The Conservatives on Shropshire Council have rejected out of hand Lib Dem proposals that would have repaired the county’s roads, supported small businesses and young people, and improved transport for disabled people. Nigel Hartin, leader of Shropshire Liberal Democrats, says he is angered by the council decision. “When will this council begin to use its […]
Month: February 2013
Ludlow ignored in Shropshire Council parking initiatives
A week ago I witnessed a fascinating debate on Twitter. Shrewsbury trader Julia Wenlock put Shropshire council leader Keith Barrow on the spot about Sunday car parking charges. After a lengthy exchange, Keith agreed to a free parking day on 30 June. During the discussion Keith revealed that for Shrewsbury: “We offered free parking on […]
The importance of not being important
I am very much enjoying being out and about in Ludlow canvassing for votes and I have had some very engaging discussions in recent days. One theme comes up regularly. People say that politicians – local and national – have lost touch with the needs and wishes of ordinary folk. Voters are fed up with […]
Shropshire Council consultants, Joan Armatrading and accountability
The Shropshire Star published my letter “huge bill for consultants” today. Thanks guys! The essence of the letter is that despite council leader Keith Barrow telling us that his council is completely open about how it spends its money, it had stopped publishing detailed financial data in April 2012. Keith was unaware of this when […]
Council consultancy bills point to weak leadership
This morning, BBC Radio Shropshire called council leader Keith Barrow into the studio to justify spending £619,000 on consultants (begins at 2:07). The interview was very revealing, not just on the huge consultancy bill but also on his leadership. It was fascinating and disturbing in equal measure to hear Keith explain how he had no […]