Labour opposes budget built on £1m wish list of savings

High Peak Labour Group last night voted against the budget proposed by High Peak Borough Council.

Labour Group Leader, Councillor Caitlin Bisknell said: “We cannot vote for a budget which is based on a wish list of around £1m savings.

“The council is just building up a bank of debts – to add the council’s burgeoning portfolio of borrowing.

“The council had initially worked out its budget on 2.5% increase, but at the last minute has decided to dip its hands into the council coffers and use £54,690 from reserves, so that it can match Derbyshire County Council’s council tax increase – the council equivalent of keeping up with the Joneses.”

This years budget papers, though copious, actually give very little detail about how money will be spent – nor about how the savings will be made.

“You cannot make savings of £1m without there being cuts to services and staff somewhere down the line,” she added.

“In addition we now know that considerable sums need to be spent on Glossop Town Hall – so much so that the project has been dropped from the council’s building programme altogether, for the time being at least.

Another two other capital programmes have had their funding reduced.

• Derbyshire County Council has more than halved its likely contribution, from £750,000 to £330,000, to the Customer First programme of one stop shops.

• An expected grant of £90,000 from DDEP (Derby and Derbyshire Economic Partnership) towards Pavilion Gardens is no longer anticipated.

And the report contains is a hidden warning of increases in fees and charges, maybe not this year but in the future. Hiding behind an Audit Commission report councillors are told that is very clear that the role and importance of fees and charges will further increase in the medium -term.

The report also warns councillors that the capital investment proposals included in the programme will result not only in increased borrowing costs; but also extra revenue costs following completion of schemes.

Caitlin for High Peak

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Originally uploaded by AnthonyMck

Caitlin Bisknell has been selected as Labour’s new parliamentary candidate for High Peak following a gruelling selection process.

Labour Party members from across the High Peak including Tom Levitt MP gathered together at a hustings event in Whaley Bridge on Saturday to put the shortlisted candidates for the parliamentary selection to one final test before picking a new candidate.

The selection process saw the two shortlisted candidates speak and be questioned at various venues in the High Peak. Caitlin Bisknell was announced on Saturday as the High Peak Labour Party's newly selected parliamentary candidate following a ballot of all party members in the constituency.

Speaking after the announcement of the result at the hustings event in Whaley Bridge, procedures secretary Cllr Anthony Mckeown said: "Both of our shortlisted candidates have been tested and following a vote of all local party members Cllr Caitlin Bisknell has been overwhelmingly selected as the High Peak Labour Party's new candidate."

Labour's newly selected parliamentary candidate Caitlin Bisknell thanked party members for their support. "I am delighted to have been selected – it’s a huge honour and privilege, but now the work really starts to make sure that we retain this seat for Labour in the general election.

“The worst of the recession now seems to be over, and the opinion polls are already closing, this election is wide open and I will be fighting every step of the way to win an historic fourth term for Labour locally and nationally.”

The process now has to be ratified by the Labour Party's head office, but Caitlin and local members will be getting on with the jobs of getting Caitlin elected to parliament to take over from Tom Levitt MP.

Selection Process nears its end

Labour Party members from across the High Peak came together on Saturday for an opportunity to grill the shortlisted candidates for the Parliamentary Selection that is currently underway to replace Tom Levitt MP.

The two shortlisted candidates Cllr Caitlin Bisknell and Lorraine Warwick took questions on a wide range of subjects ranging from pensions to education and everything else in between.

The two events that took place last Saturday at either end of the constituency are warm-ups for the final stage of the selection process this Saturday’s hustings event which will take place in Whaley Bridge.

CLP Procedures Secretary Anthony Mckeown said “Our shortlisted candidates took a wide of question from the members that attended Saturday’s event, all in preparation for this coming Saturday’s husting where the candidates will need to prove the public speaking abilities along with been able to respond to rapid questioning” 

Parliamentary Selection Update

On Monday evening (18th January) the executive committee agreed a shortlist of two to go forward to the meet the members and hustings event.

Details will be with elegable members in the next day or so of both candidates and how they vote (this has been slightly delayed while issues around the hustings venue were considered)

The next stage of the process is this Saturday's meet the member events taking place in both Buxton and Glossop, followed by next Saturday's hustings event.

Further details on the process are available from Anthony Mckeown.

Welcome for new homes in Tintwistle

News that the Labour Government is to invest £310,000 to provide new council homes for rent in Tintwistle, has been welcomed by High Peak Labour Group.

Leader of the Borough’s Labour Group, Cllr Caitlin Bisknell, said: “This is very welcome news indeed and is about more than providing new home, it’s about investing in our communities.

“Most local people are aware of the need for more affordable homes in the area, but this funding also requires that council’s offer new jobs and apprenticeships to local people as part of the building programme and that all the homes will be highly energy efficient.”

Cllr Bisknell added: “This whole package shows just how serious the Labour Government is about improving the lives of hardworking people in the Tintwistle area. Nothing can be more fundamental for people than a decent job and a decent home to live in.

“Labour’s actions are in stark contrast to the Tories' proposals for slashing spending on affordable housing – which would have seen £800m less invested in housing in the past year alone.”

The scheme has already been welcomed locally and received planning permission before Christmas. It will involve knocking down some old garages and building a mix of two and three bed roomed homes on the site, a pair of semi-detached and a terrace of three homes.

Housing minister John Healey said: “More affordable homes for rent are needed in every part of the country. Our Labour government is using the power of public investment to help economic growth by building the homes we need and creating jobs and skills for the future. And we must get the most for every taxpayer’s pound, so I am requiring all councils getting this government money to offer new jobs and apprenticeships to local people”.

The Borough’s most recent assessment of affordable housing showed that most needed types of houses in Glossopdale were two and three bedroomed homes.
The cash boost is as part of the second round of the Government’s Local Authority New Build Funding programme - the largest council house building programme for nearly twenty years. Nationally the scheme will see 4000 new council homes built, with housing for more than 8000 people.