The latest diatribe from Bill Brooks is that the County Council is to be disbanded.

No consultation with his party or his councillors, no change there then.

His big idea is to do away with the county council built on the borders of the County and replace it with……another single council based on the borders of Northumberland!

Does he never learn.

The public are sick to the back teeth of a council that is too big, remote and doesn’t listen. He would love to campaign for a continuing council – one where the present set of boys would be safe from re-election- but he knows that will not be the case.
He believes if we were to go back to a single council that he would be voted back in. He is living in cloud cuckoo land. His executive have rode rough-shod over every democratic and socialistic principle they ever had. They will never get back in power.

The people have voted – they do not want a single council.
The MPs are against a single council .
The Districts are against a single council.
Even the papers are turning against him.

Bill has seen Labour Councillors from both Wansbeck and Blyth marching against cuts in Fire Stations, Care Homes, Social services, schools, you name it he has forced the hand of even his own councillors, who are then taken into the whips office for daring to speak out against a lame duck council.

Time for some facts again.

The Electoral Committee, just two years ago, working under the Commission came to the conclusion that two unitaries provide a basis for excellent local government, providing all the services.

The white paper much trumpeted by Bill gives the basis for any new unitarty set up as having broad support from the people. He does not have this.

It must provide value for money.
The latest Audit Commission report, 6 months ago, states quite simply that Wansbeck and Blyth Councils do provide value for money. On the other hand the County Council was slated by the report which stated it did not provide value for money in its services and gave a warning that it could not improve on its CPA rating until it did provide value.

There is a way out for Bill, there is a choice, we all have a choice.

He should wake up smell the coffee and support the two unitaries and allow for a smooth transition of power and services, not for his sake or any other councillors sake but for the publics sake.

No consultation with his party or his councillors, no change there then.

His big idea is to do away with the county council built on the borders of the County and replace it with……another single council based on the borders of Northumberland!

Does he never learn.

The public are sick to the back teeth of a council that is too big, remote and doesn’t listen. He would love to campaign for a continuing council – one where the present set of boys would be safe from re-election- but he knows that will not be the case.
He believes if we were to go back to a single council that he would be voted back in. He is living in cloud cuckoo land. His executive have rode rough-shod over every democratic and socialistic principle they ever had. They will never get back in power.

The people have voted – they do not want a single council.
The MPs are against a single council .
The Districts are against a single council.
Even the papers are turning against him.

Bill has seen Labour Councillors from both Wansbeck and Blyth marching against cuts in Fire Stations, Care Homes, Social services, schools, you name it he has forced the hand of even his own councillors, who are then taken into the whips office for daring to speak out against a lame duck council.

Time for some facts again.

The Electoral Committee, just two years ago, working under the Commission came to the conclusion that two unitaries provide a basis for excellent local government, providing all the services.

The white paper much trumpeted by Bill gives the basis for any new unitarty set up as having broad support from the people. He does not have this.

It must provide value for money.
The latest Audit Commission report, 6 months ago, states quite simply that Wansbeck and Blyth Councils do provide value for money. On the other hand the County Council was slated by the report which stated it did not provide value for money in its services and gave a warning that it could not improve on its CPA rating until it did provide value.

There is a way out for Bill, there is a choice, we all have a choice.

He should wake up smell the coffee and support the two unitaries and allow for a smooth transition of power and services, not for his sake or any other councillors sake but for the publics sake.