Building The City

[Platypus]

(IC)

I don't see the need to expand into perfectly well-functioning communities to our north when we still have so much improvement to do within Stovesby. The only areas I would support incorporating would be those to our east, which are already economically and culturally linked to their fellow mining areas around Ardthorpe.

[Smid]

(IC)

Cr Courtenay raises an important point - that the rural and mining districts in Stovesby should realistically be released into the Shuttsby, Castle Derton and Normorley municipalities, assisting those councils to provide better services to their ratepayers, through the increased income those municipalities would be able to raise from the areas currently in Eastern Stovesby. The City of Stovesby collects enough rates to not require the small amount collected from those wards.

[Platypus]

(IC)

As with all of his party brethren, Councillor Pitman supports a divisive policy designed to disenfranchise those who do not support his party. Clearly he is making a brazen attempt to improve his party's fortunes by suggesting such indivisible parts of our city as Ardthorpe or the new Wharfs should be thrown out.

Time and again, the people of Stovesby have rejected the party of division just as they reject this plan. Shame, Councillor Pitman, shame!

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Cllr. Taylor: Councillor Pitman's remarks are so viciously partisan that I thought for a moment that this was a meeting of Nottingham City Council and not Stovesby City Council! He should also know that he is on the wrong side of history. The future lies in local government reform, in rationally drawn local authorities taking in both city and countryside designed for the purposes of economic planning, and not in this Victorian folly.

[afleitch]

(IC)

For planning purposes there is certainly much to be gained from the use of 'city regions' to co-ordinate planning, development and possible new towns within in the Greater Stovesby area. The latest models or employment, transport use and retail catchment areas point to British cities having a greater influence than their urban area. It's called 'Thinking Outside The Boroughs.'

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Cllr. Watson: I must admit that, if local government reform ever does happen, I'm a little concerned at loosing our identity in the process. I know that Councillor Taylor will disagree...

*laughter*

...but I think we ought to bear it in mind. I can see the value in incorporating most of the neighbouring urban districts, perhaps even as far as Ketton, and in gaining addition land that can be used for housing without complaint from those urban districts... but I don't know about adding Wedlock or Castle Derton to our city. They have always seemed, to me, to be different to us. Not that we'll be the ones to make the decision, of course.

[Smid]

(IC)

I never thought I'd see the day on which I agreed with a comment made by a Councillor Watson but it seems that today is the extraordinary day on which this rare conjunction of opinion has occurred.

It is vitally important that neighbouring urban districts be incorporated into the City of Stovesby. Not just for the planning purposes, so eloquently referred to by Councillor Finlay-Hamilton, but additionally for an improvement of municipal services in the Greater Stovesby Area and indeed the outlying areas of the City of Stovesby on the current boundaries.

For too long, this Socialist Council has neglected the needs of my constituents in Sunnybrae, who are forced to tolerate substandard bus coverage with only two bus routes. It is easier for my Sunnybrae constituents to drive to work or to conduct their grocery shopping or to visit a picture theatre in Wedlock than it is for them to drive or take a bus to the central areas of their own city!

The inclusion of surrounding urban districts will force this lazy council to act in improving Stovesby's public transport network. It is therefore imperative that we expand our municipal boundaries by incorporating urban areas to our north.

[Platypus]

(IC)

Oh that is rich, Councillor Pitman! Only a moment ago you were advocating the expulsion of our eastern districts for your own political ends, and now you say that it is 'vitally important' that we expand to our north!

Public transport in Stovesby is focussed primarily on those areas where the majority of the population can't afford to do as your wealthy neighbours do, and drive into work. If your party had their way, nobody would ever leave Connaght Town of Low Town. Time and again, The MCP divides for political gain, claims outrage for political gain, and hopes to implement inequitable policies for the gain of their voters only. Once again, shame on you Councillor! Do you not know common decency!?

[Smid]

(IC)

Like the numerous criminals I locked up during my time in the force, Councillor Courtenay advocates the forceful collection of money from those who have worked hard to get to where they are today. He holds up his petty jealousy as a virtue and presents class warfare as an ideal.

Taxes are a necessity, and the wealthy citizens of Stovesby pay their fair share of taxes with the expectation that all of those in the greater public will benefit through the provision of services - not merely those of Councillor Courtenay's ilk, who hold out their grubby hands while contributing nothing to society.

Instead of supporting the expansion and provision of services throughout Stovesby, Councillor Courtenay sponsors division and pushes for services to be expanded for only those he deems worthy.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

The Lord Mayor [Cllr. Donaldson]: that is out of order, Councillor Pitman. This is a meeting of the whole Council to discuss our city's relationship with neighbouring local authorities, not a meeting of the Transportation Committee.

Cllr. Taylor: [something inaudible]

The Lord Mayor: I'm sorry, I didn't hear that. What did you say, Councillor Taylor?

Cllr. Taylor: I did not say anything, your honour.

[Platypus]

(IC)

*smirks*

[Smid]

(IC)

My apologies, Lord Mayor, I withdraw any reference to Councillor Courtenay's nefarious activities.

[Hash]

(IC)

Cllr. J. Fredericks will be running for re-election to continue his fight against the Municipal socialo-communists and their disastrous Soviet-like policies and their Soviet-like centralism in City Hall which is a danger for all honest self-respecting citizens of Stovesby.

I also support expansion to include Wedlock, Gormby and Prestsley within our city, but other inclusion of other areas would only be a tool by the socialo-communists to expand their rule of terror forever.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Cllr. Charlton: As always, Councillor Fredericks is spouting nonsense. Frankly, he belongs in the nut house...

The Lord Mayor: That remark is out of order, Councillor Charlton.

Cllr. Charlton: ...it may be out of order, your honour, but it is accurate.

*laughter*

Cllr. Charlton: It has long been my personal pleasure to make sure that there are no Communists, Trotskyites, Fellow Travellers or Useful Idiots in the Stovesby Municipal Socialist Party. It is absurd to think otherwise. And a distraction from our purpose here today. Councillors, local government reform is going to happen whether we like it or not. It may not happen for a while yet, but the increasing technological sophistication of our economy and the ever increasing importance of economic and regional planning makes it inevitable at some point in the near future...

Cllr. Godwin: Why does the Chairman of the Public Health Committee care about economic planning?

Cllr. Charlton: Because I care about the future of this city, our city, Councillor Godwin. As I was saying, it is going to happen. I think that I speak for the majority of the Socialist Group when I say that we should grab the opportunity, when it comes, to use any reform to the advantage of the city. Intelligent municipal politicians in other cities think the same thing. We may have, perhaps even within the next decade, a chance to move political and economic power away from London and towards industrial cities like ours. And when that happens, I don't think we should let petty political considerations get in the way... yes, Socialists like myself might not want a Conservative bastion like Gormby being added to the city. Conservatives might not like places like Castle Derton and Shuttsby being incorporated. But... we would all benefit from both. Imagine what we could do if we took in all the rates from the outlying districts or didn't have to worry about petty and backward complaints against the construction of out-of-town estates. I think we can all agree on that...

[Hash]

Cllr. Fredericks: As always, the socialo-communists are resorting to personal attacks on my person and my views because they can't accept the painful truth of the matter. I trust the people of St. Michael's to know the truth about the situation, and to reject both the MSP's old corrupt tricks and the MSP's push for local government reform which is nothing more than an attempt by the socialo-communists to weaken the position of the opposition to their reign of terror in Stovesby! They want to stuff the city with voters who are brainwashed into voting for their candidates because they can't know better. The Conservative answer to this nonsense is a clear and loud NO, because we want to keep Stovesby.

[afleitch]

Cllr. Finlay-Hamilton: Mr Fredericks, I have a slight bone of contension with your position on this matter. Some conservatives, such as myself take a far more rational approach to such issues. It is clear that the good people of Culzeansands understand their close relationship with the city of Stovesby, one made more pronounced in the last wave of reform which swallowed up the burgh. However unitary authorities such as Stovesby do not reflect the character of their compenent communities. It is entirely feasable for a 'Greater Stovesby' to be a two-tier authority, with borough governance at a local level. Such a system can ensure that Culzeansands regains a significant degree of her autonomy from the city while remaining a key partner in Greater Stovesby for planning purposes.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Cllr. Robson: I think that Councillor Finlee-'amiltun's suggestion has some merit, as does what Comrade Charlton said. In Ardthorpe it has been hard to adjust to... to the changes brought on by incorporation. People feel that they have lost something and that the council officers don't listen or care about us. A degree of local autonomy would be welcome, especially if this came in the setting of a greater rate-base for the corporation.

[afleitch]

Councillor Findlay-Hamilton nodes in agreement. Not too much though...He shuffles his papers careful not to let anyone get a further glimpse of what looks like a map he has been hiding at the bottom

Cllr. Findlay-Hamilton: I thank Mr Robson for his contribution. We are not talking about ''S.S.R's'' here, simply a tiered system of government that reflects traditional ties but also represents the future. People in my neck of the woods want to have some co-ordination too; there is a need to ensure they, as ratepayers have access to the very heart of the city and we need co-ordinated efforts to ensure we improve transport links within and around the city for one thing. We cannot have this with a collection of jabbering urban boroughs around the city. It is better to face a beast, if Stovesby must, with one head not many to ensure our needs as a metropolis are met.

[Smid]

Councillor Findlay-Hamilton is spot on with his comments about improving public transport in Stovesby. The best chance we have of creating an integrated public transport network is by incorporating our neighbouring urban districts, such as Wedlock.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

The Lord Mayor: well, I think that that will do for this meeting, the last, as you all know, before the elections. It is certainly pleasing to see that the interest shown in the issue of local government reform crosses party lines in this city.

Meeting closed.

[Hash]

(OC)

There should be a specific thread for City Council public meetings.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

(OC)

There should be a specific thread for City Council public meetings.

There will be seperate threads for the 'meetings' of the full council and for the committees (and they will all work in the way this 'meeting' has) after the election.

[12th Doctor]

IC

Councilor Walsh:

For all the bickering going on here, we have barely advanced beyond the standard platitudes on any of these issues.

Councilors, while I too hope to see our city join with out neighbors in the future, as such an arrangement can only help to strengthen us all, we cannot do so until we get our own house in order.  There are still large areas of this city where essential services are wanting, at best, and where important social services are severely lacking.  The residents of this city, especially in the less fortunate districts, must have better access to educational services and other barometers of economic opportunity.  More importantly, we must find ways to provide better funding for these programs, lest we find ourselves trying in a mad dash to absorb our neighbors as a matter of survival.

As the only Liberal Party councilor, I dare say that I am the only member of this council who is prepared to see beyond the blustering and extremism of the two sides to bring real solutions, workable solutions to the important issues at hand.  While London has taken a more aggressive role in dealing with social ills in recent times that does not mean that we can merely abdicate our own responsibility, on our own end, to ensuring that those services are readily accessible to all our citizens.

We must improve the way we do business here, gentlemen.  Then we can talk about our relations with our neighbors.

[Хahar 🤔]

Ack ack ack I forgot this.