1
r Clitheroe Advertiser & Times, April 29th, 1999 9 Clitheroe 422324 (Editorial), 422323 (Advertising), Burnley 422331 (Classified)
by Sheila Nixon
VOTERS in the Ribble Valley go to the polls on Thursday in what is being billed as the most interest ing local government con test in the borough council's
25-year history. The difference this time is that
13.members - a third of the council - have retired, making it much more difficult for political
pundits to forecast the results
with any confidence. As is often the case in the Ribble
Valley, the national media is focusing its attention on the borough, with the campaign promising to deal a few sur prises as the Liberal-Democrats and Conservatives fight for control. The result, in a borough which has a
larity.
All 39 seats on the council are being contested, with the Liberal-Democrats fielding 34 candidates, the Conserva tives 32, Labour four and there will be two Independents.
, . LIBERAL DEMOCRAT
THE Liberal Democrat pro gramme is based on sound finance. Since taking control of the
council three years ago, we have changed the financial position out of all recognition. Previously there had been no attempt at forward planning. Now, through careful budget ing and thoughtful planning, it has been possible to keep the council tax increase down to 1.4% - only half the rate of inflation, while a t the same time improving services and maintaining balances. During our time in office we
have introduced a five-year cor porate plan to work out the pii- orities for the council. There is also a five-year capital pro gramme to enable us to identify and finance work th a t needs doing at the appropriate time. We have saved £100,000 by
restructuring senior management. A recycling scheme has been established in Clitheroe and some surrounding villages. Public par ticipation has been introduced for committee meetings of the coun
cil.Plans for the future include a public transport interchange for trains and buses in Clitheroe, an extension of the recycling scheme
CONSERVATIVE
SINCE 1996, when the Liberal Democrats with Labour support took control of Ribble Valley, we have been a responsible opposition, and have co-operated with the coun
cil on a whole range of local issues. Nevertheless, the combination of
Labour Government, county council policies and
Lib.Dem. controlled Ribble Valley Borough Council has seen your council tax rise by 29%, far in excess of the rate of inflation and the increase in
your earnings. Two years ago at the General Election,
a Labour Government was elected with a
massive majority. Since that time, far from opposing any of Labour’s policies, the Lib eral Democrats embraced them and entered into partnership on policy groups and even Cabinet committees, so that now a vote for the Lib. Dems is effectively a
vote for Labour. Lib. Dems offered no opposition to the
successive Labour budgets. With their stealth taxes affecting your ultimate pen sion entitlements, culminating in the recent steep increase in vehicle fuel taxes which will bear particularly hard on people living in rural areas where public transport facilities are minimal, and the use of pri vate cars is a necessity for everyday living, not a luxury! The effects of these increas
es, combined witli increased IIGV taxes hits UK transport operators particularly badly and v/ill feed through into higher shop prices and lower employment prospects. This from a party which promised no increase in taxes. Lib. Dems positively encourage the
regionalisation of the United Kingdom with a Scottish Parliament, a Welsh Assembly and support for Region Assem blies in England which will make "Local Government" a mockery and centralise even further decisions on local issues and threaten the survival of Ribble Valley as an
authority. Lib. Dems eagerly support the u x s
entry into the Euro currency with all that
to other parts of Ribble Valley, and village parking schemes for Ribchester, Waddinglon and Whalley. In addition, provision will be made to allocate matching funding to work with various partners on interesting rural ini tiatives centred on the communi ties of Chipping, Chatburn, Gis- burn and Slaidburn. Additional resources will be
was 19 Liberal-Democrats, 17 Conser vatives, one Labour and two Indepen
The previous standing of the parties
dents. "The election has generated a lot of
Conservative MP and used to have a Tory-controlled council, will be seen as a yardstick of William Hague s popu
media interest and we are expecting radio and television coverage," said Kathleen Law, the borough's electoral and licensing officer, who takes on the organisation of elections. There will be a break with tradition
joining council staff in the counting
operation. Ballot papers this year will include
party symbols against candidates names - a rose for Labour, a torch for Conservatives and a bird for Liberal-
Democrats. O There will also be six parish coun
this year, the count taking place at Roefield Leisure Centre instead of Clitheroe Royal Grammar School. The result is also expected earlier, as
cil elections, one for the very first time in the Bowland ward of the Bowland with Leagram parish where there has always been a walk-over previously. The others are: Clitheroe (Grammar
there will be two counting areas instead of one and staff from local banks and building societies will be
School ward and Edisford, Low Moor and Trinity ward); Clayton-le-Dale;
Chatburn; Slaidburn. © Here, the parties pul their views.
INDEPENDENT
AS an Independent I can truly represent local needs with no political masters and I will be able to fight for issues that matter to the people or Clitheroc and Rib-
blo
Valley.One important issue is Cemfuel. I believe our health should not be put at risk until Cemfuel has been proven to be safe by a reliable body. Also, the crazy idea of people paying for parking spaces outside their own homes can not be allowed to go ahead. I believe that local politics is about the people and
made available to deal with the problems of dog fouling and van
dalism. All this requires careful plan
ning and sound finance; factors to which Liberal Democrats give the
highest priority. COUN. IlOWEb JONES
their opinions and wishes, not political point scoring. Council decisions should reflect these opinions and
policies must be to the benefit of Clitheroe and Rib ble Valley.
IAN BROWN, Clilheroe. (The views expressed are my own and not those ot
the "independent candidates" as a group.) THURSDAY, May 6th, is an impor
tant day for several reasons. Firstly, it is the opportunity for the
electorate in Ribble Valley to cast their vote and exercise their hard-fought demo cratic right as such; secondly, it is the decision of the electorate as to who should take the responsibility and trust of the Ribble Valley people forward for the next four years and, thirdly, where there is a choice, the votes of certain wards can have an important bearing on the compo sition of the council.
We, in the Labour Party, represent, it is fair to say, a minority of voters in the val
. .
ley.However, we have members who want to stand and reflect a political perspective that is an alternative to the Liberals and Conser vatives. The issues that need addressing include the environment, housing, pollution, planning and leisure facilities. We recognise the need to maintain value for money from the services provided by the council. We need to listen and listen clearly to
what all the people are saying. We make the following pledges as part of
our partnership with the electorate: To keep the council tax as low as possible; To work with the police and local commu
nity;To protect the environment by saving
energy and reducing waste; To improve the efficiency of the services
a s
tion! NIALL MACFARLANE
delivered by the council. Thank you for your support in anticipa
111
Book now for the event of 1999 For further details phone Phil Moon on 0 1 2 8 2 4 2 6 1 6 1
t
it implies in limiting Britain's ability to manage its own affairs, despite the lack of enthusiasm from the population as a whole and the poor performance of the Euro since its introduction in January this year. The Conservative Party is the only
; Visit our fantastic DISPLAY GARDEN ! area of high quality, low ; maintenance garden toys designed ; to keep children ■ entertained.
opposition to Labour, and it is vital that we maintain a strong voice to fight for our Constitution, the autonomy of Ribble Val ley Borough Council and our very way of
life.Before you place your vote, look at your latest Council Tax bill with its 7.5% increase and vote for your Conservative
candidate. COUN. PETEK E.A. RED PAT II
FUN FUN USING Rtbble Valley Activity toys :i phone 01200 445997 for a free brochure
f! OPENING TIMES: Wed and Fri 12noon - 5.30pm • Sat/Sun 10am -6.00pm i: Horton 8 V2 miles from Clitheroe on A59
Myra Clegg
A RECORD number of borough councillors, with a to ta l of 157 years' service, retired on the 25th anniversary of
Ribble Valley Council. The 13-strong list - two
with a maximum quarter- century service with the authority - were presented with farewell gifts by the Mayor, Coun. David Smith, at the last meeting of the full council before the next elections. Heading the list were
Stephen Holt Bert Jones Allan Kay John Travis
Councillors with a total of 157 years’ service decide to retire
and one Independent, and several chairmen of com
mittees. A spokesman for the
Coun. Myra Clegg (Wiswell and Pendleton) and Coun. Ted Boden (Chatburn), both members
since 1973. Next in line for length of
service was Coun. Bert Jones ( Edisford, Low Moor and Trinity), with 23 years. The departures included
six Conservatives, five Lib eral-Democrats. one Labour
T U N IS IA " " 24/11/99 1 Month
Halfboard
council's legal department confirmed that the number of retiring councillors was a record, while the leader of the council, Coun. Howel Jones, told the Clitheroe Advertiser and Times, that there was a variety of rea sons behind the departures. Some had indicated that pressure of work had influ enced their decision to resign, while those in retire ment years, or approaching retirement from their pro fessional jobs, had expressed a desire to devote their time
F E N E R IF E 30/11/99 2 Weeks
£258 Self eater-ini’ 4/1/00 35 N ig h ts £250 Self Catering
Turkey & Tinsel Llandudno
22/11/99 5 Days ✓ > ..t '*>»
iro n } r v / ; « . J i - Halflroard
GRAN CANARIA 27/11/99 2 WEEKS
£25C Self Catering
i T E N E i R K F E (if.J 25/1/00 2 Weeks
£ 2 9 8 Self Catering 27/3/00 5 Days £179 Halfboard
rLAS VEGAS 11/1/00 1 Week
£475 Room Only
SOT' l iA i% T am - 3 pm
4 7 Hanmierton S i , Burnley 01282 8 3 1 2 1 2_____ ri
worldchoice m 17302 Brunlea TravelIfADTA \ h
Si pi
Suppliers of
- 5 ; \
f t'SPRING IS IN THE AIR -
to other interests. There was a happy
atmosphere in the council chamber as they were salut ed for their services to both the borough and their indi
vidual wards. But their departure looks
like creating, perhaps, the most keenly-fought elec tions in the history of the
authority. The Conservatives and
Liberal-Democrats, which have narrowly held control over the past year, will be contesting seats held for many years by well-known local figures in wards where personality often counts as much as political persua
sion. Coun. Clegg (Con.),
Mayor in 1982/83, has chaired both the Planning and Transportation and Recreation and Leisure Committees and has also
served on a number of out side bodies, including the Education Liaison Com mittee, Longridge Sports Centre Joint Management Committee, North West Council for Sport and Recreation and the Ribble Valley Sports and Recre ation Association. The latter body grew to
• * i tre. J 1. _ Tt _ 11 _ ... .. H rl f t / \ YV\ 1 1
the Police and Community forum which he has also
chaired. Coun. Jones (Lab) served
on Housing, Public Works and Health and Personnel Committees. He was chair man of the Direct Services Committee for two years. Other retiring councillors
are:
fruition during her associa tion with the group and cul minated in the building of the Roefield Leisure Cen
Mayor in 1983/84, chaired both the Recreation and Leisure and Personnel Committees and also served on a number of outside bod ies, including the North West Employers' Organisa tions, as a trustee of Clitheroe Royal Grammar School, the Clitheroe Citi zens' Advice Bureau and
Coun. Boden (Con.),
Mayor in 1995/96), repre sented Bowland, Newton and Slaidburn, for 16 years. Allan Kay (Ind.), Mayor
Dorothy Pearson (Con.),
in 1991/92, represented Aighton, Bailey and Chaigley for 12 years. John Travis, (Con.),
Ted Boden
Dem.), represented the Grammar School Ward of Clitheroe for eight, years. Eileen Lowe (Lib-Dem.),
Mayor in 1996/97, repre sented Sabden for eight
years. Stephen Holt (Lib-
Dem.), represented St James's Ward of Clitheroe
for eight years. Sarah Rainford (Lib-
Mayor in 1992/3, champi oned the arts in the bor ough and represented Simonstone for 11 years. Stan Thomas (Con.), of Mellor, has been a member
Dem.), represented Dil- worth Ward for four years. Colin Bacon (Con.), rep resented Bolton-by-Bow-
land for four years. Daniel Board (Lib-
since 1989. Kate Hooper (Lib-
Dem.), represented Billing- ton for four years.
Fast, Efficient, Friendly Service
i t L u l l 'C f l i U L L i i l lL L L L L i LLl U i L L d iG - L lC i lE : I'LLllLUrL-
LEutiuitfes IT ’S TIME TO HIT THE GARDEN!!”
THE GARDEN - Top Soil always in stock for immediate delivery. PAVBNG & PATBOS - Flags from £0.99 - Cali in and se e our wide range WALLBNG - Huge stocks of bricks, blocks, decorative walling, sand & cement. DRIVEWAYS - Marshalls Driveline 50 block paving - many colours available. GARDEN DECKING - The very latest in garden ideas - As seen on TV. FENCBNG - Panels, Posts, Rails, Palings, Post Anchors etc... NEW - Decorative Pebbles - over 15 types in stock from £1.99 per 25kg Bag
R e a l Wood V en e e red Flooring HEW - Overall board thickness 14mm in Maple, Oak, Beech, Merbau, Kempas, Mahogany, Rubberwood
Timber e l IS
Ironmongers/Hardware Shop 10 Itrs, Manders Emulsion Brilliant White & Magnolia £8.50 each Wheelbarrow Set - Wheelbarrow, Shovel & Bucket £29.99 set 25 Itrs Febsllicon Exterior Water proofer £38.50 each 5 Itrs Fence defence (Creosote Alternative)
from £17,10 p e r square metre Umber loft Ladders from £129.00
- various colours £5.99 each 5 Itrs, Manders Masonry Paint Brilliant White, Magnolia & Buttermilk £8.50 each
LiuCUiUiv. IIuiluUiLiH
Dorothy Pearson P.J P.
WE ARE A MEMBER OP M >7, EUROPE'S - , BIGGEST
■-7' \
„ .'•V E L E C T R IC A L mOLT buying group
"No 1" for domestic appliances v INDEPENDENT
• i - g 'v \ H 1 V , X'N'V
Large and small enquiries welcome
North West fit si /riernfft/-, /M d 0 Ohm.- as’nomial-fluwy/iotd iheJ/tu/ Mimk 9ioluh\ip '■S _____________ ■ ___ Hours of p g y
unurc nf Oneninn: Mondav - Thursday 8.00am - 5..C Friday 8.00am - 4.00pm Saturday 8.00am - 12.00pm
00pm
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35
