Spate of Burglaries on Victoria Dock

I have been informed that a person responsible for at least some of the break ins on Victoria Dock has been arrested whilst on a property in the area. The person caught has admitted responsibility for a large number of thefts .. Hopefully he wont get a liberal sentence.

Reckitt Sports Field

Witham/Stoneferry Neighbourhood Forum

Excellent Stoneferry Forum meeting last night. I would put the attendance at well over 130 local residents. Obviously the vast majority of residents attended to question a builder who wants to develop housing on the local sports fields. Residents were able to hear first hand the proposals from Wright’s Construction and had the opportunity to put questions and make comments. It is very clear the proposals are unwelcome.

The local police, Community Wardens and Anti-Social Behaviour Team also attended.

Dirty Dealing in Private

Monday’s cabinet meeting was again the usual stage-managed affair by the administration. Officers are not allowed to speak, the pre made decisions are relayed to the press and the meetings are over in 15 minutes. Before this years election they said they believed in making decisions in public in an open and honest way. More Lib Dem lies. In fact a secret cabinet meeting takes place before the formal meeting the real decision and debate takes place in private. If the Cabinet is the real decision making body on the authority scrap the pre meeting and lets see the honest debate.

Hello John Get a new motor.

Its about time these two cars which have been dumped for some months at the Guildhall were removed and crushed. Imagine the howls from Tory councillors if the cars where on the streets of Bricknell.


Check out The Hull Mail

Spate of Burglaries on Victoria Dock

In the past few weeks we have had an increase in reported burglaries and break-ins on Victoria Dock.

I understand from the Local Police Team that the gang responsible have been operating on the Dock mostly between 8.30am and 10am.

Is is suspected the thieves have been watching properties for residents going to work, checking that there is no one in by knocking on doors then breaking into properties.

Residents need to take extra precautions when leaving their properties and to watch for any unusual activity.

The Local Police Team are actively trying to apprehend the culprits responsible but they do need help and information to tackle the crime.

The Riverside Neighbourhood Policing Team can be contacted during office hours on Te. 220178.

Save East Hull Baths

East Hull Baths on Holderness Road are under threat. Plans are emerging that Liberal Democrat councillors in Hull are planning to close East Hull Baths are part of their budget cuts for the coming year. Worried users have contacted me after reports that The Lib Dems budget for the next financial years contains cost cutting savings from the closure of the baths.

Mersey Primary School.

Well done Peter. School Inspectors have recently visited Mersey Primary School. The school with 175 pupils was told it provided a good standard of education. There were two very positive notes on the Inspectors comments. The improvement in the school premises and the quality of the teaching provided.

Falling school roles in the city have seen a reduction in the number of school places and the savings made have bee spent on schools like Mersey Primary School.

Yes to regeneration

It’s all waffle Andy

I would certainly welcome moves to regenerate the Witham area and to help business. Holderness Road is the main entrance to Hull from the East of the city. But there is precious little substance in this article published in the Mail. The Lib Dems as usual are bankrupt of ideas, preferring to seek publicity over action. If this is a genuine attempt to regenerate the area then what funds are being made available? If no funds are being pledged then it is little more than a cheap publicity stunt.

I would welcome the “setting up of a group” but how genuine an offer is it if its recommendations are going to be ignored, it meets in secret and its membership remains hidden.

Garden Village Residents Meeting

Garden Village Society Meeting

On Sunday afternoon I attended the Garden Village Society meeting in the boys Club in the Village. It was a very well attended and run meeting. As I chair most of the residents forum meetings in the ward it was nice to sit in the body of the meeting to watch proceedings from a different angle. The main items discussed included.
An organising committee to help celebrate the Garden Village Centenary.
Traffic in the Village
The speed of traffic on Laburnum Ave
Cleaning of the 10fts
Planning issues in the conservation area.

Full Council Meeting

The Lib Dems showed themselves to be the nastiest party in politics at this month’s Council meeting. In a co-ordinated action they abandoned any attempt to argue policy and instead concentrated on personal abuse. In the three years I have been a councillor it was the worst show from any group on the council. They are clearly rattled, hate having to make decisions, and have decided to behave as bullies and thugs. At one point in order to look menacing Minns had two other councillors stood either side of him whilst speaking. From where I sit I can see the more sensible Lib Dem councillors cringe at the comments and speeches of their own colleagues. The Lib Dems have lost 11 councillors in the past few years to defections. It was very clear why at this meeting. Having spoken to some councillors not in the Uni group there are clearly more defections to come!

Franklin Street confused by Yellow Peril u'turn

At the Council meeting this week I asked the clearly floundering Lib Dem portfolio holder Mark Collinson to remove the Double Yellow lines in Franklin Street. In answer he said “I do not get involved in operational matters” and “it was up to the ward councillors to sort out”.

My Lib Dem ward colleagues promised the lines would be removed. They now need to deliver on the promise.

Residents have their say.

Saturday Residents' Survey

Talking to residents is one of the main occupations of a local councillor, so it was great to see so many people out in my area today carrying out the residents’ survey. Members from across the city canvassed residents door to door. We had a great reception, many people who had been conned into not voting Labour at the last election now realise what a disaster the Lib Dem/Tory coalition is for the city.

Street Thugs

Street Thugs is a name given by one local resident to a problem group in his local neighbourhood. I spent today with the local police listening to residents concerns and watching evidence of what one or two Street Thugs can do to an area. There are no quick fixes. Despite being arrested for various offences short sentences or lack of evidence result in repeated behaviour within a few weeks. Whilst neighbourhood watch groups in the area may raise awareness of problems and help with target hardening a real deterrent is still needed. What are Street Thugs afraid of?

Tories would welcome Sloan to ranks

Tories would welcome Sloan to ranks.

There was an amazing bust up between Lib Dem Council Leader and Portfolio holder for Regeneration Cllr Sloan at yesterdays Full Council meeting. Councillor Sloan was told to sit down and shut up by his own group leader during one debate. A clearly miffed Cllr Sloan then voted against the group whip.

Spotting the obvious discomfort the Tory Group Leader offered a place in the Conservative group to Cllr Sloan. Could this be the next Lib Dem defection?

Buckingham Street and Area

Buckingham Street Residents Meeting

A group of residents fed up with anti-social behaviour in their area are doing something about it. I was asked to chair the first meeting of what I am sure will become an active and valuable group. Despite poor weather many residents attended with plenty of volunteers to take an active role. A committee was formed; the area boundary discussed and suggested aims of the group proposed. This meeting really moved the group on. A formal committee meeting takes place next week.

Residents Meeting

I was asked by local residents to attend a meeting to discuss a proposed development on the Reckitt’s Sports Ground, Chamberlain Road.

The meeting was very well attended and I was please to be asked to chair the meeting, answer questions and allow residents to air their views.

Residents who spoke expressed concern about previous proposals to build houses in the area and we now faced a further proposal.

The previous application was rejected because:

It is a Greenfield Site
The flood risk assessment was unsatisfactory
The area is linked to green space and urban recreation space and the nature of conservation locally.
The impact the development would have on highways which would cause more traffic, pollution and noise for local residents.

All of these points are still valid in opposing future development of the site. Although a formal planning application has not been made a developer is looking at the site.

Demand for housing in Hull does not warrant building on a Greenfield site in the city when there are boarded up properties that could be brought back into use.

A Residents Forum Meeting will be held on the 29th November when this will be one of the main topics.

Lib Dem cuts start to bite.

The Hull Mail reported yesterday that charges have been re-introduced for meals-on-wheels in the city as part of a £1m savings drive by the Lib Dems. About 400 meals are delivered to elderly amd vunerable people. When will we see this on a Focus leaflet.

Franklin Street confused by Yellow Peril u'turn

Wrong Lines.

Local Lib Dem councillors have caused more confusion. Having told the residents of Franklin Street that Double Yellow Lines would be removed the Lib Dem administration changed its mind and repainted them with new paint this week.

Come on do what you promised and remove the lines.

You've bin warned.

Bin Collections in chaos

Household rubbish collections have been thrown into chaos following the mad Lib Dems latest attempts to make changes.

Collection days have bin changed for thousands of homes leading to hundreds of missed collections across the city. The new days which don’t match with the collection of material for recycling are causing problems all over.

One lady who telephoned me for help was told no one knew when her bin would be emptied and she should put it out every day “just in case”.

Tuesday Surgery.

Another busy surgery! We have spent the past few weeks completely leafleting the whole ward. So the feedback has been excellent. The monthly surgery was no exception, at one point had a queue.


I attended the Labour ward meeting later, which was selecting candidates for next May. Good attendance but many of the same old faces.

Saturday Surgery.

Every week Labour councillor hold a Saturday morning surgery at 430 Holderness Road East Hull. As is becoming increasingly common anti social behaviour is a main theme. Today I spoke to a couple whose lives are being ruined by groups of teenagers. Whilst most of the stories related are not serious. It is just the sheer weight of verbal abuse, petty vandalism and threats that wear people down. It seems that many teenagers are incapable of interacting with others without being obnoxious. The police offer little help, just making notes and referring to the Anti-social behaviour team. The anti-social behaviour team what diary notes and log numbers and promise action.

Councillor goes into hiding?

One newly elected Lib Dem councillor is already finding the going tough. Already censured by a full council meeting over his behaviour. Now he appears to be hiding from residents. Leaflets fail to give his home address mainly because he lives the wrong side of the river, now even his home phone number has been replaced by a council office number (only available in office hours). Today I received a copy of Hull in Print the council magazine. The magazine is delivered to every home in Hull and lists all the city councillors contact details such as home phone number mobile etc. Only one councillor has failed to supply a home phone number. Perhaps constituent calls are proving too much!