Comments on: Questions Raised Over ‘Alliance’ Claims

By: Debbie Long

Debbie Long — Mon, 04 Nov 2013 16:26:38 +0000

The trouble here is that you get someone who is passionate in what they believe is the right thing to do,and stands up and speaks for the good of the public. Others agree, but when it comes to crunch time, they go in denial!(honestly, it is like children in a playground) Many of you Councillors need to grow a pair of balls. If the public knew what the conservatives were up to behind closed doors, then most of them would not of voted for them in the first place.

By: Paul C. Jones

Paul C. Jones — Sun, 03 Nov 2013 13:58:31 +0000

I know I’m always banging on about this, but what we have here is another example of party politics taking precedence over what the real issues are about. HCC budgets need scrutinising, staff need their jobs protected and the care homes should only close, only if and when the new ones are built.

If the individuals concerned here were Independent councillors the issues above would probably be discussed with ease. All we’ve got here, is A can’t talk to B because party C says so etc etc. There is also a Union involved (daft name in my opinion!) who aren’t grateful enough to have support from someone who’s trying to help them!

At town and county level we need councillors who gain respect from standing on their own two feet, making their own decisions and from acting for those who they are meant to be representing. What we seem to have ended up with is groups of people, many of whom are only acting in self interest, who dictate to their voters rather than listening to what is really wanted.

By: Brian Otridge (@BrianOtridge)

Brian Otridge (@BrianOtridge) — Sat, 02 Nov 2013 20:36:30 +0000

I was actually in the Cabinet meeting, as an observer, behind Cllr Hooke and sat beside a County Officer of Unison. He was fully in agreement with what Cllr Hooke was saying. UKIP and the unions, and it was thought the Labour party group in HCC, were united in fighting cuts to staffing in front-line services where previous cuts have already reduced staff to a “thin red line”. And now a “thin purple line” has joined with them in protecting both essential services for ratepayers and the jobs of those delivering them. The word “alliance” has perhaps been misinterpreted, it was not meant in the sense of a formal coalition, but in the sense of a team working together with a common aim.

And that common aim is to deflect the County Council from its insane and insensitive drive towards cutting services. I myself scrutinized the 2012 accounts of HCC on behalf on Cllr Hooke and we identified at least a dozen items where there is the potential for cuts, NOT affecting the front-line. Let me give just one example – the Council spends millions on external management consultants and managers. There is surely scope to cut that one, as there is with many of the others.

By: Liz Ferla

Liz Ferla — Sat, 02 Nov 2013 10:48:56 +0000

Surprised that such an important issue was trivialized by tongue in cheek references to the raising of funds for a community project. Surely these are 2 separate stories, with the main issue being the fight to save thousands of jobs? Cllr Hooke and his colleagues have put up the majority of the resistance to the closure of 4 care homes in the County. The same team is preparing to scrutinise the £90,000,000 of cuts and propose an alternative strategy which will have the same result in savings without the sacrifice of front line jobs.

By: Nadine

Nadine — Sat, 02 Nov 2013 09:59:01 +0000

People really need to get a grip here. The conduct of the Tory’s since Cllr drew lost his seat has shown exactly why so many people are turned off of politics full stop and can’t be bothered to vote anymore for anyone. Cllr Carr’s letters each week in the Advertiser just show how pathetic its all become, I am sire his constituents would prefer he put as much effort into replying to them and carrying out his duty as a Cllr. But I guess thats a little tricky when you spend so little time in the UK. Grow up the lot of you, if you can not conduct yourselves with the dignity and respect that the public deserve step down and retire gracefully. I see 7 year olds with more credibility. As for a boxing match personally I am all for banging a few heads together and we already have bear fighting every week in the House of Commons – its called PMQ’s.