The Archive: 2016 |
 Lytham: St John's Ward By-election Due. 24 December 2016
 We report the unusual Council meeting where Conservative group (and Council) Leader Cllr Susan Fazackerley proposed a resolution that has triggered a February 2017 by-election in St John's Ward in Lytham. There was passion, anger, strong language, and claims and counterclaims. Many councillors expressed displeasure with the way the matter has been handled. We have the full story....... |
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Lytham: St John's Ward By-election? 1 December 2016
 It's likely that a by-election will take place in St John's Ward, Lytham early in the New Year after Cllr Mark Bamforth was dismissed for not attending a council meeting for six months. But he suffers from an illness that mostly prevents him attending meetings. So how much adaption should Fylde make for Cllrs with disabilities?........ |
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 Fracking Appeal Decision? 19 November 2016
 We examine and comment on the Planning Inspector's judgement and the conclusions she formed from hearing the evidence presented to the 6 day fracking inquiry at Blackpool in 2017, and we bring news of yesterday's legal challenge launched by the PNR group.... |
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 Green Bin Bills - 2017 18 October 2016
 Fylde reconsider the Green Bin charge and plan to bring it in at £30 from next April. We think they have their sums wrong. It might be mistaken logic, or it might be an enormous con trick - like the great Equitable Taxation Con they nearly played on us. We have the story and all the figures.... |
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 A585 Consultation 14 October 2016
 'Highways England' have come up with some plans for a new road from Windy Harbour to the River Wyre Hotel. They're locally very controversial. Fundamentally the purpose is to enable the building of more houses in Fleetwood and Thornton. but the effect of the preferred option on folk in Singleton will be very significant. We have all the details, and another option of our own.... |
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Two Faced Planning 27 September 2016
 Fylde's officers issue a 'Statement' to try to 'clarify' a decision taken by the Planning Committee. They (and the Chairman) want to persuade Committee members that they did not actually decide what they did decide. The re-writing of history looks alive and well in Fylde as it gets its own 'Pushmi Pullyu' that can easily hold two views of the same matter at the same time..... |
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Snippets Sept 2016 12 September 2016
 St Annes Town Council By-Election, Library Closures, Surprises about Affordable Housing, the 'Healthy New Town' scheme, Fylde's 'majority', Lack's Council Tax increase, Blackpool's litter enforcement and grasscutting, Fylde's interest and accounts, a democracy matter and 'No Comment' from councillors. They're all here.... |
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Green Bins Update 12 September 2016
 As Fylde reconsiders its plan to charge a subscription for green waste collections, we look at the pros and cons and outline the background, before looking at what's happening in the rest of Lancashire, what's happening nationally, and a look at our closest neighbour Blackpool, before concluding with a taste of what Fylde needs to consider at it's Tuesday evening meeting..... |
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'The Island' 11 September 2016
 As Fylde prepares to go 'back to the future' and repeat the mistakes of a generation ago, we look at their recent decision to prepare to test market 'The Island' site on St Annes promenade. We also explain why it didn't work out in the late 1980s, and why it won't work now unless some unpalatable options are included. We're also very critical of the process being used to consider this matter.... |
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Fit For Purpose? 2 September 2016
 With the delays and cost increases to the Local Plan, the dissatisfaction that several of our readers report, and prompted by the latest hiatus to envelope this service, we express concern whether planning at Fylde is still fit for purpose - especially as the need to 'clarify' Fylde's recently-adopted policy on the hot topic of the five year housing supply, and how to calculate it, is on next Wednesday's agenda.... |
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M55 Road: Progress? 31 August 2016
 We look at what might have been happening, and where we might be up to, with the long-promised road across Lytham Moss. It's not all plain sailing, and lots of changes seems to have been made to the original proposals. One change is that Fylde has recently decided to contribute £1 million toward its construction cost. But will that be enough to kick-start it, or will it be Brexit that wrecks it?...... |
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Warton Inquiry and the 5 Year Supply 4 August 2016
 We report the first 2 days of the Warton planning inquiry, a Warton Parish Council meeting, and a Fylde Development Management Committee considering a planning application for Dowbridge that threw up a hornets nest over its 5 year supply of housing, before looking in detail at the mess Fylde has made of its 5 Year housing supply issue.... |
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Signs of a Fiasco? 8 July 2016
 We take an in depth look at Fylde's decision to withdraw its prosecution of John Tootill for the anti fracking signs on his property. We show how he had a long standing planning permission for signs on that land, and how his barrister was about to call Fylde Councillors to explain their interests regarding payments made by Cuadrilla. And we suggest the reason Fylde gave for withdrawing might only have been a smokescreen.... |
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Obituary: Jean Wilding Walsh 8 July 2016
 With sadness, we record the passing of a great lady. A former Fylde Borough Councillor, Mayor and eventually Alderman, who served her constituents well and had a great interest in people.... |
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Green Bin Bills Deferred 6 April 2016
 Councillors defer charging for emptying green bins. So it won't start this August as threatened. And so far, the double taxation plan is gone too. But has the Subscription idea gone, or is it just resting?.... |
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Statement of Dissent 25 March 2016
 Councillors outside Fylde's Conservative tent are feeling marginalised and frustrated. Their have reacted to the 'Corporate Plan' by issuing a Statement of Dissent from it. We have a copy of the Statement.... |
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 Fylde's Green Bin Bill 22 March 2016
 We break news of Fylde's plan to charge residents to have their garden waste removed. But is everything as it seems? We think not. We have all the background, the story, and the implications.... |
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 Fracking Inquiry Week 6 March 2016
Week 6 (Day 19) of the Great Lancashire Fracking Inquiry at Blackpool FC will conclude this week with closing statements from RAG, LCC and Cuadrilla. We introduce the finale...... |
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Fylde's Budget Council 2016 11 March 2016
 A stormy and bad tempered meeting sees a third of the Council refusing to support the Conservative budget. The Mayor had to stand to impose his authority. We have the details..... |
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 Fracking Inquiry Week 5 Feb / March 2016
Week 5 of the Great Lancashire Fracking Inquiry at Blackpool FC is drawing to its end with evidence from the Preston New Road Group, and two enormous public speaking sessions (110 people), before the Rule6 Parties sum up ..... |
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 A Few Fracking Notes 1 March 2016
Lord Bourne says Govt. won't decide the application. County Cllr Ellard makes a lot of sense, County Cllr Henig makes even more as she notes events at the "Unusual LCC Meeting" And we wonder where Fylde's Conservatives are.... |
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Foul Play 28 February 2016
 A botched Tourism and Leisure Committee vote about a playground in Warton reveals how financially emasculated committees have been set up by Fylde's Conservative group..... |
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 Fracking Inquiry Week 4 Feb / March 2016
Week 4 of the Great Lancashire Fracking Inquiry at Blackpool Football Club hears from Friends of the Earth about Public Health and Planning, before moving on to hear the case put by local resident groups ..... |
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 Fracking Inquiry Week 3 26 Feb 2016
The Great Lancashire Fracking Inquiry is now in the middle of its hearing. Noise experts, planning experts and the 27 members of the public (mostly opposing) are all giving evidence to the inspector ..... |
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 Woman of the Year 18 Feb 2016
Our MP is seeking nominations for a Woman of the Year Award. We absolutely couldn't think of anyone other then The Pocket Rocket herself - Pat Davies of the Preston New Road campaign group..... |
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 Fracking Inquiry Week 2 17 Feb 2016
An apology to our Talk Talk subscribers and our report of the week 2 of the Great Lancashire Fracking Inquiry which saw 24 members of the public speaking as well as the experts ..... |
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 Fracking Inquiry Week 1 15 Feb 2016
Our report of the first week of the Great Lancashire Fracking Inquiry that started at Blackpool FC on Tuesday 9th February 2016. An event of national and local significance..... |
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Corporate?? Plan?? 14 Feb 2016
 Hunker down for an enormous storm brewing as Fylde's Conservatives have a taxpayer funded 'away-day' to prepare a 'Corporate Plan' that is neither corporate nor even a plan. They freeze out all the other groups on the Council, who are *furious*..... |
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 Now You See Them - now you don't 2 Feb 2016
After we published a photo of the signs that had been at the Queensway / Kilnhouse Lane junction for years and years, they mysteriously vanished - almost overnight. We wonder if it was the power of counterbalance, or a sign-devouring boggart?..... |
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 Jan16: Fracking Update 26 Jan 2016
Some news updates about fracking that affect the Fylde area. Mostly about the forthcoming Public Inquiry, but also about the Infrastructure Act, some unusual goings on at Lancashire County Council and a prosecution for displaying signs..... |
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Dated: 31 December 2016  |
