EREWASH TORY LEADER BOTTLES IT!

At last weeks Erewash Borough Full Council meeting Cllr Chris Corbett threw a strop and moved that the meeting be adjourned. Much of the business of the meeting had not been transacted. This odd move was inexplicable and was met with bemusement by the Labour Members.

There was no advantage either to the Council or to the many members of the public who were in the gallery in the Tory Group move. Why Cllr Corbett the Tory Leader bottled out is hard to fathom and when he finally has to climb down he will face considerable embarrassment. As I've told him before he can't keep chickening out.

OSBORNE'S DROPPED US IN IT!

Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne suggested it would be chaos if he changed his mind over the cuts. The real effects of his approach to reducing the deficit are yet to fully felt by the public. Just the cuts to local government grant will push the costs for some local services up and reduce some services with other services being eliminated altogether. The increase in V.A.T. and inflation will create unemployment and reduce the total tax take. If he is hoping to rely on other Countries to pull us away from recession then it is a huge gamble by Osbourne. Effectively the Local Government and Central Government cuts are having to be organised and implemented by others, with people like Pickles and Osborne in denial over the actual choas they are causing.
As the Tory led Coalition keep saying "We're all in it together." and we are, right up to the neck.

SOLVING THE SERVANT PROBLEM

If Mrs Osbourne's comments are anything to go by, how long will it be before the minimum wage is scrapped or by-passed. She can always re-designate her staff as interns or apprentices or trainee assistant mansion managers. I'm really saddened that "like most mothers she worries about upsetting the cleaner." It's a hard life being a millionairess. It's comforting to know Marie Antoinette is alive and well and living in 11 Downing Street.

As the Tory led Coalition fight to grab recession out the jaws of recovery, even the out going Leader of the C.B.I. Sir Richard Lambert sees the writing on the wall. The newly Knighted Sir Dick, crowned Osbourne's misguided "politically motivated" cuts. He said "measures that cut spending but killed demand would actually make matters worse." His comments are refreshing, but has he lost his chance of a seat in the Lords? He seems just the right sort of material to me, on the basis of his Parthian shot. Well done old chap.

However could the devilishly cunning Tory plan be to drive down wage rates and increase unemployment to solve the servant problem. Perhaps Sir Richard is not in on the secret. I await events with interest.

P.S.What always perplexes me is how more poverty encourages the poor but that more wealth motivates the already filthy rich. I must admit that the logic of it evades me.

WEST PARK LEISURE

I went around the Long Eaton West Park Leisure Centre today. Checked out the facilities, which are in a good state of repair and much improved with the aid of the grant from Sport England. However it still seems to me there is untapped potential. For years moving the cafe to the ground floor has been discussed but not implemented. A cafe/restaurant on the ground floor and relocating the gym to the upper floor would add value to the facility giving an increase in customer base and create business and job opportunities. I also think an outdoor all weather floodlit facility, perhaps two five-a-side pitches, could add revenue without unduly increasing costs. Also the flume needs upgrading to make the wet side more attractive.

PARISH PANIC

Ockbrook and Borrowash Parish Council notice board is again sporting a notice attacking the Erewash Labour Party. To what do we owe this infamy! Well, it's because a Borough Councillor asked for information about how Borough money has been spent by the Parish  Council. Not unreasonable you might think, as he, a Member of EBC has a duty to protect the public purse. But low and behold rather than being assisted under the Freedom of Information Act he was sent a request for money upfront before they would give the evidence asked for. A request to view the information first by Cllr Morgan has not yet been replied to.

It may trouble residents to note that should they request information from "their" Parish Council they might suddenly find their name up on the Parish Notice Board! Fame at last for Morgs but I'm not sure a parishioner would appreciate the publicity.

I always thought that publicly funded notice boards shouldn't be used for Party Political propaganda. This is the third attack on the Labour Party published on this notice board. I wouldn't mind so much if it was accurate; but there you go same old bungling Tories. Leopards don't change their spots. Time for some new blood on Ockbrook and Borrowash Council.

CUTS TO "BOBBIES" ON THE BEAT

The Labour Group at Erewash are seeking to give the Erewash Tories a chance to back the welfare of residents by supporting our proposal to write to the Prime Minister opposing cuts to the Derbyshire Constabulary. Our resolution is as follows.

 "That this Council views with great concern the cuts proposed to the Derbyshire Constabulary and the consequential effect on crime in Erewash. We note with regret that 178 Officer posts and 112 civilian posts are proposed to be cut over the next two years.

We call upon the Coalition Government to reverse it's policies on cuts to law and order. We further resolve that the Leader of the Council write on our behalf to the Prime Minister expressing our concerns about these proposed Derbyshire Constabulary cuts."

It should be discussed at the next Full Council meeting at Ilkeston Town Hall starting at 7.00 p.m. on Thursday 27th January.

Apart from a reduction in public safety caused by these Derbyshire cuts, Erewash will also be effected by cuts in our bordering areas. In the past we have suffered from cross border raiding by criminals particularly from Nottingham. With the proximity of large urban areas like Nottingham and Derby and also the easy access provided by the M1 motorway Erewash is particularly vulnerable to mobile criminals. So it is really important to take these cuts seriously and seek to resist them now,  not just wait for the consequences.
Although much more serious incidents have been perpetrated by mobile miscreants in Erewash. A minor incident took place a few years back, my wife's car had one wheel stolen from right outside our house. The thief drove off but a resident took the car registration number. It transpired that the thief had pinched a car and dumped it in Nottingham. Just shows how crime flies! I thought wheel meet again but it was not recovered. What tickled me was the miscreant had propped the car axle on a up-ended house brick. I kept the brick for years to remind me of the incident. Eventually I made use of it. At least we got something back. My wife was not amused though.

PARISH PUZZLER

The Labour Group on Erewash is trying to unlock the puzzle of how Parish Councils justify spending Borough money. For the second time we are putting forward a resolution to the Erewash Full Council meeting trying to unlock the secret of the way that Parish Councils claim money from the Borough under a heading called  "concurrent functions".  The whole sum is over £200,000 spread unevenly across Parish Councils.

Several Parish Councils have been obstructive about giving access to information. One claimed they wanted over a thousand pounds up front before they would give the information someone asked for!

It smacks of hypocrisy chucking money at Parish Councils when the Tory controlled Borough recently turned down our efforts, on the grounds of cost, to get a formal consultation going on the possibility of Town Councils in Long Eaton and Ilkeston .

When you compare their actions against the so-called localist agenda that the Conservative led Coalition Government are pushing, the Erewash Tories stance just doesn't stack up. They have had plenty of practice doing U-turns at national level now it's high time they did so locally in Erewash on the issue of Town Councils.

What is so irksome is that the Tory Councillors who voted to stop progress towards town councils are mainly Parish Councillors themselves. I don't mind people being two hatted but two faced is a bit too much.

The next Erewash Full Council starts at 7.00 p.m. at Ilkeston Town Hall on Thursday 27th January. Come along and see democracy in action. Will the Tories chicken out again?

THIN BLUE LINE

The thin blue line will be getting thinner with the cuts proposed by the Coalition Government. In response to cuts in Government Grant, Derbyshire is set to cut Police numbers by 300 staff including 178 Officers.  The propaganda about protecting front line staff has been seen to be an utter fabrication.

What is even more spurious is that it will save money. All that it will do is push the costs of crime on to the public. Costs  will not just disappear. Not only will the public suffer from more crime but they will face increased insurance costs as well, adding insult to injury.

The Coalition intend to have less prison places, less courts and less Police Officers. Soft on crime and soft on the causes of crime, that should be the Coalition motto.

If you add to that the proposals to turn off street lights in the late evening you have the biggest invite to criminality ever perpetrated by any Government.

The one thing you can be sure of is that the cuts in Police will  increase "private sector" jobs amongst the criminal fraternity.

SLOW RESPONSE OVER FATAL FIRE SITE

Erewash Chief Executive Jeremy Jaroszek has written to me regarding the tragic fire at 41 Wellington Street, Long Eaton. In answer to my inquiry he stated that a complaint had been received regarding the build up of rubbish at the premises. The complaint was received on 20th August 2010. Environmental Health Officers were assured by the occupier that she would clear the rubbish. Subsequently when this didn't happen a formal notice was served on 15th Nov. The occupier didn't comply with the notice and the Council then intended to undertake the necessary works themselves but hadn't done so.

It does seem to me the period between the complaint and contemplating direct action was very excessive. The Council seemed to underestimate the scale of the problem and saw it only in terms of "untidy land" rather than a hazard to public safety. Other legislation may have been more appropriate in this case.

I will delve further to find out whether this tragedy could have been avoided and how we can work more effectively in such cases.

LONG EATON BLAZE

Following a fire at a house in Wellington Street, Long Eaton, a woman's body has been found in the house. The Emergency Services did a great job to contain and extinguish the blaze but there was no chance of saving anyone trapped inside the inferno. At one stage it looked as thought the whole block would go.

The fire isn't considered to be suspicious but neighbours have pointed the finger at Erewash Council for not acting on previous complaints about the build up of rubbish at the property.

I have asked the Chief Executive of Erewash to provide me with a report into the history of any complaints  received by the Council over the past two years and what, if any, action was taken.

What a sad and tragic end to a life.  

TRAGIC FIRE IN LONG EATON

A terraced house in Wellington Street, Long Eaton, was gutted today when fire engulfed the building. The resident was a woman in her sixties who didn't go out much. She hoarded stuff in her house which complicated the task of searching the house whilst it was on fire and must have contributed to the blaze which was so fierce that it also damaged nearby houses. 
As yet it hasn't been announced whether a body has been found. Fire investigators will no doubt be sifting through the debris to find the cause of the blaze. I'm still hoping she was not in the house but it seems all too likely.
My first reaction on seeing the fire was to ring Erewash Housing Options Team to start the wheels in motion to get displaced residents accommodated if necessary. I am still waiting for an update but I trust Erewash were able to help. It must be terribly traumatic for everyone in the vicinity, my sympathy goes out to them.

This fire should bring it home to people how important it is to have both a quick response by the Fire Brigade and also how important fire prevention and early detection is.

CALAMITY KEN

There is no doubt that Ken Clarke's job in Government is not going to last. He is despised by the Tory right wing and was only brought back on to the front bench to buttress Cameron who continually looked lightweight. This latest fiasco concerning the riot at Ford Open Prison has shown up Clarke for what he is, a bluffer and blunderer. He had prior warning about the problems at the prison and failed to act effectively.

What is needed in the prison service is more and better trained staff. If effective action is not taken the spate of riots is liable to spread putting prison officers and even members of the public at risk. Clarke just sends out the wrong messages both to inmates and staff. Its obvious Calamity Ken can't last but for how long will he survive?

YESTERDAYS MEN

Michael Hestletine, when being interviewed on BBC 4 about economic development was his usual blase self. Trying to justify the abolition of Regional Development Agencies and it's much reduced replacement with Local Economic Partnerships. His explanation was paper thin. It's just a rehash of the same old tired Tory policies. Lots of hot air and no action. However he did mention the improvement to City Centres brought about throughout the U.K. He said in the last twenty years but the renaissance has virtually all taken place under the last Labour Government. At least he acknowledged the legacy in urban renewal left by Labour but without actually directly giving us the credit.

You only have to look at Nottingham City Centre to appreciate the change bought about by public investment. The Market Place had a quality face lift and the transport system has been revitalised by the new trams.

Unfortunately now, under the Tories, investment, planning and economic strategy will be put well and truly on the back burner. Judging by Hestletine's performance we're in for a diet of bluff and bluster from one of yesterday's men.

CRIME COCKTAIL

Civitas, the right wing "think tank", have criticised the Coalition Government's cuts to Police budgets in a recent report. The group which has close links to Tory Ministers has attacked the cuts claiming that they will lead to higher crime rates.

Although the Government has defended the cuts it must be painfully obvious that the impact of crime on the public will far outweigh the so called savings. Past Tory Governments have presided over a crime wave with criminal activity climbing steadily upwards. Labour had turned the tide using various approaches including getting Councils and other Agencies to work together with the Police to cut crime and the causes of crime.

During the General Election campaign the Tories accused Gordon Brown of personally letting prisoners out early. Using huge posters to vilify Brown. Now they have a policy of doing the very thing they accused Gordon Brown of, plus cutting Policing as well! The Coalition are mixing a crime cocktail guaranteed to increase crime.

The spin about protecting the front line is wearing very thin. It's the public that are in the front line and they are certainly not being protected. Now Civitas are joining the many skeptics in their concern about Con-Dem Police cuts. But will the Coalition listen; not a chance.

LONG EATON VANDALISM

At least eight shop windows have been smashed in Long Eaton recently. Times are bad enough for businesses without having to suffer mindless vandalism like this. Not just the individual businesses but also the reputation of the town suffers by the ugly sight of the broken windows.

To add insult to injury we also have another spate of graffiti in the town at moment. If the law enforcement authorities don't soon take a grip the town will degenerate even further.

TORIES TALKING RUBBISH

What Planet are these Tories on, certainly not a green one. In a recent statement by a Tory Minister Bob Neill he criticized the Audit Commission for advising Councils that it is more cost effective to collect non-recyclable household waste once a fortnight. With Erewash Borough just reeling from the shock of a £1.100,000 cut in grant the Council now are told that a weekly black bin collection is a desirable option. What utter rubbish. Apart from the additional cost, which in Erewash's case would exceed £500,000 per year, the message it would send out to the minority of people who are already a bit skeptical about recycling is particularly negative. We were winning the battle to recycle more waste but the Conservatives want to get back to the bad old days of more tipping and damaging the environment.

If there is money to spend surely it should be invested in waste recycling and waste reduction. Free wheeled bins for dry recyclates would be more beneficial and more cost effective than a return to the bad old days of encouraging wastefulness. I think we should make renewed efforts to reduce waste, recycle more and aim to make Erewash one of the top recyclers in Britain not the dirty man of Derbyshire.

ILKESTON'S BLACK PEARL

I received a letter from Erewash Council following a recent official complaint by me about the state of the railway wagon at the traffic island at the bottom end of Chalons Way, Ilkeston. The letter said there was money in the budget and they were investigating the best way to proceed. As the money has been in the budget since April last year I find it staggering that the Erewash Council has still not worked out how to fix one railway wagon. Unbelievable or what!

The wagon could be renamed the Black Pearl as it will soon be see through. A bit like the Tory Council, transparently not working for the whole of the Borough.