Bill does not come to meetings any more in case he has to talk about the County Council , and answer members questions ?
Moving on
I effectively stopped blogging after I was hauled before the regional board again after another unsubstantiated complaint from Bill Brookes. At the time Bill Brookes was leader of Northumberland County Council, and used the party's code of conduct for councillors to try and bully me into not criticising Northumberland County Council and his leadership style.Now I'm not a councillor, and Bill isn't leader of Northumberland any more, although I draw no solace from the fact that his replacement is one of his closest allies who never expressed any public doubts about Bill's robust leadership style.So this blog naturally comes to an end with an election result a few weeks after it practically came to an end.I'd like to thank all the friends and colleagues who made this blog fun over the last three years. There will be a couple more posts to this blog; once I've decided how I'll blog in future I'll post the name of any new project here, and any thoughts I have about what happened on Thursday will also be reposted here.For now though, sufficient to close with Shakespeare's epitaph for a politicians everywhere;"The evil that men do lives after them,The good is oft interréd with their bones,"
Friday, May 18, 2007
Taken From the PublicFinance.co.uk
principle
It seems that everyone now loves academies. Politicians are queuing up to declare their allegiance to these supposed saviours of secondary school standards.
We all know that Tony Blair is a fan – he recently announced a doubling in the number of academies to 400 and is supporting an extension to primary schools. Gordon Brown also declared this week that as prime minister he would continue to promote and finance the initiative.
But the enthusiasm from the Conservatives surpasses even this. Their leader, David Cameron, took time out from his sojourn as a teaching assistant to confirm that grammar schools were no longer seen as the best way forward. Instead, a Tory government would ‘put rocket boosters’ on the expansion of academies.
It’s easy to see the appeal. Academies offer the prospect of shiny new schools in areas previously catered for by failing institutions, while simultaneously keeping the middle classes on board. And, of course, they come with a £2m sponsorship package.
For politicians keen to promise social mobility – notably Education Secretary Alan Johnson and his shadow David Willetts – the idea is irresistible.
Yet there is little evidence so far to suggest that academies are worth the government’s current £5bn investment.
A recent report from the National Audit Office found that two-thirds of the first phase had gone over budget by an average of £3m. The watchdog was also critical of pupil performance in the key subjects of English and maths. Rather than creating hundreds of new academies, which might take years to design and construct, surely it would be better to concentrate on improving the ‘bog-standard’ schools.
With figures published in Public Finance this week showing that in some English towns and cities over 15% of 16–18 year olds are not in education, employment or training, all is clearly not well in our secondary school system (see Teenage jobless rate reflects wider deprivation).
Academies are a useful addition to the options available to the government, but they cannot be a panacea for ills that go a lot deeper.
Article Date: 18-May-2007
It seems that everyone now loves academies. Politicians are queuing up to declare their allegiance to these supposed saviours of secondary school standards.
We all know that Tony Blair is a fan – he recently announced a doubling in the number of academies to 400 and is supporting an extension to primary schools. Gordon Brown also declared this week that as prime minister he would continue to promote and finance the initiative.
But the enthusiasm from the Conservatives surpasses even this. Their leader, David Cameron, took time out from his sojourn as a teaching assistant to confirm that grammar schools were no longer seen as the best way forward. Instead, a Tory government would ‘put rocket boosters’ on the expansion of academies.
It’s easy to see the appeal. Academies offer the prospect of shiny new schools in areas previously catered for by failing institutions, while simultaneously keeping the middle classes on board. And, of course, they come with a £2m sponsorship package.
For politicians keen to promise social mobility – notably Education Secretary Alan Johnson and his shadow David Willetts – the idea is irresistible.
Yet there is little evidence so far to suggest that academies are worth the government’s current £5bn investment.
A recent report from the National Audit Office found that two-thirds of the first phase had gone over budget by an average of £3m. The watchdog was also critical of pupil performance in the key subjects of English and maths. Rather than creating hundreds of new academies, which might take years to design and construct, surely it would be better to concentrate on improving the ‘bog-standard’ schools.
With figures published in Public Finance this week showing that in some English towns and cities over 15% of 16–18 year olds are not in education, employment or training, all is clearly not well in our secondary school system (see Teenage jobless rate reflects wider deprivation).
Academies are a useful addition to the options available to the government, but they cannot be a panacea for ills that go a lot deeper.
Article Date: 18-May-2007
Thursday, May 17, 2007
He's back in the money Bill Brooks is, not much wrong with this ex leader ?
Quick comeback for ex-leader of council
May 10 2007
By The Journal
A labour council leader who gave up his job for health reasons has secured another senior post on the same authority.
Bill Brooks stood down as leader of Northumberland County Council two weeks ago, citing health problems as the reason for quitting after two years in the post.
Yesterday he was given the post as the council's executive member for environment and regeneration at the authority's annual meeting in County Hall, Morpeth.
The appointment was part of a shake-up of the Labour-controlled council's political leadership in the wake of Coun Brooks' resignation from the top job.
Coun Brooks, who represents the Blyth Valley Newsham ward, is succeeded as leader by Blyth Valley Holywell councillor Peter Hillman, who steps up from the deputy leader's post. Yesterday's meeting also ratified the appointment as deputy leader of Prudhoe councillor Tony Reid, who had previously been executive member for health and well-being.
His post on the executive is taken by Cramlington councillor Dorothy Luke, while Coun Brooks replaces the late Coun Alan Cutter as executive member for environment and regeneration.
Councillors Jim Wright, Mick Scullion, Ivan Hayes and John Smith continue in their current executive posts for a further year.
Coun Robert Arckless was elected as the council's new chairman, the first Amble councillor to hold the civic post in the authority's 118-year history. His vice-chairman will be Coun Mike Roe, from Bedlington.
May 10 2007
By The Journal
A labour council leader who gave up his job for health reasons has secured another senior post on the same authority.
Bill Brooks stood down as leader of Northumberland County Council two weeks ago, citing health problems as the reason for quitting after two years in the post.
Yesterday he was given the post as the council's executive member for environment and regeneration at the authority's annual meeting in County Hall, Morpeth.
The appointment was part of a shake-up of the Labour-controlled council's political leadership in the wake of Coun Brooks' resignation from the top job.
Coun Brooks, who represents the Blyth Valley Newsham ward, is succeeded as leader by Blyth Valley Holywell councillor Peter Hillman, who steps up from the deputy leader's post. Yesterday's meeting also ratified the appointment as deputy leader of Prudhoe councillor Tony Reid, who had previously been executive member for health and well-being.
His post on the executive is taken by Cramlington councillor Dorothy Luke, while Coun Brooks replaces the late Coun Alan Cutter as executive member for environment and regeneration.
Councillors Jim Wright, Mick Scullion, Ivan Hayes and John Smith continue in their current executive posts for a further year.
Coun Robert Arckless was elected as the council's new chairman, the first Amble councillor to hold the civic post in the authority's 118-year history. His vice-chairman will be Coun Mike Roe, from Bedlington.
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
A Close Vote at 32 to 23 Peter Hillman ?
MP claims 'super council' plan could have come from Disneyland
The county goes up against the districts.
By ANTHONY McLEAN
A PROPOSAL to create a single super council in Northumberland could have come straight out of Disneyland, the House of Commons has been told.
Blyth Valley Labour MP Ronnie Campbell slammed leading officers and councillors of Northumberland County Council for using the authority as their own personal "gravy train".And he said the council's members were fighting to create a single unitary authority in Northumberland because "they have good jobs", which could be lost in any reorganisation.Mr Campbell was speaking during a debate on local government reorganisation in Northumberland, brought to the House of Commons by Liberal Democrat MP for Berwick Alan Beith.Mr Campbell told MPs: "Turkeys do not like an early Christmas, and of course members of the county council are fighting."They have good jobs and we all know what happens when reorganisation and boundary changes take place."Even Members of Parliament lose their seats."Council members must accept that such things happen, although I do not blame them for fighting to keep their seats."However, the county council is not a gravy train for them."It is for the people of Northumberland to decide what they want, and they are overwhelmingly in favour of a two-tier system."I have seen the submission. I do not want to speak untruths, but some of it reads like Walt Disneyland."The county council is clutching at straws."The services it runs are just about zero."It doesn't have many stars for anything."Mr Campbell also said the £1m raised from the closure of care homes has been plundered to pay for the Putting the Learner First project, a controversial shift from a three-tier to a two-tier education system."The council has two stars for two services and none for services to the vulnerable because it has closed all the homes."The council acted rashly and, I think, made a big mistake."The Government did not give the county money for the schools programme."I believe all the money, including the £1m that was supposed to be saved for the old people's home helps, was put into education."In the budget a couple of years ago transport was cut by half and the money put into education."I am sure this is what the council is doing with all the other services, so all the other services suffer in order to get the schools building programme on the agenda. That is a big, big mistake."All four of Northumberland's MPs, representing the three main parties, took part in the debate.All four added their support to a plan by the district councils to create two authorities in a rural urban split.Junior communities and local government minister Angela Smith pledged that ministers would carefully consider all the representations made on the issue, including the views expressed by MPs in the Commons.She said: "There are few occasions in the House when all three parties agree."County'a Labour group reject public consultation ideaLABOUR councillors have refused to hold a public consultation over proposed changes to local government.Members of Northumberland County Council's Labour-controlled executive said there would not be enough time to hold a consultation on the proposed shake-up of local councils before a Government deadline of June 22.A motion calling for immediate consultation was rejected at a meeting of the full council in a 32 to 23 vote.Coun Sue Bolam, who introduced the motion into the council chamber, said taxpayers needed to have a say on the shake-up.Since the Government announced a review of local authorities both Northumberland County Council and the six districts have put forward their own proposals.The county council is pressing for a single super council covering the whole of the county, while the districts want to see two councils in a rural-urban split.Coun Bolam said: "We have all been out knocking on the doorsteps over these past few weeks in the run-up to the local elections and people have been
asking about the local government re-organisation."Yet the voters and taxpayers are not going to have any say over it."They will simply be told what is going to happen."Whatever happened to democracy?"The only consultation that is going on is being held with 'stakeholders' – large regional or national organisations that have no interest in democracy in Northumberland."The voters are simply being told what will happen and this is not good enough."Coun Peter Hillman, the new leader of Northumberland County Council, said the real motive behind Coun Bolam's motion was to hold a referendum."Consultation is a very important thing. I agree with that."But there is no space in the Government's plans to hold a referendum."Meanwhile, district councils in Shropshire are taking the Government to the High Court in an attempt to derail the plans for a council shake-up.
Last Updated: 16 May 2007
The county goes up against the districts.
By ANTHONY McLEAN
A PROPOSAL to create a single super council in Northumberland could have come straight out of Disneyland, the House of Commons has been told.
Blyth Valley Labour MP Ronnie Campbell slammed leading officers and councillors of Northumberland County Council for using the authority as their own personal "gravy train".And he said the council's members were fighting to create a single unitary authority in Northumberland because "they have good jobs", which could be lost in any reorganisation.Mr Campbell was speaking during a debate on local government reorganisation in Northumberland, brought to the House of Commons by Liberal Democrat MP for Berwick Alan Beith.Mr Campbell told MPs: "Turkeys do not like an early Christmas, and of course members of the county council are fighting."They have good jobs and we all know what happens when reorganisation and boundary changes take place."Even Members of Parliament lose their seats."Council members must accept that such things happen, although I do not blame them for fighting to keep their seats."However, the county council is not a gravy train for them."It is for the people of Northumberland to decide what they want, and they are overwhelmingly in favour of a two-tier system."I have seen the submission. I do not want to speak untruths, but some of it reads like Walt Disneyland."The county council is clutching at straws."The services it runs are just about zero."It doesn't have many stars for anything."Mr Campbell also said the £1m raised from the closure of care homes has been plundered to pay for the Putting the Learner First project, a controversial shift from a three-tier to a two-tier education system."The council has two stars for two services and none for services to the vulnerable because it has closed all the homes."The council acted rashly and, I think, made a big mistake."The Government did not give the county money for the schools programme."I believe all the money, including the £1m that was supposed to be saved for the old people's home helps, was put into education."In the budget a couple of years ago transport was cut by half and the money put into education."I am sure this is what the council is doing with all the other services, so all the other services suffer in order to get the schools building programme on the agenda. That is a big, big mistake."All four of Northumberland's MPs, representing the three main parties, took part in the debate.All four added their support to a plan by the district councils to create two authorities in a rural urban split.Junior communities and local government minister Angela Smith pledged that ministers would carefully consider all the representations made on the issue, including the views expressed by MPs in the Commons.She said: "There are few occasions in the House when all three parties agree."County'a Labour group reject public consultation ideaLABOUR councillors have refused to hold a public consultation over proposed changes to local government.Members of Northumberland County Council's Labour-controlled executive said there would not be enough time to hold a consultation on the proposed shake-up of local councils before a Government deadline of June 22.A motion calling for immediate consultation was rejected at a meeting of the full council in a 32 to 23 vote.Coun Sue Bolam, who introduced the motion into the council chamber, said taxpayers needed to have a say on the shake-up.Since the Government announced a review of local authorities both Northumberland County Council and the six districts have put forward their own proposals.The county council is pressing for a single super council covering the whole of the county, while the districts want to see two councils in a rural-urban split.Coun Bolam said: "We have all been out knocking on the doorsteps over these past few weeks in the run-up to the local elections and people have been
asking about the local government re-organisation."Yet the voters and taxpayers are not going to have any say over it."They will simply be told what is going to happen."Whatever happened to democracy?"The only consultation that is going on is being held with 'stakeholders' – large regional or national organisations that have no interest in democracy in Northumberland."The voters are simply being told what will happen and this is not good enough."Coun Peter Hillman, the new leader of Northumberland County Council, said the real motive behind Coun Bolam's motion was to hold a referendum."Consultation is a very important thing. I agree with that."But there is no space in the Government's plans to hold a referendum."Meanwhile, district councils in Shropshire are taking the Government to the High Court in an attempt to derail the plans for a council shake-up.
Last Updated: 16 May 2007
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