The fact that local Labour frontbencher Terry Cook has announced his resignation seems to be passing without comment.
He says, “[I’m] retiring to spend more time with my business”. Hmmm.
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So what. Your point is ?
After the disgraceful attack this soon to be ex councillor made on good tenants of this city during his ramblings at the budget meeting which was supported by Rose in her tinted glasses im not surprised.
In a word: GOODBYE.
in two words. . . . . . . . . .
good riddance !!! 😀
Enough said ! 🙂
whos next??
GOOD!!! He did fuck all for cycling in Bristol. I wonder who next will abandon Labour’s sunken ship? Let’s hope the LibDems serve us better.
Stories like this demonstrate that Bristol needs that arena more than ever. We just can’t go on letting these people go off to “spend more time with my business”, whe need to see them being fed to lions… and we need plenty of seating.
Terry cook will be remembered as the one who moved the wrecking amendment to stop the Charlie Bolton – Lib Dem motion which would have removed the BRT threat to the Railway Path.
Thanks to Terry, and the Labour and Tory groups, that threat remains to this day. Whoever decided that Herod.. I mean Terry should head the Cycling City project obviously had a warped sense of humour.
I hear he was forced out by the ward party because he never did any work.
I am sure that my colleage Jon and many cycling groups would have to say that cycling city was a shining example of open collaborative democracy.
Or maybe I misheard him.
Colleague, Gary, C-O-L-L-E-A-G-U-E.
Shirley might be in America, you’re not.
What is happening with all that Cycling City money which Bristol was awarded? I hope it’s not gone on Sustrans pay cheques. When are we going to see and feel the benefit at a civic level?
The only benefit I’ve noticed is a ramp at the end of the M32 path (Millpond Street), which I think was in construction earlier, and the cycle lane over Princes Bridge. The latter I don’t consider a benefit as cars and cyclists negotiated their turns perfectly well and we now have a load of unsightly street architecture which ruins the visual amenity of this part of the docks.
I hope the LibDems will take control of this grant and spend it wisely. Really, there’s no need for all these ridiculous public consultations. We all know what is required – a common sense approach. Hopefully that’s where Gary Hopkins comes in?
I always found Terry to be one of the more engaging councillor’s. I remember the cycle path meeting where he went over to the people watching to put his case for his amendment. And he also was part of the team who put the case for cycling city.
LibDems make a lot capital out of criticising Labour for being secretive – but I suspect a lot of it is systematic and down to people being poor at communicating, rather than anything malicious.
As such, I wait with interest to see whether Jon or other LibDems can do better – cos let’s face it, it is the same council, with the same officers, and the same problems….
…just as the LibDems spent a lot of time attacking Helen Holland for claiming then failing to be open, I can see it rebounding in them.
Charlie – good point “…the same council, with the same officers, and the same problems….”
But remember, this is also a city with a history of rebellion. For those interested, read:
“A Darker History of Bristol” by Derek Robinson, 2005.
“I remember the cycle path meeting where he went over to the people watching to put his case for his amendment.” – CB
And the people said quite emphatically that it was bullshit, but Terry still put his wrecking amendment. So much for listening to people.
So far Jon Rogers has demonstrated a refreshing willingness to be more open and accessible. How long that will last remains to be seen, but for now he’s doing well.
He’s done a rather good article about Gary’s planned bin spies, which I’m inclined to say I agree with. If Gary is “pushing” the city to hit a 50% recycling target, given the Council’s previous history on sticks and carrots (i.e. all stick and no carrot) I think it’s pretty much guaranteed that this will be achieved by making conventional waste disposal more inconvenient or more expensive (probably both).
Interestingky there seems to be no recognition of the fact that the reason we throw away so much is because we have no choice on how things are packaged at source. Plus the food bins are a complete waste of time (I eat what I buy!) and it seems a lot of people have problems with cardboard being collected.
I await Gary’s proposals with interest but suspect it’ll be more of the same.
Yes, I read Terry’s article and had heard from officers about the idea of co-mingled waste (which is what I think he is talking about). (Basically, as I understand it, you chuck all your recycling into 1 big bin, and a machine sorts it)
The advantage is an increase in the recycling rate (8%?), and it includes plastics.
It has problems with it over the quality of the recyclates you get back – because of increased levels of contamination – and is likely to prove very unpopular with us stroppy Greens.
You will see the detail shortly as officers sort out delivery.
The key thing though is that when we introduced the food waste collection we could not use corn starch bags. As a result some negative publicity about flies etc. stuck with some people and as a result ,although the take up was over 60% some people were put off.
We will make the system easier to use and provide the bags for free. It has also been demonstrated in many places that actually showing the product/system with face to face chat is far more effective than leaflets and that is what we will do.
Agreed that central government shopuld do more on packaging etc. but we will keep pressing.
It was actuallty myself who used the line of “all stick no carrot” as Labour refused to take advantage of money available from DEFRA that would have allowed us to give council tax rebates to low waste producers.
We took the city from a 12%Labour recycling rate to 38% in 2 years. The 50% figure is achievable despite Labour’s efforts to undermine it.
Charlie
You are a nice chap but you are demonstrating again and again that greens are completely out of their depth.
Yes we know central government is a big handicap and the council has performed poorly in the past but political leaders have a responsibility and throwing up your hands and saying nothing can be done is poor and deserves to be translated as “do not bother voting green they will only whinge and give up”.
Dave, where does Garry say anything about “bin spies”? That appears to be purely an invention of Terry’s to try to discredit what otherwise appear to be sensible ideas, especially “rewarding” people who produce less residual waste (which is another way of saying penalising those who produce more – quite rightly).
It’s arrant nonsense to say that we have no choice on how things are packaged at source. The supermarkets offer us unprecedented choice. Many fruit and veg products are available packaged or loose – we choose. If there was significant public demand for less packaging the supermarkets would offer more of that option. If they don’t it’s because people aren’t really interested, whatever they say to market researchers.
I see the Hopkins and Rogers good cop, bad cop routine is still going strong.
Do they really think that the people who read these blogs are that stupid?
You should elect me. I’ll spend your money wisely.
Pugs and lo-riders 4 everyone.
Where you thinking of running?
I’ll be your agent …
Evening TonyD
As you may have guessed, Gary and I are both keen to share our respective understanding of issues. We enjoy dialogue, sparring and openness.
The comments and replies suggest that at least a few other people also enjoy it.
What I don’t understand is how that converts to “Hopkins good cop” and “Rogers bad cop” or indeed what “cop routines” have to do with it at all?
Am I missing something?
Jon
Merely a popular cultural reference acting as comment on your contrasting choice of approach.
My personal opinion is that you Jon appear to convey an impression of the Lib-Dems operating a more open dialogue incorporating mutual respect and the welcoming of critical opinion. A more friendly approach to dialogue, hence the reference to good cop.
Gary, on the other hand, appears to enjoy a more combative, adversarial approach with occasional resort to attempted ridiculing of opponents and the casting of aspersions on their capabilities. Hence the reference to bad cop.
It may be simply a manifestation of your individual personalities but from my viewpoint it appears a little false.
Perhaps a dispassionate read of yours and Gary blog entries of the past week will illustrate my viewpoint. Perhaps not.
I think the point people are making, Jon, is that you are universally regarded as a nice chap, trying to do a decent job; whereas Gary almost thrives on his reputation as a bully, and an all round nasty piece of work. He’s added patronising the Greens to his repetoire of dirty tricks. I just think most people pray that you win the leadership race, if you’re still a councillor after the elections.
Tony D put it better than me. But the short-hand, blunt speaking definition that I’m sure Gary would like is – Gary’s a bit of a tit, you’re not.
Gary seems to enjoy ‘driving stuff forward’, and thankfully for him he’s been broadly right on the recycling issue for the most part within current resources and budgets.
Jon seems to be better at making sure everyone gets a chance to discuss things with everyone else. Given the controversial topic that transport in Bristol is, with no single group having a truly coherent vision for the whole city right now, perhaps we need a while just being encouraged to bash each issue out with each other?
We spend enough time online complaining that things are going wrong for various different reasons, perhaps we should spend some time sacking off the whole party politics nonsense and planning the entire city out properly?
Jon and Gary
can we now have some promises (and action) to protect the railway path from predatory developers, safe for walkers and cyclists and set up in trust for a legally secure future?
And do contrive to rid us of the dangerous bendy bus with its unsightly concrete tracks.
Thanks TonyD and others for the clarification. I was upset (and of course I am very sensitive!) that you had me down as “bad cop”. Gary is much better in that role and I think Bristol is very lucky to have him. We really do need all sorts.
The anonymous “time for some promises” asks us to “protect the railway path”.
I think that would be a bit presumptuous.
We are looking for a mandate from the people of Bristol in June 2009. At the moment all we have in the Council House is a temporary “absence of opposition” from the Conservatives (and Charlie)
The Conservatives have belatedly supported us in opposing the incinerator, and Labour resigned over it, so on that subject we do have a mandate to revisit that decision.
Also, Labour had not finally decided to expand Sefton Park School. They had “umm”ed and “ah”ed for perhaps 20 months, but I don’t think they (or the Tories) are now against our rapid decision to revert to the original Lib Dem plans to build a new primary school on the Brunel site.
However, on the Railway Path, Labour and Conservatives voted together to scupper your motion and my strengthening amendment. They had a majority. I have heard nothing from Labour or Conservatives that they have changed their mind, so that remains the majority view.
If the people of Bristol fail to return a majority of Liberal Democrat councillors, then who knows what shape the next Cabinet will be.
Let the people of Bristol decide!
I had not seen Charlies conrtibution when I added last night.
Yes officers have been exploring co-migled dry recycling for some time and I too have severe reservations about it.
1 New 2nd wheely bins . Ciost about £3M and in a number of cases extra storage problems.
2 Collecting all the stuff on a tipper /compacter means that either
a You get smashed glass that contaminates other recyclates like paper and the value of the glass itself is massively reduced(this can lead to recyclate getting landfilled) or
b Taking the glass out of the bins and providing yet another container(possibly another separate waggon) or as some authorities have done making people take the glass to bottle banks.
Most astute readers will know that none of these options are attractive but that does not mean that all change on dry recyclate collection is off the agenda.
Where the Greens part company from me is over corn starch bags.
Those who have seen them know that they look like ultra thin plastic bags but are in fact fully bio-degradeable.
They make the use of the food waste service easier and will cost the council about 2p each.
We will be quite happy for people to stay with paper wrapping but want to offer an alternative to bring in those who for a variety of reasons do not participate now.
As has quite rightly been pointed out they have a small environmental cost(as has everything produced) but in my opinion this is far outweighed both financially and environmentally by increased organic recycling which reliable research has shown will follow.
Now that is spooky… Hopkins working on his response at same time as me … are we twins?!
“I had not seen Charlies contribution when I added last night.”
So your comment that Charlie was “throwing up [his] hands and saying nothing can be done”
was based on what exactly?
Jon,
I think the Railway Path reference, in the immediate timeframe, is to the Square Peg development and specifically to the unresolved protected park land sale issue.
You and I know this could (and should) be stopped with a stroke of a politician’s pen. The fact it isn’t speaks volumes.
As does your refusal, following Labour’s lead, to publish the £12k consultation into the matter. This is a blatant money-wasting cover-up.
Despite your efforts to the contrary, it looks to many of us that public school boy Merchant Venturers are calling the shots in this town with the help of senior officers fully prepared to ignore written policy.
Why won’t politicians even say anything about this? Let alone act …
Thanks Tony D
Please sir, please can I answer Gary’s question, Sir?
Perhaps it was Charlie’s earlier statement …
“As such, I wait with interest to see whether Jon or other LibDems can do better – cos let’s face it, it is the same council, with the same officers, and the same problems….
…just as the LibDems spent a lot of time attacking Helen Holland for claiming then failing to be open, I can see it rebounding in them.”
Charlie has even earlier stated that he questioned the value of the Lib Dem seeking a budget amendment to “scrap the mass burn incinerator” for a second year when we failed in 2008!
We will continue to push for things we believe in and hopefully Bristol voters will want those things too.
Jon
Watching twitter, I see that Mark “Busy campaigning this morning” Bradshaw and Terry “campaigning in Easton” Cook are out on the streets already and I am only just out of my pyjamas. No time for any other questions…
Oh wait?
Thebristolblogger is now challenging me on the Chocolate Factory, by the side of, and impacting on the Railway Path.
I have asked for a briefing on this. I try not to write on blogs from a position of ignorance.
If I suggested that some of the anonymous contributors might consider a similar practice would I lose my “good cop” status?
Jon
If everybody stopped contributing from a position of ignorance there would be a complete lack of contributions not just on the blog sites, but also in the more traditional media and, not least, in the council chamber.
Can somebody (not necessarily Gary or Jon) please explain to me what on earth the food recycling bins are actually for? Is it just to address the problem of rotting food when the conventional waste bin is only emptied twice-monthly?
Because there surely can’t be a measurable benefit to the environment of “recycling” potato peelings and chicken bones – which surely just get sent to landfill anyway since they decompose.
Spot on Tony. We can’t order briefings on demand from the Counts Louse. We have to piece information together from various sources and try and make sense of it as best we can.
The subject of this Square Peg briefing raises a few questions:
1. What is the value of a briefing produced by the very people responsible for ignoring public policy in the first place. Is it likely to be objective?
2. Why do you need a briefing before publishing a public consultation? Shouldn’t it be published as a matter of course?
3. Will this briefing be publicly available? Or will it be yet another big secret among the many in this unusual and disturbing case?
Bristol Dave
The organic collections (brown bin ,cardboard and optional green) get composted and are then used on West country farms.
Allowing organic waste into landfill generates methane which is 23 times more damaging as a greenhouse gas than CO2.
Thanks Jon for answering the question. There have also been Quite a lot of “whats the point of trying “comments on previous blogs.
Charlie’s comments has been interpreted as meaning “what’s the point of trying” by Gary and Jon.
I don’t see it that way (but then I am not campaigning against the party that Charlie is a member of).
I think Charlie’s comment raises a valid point. If it is the same council with the same officers and the same problems than the Lib-Dems are saying that what was wrong hitherto was solely the leadership provided by Labour. That, by changing that leadership, they can make the difference.
If (presuming no major changes in the make-up of the council in June) by this time next year, the Lib-Dem fail to have shown major improvements in the way that this council is operating than presumably they will not resort to blaming the council, its officers, or its problems.
Will they have the moral courage to stand up and say that they have been tested and found wanting? That, in fact, they were the party that was out of its depth.
Time will tell.
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I note that Gary Hopkins and Jon Rogers are spending increasing amounts of time attacking me.
To misquote Oscar Wilde, to have one member of Bristol’s ruling cabinet attack the only Green councillor is acceptable. To have two – well it actually smacks a bit of fear that we might just get enough votes to take a seat or two of yours.
I thank you for the compliment.
The unspeakable in pursuit of the unelectable?
Can we all join in?
You should study Lib-Dem election promises, Blogger. It is the one book every political enthusiast about town should know thoroughly, and its the best thing in fiction politicians have ever done…..
Do they make promises? All the Lib Dem leaflets I’ve ever seen have a photograph of nutter standing on a traffic island; a bar chart claiming “Only we can win here” and some vacuous rambling about dog shit in the local park and the urgent need for more tree planting.
BB.a you have an excellent site. But maybe you need to get out just a little more . Just jesting.
Charlie
Just read your latest contribution on this string.
If you think that the comments from Jon and me are attacks on you all I can say is
“You need to get out more”
No we are not worried that we will lose any seats to you but there is a concern that
a in a seat or 2 you might restrict our vote enough to let Labour in.
b precious resources will be deployed by us in one or 2 wards to make sure your party are seen off which could be deployed to gaining another Labour or Tory seat.
What a pity that ,after you had wasted resources elsewhere which allowed Labour to lie their way into the second seat in Southville you then voted them in to power and seem perpetually suprised when we catch them out lying again and again.
To Tony D I would say this
We had 2 years as a minority administration during which we made some progress. However you do not eradicate 30 years of negative Labour culture even in two years. After 2 years Charlie and the Tories threw us out so progress was damaged. However 1 or 2 of the reforms have survived and if we are given another 2 or 3 years we can make BCC a good responsive council.
Yes time will tell!!!
The abridged version of Gary’s speech;
The electorate will decide, and if they decide not to give us more seats, it’s the Green’s fault.
And
We had 2 years but that’s not long enough but another 2 years will be, or maybe 3, but if it isn’t it’s not our fault.
Let me be clear, whatever happens in Bristol over the next 2-3 years it is not the Lib-Dems fault.
TonyD
On the contrary we,unlike others, are more than happy to be judged on our actions and the results of them.
So for example we re reversed the decision on the new primary school at Brunel and said we are not going to continue with the attack on Sefton Park.
We are happy to say that we will improve education in Bristol but to pretend that it will all be perfect in a year would be daft.
Sorry if the reality of the political situation is uncomfortable for you but we did not invent or like the system either. We just do our best with it.
Would you rather that you had a politician promised you they would sort everything out tomorrow. If so I advise you to vote Labour.
Most sensible people have got fed up with that nonsense that never delivers.
“Sorry if the reality of the political situation is uncomfortable for you but we did not invent or like the system either. We just do our best with it.”
Gary, this is the funniest thing you have yet written. I thought for a moment that it was intended as satire but then realised that, unbelievably, you were being serious…..
Now, if I look back at your penultimate post, I find you moaning about a political situation that allows those pesky Greens to put up candidates in wards that you were hoping to hold without a struggle….damn their eyes!
I am also a little lost as to how, as a Green supporter, I should feel uncomfortable about a political situation which provides an election where our only councillor (at the moment) is not up for election in an economic downturn (a situation that, in the past, has tended to divert peoples attention away from environmental issues).
On the other hand, if I had lost 350 votes the last time I stood for election I might be a little uncomfortable but you have a year’s grace and a sizable margin to insulate you – unlike Jon, who is now canvassing like crazy to try and persuade Lib-Dem voters who turn out for general elections that the local Lib-Dems are worth bothering about……
I would have thought the Sefton Park/Brunel Schools decision is enough to see Jon reelected. That would have been the big issue in Ashley.
The other issue is Shirley Marshall. But that’s fraught with difficulty to exploit effectively from anywhere on the left. (It’d end up as an election about race and potentially pretty nasty).
Otherwise, it’s all about which shade of green people want.
I thought this discussion was about the sad retirement of Terry Cook from the Council – it seems to have wandered into a discussion about who the greens take votes from and how its unfair if people vote for what they believe in rather than Liberal democrat and the interesting admission that Jon Rogers and Gary Hopkins are twins.
http://i1.fc-img.com/CTV02/Comcast_CIM_Prod_Fancast_Image/84/402/1216667608592_5432_0002_mif_408_209.jpg
Jon on the left, Gary on the right?
“Would you rather that you had a politician promised you they would sort everything out tomorrow. If so I advise you to vote Labour. Most sensible people have got fed up with that nonsense that never delivers.” – spot on!
Hope people are picking up on things in the wider national media; chiefly the dissatisfaction with the disproportionate representation of Labour councils, as reported on the politics show (only really watch it as it’s on after Countryfile!). Looks like the LibDem’s time is finally coming.
The risk of ending up “pretty nasty” has hardly been an impediment in previous elections in Bristol. Especially where people like Paul Smith are involved.
are there people like me?
No, you & Roy Norris are in a whole little group all of your own… 😉
Seen the latest offerings in Easton from the Lib Dems and Labour –
Lib Dem leaflet was – Don’t vote Green or Labour get in. – They seem worried!
Labour leaflet was – Slag off of Lib Dems! Even more negative than the Lib Dems leaflet, quite appauling gutter politics.
Neither gave an inspiring vision of what they will do if elected!