Write-Place

As the House of Commons debates the phone hacking scandal and the conduct of newspapers, July’s issue of MaltbyNews is in circulation.(I hesitate to say “delivered to every house in Maltby as it proclaims, as it’s rather a hit and miss affair). Amidst the national discussion on the reliability of the press and the infringement of liberties of the public, Maltby News’ editor Kevin Hall has chosen again to disregard his so called policy of giving the”right to reply’. Rather than respond in his ‘newspaper’ to the libellous comments and untruths that he has previously published he has produced an issue with neither “Letters to the Editor”, an  editorial comment nor the name(s) of the journalists’ who have written the copy. The ‘Events Calendar’ notes the Local Development Framework  Public Consultation dates for Bramley and Wickersley but omits Maltby. Two Maltby Town Council News Pages (at a cost of £300) have a competition entry form with last year’s date on. If it wasn’t for th...

With May 5th rapidly approaching, it's difficult to know where to start in debating the issues that Maltby Town Council have had over the past four years since the elections in 2007. To keep up to date via blogging became an almost 24/7 task, especially during 2008/2009 (Read here  http://wwwrite-place.blogspot.com  ) so I hope that now looking at things in retrospect, we can gain a better understanding of what we can expect from our elected members in the future. So, Maltby's candidates for Rotherham Borough Council, 2011 :   Michael Burke (BNP), Michael Conlon,  Christine Beaumont (Labour), Derek Johnson (Conservative), John Kirk (Independent).   Michael Burke was in 2010 hoping to follow fellow BNP member Will Blair, who was elected to RMBC in 2008. Last year he said he'd been getting a good reaction from people and had been asked for more leaflets. In The Dinnington Guardian he says that "People everywhere are concerned about immigration"...

 Following Tory MP Mark Pritchard’s clash with the Commons Speaker John Bercow, T-shirts stating ‘You’re not f****** royalty’ are now on sale. Mr Bercow had annoyed Mark Pritchard by demanding that he get out of his way as he made his way through Parliament. After the Vice – Chair’s response to a member of the public’s questions at Thursday’s MTC meeting – “Shut up!” followed by  “You WILL respect me and you will respect my position” –  this is a most appropriate  garment to be  seen wearing at future meetings.  Orders now being taken. Email me for further details.

Just a quick thanks to Politics in the Rother Valley blog - found at http://rothervalley.wordpress.com. Have been away from Maltby Town Council watching for a while - but am back ! Just need to correct the tense of the statement of the dissaray of MTC - it is STILL in dissaray and continuing to be so, just under the guise of a different Chairperson who couldn't run a chimps tea party (and believe me, that's usually what an MTC meeting seems like, minus the bananas)

It's an old stunt - a low and cowardly one at that - but The Labour Party have decided to use it again, in their "campaign" for the election of two councillors for Maltby Town Council. This stunt is colloquially called "If you have nothing positive to say about your selves then slag off the opposition in any way you can, regardless of whether your comments are true or not." It is regularly used by the current government and has been used by various politicians around the globe. Now, we all know that newspapers are a great source of information, on the whole, but most of us aso know that certain newspapers can be extremely biased towards a particular issue. This is often the case in "party politics".So, to run a campaign based on newspaper headlines is surely, the lowest of the low. But The Labour Party in Maltby have seen fit to do just this on their candidates leaflet, posted through some doors recently. (I am not suggesting that this is selective del...

Dear Kevin Hall, Let’s get a few facts correct here following your “sensational” front page report and patronising editorial in today’s maltbynews. Firstly, you state the petition to dissolve Maltby Town Council is unlikely to have the effect which it’s supporters are aiming. You also state that Mr Mumford says that it is unclear what the purpose of the petition is. I can assure you that Mr Mumford has been told perfectly clearly what the purpose of the petition is for, but that if he has told you that he is uncertain, then who’s view is it that it is unlikely to have any effect? Contradiction in terms, Mr Hall. Then you state “ that RMBC are already undertaking a review in Maltby following the upheaval in the Town (sic) over the past six months.”WRONG. A governance review is taking place but not following or because of any upheaval. It is happening in numerous parishes across Rotherham. Bit of a manipulation of words there, to suit a biased view. That you have named 2 Maltby resident...

We have waited 12 months here in Maltby to have the post of Town Clerk advertised, after the resignation of the former clerk, Mr David Morton. The ex clerk has been paid off and been given an apology from MTC (not sure about what) one day and then the next day the vacant post is finally advertised . There is a "gagging order" on the "undisclosed amount" that Mr Morton has received - well, at least as I write , but who knows what can change ! The job is currently only advertised in 2 places - on an A4 sheet at the Maltby Town Council office (of which only the brave and bold dare enter) and on the "new" MTC website. As the closing date is 31st July, which is quite short and the advertising VERY sparse, this does not appear to give a range of people the opportunity to apply. Surely this could not be the intention of MTC. For the full job description, application form and covering letter (from the self appointed voluntary, "acting financial officer",...

Two Maltby constituents went to see Kevin Barron at his surgery at Dinnington, on Saturday 23rd May. They are concerned about the situation in Maltby Town Council and want Mr Barron’s advice and support about what can be done to sort out the problems. Mr Barron acknowledges that the situation is bad, though appears to think that the only problems are due to the ex Town Clerk, David Morton, scenario. As we well know, this is a sorry state of affairs, but there are numerous other problems too. So guess what the Rt. Hon. Kevin Barron MP is going to do to help these two constituents help the residents of Maltby ? If you think “nothing” then you are absolutely right. Mr Barron states that he has many views on what is happening in MTC and he will speak of these views “when the time is right”, but to him, that is not now. In fact, the time will be right according to him only when he knows for sure that tax payers money is being spent incorrectly, or too much is being spent. A commendable st...

Much has been said about Maltby Town Council over the past couple of years, much of it showing the decisions and actions of some to be wholly inappropriate. Much has been discussed and written and some of us have been wrongly accused of postulating. Whatever I am accused of, I can place my hand on my heart and say that I never lie, cheat or fabricate. I have and will continue to follow through my words with actions. This is not a “holier than thou” attitude – it is me. Democracy is non existent in MTC. What are you, the reader of this, doing about it – if you care ? A few quotes on this subject: “Take time to deliberate; but when the time for action arrives, stop thinking and go in.” Andrew Jackson “An idea not coupled with action will never get any bigger than the brain cell it occupied.” Arnold Glasgow “The shortest answer is doing.” Lord Herbert of Chirbury “People may doubt what you say, but they will believe what you do. “Lewis Cass “We cannot do everything at once, but we c...

RE: Letters to Rotherham Advertiser, page 2, Friday 24th April, 2009 Thankyou Don Buxton, for your detailed and interesting ornithological information, in your letter. Some of the birds mentioned I have not actually seen in the flesh - specifically the Tennesse Mountain Bird , which I have no choosing to see, I may add. Others I have had glimpses of in my day to day doings and can confirm your descriptions of their behaviour. The Bumbling Bee Down Sat Parachuting Bird, though may be rarely seen in Wickersley of late, is VERY prevalent in Maltby. I had occasion only yesterday to happen on this creature in the MTC offices, and I have to say that experiencing the spreading of it's enormous wings, as you describe is a sight to behold. On this occasion the spreading of it's wings was not in preparation for descent, but in show of it's delusional assumption of power and intimidation. The meeting of this bird is not for the faint hearted, and I would suggest that initiates to wat...

"Things" have been rather hectic lately (or maybe this is again me at my best procrastination ) I have been busy reading numerous documents, repoorts, plans and proposals and attending more and more meetings in connection with the future of Maltby and it's residents. As I have not quite mastered the art of adding a link to my website and have to rely on "others" to do the honours, I must post this link here, for now. http://rothervalley.wordpress.com/ This is a well researched, in depth, up to date blog on the goings on of our elected members of council and parliament and it is a pleasure to know that many are concerned. Take heart, Maltby ! As has been said on many occasions "The truth will come out"

To : Cllr A Rushforth , Maltby Town Council, Rotherham I am writing to take issue with you over the comments that you have made and are quoted in The Star, Tuesday August 19th 2008 I quote “Town Councillor Amy Rushforth ….who was not at the meeting when Mr Morton was suspended said “This confirms what I said at the start of this episode that the suspension of the clerk had not been done correctly and there would be repercussions about what they had done” What THEY had done? Who are THEY Cllr Rushforth? Are you not one of THEM yourself? Firstly, I am concerned that you feel able to comment on events at a meeting that you did not attend. Everyone appreciates your unfortunate personal circumstances of late, but you have not attended any Maltby Town Council meeting now since April and four months is an extremely long time to keep track of the happenings within the council, even when attending and minuting meetings, which many residents are doing recently due to disputes concerning record...

It would be good to be able to comment that Maltby Town Council, amidst it’s current situation and disputes, is turning around for the better. However, this does not seem to be the case. The last full Town Council meeting on 23rd July had, yet again, members of the public and councillors being verbally abused and treated with total disrespect by certain councillors. A meeting of the Environment Committee last night, showed one of these same councillors - in the public gallery for this meeting- and her daughter, treating members of the public with the same appalling attitude and disrespect. The Chair of this meeting handled this by telling everyone to be quiet so that the meeting could continue. Though this is fair enough comment for the immediate situation at a meeting, it does nothing to resolve the real problems. No matter how much people in Maltby want the council to move forward and be supportive of the town and it’s residents, progress cannot be made until past and present grievan...