8 tlilivcroe Advertiser and Times, April 17,1970 LOW POLL OF COUNCIL


THE LO.W ; • percentage poll, in last week’s county . council elections, once again 'cmpliasises the ' lack of fnvolverhcnt which niany people feel with local


government; ; , ‘ .In pKrt,;cu"-;r.\ . qmsidei'ing


that thoic6unty- council' spend some two-thirds of the rates paid, and that citizens are expected to vote only once every three years, the gulf


■niust he very wide. The fact that many people


feel so remote from, their-elec­ ted representatives was one of the reasons .why. the Maud Commission recommended a radical re-organisation of local


The situation inth^bprough 3s^ little" different:


government


:••• .." '.


.


than the coimtytebtthcii: they.-, aije far more fully reported- in-


the local press. •Even so. I sha.U.bo suiyj>sed..


i f the percentage turn out on May 7 is significantly higher than in recent years. jwhat are the reasons for


this lack of interest? -1 1 1 S om e -of. themt.,ar^_, -p£


'Although the borbugh’ coun- ' cil spend less .ofctiur! brioney-1


sion that many of them do not even recognise the problem.


’ Provided they are voted back


- into power by their ‘party .faithful’ they are quite happy. Tire council have a responsi­


bility to let people know what is going on.


• The policy of the Liberal candidates in the forthcoming municipal elections regarding •this matter is as follows: 1. Admit the Press and


public to all committee meet­ ings. We recognise that cer­ tain matters are confidential. These could be kept until the end of the agenda, when non­ committee members would be asked to leave. This procedure is already carried out in ncar-


,-by Longridge. 2. Committee chairman or authorised spokesman should


• giv& an outline of proposed •policy in the local Press before 'decisions have been taken.


: Members of the public should ■


■ be' allowed to comment, either


...via your correspondence col- uirais or directly in the coun­ cil. The councillors are not the repository of all wisdom, and some valuable points could J emerge.


national origin. silchJ'Ss' oVer--- centralised control. froin-Wosij*, minster, which leads neople to believe that local bodies have few cr no significant powers, Certainly the number.-.-of people who ypte.in .parliamen­


tary election^-.dgl'nisfrays. far higher than in local elections.. However, some of the rea- .


sons are of direct local origin and within the provincri'iVf'.our . council to correct. Basically


there is a lack of conwn.unica- tion between council and public.


l t ought to worry.our coun­


cillors that so few people take an interest in. tjie ,.town’s affairs. One gets the impres­


'■ti­


, With regard to the second -point, it is our view that coun- cillors concern themselves far 'Mb' much with detailed day-to-


■ day running of affairs which should be left to the paid offi-


•.cials, and that they do not think about forward policy


‘ planning nearly enough. Lack .of .policy is obvious in many


■ of the town’s affairs. Our second proposal would


lie extremely valuable i f it only resulted in our councillors


; thinking ahead, and we be­ lieve that allowing people a


■. say ' at policy level would be even more valuable—Anthonv A. Cooper, Secretary. Clitheroe Liberal Association, Hillside Close, Clitheroe.


Up will go Antonio and his ice cream cart


• •


REGARDING .the. barrel organ, if my memory ser­ ves me right, it belonged to an Italian, Antonio, who sold-ice-cream in summer. Most of the older people


in Clitheroe will remember him quite well. He stored


•the organ in stables, in .Whalley Road, where he made, his ice cream.


He went to fight in the


First World war and did hot return, presumed kil­


led. I The organ was sold in


salerooms .in Shawbridge, belonging to S. E. Smithies,


and was bought by Dick Taylor, who had a, second­ hand shop in Lowergate, for £3 10s. Why I remembered it so


well, is because I helped to pusli it to his shop. He gave me a penny for help­ ing hip). Mm. Ida Gradwell col­


lected a lot of money in the last war, parading the


barrel. organ round Clith­ eroe streets for war eiforts. . i am sure a lot of Clith­ eroe people' will remember Antonio quite well, particu­ larly his penny comet and twopenny wafers. The ice cream was really


good, and was better than we get now. What a difference in


.prices of today and then! ' I believe the price of a •haircut now is 4s. 6d., and I can remember when Dan Wrigley, in Wcllgate, char­ ged a •penny for a shave and twopence for a hair­ cut


f children Saturday


mornings only).—D. Read, Ribbie Lane, Chatburn.


This fool not so foolish


' • ' : Painting


Decorating Graining


FOR GOOD SERVICE A T


COMPETITIVE PRICES


T E L : 'BLACKBURN 60395


'“INVESTIGATIONS into pre­ vious complaints by Mr. Sainsbury h a v e proved Unfounded.” So .stated Coun. J. A. Barnes, the Highways Committee chairman, when interviewed by your paper recently.


•; What fool makes unfounded


statements to the Press? What fool writes unfounded com­


plaints to the borough sur­ veyor over tlie last few years? What fool leaves himself wide open to be called a liar? Not this fool, Coun. Barnes. I ’m quite content to allow


the public to judge the validity o f ttie councillor's statement, for they must be well aware of the filthy condition of


Letters to the Editor


many of our streets end pavements.


I WTite the borough surveyor,


apologising to the workman concerned—mind you he’s new to this district, so I sin­ cerely hope it isn’t a- case of a new broom sweeping clean —I send a copy , of the letter to the chairman of highways, and a copy to the editor of the Advertiser. I expected the matter to end there. I should have known better,


after all these years of stick­ ing my .neck out. Investigations, . the coun­


cillor says—what • investiga­ tions? Apart from a stroll past the end of the drive, perhaps, certainly none bn his part.


ment by the borough sur­ veyor,


So he is repeating a state­ I presume, ' who


naturally will defend his department and ■ workmen even though the evidence on our streets and. pavements


does nothing to substantiate his remarks. Election to councillor by


one's fellow men is surely an honour. Vet, so often, the hopes and confidences of the voters come to nought, mainly because some coun­ cillors forget, the honour bestowed upon them, and pro­ ceed to treat their fellow men as fools. So here we are back to


fools again, and I did vote for Coun. Barnes in his first term of office, so perhaps I am a fool. But not a liar as well


Councillor; that really would be too much.—Geoff. Sains­ bury, Beverley Drive, Clitheroe.


Which Tory priorities ?


AS A comparative . new­ comer to the North of Eng-, land and Clitheroe, ■ T have previously hesitated in par­ ticipating in the many letters that have appeared in. your columns in respect of . the swimming bath ■ -question.. I


cannot let the letter, in your last edition pass', however, without extending my. thanks to Coun. Ainsworth far his


excellent’ comment on costs, and especially priorities. Clitheroe is the gateway to


what is, without doubt, some of the most beautiful scenery in the country. When I attended the public


meeting on the subject of the baths. 1 was especially inter­


ested when a member of the council said that - improve­ ments in the facilities of the


town were essential, to meet the needs of industry and the employees essential to industry. In its position and sur­


rounding countryside, Clith­ eroe has a very fine natural advantage; • I t also has. as mentoned by Coun. Ainsworth, - s om e


streets needing attention, some very dirty public build­ ings (sadly spoiling the town centre, and a library with excellent staff, but appalling premises and facilities. • That a Conservative council


shoud be so prepared to put itself into massive costs is both disoappodnting and hardly in keeping with their national claims of good housekeeping and cost con­


trol. I would .be interested to see


an official party statement of the jobs requiring attention and tlie facilities they feel should be added, ranked in order of priority. Thank you. Councillor, for your expression of welcome


common sense—I. A. Robert­ son, Edisford Road, Clitheroe.


A touch of


Clochemerle THE VILLAGE of Newton-in- Bowlnnd, like so many out-of- the-way villages, long suffered the lack'of modem amenities, but some years ago benefited by tlie introduction of elec­ tricity and an excellent water supply. .


A more recent introduction was the development of a


sewage scheme, which, I would think, has been very welcome and beneficial to the local inhabitants, with the disposal plaint situate^ some distance from the lowest point of the


village. All very good planning, and


serving the locality well. I recently visited Newton


and saiw that public toilets are the latest addition tothe vil­ lage. No doubt these will have


caused local interest, and probably some adverse com­ ments—which is not surpris­


ing—and hero-1 must submit my own criticism. In the first place, public


toilets in villages serve little or no purpose for local resi­ dents, thererore the question of siting is for them to serve people passing through; motorists; cyclists; etc. The geographical position is impor­ tant in affording this service. The position of those at


Newton is just about as ridicu­ lous as one could possibly


think of. They are situated alongside the road at the top of the village, which is the fastest and most direct traffic


route in and out. ’ Consequently, passing motor­


ists will fail to see them unless advance signing is introduced


—and surely we have enough signs everywhere—but i f they


chance to do so there is no room for cars to park. Surely the public would


have been better served i f the toilets had been situated at the bottom of the village,


within easy reach of the road junction for Slaadbum and Dunsop Bridge, convenient also to the local hotel and a short link-up to the sewage disposal plant, as well as affording toilet facilities for. visitors frequenting the river­ side.


It would seem, however,


that, from where they'are now situated,' the view from the windows of the small cottages opposite is not enhanced by this latest introduction of pub­ lic service. Whoever the occupants are,


I am certain that they now have to accept something which was not fairly taken into account when the decis­


ion to erect was made. Having had some experience


in the requirements of these services, and the siting of


them for the purpose for


BECAUSE of pressure on space, some letters have had to be held over until next week.


which they are intended, together with the fullest con­ sideration lor ail concerned, including people residing in


the immediate vicinity, I am forced to the conclusion that, in the particular case at New­ ton, a stupid mistake has been


made. I am fully aware that official


jargon can always be brought into use to explain any case away but my own criticism in this instance would remain unchanged. — Visitor (Name and address supplied.)


Poor outlook


for rates X WONDER how many of your readers were present at


the council meeting in March, when Clitheroe’s immediate financial future was made very clear? The salient points are as


follows; 1, Clitheroe is in debt by £U million; 2, There is to be a _9d. rate- increase this year, with no improvement in services; 3, There is likely to be a rate increase of lOd. next year, for sewage purposes alone, apart from anything


else. It is a gloomy picture of


substantial rate increases, with no apparent increase in amenities and clearly no likeli­


hood of them. The situation clearly tails


for a most searching examina­ tion of current expenditure,


and 0110 presumes this has


taken place. Take, for example refuse


collection. This essential ser­ vice costs us a Is- 4d. rate. Last year it was Is. 2Jd., and it was then 5d. more than the national average for non­ county boroughs. This means, in effect, that


the collection of refuse in Clitheroe is 50 per cent more expensive than the average. Could we have an explana­


tion?—Barry Newell, Warwick Drive Clitheroe.


Lower limit plea for Barrow


THERE .has. been yet another accident in Bar- row. Poor little Barrow— we seem to get nowhere with our fights and peti­ tions. ;, We did get our dustbins


emptied once a week..instead of the usual once a fortnight, and we did get a ‘lollipop lady’ to see our children to and from school safely. We only acquired these


after years of nagging. I t seems we have .lost our recent fight to have our road


. repaired. ;• The polite' leter from the M.O.T.. doesn’t .give us much hope at all. The drier weather will only bring dust and dirt instead of the mud and sludge we’ve had to endure nil win­ ter. Isn’t it time something was


done about the speed limit in our village? How many more accidents do there have to be before action is taken? The traffic goes hurtling by,


rattling windows and doors, . I t really is quite difficult to


hear ourselves speak above the noise. sometimes. We don't even have to be on the road to be in danger. Not very long ago a child was hit by a run­ away w h e e l which had detached i t s e l f from its vehicle.


'. I personally had a narrow . escape recently, while waiting


- to cross the road. A lorry,


swerving to avoid a car, ended up on the pavement in front of me. There are nearly 60 child­


ren in Barrow under the age o f 15, and their lives are in danger every time they go out of their front doors. We petitioned. against tile .


speed limit being put up to 40 mph some years ago, but


to no avail. Now. with the amount of


traffic increasing almost every day, in my opinion—and, I might add, many others are of the same opinion—the speed limit, ought to be drop­ ped to 30 mpli, i f only till the new bypass is completed. Better still, we need a cross­


ing. With the summer approach­


ing, the situation will doubt­ less get worse, with the private coaches and holiday traffic adding to our dilemma. Wo want a solution now.


before there are any more casualties — Mrs. Heather Jackson, Cockerill Terrace,


Barrow.


Youth work for safety


I WISH to make this appeal, through your columns, to the young people of Clitheroe, from the age of 11 upwards, particularly members of youth organisations, churches,


etc., to offer themselves for service towards road accident prevention by forming a Junior Accident Prevention Council, under tlie auspices of the Clitheroe and Rural District Road Safety Com­ mittee.


. The following information


may be of some guidance to would be volunteers;


The first local authority


junior accident prevention council was formed in 1946, and there are now some 275 J.A.P.C.’s operating through­ out the United Kingdom. Junior accident prevention councils, or J.A.P.C.'s were


originally conceived as bodies of young people, appointed by schools and/or youth organi­ sations to act as junior com­ mittees of local authorities, and to assist with the dis­ semination of road safety training and advice.


I t was hoped that J.A.P.C.


members would report back fully to their schools and/or organisations and. in this way, establish a link between young people in their usual environment and the local authority through the road safety committee.


What then are the objects


of a J.A.P.C.? (a) To co-operate with the


local road safety committee in its work.


(b) To' provide tlie means


whereby the young people of a town or district may be


given a more practical interest in, and a greater responsi­ bility for, road safety acti­ vities.


(c) To promote road safety


activities which will have a special appeal to young people.


Here, then, we have three


very worthy objects, but how can the activities of the J.A.P.C. be directed towards the achievement of these aims?


When considering J.A.P.C.


activities, it should be borne in mind that the main object of the parent committee is the education and training of all classes of road user. I t follows, therefore, that


the activities of the J.A.P.C. should be geared to assisting


the senior committee in the education and training field. These ' are some of the


objects of the J.A.P.C. Here are a few possible activities: Road safety quizzes—road


safety debates—speaking team competition—schools exhibi­


tion-road safety magazines —film shows—censuses—road safety weeks—public opinion


surveys. There are numerous others. I shall be pleased to meet


any people interested, either at my home address or at their own meeting place.— H. E t c h e 11 s, Secretary. Clitheroe Borough & Rural District Joint Road Safety Committee. 67, Woone Lane, Clitheroe.


Surplus cash ,


for baths IT IS SAID the mere v0iI say, tlie more you tell peo-w. how much you do not imi-l so I would like to correct an-- wrong impressions


have been given by comi Ainsworth. He states that we havc


virtually no money -;n reservoi We have £40,000 over ard


above the £90,000 which' *is being set aside for thc baths and on which no interes- charges will be paid. Our average loan interev is based on 7 per cent and


not 91 per cent, although temporary money has this figure, due to the


deliberate mon cy scarcity c r e a t e d by tlie presem Government by excessive


taxes and the control on the banks. Last year, in the Clitheroe


Advertiser and Times 0j April 18, Conn. Ainsworth, ;n a leUei, said. Just stop and think, baths have to be built


at some considerable cost then comes the most import tant point: they have to be maintained."


And also; "When the inter­ est rate is lowered consider,


ably then wc can think again.” At the public meeting, held


in the Parish Church ha!!, he applauded speakers from the body of the hall who were urging the council to spend up to £150,000—apply for loan sanction— put a levy on the rates!


I observed a good number •at that meeting who were


not at all enthusiastic with this proposal. Wo are quite aware that


part of the maintenance costs will have to be covered by rate revenue. Wc arc well aware of die


state of our roads, which a; present arc taking a pounding from the heavy traffic now using them. When the outer bypass is


completed, together with the link road from our local quarries, We shall press the Minister of Transport for a much more generous gram towards our read repairs than we have at the present time. With regard to housing


repairs, ir Coun. Ainsworth does not understand where the average estimate of £18 per house goes to, he should read tho statement issued by the borough treasurer to every councillor, showing the position at Feb. 22. In addition


to the day-to-day repairs, wc have a planned programme of renewals of window frames and. electrical wiring and fit­ tings, and external painting. In closing, I must say that I do not mind criticism so


long as the facts are put, and I welcome new ideas from any. one who .will study the problem, do his homework, and come up with some prac­ tical suggestions—Leo Wells, Chairman, Housing Commit­ tee, Clitheroe Borough Coun­


cil. V


VYE'VE wuen n i


I S 'aS W i IS E S t


1968 CORTINA _ Very good throl 1968 MGB Blue P


1968 MORRIS < „ood throughou


,967 RILEY KE Low mileage.


1967 HILLMAN m o r r is 11


967 1100 EST,


1967 MINI VAN 1966 RILE\r R miles.


1966 SUPER MI 1966 AUSTIN IS 1966 ROVER 20< 1963 TRIUMPH 1968 BEDFORD VERY LOW PR 1964 TRIUMPH 964 CORTINA


1963 ANGLIA L Full Range oi Low 1


PRIM! w l Telephone:


r


( r o m p i B A T T E I


1 2 V 0 I FRO!'


8 6 1 ' Much is being said and written about the MAUD COMMITTEE proposals jfor the reform of Local Government in East Lancashire. BLACKBURN CORPORATION


URGES ALL THOSE LIKELY TO BE AFFECTED both inside and outside Blackburn TO CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING


O- <•!' ■•; 4 \£. v / .


1. The present structure and organisation of Local Government dates from the turn of the Century. I f it was right then, it CANNOT he right now. 2; ^REFORM of some kind is therefore essential and inevitable, irrespective of the political complexion of the Government. This is accepted by all sectors of local government,


r■gr.j-j.f...-/(• including the County Councils and Rural District Councils. •V >.•"-: ' . “. '•• • '


; 3. ul ihe MAUD COMMITTEE, the most recent of many bodies to have recommended reform’, spent over three years and considered evidence from hundreds of


'. J - v .-j-individuals and organisations before reaching its conclusions-. 4. •


‘ 'The proposals for East Lancashire did not originate with BLACKBURN TOWN COUNCIL, which will, in fact, disappear along with all existing Councils. They were r : t ' formulated by the MAUD COMMITTEE, and have been accepted in the GOVERNMENT’S WHITE PAPER.


___ 5. Blackburn residents, far from dominating the proposed Unitary area 20, will, in fact, be in a minority. •V - r * . •


■ AUSl 12 MONTHS GUa |


*; 1969 AUSTIN 130C | 1968 TRIUMPH 11 j 1968 AUSTIN 1300| ; 1968 FORD Cortina < 1968 V/OLSELEY 11 •] 1967 AUSTIN 1'. choice of two


* 1967 MORRIS Oxfor]


1967 AUSTIN HOC 1967 HUMBER Ncv


\ 1967 FORD Cortir i 1967 AUSTIN 110(1


"


1 / r 6/ -There are really only two alternatives facing u s •• (a) An all-purpose elected Council which would exercise all local government powers from within East Lancashire*;


, .. * 4 ’ "


(b) A two-tier or Metropolitan Area system of Councils under which the most Important local government functions, including education, would be directed 'from within the new city of Preston.


-* r » a ■» • ? •• • -v* - ‘ 7. Under either alternative, the AREA AND POPULATION BUT NOT THE POWERS of the new East Lancashire Authority would almost certainly be identical. .


~ 8; As to FINANCE AND RATE LEVELS, there can at this stage be nothing more than inspired guesses, until the Government’s promised proposals for re-organisation of local authority finance are published shortly.


lssiki J> l- '.v anti 'huuiic Kemuons Department, Blackburn CozporaHoa.


-1 1967. WOLSELEY 1, ’ 967 VIVA Estate ’ 967 HILLMAN Mil


•I ’ 966 WOLSELEY 1 | ’ 966 SINGER Cham


II


4 ’ 966 MORRIS Oxfo ’ 966 VAUXHALL 1


’ 966 FORD Cortina ’ 965 VICTOR 101 ’965 MORRIS 110C


Trust HatiJ


1967 RENAULT 16q ’ 967 MORRIS Coun, ’ 967 AUSTIN Camlj


i MONTHS CUA ’ 966 MORRIS HOC


’ 966 FORD Anglia 966 HILLMAN Mi


to be /


i and to have a •IMt


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