The Flitwick Town Crier

towncrier-500x730.jpg

 

  

 IMPORTANT

For  details about Covanta  www.mmetag.com and see
IPC Registration - MMAG Oct Nov 2010 colour S[1].pdf
Best wihes to Nicola Ryan Raine for sending this link

 

Oyez, Oyez, Oyez

 

 

COVANTA INCINERATOR
 Public Meeting Being Held with

PROFESSOR PAUL CONNETT of St. Lawrence University, New York

SATURDAY 30TH OCTOBER 2010

TIME: 10:30AM – 12:00 NOON

THE RUFUS CENTRE, FLITWICK.

Main Points

The Main building would be roughly the height of the Cardington hangers!

The chimney stack(s) would be approx twice the height of the brickworks chimneys

The building would be right against the railway line at the edge of the Country Park – it will be visible from every part of this wonderful amenity used by so many families and their children. Covanta’s own initial suggestion of vehicle movements was 300 lorries and 150 cars. This has since been amended to 900 vehicle movements a day (450 lorries) – arriving and departing between 5am and 11pm 6 days a week and 7 days a week on Bank Holiday weekends. Covanta’s own literature says that their catchment area would be Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and then potentially Milton Keynes, Northamptonshire, Hertfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Windsor and Maidenhead.

 

Worrying points

According to Abby Gruen of The Star-Ledger, Covanta is being sued by Connecticut’s attorney general.

Covanta Energy, the operator of three incinerators in New Jersey, is being sued by the Connecticut State Attorney General Richard Blumenthal for emitting excessive levels of a carcinogen for the second time in three years at its incinerator in Wallingford, Connecticut in the USA.

The lawsuit was filed in August 2010 against Covanta on behalf of the state Department of Environmental Protection. The lawsuit explicitly names dioxin as the pollutant.

This is the second time the state of Connecticut has sued Covanta for exceeding emissions standards. The previous legal action was settled for $355,000 in 2009.

Paul Gilman, Covanta’s chief sustainability officer is reported as saying that the excess emissions of dioxin “were unacceptable to Covanta.” He said the emissions problem was caused by a failure of a system in one of the plant’s three generating units that inject carbon into emissions before they leave the plant’s smokestacks. It is understood that the Wallingford incinerator has been shut down since 2nd July 2010 when Covanta noticed the excess dioxin emissions. According to the New Jersey-based website Covanta operates waste-to-energy plants in Newark, Oxford and Rahway. The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection is currently reviewing an air operating permit for the Covanta waste-to-energy plant in Newark’s Ironbound neighborhood in Essex County. The plant has a long history of pollution violations. A DEP spokeswoman said the decision to renew the permit is still under consideration.

Question:

Do we need this facility in an area of outstanding beauty?

 

 

Oyez, Oyez, Oyez

 

It is now almost a year since the Town Council made a statement in their Minutes which related to and accused two residents of being responsible for the high costs of a Tribunal Case. I have not as yet seen any public apology by the council for this incorrect statement even though I understand the Information Commissioners Office found in favour of the council being in breech of Principle 1 of the Data Protection Act.

 

The above information proves that Councillors appear untouchable. The article below should blow the wind from their sale once and for all and if they still feel the same after reading it then it is definitely time they moved on to something they are able to comprehend.  

 

4.  Guidance on Defamation

 

Statements made in council and committee meetings are subject to the general principles of law concerning defamation.  Anyone who makes a defamatory statement therefore commits a tort (i.e. civil wrong).

 

Some Frequently Asked Questions

 

What is a defamatory statement?

A defamatory statement is one which exposes a person to hatred, ridicule or contempt, or which causes them to be shunned or avoided, or which has a tendency to lower them in the estimation of right thinking members of society generally or injure them in their office, profession or trade.

 

Are there any defences?

There is a general defence to an action in defamation to show that the statement was made on a “privileged occasion”.

 

Absolute privilege - applies in only very limited circumstances, which will not normally be relevant to local councils, e.g. judicial and parliamentary proceedings, between a local authority and the Ombudsman, but not council meetings.

 

Qualified privilege - attaches on “…any occasion where the person who makes the communication has an interest or duty, legal, social or moral, to make it to the person to whom it is made, and the person to whom it is made has a corresponding duty to receive it”. (House of Lord case decided in 1917).  An essential feature of qualified privilege is absence of malice. So long as a person believes in the truth of what they say, malice cannot normally be inferred.

Qualified privilege may well be relevant to statements made in Council or committee.

 

Other possible defences are justification, i.e. if the words are true. It may also be a good defence to show that it was fair comment on a matter of public interest, honestly believed to be true, relevant and not inspired by malicious motive, and that the statements of fact on which the comment was based were materially true.

 

Can the Council be defamed?

The House of Lords has held, in a case involving Derbyshire County Council in 1993, that it is not possible for a Council to be defamed, so it cannot sue to protect its reputation. However, if statements are made by the Council, in an official capacity, then the normal rules apply and the Council could be sued, subject to the possible defences.

Posted by the Town Crier

20th September 2010 

 

Oyez, Oyez, Oyez

 

 

 

 

 

 

A 'Good Council' - What is it?

Quite simply a 'good council' is a council that makes a difference.

At the end of a year a good town or parish council will be able to look back and see what it has achieved for the people it serves. It will have been active in dealing with problems and grasping opportunities in the parish, it will have found out about the aspirations and needs of people living in the parish and it will have taken some action to get them satisfied.

So a good council, whether it is large or small, will be an active council - active at a level appropriate to the circumstances and needs of the parish. But being active does require proper organisation and good working practices. A good council will have efficient day-to-day business procedures, it will have ways of communicating regularly with its electorate, the council and its clerk will work as a harmonious team and the council will systematically plan, budget and review its activities.

Town and parish councils (known as 'local councils') are part of local government in England and have many legal requirements to satisfy in their day to day business. In addition, years of experience have shown that there are certain ways of working which can be considered 'good practice'. this has brought legal requirements and some of the more important aspects of good practice together into a compendium of 'recommended standards' which it hopes all local councils will seek to follow.

Business Matters

Unless it operates in a reasonably business like manner, a local council will not be a pleasure to serve on or effective in meeting the needs of its electorate. With the adoption of agreed administrative procedures a council's business can be conducted in a legal and consistent way that the clerk, chairman, councillors - and the general public - all understand and abide by.

In order to ensure accountability for the proper administration of the council's finances, all local councils are required by law to appoint a Responsible Financial Officer (RFO). This will often, but not always, be the council's clerk. Councils are also required to adopt a set of Financial Regulations. These serve a similar purpose to Standing Orders with respect to the financial procedures of the council. It is vital that the council and the Responsible Financial Officer are quite clear about their financial procedures, so that there is consistency and no suspicion of any impropriety.

A council cannot be effective in serving its local community unless the community has 100% confidence in the integrity of councillors and believes that all council decisions are taken solely for the benefit of the community. For this reason all councillors are required by law to abide by the council's Code of Conduct and are required to sign a Declaration to that effect when they take up office. In addition all councillors are required to enter their financial and other interests in a Register kept for this purpose and which is open to inspection by the general public.

Experience shows that the most effective and harmonious councils are those where the councillors and the clerk have:

a good grasp of the legal, procedural and community aspects of local council work;

a proper understanding of each others roles;

a chairman who chairs meetings well, provides leadership and is forward looking;

a clerk who is competent and adequately rewarded for the number of hours actually worked?

 

Perhaps just perhaps if a certain council contained a portion of the above they would not be looking at the bleak future they now find themselves in. I refer to a judgement that has been found in favour of a complaint made to Information Commissioners Office and there are the Audit issues that are contained in a comment to be found on the Flitwick Matter website

Posted by the Town Crier

1st September 2010 

 

Oyez, Oyez, Oyez

 

Times and Citizen, 27 November 2008

Land swap would leave Flitwick Town Council 'out of pocket' claim

 

"I'm all in favour of a new leisure centre, but is Flitwick Town Council getting a fair deal, two fields for a prime piece of land". Quote attributed to D/Cllr S Mitchell.

Cllr Mitchell who has been connected with other fools errands, remember the Manor land and the Mill?

The council though as many will remember were happy to sell off other land (without first consulting the residents) to raise their ‘contribution’ towards the cost of the new centre yet they choose to ‘forget’ this underhanded financial deal which all councillors including the then District group of Flitwick agreed with. The possible truth behind the much needed sale was that the town council did not have the monies necessary to ‘Match’ the contribution. T C

“Continue”; -
The value of a piece of land has halted plans to build a new leisure centre in Flitwick.
Mid Beds District Council's executive heard last Wednesday that Flitwick Town Council wants more time to consider a land swap.

The district has its eye on town council-owned land in Steppingley Road, site of the current leisure centre, to build a replacement and in return it has offered the local town authority a larger site off Maulden Road, currently owned by Bedfordshire County Council. The district claims a new country park and badly-needed cemetery could be created there. But insiders have told the Times & Citizen that the land swap could leave Flitwick Town Council out of pocket, as the Maulden Road site may only be worth a maximum of £420,000, compared to £2.3 million for its Steppingley Road equivalent. Coun Stephen Mitchell, who sits on both councils, said: "The district council wants Flitwick to give it its crown jewels in return for a piece of land by the sewage works. On the face of it, this does not look a good deal.
Flitwick Town Council has requested time to allow for a full valuation of both pieces of land. Coun Philip Thompson, chairman of the sport, leisure and community facilities group, said: "The town council therefore relayed this to the district council, requesting a short period in which this could be done." But some district councillors were frustrated by the town council's "lack of decision" after Mid Beds committed £12 million towards a project which has already been delayed for more than a year. Coun Anita Lewis, Mid Beds portfolio holder for leisure, culture and safer communities, said: "I am so disappointed for the people of Flitwick that their town council have rejected our proposal to build this new leisure centre.
"We at Mid Beds are still committed to providing new and very much enhanced leisure facilities for residents in the west of the district, but progress on this will now be considerably delayed."
An exceptional meeting of Flitwick Town Council has been called on Thursday, December 11, by which time the valuation process will have been completed but Mid Beds says the project cannot now progress before April 1, and it will drop down the list of priorities for the new unitary Central Bedfordshire Council. END

The land mentioned above was tested some years earlier for its suitability as a possible burial ground and was found to be unfit, as not only is there the sewage works but there is also the problems of the national grid, gas supply pipes and heavy gauge drainage pipes that run across the entire site. Readers of this article should note the absence of any reference to the Football School of Excellence which was another aspiration of the town council.

The land opposite the Rufus Centre was tested and found to be ideal soil for a burial ground so quite possibly the land at the Rufus Centre, presently used as football pitches could be an ideal site for the new burial ground?

Many wondered how a town councillor could be elevated to the position of “Tsar” of the sport, leisure and community facilities group, only a few months after being co-opted to the council the answer is simple, the town council needed a “fall guy” if it all went pear shaped. It did!

Posted by the Town Crier

17th August 2010

Oyez, Oyez. Oyez

 

So Tony Blair will significantly reduce his tax bill by giving his profits from his book to help the Royal British Legion.

By handing over the reported £4.6 million advance to charity, his personal tax bill will be cut from £2.3 million, according to leading accountants Grant Thornton.

I wonder if this action will also reduce his conscience for the loss of life and limb to the many military personnel that due to his actions has brought misery to the many families involved.

It is said that he will still be out of pocket because the money he has already earned has gone to charity, does he really expect the people of this country to shed tears because of his demise, I think not. This is nothing more than he should be doing especially as he cut and ran when the difficulties started coming to the surface.

I wonder who will be next to pay penance for their actions as the bookies are sure to lay odds that it will be anyone of the MP’s who held onto their grubby seats at the last election!!

Posted by the Town Crier

16th August 2010

 


Oyez, Oyez, Oyez


Who will protect us now?

Many councils are sure to be clapping their hands in relief now that The Audit Commission is to be scrapped. To outsource this body I believe is wrong as once the private sector gets its hands on it then accountability and openess goes out of the window. Many councils have proved they are incapable of walking a straight line when it comes to public spending. The duty to appoint auditors to local government and NHS bodies is one of the Commission's core statutory functions in relation to audit. The fact that local government and NHS bodies do not appoint their own auditors helps to ensure that auditors are entirely independent and, just as important, are seen to be independent.

The Commission currently appoints auditors to:

433 local authorities

350 NHS bodies

38 police authorities

96 other 'principal' bodies, including fire and rescue authorities, national parks authorities and probation boards

9,700 local councils (parish and town councils)

 

Michael O'Higgins, the Commission's Chairman, said:

'The Audit Commission was set up by a Conservative Secretary of State in 1983, and I believe we have more than fulfilled Michael Heseltine's ambitions when he set it up.

It is of course the absolute right of the Secretary of State and Parliament to change the arrangements around the architecture of government, including abolishing the Commission.

While we obviously regret the decision, we can reflect upon the very significant successes that the Commission has had. In 1985-86 the commission led the investigation of the rate-capping rebellion which resulted in 32 Lambeth councillors and 47 Liverpool councillors being surcharged and banned from office. The gerrymandering 'homes for votes' scandal at Westminster Council was uncovered by the Audit Commission. In 2010 the commission carried out a corporate governance inspection of Doncaster Council in the light of "serious concerns about the council's performance and the threat to public confidence caused by recent events", being the brutal attack on two boys by two brothers in Edlington. Recently over £200 million of fraud has been detected through the National Fraud Initiative.

We have also had a role in assisting in the very significant impact of local authority improvement in the last decade. Ironically, it is this improved performance – as referred to by Decentralisation Minister Greg Clark, when he compared it favourably to central government’s performance – that has enabled ministers to have confidence in increasing local authority autonomy.

There are a range of options for the future of the audit practice, including sale, a management buyout, and the setting up of some sort of mutual organisation. Indeed the board of the AC mandated me last month to take soundings of potential purchasers, which has revealed significant interest in acquiring the Audit Commission’s business. I will be continuing with this process in the coming weeks, since the effective audit of local public services will need to continue, whether carried out by the Commission or by others.

It is critically important that during the coming period of uncertainty, and the transition period, that we ensure local accountability, and the accurate audit of public spending, is carried out effectively.

The Commission will continue to carry out this work effectively, and will ensure a smooth transition to the new arrangements.' As long as the new arrangement does not allow councils and MP’s to ‘inadvertently’ submit the wrong accounts…..?

Posted by the Town Crier

14th August 2010  

 

Oyez, Oyez, Oyez


After reading the comment on Flitwick- Matters I think the heading should be Oh dear, Oh dear, Oh dear as it would appear that the town council needs a refresher course on their own Policy I am of course referring to the; Freedom of Information & Publication Scheme regarding Data Protection and Freedom of Information that is posted on the council’s website. To ensure the councillors are aware of it I have copied it below.

‘With the advent of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 the public has new rights to access information held by the Council.   Under the Freedom of Information Act, it is the duty of every public authority to adopt and maintain a Publication Scheme.   Publication Schemes facilitate the proactive release of information and play a crucial role in supporting and providing greater openness and transparency across the public sector, creating a better understanding of how public authorities carry out their duties, The Act enables individuals and organisations to find out what information exists and request copies of documents.

In line with s.20 of the Act the Information Commissioner has approved a new model publication scheme which has been adopted by Flitwick Town Council.

 

Classes of Information;

 

Who we are and what we do

What we spend and how we spend it

What our priorities are and how we are doing

How we make decisions

Our policies and procedures

Lists and registers

Services provided by the Council

 

The Council's Publication Scheme lists information that the Council already makes available, either electronically, or in hard copy.   There may be a charge for certain information requested under the Freedom of Information Act and some information will be subject to Exemptions.

Requests for access to information under the Act must be made in writing to Head of Services
The Freedom of Information Act does not cover access to personal information held by the Council.   For this, the Data Protection Act 1998 is the relevant legislation, and it allows the Council to hold and process personal data.   The Council will only use the information you provide for its intended purpose.   Nothing will be passed on to a third party for commercial use’.


The Clerk could be very busy answering questions on the seven classes listed above but let us not forget that is what the Clerk is paid to do, answer questions put forward by the residents. I would also advise the Chairman of the council to hone up on the duties that go hand in hand with the chain of office, as ignorance is not an excuse in the eyes of the law. It is very obvious that this council fails to fully understand the true meaning of this legislation and its implications. Unless they change their current practice of ignoring anything and anyone who attempts to point out their misgivings then they will certainly face a very costly and insecure future.

Posted by the Town Crier

12 August 2010

 

Oyez, Oyez, Oyez

 
I cannot be the only one who has stepped on the “path to nowhere”. I am at a loss as to why the surface is of a resin bonded type of which (a) cost a fortune, (b) one would expect to find in upmarket mown Parks and usually around the base of trees. The path leads from A to B is in direct sunshine and at the moment looks totally out of place in a field of overgrown grass littered with the remains of dog mess. It is noted that the contractors, I assume, when faced with a large amount of spoil looked around and found a suitable hollow to deposit it in. We have been constantly told that this field is a Grade11 listed “HistoricalGarden” so why should a feature, the hollow, be filled in. There is also a pile of concrete rubble that has been dumped in the long grass close to the path, which is just waiting for the unsuspecting visitor to stumble into. I also suggest the Park Rangers pay closer attention to the areas around the mature trees as they will find empty beer cans, cigarette packets and other detritus left by the unconcerned visitor. The mown path along the “lake” is in danger of leading the walker into the reeds and marsh close to where the path meets the wooded area it is obvious the lake area has been allowed to expand. There is a path to the right of this area that leads to a hedge; it is only on very close inspection that the visitors realise this is the pathway which replaced the infamous “Steps and Ramp”. It is a pity that it is not kept in good condition but it does fit in with the rest of area!

On the way out I could not help but wonder the purpose of the hideous fence that appears to stretch from the kissing gate behind the properties in Church Road as I do not remember ever seeing it when I rambled over this land 30 years ago, perhaps someone would enlighten me as to its true purpose?  

Posted by the Town Crier

8th August 2010                   

 

Oyez, Oyez, Oyez

 

How many residents remember reading this quote: -

“Welcome to the first edition of News Central for 2010”.

“Central BedfordshireCouncil is working with Flitwick Town Council to improve the town in a range of

ways including better sports and leisure facilities, more activities for young people, and transforming the

town centre. The first phase to enhance the High Street and Station Roadhas involved restoring the town’s war memorial”.

The War Memorial was not restored it was the area around it and beyond it where the money was spent. Incidentally the Memorial is listed as being sited in Kings Roadwith two further memorials in the ParishChurch. How much of the £150,000 has been used is anyone’s guess because as we know the Flitwick council never inform the residents of any financial figures. The cost of the tribunal is a prime example.

The involvement of the Royal British Legion representatives concerns many as again those close to the then mayor would also have known he is the PRESIDENT of the organisation and as such should not have had any dealings with the council on this expensive matter. There is not any Declarations of Interest by the mayor at any of the meetings whose dates are listed below. Perhaps he would enlighten us as to why?

Is the £50,000 Burial Ground Grant the other half of the £100,000 awarded in the late 90’s. It was originally for a new burial ground and ten years on we are still waiting. The question to ask is “did the council receive it, if so where is it now or are they still waiting.

 

17th March 2009

(vi) Confirmation had been received from Mid Beds District Council that the £50,000 Burial

Ground grant would be carried forward to the new financial year and to the new authority,

Central Bedfordshire.

 (vii) Mid Beds District Council were considering the £150,000 town centre partnership funding

bid at a meeting in the next couple of days, which would be used for High Street enhancements.

 

16th June 2009

(ix) The High Street Enhancement project was progressing and it was hoped to complete this by

the due date. There would be a meeting the following week to receive quotations for the works under consideration and discussions would then be undertaken with the Royal British Legion representatives.

 

17 July 2009

(v) The Town Council had placed orders for the upgrading of the War Memorial, this was part

of the High Street Enhancement works.

Posted by the Town Crier

5th August 2010

 

 

Oyez, Oyez, Oyez

 

If further proof that the Conservative party are hell bent on becoming a despotic group who not only wish to run / ruin this country look no further than the article below. This was taken off of “Cams Blog” and gives direction on how to become a councillor:-     

“Becoming a councillor is a uniquely rewarding experience. It gives you the opportunity to help your local community and be part of a dedicated team providing key services for your area.

Being a councillor is also a great way to gain political experience and useful skills in public speaking, debating and problem solving. Serving councillors are a broad mix of people from the local community. New councillors are good news. They mean fresh ideas and fresh enthusiasm, and that will be good for your council and your local area. By becoming a councillor, you really can make a difference to your local community.

Who may become a councillor?

To be eligible you must be:

A British subject or a citizen of the IrishRepublicor the EU and resident in the UK.

At least eighteen years old on the day you are nominated.

Either on the electoral register for the council area in which you are seeking election, or have lived or worked in that council area for at least the last twelve months.

 

A member of the Conservative Party.

 

If you have not already done so, you will need to become a member of the Conservative Party.

 

To find out more, please contact your local Conservative Association”.

 

I am pleased to see that it does not describe the process of joining the “Party” although in certain areas it is claimed that to rise in the ranks one must go through the ritual of the rolled up trouser leg, the blindfold, the noose around the neck and the dagger at the throat. I of course do not believe for one moment that this actually happens but we do seem to have a large number of councillors who could have undertaken this rather silly ritual.

The truth is, to be a successful councillor you must have the interest of the constituency in your heart, be prepared to act for those who need help and stand up and be counted on all matters and not put the “party” before any of these basic requirements. This town has for far too long been “represented” by certain people who are incapable of doing any of the above and only decry those who speak against the system. The gentleman who recently suggested cuts to councillor’s allowances so as to allow the money to be spent on issues that are for the chop is absolutely correct and I amongst many others agree with this action.

Posted by the Town Crier

31st July 2010 

 

 

Oyez, Oyez, oyez

 

Did they go or were they pushed, I refer to the resignation of the Rufus Centre Management Panel Chairman and the Rufus Centre Manager. It seems strange that the two people who put this building, which must be the largest asset the residents of Flitwick own, on a good financial standing have either flown or will be flying the nest. I believe that those now left holding the baby will find it difficult to retain all especially with the proposed cuts from higher authorities. The statement that the council will not necessarily be replacing the Manager begs me to ask why? The only possibility is that a role reversal will take place and that would mean that the Village Hall Management Committee will be running the Rufus Conferencing Centre but just a minute, I am sure that two councillors are trustees of the V H and one is actually the Chairperson. I can see this ending in tears so in the vague hope of averting this I suggest those involved read the texts below.

      

Custodian Trustee

The Custodian Trustee assists the managing trustees. The watchword here is "assistance". The custodian trustee can only assist - it cannot have any management responsibilities itself, no matter how convinced individual members of the corporate body may be that it does.

Charity Commission Operational Guidance OG 39 A1

 

Holding Trustee

Holding Trustees are individuals who are appointed to hold the legal title of charity property.

Generally, Holding Trustees, like Custodian Trustees, have no management remit, however, the governing document of the charity may confer other duties or responsibilities on holding

trustees. It is important that all Trustees are aware of its contents. Holding Trustees have a role during the conveyance of assets. It is advised that this should be a temporary situation

and that the asset should be vested in a Custodian body at the earliest opportunity.

Parish Councils and conflicts of interest When a parish councillor, or their nominee, sits

as a charity trustee, they must act in the best interest of the charity, not the best interest of

their parent organisation. Acceptance of the role of the Trustee assumes acceptance of the responsibilities of a Charity Trustee.

See The Essential Trustee document CC3 - Available from the Charity Commission.

Posted by the Town Crier

24th July 2010

 

 

Oyez, Oyez, Oyez

 

I wonder if other residents noticed the small A5 leaflet that dropped onto the door mat when they retrieved the BOS last Sunday. It is an advert / invitation to a “Councillor’s Help & Advice Surgery” at the Flitwick Library. What is strange is the issues these magnificent four wish us to raise have all been blown out of the water by the article revolving around Cllr Stay which could be found on page 5 of the publication. Do these people who are paid an obscene allowance ever speak to one another or are they hopeful for a “well done” vote next May/June? Cllr Male’s comment, obviously an after thought, about the withdrawal of the swimming concessions really made me cringe but as he had not been subject to any public awareness for some time it was I suppose, to be expected.

From Hustings to Railings who else has noticed the elaborate new railings along the small section of the road opposite the petrol station. They really do tidy up an area which ensured most people embarked from the train at Harlington and hailed a taxi into Flitwick, well done Network Rail?

Onto a sombre note, who has recently picked up their compass and quinine tablets, ensured their mobile phone battery is fully charged and as a safety measure left a note to their loved ones informing them of their imminent safari to the ManorPark. If you are unsure of the meaning of this then go (in a group) and explore the wonder less of this much embellished facility.

Posted by the Town Crier

20th July 2010

 

 

Oyez, Oyez, Oyez

 

Conciliation service Acas has published new guidance to help HR staff prepare for the Equality Act, which is due to come into force in October.

The Acas guide – The Equality Act: What's New for Employers? – explains how the new law will affect employers in areas including third-party harassment, pre-employment health checks, employment tribunals, and pay secrecy.

From October, employers should no longer send out pre-health questionnaires with employment application packs, Acas said, although it added there are some exemptions - for example, around questions related to making reasonable adjustments for the person in the selection process if they are disabled.

There will also be changes to employment tribunals. Tribunals will be able to require employers found guilty of discrimination to take steps to change their policies and practices to prevent further discrimination.

Perhaps most controversially, employers will not be able to require their employees to keep their pay secret. However, an employer can still require employees to keep pay rates confidential from others outside the workplace, such as competitors, Acas said.

John Taylor, Acas chief executive, said: "Fairness in the workplace is good business and motivates staff as well as improving effectiveness and productivity. Last year, Acas received about 32,000 calls on diversity and discrimination-related issues."

 

The Equality Act has now received Royal Assent and been published

The Equality Act received Royal Assent on 8 April 2010

and was published on 13 April 2010.

This Act consolidates the existing body of equality legislation into one Act but also introduces new law. The Act's main provisions will become effective on 1 October 2010. Government guidance sets out that other provisions will be phased in over a longer period. The Act covers areas wider than employment matters. We only focus here on matters relating to employment.

New Provisions

The new provisions include

Public Sector employers having to publish gender pay gap information

Secrecy clauses preventing employees from discussing pay and whether differences in pay are linked to protected characteristics are to be unenforceable.

Associative discrimination and discrimination on grounds of wrongly perceived protected characteristics are made unlawful

Positive action in recruitment favouring underrepresented groups in certain circumstances to be permitted

Under the disability provisions restrictions on what can be asked about health during the recruitment process

Increased tribunal powers to make wider recommendations that may apply to the whole workforce against employers found to have discriminated

Extended Public Sector Equality Duty.  

Timetable

The timetable suggested in the government guidance is:

That the main provisions will become effective from 1.10.10.

The integrated Public Sector Equality Duty and the Socio Economic Duty and dual discrimination provisions will become effective from April 2011

Private and voluntary sector employers willbe required if necessary to publish gender pay gap information in 2013

Posted by the Town Crier

14th July 2010

 

 

Oyez,Oyez,Oyez

 

 

Visions and Strategies for the ManorLand

Of the Town Council

LOCAL AMENITIES STRATEGY 2008

3 YEAR PLAN

Short Term - 2009 - 2010 Financial Year

Medium Term - 2010 - 2011 Financial Year

Long Term - 2011 - 2012 Financial Year

 

OPEN SPACES/ PLAY AREAS

To maintain all open space and seek to add more through the Green Infrastructure

SHORT                                                          MEDIUM                                  LONG TERM

 

Grant funding Access for All Pathway               Open Meadow                                   Re-establish lake

Removal of planning conditions                          Promote use & signage                       Mend ha-ha

Production of leaflet                                          Tree work                                         Mend sluice 

Review steps                                                    Find additional general car parking

Establish working relationship with English          Public Toilets

Heritage 

 

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

 

 

 

Reading the latest Minutes of the Local Amenities Committee and looking at the above, which is available on the council website, the town residents should be very afraid as it seems that the chairman of this committee is certainly his father’s son. I refer to the latest minutes in which it states that in order to for the council to apply for Heritage Lottery Funding they would need to find 10 /15 % of the amount, the lake and all work connected to it would as an engineer specialising in this type of work put it, cost an arm and a leg in plain English a figure of around 4 MILLION pounds. This to include dredging and making good the base of the lake, rebuilding the Victorian Dam to include replacing the damaged sluices and cleaning the existing channels and making good all working areas. The question is where the council can lay its hands on this indecent amount. I am sure that the councillor who claimed publicly to return this land back to its original glory is, quite frankly, rueing the day it was purchased and that he made the outrageous claim that all of this could be carried out in one year as it has taken six years to get where they are now it was a very foolish statement to utter. Regarding the Short, Removal of planning conditions, Medium, Find additional general car parking and Public toilets these should be showing signs of implementation but as for Long Term visions dream on or as the manor land would say, Ha-Ha. One last issue, having spoken to someone with knowledge of this land there is a document available relating to “Tree Work” needing to be carried out, This dates back to 2006 on which the final figure was in the region of £136,000 excluding the VAT and the charge for certain services that had been carried out. I really think the council should review its time scales on this matter as it appears to have 18 months left to complete all issues.

Posted by the Town Crier

6th July 2010                                                                           

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Oyez, Oyez, Oyez

 

Is the item printed below the reason for the mayhem the residents find when attempting to navigate possibly the most dangerous junction in Flitwick? The council may have overlooked the fact that the town mayor is heavily involved with the organisation but residents have not.  There were no Declarations of Interest registered at this meeting and I ask why?  I along with many others believed “The High Street Enhancement project” would be just that but as usual it was high jacked and we now have an enhancement that encroaches onto the public highway. Was planning needed for this? The High Street is an appalling eyesore and judging from any decisions to the contrary will remain just that. As for the proposal to install pedestrian crossings at this junction it is seen as an appeasing suggestion by the mayor’s son and very little else. If the residents look closely they will see that the two lions from the council crest have been engraved on the slabs they should not have bothered as I am sure they will be remembered especially for squandering our money?

FLITWICK TOWN COUNCIL  

MINUTES OF THE 316TH MEETING OF FLITWICKTOWNCOUNCIL HELD ON 16TH JUNE 2009AT THE RUFUS CENTRE

 4237 TOWN CLERK’S REPORT

“(ix) The High Street Enhancement project was progressing and it was hoped to complete this by the due date. There would be a meeting the following week to receive quotations for the works under consideration and discussions would then be undertaken with the Royal British Legion representatives”.

Posted by the Town Crier

2nd July 2010

  

Oyez, Oyez, Oyez  

  

“Credere est videre” (seeing is believing) well after visiting the Ampthill events over the week-end I saw and believed that the residents of Flitwick are really being taken for a ride. Those responsible for the Ampthill Festival deserve hearty congratulations for ensuring all who attended were treated to a really spectacular event. Ampthill can truly claim that thousands turned up and everyone wore a smile. I did attend the towns “Fun Day” but there was something missing and attending the Ampthill Festival I realised what is was. It was not the sun as it was out at both events???

Posted by the Town Crier

1st July 2010 

Oyez, Oyez, Oyez  

The cost of the 'Big Brother' government was a staggering £20billion in 2008 what that equates to now be too frightening to contemplate. In 2008 we had but one political party “running” the country now we have the “Con Dems” and the “Lib Cons” and quite frankly neither are capable of the proverbial. We all know that a quart will not fit into a pint pot yet here we are with two leaders of different parties both with different agendas trying to convince the great British public that they, between them, can fix the sinking ship yet to achieve the impossible they need the help of the voters. WE are needed to have an input into their policies and without doubt when all fails WE will be blamed.   

Let us be serious just for a moment, the electorate cast their votes for the party they believed in but because of the previous “infidelities” of the out going parliamentarians many of the stalwarts of the old guard said “ stuff you” and either did not bother to vote or changed allegiance. We then ended up with a “Hung Parliament” which appears to be running on empty and as usual the leaders are calling out the AA, RAC, and Green Flag to sort out that which has caused the country to grind to a halt. We all know that which caused the problem it is called “Egos” and it is to be found in all places where politicians gather.   

Question, if the public demanded that the number of MP’s were cut to say 500 would they approve, of course they wouldn’t but they expect us to support the drastic cuts and increases brought about by their deception and lack of business skills. It is easy to apportion blame on others is it not Messer’s C & C   

Locally we are already being bombarded by the political rags urging us to vote in the May 2011 elections, I recently received the latest from the Lib Dems complete with photos of the worthies, imagine my thoughts when confronted by two Flitwick councillors smiling from the page urging me to vote for them, my thoughts went back to the days, weeks, months, and years when these two could have made a difference but failed so as you guess they are definitely off the my list of things to vote for.   

Final thought, many people in the UKdecry those who fiddle the system and gain benefits of which they are not entitled to and when caught out they lose these “perks”. The largest “House” in the country is located in Westminsterand many of the inhabitants have been caught out yet somehow retain their “perks” I ask is this right?   

Posted by the Town Crier  

26th June 2010   

 

Oyez, Oyez, Oyez  

    

Reading the latest minutes of the Town Council meetings particularly the Open Forum I have to ask do we really need four Central Beds councillors representing us. The cost to the ratepayer for this group is around £50,000 per year and all it seems they are interested in is the litter around the station, a holly bush at the top of The Avenue and many other minor issues that quite frankly could be handled by the town council staff of which we appear to have a lot of. The grand aspirations of the leisure centre, the town centre and the football centre have all fallen by the wayside so what is there for these four musketeers to do. Please let me know if you feel that they can do something positive for a town that is slowing sinking into oblivion.   

Posted by the Town Crier   

17th June 2010 

  

Oyez, Oyez, Oyez    

In answer to a recent Guestbook comments: -  

Public petitions to trigger community governance reviews  

Click on link below for the full explanation

http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/localgovernment/pdf/1527635.pdf

Or read this: -

39. In recent years, the Government has been keen to encourage more community engagement. The 2006 White Paper confirmed this development further stressing the intention to build on the existing parish structure improving capacity to deliver better services, and to represent the community’s interests.  

40. Under the 2007 Act, local electors throughout Englandcan petition their principal council for a community governance review to be undertaken. The petition must set out at least one recommendation that the petitioners want the review to consider making. These recommendations can be about a variety of matters including:  

the creation of a parish, the name of a parish, the establishment of a separate parish council for an existing parish, the alteration of boundaries of existing parishes, the abolition of a parish, the dissolution of a parish council      

41. For a petition to be valid it must meet certain conditions. The first of these conditions is that a petition must be signed by the requisite number of local electors. It is recommended that petitioners aim to collect the requisite number of signatures based on the most recently published electoral register. It should be against this register that the petition thresholds (set out below) will be assessed. The three thresholds are:  

a) For an area with less than 500 local electors, the petition must be signed by at least 50% of them;  

b) For an area with between 500 and 2,500 local electors, the petition must be signed by at least 250 of them;  

c) For an area with more than 2,500 local electors, the petition must be signed by at least 10% of them.  

42. These thresholds have been chosen to ensure that the minimum number of signatures to be obtained is neither so high that it will be impossible in most cases to collect that number nor so low as to allow a very small minority of electors to trigger a review. So, in areas with higher populations the threshold is not so high as to prevent a genuine desire for a review not being realised. Equally, in areas with smaller numbers of electors, this means that a handful of electors cannot initiate a review against the wishes of the majority of their fellow electors. The thresholds therefore help to ensure that the local democratic process is properly maintained. 

43. The petition should define the area to which the review relates, whether on a map or otherwise, and refer to identifiable fixed boundaries. Where a proposed boundary is near an individual property, the petition must make clear on which side of the boundary the property lays. The petition must specify one or more proposed recommendations for review.  

44. Where a petition recommends the establishment of a town or parish council or parish meeting (see paragraph 88) in an area which does not currently exist as a parish, the petition is to be treated as including Section 2, undertaking community governance reviews 17   

Also well worth a look at is this link.  www.mentmoreparishcouncil.com/      

Posted by the Town Crier

June 13th 2010   

 

Oyez, Oyez, Oyez  

 

Local council spending over £500 to be published online  

At last something to look forward to yet I feel that a certain council won’t know where to begin. Councils in Englandand Waleswill be required to publish all items of spending above £500, under new plans. The coalition government's plans, aimed at improving transparency, also mean councils will have to publish contracts and tender documents in full. A document outlining the coalition deal states a need to "throw open the doors of public bodies" to enable the public to hold them to account. The Tories and Lib Dems called the document outlining the deal "historic". The coalition government also said it would require online disclosure of all central government spending and contracts over £25,000. Prime Minister David Cameron pledged to make these changes when the Conservatives were in opposition. At the time he said his party would end what it called "Labour's secretive and wasteful contracts regime". The coalition government's plans also include making all councils publish meeting minutes, as well as local service and performance data. And the document states that "all data published by public bodies" will be "published in an open and standardised format", so that it can be used easily and with minimal cost by third parties. In the document the government said the plans "will help to deliver better value for money in public spending, and help us achieve our aim of cutting the record deficit". Dame Margaret Eaton, chairman of the Local Government Association, said: "There are a range of proposals in the government's programme that would devolve power to councils to deliver for local people. We will need to work closely with ministers on the details. "Councils have already delivered the lowest council tax rise ever for this financial year. Councils will work with the government to keep council tax as low as possible, deliver savings across the public sector and protect front line services that people need."    

The Town Crier thanks the sender for this information    

Oyez, Oyez, Oyez      

What a difference the sun makes especially when you are able to take in and appreciate the wonders of Ampthill. This wonderful market town with its clean streets adorned with bunting in readiness of the forthcoming celebrations make Flitwick dull, unloved and boring.  It is obvious that considerable thought has been given to what can be achieved by a small dedicated workforce and credit must surely go to those who ensure the ancient market town of Ampthill is a welcoming destination for all visitors. Ampthill   Park is resplendent at this time of year and a wonderful environment for young and old. The shops many dating back to Georgian times are beckoning those with the time to browse, to enter their doors and part with their money, the super market which is discretely placed behind established shops is an acceptable addition and well worth a visit. The Market Place is offering a resting place for the weary shopper or somewhere to catch up with a friendly face. Ampthill is a clean tidy town and a pleasure to visit.   

Posted by the Town Crier     

June 3rd 2010

   

Oyez, Oyez, Oyez 

I see no difference between the Treasury Secretary allegedly using forty thousand pounds money of taxpayers’ money inappropriately and the Flitwick RFO allegedly spending at least £60000 of the taxpayers’ money on a recent tribunal of which less than 4% of the costs was awarded to the council at the cost hearing.  The mayor claimed in his statement to the council members and residents on the day the tribunal ended that, “He was pleased to confirm that all of the Claimant’s allegations against Flitwick Town Council, its Members and staff, were dismissed in their entirety”, this must have been a figment of his imagination or the report from a staff member because if he had taken the time to attend the tribunal he would have heard the Judge state “That is not to say that everything the council did was impeccable”. I therefore think that it would be appropriate for the RFO to take the same action as the Treasury Secretary and resign before anything else comes out of the woodwork.   

Posted by the Town Crier   

30th May 2010   

       

Oyez, Oyez, Oyez  

 

There has always been rivalry between Flitwick and Ampthill and the T & C proves why Flitwick will always be the poor relation. The new Mayor of Ampthill is given a quarter page of coverage of her elevation to the role of Mayor of a town steeped in history, further coverage is given of the events which will take place in Ampthill over the coming months included is the Festival which attracts many thousands of visitors. It proves beyond doubt that Flitwick has stagnated over the years whereas Ampthill has held on to the best and definitely improved the rest.    

Posted by the Town Crier   

27th May 2010   

    

Oyez, Oyez, Oyez    

The real meaning of NALC is not larger councils but local councils. Perhaps I could suggest a few other meanings for NALC such as, Not A Lot of Consultation, Nonsense and Lost Causes, Nobody Aware of Local Citizens. I could go on but if you Google NALC there are some other real meanings that are quite weird. On a more serious note the main problem with Flitwick council is that they do not have the necessary funds to carry out their aspirations. The manor land cost the residents an arm and a leg, around £200,000 just to purchase it way back in time, (7 years ago) since then many thousands have been squandered to make it look pretty. The net result is a field with a fancy title. They (the council) are still hell bent on selling public open space to a developer because someone, I wonder who that could be, thinks we need a private residential home. How many residents of this town could afford or want to spend £200,000 on a one bedroom flat that is surrounded by allotments? It is time those trusted with the public purse started acting within their budget. I happen to agree on the sale of the Rufus Centre and from the proceeds we could have a building in the town centre which would be easier for all to pop into. The councillors feel alienated but they only have themselves to blame as a number of them feel they are above reproach and do not have to justify their actions, this has been proved time and time again and will continue until they either walk or are pushed I of course refer to next years elections. We can all dream or do something positive?     

Posted by the Town Crier   

25th May 2010  

 

Oyez, Oyez, Oyez  

 

I congratulate Cllr. Mrs. A. Kelly on her elevation to Town Mayor however I hope the new Mayor realises that there is more to the position than wearing a ‘chain’ as with it comes the responsibilities of the Chairman of council which means running the town not ruining it. It is also pleasing to see the dynasty of a certain family seems to have ended for now but as we in Flitwick know, “nothing is carved in stone”. 

The one “stand out” fact looking at the new committee structures is the ease of picking out what has been called the ‘elite clique’ as five councillors’ names appear on the main committees and panels of this ‘new council’ all no doubt “all suggested” by the RFO? There is one saving grace and that is this time next year all of them could be relegated to the recycling bin.     

I must say the new website is certainly easier to navigate and as a result a couple of cherries stand out at one particular council meeting which took place on the 19TH JANUARY 2010 AT THE RUFUS CENTRE. What puzzles me is that nothing is mentioned of this issue in the Minutes of the Policy and Resources held on the 9th December 2009? It states, “It was noted that at the previous Policy and Resources meeting information had been requested from Central Bedfordshire Council, the National Association of Larger Councils (NALC) and from the Information Commissioners office (ICO). Members were advised that the ICO had issued a file reference and an officer had been appointed to investigate the matter but no further information was to hand at this time". Firstly, this has to be serious if all of the agencies mentioned are involved, with one appointing an officer to investigate. Yet true to fashion the residents are left wondering.     

Secondly, the statement below might throw some light on the matter however the comment in brackets shows the divide within the council and the arrogance of the eight councillors who did not support the Recommendation, does this mean that the letter was not sent?    

(iii) Members discussed the resident's e mail and supported the previous decision that resident’s names no longer be included in the Minutes. It was suggested that this resident was seeking an apology from the Council. Members considered what response should be made and It was RECOMMENDED that a letter be sent to the resident in response to his e mail advising that there was no hurt intended in the wording used in the October Town Council meeting and that an expression of regret be made acknowledging there was no link between attendance at a Tribunal and costs incurred. (5 Councillors supported this)” Finally these ‘snippets’ also caught my attention: -     

“(iii) A Member commented that normally Members’ individual names were not included within the Minutes and suggested that the Policy Drafting and Review Team consider a policy for dealing with the inclusion of the public’s names in future.     

(iv) A Member felt that the National Association of Larger Councils (NALC) should be contacted for advice together with the respective officer at Central Bedfordshire Council and perhaps it might be useful to see if Central Bedfordshire Council had a policy regarding names being used within minutes.    

(v) A Member suggested that as a matter of courtesy the Minutes should be reissued, minus personal names of two residents and stated that this was not because the Town Council had done anything wrong but for people’s dignity”.  What an arrogant, ignorant statement to make and by printing it the Clerk is supporting it. We all know the council never does anything wrong because they have always apportioned blame on the residents and this proves the point beyond any doubt.  

Posted by the Town Crier

22nd May2010   

  

Oyez, Oyez, Oyez 

Imagine my joy when flipping through the pages of the T / C I spotted a headline “High Street could get a Lotto Money” alas it referred to Bedford High Street not Flitwick but do not be sad as I did find in part a reference to our High Street under CBC Highways announcements: - Kings Road and Station Road for a length of approx. 80 metres from the High St will be closed to allow the War Memorial restoration and footway works. The work will start on the 7th June and could last for a period of 4 months with the work taking 3 weeks. I understood a large pot of money was available to Flitwick town council for the regeneration of the HIGH STREET but it seems that a town councillor who happens to be the president of the Royal British Legion might have had a better idea of how this money could be spent. I live on the west side of the town and I am appalled at the eyesore I am faced with whenever I visit the bank or the post office as nothing seems to have moved (except the paper) for the last 20 years and the High Street and pathways have gotten worse, I think the council should make available Wellington boots for all shoppers who have the misfortune of having to use this route. I also spotted a letter from a Flitwick resident. This resident is not happy with our esteemed M P, Ms Dorries due to the M P failing to answer letters that were sent last year. As is pointed out by the resident Ms Dorries is quite happy to appear on television shows but I would suggest she comes to live in Flitwick and attempt to do something positive in the constituency she is supposed to represent.  

This was spotted on the Flitwick Matters site, a comment asking who our new mayor is. The council stated at a recent meeting that the website was poorly due to some problem or other, it was recovered enough to stick an advertisement for the car show so unless it has had a relapse why can’t they tell us who is going to get over £2000 of the public’s money for expenses incurred during their year in office.      

Posted by the Town Crier    20th May 2010

Oyez, Oyez, Oyez
  

What this town council needs is a “Motto” and, “Credere est videre” really fits the bill. What does it mean, I will leave the educated councillors to work that out but I am sure they will agree as it mirrors their actions to a tee. I have just finished reading the Minutes of the last three council meetings and they tell the public nothing except that confidentiality has really taken over all actions this council is involved in. What is wrong with these morons, why are they so afraid of the public knowing where the public’s money is being spent, we are aware that many thousands of pounds go to designers and legal advisers but what is actually spent for the benefit of the resident?  

It is noted that the council need to expand on the car parking facilities at the Rufus Centre, this is not for the residents needs and I can only think that this will enable more caravans to park when they hold their Christmas, Burns Night and other gatherings, I wonder how much they are charged for the use of the entire building over a three day period?     

There are so many projects still on paper it would take an A4 page to list them but just think that one day in some far distant year Flitwick through the hard work of our mostly elected council will shine bright amongst the many others who have already achieved the goal and at less than a quarter of the costs.   

Posted by the Town Crier  

18th May 2010