The Blog of Harrowgate Hill Conservative Ward Councillor Mike Cartwright http://mikecartwright.co.uk/ 18 Oct 2008 Mike Cartwright (mike@mikecartwright.net) http://mikecartwright.co.uk/article.php?id=51 http://mikecartwright.co.uk/article.php?id=51 http://mikecartwright.co.uk/comment.php?ID=51 15 Oct 2008 Mike Cartwright (mike@mikecartwright.net) http://mikecartwright.co.uk/article.php?id=50 http://mikecartwright.co.uk/article.php?id=50 Gill was evicted from "I'm a Councillor, Get Me Out Of Here" (I shouldn't laugh) on Monday. Suffice to say she was a bit upset being the least popular of the 6 councillors taking part (not wishing to rub it in), and I can officially announce she has shelved her plans to apply to this years Big Brother. Second shock of the week....occurred today actually. Having just read the excellent new Blog of Peter Barron, Editor of the Northern Echo, a headline on the Northern Echo website caught my eye - "Petrol price war raging on region's forecourts". Apparently the price of a litre of unleaded fuel has been slashed to under £1 on some of the regions forecourts. This is obviously fantastic news to all motorists, at a time when we are all being hit with substantial rises in our fuel bills (see Gills blog!) though I suspect it wont remain at this low level for long. Third shock of the week...."Sex and the Women's Institute" - back to Peter Barron's blog again....I'm not even going to try and explain, click the link and read for yourself!]]> http://mikecartwright.co.uk/comment.php?ID=50 21 Sep 2008 Mike Cartwright (mike@mikecartwright.net) http://mikecartwright.co.uk/article.php?id=49 http://mikecartwright.co.uk/article.php?id=49 First of all...apologies (again) for not blogging recently...however "I always want to do better and I will do better". Amid the ever hardening credit crunch and the general feeling of doom that seems to be affecting the UK at the moment, it's reassuring to know that our disaster prone PM has also said today that "I always want to do better and I will do better". In an interview on the BBC's Andrew Marr Show today, Mr Brown also suggested that the best way to deal with the "economic storm" (always best to avoid the nasty words) was to face it, and "demonstrate judgement and demonstrate wisdom". In the same interview, Mr Brown also suggested he was a "pretty ordinary guy" (if you have to say it, then you 'aint) and that after 10 years in the treasury he was best qualified to deal with the international financial crisis. Am I missing something here? Firstly, I would have assumed that during his "10 years at the treasury", it would have been possible to plan ahead for a "rainy day", and thus weather the current "economic storm". Secondly, later in the interview he suggested that the problems could not be dealt with "through soundbites and slogans".....given that new Labour consists of little else except spin, soundbites and slogans, it seems that it's only a matter of time before the current economic storm becomes a full blown hurricane...though I suspect the old classic "it's not our fault, it's a worldwide problem" line shall be shouted ever louder from number 10. Anyway, there’s no need for anyone to worry....Gordon has promised today he wants to do better....indeed soundbites and slogans are not required, but an old phrase seems apt for Gordon...."too little, too late".]]> http://mikecartwright.co.uk/comment.php?ID=49 14 Aug 2008 Mike Cartwright (mike@mikecartwright.net) http://mikecartwright.co.uk/article.php?id=48 http://mikecartwright.co.uk/article.php?id=48 "Oh dear, it seems Gill and I have upset and thus have to suffer the wrath of the increasingly belligerent Cllr Nick Wallis. It seems that inline with Darlington Labour party policy, he has decided to attack us for representing our residents views concerning the recent bus service cuts which have affected Harrowgate Hill. Well, of all the potentially dastardly crimes I could have been accused of as an elected member of the council, representing residents seems one I am willing to concede. What is really interesting regarding this latest "toy throwing out of pram" display is that oddly the hapless Cllr Wallis has seemingly forgotten which portfolio he is currently responsible for...if memory serves I beleive it to be "Sustainable Environment & Climate Change", or is it "Health" or is it in fact "Transport"....sheesh, given the amount of times it has changed in 12 months, it's easy to see how he has become confused and thus commented publically on Cllr Lyonette's portfolio (who interestingly has barely commented on this important issue). Or is politically ambitious Nick's latest little outburst indicative of something more significant, perhaps part of a larger plan to increase his own profile (at any cost)......maybe Council Leader John Williams should be wary.....]]> http://mikecartwright.co.uk/comment.php?ID=48 28 Jul 2008 Mike Cartwright (mike@mikecartwright.net) http://mikecartwright.co.uk/article.php?id=47 http://mikecartwright.co.uk/article.php?id=47 http://mikecartwright.co.uk/comment.php?ID=47