Archived Items: Return to previous page Last updated: Saturday 28 January, 2017 Tuesday 11 October 2016 Fracking Motion – Pendle Council Reedley ward labour Councillor Yasser Iqbal has tabled a motion at the Pendle full council meeting on 20 October regarding the decision by the government to allow fracking in Lancashire. Cllr Iqbal said "I am very concerned that the conservative government is supporting fracking in Lancashire and they granted a licence last year for Burnley and Pendle. I know that people living in the top part of Brierfield and Reedley are very worried the effect of possible fracking will have on the area. I'm calling on our member of parliament to stand up for the people of Reedley and join my campaign to stop any fracking in Reedley". The motion for discussion is set out below: Council notes with disappointment the decision by the Communities Secretary to ignore local democracy and grant a fracking licence in Lancashire Council also notes the decision of the Conservative government to allow companies to apply for fracking in parts of Pendle namely Brierfield. Council resolves to: Write to the Prime Minister and the Communities Secretary to not proceed any further with plans to grant licences which allow fracking in Pendle. Write to Andrew Stephenson MP asking him to publicly speak against fracking. Monday 03 October 2016 Labour Party members from across Pendle took part in The Party’s national day of campaigning for “Education Not Segregation” last weekend. Campaigners took to Colne Town Centre to publicise Labour’s call for action on childcare to ensure early learning for all children; an education maintenance allowance for 16-18 year olds in full-time education to help students from low and middle incomes; grants for university students to help with living costs and a halt to new grammar schools that divide our children at age 11. Pendle Labour Vice Chair, Russell Tennant said: “The campaign day gave us a great opportunity to talk with the people of Colne and have discussions with them about the future of our education system. There were a lot of signatures on our petition. "Many people were surprised to learn that research has shown that 70% of current Grammar School students have had private tuition in order to get them there – highlighting the case that children whose families can afford private tuition are more likely to get a place, while bright children without the economic means may be left behind. ”Pendle Labour are planning to continue the campaign across the Borough". Wednesday 24 August 2016 Cllr Iqbal to Host Civic Reception for Olympic Champion Steve Burke. Pendle Council welcomes home triple Olympic cycling champion and one of the borough’s greatest sporting ambassadors. Steven Burke represented Britain in the Men’s Team Pursuit, scooping the gold medal and setting the new team pursuit world record, alongside Ed Clancy, Bradley Wiggins and Owain Doull, in Rio. And the Council is planning to mark the latest Olympic achievements of the 28 year old former Park High School pupil, known locally as the Colne Cyclone, in October. This comes four years after Steven was granted Freedom of the Borough by Pendle Council in recognition of his gold medal in the Men’s Team Pursuit in the 2012 Olympics. It’s the highest honour a Council can bestow and is given to ‘persons of distinction and persons who have, in the opinion of the Council, rendered eminent services to the Borough’. The Council also recognised Steven’s achievements by naming its Cycling Hub at Swinden playing fields after him in 2014. It was part of the Council’s 2012 Olympics legacy which also celebrated his bronze medal in the individual pursuit at the Beijing Olympics in 2008. Steven, who rides for the WIGGINS cycling team, has been invited to Nelson Town Hall to attend a civic reception on Thursday October 20th so that his latest successes can formally be recognised by the Council. Councillor Mohammed Iqbal, Leader of Pendle Council, said: “Steven’s a brilliant role model for young people and has made Pendle people very proud. “We’re delighted to officially mark his achievements of becoming a triple Olympic cycling champion and the holder of a new world record!” Brian Cookson OBE, President of the Union Cycliste Internationale and former Regeneration Director at Pendle Council, watched Steven strike gold in Rio. He said: “It was fantastic to be in Rio to watch the cycling events. I’m very proud of our British cyclists and in particular Steven and his team. “He’s a real credit to his family and an inspiration to many. “I’m thrilled that my first Olympics as UCI President were a big success for cycling!” Tuesday 02 August 2016 Members of The Labour Party in Pendle have voted overwhelmingly to oppose any proposals for fracking in the area. The vote took place at the Constituency Labour Party’s Annual General meeting where it was noted that recent opinion polls show that only 19% of the population supports fracking, while 81% support increased use of renewable energy. Barrowford member, Sue Nike, said that fracking is “unwanted, unnecessary and unsafe, involving risks to workers, local residents and the wider population.” The motion comes hot on the heels of North Yorkshire County Council’s approval for test drilling to take place at Kirby Misperton in Ryedale, in spite of receiving 4,375 letters of objection from local residents. Yvonne Tennant, Vice Chair of Pendle CLP said: “Our membership have made it very clear that fracking is unwelcome both locally and nationally. A license to frack in Pendle was granted late last year and covers Pendleside, Brierfield, Nelson, Barrowford, and the south side of Colne as far east as Carry Bridge. Should these plans go ahead we will be opposing them on every level.” Thursday 30 June 2016 Pendle Labour Party statement Pendle Labour Party is becoming increasingly concerned about the continued undemocratic attacks on Jeremy Corbyn the leader of the Labour Party. This statement is not seeking to provide any commentary on the merits of who is or indeed who should be leading our party, however, we are deeply upset at the manner in which the current turmoil has arisen when strong opposition is what the country needs most at these uncertain times. Regardless of who supported who in the leadership contest the fact is Jeremy Corbyn was democratically elected by the membership of the party and whilst we respect it is the right of every MP to mount a leadership challenge, this should done in the right manner with the correct procedure as set out within the party rules being followed. The membership of Pendle CLP was quite clear that whoever won the leadership contest of some 10 months ago, that the membership and the parliamentary MP's should unite behind the successful candidate, a view that remains unchanged. Unfortunately this view does not appear to be shared by a large majority of our elected parliamentarians which is somewhat disappointing. If there is to be a leadership contest, then Pendle CLP, as always, will engage the membership in true democratic fashion in order to ascertain their views. Until such a contest is declared Pendle CLP will not be making any further comment with regards to Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership. Mark Porter Pendle CLP President Thursday 19 May 2016
Monday 02 May 2016 Jeremy Corbyn delights the people at Burnley May Day celebrations Applause and cheering from trade unionists and Labour supporters accompanied Jeremy Corbyn's address at the East Lancs Trades Council's May Day celebrations in Towneley Park, this afternoon. Speaking to an audience of several thousand supporters from Lancashire and Yorkshire, he laid out his vision of how life would be better for working people under a future Labour Government. Friday 01 April 2016 Presentation to recognise Barnoldswick’s St Joseph’s RC Primary School’s dementia role County Councillor and Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing Azhar Ali and Pendle Councillor David Whalley who has Executive responsibilities for Health and Wellbeing recently made a presentation to mark the work of Barnoldswick’s dementia friendly school. The two Labour councillors made the presentation of a photograph to the thirty pupils of St Joseph’s RC Primary school to recognise that they were the first in Pendle to be officially dementia friendly in 2014. A small group from the school also attended the Older People’s Champion Network annual meeting at Preston’s County Hall where they spoke about the work they had done. Friday 01 April 2016 Pendle Labour Councillor Sheila Wicks and former County Councillor Tim Ormrod have taken the Fairtrade message to Blacko Primary School Councillor Wicks is tje Deputy Chairman of the Pendle Fairtrade Group. Mrs Wicks and Mr Ormrod shared their wealth of knowledge with the children. The children learnt that Pendle was the first Fairtrade accredited borough in the country and that Lancashire was also a Fairtrade county. Blacko Primary School has been a Fairtrade school for nearly 3 years. During Fairtrade fortnight the school promotes Fairtrade and the benefit to food producers around the world. The school has raised £157 for the Fairtrade Foundation this year. Tuesday 16 February 2016 Public Statement from Pendle Labour Party in response to Lancashire County Council Budget 11th February 2016 Labour rescues County Council from Tory plans to bankrupt the Council. Lancashire County Councillors, last Thursday, passed a legal budget for 2016/2017 despite a number of attempts by the Conservative group of Councillors to “kick the can down the road” and their refusal to even mention that the Tory government has cut the money it gives to Lancashire by almost 80%. Since 2010, the Conservative Government has cut the money it gives to Lancashire County Council by £685 million up to 2020. Pendle Tory Councillors had promised the people that they would launch a campaign to save Whitehough Camp School and on Thursday said that they had a petition. However, there was absolutely no mention of this in the Tory budget proposals showing we have a Tory party who say one thing in Pendle but dare not speak up at County Hall to their bosses in Preston. Following the announcement by the government earlier this week of transitional funding to help Councils across the country ease the severe pain of austerity, it has become clear that Lancashire Conservative MP’s have failed to argue the case, because whilst Surrey County Council received £24.10 million extra and Hampshire £18.69 million, Lancashire received NIL and Pendle Council has received not a single penny!!! It is clear that the government has rewarded the Conservative Councils in the South of England but where the need is greatest, in Lancashire, Pendle Conservative MP Andrew Stephenson has yet again failed to bring a single penny and his party dare to treat Pendle residents as fools and have them believe that they stand up for Pendle. On the day of the County Council budget, it was announced by the government that Lancashire County Council will have its public health budget cut by a further £1.7 million: that’s a total of £5.7 million cut this year. Not a single Tory County Councillor or Member of Parliament has stood up since the election in May 2015 and told David Cameron or any of his Ministers that their savage cuts to Pendle residents are really affecting the vulnerable members of our communities. The Supporting People budget which the government gave to Lancashire and was used for victims of Domestic Violence and young vulnerable people has also been slashed. Pendle Labour County Councillors Azhar Ali & Mohammed Iqbal have issued a public challenge to the Conservative County Councillors Paul White & Christian Wakeford to stand up and fight for the money robbed from Pendle to reward wealthier areas such as Surrey, Hampshire, and Hertfordshire. County Councillor Azhar Ali said,” Pendle Conservative Councillors have remained silent whilst Cameron and Osborne have attacked our local services and put at risk vital services like our buses and libraries. Pendle Conservatives are putting young people on the street, cutting Police numbers and leaving older people isolated whilst the likes of Surrey and Hampshire in the South are being given Millions more in cash “. Cllr Iqbal (Leader of Pendle Council) said, "Pendle Council’s government grant has been cut again this year, whilst big Councils in the South benefit. I know the Conservatives talk about the 'Northern Powerhouse' but we are going to end up with a 'Northern Poorhouse'. It’s time that they walked away from their fantasy world and realised that they are destroying local communities”. Tuesday 09 February 2016 Pendle Conservative councilors failed to appear at a meeting organised to discuss Lancashire County Council’s cuts to services in Pendle. Proposed cuts include possible library closures, children’s centres, youth centres, local bus services, highways management, and Countryside Services which include Wycoller Country Park, Whitehough Camp School, and reducing the number of buildings the county council owns or uses. Pendle Council leader and Labour County Councillor Mohammed Iqbal said: The Pendle group as a whole had local knowledge and contacts and could help LCC to find ways of keeping some of the services going in different ways. “Pendle Council wants to help in any way it can to prevent the losses of local facilities.” Friday 08 January 2016 Labour Councillors support allotment initiative The Valley Mills Allotment Society covers eight allotments in the Southfield Ward in Nelson. They were purchased by the allotment holders themselves some years ago. There is an ongoing programme to maintain and improve them. The Southfield councillors have donated £300 to the society using their ward initiative money. The photo shows Councillor Sheila Wicks along with Councillor David Whalley presenting the cheque for £300 to members of the society. Archived Items: 2015 Archive 2014 Archive 2013 Archive 2012 Archive 2011 Archive 2010 Archive 2009
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