Sep 232010
I thought you might like to read the Callows’ latest newsletter to their faithful over in Norbreck ward.
So here it is thanks to a Norbreck resident that probably wont be voting for them.
If you want to make it bigger you can click the pictures.
When they say they have “donated ” £10,000 to help with the purchase of computer equipment for Norbreck School and that they “donated” £5,000 over the last few years to Bispham & Anchorsholme Libraries and that they “paid” for trees to be planted on grass verges on Devonshire road/Fleetwood Road- did they mean that this was their personal money?
or did they mean that these were ward funds that had been allocated to the wards for the ward councillors to decide where it went?
I believe it to be the latter but this leaflet is very misleading – implying that they had in fact used their own personal money!
I also believe it to be the latter as ward funds are mentioned. I am sure if it were personal cash the Gasjet would have told us many times about it.
It will be ward money – just as our Lancashire information waste of space newsletter told us how our various county councillors had given money to their wards in just as misleading a way.
But you’ve got to admit it’s a good leaflet from a PR point of view.
This is nothing but propaganda(or bullshit) news letter from the Callows,makes me laugh,like there were 13 lap dancing bars when they came into power and now there is only 3,there has never ever been 13 and there is 6 still trading,from what I remember there is 3 that have closed,one has burnt down in the Yates fire and the other two have probably just closed for commercial reasons,the entertainment licence that is issued from the council to public houses allows them to open up as a lap dancing bar tomorrow if they so wished without the need to inform them.He spouts on that they have got rid sleaze,as he forgot about all the brothels throughout the town,again a load of crap,my Friend has a shop for sale on Cookson St,not a chance in hell of selling it with a brothel operating next door there, Wake up Callows you are dreaming,in fact they are all situated all over the town, I have even seen prositutes on the corner of Palatine Road and Central drive
He also states that we are approaching 15 million visitors this year nearly double that used to come when Labour were in power,How do you come to this figure, have you got someone with a bean counter working it out for you, Yes when we have free events on the town does appear packed,but hey we have over 150,000 locals who live here,not that you are interested and the majority of these attend these events which obviously makes the town looked packed,although us locals probally out number the tourists. Another quote large business are queuing at the door to open here,like Merlin,does that mean that all the empty shops in the town will be filled shortly as well as the empty buildings up and down,and as far as I know Merlin were already operating in Blackpool before you came to power,only difference now is that the council have handed them the Tower no doubt on a plate to run,as I cannot see that contract been in the tax payers favour,would love to see what the Blackpool council tax payer has signed up to though,in case you have not noticed Callow businesses are struggling in the town I know, I ask them,lack of tourists spending power and extortionate running costs are killing business. Perhaps you would be so kind as to show us prove of these statements that you make.
I don’t like the idea were he is campaigning to get visitors to be able to use there free bus pass on the trams,and using the threatened closure of the North Norbreck tram stop as his excuse as he states that everyone waits for the bus,that will cost us tax payers even more money,don’t mind locals been able to use it but why visitors,what he should do is tell Blackpool transport to get rid of the number 1 bus so that visitors would have to use the tram and pay for the privilege,might just start making some profit then. Taxi drivers quite understandably hate these free passes they have been another nail in the coffin for taxi drivers, as how can they compete with something that is free,again only locals should have these for the area that they live.
I could pick holes in his statements all day long,what we should do is produce our own leaflet and have it delivered to all the households in his ward punching holes in all his quotes,I would happily put £50.00 towards the cost and I know others who are willing to fund this,maybe see if the Integrity party want to sponsor it as well as this is what they need to be doing if they want to get people to vote differently,from the usual Labour and Conservative options,time for fresh blood to lead the town rather than rely on Weaver and his bunch of merry men guiding these blinded councillors who claim that they no best. How about consulting more with the electorate to and take there opinions on board. Why do the public have to leave the chambers when the council vote,surely it would be a more open council if the public could remain to see what there councillor is actually voting for, That way at least the electorate would know if there councillor puts his local electorate first or the party that he is a member off.
With regards to taking the number 1 bus off. If this happened, then Stagecoach or any other bus operator can come along and run their own service.
If you can find some deliverers Dave, we will do your leaflets at cost price.
That’s a very kind offer,But I would have thought that any of the opposition party’s would have jumped on this and arranged for a news letter and delivered it themselves counter acting these claims.
If I have not been mislead I believe that you are a Lib Dem councillor, I would have thought that it would be more advantageous for the party that you are a member off to produce and deliver a leaflet like this yourselves counter acting the claims made on this news letter,especially if you have a couple of candidates who are going to be putting themselves forward to represent this ward, I would also put the information on the news letter what allowances and expenses they claimed as well. I would also mention how the exec that they both sit on voted in favour to buy the property on Crystal road belonging to the Fowlers and the money they wasted on the ill thought out plans for St Johns Square were they spent thousands of pounds more than they needed to reinforcing the sub base so that it could carry the weight of the buses,which they would not needed to do if they has the balls to say in the first place that they wanted to pedestrianise the area.
I picked up a Conservative council a few weeks ago and he informed me that Peter Callow is just a poodle,apparently it is Maxine is the real leader of the conservatives,it is her who does the barking and where’s the trousers as far as he was concerned,maybe they should have made her leader as it sounds like she gives the orders anyhow. I
Of course Mad Maxine wears the trousers, after all it is a man in drag and Peters ‘big’ brother,lol
I was a Lib Dem Councillor and will be standing for Council again at the next elections. If we had a Lib Dem member who lived in Norbreck and was keen to become a councillor I would be giving them my 100% support but we haven’t. The Lib Dems locally have very limited resources and have taken the decision to target their resources to suit. This targetting means the Party won’t be spending a lot of time or effort in certain wards. We will concentrate on where we think we can win.
However, if an Independent candidate, who wanted to to his/her best to represent the people of Norbreck (or Waterloo) Ward comes along, then I may well be prepared to offer my help and support. I do not believe that Party Politics should matter with local elections but the fact is that they do and the only way to beat the system is to wrest control of the Council and change it.
I have spoken to many Councillors and activists from all four of the main Political Parties in Blackpool and I am sure that this can be achieved if more people got involved. There doesn’t need to be a new party or anything like that. If anyone is genuinely interested in making a real difference – please get in touch with me on election@anchorsholme.com
My question is how do the Callows even know what’s going on in Norbreck when they don’t even live there! What is their link with Norbreck?
The thing is though this is the case with most councillors. Not many councillors actually do live in their constituencies. Like Blackburn he lives a world away from the grotty eyesores of Queens Park tower blocks and his colleague who also lives miles away in Marton. And of course the best example of this is Gordon Marsden, our ‘local’ MP who has never even lived here in 13 years and is never ever here. He has no connection with Blackpool whatsoever and yet misguided people vote him back in. Blackpool will now be neglected for another 5 years with an MP who doesn’t give a toss about our town.
May be the case TB, but it doesn’t make it right. You have a big issue with Mr Marsden about his absence from the town – and rightly so – so why not take issue with Cllrs Callow who live in Marton yet are councillors for Norbreck – about as far from there as you can get! Same with Ron Bell – what’s his affiliation with Talbot when he lives on the Fylde border in a mansion?
I personally don’t think it actually matters that they don’t live there because I believe people with a true sense of empathy can represent any local ward. Just because I am not affected by something directly, for example, doesn’t mean I cannot see the effect it has on others from their own point of view and have an opinion on it.
I don’t use South Park Drive or Preston New Road on a daily basis and Cllr Callow asked me why I was bothered about the Tories scrapping the project for improving traffic flow in this area because I don’t use it regularly. Well, it’s because I can see the overall benefit for the many, not just the few (me).
I never said what the Callows are doing is acceptable, I was simply pointing out this is not by any means an isolated incidence. I agree with your article. Yes I do have a big issue with Marsden because he is taking the mick. He lives 250 miles away and is never ever here, that is not a local MP to me.
Whe are the local elections for Blackpool?
Next May, I just hope people don’t make the mistake of putting cocky and smarmy Blackburn in. The thought of him as Council Leader makes me want to reach for the sick bag.
You dont want the calows in either TB,they have to go.
Oh yeah but don’t let Blackburn in.
The two are mutually exclusive. Callows are in Norbreck, Blackburn is in Brunswick and his missus is standing in Park.
I’m not really into all this husband and wife teamery, we might as well halve the number of councillors instead.
especially brother and sister masquearading as husband and wife, lol.
And she won’t win in Park (or Grange Park as she comically called it). That proves a point that has been said before. A gentleman called Terrence Woodings (regular Gasjet correspondent) once wrote a series of letters complaining how he felt neglected by Park [Labour] Cllr Brian Doherty. Mr Woodings lives outside the Vic on leafy Whinney Heys Rd a far cry from Grange Park. What Mr Woodings basically said was that Doherty was only interested in Grange Park and not the other parts of Park ward (I wonder why?). Clearly Blackburn’s partner takes the same view, she sees Park ward as ‘Grange Park’. Peter Collins is doing a sterling job in Park ward, he was elected because he wanted to serve the people as a councillor not like his opponent who just wanted his seat back. Keep Collins IN, Keep Campbell OUT.
True TB but its being neglected by the Cakkows.
If the Callows were really serious about allowing those with free passes to use the trams then it would happen. I do not think they really want this – it is sheer lunacy. Having said that, the present Blackpool Transport management seem intent on destroying the company so they well go along with his ridiculous plans.
Fray Bentos is right, if BTS withdrew the No.1 service, another operater would come along and run it in competition.
Aye well, you can’t blame them for telling the Norbreck Massive what they want to hear!
Where are the results of the tender bid for management of the tower etc:
How many World Class Operators actually submitted bids ?
Who was on the short list ?
What was the final agreement ?
Very complex and expensive tender compilation but as I see it -NOT- followed as detailed.
Smoke and Mirrors with no recourse !
Get rid of the shackles and embrace the 21st century
I was amazed to read the hype on the increased visitors to Blackpool made by the Callows. I appreciate that they spent £4m on Birley Street which is switched on during the evening when all the venues are closed. The only beneficiary to me is Cllr Wynne in providing a light show in one of his venue: the Rose and Crown and to West Coast Rock on the top end of Birley Street. It does raise the issue of whether all the political parties are in the same boat together looking after themselves first?
This should be contrasted with the poor neighbours in Clifton Street which was more based on a night time economy and yet it is the dimmest street in Blackpool. People do not use that street anymore of in the evening as women feel unsafe walking up there; and I being one of them. The dim lighting along with the hoarding; the empty shops and the dereliction brought about by the fire in Yates is clearly a benchmark of the leadership of this council. One doubts that any negotiation takes place at the Town Hall as £20k hoarding spent by this council do nothing to highlight Clifton Street and Talbot Rd. Not only is that site a mess but would have benefited from being levelled for the time being leaving a nice open space for planting of trees and placing park benches. I’m sure their own works department could have carried out the works for not much more than the same amount. I would like to know who approved the £20k payout and without any public consultation?
I would challenge the council regarding private investment in Blackpool as even the Talbot gateway, along with the proposed university, collapsed after the Government withdrew the proposed funding. The main thorough-fare into Blackpool along Cookson Street is not only a benchmark but a hall-mark of this council with the brothels clearly touting their wares on empty properties. This demonstrates how appalling the council is and how we need a change in the council structure by introducing youthful participants who actually have businesses within Blackpool and are not self-serving when you consider the above.
Integrity should be the forefront of any leadership and should embrace the entire council body. The council should not be faced in any terms with criticism as to how £5m to the pleasure beach, followed by a substantial contract to a councillors company for the provision of the scaffolding to the pleasure beach. Whether that councillor was present at the meeting or not raises issues in itself as did the £4m light show in Birley Street along with a buyout of a property purchase owned by the Fowlers on Crystal Rd which suffered from structural defects without the price paid by the tax payers which did not appear to be reflected on the purchase price. The integrity of the councillor should have led him to refuse the contract for the Blackpool pleasure beach, firstly of the criticism that would follow, with placing doubt upon the integrity of the council remit. It is upon the basis of any criticism being made that should truly be anyone not wishing to embarrass his party to step away from anything which may raise an issue in the first instance. To coin a phrase: ‘Don’t put yourself in that position’ Secondly it is not good enough to say one was not present at a meeting which binds the character as a whole as the recipient of such a decision made in its/their favour would almost feel compelled to offer a favour back.
In essence if Blackpool was to truly move forward in an idyllic way then there must be a clean sweep of many of the councillors who have been there for decades and produced nothing but tat and devastation, whilst remaining a beneficiary in their own cause.
Until we get the above changes who on earth would want to invest in a derelict town?
Accordingly I would challenge the Callows on what they would say, as in Russia they call it propaganda which of course was coupled by the control of the mass whilst they queued in the soup kitchens and the KGB drove past in their shiny cars, as beneficiaries. Until we get rid of many of the beneficiaries in this council then we shall not move forward without a revolt from many of the tax payers as was the case in Soviet Russia, now is the time for many councillors to step down and make way for those with a true vision to release Blackpool from the shackles of 18th Century and bring it to the 21st.
What’s the point of continually whingeing about these nomarks on this board if we as residents of Blackpool are not prepared to take active and direct action to change things for the better?
What do I mean by “direct action”? (Sorry Harold I don’t mean that we should hire a russian mafia hitman to remove said numpties
although it is a tempting prospect!)
What I believe would be effective would be for a group of people, like on this board, who are passionate about changing things for the better in Blackpool to get together and form an “alliance” to stand as candidates at next year’s council elections. Let us just for argument’s sake call it the “Tangerine Alliance” (good colour that for a revolution – better than the Ukranian orange one and a colour currently much beloved by a large number of people in Blackpool).
The “alliance” should be a group of people of differing backgrounds and political viewpoints that can agree on a programme or manifesto that would benefit the town and the residents of Blackpool and which dealt squarely head-on with local Blackpool issues and problems without being compromised or deflected by national political posturing or personal greed.
Why do I think that this is the way forward? Well at election after election the voters of Blackpool have continually voted for either one of the three main political parties or perhaps fringe parties represented by the BNP or UKIP Hamish McNicotine. Why? Because they have never to my knowledge being given any other choice when it comes to voting in council elections. This why we are peddled the same tired old retreads time after time and the main parties’ councillors can sit in their closed shop and be pretty certain if they lose their seat to a rival they, or one of their collegues within their party, will try and win it back next time. This state of affairs also secures the positions of people like Steve Weaver and his gang of overpaid idiots who are never challenged by those who are supposed to represent the people of Blackpool.
The problem with voting for one of the 3 main parties is that although some of their candidates may have a different agenda to just enriching themselves they are always compromised in every case by their party’s national agenda.
With a like-minded alliance of locally concerned candidates with a debated and agreed manifesto for Blackpool without any other party-political or business agenda will give the encumbents a nasty shock and if elected will kick the timeservers like Weaver firmly in the arse and out the door of the Town Hall.
oops typo – that should read ‘incumbents’
Sounds like you need to take a look at the Integrity Party that are setting up in the Fylde,must agree we need something here where everyone can use common sense to vote on issues rather that follow the party line,but we need to correct these councillors when they put untruth statements out,we are addressing the Callows newsletter and we know that they look in on this website,so they are aware of our concerns,roll on May
I took a look at them during the last election and they fall short in this case because they are merely an umbrella organisation under which independent candidates can stand regardless of their personal agenda. In a general election scenario this is a good thing and helps candidates fund their bid for election as an MP whereas normally independents come up against the various party machines and cannot afford to take the main parties on in a meaningful way unless funded from a benefactor or the candidate happens to be rich in their own right.
In the case I am proposing this is not the case as in local elections candidates do not have to pay a deposit. I am certainly not proposing a loose affiliation of independent candidates with differing agendas, rather a group or ‘alliance’ of individuals who could agree on a political agenda regarding Blackpool and come together to form a new political movement within Blackpool to remove the stranglehold of the 3 main parties on local politics and to deal firmly with the issues affecting the residents of Blackpool.
This would be totally parochial and wouldn’t even be interested in what went on in Fleetwood or St Annes but if a “Tangerine Alliance” was successful and inspired people in Fleetwood to form a “Codhead Coalition” well then so be it and good luck to them.
If only 5-10 candidates could be elected as councillors out of a possible 42 then it would send a message to the complacent three party closed shop that their days of musical chairs in the council chambers were over although such an “Alliance” could expect to be vilified and smeared by all three main parties in an election as the last thing these people want is democracy by the people for the people,
TT,
I’m in.
Its time for a change, for far too long the Fylde has been in the hands of Empire Building politicians.
It has to start at a Local Authority Level also. if you want an interesting read, write to both Blackpool and ReBlackpool and request under the FOIA details of the amount that has been spent of consultants by the LA on regen projects alone.. Now compare that to teh mathematics of actually hiring an in-house esign team.. with is massively cheaper and doesnt line the pockets of manchester consultants. In addition the LA benefits from a set of long-term skills rather than being billed on an hourly rate for each consultation. It’ll create continuity, cohesion and it shoould be a fundemental objective of both the LA and ReBlackpool to reinvest economically within the Fylde rather than spunking money to outside bodies.
It has to change, one way or another, no one is happy the way thsi town is being run, or the country for that matter, so exactly what is it going to take for all of us to stanbd up and say enough is enough? Or have we all become too apathetic plugging into the idiot box each night and mumbling under our breath about how the town/country is in a mess.
Its time people, make the change happen or quit grumbling.
Great comment Tyler. What would be your first course of action to take?
Phil,
Thanks, well the first step is always the hardest, and I doubt I’m the man to suggest the starting point, but if any of you know of a man called Gene Sharp..
http://www.aeinstein.org/organizations103a.html there are some interesting ideas there to be looked at although many of them refer to dealing with tyranny. The role of a Local Authority is to serve its residents and run its municiaplity in the most efficient, eceonomic and beneficial way to its residents standard of living, so the question to be asked.. is the LA carrying out those duites or fulfilling its role? I think we know the answer which to me suggests that the top-tier is not fit for purpose. I must point out at this stage I am Apolitical, I only believe in results and getting things right with no political affiliation whatsoever.
One step would be removing all political influnce from both the planning and regeneration committees, instead the seats should be filled by professionals who are willing to sit these committess, why do we have politicians on a planning committee assessing development when they do not know how to read a plan or understand the fundamentals of Architecture or Urban Design, it a meeting of fools who only decide on planning decisions to hold onto their seats come the next election.. Its an element of power that breeds a hunger for further power.
An impartial committee consisting of relevant professionals makes sense to me, I feel there wouldbe no need for oversized salaries for these members, as the right people would do it for the right reasons, and like me, hopefully only be striving for the best outcome/decision.. I may have deviated a little but I’m sure where you see I am coming from, a wiping of the slate and the removal of elements that incluence outcomes only to perpetuate their own survival.
What would Weaver have to do if 5000 people (around 3% of Blackpools population) wrote to the LA requesting him to stand down? The power is in our hands, not only to point out mistakes, but also offer solutions and prevent further mistakes from being made.
Why arent we as a whole (as a 143,000 population) going to the LA telling them what we want and coming up with ideas for areas of Blackpool rather than waiting on the council earmarking these areas, undertaking AAP’s at great cost then never actually delivering.
Whilst it may seem idealist, and the reality being you would never get the whole of Blackpool behind you, but the theory is sound. I come from a Built Environment background so you will have to excuse my preference to focus on these areas but Blackpool and the Fylde as a whole need a re-thinking and re-imagining. We all have ideas, lets put them on paper and stick them to the walls of the council chambers, lets be our own consultants and do it for free, I’m sure they cant ignore that??
If you had 5,000 signatures demanding change you could get a referendum for an elected Mayor – thereby getting rid of the Council Leader and Chief Exec in one swoop!
I agree that it makes no sense to have councillors with no background in things such as planning making planning decisions, and that planning decisions are made based on pleasing the electorate just as much as whether it would be a good decision for the town.
But isn’t that precisely why councillors sit on these boards? Are they not there to represent the views of their ward residents rather than capitulate to something that may well make sense in business terms but could have a negative effect on the area that it falls in or maybe the residents just don’t want it? I’m thinking along the lines of the Tesco in Layton here: the locals don’t seem to want it, so should their councillors represent their views at planning meetings or jump for joy that a giant like Tesco wants to locate there?
If you did replace all councillors on all panels and boards with professionals, then there would be neither purpose for councillors nor any democracy. It’d be like having an autonomous army of Steve Weavers in control of everything. You wouldn’t be able to get rid of them and they would be open to outside influence from brown envelopes.
Agree with the ideas thing, though I know both the Callows and Fowlers read this site so you would have thought they would have at least picked up a few bits of something. I guess we do tend to waffle on and off topic too though!
I believe one step may well occur within the next fortnight as a local group are producing a leaflet to be distributed in some areas of the town. I believe it’s going to highlight some of the local issues that have been consistently ignored by the current lot and call for action on a grander scale. Rest assured I will have a copy when it comes out.
Jon,
Sounds like the beginnings of an idea, although who would be put forward for Mayor? and is it not just putting someone once again in a seat of influence that isnt necessary. Could be the start of something though. There are many things that need to change, not just the leadership in my opinion.
Agendas and operational procedures need looking at as do the numerous middle management policy and strategy teams that have been created to create policy that actually leaves no-one in a position to deliver, but it does allow the LA top tick a box and say we have a policy for delivering a management plan.
1 Transport and passes. Please clarify for a dumb old fart. Was not the levy on passes agreed by their/our transport expert on the numbers of people expected to use public transport? I.E. We expect 20% of the local population to use public transport on a regular basis and then another, say 1 million national pass holders to come and use local transport. From that calculation the Government would provide a fixed sum, again fixed for a three or five year period. On this basis surely the transport people made assessments and recommendations? If this is not correct, will one of the bright councillors please explain what system they used to calculate usage. Just like with domestic accounting, you always try to predict in such a way that you have surplus seats rather than the other way round. After all, you can’t offer a visitor an omelette if you don’t have any eggs!
2 Saying that, and I do understand that the majority do not use public transport, the No 7 bus route is now provide with small runner buses, are generally filled to overflowing in the Central region, whilst the 17 double-deckers run for a short journey over a similar route, empty.
3 As for Councillor standing down (Rita)… this will never happen. Apathy always wins; nowhere more so than in Blackpool. It would be great to show the established parties precisely what their collective worth is, and that is nothing. It would be great to read in the Ragette true and honest accounts of events, not some fantasy created by arsewipes who abuse the English language with homilies and metaphor that bears no resemblance to fact. And that without a right of redress! Hence no report of the failure of Blackpool magistrates to control or regulate their bailiffs especially in the immoral and illegal way they served an illegal warrant on former Blackpool pub landlord and footballer Andy Miller. An action which resulted in the premature death of Mr Miller.
Like everything else today, no-one is any the longer responsible for their own actions; it is always someone else’s fault. £5m wasted on Birley Street, the Promenade a mess with no sign of an end. Business on Lord Street Fleetwood ruined because of the time taken to relay the tramlines. Transport for the old and disabled a nightmare especially when the pram brigade marches (or don’t march in their cases). I challenge all of the councillor, council executive and staff to spend just one day taking an 18 stone disabled former soldier around the Fylde with his wheelchair and using the transport you oversee. You would not last til lunch, yet you provide answers to question you know absolutely nothing about.
Shame on you. But a greater shame on those who apologise for them, from the apologists for Gordon Marsden downwards.
[...] THE Autumn 2010 edition of their Norbreck Newsletter, Peter and Maxine Callow eulogised over a “Zero Tolerance Campaign” on lap dancing, [...]