New endorsement - Steve Bentham-Bates

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"Peter Thirlwall was my Borough Councillor from whom I requested support to challenge a building project that was planned to be built adjacent to my property.

I approached Peter to help argue the case against excessive density and height of the plans, and with his intervention the group of residents I led successfully had the plans amended to reduce the total number of new buildings by a significant margin, and the four storey development plans ditched, to be more in keeping and scale of the residential appearance of the village.

His knowledge of the procedures and personalities of all hues in local government were instrumental in enabling the residents group to meet most of its objectives.

He is a first class councillor arguing against intransigent local politics who should, if there is any justice in the world, become an even better Member of Parliament for the local area fighting the corner of those he seeks to represent." 

Steve Bentham-Bates BA Hons FIRP Dip RP

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Breaking News - Brown to see Queen in the morning!

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The waiting is over, finally the worst kept secret in history has become public.  The General Election will be on May 6th, the same day as the Local Government Elections.

For the first time since 1931 when the Tory, George Herbert, beat the Labour Candidate only to lose it again in 1933, the Parliamentary Constituency of Rotherham has a realistic chance of being lost by Labour.

The many scandals that have become public have exposed greed and corruption at all levels and in all parts of the House.  Labour, Tory and Lib Dem Members of Parliament were all involved up to their necks, in some cases now before the courts.

Few have come through this process with dignity intact.  To have realised that a majority of MPs were involved was shattering in terms of public confidence.  Despite the largest number of MPs in history standing down at the end of a Parliament, the problem is not yet over, there is still unfinished business.

There are Members of Parliament who served throughout this disgraceful period who are not standing down next week, simply because they have, so far, been able to hide behind the still impenetrable wall of secrecy, that surrounds the Houses of Parliament to this day. 

Denis MacShane, my Labour opponent, is in the top league when it comes to greed.  He has regularly claimed to within pence of the maximum allowable but totally refuses to account for the hundreds of thousands of pounds of your money he has spent since 1994. 

He has always been reluctant to account for the extra jobs he takes on the side, the pattern of declarations shows a degree of manipulation of the ever changing rules, to avoid giving any more information than absolutely necessary.

Close analysis of recently available information shows clearly this tendency and raises the most serious of questions, even more serious questions than I have previously published here on this site.  I have written to MacShane asking him to clarify his position, but alas, no reply, not even an acknowledgment.  I will share this with you later, either when I have a response or I am sure I will not be getting one.
It is not just me he will not answer, he won't tell you his constituents either - try asking him yourself!  Please email me with any response as I would be most interested.  

MacShane is not interested in us he just wants to be the MP for Rotherham and the Ex-Minister for Europe, both titles having been worth thousands over the years when peddling his journalism. Oh, and he wants you to put him back on the gravy train so he can rip us off for another four or five years.

The greed and corruption must be purged from Parliament.  If the Labour Party will not rid us of MacShane, then we must do it for ourselves. 

I offer myself as an antidote to all the sleaze, greed and corruption that has infected public life at all levels.  Public service should be just that, not a way of getting rich.  Nor is it there to make anyone important.  I firmly believe that MPs are there to serve their electorates without the stench of corruption that now swirls around public life generally.

Rotherham MP Denis MacShane has brought disgrace on the whole Town.  I stand with Rotherham in rejecting the recent scandals and believe that I can restore Rotherham's tarnished image by bringing some basic honesty, Yorkshire thrift when it comes to your money and some good old fashioned decency and commonsense when it comes to working on your behalf.

Together, Let's Change Rotherham for Good.


Peter Thirlwall
Independent Candidate 
Rotherham

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Question Time for MacShane?

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MacShane has finally surfaced again, as predicted, a few weeks before the General Election!
He set up his own version of Question Time, organised by the supposedly non political South Yorkshire Women's Development Trust.
Chaired by MacShane himself with a hand picked panel, he even included his latest girl friend for good measure. None of them having any relevance to the voters of Rotherham.
Denis hand picked the questions to give himself an easy ride, preaching to the converted! From this point of view a 'Church’ hosting such a politically partisan event seems to me to be crassly inappropriate at best and an outrage at worst!
Not one direct question on his scandalous expenses! None either on the lamentable record of the Labour Government! Or anything about the disgraceful scandals that have engulfed him and the information he simply refuses to give us! John Healey can manage it, so why can’t MacShane!
MacShane thinks he can go into this election without explaining any of his expenses to his voters! He is treating his voters with total contempt!
Anna Chester, one of MacShanes party organisers, said "there is clearly an appetite to have those meetings more often". I can assure her there is.
Perhaps Anna, who as well as being a labour organiser and also a volunteer with the non political SYWD, would organise a Question Time chaired by a neutral.
Invite a panel that included Peter Thirlwall and MacShane.
It would give you an audience that would be so large that there is no venue in Rotherham that could fit everyone in! The tickets would be very much sought after!
The Women of Rotherham require answers too!
They deserve answers from both the incumbent and his principal challenger, Peter Thirlwall. Answers to the questions they actually want to ask!
Peter Thirlwall, the Independent Candidate, is an incredible politician and if the roles were reversed and MacShane was the Independent candidate at the next election, MacShane would lose his deposit!
Thirlwall's popularity is increasing by the day. With your help, he will defy all the odds, and win the Rotherham seat!
If you would like to help Peter or would like to speak to him directly, don't delay he is the most approachable person you are likely to meet and would love to hear from you.

George Valentine
Council Waste Watcher
Stag
Rotherham

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Labours Dirty Dozen! There are many more!

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Guido Fawkes Blog order-order.com published this story today 'Labours Dirty Dozen'.

I do not personally endorse this web site, but often important stories on Parliamentary Sleaze first see the light of day on this site, I think all Rotherham's Voters should look at this site from time to time.

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Tory Candidate for Rotherham Constituency Announced At Last!

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It has just been announced, that the Rotherham Constituency Tory Candidate, is to be businesswoman, Jacqueline Whiteley.

A former 'Yorkshire Woman of the Year' and winner of other awards in business, including a Business Link Competition for 'bucking the trend' in the recession.

She is reported to be a member of the Leeds Chamber of Commerce.  She has also been a Woman's Ambassador for Enterprise for campaign group Forward Ladies.

She is said to be an ambitious candidate, presumably here to add to her political CV for next time and a safe seat. The Conservative vote in the Rotherham Constituency will probably have the rather dubious distinction, of being the only constituency in the country, where the Conservative vote actually goes down!

All the evidence we have, clearly shows that this trend is already under way here in Rotherham. That is even before Jacqueline Whiteley was selected. It is being said that it will probably not be as much benefit to her future career prospects as she is hoping.

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The Rotherham Star Joins the Fray on First Class Travel!

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Peters Campaign to change the way the Council spends your money has now reached the Rotherham Star and has been covered on the Rotherham Independents Campaign site.

Peter's View.

"The time is coming when all of Rotherham's voters will be able to vote for candidates they can trust to be honest, open and committed to bringing basic decency and a non-dogmatic attitude to making the best decisions for Rotherham and all of it's people".

Peter Thirlwall

Rotherham’s Prospective Independent Parliamentary Candidate.
Rotherham Independents Campaign.

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Peter's Perspective - On MacShane

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Like many Rotherham people I find the revelations in this weeks Advertiser, about my opponent to be, and his disappearance at a time when his disgraceful behaviour is made public, are the actions of someone not worthy to represent Rotherham and its people.

I know that my outrage and anger and the feelings of shame over this expenses affair are shared by many, both in his constituency and throughout the whole of Rotherham.

Unless the Labour Party suddenly comes to its senses, prevails upon MacShane to step aside as their candidate and chooses an honest replacement more interested in their constituents, the problem will be put in the hands of the Rotherham constituency’s voters at the General Election.

I am proposing to stand in Rotherham as a serious alternative to candidates locked in the confines of tribal politics that all the mainstream national parties, of whatever hue, practise here in Rotherham and throughout the country. This has resulted in the people in the Towns and Cities of the North feeling abandoned, little understood, and taken for fools by being taken for granted.

The people of Rotherham deserve better than this! Now is the chance for change!

The power is in all our hands come the elections. Remember we live in a democracy, where every vote counts and the decision you make is yours alone.
Each and every voter has to make their mind up whether to vote the way they always have or to vote for a candidate committed to the highest standards of conduct and openness.

I invite you all to take the time to find out more about me and the fresh start my candidacy represents, before making your choice in the General Election to come.

I am also the most easily contactable of the prospective candidates and invite you to do so. See left side panel for ways to contact me. I would love to hear what you have to say.

If you would like to know more or help in our campaign, you would be most welcome. We are a friendly bunch, totally committed to our task of offering real and effective change both in Parliament and here in Rotherham.

Peter Thirlwall
Rotherham’s Prospective Parliamentary Candidate
Rotherham Independents Campaign

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MacShane has many questions to answer?

Sir Thomas Legg's Report, published by the members estimates committee says the following about Rotherham's MP.


'Rt Hon Denis MacShane MP
Rotherham
Dr MacShane was paid cleaning costs totalling £7,354.34 (£3,000.00 in 2004-05;
£2,341.34 in 2005-06; and £2,013.00 in 2007-08). This exceeded £2,000 a year by
£1,354.34.
In September and October 2008, he was paid £153.39 for gas without providing
sufficient evidence to show that this was a cost incurred at his second home, since
the only address on the bill related to his main home.
He should also provide mortgage interest statements to support payments totalling
£6,001.34 for the period April 2004 to January 2006. I recommend that he should
be allowed until 1 March 2010 to do this. If he does not do so, then in the absence
of any special or exceptional reasons to the contrary, he should repay the whole
amount of the allowance involved.'
It must be emphasised that this information only applies to his use of the Additional Costs Allowance.

Peter Thirwall said today, "Denis MacShane has a lot of explaining to do", and " I am sure that everyone in Rotherham will be horrified at this and I feel he should stand down now, as labours candidate, before the election, it is that serious in my view"

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Peter Thirlwall and Ben Slade Challenge Greedy Rotherham Councillors

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Our Independent councillors, Peter Thirlwall and Ben Slade, are proposing the following change to Council Policy at the Full Council meeting on Wednesday February 3rd:

"At a time of severe pressures on the Council budget, this Council resolves to discontinue first class rail travel for Councillors and use the money saved to support front line services for the people of Rotherham."

Peter will be proposing and Ben will be seconding the proposal.

Rotherham Independents Campaign members are fully supportive and consider it the most reasonable thing to do when Rotherham's residents are suffering great economic hardship.

In a bi-partisan approach to fellow councillors, Peter has written individually to all Rotherham councillors asking them to consider what Rotherham's people want, just for once.

What Peter has said to them:

Dear Fellow Councillor,

On Wednesday at the full Council Meeting I will be proposing the following motion to bring to an end the practise of using first class travel whilst on Council business.

Motion to Council on the 3^rd February 2010

"At a time of severe pressures on the Council budget, this Council resolves to discontinue first class rail travel for Councillors and use the money saved to support front line services for the people of Rotherham."

Proposed:  Councillor Peter Thirlwall

Seconded:  Councillor Ben Slade

I would ask you all to consider your position carefully before rejecting this motion, which would be taken by the vast majority of Rotherham people, a sign that you do not live in the same world as them. For just once take a decision to save some taxpayers money to help save the front line services that your constituents may rely on.

Collectively councillors in Rotherham are already amongst the most well rewarded in the country. Last year each of you received the basic allowance of £12,271. Most of you in addition have received 'special responsibility allowances' varying from a Cabinet Adviser on £1.203 to the Leader of the council on £32,544. The Special Responsibility Allowances cost the taxpayer a total of £356,150. A grand total of £1,136,767 last year in fact!

The fact that you insist on getting every last penny out of us, is nothing short of an outrage, especially when it comes at the end of a financial year when you have made swingeing cuts to essential services that the most vulnerable in our communities depended upon.

I would point out to you that these cuts are occurring now, before any of the post election belt tightening that all parties are promising to come. I do hope that you do not suggest that, even in a time of great austerity in public services, you are totally unwilling to share any of the pain? (If giving up first class travel could in any way be described as pain.)

Finally I make the plea, once again, on behalf of all in Rotherham for you to stop first class travel. 

Yours,

Councillor Peter Thirlwall

Rotherham Independents

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An Alternative to Spoiling Our Green Belt

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An Alternative to Spoiling Our Green Belt

By Councillor Peter Thirlwall

I have always said that a criticism is only as good as the alternative that it replaces. Well I would like to suggest the following alternative to the proposed greenbelt incursion ( LDF ) being offered by the Rotherham Labour Group:

(1) Remove the ‘Growth Points Status’ of 2,200 houses which was entered into by the Leader of Rotherham Council, along with other council leaders of South Yorkshire. It is understood that Sheffield, for instance, can accommodate their ‘Growth Point’ housing numbers without the need to use greenbelt land at all. It’s a shame, but not entirely unpredictable, that Councillor Roger Stone didn’t take the time to check what effect it would have upon Rotherham and its residents, before he committed us to the ‘Growth Point’ agreement.

(2) The number of houses that the Government say that we will need in Rotherham by 2026 is 22,300. In the Government calculations they have assumed that 11,150 of those houses will be required for people emigrating into Rotherham from other parts of the country. I believe this figure is ridiculously high and should be reduced by 5,575 houses i.e. from 50% to 25%.

(3) If the amount of houses needed were reduced in accordance with (1) and (2) above, then the industrial land needed could also be reduced by around 82 hectares.

(4) The council have assumed a building density of between 30 to 40 dwellings per hectare, but the planning guidance says it should be between 30 to 50 dwellings per hectare and I therefore believe that figure, should be used so we can accommodate more houses on the precious land that we have.

(5) We should trawl the Borough again to find more brownfield sites, which includes talking to Corus and also our neighbouring Councils, to see if they have any brownfield sites on their borders that could be used in our calculations.

If we could achieve the above, I believe we could avoid building in the green belt at all, other than the bits of scrubland that have no amenity value. Although I don’t have access to all of the figures and the ones quoted are not strictly accurate, they are I believe in the right ball park.
In the past, Rotherham has not been able to build houses at the rate at which the Government required and it is very unlikely that we will be able to so in the future, so the outcomes of the LDF are fairly academic. We certainly do not therefore want to give up our green belt based on the whims and fancies of a few statisticians in Whitehall, and their obedient servants at Rotherham Council.

Not all of what I have suggested may be achievable, but I do hope that the Labour Group will at least consider, for a change, the points that I have made with a view to making Rotherham a better place to live.




Peter Thirlwall 
Independent Parliamentary Candidate
Rotherham Constituency

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