Linky thing.


I'm an Apolitical myself and I'm really pleased that Dave and Charlie are standing, and it would be just so great if they could beat Labour to win the election. The Town Council could be a real powerhouse in the community but over the last ten years it's become more and more alienated from the townspeople it is supposed to serve. The council needs councillors with fresh ideas and an openness to the ideas of others. If you're in Victoria ward I hope you'll vote for Dave and Charlie.

Good luck to them! I didn't even realise the Chronicle was still around either.

Really good to have some non single issue, sensible independents locally.

Not much chance for them then.

Possibly not right now. Trouble is the electorate have been so anethetised by party politics that they've lost the will and want to think for themselves. That we have a well contested by election where previously we would have seen a shoe in, must be a good sign.

Apolitical is a misnomer; they are becoming politicians themselves in standing.

What I think they mean is that they are offering an alternative to the paradigm of party politics.

Surely any individual or group that stands for an election and possesses a vision and produces a manifesto for change, that seeks to influence or actually control a Council or even the Government, is engaging in Party Politics?

The Apolitical's clearly are 'political' in this sense as their members share an agenda, albeit one that does not necessarily fully support the perceived dictum of the other mainstream political groups, but they are still a Party in the political sense.

Being a bit of a romantic, I have to say that I am somewhat theoretically supportive of a bohemian approach to politics, but I realise that we live in the globalised twenty-first century, where even the likes of a town council such as that existing here in Newbury has to be aware of, and respond to not only local, but regional, national and even international issues such as Europe, etc.

Let's not forget that many people living here in Newbury, and its economy depend directly or indirectly on the international companies that have a base within our market town, and the services that they provide. We cannot simply "pull up the drawbridge" and return to a bygone period, that actually never existed, for Newbury has always been involved in commerce, and as such been dependent on external markets for its existence.

Newbury is an example of a "Twenty-first Century Market Town" that necessitates positive and thoughtful further growth to accommodate businesses and citizens alike. In order to achieve the positive outcomes for Newbury then any group will require a critical mass of members to more easily influence and bring about the changes to our town that are needed. To do this, one has to engage in Party Politics, which clearly the Apoliticals realise.

Again I wish the Apoliticals well in their endeavours, but I personally feel that the Liberal Democrat Party has been doing a very good job at assisting in the development of Newbury and should be offered the opportunity to continue this work. The reality is that Newbury and Thatcham Town Councils are currently working as best they can within their spheres of influence to thwart the draconian and ludicrous cuts imposed by the Tory led district council, that has led to numerous services being lost or reduced in size, but they have managed to hoard millions away for "a rainy day".

One only has to look out of the economic and social window to realise that the "rainy days" have been with us for a considerable about of time, and the vulnerable are further suffering as a result. I do not propose a "spend, spend, spend" culture, but we should be investing for a brighter future in our greatest resource, that is the public.

We could have had another £2,000,000.00 in the kitty of you and the local Tories hadn't decided to spend it on repaving the then recently resurfaced road in the town centre!

Oh dear, it's election time for the forum again. Where's our local green party member? Must be time for his two pennyworth as well. Still more platitudes from the hopefulls.

Yes must be an election coming up prospective councillors are appearing on the forum? Don't worry that will soon cease when elections are over! Move along nothing of interest happening here !

No greens standing... where is Adriand and his merry band of followers??

No need to be flippant. I like Adrian, he's a good egg, and he's also thorough and well-informed. There's much I admire about the Greens and I really hope he gets a seat on the WBC next time round. It is a shame that the Greens locally aren't strong enough to field a couple of candidates, like OtE says, the electorate need to see that there is an alternative to the con-dems and start to demand something better from the local government that affects so many of the important things in their lives.

You still don't get it do you? The Lib Dems is obviously the right place for you

Nor are you .

I don't live in Victoria Ward but for this, wish I did! Appreciate the Greens haven't put up a candidate, which might be a good thing, because the electors will be spoilt for choice. As someone who thought local democracy was in its death throes, that we are having a contest at all, let alone with two new party options, who are treating this very seriously is frankly astounding. No matter the immediate outcome, this can only be good, so well done for standing. With luck, the Greens are keeping their powder dry for the WBC elections, when I'll get the chance and am hoping that I'll have a ticket that needs some careful thought too. If anyone here is from Victoria Ward, whatever your affiliation, please turn up and either vote or just put your ballot paper in the box.

Is choice a bad thing?

No. It would be great to have a choice of CEO for WBC. Unfortunately we don't get that opportunity so we are left with the useless Nick Carter!

He also is an uppity little man who doesn't want anyone to interfere with his village, goes on about how important green issues are, and then drives a massive 4x4 which is less economical than my diesel, thinks lowering the speed limit is the answer for everything and worst of all, has a personal website.

I would happily vote for you Simon if you stood - you are a nice bloke. And a sound head. I would rather suck a fart out my own ******** than vote for Adrian Hollister.

On the other hand, being as we are the BBC and need to provide balance, at least he fights for what he believes in.

So what?, perhpas he does a lot less mileage than you?


His website is worse than his speed restriction idea? Boolax is it.


This is why democracy is feerked. It is not about being nice, it should be about being right.


Zackly

If the Councillors actually operated at the level they were supposed to, there is absolutely no need for a CEO.

WBC is one of, if not the, biggest employer in W Berks - and certainly needs professional management - of course it needs a CEO. You can't expect a bunch of part time councillors to run the day to day business of that large a 'business'.

However, the councillors are there to set policy, which should be about doing what is right and best for the people of W Berks - sadly the impression I get is that they rely on Council officers to tell them what to do far more often than they decide for themselves. Often the officers will be right (they are paid to know what they are talking about) - but it seems to me that alternative opinions are rarely listened to. The so-called consultation process they use is laughable - really just a way of collecting opinions that are almost always ignored.

Irrespective!!! His Disco TDI is not an economical car and exactly the kind of car that "environmentally aware" people want to get rid of... and jump into the equally inefficient Prius.



Pretentiousness lords over every idea.



And I do not deem Adrian to be right. Besides I don't vote anyway, it's like choosing which sexually transmitted disease to have, all of them are horrible.

Regarding West Berkshire Council, I could not agree more with these sentiments.

The skills profile of West Bekshire Council Officers is, as it is within many local authorities superb, but there does appear to exist a culture of "we know best", and as such it appears that both the elected members, and their constituents are ignored at times.

Council Officers are equally as 'political' as the Members are 'Political', and the elected members I would suggest need to remember this.

The role of Council Officers is to advise Elected Members on implementation of policy; the Members then decide whether and which advised option to adopt/follow. Subject Matter Experts, who should be blind to the Party Political issues and simply make proposals/recommendations that are legal, follow precedent and higher authority, and reflect established norms for the community in question.

As regards their area of expertise, the Officers should know 'best', but that does not mean they can/should/are allowed to run the show.

Consultation is not that successful, as too often it draws from a fairly standard pool of compulsory bodies with almost no meaningful input and even less from Joe Public.

The comparison with business does not stand scrutiny. The Council does need effective management to be sure, but that does not demand the employment of a Chief Executive. The in business terms, even against the present establishment, the role has little purpose. Each of the major functions of the authority has its own executive head. That is sufficient, particularly as policy, often to minute detail, is prescribed by statute anyway. Take education as one example, the curriculum is pre determined, as is its delivery and each school has its own head. The LEA has a head who is really subservient to the Ministry. We also have an Education portfolio holder. So then, what added value or effect does a CEO have on this arrangement? No, these high paid co-ordinating roles are wholly unnecessary.

With out the internally powerful CEO role, the professional staffs would have to pay very much more heed to the views of their political masters. You are right, locally alternative views are not con sidered. A good example being the NTC Newbury Town Vision, which although very good has simply been ignored by the WBC people.

The WBC officers may well be professional, but the authority is very small and with the best will in the world, we are unlikely to employ best of breed. The present over reliance on officers therefore gives rise to another danger, our professionals inevitably use consultants. The effects of which we can see right now.

Consultants tell the commissioning organisation what they should know already. Too often the sort of consultants Local Authorities gravitate to are staffed by Ex-Officers, or are so regularly used they are an uneconomic and 'too close' extension of Council Staff.

Yep! know exactly the breed; as the old saying goes, borrow your watch to tell you the time.

No, but my party is standing it's full quota.

There is a quota? Some people may not stand?

.... and on the subject of parties that don't stand a chance of being elected, how many are the Monster Raving Loony Party putting up?

About time Mr G! We've had Oxford or Cambridge (Dark or Light Blue) for far too long - that's no choice at all.

Vote Apolitical! All the colours of the rainbow, and candidates that won't p!ss in your pocket and tell you it's raining.

Allegedly

Until they get in!

How cynical!!!

Yes unfortunately the days of not what can the country do for me but what can I do for the country are long gone!
It's more a case of what can I get from this now?

Indeed. I see the fine Socialist who preceded Mr Brown as PM is making a good life based on the contacts he made while PM. I wonder why he declined the seat in the House of Lords?

I Vow To The, My Country

As opposed say, to this?

Contacts, money, promote cancer


She certainly cared about people.

Well what a surprise! They are all the same. Even Churchill, look at his family and Social Services would have a job on their hands. Finances, well...lets move on. As we aren't going to get JC to stand for MP, let alone for Victoria Ward we are pretty much left with what we've got. Sio then, if I had a 'vote' I think I'd be inclined to try the Apoliticals, simply because they are different to anything we've had before and it would be a safe experiment to see what would happen in reality. That I know is simply a tactical reason, but we know exactly what the two main parties would do and good though it would be, we know exactly what Richard Garvey would do., Indeed (sorry Richard) I'm guessing he will do it even if the Labour people don't get in, having eyes on the bigger spoils further up the chain.

I don't understand the hostility. I'm hostile to the con-dem party politicos because of their self-serving, arrogance and plain bloody unkindness they've shown me, but I know and like David Yates and Charlie Farrow and I believe them to be decent honest sensible people who just want to be involved in local government, so unless you know differently I don't understand the cynicism.

Looks like a non-story to me. I'm no great fan of Tony Blair, but contacting embassies to push a charity is hardly the height of corruption.

There must be more dodgy stories about his huge increase in wealth since he stood down as PM.

As for Thatcher, I can't say that I am surprised that she was promoting cigarettes (especially if Mark T, her biggest weakness, was doing the dealing).

Like this?

Or this?

Or this?

Interesting - but, apart from some complex company structure that seems unlikely to be necessary unless there is some tax avoidance going on he seems to be getting rich from advising people and companies who are happy to pay him ludicrous sums. Nothing illegal - immoral perhaps, but surely that's no surprise - it is Tony Blair we are discussing.

I do not believe anything he does is illegal - as Ian Hyslop would say.

Can you imagine the stick Blair would be given if he was bought and paid for by a tobacco company to hawk cigarettes around the globe? Yet it seems swept under the carpet where Thatcher is concerned.
Odd.

Smoking gun...geddit?

He makes money.
What is wrong with that?

Think of it this way

Mark has none of the attributes of his parents. What activities did she undertake on behalf of the one company?