Election Briefs

Captain Qahn's picture

"The session on Tuesday 19 February at 1.00pm at the Town Hall, St Nicholas Street, Scarborough, will include discussions about the role of a councillor, the responsibilities of the council and how it operates, as well as the skills required for the role.  There will also be a chance to quiz current councillors to find out what it is really like to be an elected member of the council.

The aim of the session is to inform those who might be interested in standing for election but are unsure about what is involved.

This year’s elections for Scarborough Borough Council and the 39 parish and town councils in the area will be held on Thursday 2 May.

Jim Dillon, Chief Executive and Returning Officer said:

"Being a councillor is a very rewarding role. We are hoping to attract a wide variety of people into the role to ensure the views and concerns of voters throughout the borough are taken into account. Anyone who is interested in becoming a councillor and helping others should attend the session so that they can see the type of work they would undertake and the benefits that can bring to communities."

The briefing session will also see the launch of a free booklet that gives details about the role of a councillor and what people need to do to stand for election. The booklet, called ‘A Councillor? Who, me?’ will also be available to download online at scarborough.gov.uk/elections

Anyone wanting more information or to book a place on the training session should email electors@scarborough.gov.uk or telephone 01723 232309."

 

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6 Comments

Captain Black's picture

The Euronauts

"My summer holiday of choice involves no passport, minimal cultural outings and as much time as possible spent immersed in 15C water. When I tell people that I am spending my break swimming in the North Sea off Yorkshire, reactions tend to run from “you’re brave” to “why would you do that?”. Which I imagine is similar to the comments I’d get if I announced I was taking a week to visit prisoners with whole-life orders. But I maintain that true pleasure requires not much more than an RNLI-supervised beach, a tide table and a novel to read between dips..."

https://www.yorkshirecoastradio.com/news/local-news/2935366/new-chief-ex...

Oh.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-49381622

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/aug/17/i-do-like-to-be-be...

Captain Black's picture

Defra Noted

"Defra’s current partnership funding policy only encourages financial contributions towards flood defence schemes from all beneficiaries, including utility companies, meaning councils which are facing mounting funding pressures are having to foot the bill.

Since 2015 £204 million has been invested in flood and coastal resilience schemes by local authorities and £119 million from local authority local levy funding that has been allocated to specific schemes. Over the same period the private sector has contributed £31 million, but only about £2 million of that is from utility companies.

The North Yorkshire inquiry was triggered by a notice of motion by councillor Derek Bastiman, who said there was growing political support for fresh legislation.

He said when he was leader of Scarborough Borough Council he had seen how the funding “imbalance can cause significant funding shortfalls for major schemes, very often delaying vital work indefinitely and greatly increasing the risk of failure or breach”.

Coun Bastiman said the situation was placing an additional strain on local government resources in coastal communities and others prone to flooding.

He said: “A recent example is the scheme to undertake major infrastructure repair and strengthening works to Whitby piers, as part of the Whitby Coastal Strategy, to ensure the town is protected for the next 100 years from the North Sea.

“A benefits appraisal carried out by independent consultants Royal Haskoning identified 4,242 metres of Yorkshire Water assets, 3,490 metres of British Telecom assets, 2,548 metres of Transco assets and 1,643 metres of Northern Electric assets at risk.

“Much of the above will benefit hugely from the Whitby piers project and yet because we have no powers to compel beneficiaries to contribute, no contributions have been forthcoming and this has led to a dependency on other funding sources, such as the Environment Agency and Defra, who are not direct beneficiaries, to grant the funding required.”

A Defra spokesman said the challenges being experienced in getting utility firms to contribute to schemes had been noted."

https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/latest-news/inquiry-over-whether-ut...

It should be noted it was the only sensible thing Steve Siddons ever said.

"Councillor Siddons added his concern that in the event of unforeseen problems arising from this ambitious scheme that the Council, not the contractor, would have to bear the costs.  He felt this placed an unreasonable burden on the local authority which would not have occurred prior to 2010 when such schemes were fully funded by the Government, and asked if there had been any discussions with central Government about reducing what he regarded as an unacceptable level of risk.  In reply, Councillor Cockerill referred to the extensive ground investigations which had been undertaken prior to works commencing, to help minimise the risk of unforeseen events, and that external consultants had recommended a £2m contingency to cover this kind of scenario.  He undertook to obtain a response to Councillor Siddons’ enquiry about discussions with central Government."

https://democracy.scarborough.gov.uk/mgAi.aspx?ID=39918

Mebbe it was his Rottweiler, Tony...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTjs5eo4BfI

Arthur bear liked it anyhoos ;-)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_P1jifW37FM

I have some flowers to arrange :-))

Gertrude.

Captain Qahn's picture

Flower Arranging

http://www.leseuronautes.eu/immobilien-sylt-beliebte-deutsche-inseln/

"Now, careful not to sound like a snob.In Scarborough terms Pizza Express is quite sophisticated. It's a definite step up."

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/aug/17/i-do-like-to-be-be...

Oh Dear ...

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/aug/16/germany-will-urge-eu-al...

Ohm ...

https://newsthump.com/2019/08/14/dominic-cummings-has-gone-too-far-insis...

"Latin terms in German can never be compared with the number of Latin terms in English."

German is not a romance language... ;-))

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NcxvQI88JRY

Bob's not going then.

Ohm Ohm Ohm

https://www.robertgoodwill.co.uk/events

Norse, Oh Norse ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2Ov5jzm3j8

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-oxfordshire-49375917

Thou must not stereo type ...

Bob can speak five languages.

Captain Qahn's picture

Rust n Dust

"Picture a post-apocalyptic world, in which unhinged biker gangs wearing bondage gear fight to the death over cans of fuel. In beat-up, supercharged cars, they chase a lone traveller across the wasteland of the Australian Outback, weaving through burning vehicles and performing some of the most gripping stunts in cinematic history..."

Accept your duty:

"... the PM attacked Mr Corbyn, claiming he was "the first leader of the opposition in the democratic history of our country to refuse the invitation to an election" and "urged colleagues to reflect on the unsustainability of this position overnight and in the course of the next few days."

Earlier, the Labour leader said Mr Johnson's offer of an election was "a bit like an offer of an apple to Snow White from the Wicked Queen... offering the poison of a no deal".

"Amid such turbulence, it is hardly surprising that investors have turned to fags, booze and drugs – of the pharmaceutical variety."

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2019/sep/03/european-satellite-in-ne...

“I was so taken by what I’d seen I couldn’t really think straight.”

The Rational Optimist?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gcm-tOGiva0

https://www.democraticmedia.org/

https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/what-s-on/the-bradford-man-who-moved-to-...

How Ironic ;-0

"The longer they don't deal with it, the worse the problem gets," he added."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULw1RHHPv5g

"The federal government has increased scrutiny of big tech companies in the last two years, especially questioning how the tech giants collect and use personal information from their billions of customers. Many of the huge Silicon Valley companies are also under antitrust investigations aimed at determining whether the companies have unlawfully stifled competition."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPwpOTWKjjA

Zzzzz ....

bail-outs, recapitalisations and haircuts

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/epic/ftse100/8985164/FT...

Captain Qahn's picture

“low level conversations”

"“It needs to be cohesive targeted system rather than the piecemeal stuff at the moment, that is statutory so it becomes funded properly.That’s what county councillors should be saying and the leader going to national government, saying sort this mess out because you have screwed it up.”

https://www.yorkshirecoastradio.com/news/local-news/2948069/government-m...

Big Ears.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OKvobPKN3Q

Every Cloud has one ...

 

Captain Black's picture

Needles in a Haystack

https://www.yorkshirecoastradio.com/news/local-news/2953681/borough-coun...

"The Mayor of the council, Cllr Hazel Lynskey, said that Cllr Chatt would be given an answer to his questions by chief executive Michael Greene, who started his job in August following a selection process which started in February.

The Mayor also told the councillors it was not a matter to be discussed during the meeting.

Following the meeting, Cllr Chatt confirmed to the Local Democracy Reporting Service that the council had referred itself to the ICO last month."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKzghr7Aw_U

lol

https://www.yorkshirecoastradio.com/news/local-news/2953652/new-council-...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NV6Rdv1a3I