Sunset over the Horizon

Bolsover's Councils project horizon under which they want to demolish their 18 year old building and sell it, along with the surrounding parkland (see below), and a Victorian house to Morrison's has suddenly hit the buffers.

Firstly the Council passed a new planning strategy for open space this morning which says that Bolsover doesn't have enough parks and open spaces - so good argument for keeping the ones we've got.

Secondly the campaign to register the green under the Commons Act has got off to a great start with "Keep Calm" posters starting to appear all over Bolsover and evidence forms already being submitted. You can gert yours from the Castle Sweet Shop in Cavendish Walk

Follow this blog for more news and keep believing in tomorrow!

If your think Morissons will bring real jobs to Bolsover then read this.

Here's an illuminating article from the Scotsman courtesy of a twitter from a (but maybe not the) Dennis Skinner.  If you are going to the consultation next week ask them how they can justify having 10% of all the apprentces in the Country.

Published on Monday 2 April 2012 12:02

"NEARLY four in 10 of the workforce of major supermarket chain Morrisons are now classed as apprentices, it is claimed today.

More than 10 per cent of all apprenticeships created in England last year were with the chain, according to tonight’s BBC Panorama.

The programme carries criticism of the retail apprenticeship, saying that last year it took an average of just six months to complete.

Charlie Mullins, founder of independent plumbing company Pimlico Plumbers, employs 18 apprentices out of a staff of 200, and their training takes a minimum of three years.
He said of short retail apprenticeships: “I think all they’re really doing is undervaluing the word apprentice, and they’ve really just seen a loophole in the system that they can claim money on it.”
Nick Linford, editor of the publication FE Week, said: “We’ve seen record growth in apprenticeships. Big headline numbers look great on paper but scratch under the surface and maybe we shouldn’t be calling them all apprenticeships.”

Elmfield Training, the private company that accredits Morrisons’ apprentices, has a government contract worth £37 million, Panorama said.

Norman Pickavance, group HR director at Morrisons, defended the high number of apprentices, telling the programme: “Forty per cent of people are trying to get a basic qualification. People who leave school without a qualification often feel that they don’t have access and don’t see the kind of skilled jobs or managerial positions as something they can aspire to.”

Shhhhh, it's a consultation

Rumour has it that the next Morissons consultation is on Friday the 27th and Saturday 28th of April in the Assembly Rooms. However with just ten days to go there's nowt on the BDC web-site. Some people say that the Council simply doesn't want people to know what's going on, may-be they think no-one will notice.

Red Tories , Blue Labour and the Supermarkets

Not had much time to blog recently - been busy helping Dave Wells who's standing for the Green Party in Belper. He fighting a Tory Council who want to inflict a massive supermarker onto a unique and characterful town. Of course nothing like that would happen in Labour controlled Bolsover.............(sometimes you just can't tell the difference).

Last time I checked my calendar said April - so Morisson's seem to be finding it difficult to come up with more reasons. With no date even set for their second consultation it's not surprising rumours are swirling around. To paraphrase Churchill - we're not even at the end of the beginning on this one :)

 Duncan

Unfair, Unaffordable and Unnecessary

The implications of Bolsover's dreadful decision to put Council rents up by an average of 9% and warden charges by up to 26% are starting to become all to clear. Cameron has eagerly announced new right to buy discounts of up to 75% meaning that it won't be long before many tenants find it cheaper to buy than rent. And with properties being given away like this they'll be no money to build any more houses and less coming in in rent to service the £94 million loan the Council will be saddled with.

The only fair and affordable strategy is to keep rents down, whether the Government like it or not (what's it got to do with them anyway??) That way money continues to flow into local shops and the costs to us all in paying for tenants on benefits is minimised. So its good news that the petition to get Bolsover to re-think their decision is now up and running in shops on the many estates across the District. If you want a copy of the petition or the poster drop me an email on kerr.duncan@hotmail.co.uk. Later on we will be holding the first meeting with the Campaign to Defend Council Housing so watch the blog for further details.

Duncan

Things can only get better

Bolsover's new recycling service has settled down well and the Council can take some credit for it. I say "some" because the service was one of the worst in the country. This chart http://www.resource.uk.com/article/Latest/Waste_Collection_Authority_Performance_chart
published in January shows Bolsover 232nd of 235 authorities.

Hopefully Bolsover will now be climbing the table but a lot of work is needed to match the best Councils in the country. The staff trying to lead on this won’t be encouraged by the news that the Council's Climate Change group has, I hear, been suspended.

One rule for you......

I understand that following my blog revealing Bolsover Council's decision to splash the cash on a new civic car for the Chairman it has now been decided that other Councillors can book the car to attend their meetings as well.

Curiously the idea of providing pool cars is nearly what I proposed at a recent Council meeting when it was rejected out of hand. I say "nearly", because I proposed a fleet of high efficiency, low emission cars that could be used by staff not one 7 seat luxury car for Councillors. Spot the difference?

I'll keep working on it.....