Guest 648- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 258
Trust you Keith to score a political point .May I point out labour have had eleven years to cancel the Right to Buy policy,We also have a government who takes approx Five million from us each year hence problems in the HRA.We never had a large stock of four bedroom houses.
I think you make a valid point re personal cases however In my role i can ask relevant questions.
Sue - you keep telling us we would be surprised how many people don't know X Y and Z about the how the council works. So.....either let us know, communicate with us when we reach out to you, or just get on with doing what we elect/pay people to do. As I said before - we don't need a medical degree to consult a doctor, but we do expect a doctor to treat us and know what s/he is doing and to listen to us because that is what we pay them for. AND I don't think it counts as political point scoring to clarify or underscore events and issues, and it is a fact that Thatcher created the will and means to reduce to the point of annihilation the social housing that had been so crucial to British society while at the same time creating an ugly me-me-I greedy and grasping culture. There is nothing wrong with competition or aspirations but there is more to social support than encouraging business plans.
Guest 677- Registered: 8 Jul 2008
- Posts: 150
Keith, I take your point about personal posting (it was me by the way not Chris) but I was answering a pertinent question and sometimes putting a personal spin on a story can emphasis a relevant point, i.e all the points you made in your posting had already been made but with a slightly personal spin on them. I appreciate that this is an area for debate not airing problems but I reserve the right to give a personal experience if I think it is relevant to the topic of conversation.
Sue, I appreciate your help and sympathy in this.
Bern, when/if I get the house your welcome to come and share my champagne (Chris doesn't drink it).
Nuff said, I will bore you all no longer.
It's not the man in my life, its the life in my man!!
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
very interesting thread, i can see that individual cases can not be discussed in detail on here by coucillors or officers.
it is just sad that councils in general, because of past policies of flogging off houses indiscriminately, that only certain properties are left that do not cater for special cases.
Guest 674- Registered: 25 Jun 2008
- Posts: 3,391
HOWARD
I'm not saying anyone should not post individual cases if thats\there wish, and sorry Stephanie, knew it was yourself and Chris who posted, at the end of the day my comments remain, not political point scoring as admitted the conservatives started the right to buy council houses without replacing them and labour continued it
so hardly point scoring .
Its clear if you sell council houses you have less \to house people, thus housing list goes up more on it
not rocket science.
SUE
Not point scoring as I say just facts
Guest 674- Registered: 25 Jun 2008
- Posts: 3,391
HOWARD
I'm not saying anyone should not post individual cases if thats\there wish, and sorry Stephanie, knew it was yourself and Chris who posted, at the end of the day my comments remain, not political point scoring as admitted the conservatives started the right to buy council houses without replacing them and labour continued it
so hardly point scoring .
Its clear if you sell council houses you have less \to house people, thus housing list goes up more on it
not rocket science.
SUE
Not point scoring as I say just facts
Guest 677- Registered: 8 Jul 2008
- Posts: 150
I must agree with Keith that I do feel that this problem has been perpetrated by the conservatives selling off their houses without replacing their stock and labour haven't rectified this problem, leading me to the conclusion, I'm afraid, that they support the policy. I don't begrudge anyone the pleasure and hopefully security of owning their own home but it has left a large percentage of the population unable to afford to buy and an extremely limited stock of social housing to assist those people in making a decent home for themselves and that's the important point here, a decent home!!
It's not the man in my life, its the life in my man!!
I like owning (or rather, the Building Society owning) our house, but the older I get the less convinced I am that it is a good thing - it keeps me chained as surely as poverty and ill health keep people chained. I am so busy maintaining the property, the income and the energy needed for both that I often fail in the important things like politics, family and self! It seems to me to be potentially another way to keep people in their place.......call me an old fashioned leftie (many do!!)
Guest 675- Registered: 30 Jun 2008
- Posts: 1,610
Britain is actually rather unique in Europe for having so many home owners, in most of the rest of Europe (in particular France and Italy) the majority live in rented accomodation. It works well for both sides as the owners always have an income while the tenants have the flexibility of location that helps them keep ahead of economic down turns. When an area goes tits up it is easier to move from rented to rented in order to follow the jobs than it is to sell up and re buy.
On the housing stock I have already had a long correspondence with DDC concerning up grading their stock. As I know of properties they have modified, at great expense as it has included taking down supporting walls and all that entails, because they claim that those offered the properties would not move in otherwise I have questioned their spending. The properties they have rebuilt this way have been on spurious grounds as I know of families that would happily have moved in as they were. In response I suggested that a way of solving some overcrowding problems, and improving the housing stock at the same time, they should look at loft conversions in some properties. This would increase the available number of bedrooms in some properties, greatly help the families involved and look far better on DDC's overall property portfolio. Apparently they have no problem paying out to rebuild the structure of a house to provide larger kitchens, despite there being people on their lists who would be happy with the original, but they do find simple solutions to the shortage of larger homes too expensive.
Politics, it seems to me, for years, or all too long, has been concerned with right or left instead of right or wrong.
Richard Armour
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
some important points made here about home ownership.
flexibilty of employment is the main problem.
just as an example, when i was a kid, a company called "jeyes fluid", decidede to up sticks from london and move to a state of the art factory in suffolk.
naturally, the move would be better if they took the majority of their staff.
no problem, the vast majority were living in rented council or private landlord accommadation.
the host council, delighted for a major employer moving in, found houses for all.
there were many cases of that back in the 60's, relocation was easy, towns were funded to build new estates in line
with new enterprises.
everyone was a winner.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
some important points made here about home ownership.
flexibilty of employment is the main problem.
just as an example, when i was a kid, a company called "jeyes fluid", decidede to up sticks from london and move to a state of the art factory in suffolk.
naturally, the move would be better if they took the majority of their staff.
no problem, the vast majority were living in rented council or private landlord accommadation.
the host council, delighted for a major employer moving in, found houses for all.
there were many cases of that back in the 60's, relocation was easy, towns were funded to build new estates in line
with new enterprises.
everyone was a winner.
Guest 674- Registered: 25 Jun 2008
- Posts: 3,391
At the end of the day there will be probably be a number of candidates in the bye election, and im sure David H would love to see less reds on the town council
this seat was LENT to the indies at the last election by the equal number of votes and they picked a name out of the hat and the indies name came out.
it wont be so close next time, the indy candidate did have a following and was known in political circles.
i think the labour party will regain the seat, but i know all the parties including the labour party will work hard to win the seat.
it always has a low turnout which again apathy wins, but there you have it.
Guest 675- Registered: 30 Jun 2008
- Posts: 1,610
At the end of the day Keith the seat does not belong to anyone other than the people of the ward eligible to vote. Who gets the seat is up to the electorate and they only lend the seat to their chosen candidate for a fixed term to represent their needs. Just because one party has been granted tenure of a seat a few times in a row they should always remember that it still belongs to the electorate, and always will as long as this country remains a democracy.
Politics, it seems to me, for years, or all too long, has been concerned with right or left instead of right or wrong.
Richard Armour
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
when is this election?
who is standing?
nothing on the websites of DDC or DTC unless it is well hidden.
Guest 675- Registered: 30 Jun 2008
- Posts: 1,610
St. Rad's by election is scheduled for October and it would seem from the coverage that anyone able to spell their name correctly will be throwing their hats into the ring. It is to be hoped that, at the end of it all, we get someone who is prepared to work for the ward and town they will have been elected to represent but, as I said, it is up to the electorate.
Politics, it seems to me, for years, or all too long, has been concerned with right or left instead of right or wrong.
Richard Armour
Guest 674- Registered: 25 Jun 2008
- Posts: 3,391
Chris
On most of your point I agree with you.
may the best man/woman win
Guest 645- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 4,463
It will be interesting to see a full list of runners and riders when it's published.
I suppose that local well known jockey Vic M who has ridden for many stables under different colours will toss his cap into the horse ring.Hope he doesn't fall at the first fence though...it would be dreadful if he had to be put down.
Marek
I think therefore I am (not a Tory supporter)
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
an election would not be the same with our victor.
how about a comeback from multi coloured ken to make it interesting?
Guest 674- Registered: 25 Jun 2008
- Posts: 3,391
makes the USA election for president look boring don't it
