First of all, apologies for not updating this blog for a while bit I have had rather a lot on my plate lately. But here is my report of the Annual Town Meeting and subsequent Development C'tte meeting.
The Annual Town Meeting is only held once a year but I (along with local NF representative Chris Jackson) and members of the public had a chance to speak from the Council Chamber. First of all there were a series of reports, in which I abstained from vote because I was not prepared to sanction the farce of voting for or against a report that we the public have no power over.
Coun. Frank Rostron McManus (Labour, Stoodley) exceeded all our expectations with his annual anti-war rant, objecting to the Royal British Legion running the annual Remembrance Day event - citing the horrific bloodbath of World War One, starting 100 years ago.
I stood up and seconded his view that World War One was a tragedy, and also that World War two was an even bigger tragedy and that we fought on the wrong side, but despite all that we must still pay respects to the fallen of Todmorden.
After raising the issue of speeding vehicles on Railway Street and the disuse of Ashenhurst Post Office, and after Mr. Jackson had spoke the meeting closed and we proceeded to the Development C'tte, scheduled the same night.
There was again a large public turnout from the residents of Ridge Bank, to object to the ASDA, in paticular a Petrol Station being located on site. Labour supported the supermarket (based on the Ormerod site, featuring a car park, click and collect and store) provided no petrol station was accompanying it.
After an idiotic rant from Coun. "Champagne Chris" Baksa (Liberal, Stoodley) who should come with a government health warning) the Liberals proposed that the supermarket SHOULD include a petrol station but they were outvoted by Labour, of whom only one rebelled against the party, Rosemary Neat (Labour, Walsden).
It was nice to see the Town Council's sole Tory, Andrew Hartley (Conservative, Walsden) back as he is, sometimes, a lone voice of clarity in a council packed full of nitwits. The Incredible Edibles sent Dr. Lindsay Smales, who was visibly upset that he did not get the chance to discuss his "Food Sustainability Plan", of which you can expect to see plenty of fireworks.
The Annual Town Meeting is only held once a year but I (along with local NF representative Chris Jackson) and members of the public had a chance to speak from the Council Chamber. First of all there were a series of reports, in which I abstained from vote because I was not prepared to sanction the farce of voting for or against a report that we the public have no power over.
Coun. Frank Rostron McManus (Labour, Stoodley) exceeded all our expectations with his annual anti-war rant, objecting to the Royal British Legion running the annual Remembrance Day event - citing the horrific bloodbath of World War One, starting 100 years ago.
I stood up and seconded his view that World War One was a tragedy, and also that World War two was an even bigger tragedy and that we fought on the wrong side, but despite all that we must still pay respects to the fallen of Todmorden.
After raising the issue of speeding vehicles on Railway Street and the disuse of Ashenhurst Post Office, and after Mr. Jackson had spoke the meeting closed and we proceeded to the Development C'tte, scheduled the same night.
There was again a large public turnout from the residents of Ridge Bank, to object to the ASDA, in paticular a Petrol Station being located on site. Labour supported the supermarket (based on the Ormerod site, featuring a car park, click and collect and store) provided no petrol station was accompanying it.
After an idiotic rant from Coun. "Champagne Chris" Baksa (Liberal, Stoodley) who should come with a government health warning) the Liberals proposed that the supermarket SHOULD include a petrol station but they were outvoted by Labour, of whom only one rebelled against the party, Rosemary Neat (Labour, Walsden).
It was nice to see the Town Council's sole Tory, Andrew Hartley (Conservative, Walsden) back as he is, sometimes, a lone voice of clarity in a council packed full of nitwits. The Incredible Edibles sent Dr. Lindsay Smales, who was visibly upset that he did not get the chance to discuss his "Food Sustainability Plan", of which you can expect to see plenty of fireworks.