Northants County chief is first casualty of unitary war
Jamie Hailstone
As county council chiefs nervously wait for news of their unitary submissions, the first casualty of the reorganisation war has been claimed.Peter Gould, chief executive of Northamptonshire CC, announced this week he was taking early retirement, after councillors abandoned plans for unitary status, which he himself had favored.He told The MJ: ‘It was my view that my enthusiasm for unitary or radically-enhanced two-tier status would cast a shadow over any future discussions with the districts.’Mr. Gould said he drew up two options for the future of the county, one a unitary bid, the other a pathfinder bid.Councillors discussed the two plans last month, just days before the 25 January deadline, and then opted for neither. Instead, they backed plans for an enhanced two-tier structure, and made no submission to the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG).‘We were considered to be one of the more likely cases for unitary status,’ said Mr Gould. ‘I think many were surprised when the council did not go that way.’‘I wish the council every success for the future,’ he added. ‘I have very much enjoyed giving my support to the leader of the council and I know he will continue to be well served by the officer team.’Council leader, Jim Harker, said: ‘Mr Gould has given the council strong and clear advice on it might respond to the Government’s white paper on local government. Having taken the decisions we have, we must now forge new relationships with the district and borough councils.’Meanwhile, Tory local government spokesman, Alistair Burt, has criticised the Government for failing to remove the clause in the Local Government Bill which allows them to impose reorganisation.And Crewe and Nantwich BC and Congleton BC have joined forces to fight Cheshire CC’s plans for unitary status.Brian Silvester, leader of Crewe and Nantwich BC, said a unitary Cheshire could add an extra £300 to the average council tax bill. The North Yorkshire DC Network has written to minister Ruth Kelly opposing North Yorkshire CC’s unitary bid.
After failing to convince Northumberland County Councillors is it to be accepted that Mr Henderson will follow Billy Brooks and Peter Hillman by falling on their corporate swords?
Northants County chief is first casualty of unitary war
Jamie Hailstone
As county council chiefs nervously wait for news of their unitary submissions, the first casualty of the reorganisation war has been claimed.Peter Gould, chief executive of Northamptonshire CC, announced this week he was taking early retirement, after councillors abandoned plans for unitary status, which he himself had favored.He told The MJ: ‘It was my view that my enthusiasm for unitary or radically-enhanced two-tier status would cast a shadow over any future discussions with the districts.’Mr. Gould said he drew up two options for the future of the county, one a unitary bid, the other a pathfinder bid.Councillors discussed the two plans last month, just days before the 25 January deadline, and then opted for neither. Instead, they backed plans for an enhanced two-tier structure, and made no submission to the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG).‘We were considered to be one of the more likely cases for unitary status,’ said Mr Gould. ‘I think many were surprised when the council did not go that way.’‘I wish the council every success for the future,’ he added. ‘I have very much enjoyed giving my support to the leader of the council and I know he will continue to be well served by the officer team.’Council leader, Jim Harker, said: ‘Mr Gould has given the council strong and clear advice on it might respond to the Government’s white paper on local government. Having taken the decisions we have, we must now forge new relationships with the district and borough councils.’Meanwhile, Tory local government spokesman, Alistair Burt, has criticised the Government for failing to remove the clause in the Local Government Bill which allows them to impose reorganisation.And Crewe and Nantwich BC and Congleton BC have joined forces to fight Cheshire CC’s plans for unitary status.Brian Silvester, leader of Crewe and Nantwich BC, said a unitary Cheshire could add an extra £300 to the average council tax bill. The North Yorkshire DC Network has written to minister Ruth Kelly opposing North Yorkshire CC’s unitary bid.
After failing to convince Northumberland County Councillors is it to be accepted that Mr Henderson will follow Billy Brooks and Peter Hillman by falling on their corporate swords?
Saturday, February 10, 2007
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
From Hold the Front Page it goes National
Photo County Councillor D Montgomry
Police say press article was 'factually correct' in wake of council row By HoldtheFrontPage staff
A row over a story about school violence which appeared in Whitley Bay's News Post Leader has been settled, after police confirmed the article was factually correct.
Northumberland county councillors had been angered by an article detailing the number of police calls to schools in the area, which was published following a Freedom of Information request to police.
It said violent incidents in schools in the area, five of which involved a weapon, had required police assistance 85 times between October 2005 and Spetember 2006.
But at a scrutiny committee meeting councillors criticised the article, with one claiming that the paper regularly attacked the council and suggesting that it was a matter for the Press Complaints Commission.
However Sergeant Steve Cochrane, who was at the meeting, told councillors that the article was factually correct.
A row over a story about school violence which appeared in Whitley Bay's News Post Leader has been settled, after police confirmed the article was factually correct.
Northumberland county councillors had been angered by an article detailing the number of police calls to schools in the area, which was published following a Freedom of Information request to police.
It said violent incidents in schools in the area, five of which involved a weapon, had required police assistance 85 times between October 2005 and Spetember 2006.
But at a scrutiny committee meeting councillors criticised the article, with one claiming that the paper regularly attacked the council and suggesting that it was a matter for the Press Complaints Commission.
However Sergeant Steve Cochrane, who was at the meeting, told councillors that the article was factually correct.
He added that there was a need for clarification of what 'weapons' are, and suggested that was why it could have been seen to be misleading.
Editor Ross Weeks told HoldtheFrontPage: "Our letters pages can be fairly critical of the county council as we are regarded as a local platform for debate.
"I understand why they were upset but they have accepted that out story was factually correct."
Editor Ross Weeks told HoldtheFrontPage: "Our letters pages can be fairly critical of the county council as we are regarded as a local platform for debate.
"I understand why they were upset but they have accepted that out story was factually correct."
Sunday, February 04, 2007
We all thought it was too good to be true.
Northumberland County Council had been forced to see sense over the White Paper.
No more private thoughts of Chairman Mao, sorry, Bill ‘Bullet’ Brooks being publicised through the Council, no more private aspirations of Henchman Hillman.
We wus wrong folks.
In Billy’s absence, Peter the Grate has authorised expensive advertising for his single unitary quest. No mention that the NCC doesn’t back it.
The glossy magazines are a travesty of what little vestige of democracy they have left up at County Hall
No mention that the majority at County Hall oppose it!
But no-one cares, now Billy and Peter understand they are gone, as of a re-shuffle in May.
With John (Middlesborough) Whiteman waiting in the wings to recapture the leadership the die is set.
One last attempt to knock sense into the pair of them.
No one wants the single council.
No one supports it.
All seven councils, all the MPs and the people want two councils.
Now three polls, a referendum and two newspaper polls (NEWS POST and Hexham Courant)
And yet we still see our council tax being wasted!
Peter – get a life, better still get a proper job! And let the peoples choice have a straight path.
A quote for you all, seeing as how Dave The Rave Mongomery has a cob on at the minute with the NPL.
With the Times it must be true.
Counties fly the white paper!
…..the expected reorganisation of two tier authorities is going ahead at a pace.
Whilst only 8 areas were to be selected at first we understand from sources that the number will be increased.
Ceratainly the ‘competition’ for survival has thrown up several casualties, the first of which appears to be Northumberland County Council.
No more private thoughts of Chairman Mao, sorry, Bill ‘Bullet’ Brooks being publicised through the Council, no more private aspirations of Henchman Hillman.
We wus wrong folks.
In Billy’s absence, Peter the Grate has authorised expensive advertising for his single unitary quest. No mention that the NCC doesn’t back it.
The glossy magazines are a travesty of what little vestige of democracy they have left up at County Hall
No mention that the majority at County Hall oppose it!
But no-one cares, now Billy and Peter understand they are gone, as of a re-shuffle in May.
With John (Middlesborough) Whiteman waiting in the wings to recapture the leadership the die is set.
One last attempt to knock sense into the pair of them.
No one wants the single council.
No one supports it.
All seven councils, all the MPs and the people want two councils.
Now three polls, a referendum and two newspaper polls (NEWS POST and Hexham Courant)
And yet we still see our council tax being wasted!
Peter – get a life, better still get a proper job! And let the peoples choice have a straight path.
A quote for you all, seeing as how Dave The Rave Mongomery has a cob on at the minute with the NPL.
With the Times it must be true.
Counties fly the white paper!
…..the expected reorganisation of two tier authorities is going ahead at a pace.
Whilst only 8 areas were to be selected at first we understand from sources that the number will be increased.
Ceratainly the ‘competition’ for survival has thrown up several casualties, the first of which appears to be Northumberland County Council.
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