Thursday 17 Th. Dec. 09 to the council chambers for another session of bear baiting with an administration which looks like a collection of maudlin drunks at a funeral; a mere two and a half years into it’s car crash of an attempt at running a council. The increasingly shrill screeching from them is becoming more and more predictable as they stumble from blunder to blunder; the pathetic and orchestrated cheering and banging of desks likewise; I seriously think that they will soon start banging and cheering when apologies are given for one of their number at the start of the meeting.
Their attempt at self congratulation this time was to suggest that large crowds at Christmas festive events such as switching on lights and fireworks were proof that they were winning the battle to regenerate the town centre. Some SNP/Lib. Dems. suggested several times that there was a noticeable ‘feel good factor’ among the crowds; proof positive they say that Paisley Town Centre is on it’s way up. This of course ignores the No. of ‘for sale’ and ‘rent’ signs which are everywhere in the town; these of course were Labour’s fault according to them and nothing at all to do with Braehead; Silverton or the superstores like Tesco and Asda taking away custom; the fact that Paisley Town Centre’s problems are replicated all across the country fails to register with them either. A bit of advice for the administration; if you can’t detect some ‘feel good factor’ after spending large amounts on fire works and lights then you are a lost cause; what did I miss? Oh yes it’s Christmas! ‘feel good’ how are ye! The old guy in the red suit with the beard and the sleigh might have something to do with the ‘feel good’ thing as well; just a thought. This is an administration which is either plain stupid or in complete denial or; what’s more likely both.
The meeting also closed with the now ritualistic mauling of the administration over its disgraceful mishandling of education provision. The second last motion condemned the administration for its lack of information provided to the Labour Group; this in turn led to accusations of disrespect by Labour of the council education officers. I had to intervene to point out that one of their number Cllr. Nicolson who enjoys favour with the leadership of the SNP was suspended for a year by the Standards Committee for just that; he got suspended for a year for smearing the then Chief Executive and several senior officers of the council; accusing them of bias toward Labour when appointing employees; as far as I am aware he has never retracted this accusation; perhaps he will read my blog and do the right thing.
The final motion of the year condemned the SNP led administration for it’s terrible stewardship of education; the failure of the promise on class sizes has been well documented; likewise the lack of materials which teachers are not allowed to talk about and among other things the shameful position of Renfrewshire having the worst teacher pupil ratio in Scotland 32Nd. out of 32 councils none of them showed any remorse for causing this situation; nor any shame. The worst Education Convener in living memory Cllr. Cameron SNP decided to abandon Renfrewshire and concentrate on the national scene. Evading the real issue she retreated into convoluted facts and figures supplied by the officers. She frantically waved sheets of paper about and yelled that the figures proved the great job being done by the SNP Govt. there they were; numbers; fractions; percentages; forecasts and recasts it was quite certain; “we” she said were “doing a fine job” Having led with her chin I could not resist asking her to explain why if her stats were right and the Scottish Govt. were doing so well was Fiona Hyslop sacked as Education Secretary. Cue some anguished low level growling but; answer came there none. A classic case I’m afraid of “Lies damned lies and statistics”
( Benjamin Disraeli P.M.)
So ended another miserable year for the people of Renfrewshire courtesy of the SNP and the political vacuum that props them up for 30 pieces of silver the Lib./Dems. Our children are suffering and their futures are being damaged; teaching morale is at an all time low but I predict that next year at this time the report card will be even worse; with people like these running things how could it be otherwise.
Last Christmas the SNP/Lib. Dem. present to the parents and children was the closure of South Primary; this Year their present is the closure of Moorpark Primary; which school will be on the SNP Santa list for closure next year?
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18 comments:
ASDA & TESCO taking away custom from Paisley town centre, are they, Councillor?
Where does Lady Kelly do the weekly shop?
Maybe we would all have more money to spend on our kids if it was not for your good friend Irene Adams.
In Yesterday's Herald :
A Scottish Labour peer has been identified as having the second largest expenses claims of any member of the House of Lords despite having spoken in the Upper Chamber only once.
Baroness Adams of Craiglea, who as Irene Adams represented Paisley North for 15 years until 2005, was the second-most expensive peer in the Lords last year, claiming £66,896 in allowances including £30,212 for overnight accommodation. In each of the previous two years she claimed in excess of £60,000.
Her maiden speech on the issue of the West Lothian question in February 2006 was her only recorded contribution in a debate in the Lords chamber.
With regard to town centre regeneration and improvement, can I ask you why Labour did not support the move by the council to redevelop the Arnotts site.
It would seem a wholly sensible idea to have the site redeveloped, however, Labour wanted to see that stopped.
It would seem that Labour like the look of the site being boarded up and covered in graffiti or is it really that they cannot support anything to improve Paisley as it makes them look bad for doing nothing about it.
There is absolutely no doubt that the recent events hosted in Paisley have raised its profile but again you wish to put that down because you did not have the foresight to make such moves.
Many Paisley retailers have noted significantly increased sales at and after these events showing that more people are being attracted into Paisley. There is a vast hill to climb to repair the damage done to Paisley by the previous Labour administration but the Arnotts initiative is another step on the ladder towards making Paisley a better place.
You should be ashamed for not supporting this and I assume that you are since you didn't mention it on your post about the council meeting.
With regard to the rest of your post on the meeting I would have to say that it seems that at every full council meeting you seem to slip into a parallel world where evrything is the opposite of what happens in the real world.
I think that you are watching too much Dr Who.
The SNP have indeed made a pigs ear of education provision in Renfrewshire. 200 fewer teachers and more to follow at the end of next year. Abusing the teacher induction scheme by using NQT's as annual replacements for permanent positions. Although this has always been done to some extent, since the removal of ring fenced funding, it is now so widespread that it has become the norm.
If the SNP / Lib are thinking of closing another primary then, in my view St Fergus, will be in the firing line. It is a small school in an old building and the pupils could easily be accomodated in St Mary's. Also and more cynically, they have less votes to lose in Ferguslie.
(Anonymous) 23/12/09
If there was a large store which sells almost everything at competitive prices and provides free parking closer than Asda she would no doubt go there; can you direct me to it? This is of course the reason for the demise of town centres as we used to know them; I will however tell her it’s her fault when she comes in if I can find my steel helmet first.
(Anonymous) 23/12/09
And your point is? Are you suggesting something untoward is going on? If so I suggest you say so up front and crawl out from under your stone to do it; that way Irene would know who you are; is that fair?
Did you know that according to another Scottish Daily Paper the cost of Alex (the spiv) Salmond attending Westminster based on his expenses, allowances and salary etc. was £20,000 a day? And that was before he spent the £800 on pies when Parliament wasn’t even sitting.
(Anonymous) 08:35
“why Labour did not support the move by the council to redevelop the Arnotts site”
Either your council reporter or you is a liar but; thank you for giving me the chance to explain; it’s dead simple.
This was a proposal to set up a monitoring group for the site with a view to marketing and developing it; the SNP wanted to do as they were told by unelected officers and not have any input from councillors on the group; Labour wanted elected Councillors involved; the name for that is democracy.
“It would seem that Labour like the look of the site being boarded up and covered in graffiti”
I’ll just let people consider this statement.
“Many Paisley retailers have noted significantly increased sales”
As I said the old guy in red with the beard and the sleigh – you total idiot.
Is Paisley the only Town Centre which is struggling? Was it the Paisley Labour Group that forced the closure of Woolworths ? M&S Littlewoods etc. you idiot.
(Oakwood) 09:43
The damage already done to Renfrewshire’s children will be felt for years to come and I agree that they will not stop now; remember the director of education John Rooney at a public meeting candidly stated that based on pupil numbers we had 10 too many primary schools in Renfrewshire.
Kelly @ 2.28
When did Asda & Tesco with their free parking and competitive pricing arrive in Paisley, Councillor?
Was planning consent given by a Labour Council?
(Anonymous) 19:26
They probably arrived at roughly the same time as they were arriving at thousands of towns up and down the country; perhaps you could tell me some towns where they don’t have Azda, Tesco, Morrisons etc. well? Best to stay anonymous eh? Idiot.
Labour let them in and, because they offered better value than the shops already in place, they prospered and the others failed and people, like Mrs Kelly, benefitted.
It's known as Free Market Competition, you cretin and in the world outside your ivory tower, where there are winners and losers, Asda and Tesco won.
(Ariel) 24/12/09
Absolutely; a childlike analysis as usual from you, don’t look now but the free market forces are a shambles, Businesses; Banks; Building Societies all failing, zillions of pounds being lost of our money; people losing jobs; pensions and homes; it’s a wonderful system isn’t it? you cretin.
Be a better system when we have a firm Tory hand on the tiller, Lovely Boy
Kelly @ 1.22
Kelly, life is childlike, life is simple...What we do is..Hang murderers,castrate rapists, send illegal immigrants back whence they came, deport immigrants who commit crimes, convince people like you that normal hetero-sexual mrriage is the best way to bring up children, impeach Blair and vote Tory.
Accept these things, disown Devine, Sheridan, Fidel,Uncle Joe and the stinking midden of corruption that is Labour and you too can be salvaged.
(Ariel) 25/12/09
“a firm Tory hand on the tiller”
Where are you going to find that?
Ariel @ 1.22
Forgot to add...Birch the feral yobs that infest our streets, together with the Tree-hugging Trendies and Labour Councillors who allowed it to happen.
Terry,
I here that the Boay McKay has hired Suttie & Sweep to toughen up his Education Convenor, due to the fact that she lacks any credibility.
Her comments at the last Full Council meeting amounted to "us yeans, youse yeans, eduamaction in renfruwshire, is it time fur ma tee, did i putt the catt ooot, does anybodie knoww whit am dooing heer.
She is a master of the Scottish tongue which part of that tongue no body knows.
Keep Up the Good Work.
Wee Tom Flood, no relation to big Tom Flood.
Ariel @ 1.22
(Anonymous) 12:33
My but you are a real tough guy aren’t you? you must scare yourself sometimes.
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