I would normally be amongst the first to congratulate the West Lancashire Borough Council Chief Executive on the following announcement:
MBE : William John Taylor. Chief executive, West Lancashire District Council. For services to Local Government. (Rufford, Lancashire)
After all, Mr Taylor has carried out his duties, despite having to cope with an appalling Tory administration for [...]

Have West Lancs Tories patented incompetence when it comes to transport provision?
As I reported here, consultants reported two years ago on the need for a community transport scheme to meet the work travel needs of the people of Skelmersdale, where car ownership remains low.
According to the council’s own Key Decision Forward Plan, this matter should [...]

This is the text of my letter to the Environment Director at Lancashire County Council, setting out a concise list of ten issues on which I have raised and on which I am awaiting either feedback or promised action.
It reflects my frustration at the apparently total inaction.  More importantly, it reflects a service which, under a Tory [...]

One thing I didn’t quite get round to doing before I went away was to announce the Shadow Cabinet for this coming  municipal year, although it was set out in the council papers for 19th May.
Of course, the key change from those papers is brought by the untimely death of Terry Rice, whom I had [...]

A major Anglo-French diplomatic incident was brewing today as news emerged of Conservative-controlled West Lancashire Borough Council’s ‘unorthodox’ approach to international relations.
The incident was sparked by a ‘7 days’ email bulletin (28 May) to staff, councillors and – most provocatively of all - European colleagues. The email says
I have received an e-mail from Madame Dominique Lefebvre President of our [...]

While sorting out the groundworks for the new nursery at Bickerstaffe C of E school, the heroic John and Sheila have discovered that the drains from the school have been retaining the remains of a few more school dinners than they should have been.
For some time now, there has been more than the occasional whiff [...]

To be honest, I’m still reeling a bit from the news of Terry Rice’s untimely passing last week. 
I got the news while I was away, as I trawled quickly through emails, and I sat down with a heavy thump when I saw the message from Rosie.  A few days on, it still feels very strange to [...]

I’m off for a few days. 
I will come back even more raring to go than I am now.  Ah now, let’s be honest here.  I’m a bit knackered.
In the meantime, my usual casework cover arrangements apply.  If you have an urgent local issue, you can
a)  contact my colleague Bob Pendleton on 01695 728198.  Bob covers Tanhouse ward [...]

The nursery under construction in the factory.  Should be with us in about three weeks.  Five years to get to here.  Four planning applications.  Three main funders.  Two rescue packages.  One aim.

My press release from earlier on:

A Labour councillor, Paul Cotterill, has challenged West Lancashire Conservatives to disassociate themselves from the remarks of the new Schools Minister, Nick Gibb, made on his first full day in office.  Cllr Cotterill says the remarks are an insult to staff and students at Edge Hill Uinversity.
Mr Gibb is reported [...]