Telford & Wrekin Council Watch

Analog Clock2
StumbleUpon
Translator
Arabic chinese_simplified chinese_traditional dutch french german greek italian japanese korean portuguese russian spanish
noimage noimage noimage
Personal Messages

You are not logged in.
Donations

Enter Amount:
Surveys List
Main Menu
Home
TCW PETITIONS - SIGN NOW
Forums
Tell a Friend about TCW
Telford & Wrekin In Pictures
TCW VIDEO NEWS
News
Blog
Contact Us
Search
Links
News Feeds
FAQs
Wrapper
Mamblog
Play Games
Community Builder
TCW Yello Pages
Whos Online
Login
RSS Feeds
Latest News
Hanging Up The Gloves PDF Print E-mail
User Rating: / 1
PoorBest 
Written by John Franklyn   
Sunday, 06 April 2008

Looking back, Looking at where we are, Looking at where we are going.
 
Telford Council Watch opened its doors fully in September 2006 and has certainly seen quite a journey in that short time.
 
In that time along with its members, a few cages have well and truly shaken, with the “Telford First” now Transforming Telford still causing a few chuckles.
 
Some things stick in your mind more than others and for me, the most recent being the raising of Sutton Hill. Other issues were not as well publicised but certainly had a positive impact down to an individual level.
 
TCW assisted a Homeless Senior Citizen find a home, a disabled couple who were living in a car get the much needed assistance and a home they required, a single homeless male become re-housed.
 
I believe that TCW and its members, have on a number of occasions, challenged, questioned and positively influenced local policy on a number of fronts.
 
Other issues have never got to the forum itself, but have in fact assisted people right down to an individual level. TCW has been assisting in a number of cases, for reasons of privacy and the fact that it is the right thing to do, have not been discussed on a forum, but I can say, they have and are heading towards a conclusion that will and have positively impacted onto people’s lives.
 
We have witnessed several firsts in the Borough, with the Tories taking over the administration, some have said to me that they believe TCW played a part in that.
 
John Evans did his Referendum over Telford Town Park which was the first time a little known piece of legislation was used for people power. Even though the Council passed it off as “Parish poll”, one thing is for certain – the outcome clearly displayed that an individual out performed those who had run for election in the May elections when it came to individual turnout and percentage comparisons.     
 
The last 18 months has seen a lot happen with TCW having survived hack attempts and come back from the ashes after a fire.
 
Even when going through that, the emails were still answered, the telephone calls were taken and where we could help we did.
 
Even though people have not agreed with everything I have said or done, I for one am proud that a positive difference has been made, on a number of fronts and for the efforts, taking telephone calls at midnight, telephone calls advising it is in my interest that I leave certain topics alone, elected members emailing each other advising I am a great danger to them, I never once put nose in that overflowing trough and when I did try, I offered to use the monies for community benefit.
 
I now feel that it is time for me to look ahead and feel it is time I
 
“hang up the gloves”
 
Telford Council watch has been invested in quite heavily and recently has seen a number of new additions, but the investment has always gone beyond that of finance and quickly entered into another realm, with every time I went out to see someone, every call I took and every time I helped or tried to, I always left a small slice of myself behind. Unfortunately, there is only so much one person can do.
 
I now open the floor to YOU, to now decide the way forward for Telford Council Watch.
 
It might be of interest to an individual, if it is, expect hard work and very bumpy ride or a group might want to get together, it will be equally bumpy, but at least you’ll have someone to share it with.
 
I now open the door of negotiation to any interested Parties.
 
  
Comments
Search RSS
ajcobbler  - As it ever was   |Registered |2008-04-09 10:47:11
Idealists are the last to see reality as it is. They are like idiot
savants:geniouses in their special way but unable to come to terms with the
common place. Telford is common place in a very common place country. Most
people are not intersted in social issues. The pressures of life are such that
community is the last consideration.

There has ben the trivialisation of the
site with much small politic being played out . There are those who have used
the site for their own interest but who have then switched off. There are those
who may feel that no amount of comment can change anything and they are proved
right because others like them do nothing except having a moan or making smart
remarks.

Most of us are just too lazy and frankly badly educated certainly
with regard to politics and society.M y own view is that J.F should move on. He
expects too much from people.Unfortunately he will not find what he is looking
or....
Roger   |Registered |2008-04-11 21:15:35
All true aj, some is time, I am away a lot with my job and sometimes it is over
a week before I can get back on. I make no apologies for being Secretary of
TAWPA and for the assistance I have received from john personnaly and TAWPA for
the setting up of the website I am eternally grateful. I joined TAWPA because
to be blunt I was fed up with the council and decided to do something, or shut
up moaning.

I think Telford Council Watch has been good for Telford overall,
and you will always get users and people who come moan, and do nothing. You
need someone like John with the knowledge and backbone to lead, however he does
need support as it is obvious that it has taken a lot out of him, nature of the
best unfortunately.

There will be councillors, and council officers who will be
only too delighted to see John retire and Telford Council watch go. TAWPA was
set up prior to Telford Council Watch and will continue, however we wo...
ajcobbler   |Registered |2008-04-26 10:22:45
Thanks for your helpful contribution Roger,it was very positive and
constructive. How many others have there been?.

I was pleased to meet
Councillor Malcolm Smith and the delightful Mrs Smith,who were returning from a
jolly time with Mayor Hoskin. Councillor Smith told me that he did not gloat
when certain people were overjoyed at the prospect of the site closing.He said
that JF had been very fair to him and Mrs Smith in their term of office and he
told the scoffers they were wrong .

All praise to Malcolm who has been
approached regarding the leadership of New labour in Telford. Malcolm made no
direct comment on this.

It is necessary to ask where is the young blood but
Malcom does look for ever young and just as I recall him some thirty plus years
ago. He has a full head of hair and it appears naturally black l.

To be frank
the party does not have any alternatives to Malcolm doing a Berlusconi
,especially when...
Only registered users can write comments!

3.20 Copyright (C) 2007 Alain Georgette / Copyright (C) 2006 Frantisek Hliva. All rights reserved."



Telford Council Watch
Reddit!Del.icio.us!Google!Live!Facebook!Slashdot!Netscape!Technorati!StumbleUpon!Spurl!Wists!Newsvine!Furl!Blogmarks!Free social bookmarking plugins and extensions for Joomla! websites!
 
< Prev   Next >
[ Back ]