BLOG WATCH! – PKB & MICK SALIH!

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I admit that normally once a day I will take a look at the blogs of our local councillors who decide to update their blog sites (it doesn’t take long, as there aren’t many who do!). I didn’t get chance this Saturday with presenting the sport on Focal, and as I had some plans for Sunday which were dealt a serious blow when my 18yr old son decided to get mortal drunk on a student night out on Saturday. He assumed it would be a treat for us if he seranaded us with the chorus from that well known opera: “lets be ill in the bathroom all night!” I assume you’ve all heard it!…..

This from Mick Salih:

micksalih1Over the last week we have had serious allegations made against one Senior Councillor and the Elected Mayor so now more than ever all City Councillors need to unite and work together to help to move our City forward. These incidents do not send out a positive message about the City, I am sure that the  Government will be watching very closely our progress and all decisions during this difficult time.

On Monday all group leaders have been invited to a meeting at 11am to have a open and frank discussion on the future for our city. I hope out of this meeting will come a positive result for our city and its residents and set the scene for our new Governance arrangements that will take affect in June we need now more than ever to live up to our city Motto United Strength is Stronger.

This from Peter Kent-Baguley:

Spotlight on Stoke-on-Trent

pkb2The current crisis at the heart of the Executive with the arrest for questioning of a senior councillor last Friday and the elected mayor yesterday, with his subsequent bail until a date in June, led to the political group leaders meeting today, perhaps for the first time, without officers present. Only one of the seven leaders was unable to attend. All agreed we should strive for a united approach during the current crisis. If the negative consequences of the arrests and the current police enquiry are to be minimised, now more than ever there is an urgent need for group leaders to be open and frank amongst themselves in the search for a united and positive political leadership.

It will not be easy since the very existence of the different groups indicates differences about policies. It will not be easy to develop a working trust following the enormous political negativity created by the elected mayor’s Labour, Tory, Lib Dem coalition.

Our political survival as a Council demands we work differently. We have urgent issues to address, not least the somewhat derailed appointment process for a permanent Chief Executive. Our next leaders’ meeting is arranged for 11am on Monday.

Have Your Say

  • craig pond

    This is nothing but a little jockeying for position, albeit with unseemly haste. Still, it shouldn’t come as any surprise to find this kind of distasteful behaviour from a couple of ex-Labourites.

    Hang on! If Meredith is temporarily stepping down from his current responsibilities, does that mean the deputy elected mayor with take control?
    Isn’t the deputy mayor also councillor for Burslem south, and that’s the ward with Dimensions in?
    It certainly is a small world, isn’t it? lol.

  • ian norris

    yep same Councillor that was portfolio holder at then the and made an unpopular decision ¿

  • terry turbo

    We need people with vision to take this city into the 21st century, and I’m afraid old Labour don’t do it for me.
    They have had over 60 years, and look what they have done, and the mess they have got us into.
    What have these two forward thinker’s got planned for the city?
    I’m sure we would all like to know.
    How would you solve the problems of this city?
    Over to you both, lets hear what you have to say.

  • http://Stoke Joy Garner

    The Deputy Elected Mayor IS a Burslem South Councillor.
    Dimensions, although on the boundary, is in Burslem North.

    Due to Fridays events, the CEO Appointments Committee meeting due that afternoon was cancelled.

    It re-convenes this week. Where Cllr Kent-Baguley comes from with this comment, I don’t know.
    “not least the somewhat derailed appointment process for a permanent Chief Executive.”

    The arrests of Cllr Ibbs and Mayor Meredith, whilst unfortunate, do not stop the Council functioning.
    It is very much ‘business as usual’.

    The ships rudders are set, the sails are trimmed and we all know where we are going.

  • craig pond

    Why the bloody hell is our council being run by
    Mohammed Pervez? Who voted for him as elected mayor?
    I can tell you one thing, I never voted for him.
    This is a key time for the city council, and there are some big decisions to be made. It turns out they’re going to be made by him?! Is it any surprise this city is up the creek without a canoe, never mind a bloody paddle!

  • Anonomoose

    Salih and Kent-Baguley must be stupid if they think we don’t know that their Potteries Alliance and non-aligned groups are for all intents and purposes the same party.

    Then again I could be wrong, perhaps there Isn’t enough room in one party for two egos the size of theirs. Just as well that their egos are large because their parties are certainly not. Its like small dogs always being the most fierce.

  • craig pond

    Anonomoose,
    small dogs aren’t the most fierce, simply the noisiest and most annoying! lol

  • Warren

    Craig, its only the same as the country mate, I mean who the hell voted Gorden Brown into number 10, no bugger. There was not even a leadership vote for the party, the bugger went in un-opossed, an outrage. Anyway back to the subject and both Mick Salih and Peter Kent- Baguley must be congratuleted in there atemps to keep us informed of there thoughts, both talk much sence in there blogs, what is need to pull this city out of the bad state its found itself in is councelers such as them, working together, regardless of there own political ends, to drag us back.