Don't mention the Waste Plant!

South Ribble's Tory Cabinet will this week announce big changes to the way recyclable waste will be collected from next summer. Claiming that the changes are as a result of listening to residents Cllr Molyneux, South Ribble Councils Cabinet member for Environmental Issues, failed to mention that these 'significant improvements' are only possible because of the development of the Farington Waste Plant. A development he and fellow Tories were so opposed to that they offered £40,000 of taxpayers money to support a judicial review of the County Council's decision to build it.

Supporting Local Residents

Councillor Caleb Tomlinson and Cheryl Ledward Lee from our Leyland Central team have been out and about talking to residents concerned about proposed development on Bretherton Terrace in the town. After spending Saturday morning knocking on doors in the area, Caleb and Cheryl were able to arrange for over 30 letters of objection to be handed in at the Civic Centre. Caleb was also able to boost publicity for the locals campaign by arranging for some coverage in the Leyland Guardian.

Labour vote UP, Tory vote DOWN.

As results were announced for the recent by-election in Leyland St Mary's ward, Labour candidate Peter Holker reflected on a 'job well done'. Although the seat is a traditional Tory stronghold, Labour saw a small increase on the vote in 2007 and the Tory vote was down. Peter said "There is no doubt that the longer this Tory administration is in power, the less popular they become. I am grateful to all those people who took the trouble to go out and Vote Labour." The Lib Dems failed to even field a candidate.

Council is told to start “writing off” money invested in Iceland

The effects of having £5million invested in Icelandic banks are about to start hitting the finances of the Borough Council. Up until now, Government advice has been for Councils to assume they would get the money back at some stage. However, that advice has now changed and the Council has been told to start writing the money off in order to balance the books. Labour Councillors have been asking for months for the Tory Cabinet member to share his ideas for how this will affect Council Tax payers. As yet, we have received no answer.

New Councillor hits the ground running

New Labour Councillor Caleb Tomlinson has been showing the residents of Leyland Central how a really active Councillor can make a difference.

“ Since I was elected on June 4th, I have attended Two meetings of the Full Council and I asked questions of the Tory leadership at both meetings. I have also attended two Leyland East Area Committees, three Pact (Police and Communities Together) meetings, two Scrutiny meetings, one licensing committee and one meeting of the Leyland Working Group.” In fact, by our reckoning, Caleb has already attended more meetings in three months, than former Tory councillor Ray Woodburn (“Leyland’s Worst Ever Councillor”) attended in the last two years.

Council ‘loses’ £100k of taxpayers money

South Ribble Borough Councils planning committee seems to be making decisions that contravene planning law. The Planning Inspector has accused the Council of “acting unreasonably” as it turned down a series of planning applications for new housing in the borough. Of six applications which were originally rejected by the Planning Committee, the Planning Inspector found, after an appeal, that FIVE of them should in fact have been granted. Furthermore the Council was ordered to pay, not only for its own legal fees, but also for the costs of the applicants. The total cost of all this to the taxpayer of South Ribble? Around £100,000!!! Which seems a bit rich when we cant afford to support the Women’s Refuge to the tune of £9,000.