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|
 | Thursday, 1 March 2012 |
| Tweet the meeting |
| by Tav |
I was actually jumping out of my armchair in joy when I discovered that Ian Miller, Chief Executive of Wyre Forest District Council was tweeting real-time during the Budget Meeting (Full Council meeting) yesterday. What a fantastic way for a council to be transparent! Perhaps, this was initiated from my stint at Co-Optee and Panel Chairman _ or perhaps not. Interesting is after the meeting various councillors and local political parties tweeted (and blogged) on the meeting adding their own spin.
In case you missed it, not into Twitter, or 'the tweets go missing':
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Back on Twitter after a gap and providing a feed from tonight's meeting of Wyre Forest District Council.
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Council meeting starts in 5 minutes - it will be David Buckland's last: we will miss him!
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And we're off, after prayers - thanks to the Government for bringing the general power of competence into force.
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Minutes of previous meeting approved with one minor amendment. Now we're hearing from two public speakers.
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First speaker is Mr Clay who is against Ribbesford being included in the parish of Rock
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Now Cllr. Arbuthnott, Chairman of Stone Parish Council, is calling for the polling station in Stone to be reinstated
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Three questions from Cllr. Jamie Shaw, Leader of the Labour group, being answered by Cabinet Members
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Chairman thanks those who attended his charity dinner last Friday. Cllr. Jeff Baker is stepping down at the election in May
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Chairman has just given David Buckland a present and card on behalf of the Council. Group leaders now paying tributes to him
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Also tributes to Honorary Alderman Elizabeth Mills MBE who turned 100 last Saturday
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Chairman has declared interest in review of governance for Ribbesford – Cllr. Ken Prosser in the Chair
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Councillors now debating whether to move to second stage of consultation on including Ribbesford in Rock parish
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Variety of views being expressed, for or against more consultation - & some for or against having Ribbesford and Rock together
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Motion to move to second stage of consultation approved by majority - Please watch out for details on how to take part!
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Now debating changes to polling places – Cllr. Oborski just moving motion to reinstate polling station at Stone
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Amendment about Stone lost. Cllr. Shaw moving motion for report on turnout in Mitton & Lickhill after the proposed changes
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Cllr. Desmond has accepted Cllr. Shaw's amendment. With that change, the proposals have now been approved by a clear majority
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Now dealing with three recommendations from Cabinet. First, on adoption of pay policy statement, has been approved
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The other two Cabinet recommendations approved - now taking a break before we come to the budget debate
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Business resumed. Cllr. Campion moving the motion to approve the budget, will be seconded by Cllr. Desmond
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Cllr. Campion speaking about how the £1m investment in economic regeneration might be used - take part in the debate [use hash tag] #wfsota
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Cllr. Campion - zero increase in council tax for 2012-13 but "will have different conversation" next year if Government offers grant again
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Cllr. Desmond seconding the motion - "local government experiencing a period of significant change...councils have to adapt"
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Cllr. Desmond "we have a duty and role to play in stimulating the local economy"
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Cllr. Desmond - taking part in the local authority mortgage scheme will help 30 to 40 first time buyers
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Cllr. Shaw moving the Labour group's amendments to the budget - jokes about how it's printed on blue paper!
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Cllr. Shaw making the point that reserves in 2014 would be almost the same as under the Conservative's proposals
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Labour proposals involve more new houses being built. Motion being seconded by Cllr. Martin, welcoming investment in economy
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Cllr. Martin - more investment for marketing to support tourism - links are with industrial heritage in Ironbridge and Dudley
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Cllr. Martin - extra 1% increase in council tax in 2013 would be same cost as price of packet of cornflakes
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Cllr. Oborski cautions against committing to 3.5% increase in council tax in 2013 - might trigger referendum under DCLG rules
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Cllr. Kelly speaking - need empty homes officer. Over 5000 on waiting list, over 500 empty homes in Wyre Forest
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Cllr. Higgs calls for allowances to be cut - another item later on the agenda when the council will set them for 2012-13
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Cllr. Campion - opposes the amendment from Labour but says there is need for major scrutiny of housing during 2012.
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Cllr. Nicholls - cut allowances to provide the community fund. Cllr. Shaw now summing up before the vote on the amendment
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Labour amendment defeated by large majority - now we return to the substantive motion from the Conservative administration
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Cllr. Oborski: Liberals & Independents will back budget. Unanimous call for incubator units in state of area workshops #wfsota
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Cllr. Ballinger - Independent Community Health Concern will abstain because they don't support all the proposals
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Cllr. Martin - can't support the Conservative budget because of how capital reserves have been used over last several years
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Cllr. Campion now summing up - should be a vote in a few moments
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Budget approved by majority - Labour group voted against. Zero percent change in council tax agreed
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Debate now starting on Independent Remuneration Panel's report - it's clear there is not going to be unanimity 
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Cllr. Campion raises concerns about the panel's report - they haven't done work they said they would do in last report
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Cllr. Nicholls speaking in favour of the IRP's recommendations but accepts that all councillors are taking present allowances
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Cllr. Shaw - council should follow the IRP's recommendations in same was as football players respect the referee's rulings
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Cllr. Martin argues for accepting the recommendations - he will increase his support for local causes from £1k to £1.7k
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Cllr. Thomas makes point that councillors don't have to take their allowances in full. Cllr. Marcus Hart agrees with him
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Cllr. Oborski in a quandary - her group might vote in different ways. Suggests there should be separate panel for Wyre Forest
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Cllr. Helen Dyke says that some other councillors also give money from their allowances to local causes
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The council voted by a clear majority to stick to its current scheme of allowances. That's the end of the meeting! Goodnight
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...and the councillors/parties take on it (spin) follows...
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A Wyre Forest Budget Meeting. Disgraceful attack on Helen and Pete Dyke by Adrian Sewell. ICHC [are] pathetic. Abstained on budget & spoke nonsense
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Please tell me your group didn't vote the Tories on Cllr allowances...
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We don't have a Whip. I voted with Labour though I believe we should not be in this shared IRP.
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Wyre Forest budget meeting – Three and half hours of pointless knockabout with foregone conclusion on Tory proposals - wouldn't have missed it....!
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Tories ignore Remuneration Panel recommendations on Cllrs Allowances - Still Tory Snouts in Troughs in Wyre Forest. http://wp.me/p3OcB-S0
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Will [Wyre Forest] Labour not take their £700? They have the last 12 months! Say one thing, do another! #labourdoublestandards
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Long #wyreforestdc council meeting tonight. Budget passed freezing council tax and investing £1m in supporting the local economy
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Wyre Forest Labour voting tonight against maintaining councillor allowances, yet still taking the £700. Say one thing, do another.
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@IanM65 seems to have burst onto twitter tonight!
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Interesting but long council meeting. Only 9 female Councillors out of 42 in total on WFDC, come on ladies let's make it more balanced!
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... and only one husband and wife team the father son combo was missed out too!
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I have earned my right to be treated as an individual Councillor on WFDC not just as someone's wife or as part of a couple
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Too right! And you made that point in a very forceful and eloquent way! Cllr. Sewell is a disgrace to his electorate!
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Cllr. Campion voted against cutting allowances. He got £38,392.40 from District/County Councils + Fire Authority last year #wfLab
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ICHC's lack of input, opinion and engagement in Council tonight makes them a total irrelevance in WF politics. "Withering on the vine."
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..umm, let's see how the Shuttle report it (eventually)...
Tomaney, William (2012); 'Wyre Forest District Council approves 2012/13 budget'; The Shuttle, 1 March 2012 9:49am'
' Tomaney, William (2012); 'Wyre Forest councillors keep higher allowances; The Shuttle, 1 March 2012 11:14am'
Councillor of the Council
The award is not going to a councillor but to the Chief Executive, Ian Miller, for tweeting the meeting so I can be informed (or feel involved) in a meeting that could held be 1 mile away or 10,000 miles away.
Sources:
Ian Miller @IanM65
Tomaney, William (2012); 'Wyre Forest District Council approves 2012/13 budget'; The Shuttle, 1 March 2012 9:49am
Tomaney, William (2012); 'Wyre Forest councillors keep higher allowances; The Shuttle, 1 March 2012 11:14am
Campaigns: Meetings
| Twitter
Comments:
Tav, not sure I share your enthusiasm for paid officers, or anyone else in a position of responsibility - councillors included, to be tweeting during meetings when they should be paying attention to what is going on.
I think it devalues things personally.
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Me too when it is that prolific! Plus the clear majority result in one post _ no shit Sherlock, it always is. I don't trust Mr. Miller, he is supposed to be overseeing the officers and making sure democracy is sound is he not? Fail then.
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Hold, on Neil, I haven't finished! _ Yes really!
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Oops sorry Sir.
The Shuttle at least has a varied amount of comment for a change. They must have bothered to go. Glad to have provided the link, you must have been awful busy with this one.
Hypocrite Campion has repeatedly said one thing and then done another. Such as consultation, or rather lack of it. I see he got his little dig in twice, "We will listen to the people". 'My Arse', as would Mr. Royale would say _ yes of course you'll listen and then do just what had been planned all along.
Point of order Cllr Thomas. Er, do you take or leave the extra allowance? Plus, if you set a limit it will be attained, as can be seen from the parliamentary and local expenses debacle's. i.e. I applaud Fran for her using her own equipment. Claiming a laptop from one authority and an iPad from another is proof of a culture of, if it's there and you can, then why not have it.
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...not forgetting his free car park pass!
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Recent Comments:
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It's all kicking off in Blighty Tav. The government have caused a petrol strike without a strike actually taking place, so all the petrol in Wyre Forest has run dry. The Upper Class village of Broadway is getting a £200,000 grant for an Ashmolean Museum...
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I'll be attending, just out of curiosity though how much advertising was done outside the immediate local? This still doesn't feature on the WFDC events page nor the Shuttle's.
What we want is people from Brum or Dudley to look at the great...
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What sounds great? The event or the fact that Tav has over 10,000 miles between him and Stourport?
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Wow, wow, wow, this is fantastic!
I wish I could attend but there are 10,300 miles in the way! (16,500Km actually _ they use kilometres down here!)
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Back in November the 'Agenda was discussing a street market for Stourport. I know the 'Stourport Market' blog has been quiet since November - but I wondered if I could make a quick plug for something which is commented on in...
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Yeah Barry, see you on the veranda, get me a stubbie' of VB ready.
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So it's this week you leave Tav?
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Hope you have good life down under.
I am sponsoring bunny with longest ears!
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I'm not a student... far from it. I'm stealth...
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You, me, us, we are one
