BLACKPOOL COUNCIL STAFF - WHERE ARE YOU???

Over the past few weeks viewers of this blog will have noticed that I have been making various attempts to pay my council tax.

First of all I had to apply for a single person's living allowance. I have been making various calls to the council on this matter without being able to get through a single time. I have called in to the council offices in the Blackpool town centre to speak to somebody but on every occassion the queue has been in excess of 1 hour long.

Yesterday, I called in again to the council offices to be told by staff that this was their busiest period and that there was a considerable queue. To my astonishment out of 15 slots available there was only 3 people available to speak to - in their busiest time!!!

Yet again, this shows the lack of resources the council is prepared to afford the Blackpool council tax payer. Instead the council leaders would rather spend our money entertaining the holidaymakers and hob knobbing/lining the pockets of showbiz entertainers.

In a recent poll it was clear that Blackpool council is failing the local residents badly. Time for Julian Kearsley and his incompetent cronies to be relieved of their overpaid positions and replaced with more suitable members of staff.

Fury at plan to change Blackpool parking scheme

CHANGES could be made to Blackpool's residents-only parking schemes to allow visitors to leave their cars in the restricted zones for up to an hour.
Thousands of letters have been sent out as part of a consultation process lasting until October.

It would mean tradespeople could park for an hour while working at a property in a residents' parking zone. Some areas already have this option, but now all neighbourhoods involved in the scheme are being contacted for their views.

There have been protests after workers have been given parking fines while attending call-outs although trades people can apply for a special pass.

But the proposals have angered some people who say it is not fair for them to have to pay for a residents permit while other people could park for free for up to 60 minutes at a time.

People living in Burwood Drive, near to Blackpool Victoria Hospital, fear patients will clog up their road if free short- stay parking is introduced.

Park ward councillor Peter Collins said: "It is a congested road and there are genuine problems there with regard to parking. I am arranging to meet with some of the residents and will take the issues forward on their behalf."

Householders living in the Revoe area say it is unfair for residents to have to pay up to £20 annually – £10 for their own pass and £10 for a visitors pass if they want one – while others could park for free.

Ward councillor Doreen Holt said: "The feedback I'm getting is that why should residents have to pay to park while others get it for free. Plus they don't think there are enough traffic wardens to monitor it properly, so the residents-only scheme would be abused.

"But the problem is that if you do have a birthday or family gathering, and you have family who all have cars, you only have one visitors' pass. My advice to people is that they should make sure they respond to this survey with their views."

Coun Ian Fowler, deputy leader of Blackpool Council and cabinet member with responsibility for parking, said everyone's views would be taken into account.

He said: "The council is very keen to ask people what would be best for them and this latest letter is an indication of that process taking place in respect of residential parking. If there is support for this proposal then we will take people's views into account when considering future changes to residents' parking zones."

There are currently 23 residents-only parking schemes in Blackpool covering the following areas: Austin Grove, Bryan Road, Bennett Avenue/Montreal Avenue, Blenheim Avenue, Burwood Drive, Crestway, Eaves Street, Exchange Street, Fleet Street/Westwell Grove, Garden Terrace, George Street, Granville Road, Grenfell Avenue, Ibbison Court/Kent Road, Lakeway, Lytham Road/Central Drive, Morston Avenue/Alston Road, Palatine Road, Raikes Parade/Leamington Road, Ripon Road, Riversway, Seafield Road, and Watson Road.

'Whim' costs taxpayer 46,000 pounds

BLACKPOOL Council faces a £46,000 bill to meet the cost of opposing a bid to give Bispham gala field town green status, it has been revealed.

Following a hearing in April, it was decided there was not enough evidence to prove the land had been used continuously for sport and leisure for at least 20 years.

That meant the application by the Ley Farm Friends failed.

The council had objected because it feared the move would interfere with its management of organised events on the land such as the annual gala.

But it has emerged that opposing the bid has cost the taxpayer £46,000.

Now the ward councillor and portfolio holder for tourism and regeneration, Coun Maxine Callow, has hit out at the campaigners – claiming their application has been a waste of time and money.

She said: "A whim of one woman and 10 other people has cost Blackpool Council £46,000.

"I'm not against people doing this, but you should have to collect a lot of signatures before an application can go ahead.

"That £46,000 could have been better spent on filling in pot holes, or on care homes, or on vulnerable people or it could have paid for a teacher for two years.

"There was a vote last year at full council that said this area must be kept green and it's in the town plan so there was no need to make this application."

But Beverley Moy (pictured), of the Leys Farm Friends, said 60 people, not just 10, had signed the application.

If it had succeeded it could have prevented supermarket chain Asda from going ahead with a building project on a strip of land adjacent to Warren Drive.

She said: "There were 60 people who filled in a witness statement and that surely is what democracy is about.

"The amount of open space we have in Blackpool is very limited.

"There is only one town in Britain with less open space, which is Plymouth.

"So of course it is worth fighting for these areas of Blackpool."

Mrs Moy added that she was not intending to make any further applications for town green status.

Blackpool Council's legal department has confirmed the cost of defending the application had so far cost £45,000 with another £1,000 expected to be spent on finalising the matter.

The Blackpool Town Hall hearing was held in front of Rhodri Price Lewis, QC, but Blackpool Council had to call on Stockport Council to ratify his recommendations.

Blackpool Council worker charged over alleged fraud

A Blackpool Council worker has been charged over allegations she stole more than £600,000 from the council.

Cathryn Wiles, 45, faces 25 allegations of theft relating to benefit payments totalling £617,000.

The move follows an investigation into “ghost” payments that were made to foster families who, it is claimed, did not exist.

Wiles, of North Drive, Cleveleys, is currently on bail after being charged by Blackpool police.

Wiles is due in court on Friday.

BLACKPOOL COUNCIL - Row over new Blackpool Primary Care Trust chairman

From the Blackpool Citizen

Leading Blackpool politicians have criticised the appointment of ex-Blackpool Council leader Roy Fisher to a top health position.

News that Mr Fisher (pictured) had been given the £33,000 role as chairman of Blackpool Primary Care Trust (PCT), came the day after he was defeated in the Park Ward by- election.

The controlling Conservative group has branded the appointment as ‘politically motivated’ and that an active local politician was unsuitable for the role.

Council leader Peter Callow, said: “The Conservative group were very surprised to hear that an active politician who only last week stood for the council has been given this important role at the trust.

"We've got some very high profile projects involving the PCT and the council ongoing, such as the new complex at Moor Park.

“Mr Fisher will now be involved in confidential talks with the council and he can just report straight back to his Labour colleagues.

“I just don’t think the role is suitable for someone active in local politics.”

Mr Fisher, said politics had nothing to do with his appointment.

He said: “I understand the issues in Blackpool with regard to the health inequalities and would like to see this town moving forward to improve these.

“I hope the people of Blackpool will recognise this from my previous role at the council.

“It's really important the council and the PCT share boundaries so that both agencies can work together.”

PCT bosses said Mr Fisher's appointment was made by the national NHS Appointments Commission and he was eminently qualified.

The trust’s chief executive, Wendy Swift, said: "Roy brings a wealth of knowledge and experience about Blackpool to the post and joins us in exciting times as we continue with our plans for three new primary care centres.”

BLACKPOOL COUNCIL IN POLL SHAME - SHOULD KEARSLEY GO?

A recent poll asked Blackpool voters whether they felt the council offer good value for money.

The response was clear, a massive 88% felt that under the current management Blackpool council do not offer good value for money. Is it now time for under pressure Julian Kearsley to step down?

Fury as veterans boycott Blackpool event

A LEADING veterans' group is to boycott Blackpool's biggest summer event after branding it a 'PR exercise'.

Members of the National Service Veterans Association have accused 'thoughtless' organisers of the National Veterans Week celebration of putting marketing before the needs of war heroes.

They say poor parking and transport links to the hub of the celebrations, at North Pier, will make it impossible for members – most of them in their 70s and 80s – to run a marquee promoting the association's activities or participate in events.

John Black, secretary of the National Service Veterans Association by Blackpool's North Pier

The secretary of the association's Blackpool branch, John Black, said: "Blackpool won the right to stage this event on the premise that it would pay tribute to veterans. But we feel we have been excluded from the activities due to the uncaring attitude of promoters."

Mr Black said the association, which has 60 active members locally who have served in conflicts such as in Korea and Malaya, would take part in the parades and ceremony at the cenotaph – but not the other events.

He added: "It's supposed to be for the veterans but it's purely commercial. The event organisers have failed to grasp the true purpose and treated it as a purely marketing exercise. We feel we deserve to be treated with far more respect."

Members say the main North Pier location for the events, which will take place over nine days from Saturday June 21, is unsuitable.

Mr Black added: "Some members are in frail health and have had hip and knee replacements. The location is a very bad choice. It's thoughtless and inconsiderate.

"We normally have a marquee to show equipment we used like bayonets and field packs. We can't carry all that heavy equipment."

But Major Jim Houlds-worth, chairman of Fylde Ex-Service Liaison Committee, which is organising Veterans Week alongside Blackpool Council, said all 28 local ex-service associations have been invited to attend liaison committee meetings.

He said: "We have covered all options. I can't understand why they feel like this. Their rep hasn't turned up to meetings but they have been sent minutes."

He said transport has been arranged to ferry equipment to North Pier and tables and chairs will also be set out for veterans.

More than 2,000 veterans are expected to flock to Blackpool to take part in events ranging from a spectacular aerial Grand Prix to a ceremony at the newly-restored cenotaph.

Other veteran associations say they will also face difficulties.

Jacqui Longden, home manager of Blackpool's British Limbless Ex-Service Men's Association (BLESMA), said: "We are limited to what we can do.

"I agree with other associations who say it's going to be difficult parking, getting down to the pier and having to pay car parking fees."

Gerald Rose, chairman of the National Service Veterans Association, said: "Birmingham looks after its veterans. There was free parking, free buffet and drinks and tea dances. "Blackpool is the flagship this year. It's up to the council to look after them. Without their veterans, where would they be?"