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Talking Point /
Talking Point - Andover Council |
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| Talking Point - Andover Council |
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Wednesday 18th November 2009 |
The campaign group who have been fighting for an Andover Council have claimed victory.
It was revealed yesterday that the Leader of Test Valley Borough Council is set to recommend that the town get's its own authority.
If it's all approved next week elections could take place as soon as May next year.
Sarah Evans was one of the founders of the campaign group: "Just from knocking on people's doors, it's clearly what people want, and that needs to be respected.
"This has been 20 years coming - Andover is suffering from a democratic deficit, but that's about to be put right and we welcome that. And we look forward to working with the Council as well."
Councillor Ian Carr arrived at his recommendation after two public votes in favour of the plans.
The new council would automatically look after the town's allotments and would then need to negotiate with Test Valley for other responsibilities.
Councillor Carr has been critical of the plans in the past and still isn't convinced it's the right thing for Andover: "In my mind, it's a big too big to have a town council, and that's why I think people may be disappointed with what a town council can do at the end of the day.
"But if that's what they want, we will try to make it work, and we will work with the new parish council to deliver the best services we can across both sectors of the local government sphere."
What is your reaction to the news that Andover's likely to be getting its own council? You can leave your comments below. |
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Tuesday 17th November 2009 |
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The Leader of Test Valley Borough Council is set to recommend that Andover has its own council.
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Read more >> |
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Comments |
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David of Andover says: |
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09:13 on Friday 30th July 2010 |
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"Waste of time and money, designed to create more work for certain councillors who can find no other way to get elected and line their pockets further with tax payers money.
A bleak time ahead with a Town Council that will achieve little and cost us all a lot." |
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Alan Resident of Andover says: |
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10:43 on Sunday 29th November 2009 |
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"Mel, if we had a competant borough council that listened to what people in the area wanted instead of doing things that wasted money and then talked about hindsight, maybe we wouldn't have felt the need for an Andover Town Council." |
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Mel of Andover says: |
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09:17 on Friday 27th November 2009 |
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"A dark day for Andover. A minority group that has lost support from from when it forced a huge waste of council tax money in a governance review that a majority either didnt want or couldnt be bothered.They can now look after the allotments.Are the group going to all stand for election?
The comment above clearly points out that they need others to come forward as there is not enough of them to meet and see what else they can poke their noses into and waste more council taxpayers money" |
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Mel of Andover says: |
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14:34 on Wednesday 25th November 2009 |
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"Paul
Well said. Some people in Andover seem to want to have this at any cost. I tottaly agree Who in their right mind agrees to something without and idea of what it is going to cost.
As i commented in my earlier post - The only guaranteed responsibility is control of allotments, that TVBC already do.
Why would we want to pay extra to let a Parish council of Andover do this
" |
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Paul of Andover says: |
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13:48 on Wednesday 25th November 2009 |
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"With the vote on the Parish (Town Council) being taking in the coming hours, I just wounder if people have just taken a moment to consider the additional cost on your poll tax! Offices, Secretaries, and the lastest a Mayor!
Like most of the Parish Council's in the borough they are nothing more than a puppets with the strings being pulled by TVBC. If people think they are getting more of a voice, your very much delusional.
At what additional cost per household £10, £100 or even £200! who knows, the leader of the Council has no idea! Would one sign up to a new car without knowing the cost?
With the 'elected' members on the town council deciding what they want to do, and how they what to do it, it may well be a blank cheque, your blank cheque! " |
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Sarah Evans of Andover says: |
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21:44 on Saturday 21st November 2009 |
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"Mel,
Yes we do have a borough council in Andover that also represents all the other towns and villages in the test valley and works alongside every parish and town council for the benefit of the communities they represent.
We miss out by not having a town / parish council - we are not consulted on planning applications, given access to grants and funding, not consulted about decisions made for the town by a majority of borough councillors that neither live in the town or represent any of its wards. We are not consulted about housing development in the same way the parish councils are and no one from the borough council is asking us to fill in a form to help inform how section 106 money is spent in the town. All other parish councils in the Test Valley were recently asked to do this. Where has the section 106 money been spent that ASDA gave to the town, 3.6 million - surely the town council should have made this decision and ensured the money was spent in the town after seeking views of the community.
The facilities for kids where I live have been removed and what is left is broken - I'd love to see some attention given to things like this.
I totally agree that the essentials in life are hard to afford and seem to get more expensive every year as private companies make bigger and bigger profits out of fuel and food, but community facilities are important too and I believe we are missing out by not having a local voice. Services controlled by a local council are often more cost efficient and if TVBC are not providing the service you would expect their charges to go down - you can't charge for what you are not doing!
It's also about democracy and representation - we are currently suffering from a democratic deficit. Anyone knocking on doors around Andover experienced overwhelming support for the campaign and many people expressed that they had voted by signing the petition and that was that. Given the awful revelations about MPs expenses and the painfully low profile given to the governance review by TVBC I think the result was good and it compared well with other similar reviews. What is sad is that TVBC failed to accept the result of the first review and saw fit to waste tax payers money on asking the same question again.
And finally if you visit ours or the National Association of Local Councils website you will see that local councils do far more than look after allotments.
We'd love to discuss what local councils can do with you so please get in touch via our website if you'd like to know more and I can send you some information - local councils do far more than manage allotments and councillors don't get paid! Visit www.towncouncilcampaign.co.uk
" |
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Peter of Andover says: |
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22:12 on Thursday 19th November 2009 |
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"Grow up,( Robin ) may I suggest that you got back to infant school and learn to spell." |
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Robin Toates of Luggershall says: |
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13:42 on Thursday 19th November 2009 |
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"I dont see wot the problim is wiv all this malaky. Why do the peeple of andover need a voyse ? Why do u peeple always want 2 change fings arund hear ? Its fine the way it is. Sum of your coments r ridikulus. Grow up" |
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Mel of Andover says: |
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08:29 on Thursday 19th November 2009 |
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"Peter
The people of Andover I beleive already have a exsisting forum to express their views/opionions on local issues - but from what i hear it is not very well used.
Sarah.
Yes parish councils usually do do more than just look after allotments but if this council is stood up it only guaranteed responsibility as it
stands is to look after Andover's allotments.
Your point that everywhere else in Test Valley has a parish council is totally irrelevant. We have a local government set up in Andover that currently works very well and i for one am of the old addage "If it aint broke then dont try to fix it!
You make the point that you would be happy to pay more towards the Andover levy if things were improved. Whilst you may be in a position to waste money on another tirr of local government, many people would not welcome a rise in levy combined with all the other economic factors causing essentials like food,fuel,energyare rising faster than most can cope with.
Just one final point
When TVBC were forced into a goverance review by your petition of circa 6000 names. Please can you explain why support has dropped by nearly 50% in such a short period of time between submission and voting " |
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Sarah of Andover says: |
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20:09 on Wednesday 18th November 2009 |
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"Mel, Town and parish councils across the country do far more for the communities they represent than just look after allotments.
Everywhere else in the Test Valley has a parish or town council except Andover, despite the fact that we are paying £300K towards it already. That leaves us with a democratic deficit in the town.
I am sure that elected town councillors will ensure that TVBC don't end up taxing us twice, so in effect we could very well pay no more than we are paying at the moment. However, that is something that Andover people should be allowed to decide and not a majority of cllrs that neither represent the borough or live here.
Most people will be paying less than 50 p per week towards the levy at present and personally I would be happy to pay more if I saw more facilities for young people, who continually get a raw deal and are so often accused of hanging around on street corners, pcsos, community transport - especially on a Sunday, events in the town and important access to grants and funding - which we are missing out on at present.
Don't forget parish councillors don't get paid, they are volunteers. Perhaps we should be asking how much our Test Valley Borough Councillors are costing us.............
" |
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Peter of Andover says: |
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20:01 on Wednesday 18th November 2009 |
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"I have to disagree with your comment Mel, A town council will give the people of Andover a voice, which they never had in the past,providing they elect the right people." |
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Mel of Andover says: |
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16:43 on Wednesday 18th November 2009 |
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"So as it stands we are going to have to pay with a rise in our council tax to fund 19 extra councillors who's only guaranteed duties will be to look after the town allotments. What a folly" |
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Peter of Andover says: |
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16:01 on Wednesday 18th November 2009 |
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"This is indeed good news,however it is early days yet,we will have to wait and hope that it will come about." |
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Sarah of Andover says: |
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15:30 on Wednesday 18th November 2009 |
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"This is great news and I just hope that the cabinet and full council members respect the wishes of Andoverians for an Andover Town Council. " |
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David of Andover says: |
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09:25 on Wednesday 18th November 2009 |
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"Very good that TVBC is likely to vote through the proposal to create an Andover Town Council. This is of course only the first hurdle and I hope that 'Andover apathy' will not paralyse the process. We need 19 prospective councillors to stand for the new body and these people will not have the incentive of a lucrative expenses system like the borough councillors, nor will they have anything like the same degree of power to influence policy. Electors cannot expect the new council to right every grievance imaginable and it will need enthusiastic support to both get it off the ground and for it to continue. The real effort starts now. Let's all try to make it work. " |
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Jenny of Roman Way says: |
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07:46 on Wednesday 18th November 2009 |
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"Good news...maybe now the people of Andover will get their say in the affairs of Andover." |
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Vince of Anodover says: |
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07:28 on Wednesday 18th November 2009 |
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"At last some good news for Andover" |
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