SALIX HOMES

Had an excellent meeting this afternoon with Colin Mannion to discuss the caretaking review, workman's toilet's and general issues.

Colin gave me a very detailed insight into the thinking behind it all and reassured me that lots of consultation was going on(and proved it). He promised to meet with those tenants who are upset about the workman's toilet issue, and promised to attend a Forum meeting to discuss with its members.

I felt a lot happier after the meeting. I still have concerns about no physical presence in the area for tenants and that some of the officers are not keeping elected members up to date, as they should(I believe some are scared of meeting with us,which is ridiculous).

I've always had good relationships with area managers and housing staff in the past and worked well together for the benefit of the community, but for now that seems to have stopped. Perhaps it's my suspicious mind,but maybe somebody has told them to!

BUILLE HILL HIGH SCHOOL

It was great being able to spend the morning at Buille Hill's Democracy Day. Explaining how the Council worked and all about elections.

The young people, many from Langworthy Ward were toally engaged and asked some fantastic probing questions. They also had a debate on lowering the voting age to 16, which the majority voted in favour of.

Vin Joseph from Democratic Services was also in attendance and gave the officers point of view on procedure etc.

A very worthwhile exercise.

SALIX HOMES

I am getting really frustrated with Salix Homes. They have upset residents on Salford precinct by trying to open work men's toilets on all blocks. No consultation with ward councillors or residents.

There is no face to face contact in the area now the office is closed. People, including members are getting very disillusioned with them. The sooner the PFI is sorted out and somebody else is managing the properties in Langworthy Ward the better.

UNBELIEVABLE.

I can't believe what I've just read in this weeks Salford Advertiser in Cllr.Owen's columns. The nerve of the man, blaming everybody except his own party,who were responsible for the ameteur shambolic performance during the budget debate at last weeks council.

It was obvious he and his party didn't understand the council protocol, because we had to adjourn so officers could help them with their ammendment.

It's no wonder his group tried to oust him as their leader last time, he's become a bit of an embarresment to them, particularly when he hangs on to the coat tails of the Tories. The Lib Dems really have become the rump of the Tory Party in Salford.

Lib Dem budget fiasco rumbles on.

Salford’s Lib Dems have shot themselves in the foot again after it emerged that their rival budget plans means they would abandon key election promises.They proposed to axe £1 million from the Council’s planning and highways budget. An official assessment of the plans warned:· The highways maintenance budget would be ‘seriously compromised’· The efforts to curb climate change would be sabotaged· Major job-providing regeneration initiatives would be slowed· Cuts would be made in adapting homes for the disabledCouncillor Derek Antrobus, the council’s planning spokesman, said: “The Lib Dems budget can only be implemented by undermining key priorities for the community. They would inevitably involve compulsory redundancies.“On all of these services the Lib Dems say we don’t do enough. But when it comes to making hard decisions, they are the services they attack.“I have been involved in a lengthy e-mail exchange with Cllr Joe O’Neill who is the Lib Dem budget spokesman. He simply refuses to explain or justify his £1 million cuts.”

BUDGET BUNGLE

Salford council was forced to adjourn its Budget debate, after Liberal Democrats needed advice on what their alternative proposals meant.Salford City Council leader Cllr John Merry described the Lib Dem budget bungle as 'a shambles'.Lib Dem finance spokesperson Cllr Joe O'Neill spoke in the debate to urge his alternative proposals to the Council meeting. But when it came to the vote, he could notsay what the wording of his amendment wassay what impact it would have on the council taxsay how £2 million savings would be madeCouncil deputy leader Cllr David Lancaster said: "This is a discourtesy to the council. How can we vote on something that we don't know about?"He moved an adjournment so council finance officers could meet with Lib Dems to explain to them what their budget meant. After a 15-minute break the Lib Dems proposed a 0.56p cut in the weekly bill.The ruling Labour group's budget was overwhelmingly approved. It keeps the Council Tax rise down to 3% for council services.Finance spokesman Cllr Bill Hinds said: "I am confident that we will have one of the lowest tax increases in the country, achieved without compulsory redundancies or service cuts".

Bus Fares

Following on from my last entry it has been brought to my attention that Salford Tory Councillor Ian Macdonald voted in favour of the rise. Shame on him.

The young people of Salford have been let down.