Monday, December 18, 2006
Saga of a Academy for Blyth
The latest in the saga of an Academy for Blyth comes from the local Council in Blyth Valley.
The Journal reports that the full Council rejects the plan for a reorganisation based on an Academy.
There in lies the problem for the small pro-Academy group led by Cllr. Brooks.
His officers have now let the cat out of the bag. The original figures for PLF (son of BSF) did not stack up. It was always intended that the Blyth College would take in 2,200 pupils with the historic drift of pupils from South Beach going to Astley.
Unfortunately they found they needed extra room for the sixth form to go alongside the BCC or better still to go to Tynedale. A neat solution – everyone thought so, until they found themselves short of £4.5 million or thereabouts, suddenly they need an Academy.
An Academy will cost them nothing but you and I and the taxpayer will fund their machinations to the tune of £23million instead of £4million, hardly best value!
Now an Academy would normally be a replacement for a failing school, which BCC is not. The next port of convenience is to be able to put a school in an area of deprivation.
There are such wards in Blyth but we now find that the NCC have drawn the boundary of the catchment area for the Academy so as to completely avoid that area. South Beach is not an area known for its deprivation is it?.
Social engineering on this scale must surely run roughshod over the Dfes guidelines.
Now we find the public against the plans, the MP raising it in Parliament, the unions and the local Blyth Valley Council – all opposing it, but what do we hear oh! The parents of Blyth are fully behind it – I have not spoken to one parent who is behind it.
Of course there must be some, somewhere, but do not expect the NCC to disclose these figures.
Knowing that Ronnie Campbell was to bring the subject up Jim Knights office must have contacted NCC to be assured that there was support for the project – the rest is Hansards History so to speak. One further thing of note - Jim Knight did recognise that 30% 0f the pupils for the new Academy will come from Astley High School - what price now the protestations of the Executive at County Hall.
Bill Brooks specialist subject is avoiding difficult questions, although now he just ignores them, even in his own Group we have witnessed his continual whining on about everyone who criticises him. Perhaps he needs a mirror in his office to find out who’s responsible for that.
How have we got to this stage.
It is the arrogance of the leadership at County Hall, who, finding themselves closing every service known to ‘man’ in Northumberland, they find themselves needing a pile of bricks to stick their flag on for the public votes. It won’t wash with people who are fed up with them.
Lord knows what they will think of their plans to outsource everything with a core staff of 160 being left at County Hall. Just to stay in power they are prepared to sell their collective souls.
Friday, December 15, 2006
Taken from Hexham Courant
Northumberland County Council budget scrutinised
Once again they fail the people of Northumberland in the sevices they try and deliver to us ?
What is most interesting is the average age of Northumberland County Councillors, they are not young , and may need elderly care in a few years time ?
Published on 15/12/2006
Elderly care and highways should be given top priority by Northumberland County Council, with less money spent on the proposed reorganisation of schools.
That is the view of Haltwhistle Town Council on the county council’s budget for 2007/8.At its latest meeting, town council chairman Coun. Alan Sharp said:
“We are very concerned about Greenholme and nurse care provision.”Coun. Sharp added that more money needed to be allocated to highways, and particularly potholes.“Elderly care and the highways budget do concern me,” he said. “We are not getting the service we need. “I think we should voice genuine concerns about those.”Coun. Sharp said he believes education is highly important, but he does not think money has been spent very wisely on the proposed reorganisation of schools.
Once again they fail the people of Northumberland in the sevices they try and deliver to us ?
What is most interesting is the average age of Northumberland County Councillors, they are not young , and may need elderly care in a few years time ?
Published on 15/12/2006
Elderly care and highways should be given top priority by Northumberland County Council, with less money spent on the proposed reorganisation of schools.
That is the view of Haltwhistle Town Council on the county council’s budget for 2007/8.At its latest meeting, town council chairman Coun. Alan Sharp said:
“We are very concerned about Greenholme and nurse care provision.”Coun. Sharp added that more money needed to be allocated to highways, and particularly potholes.“Elderly care and the highways budget do concern me,” he said. “We are not getting the service we need. “I think we should voice genuine concerns about those.”Coun. Sharp said he believes education is highly important, but he does not think money has been spent very wisely on the proposed reorganisation of schools.
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Bill Brooks Leader of Northumberland County Council
LOVES WASTING THE TAX PAYERS MONEY £15.000 , think it might be half the leaders salary ????????????????????????????????
Its not his money so why should NCC care
Newspaper adverts for council cost £15,000
Nov 17 2006
By The Journal
A publicity campaign extolling the services provided by Northumberland County Council cost £15,000, it has been revealed.
The authority took full-page advertisements in a number of local newspapers last week to highlight its public services and a range of community initiatives.
Now county council leader Coun Bill Brooks has defended the ads in the face of questioning from opposition councillors.
He said they cost £15,000 to run and the money was taken from the budget set aside to produce the council's annual report.
Coun Brooks said the ads were part of the publicity for the report and were aimed at informing the general public more clearly and effectively.
He said the content of the newspaper ads was accurate and reflected work done by partners and added: "Consultation has told us people want to know about what we spend money on and what we do.
Conservative councillor Sue Bolam said much of the information was published with council tax demands and in a recent A to Z of services the county produced.
"It seems somewhat unnecessary to take out full-page adverts at this point in time, when we have had consultations about various services where it appears the council has not listened to the public as well as it could have done," she said.
Its not his money so why should NCC care
Newspaper adverts for council cost £15,000
Nov 17 2006
By The Journal
A publicity campaign extolling the services provided by Northumberland County Council cost £15,000, it has been revealed.
The authority took full-page advertisements in a number of local newspapers last week to highlight its public services and a range of community initiatives.
Now county council leader Coun Bill Brooks has defended the ads in the face of questioning from opposition councillors.
He said they cost £15,000 to run and the money was taken from the budget set aside to produce the council's annual report.
Coun Brooks said the ads were part of the publicity for the report and were aimed at informing the general public more clearly and effectively.
He said the content of the newspaper ads was accurate and reflected work done by partners and added: "Consultation has told us people want to know about what we spend money on and what we do.
Conservative councillor Sue Bolam said much of the information was published with council tax demands and in a recent A to Z of services the county produced.
"It seems somewhat unnecessary to take out full-page adverts at this point in time, when we have had consultations about various services where it appears the council has not listened to the public as well as it could have done," she said.
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
A open letter to Bill Brooks leader of NCC
Yet again the papers carry further nonsense from a County Councillor, this time a Tynedale member attacks Wansbeck Council and its ability to run services to the same standard as the County.
He is right Wansbeck would never be able to obtain the lowest possible rating for Adult social care – as the County have.
They would never be able to fail two Ofsteds in a row, obliging Gateshead to send officers to Morpeth to run the show for them.
Again he is right when Wansbeck who according to the Audit Commision provide a two star ‘good ‘ rating for value for money services – the same as Blyth Valley, what about the County –ohhhhh sorry forgot – they do not provide value for money – the National Audit Office tell us.
He is right – they would never close Care Homes Training Centres, libraries because they CARE. That’s right they CARE about their people.
Where this young mans naïve attack really fails though, is to talk about democracy.
Northumberland County Council’s Leader refuses to debate the White Paper with his Council.
He refuses to let them have a view on one or two unitaries. He prefers to stand by the vote 3 years ago under a different Leader and with a different Council.
But hey. Hang on. Does that mean he know accepts the peoples vote for two unitaries?
Of course not he avoids that question like the plague!
There is only one way out of this to leave the County with a shred of dignity.
Allow Councillors to debate the White Paper options now and express a view, and accept the referendum or have another if you so wish.
He is right Wansbeck would never be able to obtain the lowest possible rating for Adult social care – as the County have.
They would never be able to fail two Ofsteds in a row, obliging Gateshead to send officers to Morpeth to run the show for them.
Again he is right when Wansbeck who according to the Audit Commision provide a two star ‘good ‘ rating for value for money services – the same as Blyth Valley, what about the County –ohhhhh sorry forgot – they do not provide value for money – the National Audit Office tell us.
He is right – they would never close Care Homes Training Centres, libraries because they CARE. That’s right they CARE about their people.
Where this young mans naïve attack really fails though, is to talk about democracy.
Northumberland County Council’s Leader refuses to debate the White Paper with his Council.
He refuses to let them have a view on one or two unitaries. He prefers to stand by the vote 3 years ago under a different Leader and with a different Council.
But hey. Hang on. Does that mean he know accepts the peoples vote for two unitaries?
Of course not he avoids that question like the plague!
There is only one way out of this to leave the County with a shred of dignity.
Allow Councillors to debate the White Paper options now and express a view, and accept the referendum or have another if you so wish.
Monday, December 11, 2006
Districts unite against Northumberland County Council
News Post Leader 11 December 2006
Districts unite against county
DISTRICT councils are joining forces to see Northumberland County Council abolished in favour of two new authorities.
Authorities in Wansbeck and Blyth Valley are working in partnership with Tynedale, Alnwick, Berwick and Castle Morpeth in a bid to create two unitary councils.In a submission to the government, the partnership calls for one council for the rural areas and a separate one for the urban areas – Rural Northumberland and South East Northumberland.Each would focus on specific issues in its distinct areas as well as being financially sustainable and creating significant savings for council tax payers.
Leader of Blyth Valley, Coun Dave Stephens said: "The option that we are all supporting is the one that Northumberland residents voted heavily in favour of in the referendum of 2004."I want local government to cost less, be excellent across the county and have a real and meaningful relationship with the people we serve."
But county council chiefs say splitting up the communities by forming two separate authorities would cause irreparable damage and cause services such as schools and social services to be delivered less efficiently.County council leader, Coun Bill Brooks, said: "I don't believe our communities would be best served by being split up, and I have yet to see an argument which stands up to scrutiny that convinces me otherwise."From an economical perspective there are services which wouldn't be delivered as efficiently on a smaller scale, such as schools and social services."By having more than one council you would still get taxpayers paying for the expense and duplication of running two authorities, rather than more money going into frontline services."Officers at County Hall are looking into the option of one single council for Northumberland, taking on the responsibilities of the district councils.Coun Brooks said: "This is not about self preservation, this is about what is best for our communities, it is about replacing all district and county councils with something brand new, fit for purpose and efficient."I believe that, despite best efforts, the current structure of local government in Northumberland doesn't work, we know it is confusing, expensive and bureaucratic.
"Tynedale Council leader, Coun John Herron, said: "Northumberland County Council cannot be trusted to deliver its current services, never mind taking onboard additional services."The fact that the county council has chosen to completely ignore the vote of its residents from only two years ago speaks volumes."It is not a council that is interested in consulting or listening to residents in key decisions."
The proposals are being submitted in response to the Government's White Paper on Local Government.Coun Herron said: "The fact that six different councils with different political compositions can form such a strong alliance is testament to the passion that we all have for the people of Northumberland."
11 December 2006
Districts unite against county
DISTRICT councils are joining forces to see Northumberland County Council abolished in favour of two new authorities.
Authorities in Wansbeck and Blyth Valley are working in partnership with Tynedale, Alnwick, Berwick and Castle Morpeth in a bid to create two unitary councils.In a submission to the government, the partnership calls for one council for the rural areas and a separate one for the urban areas – Rural Northumberland and South East Northumberland.Each would focus on specific issues in its distinct areas as well as being financially sustainable and creating significant savings for council tax payers.
Leader of Blyth Valley, Coun Dave Stephens said: "The option that we are all supporting is the one that Northumberland residents voted heavily in favour of in the referendum of 2004."I want local government to cost less, be excellent across the county and have a real and meaningful relationship with the people we serve."
But county council chiefs say splitting up the communities by forming two separate authorities would cause irreparable damage and cause services such as schools and social services to be delivered less efficiently.County council leader, Coun Bill Brooks, said: "I don't believe our communities would be best served by being split up, and I have yet to see an argument which stands up to scrutiny that convinces me otherwise."From an economical perspective there are services which wouldn't be delivered as efficiently on a smaller scale, such as schools and social services."By having more than one council you would still get taxpayers paying for the expense and duplication of running two authorities, rather than more money going into frontline services."Officers at County Hall are looking into the option of one single council for Northumberland, taking on the responsibilities of the district councils.Coun Brooks said: "This is not about self preservation, this is about what is best for our communities, it is about replacing all district and county councils with something brand new, fit for purpose and efficient."I believe that, despite best efforts, the current structure of local government in Northumberland doesn't work, we know it is confusing, expensive and bureaucratic.
"Tynedale Council leader, Coun John Herron, said: "Northumberland County Council cannot be trusted to deliver its current services, never mind taking onboard additional services."The fact that the county council has chosen to completely ignore the vote of its residents from only two years ago speaks volumes."It is not a council that is interested in consulting or listening to residents in key decisions."
The proposals are being submitted in response to the Government's White Paper on Local Government.Coun Herron said: "The fact that six different councils with different political compositions can form such a strong alliance is testament to the passion that we all have for the people of Northumberland."
11 December 2006
Sunday, December 10, 2006
Maybe if you talked to your fellow labour councillors this might not happen or do they not trust you any more Leader of the County Council Bill Brooks
Astonishing astounding - yes its another example of NCC riding roughshod over local communities and also an example of Districts who do not trust NCC to do anything other than on the cheap.
Astonishing astonishing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Traffic chaos fears over waste complex
Dec 9 2006
By Dave Black, The Journal
Plans to build an £11m waste handling complex in Northumberland have been hit by fears it will create traffic chaos and road hazards for businesses and householders.
The row over the proposed waste recycling and transfer centre on the West Sleekburn industrial estate near Ashington could result in Wansbeck Council refusing to sell land required for the project.
Northumberland County Council and its partner SITA UK want to build the complex to handle 120,000 tonnes of refuse a year as part of a £34m, PFI-funded waste management project to boost recycling rates.
Now - following a heated public meeting earlier this week - district council leaders, traders on the industrial estate and residents are demanding action to improve access and tackle potential traffic problems.
About 220 wagons a day will bring waste into the site on an access road already heavily used by people visiting scrapyards, transport yards, a caravan business, a sawmill and plant hire and skip businesses on the estate.
There are fears that, without a new access road or significant measures to tackle the extra traffic, people in nearby West Sleekburn and Stakeford, along with the local middle school, will suffer.
Yesterday Coun David Nicholson, deputy leader of Wansbeck Council, said he is concerned that the county council and SITA are trying to do the job on the cheap by simply `tinkering' with the existing access road.
"This project has many benefits and I would like to see it go ahead, but as things stand it will mean absolute chaos down there in terms of traffic.
"I am not prepared to support this scheme if the price we have pay is local and vulnerable communities having to suffer."
Ken Forrest, who runs a scrapyard on the estate, said: "I have nothing against the waste plant but it is extremely congested here already and fetching in 220 more lorries a day is going to make things impossible and cause accidents."
Sawmill boss George Cape said: "All this extra traffic to the waste recycling site would make it impossible for our customers to get in or out, because it is absolutely chaotic at present. What we need is a new access road from the Spine Road."
Jean Davidson, secretary of the West Sleekburn residents' association, said: "Traffic through our village is already horrendous and we believe this would make things worse."
County council leader Bill Brooks said: "While it was astonishing to be informed so late in the day of this issue and the possibility of blocking the sale, we are in discussion with Wansbeck District Council to clarify and resolve this matter."
Astonishing astonishing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Traffic chaos fears over waste complex
Dec 9 2006
By Dave Black, The Journal
Plans to build an £11m waste handling complex in Northumberland have been hit by fears it will create traffic chaos and road hazards for businesses and householders.
The row over the proposed waste recycling and transfer centre on the West Sleekburn industrial estate near Ashington could result in Wansbeck Council refusing to sell land required for the project.
Northumberland County Council and its partner SITA UK want to build the complex to handle 120,000 tonnes of refuse a year as part of a £34m, PFI-funded waste management project to boost recycling rates.
Now - following a heated public meeting earlier this week - district council leaders, traders on the industrial estate and residents are demanding action to improve access and tackle potential traffic problems.
About 220 wagons a day will bring waste into the site on an access road already heavily used by people visiting scrapyards, transport yards, a caravan business, a sawmill and plant hire and skip businesses on the estate.
There are fears that, without a new access road or significant measures to tackle the extra traffic, people in nearby West Sleekburn and Stakeford, along with the local middle school, will suffer.
Yesterday Coun David Nicholson, deputy leader of Wansbeck Council, said he is concerned that the county council and SITA are trying to do the job on the cheap by simply `tinkering' with the existing access road.
"This project has many benefits and I would like to see it go ahead, but as things stand it will mean absolute chaos down there in terms of traffic.
"I am not prepared to support this scheme if the price we have pay is local and vulnerable communities having to suffer."
Ken Forrest, who runs a scrapyard on the estate, said: "I have nothing against the waste plant but it is extremely congested here already and fetching in 220 more lorries a day is going to make things impossible and cause accidents."
Sawmill boss George Cape said: "All this extra traffic to the waste recycling site would make it impossible for our customers to get in or out, because it is absolutely chaotic at present. What we need is a new access road from the Spine Road."
Jean Davidson, secretary of the West Sleekburn residents' association, said: "Traffic through our village is already horrendous and we believe this would make things worse."
County council leader Bill Brooks said: "While it was astonishing to be informed so late in the day of this issue and the possibility of blocking the sale, we are in discussion with Wansbeck District Council to clarify and resolve this matter."
Saturday, December 09, 2006
Doe's Councillor Brooks care about his voters ?
As the Library at Newsham covers his ward ?
And no comment from Councillor Brooks ?
We will happily print his comments on the closure of the libraries
Take from the News Post Leader December 8 2006
Plan to close town library approved
COUNCIL leaders have backed recommendations which will see the closure of a popular Blyth library.
On Monday members of Northumberland County Council's executive approved plans to close Newsham library and replace it with a mobile collection service – despite 57 per cent of people in the community saying such a move would be unacceptable.Twelve libraries across Northumberland have been under review, and the plans will also see South Beach library placed into the hands of the community association, while Seaton Sluice library will remain until the county council can develop "alternative provision".Marguerite Gracey, head of libraries for Northumberland County Council, said the project aimed to improve library provision in Northumberland's communities."We want more people using libraries, but there are serious problems, such as poor use."Both users and non-users have been enthusiastic about getting involved and with the council's support, can help."However, so far people in two communities – Seaton Sluice and Wylam – have indicated that the only option at present is the current library."It is an opportunity to get exactly what they want – whether that's running the library themselves or taking over buildings for community uses."
And no comment from Councillor Brooks ?
We will happily print his comments on the closure of the libraries
Take from the News Post Leader December 8 2006
Plan to close town library approved
COUNCIL leaders have backed recommendations which will see the closure of a popular Blyth library.
On Monday members of Northumberland County Council's executive approved plans to close Newsham library and replace it with a mobile collection service – despite 57 per cent of people in the community saying such a move would be unacceptable.Twelve libraries across Northumberland have been under review, and the plans will also see South Beach library placed into the hands of the community association, while Seaton Sluice library will remain until the county council can develop "alternative provision".Marguerite Gracey, head of libraries for Northumberland County Council, said the project aimed to improve library provision in Northumberland's communities."We want more people using libraries, but there are serious problems, such as poor use."Both users and non-users have been enthusiastic about getting involved and with the council's support, can help."However, so far people in two communities – Seaton Sluice and Wylam – have indicated that the only option at present is the current library."It is an opportunity to get exactly what they want – whether that's running the library themselves or taking over buildings for community uses."
Saturday, December 02, 2006
IS THIS INFORMATION CORRECT LEADER OF NCC
Taken from Councillor Gareth Davies Blog
A further barrier to the delivery of incremental improvement in customer satisfaction and BVPI’s are the significant external challenges facing Streetcare. It does not make sense that our most significant external customer, Northumberland County Council, is unable to provide us with either budgets or a service level agreement six months into the financial year. Any targeting of service delivery for the next year must reflect the facts of our circumstances – NCC is proving increasingly unrealistic in its operations and its refusal to co-operate with both the council and the officers of Streetcare
A further barrier to the delivery of incremental improvement in customer satisfaction and BVPI’s are the significant external challenges facing Streetcare. It does not make sense that our most significant external customer, Northumberland County Council, is unable to provide us with either budgets or a service level agreement six months into the financial year. Any targeting of service delivery for the next year must reflect the facts of our circumstances – NCC is proving increasingly unrealistic in its operations and its refusal to co-operate with both the council and the officers of Streetcare
Thursday, November 30, 2006
Districts back creation of two unitary authorities
Just of the press Northumberland Today
Councils united in fight for two local bodies
DISTRICT councils in Northumberland are backing the creation of two unitary authorities in the county.
Tynedale Council this week joined Alnwick District Council, Berwick Borough Council and those in the south east of the county in calling for rural and urban authorities. The decision is in response to the Government’s White Paper on council reforms which gave authorities until
January 25 to come up with proposals to abolish the current system of district and county councils. If the proposal is accepted, one authority would serve rural Northumberland comprising the Alnwick, Berwick, Castle Morpeth and Tynedale districts and one would cover the Blyth and Wansbeck areas.
Coun Heather Cairns, leader of Alnwick District Council, said she was pleased that all district councils were united. She said: “Rural Northumberland needs a council that addresses the specific needs and priorities of its communities, it is important that decisions are made by local people with local knowledge.” However, the county council has already declared its preference for a single Northumberland authority. The Government has indicted that about eight counties’ submissions will be approved.
Councils united in fight for two local bodies
DISTRICT councils in Northumberland are backing the creation of two unitary authorities in the county.
Tynedale Council this week joined Alnwick District Council, Berwick Borough Council and those in the south east of the county in calling for rural and urban authorities. The decision is in response to the Government’s White Paper on council reforms which gave authorities until
January 25 to come up with proposals to abolish the current system of district and county councils. If the proposal is accepted, one authority would serve rural Northumberland comprising the Alnwick, Berwick, Castle Morpeth and Tynedale districts and one would cover the Blyth and Wansbeck areas.
Coun Heather Cairns, leader of Alnwick District Council, said she was pleased that all district councils were united. She said: “Rural Northumberland needs a council that addresses the specific needs and priorities of its communities, it is important that decisions are made by local people with local knowledge.” However, the county council has already declared its preference for a single Northumberland authority. The Government has indicted that about eight counties’ submissions will be approved.
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
Who love's Northumberland County Council not the District Councils in Tynedale,Castle Morpeth,Alnwick, Berwick,Blyth Valley and Wansbeck
Two tiers look set to win day
Nov 27 2006
By Hayley Beattie, The Journal
Councillors in Tynedale are set to add their backing to the creation of two unitary authorities in Northumberland in a shake-up of the current political system.
Tynedale Council is the last of the six district bodies to discuss the implications of the Government White Paper on local councils.
Councillors in Castle Morpeth, Alnwick, Berwick, Blyth Valley and Wansbeck have already come out in support of two unitary authorities which would split the county into rural and urban areas.
One would cover Blyth Valley and Wansbeck while the other would take in the rural districts, rather than the single "super council" favoured by Northumberland County Council's Labour leadership.
Tynedale councillors are expected to follow a recommendation to support the submission of a bid for a two-tier system at a special meeting of the council tomorrow night.
They are also expected to agree a contribution of £30,000, which each of the districts councils has agreed to give, to help pay for expert advice in preparing a joint submission to the Department for Communities and Local Government before the end of January.
Chief
Nov 27 2006
By Hayley Beattie, The Journal
Councillors in Tynedale are set to add their backing to the creation of two unitary authorities in Northumberland in a shake-up of the current political system.
Tynedale Council is the last of the six district bodies to discuss the implications of the Government White Paper on local councils.
Councillors in Castle Morpeth, Alnwick, Berwick, Blyth Valley and Wansbeck have already come out in support of two unitary authorities which would split the county into rural and urban areas.
One would cover Blyth Valley and Wansbeck while the other would take in the rural districts, rather than the single "super council" favoured by Northumberland County Council's Labour leadership.
Tynedale councillors are expected to follow a recommendation to support the submission of a bid for a two-tier system at a special meeting of the council tomorrow night.
They are also expected to agree a contribution of £30,000, which each of the districts councils has agreed to give, to help pay for expert advice in preparing a joint submission to the Department for Communities and Local Government before the end of January.
Chief
Monday, November 27, 2006
The County Council has been awarded level 1 poor performance
Why must the tax payers in Northumberland suffer this poor performance from Northumberland County Council ?
What was the Executive doing ?
Team of Elected members of Northumberland CountyCouncil
Leader Bill Brooks
Deputy Leader Peter Hillman
Executive J. Wrght A. Cutter, J. Smith I. Hayes, A.W. Reid, M.J. Scullion
The County Council had a significant and complex improvement agenda to deliver better value for money. It had been awarded level 1 (poor performance) in this area in its most recent corporate assessment by the Audit Commission.
5.13 The Financial Governance report January 2006 reported that the County Council’s overall performance did not match the level of spend. Further work was needed to develop a shared approach to securing value for money with all stakeholders and to strengthen benchmarking activity so as to enable robust challenge and comparison of quality and costs. Some social care expenditure had been re-allocated to enable new models of support or capacity to be stretched. For example £1.5 million had been allocated to support the rollout of START teams across the county.
5.14 The County Council had been working for some time on developing alternative uses for the resources tied up in its residential care homes. A Best Value Review of Older People’s Services was initially undertaken in 2001. In the intervening years there has been a range of options proposed. All the homes required a significant level of new investment, both to carry out essential maintenance work and to improve the living environments so that they met the National Minimum Standards for Care Homes.
5.15 Some difficult decisions had yet to be taken with regard to the future role and function of some County Council run residential and day care services. Information was still being gathered on the future costs and capital investment requirements, and in some cases this required higher levels of investment than originally estimated. For example, the planned capital developments at one site to develop respite care, intermediate and day care as well as offices for front line staff were projected to cost up to £1.68 million at the end of March 2006, when a decision was taken to go ahead with this scheme. The original submission of the modernisation programme to the Cabinet in August 2005 stated capital costs would be minimal, and the options initially circulated for public consultation were based on this assumption. Part way through the consultation, update documents had to be circulated correcting the statement about costs. The discrepancy in investment requirements was said to be due to an insufficient appreciation by officers of the Commission for Social Care Inspection's regulatory requirements around the new development that would require more exacting standards to be met.
What was the Executive doing ?
Team of Elected members of Northumberland CountyCouncil
Leader Bill Brooks
Deputy Leader Peter Hillman
Executive J. Wrght A. Cutter, J. Smith I. Hayes, A.W. Reid, M.J. Scullion
The County Council had a significant and complex improvement agenda to deliver better value for money. It had been awarded level 1 (poor performance) in this area in its most recent corporate assessment by the Audit Commission.
This a council that wishes to run services for all of in the if we have one council for all of Northumberland
It had a relatively high rate of Council Tax, was slow to challenge in house high cost services, had above average investment in services to older people coupled with high thresholds for access to services. The adult social care budget had been further increased by 5.9 per cent in cash terms at the start of the current financial year. Targets for 2005-06 to reduce supported admissions to residential and nursing homes and to increase the numbers of older people helped to live at home had not been achieved. Taken together, this data prompts serious questions.5.13 The Financial Governance report January 2006 reported that the County Council’s overall performance did not match the level of spend. Further work was needed to develop a shared approach to securing value for money with all stakeholders and to strengthen benchmarking activity so as to enable robust challenge and comparison of quality and costs. Some social care expenditure had been re-allocated to enable new models of support or capacity to be stretched. For example £1.5 million had been allocated to support the rollout of START teams across the county.
5.14 The County Council had been working for some time on developing alternative uses for the resources tied up in its residential care homes. A Best Value Review of Older People’s Services was initially undertaken in 2001. In the intervening years there has been a range of options proposed. All the homes required a significant level of new investment, both to carry out essential maintenance work and to improve the living environments so that they met the National Minimum Standards for Care Homes.
5.15 Some difficult decisions had yet to be taken with regard to the future role and function of some County Council run residential and day care services. Information was still being gathered on the future costs and capital investment requirements, and in some cases this required higher levels of investment than originally estimated. For example, the planned capital developments at one site to develop respite care, intermediate and day care as well as offices for front line staff were projected to cost up to £1.68 million at the end of March 2006, when a decision was taken to go ahead with this scheme. The original submission of the modernisation programme to the Cabinet in August 2005 stated capital costs would be minimal, and the options initially circulated for public consultation were based on this assumption. Part way through the consultation, update documents had to be circulated correcting the statement about costs. The discrepancy in investment requirements was said to be due to an insufficient appreciation by officers of the Commission for Social Care Inspection's regulatory requirements around the new development that would require more exacting standards to be met.
Sunday, November 26, 2006
Mark Henderson censor websites we believe ?
JIm Wright and homophobia; an update
What have the Chinese government and Northumberland County Council got in common? They censor websites.Jim Wright has emailed me; his email said Gareth,Thanks for the link-alas or fortunately I cannot access blog pages!!!JIM.
It was on October 18 2004 that I first became aware of this tendency amongst Northumberland County Council to censor anything it can't control on the web.
Nothing changes apparently.I'm willing to bet though that the expensive councillor websites that the county council sponsor through NorthumberlandLife aren't blocked by the council's network though.
What have the Chinese government and Northumberland County Council got in common? They censor websites.Jim Wright has emailed me; his email said Gareth,Thanks for the link-alas or fortunately I cannot access blog pages!!!JIM.
It was on October 18 2004 that I first became aware of this tendency amongst Northumberland County Council to censor anything it can't control on the web.
Nothing changes apparently.I'm willing to bet though that the expensive councillor websites that the county council sponsor through NorthumberlandLife aren't blocked by the council's network though.
Thursday, November 23, 2006
Jim Wright and homophobia
My strategy last night was to focus on the issues that arose during the meeting. Since it was always likely to be our only chance to hold county councillors to account I wanted to ask as many questions as possible, and not to waste time retreading old ground.
My last question was a supplementary arising from a documents issued during the meeting detailing Emanuel Schools Foundation's approach to sex and health education. Broadly speaking ESf teaches that the only way to show respect for oneself and others is to abstain from sex outside marriage and practice fidelity within marriage. The obvious conclusion is that anything else is to lack respect for onesself and others.
I asked Jim Wright how this attitude, and the homophobia of one of ESf's advisors, could be fitted within an equalities and diversity framework. Jim declined to answer. After the meeting he was prepared to concede, in private, that 'if ESF's attitudes were as I described them' no socialaist could accept them, but he wasn't prepared to make such a remark on the record. So here's your chance to get Jim Wright on the record.Email Jim Wright at county hall (jwright@northumberland.gov.uk). Ask him if the view of the Emanuel Schools Foundation that sex outside marriage is disrespectful of oneself and others is compatible with a genuine equalities and diversity policy.Feel free to copy me into the answers.
We will be very happy to print any replies to this article here on the Blog
My last question was a supplementary arising from a documents issued during the meeting detailing Emanuel Schools Foundation's approach to sex and health education. Broadly speaking ESf teaches that the only way to show respect for oneself and others is to abstain from sex outside marriage and practice fidelity within marriage. The obvious conclusion is that anything else is to lack respect for onesself and others.
I asked Jim Wright how this attitude, and the homophobia of one of ESf's advisors, could be fitted within an equalities and diversity framework. Jim declined to answer. After the meeting he was prepared to concede, in private, that 'if ESF's attitudes were as I described them' no socialaist could accept them, but he wasn't prepared to make such a remark on the record. So here's your chance to get Jim Wright on the record.Email Jim Wright at county hall (jwright@northumberland.gov.uk). Ask him if the view of the Emanuel Schools Foundation that sex outside marriage is disrespectful of oneself and others is compatible with a genuine equalities and diversity policy.Feel free to copy me into the answers.
We will be very happy to print any replies to this article here on the Blog
Saturday, November 18, 2006
Northumberland is at a crossroads
We have a County Council that is not trusted by local councils and a leadership that is so tied up in their own pockets that they cannot see beyond next months allowances.
We have seen a decade where everything they have touched has turned to dust.
I did once think that they were holding on to power for ideological reasons - that they thought the County Council was the only one to take through Labour policies.
I was naïve.
Allowances have gone up so much that some councillors now describe themselves as ‘full time councillors’. That is part of the problem not an answer to them.
Everyone is against them and their future.
MPs Districts, the public, even their own unions, nowadays the papers describe them as a destitute spent force.
Now even their own councillors have taken a stand and are voting against the Executive, that is the centre of all their woes.
How else can we explain why Bill Brooks will not allow the full council to vote on support for a single unitary.
As one senior officer put it – he has been painted into a corner, only he hasn’t worked that out yet!
I don’t know whether or not the Tories would carry them through, carrying 8-10 Labour councillors that want to vote against the party line,whatever - they are staring down the barrel of a Tory or Liberal run authority.
The latest treachery by Bill Brooks has a lot in his group dazed and not knowing which way to go.
His leadership is weak and the wolves are circling to take over – what chance John Whiteman making a come back?
As Bills nemesis, Bob Watson wrote, ‘ Bill has stated the obvious – he cannot work with other partners’ – not a good start for a unitary bid is it?
He has two ways to go, after crying off any future partnership working
Win the government round to thinking one huge single unitary will suffice, at which point all the Labour support in the South East of the county will fade away. Bill had hoped for a continuing authority – one in which he would see out his current term of office. The latest announcement from DCLG puts paid to that then.
With no general election to bolster his election chances and with the threatened disintegration of his own CLP a likelihood – he stands to get only 20 seats on any new single authority, based on last years elections.
The latest tittle-tattle from Morpeth, amongst the officers, is that there is a strategy in which the Government seeing there is to be a blood letting in Northumberland and that the preferred option of a single unitary is not universally welcome, they will stop the move and re-instate the option of closer working.
As Bills other arch-nemesis has said his ‘hat is on a shugley peg’.
Bill knows which ever way he turns his time is up – his colleagues are hoping he will fall on his sword after publicly stating he, he not the council, cannot work with the districts. He knows he will have to do a volte-face if he wishes to salvage anything.
Divinity
We have seen a decade where everything they have touched has turned to dust.
I did once think that they were holding on to power for ideological reasons - that they thought the County Council was the only one to take through Labour policies.
I was naïve.
Allowances have gone up so much that some councillors now describe themselves as ‘full time councillors’. That is part of the problem not an answer to them.
Everyone is against them and their future.
MPs Districts, the public, even their own unions, nowadays the papers describe them as a destitute spent force.
Now even their own councillors have taken a stand and are voting against the Executive, that is the centre of all their woes.
How else can we explain why Bill Brooks will not allow the full council to vote on support for a single unitary.
As one senior officer put it – he has been painted into a corner, only he hasn’t worked that out yet!
I don’t know whether or not the Tories would carry them through, carrying 8-10 Labour councillors that want to vote against the party line,whatever - they are staring down the barrel of a Tory or Liberal run authority.
The latest treachery by Bill Brooks has a lot in his group dazed and not knowing which way to go.
His leadership is weak and the wolves are circling to take over – what chance John Whiteman making a come back?
As Bills nemesis, Bob Watson wrote, ‘ Bill has stated the obvious – he cannot work with other partners’ – not a good start for a unitary bid is it?
He has two ways to go, after crying off any future partnership working
Win the government round to thinking one huge single unitary will suffice, at which point all the Labour support in the South East of the county will fade away. Bill had hoped for a continuing authority – one in which he would see out his current term of office. The latest announcement from DCLG puts paid to that then.
With no general election to bolster his election chances and with the threatened disintegration of his own CLP a likelihood – he stands to get only 20 seats on any new single authority, based on last years elections.
The latest tittle-tattle from Morpeth, amongst the officers, is that there is a strategy in which the Government seeing there is to be a blood letting in Northumberland and that the preferred option of a single unitary is not universally welcome, they will stop the move and re-instate the option of closer working.
As Bills other arch-nemesis has said his ‘hat is on a shugley peg’.
Bill knows which ever way he turns his time is up – his colleagues are hoping he will fall on his sword after publicly stating he, he not the council, cannot work with the districts. He knows he will have to do a volte-face if he wishes to salvage anything.
Divinity
Taken From Northumberland Today 17 November 2007
There is no support in Alnwick for Bill Brooks views on a single unitary
One of the snippets from the debate
We all know the county council couldn't organise a party in a brewery and are £213 million in debt," he said."No wonder Bill Brooks has his beady eye on us
Shake-up could lead to a two-way split
LOCAL government in Alnwick district could undergo a radical shake-up after councillors gave a vote of confidence to proposals to split the county in half.
Members have announced they would like to see a single authority running rural Northumberland (Alnwick, Berwick, Castle Morpeth and Tynedale), with a similar authority managing the south-east of the county (Blyth and Wansbeck).But they expressed serious misgivings about the decision to re-launch a debate it was thought had been quashed after the proposed North East Assembly was rejected in November 2004.A full meeting of Alnwick District Council came to the decision on Monday after hearing a report from chief executive Bill Batey and petitions for and against from fellow councillors.
He called on them to work with other district councils to submit plans for two unitary councils.They were also asked to approve estimated costs of £15,000 to complete the switch-over and agreed for a further £5,000 to be provided if necessary.
A stormy debate on the abolition of county and district has been raging since the release of a Government White Paper on October 26 asking shire councils to take a view on the future structure of local government.Councils were offered the chance to opt for unitary structures, pioneer new two-tier models, or remain within the current system.Within three hours of publication, county council leader Bill Brooks spoke of the "confusing and expensive" current two-tier structure, and gave his backing to a single authority for the whole of Northumberland.
Council leader Heather Cairns opened the debate on Monday by welcoming proposals within the white paper allowing councillors to speak out on planning and licensing issues in their ward.But she also warned: "However excited we get about this, it is about delivery of services to the people." Coun Andrew Duffield, Liberal Democrat member for Rothbury and South Rural, launched a scathing attack on the White Paper, calling it the "latest pig in a poke from the Labour Government.""This is a missed opportunity and a major disappointment.
We all know the county council couldn't organise a party in a brewery and are £213 million in debt," he said."No wonder Bill Brooks has his beady eye on responsible and well-run councils."
Coun Gordon Castle, Independent Alliance member for Alnwick, spoke in support of the proposed unitary authority but harked back to the 2004 referendum on a regional assembly, when voters were also offered the option of a single authority, had the assembly been given the go-ahead.Just 33 per cent came out in favour, with 67 per cent preferring to see the county split into two local councils – Rural Northumberland and South East Northumberland. But a resounding defeat for the regional assembly meant the single-tier plans were also shelved.He said: "Here we are again, two years down the road. Just as we think we are settling down, the hornets' nest is stirred up again, quite unnecessarily I believe. The rug has been pulled from under our feet.
"Coun Heather Cairns said the councillors were all "extremely disappointed" they had not been able to work with the county as they would have preferred."The fact that within hours the county council indicated that they were going to go for a single unitary body meant we were not able to consider partnership working. I feel we have not had that option. We are being forced to put plans forward for two unitary authorities."Both the motion to work towards two unitary authorities and the request for extra funding were passed.The district council now has until January 25 next year to present its new model of working.
One of the snippets from the debate
We all know the county council couldn't organise a party in a brewery and are £213 million in debt," he said."No wonder Bill Brooks has his beady eye on us
Shake-up could lead to a two-way split
LOCAL government in Alnwick district could undergo a radical shake-up after councillors gave a vote of confidence to proposals to split the county in half.
Members have announced they would like to see a single authority running rural Northumberland (Alnwick, Berwick, Castle Morpeth and Tynedale), with a similar authority managing the south-east of the county (Blyth and Wansbeck).But they expressed serious misgivings about the decision to re-launch a debate it was thought had been quashed after the proposed North East Assembly was rejected in November 2004.A full meeting of Alnwick District Council came to the decision on Monday after hearing a report from chief executive Bill Batey and petitions for and against from fellow councillors.
He called on them to work with other district councils to submit plans for two unitary councils.They were also asked to approve estimated costs of £15,000 to complete the switch-over and agreed for a further £5,000 to be provided if necessary.
A stormy debate on the abolition of county and district has been raging since the release of a Government White Paper on October 26 asking shire councils to take a view on the future structure of local government.Councils were offered the chance to opt for unitary structures, pioneer new two-tier models, or remain within the current system.Within three hours of publication, county council leader Bill Brooks spoke of the "confusing and expensive" current two-tier structure, and gave his backing to a single authority for the whole of Northumberland.
Council leader Heather Cairns opened the debate on Monday by welcoming proposals within the white paper allowing councillors to speak out on planning and licensing issues in their ward.But she also warned: "However excited we get about this, it is about delivery of services to the people." Coun Andrew Duffield, Liberal Democrat member for Rothbury and South Rural, launched a scathing attack on the White Paper, calling it the "latest pig in a poke from the Labour Government.""This is a missed opportunity and a major disappointment.
We all know the county council couldn't organise a party in a brewery and are £213 million in debt," he said."No wonder Bill Brooks has his beady eye on responsible and well-run councils."
Coun Gordon Castle, Independent Alliance member for Alnwick, spoke in support of the proposed unitary authority but harked back to the 2004 referendum on a regional assembly, when voters were also offered the option of a single authority, had the assembly been given the go-ahead.Just 33 per cent came out in favour, with 67 per cent preferring to see the county split into two local councils – Rural Northumberland and South East Northumberland. But a resounding defeat for the regional assembly meant the single-tier plans were also shelved.He said: "Here we are again, two years down the road. Just as we think we are settling down, the hornets' nest is stirred up again, quite unnecessarily I believe. The rug has been pulled from under our feet.
"Coun Heather Cairns said the councillors were all "extremely disappointed" they had not been able to work with the county as they would have preferred."The fact that within hours the county council indicated that they were going to go for a single unitary body meant we were not able to consider partnership working. I feel we have not had that option. We are being forced to put plans forward for two unitary authorities."Both the motion to work towards two unitary authorities and the request for extra funding were passed.The district council now has until January 25 next year to present its new model of working.
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Berwick to fight plans to scrap council tier
Berwick Today, Latest News
BERWICK Borough Council is to join forces with its district council colleagues to mount a campaign for two separate unitary authorities in Northumberland.
The decision has been taken in response to the government's seemingly inevitable plans to scrap one tier of local government.With the leader of Northumberland County Council having already indicated his support for a single unitary authority, it would appear the battle lines have now been drawn up.However, a final decision will not be made by the public as was the case two years ago when voters overwhelmingly rejected the proposed regional assembly and single unitary status.Coun John Stephenson, leader of Berwick Borough Council, accused the government of trying to impose the new structure through the back door."I believe this is misguided revenge for the people of the north east saying no to a regional assembly," he said. "It's terribly disappointing that we are having to revisit this - and the expense that will be incurred - just two years since the expressed wishes of the electorate were made clear."The council believes a single unitary authority dominated by decision-makers from the south-east of the county would fail to take into account the needs of rural areas such as Berwick Borough.It believes the best course of action would be to split the county into rural and urban authorities - with Berwick joining Alnwick, Tynedale and the northern part of Castle Morpeth in the former and Blyth Valley, Wansbeck and the rest of Castle Morpeth in the latter."I don't believe a unitary authority which doesn't take into account the rural needs of people in places like Berwick Borough is appropriate and therefore we are being pushed back into going for two unitary authorities," said Coun Stephenson.Ironically, the districts had been in talks with the county council about enhancing the existing two-tier structure but there appears to be no way back now.Coun Stephenson said: "We really wanted to enhance the two tier system but after meeting with the leader of the county council we have been left in no doubt that option is not on the table."The leader has since admitted this is his own personal view after being tackled by Coun Diana Beith at last week's full meeting of the county council.Coun Beith said: "The council has never discussed this issue and there are no meetings yet arranged for them to do so. In the regional referendum in 2004, people in Northumberland clearly voted against a unitary authority for all of Northumberland. District councils have yet to be properly consulted, and by reaction so far it is clear there is no consensus on the way forward."Coun Beith went on to accuse the leader of being out of touch and dismissive of the democratic views of the people of Northumberland, particularly in the Berwick Borough area.The shake-up will mean the loss of a local government base in north Northumberland and Coun George Miller expressed his disappointment at this.However, Coun Bill Ferguson felt that in theory a rural/urban split could benefit north Northumberland residents - although funding was the bottom line.This was also a concern for Coun David Stewart who expressed doubts about how a two unitary structure could provide quality health and education services.e-mail: iansmithBERWICK Borough Council is to join forces with its district council colleagues to mount a campaign for two separate unitary authorities in Northumberland.
The decision has been taken in response to the government's seemingly inevitable plans to scrap one tier of local government.With the leader of Northumberland County Council having already indicated his support for a single unitary authority, it would appear the battle lines have now been drawn up.However, a final decision will not be made by the public as was the case two years ago when voters overwhelmingly rejected the proposed regional assembly and single unitary status.Coun John Stephenson, leader of Berwick Borough Council, accused the government of trying to impose the new structure through the back door."I believe this is misguided revenge for the people of the north east saying no to a regional assembly," he said. "It's terribly disappointing that we are having to revisit this - and the expense that will be incurred - just two years since the expressed wishes of the electorate were made clear."The council believes a single unitary authority dominated by decision-makers from the south-east of the county would fail to take into account the needs of rural areas such as Berwick Borough.It believes the best course of action would be to split the county into rural and urban authorities - with Berwick joining Alnwick, Tynedale and the northern part of Castle Morpeth in the former and Blyth Valley, Wansbeck and the rest of Castle Morpeth in the latter."I don't believe a unitary authority which doesn't take into account the rural needs of people in places like Berwick Borough is appropriate and therefore we are being pushed back into going for two unitary authorities," said Coun Stephenson.Ironically, the districts had been in talks with the county council about enhancing the existing two-tier structure but there appears to be no way back now.Coun Stephenson said: "We really wanted to enhance the two tier system but after meeting with the leader of the county council we have been left in no doubt that option is not on the table."The leader has since admitted this is his own personal view after being tackled by Coun Diana Beith at last week's full meeting of the county council.Coun Beith said: "The council has never discussed this issue and there are no meetings yet arranged for them to do so. In the regional referendum in 2004, people in Northumberland clearly voted against a unitary authority for all of Northumberland. District councils have yet to be properly consulted, and by reaction so far it is clear there is no consensus on the way forward."Coun Beith went on to accuse the leader of being out of touch and dismissive of the democratic views of the people of Northumberland, particularly in the Berwick Borough area.The shake-up will mean the loss of a local government base in north Northumberland and Coun George Miller expressed his disappointment at this.However, Coun Bill Ferguson felt that in theory a rural/urban split could benefit north Northumberland residents - although funding was the bottom line.This was also a concern for Coun David Stewart who expressed doubts about how a two unitary structure could provide quality health and education services.e-mail: iansmithBERWICK Borough Council is to join forces with its district council colleagues to mount a campaign for two separate unitary authorities in Northumberland.
The decision has been taken in response to the government's seemingly inevitable plans to scrap one tier of local government.
With the leader of Northumberland County Council having already indicated his support for a single unitary authority, it would appear the battle lines have now been drawn up.
However, a final decision will not be made by the public as was the case two years ago when voters overwhelmingly rejected the proposed regional assembly and single unitary status.
Coun John Stephenson, leader of Berwick Borough Council, accused the government of trying to impose the new structure through the back door.
"I believe this is misguided revenge for the people of the north east saying no to a regional assembly," he said. "It's terribly disappointing that we are having to revisit this - and the expense that will be incurred - just two years since the expressed wishes of the electorate were made clear."
The council believes a single unitary authority dominated by decision-makers from the south-east of the county would fail to take into account the needs of rural areas such as Berwick Borough.
It believes the best course of action would be to split the county into rural and urban authorities - with Berwick joining Alnwick, Tynedale and the northern part of Castle Morpeth in the former and Blyth Valley, Wansbeck and the rest of Castle Morpeth in the latter.
"I don't believe a unitary authority which doesn't take into account the rural needs of people in places like Berwick Borough is appropriate and therefore we are being pushed back into going for two unitary authorities," said Coun Stephenson.
Ironically, the districts had been in talks with the county council about enhancing the existing two-tier structure but there appears to be no way back now.
Coun Stephenson said: "We really wanted to enhance the two tier system but after meeting with the leader of the county council we have been left in no doubt that option is not on the table."
The leader has since admitted this is his own personal view after being tackled by Coun Diana Beith at last week's full meeting of the county council.
Coun Beith said: "The council has never discussed this issue and there are no meetings yet arranged for them to do so. In the regional referendum in 2004, people in Northumberland clearly voted against a unitary authority for all of Northumberland. District councils have yet to be properly consulted, and by reaction so far it is clear there is no consensus on the way forward."
Coun Beith went on to accuse the leader of being out of touch and dismissive of the democratic views of the people of Northumberland, particularly in the Berwick Borough area.
The shake-up will mean the loss of a local government base in north Northumberland and Coun George Miller expressed his disappointment at this.
However, Coun Bill Ferguson felt that in theory a rural/urban split could benefit north Northumberland residents - although funding was the bottom line.
This was also a concern for Coun David Stewart who expressed doubts about how a two unitary structure could provide quality health and education services.
With the leader of Northumberland County Council having already indicated his support for a single unitary authority, it would appear the battle lines have now been drawn up.
However, a final decision will not be made by the public as was the case two years ago when voters overwhelmingly rejected the proposed regional assembly and single unitary status.
Coun John Stephenson, leader of Berwick Borough Council, accused the government of trying to impose the new structure through the back door.
"I believe this is misguided revenge for the people of the north east saying no to a regional assembly," he said. "It's terribly disappointing that we are having to revisit this - and the expense that will be incurred - just two years since the expressed wishes of the electorate were made clear."
The council believes a single unitary authority dominated by decision-makers from the south-east of the county would fail to take into account the needs of rural areas such as Berwick Borough.
It believes the best course of action would be to split the county into rural and urban authorities - with Berwick joining Alnwick, Tynedale and the northern part of Castle Morpeth in the former and Blyth Valley, Wansbeck and the rest of Castle Morpeth in the latter.
"I don't believe a unitary authority which doesn't take into account the rural needs of people in places like Berwick Borough is appropriate and therefore we are being pushed back into going for two unitary authorities," said Coun Stephenson.
Ironically, the districts had been in talks with the county council about enhancing the existing two-tier structure but there appears to be no way back now.
Coun Stephenson said: "We really wanted to enhance the two tier system but after meeting with the leader of the county council we have been left in no doubt that option is not on the table."
The leader has since admitted this is his own personal view after being tackled by Coun Diana Beith at last week's full meeting of the county council.
Coun Beith said: "The council has never discussed this issue and there are no meetings yet arranged for them to do so. In the regional referendum in 2004, people in Northumberland clearly voted against a unitary authority for all of Northumberland. District councils have yet to be properly consulted, and by reaction so far it is clear there is no consensus on the way forward."
Coun Beith went on to accuse the leader of being out of touch and dismissive of the democratic views of the people of Northumberland, particularly in the Berwick Borough area.
The shake-up will mean the loss of a local government base in north Northumberland and Coun George Miller expressed his disappointment at this.
However, Coun Bill Ferguson felt that in theory a rural/urban split could benefit north Northumberland residents - although funding was the bottom line.
This was also a concern for Coun David Stewart who expressed doubts about how a two unitary structure could provide quality health and education services.
Monday, November 13, 2006
From Northumberland Gazette
13 November 2006
School transport tops list of compliants to one MP in Northumberland
Alan Beth MP
SCHOOL transport for over-16s topped the list of complaints raised with Alan Beith MP during his 800-mile tour of 120 villages in his constituency.
Analysis of the subjects covered reveals that Northumberland County Council’s £360 charge for pupils’ transport to school or college, and the withdrawal of rail passes for Berwick students travelling to Newcastle College, was the issue raised most often. Roads and footpaths and NHS issues come second and third. Road issues included the threat to signs advertising local businesses beside the A1. NHS problems included the difficulty so many people are having in registering with a dentist. Also prominent were problems about financial services, threats to local post offices and shops, tax and benefits, housing and the wind farm issue.
School transport tops list of compliants to one MP in Northumberland
Alan Beth MP
SCHOOL transport for over-16s topped the list of complaints raised with Alan Beith MP during his 800-mile tour of 120 villages in his constituency.
Analysis of the subjects covered reveals that Northumberland County Council’s £360 charge for pupils’ transport to school or college, and the withdrawal of rail passes for Berwick students travelling to Newcastle College, was the issue raised most often. Roads and footpaths and NHS issues come second and third. Road issues included the threat to signs advertising local businesses beside the A1. NHS problems included the difficulty so many people are having in registering with a dentist. Also prominent were problems about financial services, threats to local post offices and shops, tax and benefits, housing and the wind farm issue.
Sunday, November 12, 2006
Deafening Silence at County Hall. Morpeth . Northumberland
There is a deafening silence these days from Northumberland County Hall.
It is the silence of the lambs, being led down the path by a, not so good, shepherd.
This is not going to be a diatribe on the rights or wrongs of Bill Brooks pre-emptive strike for survival, although I will make a few pertinent points later in the narrative, no its going to more of a forensic examination on what has gone wrong, in an Authority a few years ago that was respected amongst its own party and in government, now its friends are turning away.
The pathway Bill has chosen was one started by Michael Davey.
It is a path littered with clichés such as ‘what do the public know anyway’, interspersed by the well worn ‘we are here to make the hard decisions’, who has it been hard for Bill?
It has certainly been hard for the people of South east Northumberland, your own backyard. With the closure of homes, doubling costs of home care, loss of firemen and the stations in Wansbeck and Blyth Valley, closure of schools, libraries you have seen even your own councillors protesting about it.
You have suspended your own councillors for trying to be true to their principles. You have attempted to suborn democracy in your own party with your Machiavellian machinations, and tried to suspend or get thrown out several members who do not concur with your thinking.
The policies that have been promulgated at County, by a few in the know, are the problem. They are not policies worked out in Labour Group and owned or at least supported by everyone. They are policies that are drawn up by officers who run the executive and ruling group.
This is not an indictment of officers – they are doing their job as they have been allowed to do it for years, even to the CEO stating in public that the reorganisation of the councils in Northumberland are a done deal, because he was responsible for the white paper!
This is the same group that told everyone, wink wink, nudge nudge, we have the money for BSF or was it PLF – what happened to that?
The blame lies squarely on the shoulders of the two leading councillors and to a certain extent the Executive, who have failed miserably to hold them to account.
Now we have sweet William walking the stage telling everyone that his way is the only way, sod what the foot soldiers think.
Gone are the promises of a ‘value for money’ council, the Audit Commission put the lie to that in March, whilst praising the vale given by Wansbeck and Blyth Valley, how that must have galled Bill. Even at your own Area Committee an Officer stated it was the intent to follow Blyth Valley and gain ‘excellent’ status.
That is what is behind all the past few years an attempt to ‘tick the boxes’ to gain the ultimate prize of ‘excellence’ from the Audit Commission.
Gone is the vision of superb services well delivered, what services you are closing them all down.
Gone too is the pretence of engaging with the public – even your own Scrutiny Board told you last month that members of the public feel they are intruding when they enter the bi-monthly propaganda machines.
Three months ago the County was labelled the most expensive, in tax, in the country – what price savings in a single unitary now Bill?
All of this pales though in the light of Bill and Peter Hillmans complete disregard for the results of the MORI poll conducted by the Electoral Committee and the referendum that clearly said the public do not want you as a council. They prefer local councils locally accountable.
Even in moderate Wansbeck, known for its pragmatism amongst its councillors you have turned their hand against you by closing their homes and fire stations.
In the forthcoming weeks there is to be a lot of blood letting, caused by you Bill, the result should be a foregone conclusion and should follow the lead of the public.
One thing is for sure, you will not go for a public vote again, of that you are frit.
If there is a single unitary there will be a full vote – something you forgot to factor in, there is no way on Gods earth that you will be in power or Labour even a major play in the debacle that will ensue.
You know that, you know you will consign Labour policies that have achieved so much, to the dustbin that will be a Tory run authority and that’s when the two Labour MPs will fall. North of the Tyne will be a waste land and that will be your legacy Bill.
It is a legacy that we will all be paying Inheritance Tax on for years, it is one you can avoid by allowing Northumberland to emerge with dignity, with a council for South East Northumberland that will flourish.
Veritas
It is the silence of the lambs, being led down the path by a, not so good, shepherd.
This is not going to be a diatribe on the rights or wrongs of Bill Brooks pre-emptive strike for survival, although I will make a few pertinent points later in the narrative, no its going to more of a forensic examination on what has gone wrong, in an Authority a few years ago that was respected amongst its own party and in government, now its friends are turning away.
The pathway Bill has chosen was one started by Michael Davey.
It is a path littered with clichés such as ‘what do the public know anyway’, interspersed by the well worn ‘we are here to make the hard decisions’, who has it been hard for Bill?
It has certainly been hard for the people of South east Northumberland, your own backyard. With the closure of homes, doubling costs of home care, loss of firemen and the stations in Wansbeck and Blyth Valley, closure of schools, libraries you have seen even your own councillors protesting about it.
You have suspended your own councillors for trying to be true to their principles. You have attempted to suborn democracy in your own party with your Machiavellian machinations, and tried to suspend or get thrown out several members who do not concur with your thinking.
The policies that have been promulgated at County, by a few in the know, are the problem. They are not policies worked out in Labour Group and owned or at least supported by everyone. They are policies that are drawn up by officers who run the executive and ruling group.
This is not an indictment of officers – they are doing their job as they have been allowed to do it for years, even to the CEO stating in public that the reorganisation of the councils in Northumberland are a done deal, because he was responsible for the white paper!
This is the same group that told everyone, wink wink, nudge nudge, we have the money for BSF or was it PLF – what happened to that?
The blame lies squarely on the shoulders of the two leading councillors and to a certain extent the Executive, who have failed miserably to hold them to account.
Now we have sweet William walking the stage telling everyone that his way is the only way, sod what the foot soldiers think.
Gone are the promises of a ‘value for money’ council, the Audit Commission put the lie to that in March, whilst praising the vale given by Wansbeck and Blyth Valley, how that must have galled Bill. Even at your own Area Committee an Officer stated it was the intent to follow Blyth Valley and gain ‘excellent’ status.
That is what is behind all the past few years an attempt to ‘tick the boxes’ to gain the ultimate prize of ‘excellence’ from the Audit Commission.
Gone is the vision of superb services well delivered, what services you are closing them all down.
Gone too is the pretence of engaging with the public – even your own Scrutiny Board told you last month that members of the public feel they are intruding when they enter the bi-monthly propaganda machines.
Three months ago the County was labelled the most expensive, in tax, in the country – what price savings in a single unitary now Bill?
All of this pales though in the light of Bill and Peter Hillmans complete disregard for the results of the MORI poll conducted by the Electoral Committee and the referendum that clearly said the public do not want you as a council. They prefer local councils locally accountable.
Even in moderate Wansbeck, known for its pragmatism amongst its councillors you have turned their hand against you by closing their homes and fire stations.
In the forthcoming weeks there is to be a lot of blood letting, caused by you Bill, the result should be a foregone conclusion and should follow the lead of the public.
One thing is for sure, you will not go for a public vote again, of that you are frit.
If there is a single unitary there will be a full vote – something you forgot to factor in, there is no way on Gods earth that you will be in power or Labour even a major play in the debacle that will ensue.
You know that, you know you will consign Labour policies that have achieved so much, to the dustbin that will be a Tory run authority and that’s when the two Labour MPs will fall. North of the Tyne will be a waste land and that will be your legacy Bill.
It is a legacy that we will all be paying Inheritance Tax on for years, it is one you can avoid by allowing Northumberland to emerge with dignity, with a council for South East Northumberland that will flourish.
Veritas
Will Bill Brooks Resign if he fails to win approval for a unitary authority for Northumberland
An open letter to Councillor Brooks Dear Bill Brooks, Re: The Local Government White Paper.YOU are correct to say "Northumberland County Council leaders" welcomed the publication of this paper on local governance; however, I certainly wish it had been published in conjunction with the long awaited Lyons Report on local government and finance.Following the disastrous referendum of two years ago, we have continually heard from you that real efforts were being made to forge partnership working between the county and its districts.Indeed it was only a few months ago that you were lauding the signing of Local Area Agreements by all seven councils.Now, you claim "the current structure of local government in Northumberland doesn't work well".Do you really think a "directly elected cabinet" is (a) innovative or (b) what the public of Northumberland would want?I concur that Northumberland deserves "efficient, effective and fit for purpose" local government.The county has for too long been run by a Labour administration in which you have played leading roles – chairman/portfolio holder for highways and transport; deputy leader and leader – and you now recognise the need for improvement. That in itself is welcome.As well as the severely damaged relationships with our partners in the districts, did you not promise them to have a joint response to this paper?Your early declaration for "a single council for Northumberland" without any debate within the county council has and will continue to give concern about the role of democracy in the county.When will a debate take place? And if you lose that debate or fail to win government approval for a unitary authority in Northumberland, will you resign? COUN ALEX C KERR
Thursday, November 09, 2006
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.
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.
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