There’s an article in this week’s Advertiser about the congestion charge referendum, speculating that the £150000 cost of the referendum might be picked up by Council taxpayers.
There’s no “might” about it. AGMA doesn’t have any money. The Government is unlikely to step in – and of course that is taxpayers’ money anyway. That just leaves the local Council taxpayer.
Of course, the cost of the referendum is dwarfed by the dire propaganda being published about the TIF bid at the moment. That biased rubbish is costing £3 million of your money and mine. Now there’s a real scandal.
Walking up towards Walkden town centre earlier today, I noticed that someone has clattered into the fencing on the corner of Park Road and Walkden Road/Memorial Road again.
This seems to happen once every few weeks, as local residents and traders will testify. However, every time the fence is damaged, Urban Vision come along and repair it.
I don’t know how many times it has been “fixed” now, but rather than look for a solution to the problem, the Council is forking out thousands of pounds – good money after bad – to “fix” the fence repeatedly.
I’ve just got back from a spot of light early evening leafleting in the sunshine. Well, it was supposed to be sunshine – instead I got as far as Blakefield Drive, the heavens opened and I got soaked. The (minor) perils of being a local Councillor.
Our summer Walkden South newsletter is about half delivered now, local residents should be receiving one through their letterbox in the next week if they haven’t had it already. As always our newsletters are paid for and delivered free by local volunteers and not by the taxpayer or the trade unions.
I’ve finalised the list of my top ten political blogs for Iain Dale’s Guide To Political Blogging 2008-9. So here we go:
1. PoliticalBetting
2. ConservativeHome
3. David Ottewell
4. Iain Dale
5. UK Polling Report
6. Guido Fawkes
7. David Jones MP
8. Antony Little
9. WebCameron
10. Coffee House
This is of course a snapshot in time – ask me again next week and I’ll probably have changed my mind completely. This list is based almost entirely on how likely I am to read them, which I think is as good a measure as any. It does not, of course, imply any endorsement of what they may say!
I’m delighted that local residents will have the opportunity to vote on the congestion charge.
Conservatives in Salford has always backed a public vote on the plans, and the referendum represents an astonishing u-turn on behalf of the Labour Party in Greater Manchester. Most Labour Groups vehementely opposed a referendum, but as soon as Sir Richard Leese changed his mind they all flocked like sheep to back the new line.
Of concern still is the obscene amount of public money being spent on propaganda. A referendum might mean that Labour get to spend the same amount of taxpayers’ money again on “yes” literature. I’d prefer that no public funding was spent on referendum campaigning but if it has to be, then it should be fairly balanced.
On Thursday evening, the Manchester Climate Forum are hosting an interesting debate entitled “the 3 billion quid question” about the TIF bid and congestion charging. You can find out more information here.
Panellists include representatives from the Greater Manchester Momentum Group, United City, Clean Air Now and the Campaign for Free Public Transport. There’s also a Councillor from GMPTA speaking in a personal capacity. Unsurprisingly, given that the Manchester Labour Group – and Sir Richard Leese in particular - seem to think they have a devine right to speak for the whole of Greater Manchester (and the Manchester Evening News is happy to give them that platform) this is a Manchester Labour Councillor.
The meeting will run from 7.30pm to 9.20pm at the Friends Meeting House, 6 Mount Street, Manchester. It’s free and open to all, although I understand that there may be a collection tin to contribute towards organisation costs.
I was delighted to read this morning that Salford City Reds have been successful in their application for a license to play in the Super League from next season. It’s a huge boost for the club and for the City as a whole. Well done!
A Good Week To Be A Burglar
Iain Dale has an interesting post about the policing of Party Conferences. The costs do seem to be obscene, and I’m not looking forward to most of City Centre Manchester being fenced off again – as happened two years ago when the Labour Conference last came to town. Of more concern to local residents, however, is the effect that these Conferences have on local policing.
When Manchester last held a major political Conference (the aforementioned Labour Conference in September 2006) I asked in Council about the effect the Conference policing would have on neighbourhood policing. I was assured that it would not have an impact – only for many of our officers (including the neighbourhood inspector) to be dragged into Manchester to preside over the Conference. I remember we had a community meeting that at which the police were due to give an update to local residents and not one officer was available to attend even for half an hour to talk to residents. The assurances were worthless and residents lost their local police officers to fortress MICC. Definitely a good week to be a burglar.
I hope things are better planned for the Labour Conference this year and of course the Conservative Conference in autumn 2009.