Published September 26th, 2008
Newmarket Leisure Centre - Again
The Project manager has resigned, not a problem we are told on a project already millions of pounds over budget. Councillors are to get another tour next week to see the project.
Published March 14th, 2008
Lib Dem stages walkout over Illegal Decisions at Forest Heath Council
Last night Cllr Ian Radford, leader of the Liberal Democrat Group walked out of an Overview and Scrutiny Committee at Forest Heath Council in protest at what he considers may have been an illegal decision to debate an item.
Cllr Radford (Lib Dem) said “For some time, I and my colleagues have been dismayed by the way meetings are scheduled, rescheduled and cancelled, and by the way papers are often delivered to members shortly before meetings. This gives members, especially opposition group members little time to give the papers the attention they deserve.
Last night the O & S committee acting as Audit Committee were to consider in Internal Audit Self Assessment, the papers for which were circulated by email the day before. In normal circumstances, papers open to the public should be circulated with the agenda at least seven days before the meeting. To get around this, an urgent business exception was used. I was not prepared to debate an important document when only four members of the committee present out of a membership of nine. Of those four, three had not looked at the papers before the meeting”.
Meanwhile an urgent report, requested previously by Cllr Radford concerning planning procedures dealing with applications to site telecoms masts, and which had been unequivocally promised to be discussed last night, was absent from the agenda because ‘there was insufficient time for a substantive report to be written in between the meeting on 28th and when the agenda had to be legally despatched for the meeting”
Ends
Published March 6th, 2008
Forest Heath Office Refurbishment
Conservative controlled Forest Heath has committed itself to a makeover of its council offices. Last night my colleague Ian Radford proposed that we should a) Get costings for the works that have to be done and b) In light of the current uncertainty as to whether Forest Heath will even be here in two years we should pause before spending taxpayers money on a major refit before we know that outcome of that review.
I fully agree with Ian on this, we were not proposing that other projects that benefit the community should be paused, just the office refurbishment. Major works may be carried out only for the burden to fall on the taxpayer to make the building fit for its possible new purpose. Until we have a clearer picture of the Boundary committees proposals we should show some prudence. Their draft recommendations are only 4 months away after all.
Forest Heath does not have a great reputation for its handling of large capital projects, caution should be the watchword in this one.
Ian’s proposal attracted only Lib Dem support though Cllrs Allen (Ind) and Cllr Waters (Con) abstained.
Published March 4th, 2008
Deputy Conservative Group Leader Allowance
Tomorrow evening we have a report recommending giving a special responsibilty allowance to the deputy leader of the Council.
This is obviously an important job because I have asked my Lib Dem colleagues who this is, they have as much idea as me - that is no idea. I’ll let you know how the vote goes and who it is by tomorrow night when they might identify themselves by collecting their special responsibilty allowance of £2,954 per annum!!
Published March 1st, 2008
Barton Mills Conservation Area Appraisal
Forest Heath is reviewing the conservation areas within the district. Barton Mills is now out for review.
Key points in the draft plan are:
- no change to current conservation area.
- current undeveloped areas that are within the conservation area that need protecting.
- UPVC windows and doors not allowe dwithin conservation area and Forest Heath considering withdrawing permissions on all residential properties for them within area.
- undergrounding of all overhead wires to be encouraged.
- The former Wilhire site to provide opportunity for sensitive development.
- A number of buildings worthy of inclusion in a list of buildings of local importance.
- A survey of boundary walls witha view to developing grant aid for scheme for their repair.
Anyway submissions have to be in to the council by the end of April. Please let me know what you think of the proposals.
Published February 27th, 2008
Exning Road Phone mast
At the end of a long planning meeting. We were told that we were going to be briefed on 2 issues. The man from the press was duly ejected by the officers as apparently it was no longer a meeting.
We were then given a report on how Conservative controlled Forest Heath has allowed a 10 metre eyesore mast to go up on Exning Road by the Leisure Centre because they forgot to determine the application in time. The mast is sighted I believe on Conservative Controlled Suffolk County Council land.
However apart from huff and puff all we can do is put pressure on O2 to remove their mast apparently (great guidance I must say). I certainly hope we can do more than that. Pressure must be put on the landowners - I believe the county to make sure the mast is removed and procedures must be tightened this doesn’t happen again.
Published February 22nd, 2008
Local Government review in Suffolk
This evening I had to sit through full council whilst the Conservatives argued amongst themselves over the response that Forest Heath should draw up to the Government’s request for the Boundary Committee to look into local Government in Suffolk.
The three way split in their ranks ranging from - a) Only Tories should be allowed to have any input to b) a desire to get the best for the residents of the district (which got the Lib Dem support) were both defeated by c) The usual let the the officers decide and we’ll agree with what they say majority.
I have now been on this council three months and not once outside planning in Newmarket have I seen the independents vote against an officer recommendation. I promise to report back when they do.
My view has always been that, I am put on the Council by the electors to challenge and ask questions of what the Council is doing and represent the people not the Council. It seems that this is an old-fashioned view of what a councillor should be about.
Published February 19th, 2008
Council Tax Rise
So now we know, after all the unintelligiable budget meetings for each committee. Not being able to compare like with like year on year, the Tories are putting the Council tax up by 3.6% for Forest Heath.
I must congratulate the residents who elected me in November as every forecast and paper that came from Conservative controlled Forest Heath before then indicated a 4.99% increase. There’s nothing like an election defeat to focus the mind on how you are spending local people’s money I suppose.
Published February 12th, 2008
Newmarket Leisure Centre
Another update on the Leisure Centre and another meeting in secret for Conservative controlled Forest Heath.
As the only Liberal Democrat on the Committee, the vote to take the report in secret was a pretty decisive 11-1. The Independents supporting the secrecy.
Nobody will be surprised to hear that the costs have risen once again and that the rise is a minimum of seven figures. I heard a rumour that the British Olympic Committee are using the cost rises at Newmarket Leisure Centre as a role model for their construction costs at Stratford. Apparently, the Conservatives aren’t at fault, Forest Heath isn’t at fault for this overspend and much delayed project. I suppose they won’t claim the credit when the centre opens either then!
However, They do have a date for opening of August 2008, so hoorah for that.
Published February 9th, 2008
Suffolk Crime Wave
Now 2 and a half months, since my election and have managed to attend a couple of meetings for two of the the three parishes I represent and as usual for Suffolk, friendly they are too.
At a Parish Council meeting before I get a chance to present my district Council report, I get a chance to hear what the local Constabulary have been up to in the parish since their last meeting.
At Barton Mills over the last month there were no crimes to report (no change since last meeting). I still await my first reported crime. The police did warn of complacency though, as there is a gang stealing the ever more valuable commodity - heating oil - across Suffolk. So watch out for that brazen gang touring the streets of Suffolk stealing heating oil, not a commodity that I think is easy to steal!
