope of the act is also pretty specific – it doesn’t concern personal problems which you are having at work. To be more accurate, it does concern the following

A criminal offence

Failure to comply with any legal obligation

A miscarriage of justice

Endangering the health and safety of any individual

Causing environmental damage

The deliberate concealing of information which would constitute evidence of any of the above.

So who can you contact if you think a miscarriage has taken place? Clearly if your employer has already conducted a cover up, you can’t approach them. Police involvement should never be ruled out, and the media must always been considered strongly when you wish to raise issues. The benefit of this latter approach is that reporters will conduct discreet and background research to verify the information put forward, thereby distracting attention away from the true source. Any reporter worth his salt will also never reveal his sources.

How then, would The Northern Herald react to a contact from somebody who feels the need to whistleblow?

The procedure is simple:

The information would be looked at clearly and without bias.

If possible it would be verified without revealing or compromising the source.

With the full agreement of the source, the information would be posted on via the site, or in the case of very serious allegations, the press would be involved. This site would act as the intermediary.

If the source of the information changed their mind at any point, the information would be destroyed and the matter would end there.

When I return emails to people, I highlight the above. I also allow the text to be used as a legal document, thereby ensuring that I will honour the approach highlighted.

So that’s the law, but what are the practicalities? Many Council documents have passed across the news desk, and the sources have never been revealed. In some cases the sources are actually not known. Many relate to scanned documents, or hints as to where to look for information. Unless asked, I never reply to the approaches, and they are deleted once posted on.

An example of a scenario whereby the whole whistleblowing approach could be applied relates to South Tyneside Council and case of the missing ballot boxes. Somebody somewhere, knows what actually happened to these boxes and their contents. For legal and employment reasons they may feel intimidated when it comes to revealing the truth as to what actually happened. However, should they wish to take matters out of the confines of their work place, the Public disclosure Act would protect them from any redress from their employer.

In these days of an increasing consideration for public accountability, whistle blowing is becoming a lot more common and a lot more acceptable. Indeed, it is now considered a duty and a commendable attitude both towards workers duties as an employee, but also towards an obligation to the community as a whole.

POST SCRIPT

The 7 principles of public life as highlighted by the Common’s Committee in Public Life:

Selflessness

Holders of public office should act solely in terms of the public interest. They should not do so in order to gain financial or other benefits for themselves, their family or their friends.

Integrity

Holders of public office should not place themselves under any financial or other obligation to outside individuals or organisations that might seek to influence them in the performance of their official duties.

Objectivity

In carrying out public business, including making public appointments, awarding contracts, or recommending individuals for rewards and benefits, holders of public office should make choices on merit.

Accountability

Holders of public office are accountable for their decisions and actions to the public and must submit themselves to whatever scrutiny is appropriate to their office.

Openness

Holders of public office should be as open as possible about all the decisions and actions that they take. They should give reasons for their decisions and restrict information only when the wider public interest clearly demands.

Honesty

Holders of public office have a duty to declare any private interests relating to their public duties and to take steps to resolve any conflicts arising in a way that protects the public interest.

Leadership

Holders of public office should promote and support these principles by leadership and example.

USEFUL SITES

http://www.freedomtocare.org/
http://www.pcaw.co.uk/

The Sunday Roast

2008-03-16T13:27:00.001Z

NUMBER CRUNCHING EGG STYLE

NUMBER CRUNCHING SQUATTERS STYLE

TIMES THEY ARE A CHANGIN'

HAS HE GOT VIEWS FOR YOU

Number Crunching Egg Style

2008-03-16T11:54:00.004Z

— Britons eat about 10 billion eggs a year – 27m a day.

— Eggs contain protein, vitamin A, vitamin D, niacin and vitamin B12. They also contain about 6.4g of fat, of which 1.8g is saturated fat.

— Four out of 10 eggs sold are free range. In January, for the first time, free-range eggs accounted for more than half the value of all eggs sold.

— In the 1967 film Cool Hand Luke, the lead character, played by Paul Newman, takes on what is regarded as a mad bet to eat 50 eggs in an hour. Truth is stranger than fiction. Sonya Thomas, a Korean-born American, holds the record for eating hard-boiled eggs: 65 in six minutes and 40 seconds. Thomas is slim, fit and weighs about seven stone.

— The record distance for throwing a raw egg without breaking it is 323ft 2in set by Johnie Dell Foley in Texas in 1978. The egg was caught by his cousin, Keith Thomas.

— A typical ostrich egg weighs 3lb 5oz. One laid at a Swedish ostrich farm in 2006 claimed the world record at just over 5.5Ib

— Peter Fabergé, the jeweller, made 50 ornamental eggs for Russian tsars and others for aristocratic private clients. One created in 1902 for the Rothschild family sold last November for £8.9m.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/food_and_drink/article3559318.ece

Number Crunching Squatter Style

2008-03-16T11:50:00.003Z

The bill to clean up John Prescott’s grace and favour flat, Admiralty House, included the following:

~ 8 cleaners working 8 hour shifts
~ £587.50 to clean chandeliers
~ £1000 to refresh soiled curtains
~ £333.70 to clean windows
~ Grand total £3319.67

Prescott’s sex pit was of course the venue for his famous fling with his secretary. Surely, however, even a man of Mr Prescott’s stature and girth wasn’t swinging from the chandeliers, steaming up the windows and as for the curtains, don’t go there!