asperity Posted September 3, 2012 Report Share Posted September 3, 2012 It's just more evidence that the political class, of all persuasions, have no interest at all in the people of the country, only in their own self interest and the power, money and influence they can gain. It's no wonder they call it the Palace of Wastemonster. :evil: It has reached the position now that politicians believe that they can take whatever they want off the population by way of tax and spend/waste it how they please. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grey_man Posted September 4, 2012 Report Share Posted September 4, 2012 Which amounts to the short term interests of their Party trumping the long term interests of the nation - myopic. My opinion is that it goes way beyond them making a quick few quid for their party. I think they are using the recession as an opportunity to hand control of our land to private companies and to dismantle social structures. The ultimate aim is to shift the burden of taxation onto the middle class and lower paid and deny them democratic representation even while 'consulting' them on issues relating to their own assets (before telling them to take a running jump.) This is the pattern that has emerged locally already and it will only get worse. I read this the other day. Bear in mind it's from an American Conservative magazine. It struck a chord with me. http://www.theamericanconservative.com/articles/revolt-of-the-rich/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted September 6, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 6, 2012 Not sure George and Dave are bright enough for that conspiracy theory Greyman, but no doubt whoever's pulling their strings may be! Their latest lurch into the dark, is to scrap building controls; so folk can upset their neighbours with huge over-sized extensions, scrap any requirements for "affordable units" on new developments, and ease mortgage aquisition. Isn't easy mortgages what got us into this mess in the first place? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grey_man Posted September 7, 2012 Report Share Posted September 7, 2012 I think that's obviously a shift in policy that has been decided by their corporate donors in construction firms. The country needs housing but it doesn't need a free for all. And I don't think it's a conspiracy theory. I think the recession has just given the Tories the chance to do a lot of the things they've always wanted to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted September 7, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 7, 2012 Think your probably right, but it doesn't say much for Liberal influence within the coalition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grey_man Posted September 7, 2012 Report Share Posted September 7, 2012 Nope. And I'd like to think the Labour party were significantly better too. But they aren't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Parish Posted September 7, 2012 Report Share Posted September 7, 2012 Er - better at what? It's not the Labour party relaxing all the planning rules. People on this forum seem particularly keen to criticise councillors for not opposing development (Peel Hall, Bewsey Old Hall etc) - but often when the committee turns things down, the developer wins on appeal. Now Eric Pickles is saying that the Council may face costs if there are not good reasons for refusal, and threatening councils that turn down too many applications that he'll bypass the Council committee (so much for localism). Not that the LibDems or Tories in Warrington are keen on the changes, but they're not Labour changes. Pickles: "We propose to legislate to allow applications to be decided by the Planning Inspectorate, if the local authority has a track record of consistently poor performance in the speed or quality of its decisions. Planning is a quasi-judicial process: justice delayed is justice denied. It is unfair to all parties for local planning authorities simply to fail to make timely decisions on a planning application - creating uncertainty both for applicants and local residents. "In support of this we will also require more transparent reporting of council performance on planning, and will be working with the Local Government Association to increase the use of Planning Performance Agreements for major schemes - which commit both applicants and planning authorities to a clear timetable for determining proposals. In addition, we intend to give Planning Inspectors more power to initiate an award of costs in planning appeal proceedings, where it is clear that an application has not been handled as it should have been with due process." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grey_man Posted September 8, 2012 Report Share Posted September 8, 2012 Steve. Your party is not significantly better than the Tories at representing the interest of voters over the interests of commercial organisations. That strikes me as being self-evident, as does the fact that this relaxation of the planning rules is less to do with boosting the economy than it is serving the interests of the construction firms and property developers. The reason your party is not markedly better than the Tories is because it too receives donations from developers in exchange for cosy breakfasts with Ed Milliband. Now why would property developers fund political parties and hold private meeting with their leaders? For the hell of it? The issue you raise about local planners is a different one. There are serious issues with Warrington's planning department that all parties have failed to address. That includes the Peel Hall development as you mention, but we all know the history of that department on numerous issues and the names of the people involved. This isn't an issue of the usual run of the mill appeals process as you seem to suggest but something rather more serious. And you cannot blame people for being suspicious and cynical when you simply have not dealt with it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazj Posted September 8, 2012 Report Share Posted September 8, 2012 Steve.... better to pay lawyers to fight the developers on appeals than to pay the likes of Broomhead and the Terris woman hundreds of thousands of pounds to occupy a chief executives post; that lots of councils have now decided they don't need anyway. Warringtons top level council pay is astronomical and would be better spent on serving the people who pay for it in their council taxes with free school buses and free buses for pensioners than giving it to a select band of officers and councillors 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Parish Posted September 9, 2012 Report Share Posted September 9, 2012 Steve. Your party is not significantly better than the Tories at representing the interest of voters over the interests of commercial organisations. That strikes me as being self-evident, as does the fact that this relaxation of the planning rules is less to do with boosting the economy than it is serving the interests of the construction firms and property developers. The reason your party is not markedly better than the Tories is because it too receives donations from developers in exchange for cosy breakfasts with Ed Milliband. Now why would property developers fund political parties and hold private meeting with their leaders? For the hell of it? No idea what you've been reading - http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/9176649/Ed-Miliband-reveals-list-of-dinners-with-donors.html ? Contrast with Tories getting millions from developers: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/hands-off-our-land/8754027/Conservatives-given-millions-by-property-developers.html The issue you raise about local planners is a different one. There are serious issues with Warrington's planning department that all parties have failed to address. That includes the Peel Hall development as you mention, but we all know the history of that department on numerous issues and the names of the people involved. This isn't an issue of the usual run of the mill appeals process as you seem to suggest but something rather more serious. And you cannot blame people for being suspicious and cynical when you simply have not dealt with it. Not sure what "it" is, and even less sure what it's got to do with the impending changes in planning policy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cleopatra Posted September 10, 2012 Report Share Posted September 10, 2012 mmmmm... Remember God is watching you Ste. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grey_man Posted September 10, 2012 Report Share Posted September 10, 2012 Steve We all know what 'it' is. Unless you haven't read about the most serious thing that the planning department did, who was responsible and who covered up for it. Council employees acted illegally then lied to councillors to cover up for it. The important thing is that one of the people involved is still employed in a senior position in the department for some reason. And we're supposed to trust him? Do you? And of course it's got nothing to do with the change in policy at Government level. That is why I said in my original post that they were two separate issues. You were the one trying to conflate them. Not me. Thanks for the link. Good to see Ed Milliband admitting to having no fewer than five meetings with millionaire property developer and donor of £120,000 to the party Andrew Rosenfeld amongst other people. And meanwhile, here's a link for you http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/labour/5290558/David-Abrahams-donations-no-charges-in-Labour-donor-row-CPS-says.html You may be better than the Tories. But only by degrees. Your party is still corrupted by the system of donations, influence and lobbying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted September 10, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 10, 2012 In theory, he who pays the piper - calls the tune. However, it doesn't seem to be working for the Unions! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazj Posted September 10, 2012 Report Share Posted September 10, 2012 Politics is a corrupt business.... corrupt down to the absolute grass roots with who gets selected who gets ignored and who gets the cushy & well paid jobs on the council comittees..... the cushy, all expenses paid trips and of course the IPads... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted September 11, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 11, 2012 It's about power and control Baz - and as we can see locally - SHE's at it again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted September 11, 2012 Report Share Posted September 11, 2012 No I'm not Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted September 14, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 14, 2012 Obviously Insider missed that one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted September 14, 2012 Report Share Posted September 14, 2012 As did many Obs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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