Friday, May 16, 2008
Tories who gave you 78.9% police tax rise vote to gag debate on their actions...
The Tories pulled a show-stopping stunt to block any discussion on the eye-watering 78.9per cent rise in precept passed by Lincolnshire Police Authority. (see my original post HERE).
Labour Leader Rob Parker had tabled a motion condemning the decision to increase the police precept by 78.9 per cent and specifically criticising the actions of the six Conservative County Councillors in voting for such a massive increase for Linco0lnshire tax payers.
The LibDems had also tabled a motion recognising a shortfall in formulae grant for Lincolnshire, but attacking the increase as excessive.
Both motions were published in the Order of Proceedings.
Five hours into the meeting, the debate was called and newly elected council chairman Ian Cartwright outlined how he proposed to proceed.
At this point vice-chairman of the Police Authority, Tory Cllr Barry Young intervened, pleading for the debate to be adjourned. He claimed negotiations between Ministers and the Authority as part of the capping process were at a delicate stage and any debate prejudice the final outcome...
Then, up popped Cllr Martin Trollope-Bellew, the Tory Chief Whip, to support Barry Young, quoting Chapter 13 Paragraph 11 sub section brackets 'd' brackets of the Council's Constitution.
When Rob Parker asked him to kindly explain what he was talking about, Martin T-B was clearly gobsmacked and was unable to quote the actual words in Paragraph 11 etc...
It was left to legal officers to explain that there was indeed an obscure procedural rule that few had ever heard of which allows the chairman to decide whether to allow a vote to prevent any motion from being discussed.
Cllr Ian Cartwright, himself a Tory councillor, instantly ruled that such a vote should take place - and then voted himself to block the discussion.
No opportunity was given for councillors to argue why a debate on the police precept should - or should not - be allowed.
Some might have argued that Barry Young's argument that the matter was being decided by Government Ministers was the very reason to hold an open debate.
But they weren't given that opportunity.
Despite claiming the whole stunt was Barry Young's own personal idea and not a Tory organised hi-jack, every Tory in the Chamber - except one - voted to prevent a discussion on the precept
The Tory exception was maverick Mark Horn of Bourne who is known to be outraged at the Authority for setting such a high precept and has called for Government intervention to prevent the increase taking place.
I believe two of the six Tory county councillors who forced through the 78.9% increase were absent from the Chamber when the vote took place.
The other four who were criticised in Rob Parker's motion - including Barry Young - all voted to prevent today's scheduled debate from taking place.
Same Old Tories, or what?
Labels: Barry Young, Conservatives, Lincolnshire County Council, Lincolnshire Police Authority, Mark Horn, Rob Parker
Exposed: Vested interests who secretly bankroll Cameron team...
Grant Shapps, Tory housing spokesman has received tens of thousands of pounds of cash to run his office from five different companies - all with vested interests in, er...housing.
Two online mortgage brokers, an estate agent, a commercial property developer and solicitors specialising in conveyancing and remortgaging all give money to fund the office of David Cameron's housing spokesman.
Andrew Lansley, Cameron's health spokesman has taken funds to run his office from a company that runs two secure children's homes as well as the owner of the largest manufacturer of NHS beds.
Jeremy Hunt, Cameron's spokesman on tourism, has received funds for his office from the chairman of the Conservative Tourism Taskforce and former chairman of the British Tourist Authority.
And Rutland MP Alan Duncan, Cameron's spokesman on business, enterprise and regulatory reform, gets cash for his office from the president and chief executive of an oil company!
These are just examples of a secret web of Tory donors uncovered in the official investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner into complaints against George Osborne, Cameron's Shadow Chancellor which I reported on HERE.
The Commissioner ruled that Osborne himself failed to declare almost half a million pounds from donors to run his office which had been channelled through general Conservative party funds but earmarked for his use.
Finding that Osborne broke the rules, the Commissioner has ordered every member of the Tory frontbench to disclose who funds their offices.
David Cameron talks a good game on transparency in politics, but the actions of his would-be Cabinet tell a different story.
Now the hypocrisy of Cameron's team has been officially exposed, he must come clean and publish without delay a full list of exactly is buying influence in his Party...
Breath-taking Quote of the Day came from George Osborne, Cameron's Shadow Chancellor. After being found guilty of breaking the rules he had the brass neck to say:
'I am glad that the rules have now been clarified and I will of course continue to adhere to them.'Same Old Tories, eh?
Labels: Alan Duncan, Andrew Lansley, Conservative Party, David Cameron, donations, George Osborne, Grant Shapps, transparency
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Tory methods of hiding donations exposed...
Despite promises of transparency by Tory Leader David Cameron, the Tories secret method of hiding donations has been exposed.
Wee Georgie - and other shadow cabinet members - failed to declare donations.
Parliamentary Standards Commissioner John Lyon ruled today that funding channelled to Tory Shadow Cabinet members through Conservative Central Office should be made public. He is taking no further action providing the the Tories correct the official register within four weeks.
The official investigation was launched after it emerged that the Conservatives gave Mr Osborne almost half a million pounds to help run his office - at the specific request of the donors of the cash - but this was not reported, as it should have been, in the Register of Members' Interests.
Labour MP for Bassetlaw (Notts) John Mann said: 'The report shows that there is clearly a methodical system that has been put in place to hide donations.'
'The Tories are being dragged kicking and screaming into revealing their donors. What is really astonishing is that this has continued despite Cameron's promise of transparency.'
Needless to say, George Osborne has responded by claiming he has been cleared of all wrong-doing...
Same old Tories, eh?
Full report now on BBC
Labels: Conservative Central Office, Conservative Party, David Cameron, George Osborne, John Mann, Parliamentary Standards Commissioner, Register of Members Interests
A bit of a bombshell reveals ambitious leisure plans for DSJ...
I understand that Larkfleet Homes are about to apply for outline planning permission for the site known locally as Charity's Orchard on Spalding Road.
Martin Adkins of Deepings Festival described the plans as "a bit of a bombshell" when he showed drawings last week at the annual parish meeting...as local councillors looked on rather gobsmacked!
Martin talked about a purpose built "leisure and culture centre" with seating for 300 and which would be available for hire.
If the plans prove viable - and affordable to all the parties involved - the scheme could solve a number of problems.
The rugby club has been looking for a new home for some years now having seriously outgrown its rather ramshackle club-house on the school field which it rents from South Kesteven District Council.
The new clubhouse shown on Larkfleet's plans would give the Rugby Club direct access on to the current sports field.
Sounds good, but I'm sure the club will want to secure tenure of pitches before going ahead.
That could pose a problem, as long term plans show a possible new Deepings School to be built under the Government's Building Schools for the Future programme which will see every secondary school in the country modernised or rebuilt.
And the site earmarked for the new school is the current Linchfield Road sports field, with the current school eventually demolished and the site possible reverting to sports fields
Lincolnshire County Council will want to keep all options open on how much of the site it may need for a new school, but I hope there is scope to do a deal to keep the thriving rugby club in our village.
The scheme is highly imaginative and I hope it is not dismissed as pie-in-the-sky before it is given a chance.
For the past 30 years and more, development in The Deepings has simply meant building more houses on the next field, with no thought for the services and facilities needed by the increased population.
So in principle, I welcome the plans and hope the negotiations with various parties prove successful.
Labels: Building Schools for the Future, Deeping St James, Deepings Festival, Deepings Rugby Club, Lincolnshire County Council
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Two die on local roads...
The collision happened on Whip Chicken Road, just off the B1166, near Crowland, at about 11.25 last night. The body of a man was later found in a nearby ditch.
He is believed to be a 33-year-old local man. The driver of the car was shocked but not injured.
The other fatal accident happened four hours earlier when a car left the A17 Heckington bypass, near Sleaford and hit a tree. The driver, a 47-year-old local man, was died at the scene.
So far 15 people have died on Lincolnshire's roads this year, compared with 28 at the same time last year.
Labels: road safety
Death of Lincs County Councillor...
Sheila was elected to Lincolnshire County Council in 1997 for the Conservatives in the Louth Wolds Division.
Sheila chaired the Waste Policy Development Group and was active in promoting tourism and economic development of the Wolds.
She will be missed by the entire Council - as well as by the people of the Wolds who I know she worked hard to represent.
Labels: Lincolnshire County Council, Sheila Roy. Louth Wolds
Tory quitter changes his mind...
Does he have difficulty in making decisions....well, yes and er, no.
Northampton Chronicle&Echo.
Labels: Conservatives, Northampton, Sally Keeble
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Tory quits saying Tories have 'elevated egos...'
Wayne Seaborn has resigned from the Tory Group, according to today's Lincs Free Press alleging that being a member of the ruling Conservative group on the council was stifling his ability to represent his electors.
Same old Tories eh?
Labels: Conservatives, Same Old Tories, South Holland District Council
Friday, May 09, 2008
Tory who didn't have the balls to tell the truth...
He took time off his job at Tesco's, claiming he was suffering from testicular cancer. But within days of his election to a council in Hatfield, Herts, it's been revealed that he made the whole story up.
This morning, after the story appeared in the Mirror, he fell on his sword and resigned. No doubt he now feels the pain of a kick in the ballots.
I know where I'd send the bill for the costs of the by-election that will now be needed.
Same Old Tories eh?
UPDATE: The Welwyn and Hatfield Times has now confirmed that Tesco Tory boy has resigned his seat on the council - exactly a week after winning it - and a by-election will be held.
Labels: Daily Mirror, Tescos, Tory sleaze
Farmer guilty after Deeping student Katie dies...
According to today's Stamford Mercury, the farmer was involved in another fatal road accident some years ago when the Mercedes car he was driving plunged into the River Glen. He survived, but his wife died.
I reported here on the tragedy of Katie's death just over a year ago.
It appears 18-year-old Katie was waiting to turn right into Hop Pole, Deeping St Nicholas, when the car she was driving was hit by the farmer's 4x4
Grand Jeep Cherokee. Experts estimated the 4x4 was being driving at over 70mph in a 50mph area and its high speed had attracted the attention of witnesses before the collision.
Local man appears in Ken Livingstone's biography...
Brynley, one-time prolific commenter on this blog, even gets a mention in the latest biography on Ken, which came out during the recent Mayoral campaign...
More recently, Brynley has been an active campaigner against data chips in wheelie bins, which he believe SKDC will inevitably use to collect information on the amount of material we throw away.
Isn't it amazing what you learn in The Local...more HERE.
Labels: Ken Livingstone, SKDC, The Local
Portillo says Boris's campaign was insulting...
Not my words. Not Ken Livingstone who Boris beat to become Mayor of London last week, but the judgement of former Tory Cabinet Minister and ex-London MP MICHAEL PORTILLO, speaking earlier tonight (Thursday) on BBC One's 'This Week' programme.
It's not the first time in the past few days that Portillo has put the boot into Boris.
On election night, there was little to cheer for Labour activists as the bad news after bad news came in from around the country...
But round about 3am, (yes, i know i'm an anorak!!), I found myself agreeing with Michael Portillo on his assessment of Boris.
He was asked whether he thought Boris had managed to re-launch himself as a serious politician in the Mayoral campaign.
Michael laughed, expressing doubt that Boris would ever be serious...Then, Michael Portillo paid a much warmer tribute to the Tory's bogeyman 'Red' Ken Livingstone, who he described as "a remarkable politician" who had achieved many positive things as Mayor - including introducing the highly popular Oyster travel card.
So as Boris hands out City Hall jobs to his mates, I wouldn't put any money on seeing Michael Portillo in the frame...
Labels: BBC This Week, Boris Johnson, Ken Livingstone, Mayor of London, Michael Portillo
Thursday, May 08, 2008
U-turn phone trucker jailed after biker dies...
BBC East Midlands has a video report HERE.
Labels: BBC East Midlands, mobile phones, trucker, u-turn
Wednesday, May 07, 2008
Surely it was just a dream...
Seriously, i was so busy working on the local elections, that my blogging had to take a back seat: I worked in London, and after seeing Ken defeated, I went into hibernation, and managed to get through the holiday weekend refusing to read a single newspaper, or the internet...
But I'm back...hope you are all well.
Clearly a lot to catch up on, so, as they say...
Watch this space...
Labels: Blackpool Labour Party, Boris Johnson, Ken Livingstone, Mayor of London, Tories.
Monday, April 28, 2008
Breaking news: Cars crushed as tank rolls off lorry...
This is just the latest in a series of similar incidents. I'm sure Lincolnshire Police will fully investigate whether the 'tank' was properly secured and why the accident happened.
In fact, the 'tank' is more likely to have been an armoured personnel carrier, as British tanks weigh in at over 50 tons.
And I've no doubt that had it been a fully-fledged tank, the drivers of the cars it landed on would not have lived to tell their tale...
Labels: Lincolnshire Police, tanks

