tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7272174149265458740.post3038933606803195636..comments2023-06-01T10:59:07.627+01:00Comments on Pits'n'pots: RIGBY - A MAN OF INTEGRITY? A FUTURE LEADER?Tonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09477240165204150850noreply@blogger.comBlogger50125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7272174149265458740.post-60679012723648851772008-11-19T21:30:00.000+00:002008-11-19T21:30:00.000+00:00All we need to know about this man is here:http://...All we need to know about this man is here:<BR/><BR/>http://www.readmyday.co.uk/arigby<BR/><BR/>Nice bloke, but very naive.Former Town Clerk's Depthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12939226754061756886noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7272174149265458740.post-35084023163611526432008-11-16T23:07:00.000+00:002008-11-16T23:07:00.000+00:00Nicky, I spoke to the guy and reported what he sai...Nicky, I spoke to the guy and reported what he said to me, no more. He is a thoroughly nice man but whether he is Leader material we'll have to wait to see.Tonyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09477240165204150850noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7272174149265458740.post-27159415798661526392008-11-16T22:49:00.000+00:002008-11-16T22:49:00.000+00:00no such thing as society: why wouldn't they? They ...no such thing as society: why wouldn't they? They did in this past. Attemoting a cross party cabinent but Labour refused to sit on the Cabinent.Ian Norrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00788563566369423598noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7272174149265458740.post-64275327378839204462008-11-16T22:06:00.000+00:002008-11-16T22:06:00.000+00:00Ian, does this mean you are saying that the City I...Ian, does this mean you are saying that the City Independents will take on the running of the council next May (leaving aside for the moment who they may or may not form alliances with)?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7272174149265458740.post-8715432787375568772008-11-16T21:55:00.000+00:002008-11-16T21:55:00.000+00:00Tony,I think Alan is not nearly as 'daft' ...Tony,<BR/><BR/>I think Alan is not nearly as 'daft' in terms of being too trusting as you report him saying he is. I think he is intelligent enough to see the issues. Of course everyone has their agendae but it's about working together where those coincide and debating the issues where they don't. <BR/><BR/>In the new system it should be easier to get proper democracy. You couldn't get much more extreme local government than the Meredith dictatorship. <BR/><BR/>As for the likes of serco, there is proof via his voting record that Alan has not been fooled by them one bit. He voted at the 9th July CYP O&S committee to keep Trentham High open in federation with St.Joseph's, despite serco agents talking utter crap. Then on 2nd October full council meeting he voted yes to 3 excellent ammendments to the sack serco motion, put forward by others who are no fools either; Peter Kent-Baguley, Alby Walker and Terry Follows. Then he was one of fewer who had the guts to vote yes to Terry Follows original sack serco motion. QED.<BR/><BR/>I think Alan is very capable of leadership and what that means is to coordinate input from across the political spectrum in council and make the most of councillors knowledge and skills. <BR/><BR/>It would be quite a good thing to have an independent councillor as leader in my view. The city independent group is one of the largest groups, so a member of that group would be sensible if being from a large group is deemed to be important.nickyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11175542518100987466noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7272174149265458740.post-44589004997589332852008-11-15T15:11:00.000+00:002008-11-15T15:11:00.000+00:00Tony, I think you're right. Thesebloody lefty extr...Tony, I think you're right. These<BR/>bloody lefty extremists might just try to sneak their way on to the <BR/>exec.<BR/> Or isn't that what you meant?brooneyeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08858733156838423939noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7272174149265458740.post-18860560594305144082008-11-15T13:38:00.000+00:002008-11-15T13:38:00.000+00:00no such thing as society : your memory seem to be ...no such thing as society : your memory seem to be failing you this time, Independents did take control of the Cabinet for 6mths(would have been more but then Mike Wolfe then took over) and run the City.Ian Norrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00788563566369423598noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7272174149265458740.post-54395137947487809222008-11-15T10:31:00.000+00:002008-11-15T10:31:00.000+00:00Nicky,You put your points across with your usual l...Nicky,<BR/>You put your points across with your usual level headed way. One thing that concerns me is that Alan admitted to me that he has been nieve and he says his biggest fault is that he puts too much trust in people. Now, trust is fine, but, does that mean he would trust a councillor who he thought he could work with only to the find that person is pushing through his own extreme agenda? Or would he put too much trust in paid officers who could use that trust to further their visions (ie SERCO). It is fine to be able to put trust but I think I want a leader who will lead, not a leader who places trust in people who have the potential to have him over! That said there is no doubt that Alan is a nice man is cares passionately about our city.Tonyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09477240165204150850noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7272174149265458740.post-62037882566811897382008-11-15T00:35:00.000+00:002008-11-15T00:35:00.000+00:00Alan Rigby seems to me to be a great guy. I would...Alan Rigby seems to me to be a great guy. I would be very happy to see him as leader. It's a good blog you've done about him Tony. <BR/><BR/>I agree with practically every word Alan says here. The EMB has been a disaster. I view the transition board with some suspicion also. I also agree with what he says about the BNP. I detest some of the BNP national policies also, as I have explained in other comments previously. But on the other hand they do have some good councillors and some good local ideas. I also agree with Alan about being against labour nationally, but in my case I don't like the tories or libdems either! <BR/><BR/>I agree with Alan that local government needs to be much less about party politics and more about serving the people. That's why he wants independents to vote the way that is most suitable for the people in their wards. That is the way it should be. In the ward where I live we have an independent councillor who serves the people properly and represents their interests and two tory fools who serve nobody but themselves. Alan would pick the best people for cabinet regardless of party, that is how I think it should be. Free votes, openness and transparency - fantastic. <BR/><BR/>The only way I differ from Alan is that he is a Christian and I am an athiest, but that is of little consequence, I have nothing against Christians, he can have his religion and I'll have my lack of it. <BR/><BR/>I do believe Alan is an honest guy and that is a quality I value very much. I wish Alan well and do hope he becomes leader because I think that then the cabinet will function well and the council will operate in a far more democratic way than we have been used to under the Meredith dictatorship.<BR/><BR/>Shaun I agree with some points you've made too. It is fine to agree with BNP arguments when they make sense and disagree when they don't, without taking a prejudiced view that everything the BNP say must be evil because it's the BNP. I don't agree with you that an independent, tory, libdem cabinet would be best. I think just pick those who would be good regardless of party. I do agree with you about the particular tory not to include. But personally I wouldn't include either of the Trentham chuckle brothers, especially after witnessing some garbage they were spouting a couple of days ago.<BR/><BR/>Nita you make the good point that 9out of 60 councillors are BNP, a fair proportion and question whether it would be wrong to include any BNP in the cabinet. Well if they are good councillors, why not. (Bob will have a go at me now.) People out there have actually voted for them, it's democratic representation.<BR/><BR/>Hugh, I'm quite happy to join you in your cloud cuckoo land. Great points, have people with relevant experience and maybe even a bit of common sense holding portfolios, better than the blinkered chiropodist in charge of children's services.<BR/>I wholeheartedly agree with you when you say S-o-T "desperately needs people to run it who are open and honest, who know what the people of the City need and want, and who are prepared to defy Central Government if necessary for the good of the City". Well said!nickyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11175542518100987466noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7272174149265458740.post-30519491699134238902008-11-14T22:49:00.000+00:002008-11-14T22:49:00.000+00:00Yes Ian, I think this is certainly the case with t...Yes Ian, I think this is certainly the case with the City Independents who are happy to blame others but seem reluctant to do anything themselves.<BR/><BR/>Although they might vote for Rigby to be leader I can't see many of the Independents wanting to take on the responsibility of serving as cabinet members. I'd be happy to be proved wrong.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7272174149265458740.post-84424773186691636902008-11-14T22:05:00.000+00:002008-11-14T22:05:00.000+00:00no such thing as society: Sadly after the long har...no such thing as society: Sadly after the long hard fight of Councillors to remove the elected mayor, those coming forward to pick up the mantle are being very quiet. Do any of them actually want the Job or was they hoping the Eleceted Mayor would stay in place and they could continue to blame them.Ian Norrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00788563566369423598noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7272174149265458740.post-64737186886707918912008-11-14T20:06:00.000+00:002008-11-14T20:06:00.000+00:00Thats fine with me Ian.Alan Rigby should be asked ...Thats fine with me Ian.<BR/><BR/>Alan Rigby should be asked if he would be prepared to have any of these in his cabinet:<BR/><BR/>BNP (racists)<BR/>Wanger (paedophile)<BR/>Shotton (animal abuser)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7272174149265458740.post-73037460313569656782008-11-14T19:52:00.000+00:002008-11-14T19:52:00.000+00:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.brooneyeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08858733156838423939noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7272174149265458740.post-42692441022720057392008-11-14T17:57:00.000+00:002008-11-14T17:57:00.000+00:00no such thing as society: mmm Labour Councillors a...no such thing as society: mmm Labour Councillors also work with Lee, and Lee does work for them. and Lee is on the Tory/Lib/Lab allaince. Have any of these seen the need to say anything about Lee ?? er NO. so your point is?Ian Norrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00788563566369423598noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7272174149265458740.post-84632766220487004832008-11-14T17:39:00.000+00:002008-11-14T17:39:00.000+00:00Anonymous 11.03. You seem to be mistaken, I certa...Anonymous 11.03. You seem to be mistaken, I certainly do not float on the wind. <BR/><BR/>If there were 10 buses, I'd get on every one? What a ridiculous statement to make. First of all, I didn't vote for the Leader System in the first place, so that is one bus I must have missed. <BR/><BR/>Now, the people of the City, (well a small fraction of them), have decided on the system we are to have, we are in the process of Councillors putting themselves forward for Leader. Upto now, it is, in my opinion, that these two could do a good job. So, that's two buses I would get on.<BR/><BR/>So, I'm now stuck at the bus stop, waiting for the third person to put his/her name forward, then I'll decide if I get on or not.nitahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00834992101623704366noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7272174149265458740.post-77207957267875597512008-11-14T17:37:00.000+00:002008-11-14T17:37:00.000+00:00Truthteller2, I couldn't possibly comment.This thr...Truthteller2, I couldn't possibly comment.<BR/><BR/>This thread has gone exactly the way I expected, and precisely the way that I hoped it wouldn't. We're all getting very hung up on whether a Rigby cabinet should include BNP councillors or not.<BR/><BR/>I think that Alan has made it quite clear where he stands with regards to the BNP in the article: that he deplores a lot of what the BNP do and say, but that he is not prepared to rule out everything that they say just on the basis of who the messenger is.<BR/><BR/>And that in my view is how it SHOULD be. Lets discuss what the BNP say by all means, but don't rule out everything that is said by BNP people just because you don't like them. If on the off chance they are right on an issue, or if they may be seen to be right on an issue, we should be able to think about it without thinking that anyone who agrees with them are closet BNP supporters.<BR/><BR/>I've said it before, but if we can't take these ideas on without resorting to abuse, heckling and cry's of 'Nazi' as a response, then people will think that they must be right as there is no answer to them. If we go down that route and continue to exclude BNP just because we don't like them, then they will continue to receive public support. We need to take them on where they are wrong, engage with them and SHOW that they are wrong whilst adopting their ideas as we would with ANY political party where they are right.Shaun Bennetthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10703794592249072540noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7272174149265458740.post-66038109375204964882008-11-14T15:37:00.000+00:002008-11-14T15:37:00.000+00:00Hugh. "Everyone was one too many."Absolutely.Hugh.<BR/><BR/> "Everyone was one too many."<BR/>Absolutely.brooneyeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08858733156838423939noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7272174149265458740.post-56227930379779018122008-11-14T14:56:00.000+00:002008-11-14T14:56:00.000+00:00There is one major problem with these discussions ...There is one major problem with these discussions of a cabinet of talents.<BR/><BR/>Political Groups!<BR/><BR/>Where we elect members of a political party to serve as councillors we know they will sit as a group. This means they will come to a democratic decision and then vote en bloc.<BR/><BR/>You simply won't get members of the political groups sitting in a cabinet unless the whole group agrees to be part of a coalition. This will be true of all the groups, Lab, Tory, Lib Dem, even BNP.<BR/><BR/>For all Alan's "good intentions" and desire to use the talents around the chamber he won't even be leader unless he cuts a deal with one or two of the bigger groups, and it's doubtful they would let him decide their policy.<BR/><BR/>This is simply the way politics in our Council, and every other one, works.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7272174149265458740.post-74796829197203353232008-11-14T14:41:00.000+00:002008-11-14T14:41:00.000+00:00Craig,Personal opinion: Even one was one too many....Craig,<BR/><BR/>Personal opinion: Even one was one too many.<BR/><BR/>"why not look into it in a logical and commonsense manner" - couldn't agree more - this and everything else!<BR/><BR/>"frothing at the mouth" - can't remember if I had the third jab when I was done for rabies. Maybe I should check?Hughhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12163045022303220139noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7272174149265458740.post-34891895518052640242008-11-14T14:36:00.000+00:002008-11-14T14:36:00.000+00:00I'm with Craig in this one, I blame immigrants. An...I'm with Craig in this one, I blame immigrants. And I too am going to deny the existence of the holocaust, then say my family fought against Nazism even though I belong to a party with the same values.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7272174149265458740.post-20143680762330817402008-11-14T13:22:00.000+00:002008-11-14T13:22:00.000+00:00Hugh, what this is really all aboutis the disp...Hugh,<BR/> what this is really all about<BR/>is the disputing of the numbers killed in these "death camps". In one camp where gassing was said to have taken place, there were no shower buildings or gas chambers.<BR/> I haven't looked into this in depth, but if there's a query over the numbers killed, why not look into it in a logical and commonsense manner, instead of all this frothing at the mouth cobblers?brooneyeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08858733156838423939noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7272174149265458740.post-8680492311248987012008-11-14T12:47:00.000+00:002008-11-14T12:47:00.000+00:00Craig - you have already said elsewhere on this bl...Craig - you have already said elsewhere on this blog that you personally have seen evidence of the Holocaust. What I don't understand, and I hope that you have difficulty in understanding, is how anybody can deny that something as verifiable as the Holocaust happened. If somebody can be so blinkered (or even mendacious) as to want to rewrite history for their own end (I know the Brits have been doing it for hundreds of years re. The Empire, etc.), then I want nothing to do with them, nor do I want them to run anything of which I am a part.<BR/><BR/>There you are - no three letter acronyms!Hughhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12163045022303220139noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7272174149265458740.post-29051279375940950002008-11-14T12:45:00.000+00:002008-11-14T12:45:00.000+00:00Clearly electing Alan Rigby as leader of the counc...Clearly electing Alan Rigby as leader of the council would be BNP by proxy.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7272174149265458740.post-19610135024681271972008-11-14T12:03:00.000+00:002008-11-14T12:03:00.000+00:00Craig's upset because he didn't get elected. As fo...Craig's upset because he didn't get elected. As for liars and charlatans Steve Batkin has to be one of the worst, claiming dole when there's plenty of jobs to be had.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7272174149265458740.post-81224158664947243452008-11-14T11:58:00.000+00:002008-11-14T11:58:00.000+00:00You know, listening to you people criticise Cllr B...You know, listening to you people criticise Cllr Batkin, one thing becomes blatantly obvious. You are all two faced. You criticise him for telling it how he sees it, but you vote in to run this city, every liar, fraudster, and charlatan! These people have destroyed this city, but you lot can't get away from those three little letters. All of you fearful<BR/> that the truth of your incompetence and stupidity, and even criminality, will be dragged out into the open for all to see!<BR/> The key to saving this city will be policy, not bitching and backbiting.brooneyeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08858733156838423939noreply@blogger.com