Trolley Table - latest score

Going 100% Neighbourhood Watch

Dear Residents

We are busy trying to get 100% coverage in the ward for Neighbourhood Watch.
There are a number of advantages to this:

1. Good liaison with the police about current crime activity and prevention.

2. All members of our Neighbourhood Watch will get 10% further discount from local Insurance broker Shelton's on their insurance requirements (car, house etc).

3. We meet every 3 months with the Neighbourhood Watch co-ordinators to update on crime etc issues, but also make priorities for the ward with regards to not only crime but other community issues. This has meant we can channel money for important ward projects of community interest.

4. We are finding as we establish these (we have completed Empress Estate), we are finding a real sense of community is returning to our area.

5. This is also proving a great way of local people working with our two beat officers and councillors keeping an eye out for vulnerable neighbours who are prone to fraudsters.

We need a few co-ordinators for each street. This is not an onerous job, and the rewards to you, your neighbours and the community far outweigh any small inconveniences. This is very rewarding and enjoyable. We have got to know so many more people and are already realising huge benefits for our area.

Please email me back if you wish to help or know someone in your street that would.

Warm regards
David Clifford
Empress Conservative Councillor.
"Together we can make a difference"
Tel 01252 371111
Fax 01252 371112
david@empress-tory.org

Learning how to govern

Rushmoor Councillors had a workshop on governance - local leadership and how best to develop and deliver it.

The irony?

The leadership of the Council were absent!

I am sure they had very good reasons.

This was not lost on the majority of members present, although it has to be recognised our Mayor was there - but as most of you know - he does not run the Council - he is our resident figurehead of State.

Lots of ideas were discussed and we can all feel good about this - I sadly dispair, however, that the powers absent will do very little to let go and push power out towards the people where I think some of the power needs to go. I would love to think I am wrong - and that we will do it before we are forced by legislation - we shall see.

For the benefit of the public and my entertainment I will try an identify the players at these meetings as follows, and breifly explain my reason:

So for this meeting we have:

The Good - have to be those that attended and especially those that made some good contributions and avoided political sniping.

The Bad - those that just could not be bothered to come along.

The Ugly - Mike Robert's (Labour Heron Wood). Not for his political sniping, or the fact he makes a comment on every topic - even I appreciate we did not get elected to keep quiet - but Mike does abuse it. No, he gets this nomination for the same awful jumper he insists on wearing to every meeting. This Christmas I must remember to de-jumper him and clean it or buy him a new one.

Harlequin's 42 - Ulster 21 @ The Stoop

Stuff the match - I was this close to Martin Johnson

A great friend invited me to his box situated in the perfect position - just behind the press box

Ulster scored the first try and conversion within minutes of the start of the game, and I have to say my Ulster Irish genes could not stop me letting out a cheer. But that was about as good as it got for Ulster. I managed to get a photo of Ulster finally working well together as a team - above when they had to walk off the pitch guided by the harlequin funnel.

Local Government Pay dispute - an update

The Employers (Councils) and Unions have been in dispute in relation to this year's pay award and the decision was taken recently to refer the issue to arbitration. Our Cheif Executive has received confirmation today that both sides have agreed, given the inevitable length of time that arbitration will take, that the Employers’ final offer should be implemented, with effect from 1 April 2008. I have included below an extract from the message received today:-

"The Employers’ Side of the NJC (National Joint Council) made a final pay offer for 2008/09 of 2.45% (plus an additional £100 per annum on spinal column points 4, 5 & 6). No agreement has been reached and this failure to agree has been referred to arbitration by the Trade Union Side. The Employers have acceded to this request.

Given the time that has elapsed since the award was due, and the likelihood of further delays arising from the arbitration process, the two sides of the NJC have now decided that the Employers’ final offer should be implemented, with effect from 1 April 2008……"