Just for Richard Options

[Richard Garvie]

Is this the case Richard? What are the reasons for the delay then? This contagion of breaking promises and election pledges has not spread from the Tory and LibLiars to the Newbury Labour Party surely?

Not at all, it's a simple fact of when we ask for the referendum. We pledged that we would deliver a referendum in our manifesto, and we will (technically, the manifesto covers us until May 2015 if we wanted to wait that long). If we hand the document in now, it means the referendum would take place in October next year, with March the final month to hand it in if we want it next October. I simply raised the point that after consultation with the other parties, we may be prepared to hand it in later in the council term to enable the mayor term to be the same as the council term (eg. elections in 2015 and then every four years as per council elections). This would also allow for the council to look at reducing the number of elected members before the mayor system is brought in.

The chances are that Graham Jones will say he doesn't want the mayor system and he doesn't care when the petition is submitted and Cllr Brooks may say the same. On that basis, the petition is ready to go in and the referendum will be in October next year.

[NWNREADER]

Why didn't you hand it in for September?

[blackdog]

Presumably the petition calls for a referendum to see if the electorate want to have an elected mayor?

If so why does the timing of the referendum matter? Presumably, if the electorate opt for an elected mayor, this would not take place until the next round of council elections anyway.

If you wait for the next council election to hold the referendum alongside it then the election for mayor could be delayed for another 4 years

[blackdog]

Another point.

If you have collected enough signatures on a petition - what right have you got to delay its presentation? Presumably the signatories want to see something happen, not for you to sit on it for a year or two.

If it is delayed that long would WBC be justified in saying that it is out of date and ingoring it? Who knows, many of the signatories may have left the area, changed their minds,...

[Richard Garvie]

Presumably the petition calls for a referendum to see if the electorate want to have an elected mayor?

If so why does the timing of the referendum matter? Presumably, if the electorate opt for an elected mayor, this would not take place until the next round of council elections anyway.

If you wait for the next council election to hold the referendum alongside it then the election for mayor could be delayed for another 4 years

If the petition goes in now, the referendum will be held in October next year. If there is a yes vote, the council is duty bound to hold elections at the next opportunity (either May or October after the vote) so if the referendum was October 2012, A mayor election would be held in May 2013. User criticised the referendum for being an extra cost burden outside the council elections cycle, so it was on that basis that we are looking to see if we can time the referendum in order to have a mayoral election in May 2015 if the public give it the green light (the referendum would need to be held October 14 to make this happen).

The chances are it will go in and the referendum will be held at the next available opportunity (October 2012) as the other parties don't want it, but at least we have taken on board some of the comments from critics to see if there is a way we can have it on the same cycle as council elections and investigated every opportunity.

[NWNREADER]

If the petition goes in now, the referendum will be held in October next year. If there is a yes vote, the council is duty bound to hold elections at the next opportunity (either May or October after the vote) so if the referendum was October 2012, A mayor election would be held in May 2013. User criticised the referendum for being an extra cost burden outside the council elections cycle, so it was on that basis that we are looking to see if we can time the referendum in order to have a mayoral election in May 2015 if the public give it the green light (the referendum would need to be held October 14 to make this happen).

The chances are it will go in and the referendum will be held at the next available opportunity (October 2012) as the other parties don't want it, but at least we have taken on board some of the comments from critics to see if there is a way we can have it on the same cycle as council elections and investigated every opportunity.

Ahem......

Why didn't you hand it in for September?

[Richard Garvie]

Ahem......

Why didn't you hand it in for September?

Sorry, didn't read the whole thread. It was simply down to the sheer volume of work that we had on. Not just preparing for issues that will be coming out in the coming weeks and months (budget cuts, LDF, youth services, ticket offices, planning laws, planning issues in Hungerford, removal of cycle lockers at Tilehurst station, reductions in bus services, Adult Social Car issue, the TCP, the BID, the NRA constitution, the AWB etc.) but we also deal with a lot of case work from local residents too, despite the fact we have no councillors. Unfortunately, we don't have paid employees or financial support from the council like other parties, but we do a **** of a lot of work and try our best to prioritise. If we ignored everything else in favour of the mayor petition, we wouldn't be a credible opposition. As I keep saying with the finances of the council, you don't go buying additional items when you are struggling to pay the bills. The same principle applies, when you have some importnat issues that need addressed immediately, that takes precendent over something that is not seen as an essential issue. We promised we would deliver a referendum, and we will.

[NWNREADER]

No doubt someone will research the precise statement, but 'in September' sounds right to me.

You cannot promise to deliver a referendum, as that will be done by the Council. You may deliver the petition that leads to a referendum, but I fear delaying will bring the validity of the petition into question by anyone who just doesn't want it to happen.

As regards your workload...... "Failing to Plan Properly leads to P*** Poor Performance"

And that counts for anyone. You'll thrash about on everything and succeed on nothing.

[blackdog]

..., the NRA constitution, ...

What on earth has the NRA constitution got to do with you? Are you on a campaign to ensure all private groups have a constitution that meets your approval? Have you got a copy of the Newbury Freemasons' constitution yet?

[NWNREADER]

What on earth has the NRA constitution got to do with you? Are you on a campaign to ensure all private groups have a constitution that meets your approval? Have you got a copy of the Newbury Freemasons' constitution yet?

Which Lodge?

[Turin Machine]

"you don't go buying additional items when you are struggling to pay the bills" You should really have told Gordon Brown that ! By the way, the present government agrees with you, entirely.

[Richard Garvie]

What on earth has the NRA constitution got to do with you? Are you on a campaign to ensure all private groups have a constitution that meets your approval? Have you got a copy of the Newbury Freemasons' constitution yet?

Sorry, our response to the constitution which has effectively banned the press and public from meetings.

[Richard Garvie]

Which Lodge?

Nope, still not seen the TCP constitution!!

[Richard Garvie]

"you don't go buying additional items when you are struggling to pay the bills" You should really have told Gordon Brown that ! By the way, the present government agrees with you, entirely.

I wasn't a member of the party until October last year.

[blackdog]

Sorry, our response to the constitution which has effectively banned the press and public from meetings.

Why should they have the press or the public at their meetings? It's a retailers' association not a public body.

Out of interest, do you have the press and public at Newbury Labour committee meetings?

[Richard Garvie]

Why should they have the press or the public at their meetings? It's a retailers' association not a public body.

Out of interest, do you have the press and public at Newbury Labour committee meetings?

Anybody who asks to attend our meetings is welcome. We've had people approach our stalls and when we are canvassing to ask when we meet and they have came along to see what we are about. If the press wish to attend, they are more than welcome.

[NWNREADER]

Why should they have the press or the public at their meetings? It's a retailers' association not a public body.

Well? Why should they?

"I wasn't a member of the party until October last year."

When you join a party yopu attach to it's history - good and not so good. Your use of this phrase sounds like slopey shoulders and does nothing to help people understand where you stand (other than a loyal member apart from the nasty bits)

And I still don't feel you have given a valid reason for not submitting the petition. Thoise who signed up may feel let down.

[Nothing Much]

As there is some conversation about politics and such.
I will post a bit of family history. My dad was Ghengis Khan.
His brother was a Communist and tried to collapse a government.

It is a long time ago and they are both gone. If anyone can find "Times on Line"
through a library which might be still open. The plot in Sheffield can be viewed.
They,my uncle planned to turn off all electricity to factories and power stations!
Frank Chapell was involved on the other side.
I only know a little of those times.
hex

[NWNREADER]

As there is some conversation about politics and such.
I will post a bit of family history. My dad was Ghengis Khan.
His brother was a Communist and tried to collapse a government.

It is a long time ago and they are both gone. If anyone can find "Times on Line"
through a library which might be still open. The plot in Sheffield can be viewed.
They,my uncle planned to turn off all electricity to factories and power stations!
Frank Chapell was involved on the other side.
I only know a little of those times.
hex

Loyd George knew my father......

[Nothing Much]

Thanks for the jibe. NWN. They might have won. Except for corruption at some point.
Then they would have really caused trouble. Scargill was a just silly hairdo.
hex