Strange rumour about the club

It's not just Argyle it's the country, suffocating under years of new LabaTory where we don't have a right or left. Just a far right, where everybody that goes to the right schools divides the spoils of the country bleeding it dry until when nearly bankrupt the proles have to pay all the bills.
What really gets on my tits is the total sellouts like the Nolligans, grammar school boys from humble beginnings who have done reasonably well in life and should be applauded for that. However being an enabler to an ex Etonian to asset strip your club and city should be a hanging offence, we need a revolution in this country and we need to start at HP.

So Hairy, what would be an acceptable response time to a Constituent's email?

Iggy wrote:

It's not just Argyle it's the country, suffocating under years of new LabaTory where we don't have a right or left. Just a far right, where everybody that goes to the right schools divides the spoils of the country bleeding it dry until when nearly bankrupt the proles have to pay all the bills.
What really gets on my tits is the total sellouts like the Nolligans, grammar school boys from humble beginnings who have done reasonably well in life and should be applauded for that. However being an enabler to an ex Etonian to asset strip your club and city should be a hanging offence, we need a revolution in this country and we need to start at HP.

Don't think he's grammar school. Tamar Sec I believe.

Damon.Lenszner wrote:

So Hairy, what would be an acceptable response time to a Constituent's email?

I can't speak for a Councillor as I'm not one (yet) and I'd need to know if this was a Freedom of Information request or not - FoIs are more robust procedures.

A lot of FoIs I've done have a time limit I am bound to. I think that's on the form you can fill out though.
http://www.plymouth.gov.uk/homepage/councilanddemocracy/information/generalinfo.htm
See here

There are exemptions
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2000/36/contents
21 to 44

Your particular question could come under
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2000/36/section/43

If yours isn't a FoI request, I'd personally say two weeks wasn't asking too much. I've written to Councillors as a constituent though and never got a reply before. Other emails/letters have been answered with an hour.

People won't believe this but there are a lot of very good people in the Council House.

Thanks Hairy - I know there are some good people in there, just wish occassionally one would put their head above the parapet.

I asked a PCC councillor acquaintance of mine if there was any mileage in this story today. She didn't know anything about it but was going to make it her business to ask questions.

She also thought it was quite amusing the idea that PCC didn't have computerised records of payments made to council staff.

Tringreen wrote:

Iggy wrote:

It's not just Argyle it's the country, suffocating under years of new LabaTory where we don't have a right or left. Just a far right, where everybody that goes to the right schools divides the spoils of the country bleeding it dry until when nearly bankrupt the proles have to pay all the bills.
What really gets on my tits is the total sellouts like the Nolligans, grammar school boys from humble beginnings who have done reasonably well in life and should be applauded for that. However being an enabler to an ex Etonian to asset strip your club and city should be a hanging offence, we need a revolution in this country and we need to start at HP.

Don't think he's grammar school. Tamar Sec I believe.

I should have known, makes it worse if anything! I would trust most heroin addicts with my wallet rather than a local boy come good social climber any day of the week, they have no morals whatsoever.

Richard Blight wrote:

I asked a PCC councillor acquaintance of mine if there was any mileage in this story today. She didn't know anything about it but was going to make it her business to ask questions.

She also thought it was quite amusing the idea that PCC didn't have computerised records of payments made to council staff.

I've not heard of any member of staff who've been paid off with a gagging order. One thing you don't do though is blab a load of 'evidence' - your evidence might not be correct and it can be undermining to an organisation that, although far from perfect, is worth preserving and supporting. The alternative to the public sector is far more scary. Imagine living in a society wher e the rules and regulations, the support structure for vulnerable people, the decision making on benefit payments, planning applications (yep even those) etc. are in the hands of The Masters of The Universe who have a horde of shareholders to pay dividends to.
In microcosm, you can see that happening in Academy schools.

Gagging orders, I suppose, would go to high level staff who've left acrimoniously - I don't agree with them at all and they're almost an additional redundancy payment out of the scope of the redundancy package. I'd be quite annoyed as a tax payer to discover if this was common practice in Plymouth but I'm fairly certain they aren't.

hairy j wrote:

Richard Blight wrote:

I asked a PCC councillor acquaintance of mine if there was any mileage in this story today. She didn't know anything about it but was going to make it her business to ask questions.

She also thought it was quite amusing the idea that PCC didn't have computerised records of payments made to council staff.

I've not heard of any member of staff who've been paid off with a gagging order. One thing you don't do though is blab a load of 'evidence' - your evidence might not be correct and it can be undermining to an organisation that, although far from perfect, is worth preserving and supporting. The alternative to the public sector is far more scary. Imagine living in a society wher e the rules and regulations, the support structure for vulnerable people, the decision making on benefit payments, planning applications (yep even those) etc. are in the hands of The Masters of The Universe who have a horde of shareholders to pay dividends to.
In microcosm, you can see that happening in Academy schools.

Gagging orders, I suppose, would go to high level staff who've left acrimoniously - I don't agree with them at all and they're almost an additional redundancy payment out of the scope of the redundancy package. I'd be quite annoyed as a tax payer to discover if this was common practice in Plymouth but I'm fairly certain they aren't.

now, im unsure if thats tongue in cheek or not.  the masters of the universe dont pay the dividends but they ensure that the corporations are able to with unfair legislation and back pocket hand outs

'Ensure' is a very 100% word to use.

The one thing that does always surprise me is that individuals (members of the public) don't get involved with their local authorities. PCC is trying to become a co-operative council - it's the over-riding vision right now. My advice, get involved. Ask what you can get involved in. If we lost that localised government, imagine a society where accountability is completely eroded. Get involved.
I'm a cynical person and I don't take anything at face value but this city is still yours.

hairy j wrote:

'Ensure' is a very 100% word to use.

The one thing that does always surprise me is that individuals (members of the public) don't get involved with their local authorities. PCC is trying to become a co-operative council - it's the over-riding vision right now. My advice, get involved. Ask what you can get involved in. If we lost that localised government, imagine a society where accountability is completely eroded. Get involved.
I'm a cynical person and I don't take anything at face value but this city is still yours.

I completely agree Hairy, it's a case of use it or lose it. In general, too many sit back moaning when they should be getting of their arse and doing.

hairy j wrote:

'Ensure' is a very 100% word to use.

The one thing that does always surprise me is that individuals (members of the public) don't get involved with their local authorities. PCC is trying to become a co-operative council - it's the over-riding vision right now. My advice, get involved. Ask what you can get involved in. If we lost that localised government, imagine a society where accountability is completely eroded. Get involved.
I'm a cynical person and I don't take anything at face value but this city is still yours.

But shorely unless you're simply the type of person who craves attention, who wants to be on any committee or part of any group or anything at all, then for most people there'd have to be something pretty specific to "get involved" in, wouldn't there?

I very much share your cynicism, but mine goes to the degree that for me a big majority of people "get involved" purely for their own ostentatious self-aggrandizement.

Czarcasm wrote:

hairy j wrote:

'Ensure' is a very 100% word to use.

The one thing that does always surprise me is that individuals (members of the public) don't get involved with their local authorities. PCC is trying to become a co-operative council - it's the over-riding vision right now. My advice, get involved. Ask what you can get involved in. If we lost that localised government, imagine a society where accountability is completely eroded. Get involved.
I'm a cynical person and I don't take anything at face value but this city is still yours.

But shorely unless you're simply the type of person who craves attention, who wants to be on any committee or part of any group or anything at all, then for most people there'd have to be something pretty specific to "get involved" in, wouldn't there?

I very much share your cynicism, but mine goes to the degree that for me a big majority of people "get involved" purely for their own ostentatious self-aggrandizement.

educated wanker!

Mapperley, darling wrote:

Czarcasm wrote:

hairy j wrote:

'Ensure' is a very 100% word to use.

The one thing that does always surprise me is that individuals (members of the public) don't get involved with their local authorities. PCC is trying to become a co-operative council - it's the over-riding vision right now. My advice, get involved. Ask what you can get involved in. If we lost that localised government, imagine a society where accountability is completely eroded. Get involved.
I'm a cynical person and I don't take anything at face value but this city is still yours.

But shorely unless you're simply the type of person who craves attention, who wants to be on any committee or part of any group or anything at all, then for most people there'd have to be something pretty specific to "get involved" in, wouldn't there?

I very much share your cynicism, but mine goes to the degree that for me a big majority of people "get involved" purely for their own ostentatious self-aggrandizement.

educated wanker!

100% correct , educated wanker.

Czarcasm wrote:

hairy j wrote:

'Ensure' is a very 100% word to use.

The one thing that does always surprise me is that individuals (members of the public) don't get involved with their local authorities. PCC is trying to become a co-operative council - it's the over-riding vision right now. My advice, get involved. Ask what you can get involved in. If we lost that localised government, imagine a society where accountability is completely eroded. Get involved.
I'm a cynical person and I don't take anything at face value but this city is still yours.

But shorely unless you're simply the type of person who craves attention, who wants to be on any committee or part of any group or anything at all, then for most people there'd have to be something pretty specific to "get involved" in, wouldn't there?

I very much share your cynicism, but mine goes to the degree that for me a big majority of people "get involved" purely for their own ostentatious self-aggrandizement.

You're probably right, it's a good job there are people like that.

Aggrandizement. I have no shame in admitting that I had to look on Dictionary.com to see what that meant.  

Well, make the difference and get involved without self-interest. There's loads of great community groups in Plymouth who've worked alongside PCC to achieve good things. Friends of Freedom Fields Park being one of them.
http://www.plymouth.gov.uk/homepage/leisureandtourism/parksnatureandgreenspaces/parks/freedomfieldspark.htm
The park is a really nice place these days and that's a co-operative achievement.

oooh azzer


that park is full of rapists and you know it!

Reply from my Councillor.

I have been informed that we as councillors cannot for legal reasons make any comment on specific companies or individuals rent or business rates.

Regards

Brian

Tgwu wrote:

Reply from my Councillor.

I have been informed that we as councillors cannot for legal reasons make any comment on specific companies or individuals rent or business rates.

Regards  

Brian

Pass the buck hey, so how do people find out that companies like Google and Starbucks pay very little tax in the UK ? there must be some way of finding out if a large company like Brent/Akkeron are paying any rent/rates.  

Would a FoI request succeed?

knecht wrote:

Would a FoI request succeed?

I posted a link earlier in the thread re FoIs and there is a clause that would probably suggest a NO. I'm not sure if it would be though.
If it's a legal NO, the Councillor won't go against that and risk being taken to court. You can't blame Cllr Vincent for that.

Jack Sheppard wrote:

Tgwu wrote:

Reply from my Councillor.

I have been informed that we as councillors cannot for legal reasons make any comment on specific companies or individuals rent or business rates.

Regards  

Brian

Pass the buck hey, so how do people find out that companies like Google and Starbucks pay very little tax in the UK ? there must be some way of finding out if a large company like Brent/Akkeron are paying any rent/rates.  

Tax to the HMRC is what google et al avoid. They'd pay business rates on their offices in the UK to the local authority where those buildings are - it's a diferent 'tax'.

Again though, Brent paying no rent is extremely unlikely.

Tgwu wrote:

Reply from my Councillor.

I have been informed that we as councillors cannot for legal reasons make any comment on specific companies or individuals rent or business rates.

Regards  

Brian

I have been informed that it would be in my best interests to keep my feckin mouth shut in other words.

hairy j wrote:

Jack Sheppard wrote:

Tgwu wrote:

Reply from my Councillor.

I have been informed that we as councillors cannot for legal reasons make any comment on specific companies or individuals rent or business rates.

Regards  

Brian

Pass the buck hey, so how do people find out that companies like Google and Starbucks pay very little tax in the UK ? there must be some way of finding out if a large company like Brent/Akkeron are paying any rent/rates.    

Tax to the HMRC is what google et al avoid. They'd pay business rates on their offices in the UK to the local authority where those buildings are - it's a diferent 'tax'.

Again though, Brent paying no rent is extremely unlikely.

I Know it's different 'tax' but people are still able to find out whether it's being paid or not, that was my point.