Tag Archives: Rotherham Council

Anston Parish Council to Face Scrutiny?

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Tomorrow’s Anston Parish Council Meeting looks to have lots of interesting items on the agenda.

At a previous meeting (where a certain pensioner came to loggerheads with the chairman Mr Beck) independent monitors from the Borough were present to observe proceedings due to a previous complaint. Now we have the following agenda item to be discussed tomorrow:

vi) Letter from RMBC, received 8th March, regarding proposed public meeting
with Mr Phil Beavers (Interim Independent Person serving on the Standards
Committee).

Sounds interesting, almost as though this proposed public meeting will be for the purpose of scrutinizing the behaviour of the Council? Also this:

v) Cllr Thornton (2013/014) – To discuss the presence of security guards at previous
council meeting.

I didn’t even know there WERE security guards there, although I did note two PCSOs…

There is also discussion of the local plan/greenbelt issues on the agenda with a proposal to work more closely with Dinnington Town Council on these tricky subjects. All good stuff and should make for some good discussion and (hopefully) progress.

There is also this stern warning, however, so any bolshy pensioners had best be on good behaviour!

Regard should be made to the requirements of Section 17 of the Crime and Disorder
Act 1998, the Race Relations Act 1976 (as amended), the Disability Discrimination
Act 2005 (Disability Equality Duty) and Section 40 of the Natural Environment and
Rural Communities (NERC) Act 2006 (Biodiversity Duty), throughout the meeting.
Anyone who disturbs the proceedings may be required by resolution to withdraw
from the room – Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960, s1(8).)

You can download your own copy from here.

Readers Letter in Dinnington Guardian 15/3/2013 and Why We Love Dinnington

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I have read the letter below in the Dinnington Guardian today, and whilst I passionately believe in free speech and would never criticise people for expressing their honest opinion I do think a reply is needed here.

Many people will not recognise the description of Dinnington and it’s people in this letter.

LoveDinnington and, I think the vast majority in Dinnington are not against building new houses, I myself live in a house built in the late seventies on a greenfield site. What we are opposed to is the SCALE and the way developers are being allowed to cherry pick greenbelt sites whilst ignoring brownfield in the current local plan. Sheffield feels the same and refuses to build on much of their own greenbelt, and I don’t blame them.

We would also like Dinnington to be given new and upgraded facilities so the roads, schools, doctors and dentists can cope as our little town expands.

That’s all.

My wife was brought up in Sheffield and has lived there her whole life. Since we moved back to Dinnington she is AMAZED at how open and friendly people are. And Sheffield isn’t exactly an unfriendly place, far from it.

We Love Dinnington!

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Cuts Galore in Dinnington!

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OK, enough is enough here! First we can’t have a leisure centre, which has to be built in Aston which is nearer to Sheffield than Rotherham.

Then we have to take twice our fair share of the new housing in Rotherham, with NO extra money to support new residents!

THEN we have to have our library hours CUT so the comrades in the Town Hall can favour other areas in Rotherham.

This happens whilst our roads deteriorate even further amid constant complaints from residents about the lax services from RMBC, whether it be lack of litter picking, no one picking up after dog owners and enforcing good behaviour or the lack of a decent bus service.

Even the chairman of Anston Parish Council had to wait an hour, A FULL HOUR for the arrival of the Police to assist him in bullying a local pensioner. Tut tut.

Now RMBC want to close the Customer Service Centre in Dinnington and have launched another of their “consultations” which no doubt will not get listened to!

Please let them know what we think by filling in the form here, otherwise they will turn round to us in a few months and say it was what we all wanted all along!

Using Twitter in Council Meetings

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I’ve been wondering, as I do from time to time, what is the actual law regarding the use of Twitter at a Borough, Town or Parish council meeting?

Is there a law at all, and if someone insists on tweeting or facebooking during a meeting are they actually breaking the law?

The government certainly seem to think we are quite entitled, and they have published their take on the subject here.

Even courts are allowing tweeting, as we can see here.

After a spell of Googling and head scratching I decided to ask the people who will ultimately be enforcing the decision (whatever that may be) so I have asked the following of South Yorkshire Police:

“Dear Sirs, apologies for the unusual question, but I wonder if you could help me with the following:

If a member of the public uses Twitter or another form of social media during a Council meeting (principal, town or parish) are they breaking the law?

For example if such a person is asked by the chair during one of these meetings to desist and refuses which then results in the Police being summoned will the Police take any action against said person, such as insisting they leave the meeting?

This is assuming that the person in question is causing no disturbance or disruption to anybody, just using some form of electronic device to tweet or update a Facebook page, etc.

Again sorry for the unusual nature of the question but having read articles in the press where people in other areas of the UK were evicted from meeting for using social media, I would like to clarify the situation.”

As soon as I receive a reply I’ll let you know!

Dinnington Town Council Meeting 11 March 2013

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It’s severe weather as polar conditions batter Dinnington, but nothing will keep me in tonight because it’s Dinnington St John’s Town Council Meeting! Hoorah!

A good attendance at this little get together, very friendly and not a single police officer in sight. Even the (in)famous Mr Lewis manages to get in the door without a blue light escort.

It marks the return of Simon Tweed from a bout of poorly-ness and with his fellow Borough Councillors in tow as well.

We kick off with a presentation by the “Groundwork Creswell, Ashfield and Mansfield” group, an environmental charity with quite a wide range of work to their name. More about them here

They are questioned quite thoroughly by a member of Save our Greenbelt (who I am not associated with in any way in case people don’t know) about their work, their funding and how they tackle various problems.

And so starts the meeting proper…

First question is on certain expenditure in the last budget and the chair answers explaining and giving details.

A question from the public on the shop frontages on Dinnington main street and who is responsible for their upkeep and preventing them from encroaching on the pavement. RMBC Highway and Env Health says Simon, but Cllr Wardle points out that if the blockage is on private land little can be done.

Litter is also on the agenda, RMBC accused of paying little attention to Dinnington, but borough is defended by Cllr Havenhand who says their guy does his best but it is a losing battle. Someone comments that people ought to stop dropping the flipping stuff and it’s hard to argue with that! The chair promises to raise with borough and see if more can be done.

Save Our Greenbelt ask about the total number of houses RMBC are now going to build in Dinno, is it 1100, is it 1300, does it include this or that? Borough Councillors say it is 1300 and Simon promises to get written clarification. I point out that the borough tend to lie a lot and any written reply is fit only for arse wiping. The chair shoots me down for calling people liars and I scurry away before her wrath.

It gets a bit shouty and then we come to my question, how about a field trip onto Dinnington East to find out some facts on the ground. This is greeted with enthusiasm by many and I am told to arrange a date and call the press, job done!

I also sort of hint that only one of the three Borough Councillors have been helping so far and get a right earful back. I invite them to prove me wrong and then duck as verbal Tomahawk missiles are aimed in my direction.

Save Our Greenbelt make one last point (which I don’t fully understand) about the objections made to RMBC by the Town Council, the clerk answers and the public session is closed! I make a hasty retreat to my car outside which has been left with the engine running the whole time!

A nice bit of good honest debate after the snakish nastiness of Anston and I live to complain another day!

Job done, cushty, off we trot!

A Letter to Kevin Barron (UPDATED #2)

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Update 2: Get off the fence!

“Dear Kevin

I appreciate that as an MP you have to represent all of your constituents, however, as the whole of Rother Valley is being disadvantaged by RMBC’s local plan, I invite you to get down from the fence and engage with RMBC to ensure their local plan distributes the
future housing growth in the borough more fairly.

The plans speak for themselves.

You are Rother Valley’s MP Kevin, so start acting like it. Hold RMBC
to account and help us ensure a fair outcome for all.”

Update 1: Ah there’s nothing like a letter in a Houses of Parliament envelope.

Straight from Westminster this reply to our correspondent confirms once again that Kevin’s backside and the fence are inextricably linked.

Wake up Kevin, the Local Plan is taking the whole of Rother Valley for a ride, get back on side with your constituents! We know you’ve been to lots of meetings but nothing in the plan has changed as a result!

BarronReply1

Original Post: A Letter to Kevin Barron:

This letter from a regular reader will be winging its way to Kevin by now, I’m obviously not the only one who wishes he would protest a bit more at the way Dinnington is being treated.

How about the closure of the Council Offices and the cuts to our Library as well, Kevin?

We haven’t asked much over the last few years but we could do with some help here!

“Dear Kevin

I was very pleased to see you today at the SYPTE bus in Dinnington car park, (I was loading my red car next to it.) You asked me if I was ok and because you were already in a conversation I said yes. I really wanted to say no, I am very displeased because our MP will not support community objection to RMBC’s plans to build on greenbelt land, rather than pursuing other avenues first. You are in a position to stop RMBC’s underhand, secretive, and dishonest ways of dealing with electors. My view is that you are following party line rather than what is good for our village and community. I hope these actions of yours will be made public at the next election. I for one will be looking for someone who supports this area.”

Freedom of Information and Secret Meetings

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When the Rotherham Local Plan for building on greenbelt hit the headlines a year or so ago I wanted to find out more. I wanted to find out where these plots of land drawn on a map came from. Who drew them and what work was done to prove they are sustainable.
I found it was not easy to get this kind of information, Council officers were guarded when it came to the sit down meetings they have with developers. I logged a Freedom of Information request as I felt it was in the public’s interest to know how the process had been carried out.
I was shocked when my FOI was knocked back, I had asked for details of any meetings or correspondence and they were claiming none existed. I queried again and again and a subsequent reply said some details had “come to light” but release was not possible for reasons of commercial sensitivity and confidentiality.
I don’t think a Council embarking on a public consulation should be having secret meetings and communications. I think if a public body is doing something they don’t want us to find out about then they ought to consider whether or not they should be doing it. I KNOW they should not put the commercial wellbeing of developers ahead of the public good.
I have taken the matter to the director concerned, the Chief Exec and the Council leader, they now refuse to discuss it further. They have also refused to show the info to elected councillors which begs the question, who are these people answerable to?
When a Council serving a quarter of a million people feels it necessary to keep secrets from its own elected members I think we are in a dangerous place indeed.

Anston Parish Council Meeting Feb 25 2013

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It’s Monday night and off we trot to Anston Parish Hall to meet the usual Councillors, agitators and members of the general public for a fantabulous Anston Parish Council!

Mr Beck looking marvellously turned out (maybe he thought he might get on film again?) and opening the proceedings with an appeal for calm and orderly conduct. Politely given and well received by all but the most bloodthirsty.

Two Police officers promptly walked in and stood at the back near to the previous chief protagonist Mr Lewis, thou to be fair I think that was coincidental, they were just trying to get out of the way.

No filming, recording or broadcasting during the meeting please says Mr Beck politely and oh off we trot! Protestations galore from many present, mostly referencing the government’s belief that bloggers and citizen journalists are within their rights to film and tweet at Council meetings.

I have to say I tweeted throughout and it was pretty obvious what I was doing, in full view of the Police and no one pulled me up on it.

A little bit flustered by this Mr Beck kept his composure (mostly) as we hit the next obstacle, is this a new meeting or a continuance, should the public be allowed to speak? Mr Saint John insisted it was, others disagreed, names were shouted as Mr Beck threw the rabid dogs a distraction…

Mr Lewis’ letter from last week was read out in full by Mr Beck, if only he’d done that last time, thou in all fairness it was pointed out that the letter concerned SJ and now he was here to answer for himself the time was right. Fair enough.

Mr SJ gave his version of events, many members of the public and councillors shouting at him claiming he speaketh with forked tongue. Mr Lewis called him a liar and demanded an apology, SJ told him where to get off.

Cllr Brindley and Mr SJ also accused the hecklers of bullying and stopping the Council machinery from grinding onwards. I also have to say some counter attacks came from the back against the hecklers, certain people had obviously brought a fan club.

Cllr Thornton made the general point that the Council need to pull their socks up big time and received the only applause of the evening for doing so.

The letter was dispatched to RMBC standards committee forthwith and Stuart closed with a request for a letter to Mr Lewis and a call for the Council to put together its own procedure for complaints.

Mr Beck expressed doubts, saying that’s what the standards comm. is for (he should know, he’s on it of course)

Cllrs SJ and Thornton clashed over a letter allegedly sent to the standards committee containing lies, then a surreal moment descended as the song “Englands Green and Pleasant Land” floated in from the room next door. This was short lived as…

..Cllr Thornton struck again, announcing he was calling a Parish meeting with the support of another Cllr. There was some debate over whether he could do this, but the meeting was duly scheduled for April 29. With tea and biscuits.

An email from Save Our Greenbelt Dinnington prompted calls for a private meeting with the group, but Cllr Thornton asked it be public. SJ appealed for calm and eventually it was decided to arrange said meet so the group could give a presentation. Cllrs were again accused of selective memory but the meeting moved on.

Next up the possibility that money might be tight next year, and was this the best time to be getting a loan to buy some land (wonder where that could be? *cough* Anston Stones)

Questions were then asked of all councillors whether they had been contacted by the Brethren prior to a previous meeting where the religious sect’s planning application was to be discussed. Mr SJ was also criticised for attending the planning board as a member of the public then supporting the application whilst announcing he was a Councillor. Mr SJ poo pooed this saying he was his own man.

Most Councillors declined to answer the question of whether or not they were contacted, Mr Beck said yes he was, but for routine enquiries only. This was poo pooed, but Mr Beck moved to progress. Cllr Dalton confirmed she met the Brethren but she wasn’t at the vote.

Stuart called for more time for the public to speak at meetings, Mr SJ threw more poo poo on this suggestion saying it would need a lot of debate and a change to standing orders. Stuart disagreed, called for a vote and lost spectacularly.

Councillors agreed to object to the closure of the Council centre in Dinno and the reduction on library hours, plans were also put in motion for greater public consultation for future budgets. Local roads were slagged off, pot holes the size of craters don’t go down well with anybody quite frankly.

The suggestion that the Council adopt the RMBC code of conduct when dealing with planning was carried. Some members thought this would have improved the handling of the Brethren application.

A vote was taken to set aside up to 1500 quid for an Anston Day of some kind, and an amendment was put forward to pilfer the fund for a Chairman’s chain of office to help pay for it. This was defeated handily by the chain loving majority.

Mr Beck then took questions from the public, handling things well and politely.

The Core Strategy will be discussed at next meeting. The greenbelt may be doomed, but the chain of office lives to fight another day.

A meeting will be held about bus cuts in the Dinno Interchange at 10-3 on Friday, so don’t miss that. Not more bad news hopefully.

Then came Mr Lewis again! An apology was demanded again from Mr SJ and another Cllr and as things started getting shouty Mr Beck was asked to comment on his own comments made in the local paper.

Not missing a trick Mr Lewis came around for another bombing run on the poor chairman only to find the meeting closing before his eyes and the barrage balloons going up. Another saga ended we filed out into the rain to contemplate next meeting and hopefully a proper discussion of the Core Strategy.

A far more civilised affair then last time, thou I don’t think this was anything to so with the presence of the Police. Heckling actually got better when they left, it was at it’s loudest right from the start as I recall.

An improvement from Mr Beck definitely, but there remains something rotten at the heart of this Council. I hope meetings will continue to be well attended and pressure brought to bear to bring real improvements to the way they do business.

This is only of course my recollection, if I got anything wrong please tell me, if I got anything right please feel free to tell me I’m a good lad. All the best and good night.

Splinters in his Bum!

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Kevin Barron must be bored of sitting on the fence now surely? Our MP still refuses to openly criticise Rotherham Council’s Local Plan even though it so thoroughly stitches up Rother Valley generally and Dinnington in particular.
Kevin your voters need your support, join Dinnington Council and get off the fence please!

The Core Strategy and Dinnington

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If you’ve been following greenbelt Issues you’ll have come across this phrase. The Core Strategy is the broad outline for the Local Plan to dictate how the borough will develop over the next 15 years.
It should be evidence led and work with the local community via a strong consultation process.
It is followed by the next stage of Sites and Policies which deals in detail with exactly where houses etc will be built.
In the case of Dinnington and Anston however the Core Strategy has been very specific by directing so much development onto the greenbelt in the east.
This effectively pre judges the next stage which is where this discussion should be taking place.
It has also ignored the thousands of local residents who objected, instead the Council cites its carefully orchestrated workshops with selected minority groups as evidence of local approval.
There is still a week left to object to the final touches but this window is disappearing fast.

For our area the strategy proposes:

1300 new houses, twice the previous rate of growth.

Extensive use of greenbelt for house building.

An open agreement with Sheffield Council which allows them to require even more houses if they deem it necessary.

No money for infrastructure.

45% of new houses will not go to locals.

It has been unanimously opposed by Dinnington Town Council.