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Interesting to read the article on common sense. True to every word. There are many areas of our labour lead council which they seem to be greatly missing the elements of basic common sense. Perhaps Stan could educate them and point them in the right direction. Then perhaps the residents of Darlo would have value for money.
left by Phsyco on 16/08/2008

OBITUARY OF THE LATE MR.COMMON SENSE

Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as:-
Knowing when to come in out of the rain; why the early bird gets the worm; Life isn`t always fair; and maybe it was my fault.

Common Sense lived by simple,sound financial policies (don`t spend more than you can earn) and reliable strategies (Adults,not children,are in charge)

His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a 6-year old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.

Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children.

It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer sun lotion or an aspirin to a student; but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.

Common Sense lost the will to live as the churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims.

Common Sense took a beating when you couldn`t defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar could sue you for assault.

Commom Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little on her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge setlement...

Common Sense was preceded in death by his parents, Truth and Trust; his wife, Discretion; his daughter, Responsibility; and his son, Reason. He is survived by his four stepbrothers; I Know my rights, I Want It Now, Someone Else Is To Blame, and I`m A Victim.

Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone. If you still remember him, pass this on. If not, join the majority and do nothing.

Makes Sense.
left by Stan on 02/08/2008

Sad news about the late Joe McClean. His death on saturday brings to an end a long relationship with Darlington and Bishop Auckland Conservatives. Also Darlington J.U.Club. Joe was well liked and was a gentleman of the old order. Never raising his voice or having a bad word for anyone. Joe, You will be sadly missed. Condolences to his family.
left by Stan on 26/07/2008

The Darlington Borough Council have recently issued the end of year accounts documents for 2007/8.
They contain a subjective statement " things are satisfactory"
They may be satisfactory to accountants and to some politicians but are they satisfactory to the taxpayers,the residents.
The measure of satisfaction and good value is carried out using Government set targets.
If you take the major overarching targets in the documents of crime ,employment,transport and council services,there are a considerable number of these targets not being acheived.
How on earth can this be satisfactory?
left by Council Watch on 14/07/2008

Yes good news indeed, labours U turm over 24/7 bus passes, once again I suspect achieved through "people power" not the convienient windfall we are led to believe!

The "listening council" have LISTENED!
left by Ian White on 24/06/2008

Darlington's controlling Labour cabinet has more U turns than an anchor chain.
Every time they are put under pressure by the public or by the opposition members to reverse a decision they do.
Now it is the Pensioners early morning free travel which has been restored and thank goodness for that.
As there is now some unexpected spare cash in the kitty perhaps they will do a U turn on Post offices or would that fly in the face of National Labour party policy.
left by Enero on 20/06/2008

This morning myself, Edward Legard, Conservative Parliamentary Candidate, Echo reporter Will Roberts and 2 local pensioners boarded the 9.28am number 21 Arriva bus at Whinbush Way.
We had met at 9.15am in Asda car park and observed 2 buses stop on both sides of Whinbush Way, one with 2 passengers and the other was empty .
The purpose of todays exercise was see first hand the overcrowding on the buses after 9.30am as a result of the councils bad decision to stop free travel for pensioners before 9.30am.
By the time we reached Haughton Road, it was standing room only. I stood up to give my seat to one of the pensioners boarding the bus.
The conditions are appalling with elderly people with walking sticks and shopping bags having to hang onto the straps in an attempt to remain upright.
Edward and I spoke to most of the pass holders on the bus asking them how this change had affected their lives.
One lady said “pensioners are up with the larks and they like to go about their business early”
Other were telling us that they had had to pay for travel to doctors and hospital appointments out of an already dwindling pension with food prices going up.
Another lady told me that her 86 year old Grandad had to walk to early GP appointments because he could not afford the bus fare.
Another told of embarrassment at getting on a bus at 9.27am, forgetting they could not use the pass and not having enough money to pay the fare.
We also met an ex Spitfire Pilot who had served Queen and Country. He told us that he had tried to get on an empty bus at 9.28am to be told he would have to wait for the next one or pay. This is total madness buses running empty whilst other are overcrowded and dangerous. I am sure that the Arriva bus drivers are experiencing frustration at having to turn pensioners away for the sake of a couple of minutes. But that is the fault of the council not Arriva or the drivers.
One lady travelling with us is a pensioner who is still working and travels to work and back home before 9.30am, therefore is unable to use her pass and has to buy a weekly pass from her wages.
The atmosphere on the bus was jovial and everyone appreciated our efforts to try to reverse this decision.
One passenger said “I wish John Williams would get on this bus so he could see first hand what it is like”
If you stand as I did last week on Tubwell Row and watch the buses coming in, before 9.30am most have a handful of passengers, some empty. From approx 9.40am until 10.15am the buses start arriving with standing room only.
Essentially this council has put a curfew on pensioners for the sake of £15 per year per passholder. Is this really how we should be treating the most vulnerable members of our society? It is shameful when money is being wasted by overspending on capital projects such as the Eastern Transport Corridor.

left by Gill Cartwright on 17/06/2008

Council Watch said;

"It was good news the Conservative and Liberal Democrat councillors on Darlington Borough Council insisted upon
a Scrutiny review of the Eastern Transport Corridor contract".
It is a pity though those Council officers treat the public with such contempt and disrespect that no resignation have been forth coming.

"The outcomes were quite clear: - firstly contractual errors and omissions by the council officers in the early stages of the contract".
It is a pity though those Council officers treat the public with such contempt and disrespect that no resignation have been forth coming.

"Secondly Cabinet members and two Portfolio holders specifically failed to carry out with due diligence their Governance responsibilities".
It is a pity though those Cabinet Members treat the public with such contempt and disrespect that no resignation have been forth coming.

Thirdly the lessons learnt and the planned structure changes from the Pedestrian Heart contract over run were not be put in place.
It is a pity though that Senior Council officers who should have put this in place treat the public with such contempt and disrespect that no resignation have been forth coming.

Other than contractual errors, which at lower levels of council officer we could say that lack of knowledge was a factor, but as we go up the food chain it must be put down to incompetence, if for instance there is a committee of councillors who look at tenders, they should resign as they obviously have no idea at what they are supposed to be looking at or for, they will of course be taking advice from officers who it can only be said that they to have no knowledge of what to look for or at. The problems really start at this very early stage no one it would appear from top to bottom has the first idea how to sort this out.

But like Nero they happily fiddle whilst Darlington’s money burns.

left by David Davies on 10/06/2008

Harrowgate Hill,
Where is your 24/7 bus passes? Please remember this post when you are next having to walk before 9:30, After a recent post on Cllr Wallis's Blob trying my hardest to get 24/7 bus passes for all of Darlington and keep the pressure on those councillors who don't care, I was very alarmed to see this reply from a Harrowgate Hill Labour Cllr. This is typical of the contempt that Nu-Labour have for the people that voted them in.

Cllr. mark burton said...
Ian.... away, give it a rest!

Sadly Mark I would of but it was only 8:45am so I couldnt "Away"

Gill, keep up the good work and remember all is not lost because "John Williams is monitoring the bus pass situation" Yeh right!, Like when he said "Hurworth wont close" and my favourite "we wont do it (overspend) again".


left by Ian White on 06/06/2008

Whilst I welcome innovative ideas for Darlington Borough Council to engage with residents, at a time when we are telling residents that we can’t afford to fund things like free bus travel for pensioners before 9.30 or provide a bulky household waste collection service free at the point of access, we should be ensuring value for money in the services this council does deliver.

That is why I have asked for a full break down of all costs associated with the Talking Together initiative from conception to the end of the third round, including all officer time and the costs borne by partner agencies such as the police and the NHS as all these costs are met from the public purse.

left by Cllr Kate Davies on 27/05/2008

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