THE WHITBURN

& MARSDEN INDEPENDENT

Newsletter
January 2007

Dear Resident
I hope you had a very pleasant Christmas and I send you
my best wishes for a healthy, happy and successful new
year in 2007. Whilst saying that, I know that not everyone
in the ward will have been happy during the festive
season, perhaps for unfortunate personal or health
reasons. It can seem bleak and lonely at this time of year
when things aren’t right and I send especially warm
wishes to them.
Your positive response to the first issue of this Independent
Newsletter was much appreciated and I have enjoyed meeting
and talking to many residents of Whitburn and Marsden,
Harry Norman including doing my best to help with problems whenever
Truly Independent possible. It is only by such communication that we get to
know each other.

TIME FOR A CHANGE?
The next local council elections are rapidly
approaching and will be held on Thursday,
3rd May, 2007. It will then once again be your
opportunity to choose one of the three
councillors you want to represent you in the
Council. I am continually told that people are fed
up with some of their inactive and unresponsive
Labour councillors, so that will be your chance to
change one of them. And it can happen:
• But ONLY if you make it happen by casting
your vote.
• And ONLY if you unite behind one candidate
who has a good chance of winning.
Last May there was a low turnout, the opposition
vote was split between two candidates and the
incumbent Labour councillor was re-elected by
a minority of the votes cast. If lethargy and
disillusionment result in a low poll, you may be
sure that we will once again be stuck with the
same regime as we have now.
Overleaf, I give some of the reasons why I
believe you should vote for a change, together
with items of news.
 CONTACT
Quite a number of people have expressed
surprise at being contacted and sent newsletters
outside of an election period and an even greater
number have commented that it is the first time a
candidate, or a councillor, has taken the trouble to
knock on their doors to ask their views. If that is
the case, I think it is a shocking indictment of the
complacency of a lot of the present councillors.
They appear at election time, expect to get your
votes, and then disappear again just as quickly.
I suggest you might consider electing someone
who will take a bit more interest in you than that.
STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP
You may have heard that South Tyneside Council
is planning to outsource all its services to the
private sector in so-called Strategic Partnerships.
There should be a full public debate about this
first, as it is far from a straightforward black and
white matter. There is no doubt that some functions
could be performed by private companies more
efficiently and at lower cost, qualities for which
this council has never been renowned. For
example, the street lighting PFI with Balfour
Beatty seems to be working well after a shaky
start. But what about when a social element is
present, such as in transport, a subject I’ve raised
before? When the private bus company cancels
uneconomic services, what about the elderly and
infirm who are left without their regular bus
service? There are other considerations as well,
such as the effect on local employment and
contractors not being directly answerable to
voters. It seems to me highly unlikely that a
wholesale transfer of services would be the best
way forward. And did you know that the council
plans to spend £850,000 of our money on
consultants, just to tell them if they can do it?
Please let me have your views on this subject.
And, by the way, don’t expect your existing
councillors to support any opposing views you
may have. They have to follow the party line.
Printed by CVN Print, Maxwell Street, South Shields, Tyne & Wear, NE33 4PU. Published by Harry Norman, 35 Laburnum Grove, Cleadon Village, SR6 7RJ.
COUNCIL TAX
Everyone is only too well aware of the relentless
and exorbitant increases in council tax over the
last ten years. Just how the low-paid and those
on fixed incomes are supposed to cope with this
unjustified burden has never been explained.
Now they say they are holding full consultations
and apparently expect us to tell them how hard
we want to hit ourselves over the head.
Why should there be another rise of any sort?
For the last two years, some of the Independent
councillors have proposed an alternative budget
which would have enabled a standstill, or even a
reduction in tax with no loss of services, but each
time it has been rejected out of hand.
And don’t forget to watch out for inspectors
peering over your back fence to see if you have a
conservatory during the planned council tax
revaluation.
AND FINALLY…..
I couldn’t end without mentioning the recent
newsletter distributed by Labour. Well, there’s a
first for you after all these years. And the
coincidence that most of the subjects raised
seemed to be those in which I have been active.
I thought the back page was particularly amusing
when it stated: “Look what the other parties have
done for Whitburn and Marsden: Nothing!!!”
Considering that the dead hand of this Labour
administration has had control here, seemingly
from time immemorial, no-one else has had a
chance, have they?!!! Perhaps it really is time for
a change.
Don’t forget, if you have any comments or if I can
help you in any way, please contact me.
ndependent
If you have any comments or questions on
these or any other matter or problem, or
would like me to visit you, please contact me.
Dedicated phone/answer phone : 0191 536 5014
Post : 35 Laburnum Grove, Cleadon Village, SR6 7RJ
Email : ahnorman2000@yahoo.co.uk