tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24381198147700656622011-04-21T20:06:36.013+01:00Former Councillor for Rochester South & Horsted ward of Medway Unitary Authority in Kent, England. First elected in May 2000, resigned on 25th March 2008, and writing here in a personal capacity only.John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.comBlogger661100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2438119814770065662.post-1187941218537766872008-03-26T18:30:00.007Z2008-03-26T21:21:22.825Z

Although I have no intention of ceasing blogging (unless any future employment precludes it), this particular blog will need to close for the simple reason that its address (URL) includes "medwaycouncillor" which is no longer correct.Therefore I shall post no more here (apart from in response to comments on old posts) but instead am starting afresh on a new 'blog HERE. I shall leave this 'blog

John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2438119814770065662.post-2090647608571865892008-03-25T14:36:00.006Z2008-03-25T20:07:21.476Z

I have today, after a lot of thought, resigned from the council.I wasn't going to do so originally, but in today's Soviet-style Britain, with all the pressures coming down upon us from on high and with yet more to come (as I recently reported HERE), all the indicators are that recent events have, funnily enough, afforded me an opportunity to 'get out from under' before even more bureaucracy hits

John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2438119814770065662.post-74070812098536918722008-03-22T10:59:00.005Z2008-03-22T11:17:29.598Z

Which is better, the carrot or the stick?Actually, both have their uses, but in human society it is generally found that in most cases offering an incentive (the carrot) works better and is kinder.That's the Conservative way, by and large, as is of course very well known. There will always be exceptions, such as how to deal with crime that has already happened, but most desirable behaviour for

John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2438119814770065662.post-47623758398236704522008-03-21T19:59:00.004Z2008-03-21T20:06:26.237Z

This week's Prime Minister's Questions (PMQs) session was interesting (as they often are, though not always) and included some brilliant stuff by David Cameron, starting at eight minutes 35 seconds in. It's a classic!Watch it all (or just part[s], by dragging the bar) HERE.

John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2438119814770065662.post-49289149567907664452008-03-19T06:30:00.005Z2008-03-19T23:22:01.438Z

At least once a year, usually around this time, every one of the Portfolio Holders in Medway Council's Cabinet comes before the Scrutiny Committee that scrutinises their portfolio. This is to give an account of what they have achieved during the past year and to answer questions from members of the committee. In a couple of cases, the one portfolio spreads across two committees so they are

John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2438119814770065662.post-40579213161120399882008-03-17T23:12:00.006Z2008-03-18T21:44:59.667Z

So, the Cabinet decision to proceed with the Strood Academy School was "called-in" (as the jargon has it) to the relevant Scrutiny Committee, by six members of the Labour Group on Medway Council, and that committee met earlier this evening to discuss this issue.Regular readers will recall that I have already written about this issue twice, first HERE and a couple of weeks later an update HERE.The

John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2438119814770065662.post-21900642510984741782008-03-15T11:47:00.021Z2008-04-14T13:57:11.876+01:00

One of the most memorable quotes from the House of Commons' Prime Minister's Questions sessions of 2007 was Vince Cable (then acting Leader of the Liberal Democrats in the Commons) quoting a line from elsewhere that referred to Gordon Brown as "having gone from Stalin to Mr Bean".Everyone remembers the "Mr Bean" part of that line, but the "Stalin" reference is rarely mentioned beyond being part

John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2438119814770065662.post-36504065263744311652008-03-13T09:48:00.006Z2008-03-21T16:33:16.961Z

Others all over the mainstream media and in the Blogosphere have commented on how boring the Chancellor's budget was yesterday.Taking my cue from the Pet Shop Boys' "We Were Never Being Boring", I am instead featuring David Cameron's truly outstanding (and devastatingly accurate) response for the Conservatives HERE (click the button under David Cameron's photo).

John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2438119814770065662.post-74938861684731488692008-03-10T10:39:00.008Z2008-03-13T20:15:56.494Z

We in my ward are very much aware of the effect of Post Office closures. We have suffered two already, though at least the one on the Davis Estate will be replaced by a new Post Office Counter there, due to open next month.When the branch on the corner of Pattens Lane and City Way closed a few years ago, we ferried older folk who lived nearby to and from another branch every week, on a day and

John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2438119814770065662.post-65661730346940620752008-03-07T09:27:00.007Z2008-03-10T00:01:40.856Z

At last night's meeting of the Full Medway Council (which I have dubbed the "minus one" meeting as each of the three political groups was minus one member) the Labour and LibDem Groups' sheer desperation to make something they could use out of every single item on the agenda became almost farcical at times.The Conservative Group, though, performed very well, with some excellent contributions by

John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2438119814770065662.post-46538012934048467652008-03-06T14:03:00.006Z2008-03-06T14:17:15.561Z

The British House of Commons has yesterday, as widely reported (and not exactly unexpectedly) voted-down the Conservative motion for a referendum on the EU Constitution Treaty.This, if fully ratified, would mean that the original Constitution (carefully re-worded and re-cast to make it look like something significantly different, though few have been fooled) will be implemented without having

John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2438119814770065662.post-7619437078836290602008-03-02T04:00:00.005Z2008-03-03T14:21:09.866Z

How often have we heard or read that, eh? Especially at the moment, politicians (who, as a group, are not generally held in particularly high esteem at any time) are coming in for that kind of attack more and more.Although the present wave of sleaze allegations, of which some at least appear to have a basis of truth in them, is eroding further the public-at-large's trust in and respect for

John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2438119814770065662.post-18263996379266378822008-02-27T23:30:00.004Z2008-02-28T12:54:42.916Z

...Learns!Another brilliant personal anecdote from Snuffy.Worry not: I am not planning to turn this 'blog into a series of links to others' writings; but this is again something we all need to read in order to "re-calibrate our thinking" (as my brother would no doubt put it) on the issue covered.Trust me: you'll be pleased you read it!

John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2438119814770065662.post-15899258590824728552008-02-27T15:18:00.008Z2008-03-04T08:42:38.085Z

In an almost unbelievably offensive act -- at least to anyone concerned with decency and humanity -- a number of left-wing MPs have signed an Early Day Motion praising what they term the "achievements" of Cuba's Fidel Castro, who has just stepped down from office. This follows on from Harriet Harman's well-publicised statement just days ago that in her opinion Castro is "a hero of the left".

John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2438119814770065662.post-91715347081670934672008-02-27T15:01:00.003Z2008-02-27T15:13:59.069Z

EU = "Extremely Unpleasant", as this clip shows...Here is a photo of the protesters, dressed as chickens, and the logo on their costumes:

John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2438119814770065662.post-7299186856724453752008-02-26T14:42:00.007Z2008-02-27T04:08:29.727Z

Now, HERE is a post well worth reading, from a teacher in inner-city London who runs an excellent 'blog and is known by the pseudonym Snuffleupagus (a character from the superb Sesame Street children's TV series, pictured right).We all learn from our own life experiences, we generally mature, broaden our appreciation and knowledge of a wide range of topics, and "Snuffy" has done the same. Her

John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2438119814770065662.post-8946185886709571572008-02-20T18:04:00.007Z2008-02-22T09:20:23.505Z

Okay, it's only a minute and a half long and has no-one speaking at all, but it's a useful reminder of what we have in this country now, and what (it is being proposed) would happen under a Conservative Government at Westminster. I hope the party has the opportunity to show that it really can be done, after the next General Election...

John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2438119814770065662.post-23983851525018470032008-02-20T09:03:00.009Z2008-02-20T09:59:45.284Z

Just a typical day in the life of the Greater London Assembly (GLA)...This happened only last week, on 13th February 2008.The original is HERE, and the (five so far) comments are worth reading as well.Why is it virtually always those on the left who behave so appallingly, even at formal meetings? They never seem to have respect for anyone, but plenty of excuses for their stance. We have had

John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2438119814770065662.post-20347807500483656802008-02-13T08:44:00.005Z2008-02-13T13:07:56.015Z

I mentioned a few days ago that Medway's Scrutiny Committees a currently going through our customary "end of term" exercise of holding the Executive to account, as it's termed. I was at Children's Services Scrutiny last night, and the latest Cabinet "victim" to sit in our equivalent of the Mastermind chair and be questioned was the portfolio holder for children's social care -- Councillor David

John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2438119814770065662.post-33740127086483922122008-02-10T22:00:00.001Z2008-02-19T15:54:54.555Z

There have been some quite alarming headlines in the tabloid press this past day or two, but to "Bash the Bishop" (as I saw in one tabloid headline) is not the right way to go, even if it's being done only with words.No, he is not the problem here, though the way he handled this seems to have been poorly devised, and not helped by our typically selective and slanted media. The problem that has

John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2438119814770065662.post-55454523528511603092008-02-10T05:29:00.000Z2008-02-10T14:58:13.178Z

This is the time of year when Portfolio Holders (the members of the Council's Executive -- the Cabinet) are called to appear before the Scrutiny Committees to account for their work in that position during the past year. The photograph shows Medway's Cabinet in session, where their decisions are taken.We have had two Portfolio Holders appear before the scrutiny committee of which I am the

John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2438119814770065662.post-89063653676910318302008-02-08T22:42:00.000Z2008-02-11T18:56:15.863Z

Iain Dale today asks the question: "Are we being Islamaphobic?" as a result of the widespread reaction to the Archbishop of Canterbury's recent pronouncements on such topics as Sharia Law in Britain.Although Rowan Williams' lecture seems to have been somewhat clumsy, and probably not reported in a way that would accurately convey what he was trying to say, it is timely to ask Dale's question,

John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2438119814770065662.post-73982961214052972332008-02-04T08:39:00.000Z2008-02-04T08:47:38.079Z

This 8-minute WebCameron video affords a behind-the-scenes look at how David Cameron handles Prime Minister's Questions (PMQs), from bicycling in to Westminster, via the pre-PMQ discussion with his team (including George Osborne), his side of PMQs itself (they weren't allowed to include the Prime Minister's responses!) and ending with a "how it went" comment or two. Worth watching...

John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2438119814770065662.post-79583602074946323342008-02-02T19:28:00.000Z2008-02-11T18:04:40.091Z

This introduction to something called The Laffer Curve shows clearly why, in general (though not in all cases) low tax tends to be beneficial to the economy...My thanks go to the Tax-Payers Alliance on whose website I first spotted this.UPDATE: There is a more detailed explanation of the Laffer Curve on this web page.

John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2438119814770065662.post-73645607937350703022008-02-02T01:49:00.000Z2008-02-02T14:21:37.521Z

As the Budget Scrutiny exercise reaches its conclusion this coming week, the true extent of the revenue funding shortfall is worth stating publicly. In fact, it is already clear from last month's documents that went to Scrutiny at the start of this part of the budget-setting process.I already knew the amount we were having taken away from us, as I had calculated it beforehand, using official

John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2438119814770065662.post-13242990310736793192008-02-01T14:47:00.000Z2008-02-02T01:47:31.980Z

Never underestimate Boris Johnson! This half-hour interview was conducted in mid-September 2007, some weeks before Boris was selected as the Conservative Mayoral candidate. It takes him a couple of minutes to get going, but it is well worth sticking with this. Listen not so much to the words in isolation, but also to the motivation behind them. Contrast this with Ken Livingstone, and the

John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2438119814770065662.post-28596345815741528022008-01-31T22:37:00.000Z2008-02-01T01:21:13.215Z

The question of sleazy behaviour by MPs, including Ministers, has been big in the news in recent months, mainly on the Labour benches. Now, with the Derek Conway revelations, we have something in the same broad category on the opposition side of Parliament.There are also rumblings about possible LibDem dodgy behaviour in Scotland, but that is yet to come fully enough into the public domain to be

John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2438119814770065662.post-17969517737351109472008-01-31T00:29:00.000Z2008-01-31T07:56:11.707Z

As I wrote HERE was due to happen, the question of the future of Strood's secondary schools came before a special meeting of the relevant Scrutiny Committee earlier this evening (checks clock: actually yesterday, now!) and we spent a good three hours looking at this question.It was generally a very good meeting, with some really good input from the Head Teachers and Chairmen of Governors (rather

John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2438119814770065662.post-86925335731604762552008-01-26T23:41:00.000Z2008-01-27T17:02:31.326Z

For those in the Labour party who do not understand their own legislation on how to handle donations, such as (for example) W. Alexander, P. Hain, H. Harman, A. Johnson, the following simple guide ought to be of benefit...

John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2438119814770065662.post-47834270916895396592008-01-24T13:27:00.000Z2008-01-27T17:06:25.247Z

So Peter Hain MP is now out of the Cabinet (breaking news just an hour or so ago, as I write this).It was, as other commentators have stated, inevitable that he would resign if and when the case was referred to the police, as has today been done by the Electoral Commission.This is a Good Thing, because there were so many question marks hanging over Hain and his Labour Party's deputy leadership

John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2438119814770065662.post-71377226016999856202008-01-21T10:11:00.000Z2008-01-21T10:38:47.531Z

There are an awful lot of lazy and couldn't-care-less people around. Some of them are perfectly happy to take a store's shopping trolley off the premises (which they should not do: it is effectively a kind of theft) and dump it at a place of their convenience (which they definitely should not do).This happens around my home area quite a lot, as we have the Horsted Retail Park nearby, with stores

John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2438119814770065662.post-39890169607021774382008-01-19T15:38:00.000Z2008-01-25T00:56:45.265Z

Now there's an ambiguous title!I am in fact referring to visits to sites of planning applications, of which I have been to two today.The first was a formal Members' Site Visit by the planning committee, which is known as the Development Control Committee. This had been requested by its members when the application went before that committee, and was very useful in showing what was planned at one

John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2438119814770065662.post-76113819445310235442008-01-17T23:47:00.000Z2008-01-19T15:30:30.933Z

Got back a little while ago from two meetings of the full Medway Council. Yes, that's correct: two meetings!First was a special meeting to decide whether to grant Honorary Freedom of the Borough of Medway to the Corps of Royal Engineers. That went very well, and was I believe agreed unanimously. I shall check when the record of the meeting is published.This was followed by the customary "

John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2438119814770065662.post-1254428304374385502008-01-17T16:06:00.000Z2008-01-31T07:20:48.122Z

There has been an issue with a couple of Strood's secondary schools for a while now. The question of what to do about (a) falling rolls and (b) the problems that Temple Boys' School had for a time is a tricky one.The falling rolls business has been around for a few years now, owing to reduced birth rates that have impacted primary schools in recent years. This is now (unsurprisingly) shifting

John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2438119814770065662.post-58475613683934078672008-01-16T00:15:00.001Z2008-03-03T13:09:15.530Z

So this is Riverdance, Simian-style!(Spotted on Iain Dale's Diary)And some animal capers:Cat CapersGoing Home on Friday -- Going to Work on MondaySkateboarding Dog

John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2438119814770065662.post-19423598423468255022008-01-12T17:44:00.001Z2008-01-13T02:55:41.868Z

I have just seen an article in one of the local newspapers showing the highly unsavoury Councillor Teresa Murray with her customary (and obviously) fake smile -- always enough to put one off one's supper...The article was presumably intended to promote her electoral chances as Labour's parliamentary candidate for the Rochester and Strood seat -- as the Medway constituency will become known with

John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2438119814770065662.post-55958186438043257272008-01-11T19:43:00.001Z2008-01-12T17:40:34.917Z

Continuing with Monday's theme, as there is now so much in the news about this whole business, I feel it is worth taking stock of the Parliamentary Labour Party funding situation. I have been watching developments, reading the newspaper articles and 'blog posts and comments for a while now, and especially the Peter Hain MP saga.The Hain situation has been aired thoroughly on various 'blogs in

John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2438119814770065662.post-3999602660282006192008-01-07T10:15:00.000Z2008-01-11T19:39:44.894Z

There's an interesting article HERE about the Labour Party's financial difficulties. Fresh from the dubious MPs' and other funding matters that were in the news last month (though all seems to have gone very quiet on that) this close tie-up with the Trade Unions is apparently already well in progress.I wouldn't want the Labour Party to be bankrupted and dissolved, even though it is their own

John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2438119814770065662.post-65922645510552425572008-01-06T12:59:00.000Z2008-01-13T22:39:42.502Z

If you do that, when it comes to American (or American-origin) computer systems, be prepared for a rant from me!It is amazing that, no matter how often I tell people that I work almost exclusively with British-designed computer systems, they still come to me when they (inevitably) have problems with their American -- generally Microsoft-based -- computers.Now, as it happens, I do have a fair

John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2438119814770065662.post-73849545946626195892008-01-06T01:13:00.000Z2008-01-06T01:37:26.322Z

...at our Scrutiny meeting. I have only now recovered sufficiently from the surprise to write about it!The opposition Labour and LibDem members were uncharacteristically well-behaved. Indeed, they suddenly seemed to have become our Best Buddies for the evening. One cannot help wondering what they were really after! Admittedly, there were no journalists or members of the public present, and

John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2438119814770065662.post-58322647629525962572008-01-04T23:06:00.000Z2008-01-05T09:56:17.767Z

That's a good question!Now that much of what little power remained to the British Parliament has effectively been handed over to Brussels, and with Scoitland and Wales making many decisions independently of Westminster (and with their own funds to implement such decisions), what purpose does the London-based Parliament now serve? It would appear to be very little, but at just as great expense to

John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2438119814770065662.post-83336063810537470562008-01-03T00:34:00.001Z2008-01-03T08:41:30.563Z

Yes, it's our Directorate's turn to have its part of next (financial) year's budget proposals come before Scrutiny, later today.This is always something of a non-event, as the sheer size of the budget shortfall (because of central Government's gerrymandering of local authority funding every year) means that it is never possible for our Cabinet to put even a nearly finished budget proposal out to

John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2438119814770065662.post-81027558222536055582007-12-31T04:51:00.000Z2008-01-01T21:08:20.380Z

Many years ago, I joined a Youth Club, and we would put on shows twice a year: a so-called "Parents' Evening" in May (no prizes for guessing who was in the audience for that event!) and a run of three evening performances of a pantomime in December.For some unknown reason, I started reminiscing about those times -- almost forty years ago now -- and my main function at these productions as the

John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2438119814770065662.post-78797468579277966032007-12-31T02:13:00.000Z2007-12-31T02:48:20.162Z

I have just read THIS in the Times, and urge you to do the same.We have all heard about the loss of two data discs containing 25 million personal records, and one or two other lesser losses, but how many people realise that during this year there have been no fewer than 2,110 such security breaches within government?There are plenty more facts and concerns within this article, by none less than

John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2438119814770065662.post-26277001606726238682007-12-29T17:33:00.000Z2007-12-31T16:07:43.366Z

The terrible news has now been with us long enough that I feel the time is right to make a few brief comments myself. I did not wish to do so during the initial period after the news broke: it was better for more informed commentators to take the lead. We do not need a too-emotional response in this particular situation, and by and large the national media have been reasonably disciplined so

John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2438119814770065662.post-26146564449323454352007-12-26T00:30:00.001Z2007-12-28T17:48:58.346Z

...and it was the worst of years!Just like Dickens' Tale of Two Cities, this year has been a very mixed time, with pluses and minuses.Here in Medway, the May local elections were a resounding endorsement for the ruling Conservative Group on the Council. Turnout was up significantly, dirty tricks were rife (and I know the details of some of those!), and yet the number of seats we won went up to

John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2438119814770065662.post-68766434937539494472007-12-24T00:08:00.000Z2007-12-24T15:03:48.845Z

Here's an interesting way to describe the print media such as newspapers: "the dead tree press".I have seen this used in the blogosphere, as the old-style media are increasingly shown to be largely out of touch and lacking in reporting "bite", particularly when it comes to Labour (and similarly leftie) activities. Say what you like, it is certainly descriptive on at least two levels!It does seem

John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2438119814770065662.post-61384639536423212562007-12-21T10:09:00.000Z2008-01-03T08:50:32.001Z

Here were links to some "must watch" seasonal videos based on characters we here in Medway all know well. UPDATE: As they have now been taken down, I have removed the links to them.First up had been Gordo the MacBroon as Scrooge.Next came Cllr Mrs Teresa Murray, referred to by me just yesterday HERE, as (presumably) Mrs Scrooge.Finally we had a group of four Conservative Councillors as elves.I

John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2438119814770065662.post-59809822102885755662007-12-20T15:24:00.000Z2007-12-20T15:34:35.662Z

In the interests of curbing drink-driving incidents during the Festive Season, mice pies -- oops! -- I mean "my spies" have reported the following (Hmm... I must have mince pies on the brain!)A new Government-produced beer, the "Bottler Brown" -- pictured at the right -- has been launched today!Not only will this bring in much-needed revenue to help plug the ever-increasing Brown Hole (like a

John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2438119814770065662.post-6382673845459846262007-12-20T14:43:00.000Z2007-12-21T17:37:23.104Z

The unsurprising news that Councillor Mrs Teresa Murray has been selected as Labour's candidate to fight to retain the Rochester and Strood parliamentary seat leaves me in two opposing frames of mind.This seat, by the way, is the new name (and changed shape) for what has been known as Medway, and which the Conservatives came very close to taking from Labour in the 2005 General Election. With the

John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2438119814770065662.post-5526560483690810842007-12-20T14:30:00.000Z2007-12-22T23:10:02.225Z

True to form, it'll get you nowhere with me!Interestingly, and rather surprisingly, one of our excellent new members (i.e. elected in May 2007) came up to me at a recent meeting of the Conservative Group on Medway Council, and said something to the effect: "I'm surprised you're not married, handsome young fellow like you!"After I'd put him in touch with a good optician(!) I explained that, owing

John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2438119814770065662.post-90909291312790306012007-12-19T22:46:00.000Z2008-02-11T13:32:52.055Z

...is Labour -- at least in Medway. They always lose seats, at every election, and even in between! Even when the number of councillors on Medway Council was reduced from 80 to just 55, they still lost some of their share of the votes, and of the seats.The graph on the right shows the proportion of seats that each party (or any independents) has/have held after each Local Election since Medway

John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2438119814770065662.post-71526023505644875512007-12-15T03:23:00.000Z2007-12-18T12:19:02.626Z

I was reminded again at the last meeting of the full elected Medway Council, and since then from letters in the local newspapers, just how much negativity there is around this wonderful area of ours.We have the whingers and the whiners, the mockers and the knockers. In the Council Chamber, earlier this year I likened the three opposition leaders (well, there were two Independents back then, of

John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2438119814770065662.post-56852272096658930982007-12-14T16:37:00.000Z2007-12-14T17:35:40.181Z

"It's going to be a bumpy ride -- to the other side!"Yes, but well worth the effort; and in years to come, we shall probably all look back at even the Chatham two-way system and the controversy over the flyover and think: "what was all the fuss about?"I've seen it happen before, in other places...And when you've seen that video, try this one:And, just for the sheer joy of its fifty seconds'

John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2438119814770065662.post-12761832901170261302007-12-14T14:02:00.000Z2007-12-26T18:09:56.888Z

Ever since the Greater London Authority (GLA) was set up, and run by "Red Ken" Livingstone, I have had the greatest concerns about where London -- and all this extra money being levied by the GLA -- would end up really going.Well, we now have a good idea where some of it has gone -- possibly twice! Follow this link and read the story yourself. It will shock you.[Latest news HERE]At least it

John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2438119814770065662.post-26834128275033150322007-12-12T09:28:00.001Z2007-12-14T01:27:47.495Z

No, not Bal-ham, for those readers old enough to remember Peter Sellers' well-known sketch on his 1960s record "The Best of Sellers"!This gateway is the Thames Gateway, a large chunk of land including Medway. This is where so much of John Prescott's cram-'em-in housing in south-east England was always intended to go, and is the real reason why in recent years there has been no shortage of

John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2438119814770065662.post-20775828191663118882007-12-10T02:27:00.000Z2007-12-10T18:12:12.488Z

It is now well known that the straw (no, not Jack Straw!) has finally broken the Medway camel's back, and we can no longer carry the extra burdens imposed upon us in the wake of years of deliberate underfunding by central Government to the tune of tens of millions of pounds every year. Oh, we'll still bring in a balanced budget -- we always do -- but at what cost to services?What is less well

John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2438119814770065662.post-996551920522390262007-12-08T16:35:00.000Z2007-12-08T17:05:18.161Z

...that there is absolutely nothing about Donor-gate or any other aspect of Downing-gate on the BBC news broadcasts or ticker today. While it is quite possible that there has been no news at all since any of this was last mentioned, it does seem odd, especially as it had been soft-pedalled throughout by the Beeb. It doesn't quite smell right, somehow.With the BBC's new slant on the Nativity

John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2438119814770065662.post-61423419081893155132007-12-08T14:27:00.000Z2007-12-10T04:07:34.193Z

One of the never-ending tasks of local councils these days is to write documents (plans, frameworks, strategies, even sub-strategies) and then to tick boxes and provides statistics on just about everything you could think up that the council does. I am ploughing through a couple of these strategy documents today as it happens, in readiness for an upcoming Scrutiny Committee meeting...On top of

John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2438119814770065662.post-67688196077907440672007-12-07T17:26:00.001Z2007-12-08T15:04:01.508Z

The original reason that I stood for election to the local Council was because I effectively ran the campaign to save Rochester Airport from closure and concreting-over.At that time (August 1999 onward) Medway Council was run by a minority Labour administration in collaboration with the LibDem Group on the Council.They had between them wangled a last-minute addition to the Medway Local Plan (an

John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2438119814770065662.post-78488567494900103142007-12-06T22:24:00.000Z2007-12-06T22:31:28.128Z

It's official -- from Medway's Labour Group. There is no deprivation in Medway. Well, that's news to me!It was at the last meeting of the full Medway Council that this year's budget situation was raised, and official figures quoted showing how Medway received so much less per head of population than other areas of the country (which is how Government funding of Local Authorities is decided -- the

John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2438119814770065662.post-43106351849225071782007-12-06T15:29:00.000Z2007-12-08T15:02:54.142Z

...In a Local Authority area, far, far away......There was a Trade Union that dominated that Authority's Staff Side.That Union not only dominated the Staff Side of all negotiations with the Authority's management (including elected Members of the Council, by the way) so the other Unions were effectively silenced (and thus failed to represent their memberships) but was able to get away with

John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2438119814770065662.post-2019481378470306652007-12-06T02:25:00.000Z2007-12-14T15:56:32.244Z

This is the name now given to the ongoing stream of donation irregularities coming to public attention in respect of monies given to the Labour Party. Oh, the journos have got their investigative teeth into this one now! Despite the best efforts of Labour MPs and Ministers, and their "good buddies" in much of the mainstream media to keep this down (including various diversionary tactics), there

John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2438119814770065662.post-63494973110108449232007-12-06T02:21:00.000Z2007-12-08T15:05:17.435Z

Another item first posted on Strood Conservatives...We are all aware of the decline in behavioural standards in society in general, ever since the reduction in disincentives to crime and other behaviour issues during (mostly) the past ten years. Society was not perfect before then, and some aspects have improved since, albeit only slightly. As usual, it is not a black-and-white story.However,

John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2438119814770065662.post-49199313585520028602007-12-06T02:16:00.000Z2008-01-13T23:37:28.945Z

I shall start by re-posting my 'blog posts from the Strood Conservatives site. Here's one of them...Many of the problems we have with opposition groups on Medway Council (and I'm sure it must be much the same elsewhere in the country) is that they are stuck in the past. This is especially true of long-standing (or should that be "long-sitting"?) Labour members of the Council.They tend to be the

John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2438119814770065662.post-36560104157644779222007-12-06T01:46:00.000Z2007-12-06T01:59:07.077Z

Yup, here at last: my first own 'blogsite post.I have been contributing to several excellent 'blogs in recent months, including Alan Collins, Strood Conservatives, Iain Dale, and Guido Fawkes. I have also been writing a monthly column I call John's Jottings on my own Councillor website, which is just my own political comment based on experiences in and out of the Council Chamber here in

John M Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251285057595626917noreply@blogger.com0