Sorry that this is "NB" but....

steve_cronin

steve_cronin

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.. With the government's latest "initiative" (they seem to like that term and we get almost one a day now) is to give powers to Parish Councils - yes Parish Councils for God's sake! to issue ASBOs.

What is the function of a Parish Council? I'll tell you. Footpaths and allotments, that's it (unless they have a cemetry). They ASSUME a role in planning but have no higher power than a private citizen.

The majority of PCs consist of co-opted members. Those who have stood the test of election are very much in the minority. They are a collection of windbags and "big fish in small ponds" and now these collections of busybodies, old blimps and spiteful spinsters are going to be given the power to decide who's behaviour is anti-social or not.

What happened to democracy in this land?

Steve Cronin



<hr width=100% size=1>The above is, like any other post here, only a personal opinion
 
Re: Sorry that this is \"NB\" but....

Are you sure you mean "issue" not "apply for".

Currently ASBOs can be applied for by Police, Council and even in some cases Landlords, but are always issued by the Courts.

Given that they are intended to involve the local community in the process I see no reason why local community groups should not be able to apply for them. The police are already too stretched to be able to do this for low level agro, and the council has far too large an area to cover to be effective.

Personally I see no problem with a whole range of community groups applying for ASBOs provided that the decision rests with the courts.

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Re: Sorry that this is \"NB\" but....

Nor do I mate! And as far as "democracy" is concerned a "citizen" as Plato said has his first responsibility to CONTRIBUTE to society not to take advantage of it. (Or something like that) Anti-social behaviour is becoming a real problem in society
and I welcome a move away from the politically correct bull**** that has lead us to this pass. People who winge on about democratic rights are usually liberal namby-pambies who need a bigger smack than the orribble little brats they have bred to behave this way thinking they can't be punished for their behavior.

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Re: Sorry that this is \"NB\" but....

What the little b******s are short of is a bit of wood 4x2 or a nice old dockers belt did'nt do me or my kid's any harm, "sorry what did you say officer" on a serious note, sort the mums and dads out first, there is a wedge of an age of society that has missed something! I am told by my two son's they are called BRAIN DONORS!!!!!!
By the way I was brought up in east london in the fifties we were very poor but we were taught right from wrong, we were't little darlings but there was a code of conduct to elders and the old bill !!!

<hr width=100% size=1>Wishbone
Rolling, rolling, rolling keep them doggies moving!
Where’s me chuck wagon gone?
 
Re: Sorry that this is \"NB\" but....

Just curious. Did you learn your debating technique at local council meetings?

<hr width=100% size=1>A pessimist is an optimist in full possession of the facts
 
Re: Sorry that this is \"NB\" but....

Calm down dear it's only a commercial.

Do you think that the police have time to do anything about them ?

When was the last time you had a crime solved for you ?

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Re: Sorry that this is \"NB\" but....

Agreed! My old Dad moved from north of the border to Clapham SW1 before the war and ended up at Dunkirk fighting for the freedom of these buggers. I now live in a seaside village that was great when I moved here 32 years ago and has gone steadily downhill since they built council estates around it.
The kids patrol in gangs. Several months ago my neighbour had his back fence smashed in by a maurauding gang of 14-15 year olds. He decided to build a concrete wall to replace it. The kids came back a week later and smashed holes in it with a sledge hammer. Another neighbour took a series of photos of them doing it which were given to the police. The police to give them credit identified the culprits as known troublemakers and brought them to court. The "liberal minded" magistrates let them off with a warning. 3 weeks later they did it again but no one could prove it was them this time. DEMOCRACY? Crap! And the parents? Also known to the police...... Frankly Anti-Social does not describe it. These sub-human products of social liberalism are laughing at us and unless the law behaves differently we will get what I experienced first hand in California in the 80s. Vigilante groups protecting themselves by going on the attack. I for one would not like to see that but it put the fear of God into the little b's and made them behave...

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Re: Sorry that this is \"NB\" but....

Perhaps if more councillors were as blunt and forthright we might have less Prats?
He ain't politically correct or subtle in his delivery but he's right enough!

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Don't mention planning, our local parish council has cost us £1,000's building the new house. Know it appears the counciler's causing our problems are related to the objecters, who are persueing a fued that goes back sometime. Also we have counted around 30 plus houses localy with sat dishes that require planning permission ( AONB ), yes only one has had to get planning permission, yes your right us.
There latest idea is traffic calming in one of the three roads ( all dead ends ) in our village, average speed is around 20mph, and around 2/3 cars an hour, it is rumoured that a red flag is involved. Whilst a road in the next village with a 30 limit and traffic travelling at 40 mph and no footpath they totally ignor. They have just put a mini island in as well there, it's so unuseable that all the local traffic now goes round anti-clockwise, resulting in them meeting traffic comeing round a blind bend head on.
There are pages more, but it's mad old world.

Brian



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Re: Sorry that this is \"NB\" but....

I sympathise with your view of democracy but sometimes there is a need to choose the leser of 2 evils.

The ASBO is becoming more widely used and can be a useful means of deterring young potential criminals.

Its main use is in the nastier urban areas where as someone said the hooligans patrol in gangs. In these circumstances it is almost impossible for the bobbies to get anyone to testify in open court - no matter what the crime. The great advantage of the ASBO is that the restriction on liberty is so little that there is no requirement to prove a case "beyond reasonable doubt"

One ASBO I know of involved a young man seen on CCTV walking down the street with a Heckler & Koch machine gun. Would you really like to stand up in court and testify against him? knowing that he lived within a few hundred yards you. I suspect not - I certainly would'nt.

As for Parish Councils applying for ASBOs - why not. If a small number of people are making life a misery for the rest of the community, and intimidating potential witnesses then I for one am in favour of it.

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Re: Sorry that this is \"NB\" but....

No, not really - at our council meetings people tend only to speak when either they know about the subject or are asking a question

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Re: Parish councils

Well first up, if you have a parish council you live in "the country" rather than a deprived inner city. Where I live, Fair Oak is a Parish but Eastleigh is a Town.

Secondly, you just try and get people to stand for a parish council. Most who do around our way come from the ruling political party, and after an election they never appear at meetings which either costs the parish a small fortune in bye-election expenses when they resign each year or you end up with whoever volunteers, but failed to be elected, being a "co-opted" parish councillor. When I get old and don't have to go to work any more I'll stick myself up for election, but not being able to do so now, I won't stoop to cretinous criticism of people wo are doing a job that I could volunteer for, but choose not to (whatever the excuse).

Thirdly, despite the opportunities for nepotism, many are genuinely interested in getting things done that benefit the parish. It's usually the thrusting politicians who cock things up in my experience. And the borough, who have more of a political agenda than the independents in the PC. Planning (in Eastleigh) is usually commented on by parish councils 'cos the borough copuncillors don't necessarily know owt about local issues, e.g. Mr Bloggs applies to trim an oak tree in his garden, Parish council objects because its really a Yew tree, 400 years older than his house that he wants to fell and he's angling to build a block of flats where his garage now stands. Neighbours are not always ungrateful for such decisions.

Yes, there are a lot of self-interested plonkers, but that applies to all walks of politics. In my experience, if you've an axe to grind, and you've got local support, your best option is to stand for the next parish council election yourself. If you can't be arsed, then in a democratic society the populace gets the government it deserves.

And one final thought while still mounted on the hobby horse, how many of those who are moaning about parish councillors actually got off their arses and voted in the last parish council elections?



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PCs non-PC

In a multi-cultural society, a parish council which is based on the precepts of white, Anglican culture, is surely an innappropriate anachronism and should be replaced by some other body.

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.writeforweb.com/twister1>Let's Twist Again</A>
 
Yes! How about...

Yes, how about instead having a freely-elected bunch of people with no ties to any religious group? Oh, hang on though, that's what the parish council is. Have to give this more thought.

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Re: Parish councils

I voted in the parish council elections- I even took part in the survey to prepare our nice little villages input into the new town plan which was duly submitted. Result? Chelmsford borough council and essex county council tore it up, allowed lots of dodgy new development and are now closing our main road for a year to dig it up for no apparent reason with no consultation and 1 months notice. I'm all for local democracy, but you've got to ask eventually - what the hell is the point? The politicians should stop moaning about voter apathy and start wondering how they've f**ked things up so much that most voters don't care anymore because its often a case of - here comes the new boss, same as the old boss.

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Re: PCs non-PC

Ken,
You wouldn't be confusing a Parish Council with a Parochial Church Council? How multi-cultural are Britain's villages in any case?


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Re: Sorry that this is \"NB\" but....

I think you have confused two different stories.
The proposal is that parish council staff, that's park rangers, neighbourhood wardens and the like, will be able to issue on the spot £40 fines for "antisocial behaviour". This doesn't hit the yobs who actually need hitting, because they won't deal with drinking and drug related offences it's for things like dropping litter, dog fouling, making too much noise at night, graffiti and stuff like that.


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Re: Parish councils

Do we need them?

Steve Cronin

<hr width=100% size=1>The above is, like any other post here, only a personal opinion
 
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