Council leader is asked whether Bolton will be able to celebrate VJ day and Remembrance Sunday in November.
He says: "We will mark it come hell or high water."
#LDReporter
Executive cabinet member for stronger communities Nadim Muslim says the Speedwatch scheme could be rolled out by @gmpolice across Bolton first. This voluntary initiative involves training the public and providing equipment to monitor speeding and report it to police #LDReporterpic.twitter.com/5ES6kQvyRV
-
-
We've finished with questions and now we're on to the debate about 2 proposals which were called-in for further scrutiny before the coronavirus outbreak: privatising the meals on wheels service and scrapping free town centre parking on weekends and bank holidays
#LDReporterDeze collectie tonen -
Labour called in the decision to axe Bolton Council's community meals service to make way for private companies to provide the meals on wheels instead. But the scrutiny process was delayed due to the coronavirus crisis
#LDReporterhttps://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/18573044.no-u-turn-privatising-meals-wheels-decision-deferred/ …Deze collectie tonen -
Executive cabinet member for adult social care Andy Morgan says the meals on wheels service is being subsidised by the taxpayer but usage has been falling. He says the argument to handover the service to a private provider has only been strengthened by the pandemic
#LDReporterDeze collectie tonen -
But his Labour counterpart, Cllr Elaine Sherrington, says private companies would only deliver the meals and not provide the care which council workers do, making sure the service users actually eat the food and are looked after. She says they would charge more
#LDReporterDeze collectie tonen -
Lib Dem councillor Debbie Newall, who was responsible for adult social care when Labour were in charge, says "everything was on the table" when the party looked to make savings in the community meals service budget
#LDReporterDeze collectie tonen -
Cllr Morgan says there were 323 people using the council's meals on wheels service when a consultation of users took place last year, but since then, it's dropped to 258. It went up to 266 during the coronavirus crisis but it's now dropped again
#LDReporterDeze collectie tonen -
Conservative councillor Anne Galloway says scrapping the meals on wheels service would save £300,000 a year. Labour leader Nick Peel says: "There are better ways of saving money than hitting the most vulnerable in the pocket."
#LDReporterpic.twitter.com/NvQ5eseAae
Deze collectie tonen -
Cllr Anna-Marie Watters says it would be "shameful" to scrap subsidised meals on wheels. She said: "We should be looking after these people. These people have contributed to the running of this country all of their lives and we should give something back."
#LDReporterpic.twitter.com/Zna3Q6YLzG
Deze collectie tonen -
Bolton is one of the last remaining councils in the North West to provide its own subsidised meals on wheels service. Ex-Labour councillor Martin McMulkin says: “The fact that other councils have removed it, is a shame on them.”
#LDReporterDeze collectie tonen -
Council leader David Greenhalgh says quality and take-up of meals and wheels has increased in other Labour-led local authorities which have privatised the service. He said: "This is not the removal of a service."
#LDReporterpic.twitter.com/PAKY4jXAPO
Deze collectie tonen -
Labour councillor Martin Donaghy says the additional cost to community meals service users will be £2.36 per meal, which is a total of £11.80 over a five-day week, if the service is privatised. That's on top of over-75s no longer having free TV licences, he says.
#LDReporterDeze collectie tonen -
Cllr Martin Donaghy says: “To listen to the Conservative group, you’d think it’s Christmas come early for the elderly. Best thing since sliced bread, this proposal. “The elderly have made their contribution, not only to Bolton, but to the country.”
#LDReporterpic.twitter.com/0pMFOIhfaf
Deze collectie tonen -
Labour councillor Elaine Sherrington says: "if we don't subsidise food, why have we subsidised The Northern?" She's referring to the new restaurant at the town hall.
#LDReporterpic.twitter.com/3O6lmbXTtW
Deze collectie tonen -
The Conservatives win the vote on Meals on Wheels. Labour called for the council to scrap its proposals to privatise the community meals service. The Tories put forward an amendment to the Labour motion saying that the decision should simply be noted. It wins 31-25. #LDReporterDeze collectie tonen -
Here's the breakdown of the vote on the Tory amendment to privatise the meals on wheels service. FOR: Conservatives (19) Lib Dems (6) Horwich and Blackrod First Independents (2) UKIP (2) One Kearsley (1) Suspended Conservative councillor Derek Bullock (1)
#LDReporterDeze collectie tonen -
Here's the breakdown of the vote on the Tory amendment to privatise the meals on wheels service continued. AGAINST: Labour (17) Farnworth and Kearsley First (4) Independent councillors Anna-Marie Watters and Ann Cunliffe (1) Crompton independent councillors (3)
#LDReporterDeze collectie tonen -
Even if the majority of councillors supported Labour's calls to scrap the proposals to privatise the meals on wheels service, the decision would have gone back to the Conservative cabinet with a recommendation from council
#LDReporterDeze collectie tonen -
Councillors are now discussing plans to scrap free parking in Bolton town centre on weekends and bank holidays which was put forward before the pandemic. Cllr Nick Peel reminds them that free parking would have ended in January if it wasn't for Labour calling it in
#LDReporterpic.twitter.com/9I6GORlUyp
Deze collectie tonen -
Now the Conservatives say the free parking offer will continue because of the impact of the coronavirus crisis. In fact, they are now offering free weekday parking as part of a temporary measure to help businesses in Bolton.https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/18536705.free-weekday-parking-part-1-25million-boost-help-bolton-businesses/ …
Deze collectie tonen -
All parties have said they would support the Conservative's amendment which proposes to continue offering free parking in the town centre, but many have accused of the Tories of getting the decision on free parking wrong before the coronavirus crisis hit.
#LDReporterDeze collectie tonen -
Speaking about free town centre parking, council leader David Greenhalgh says: "There was evidence-based decision making regarding the initial decision. That has now been overtaken by COVID and the need for us to support our businesses in the town."
#LDReporterpic.twitter.com/o6N609huIm
Deze collectie tonen -
The Conservative amendment which commits to continuing free parking in the town centre on weekends and bank holidays (at least on a temporary basis) and extends it weekdays has been unanimously approved. The motion is CARRIED which means free parking will continue.
#LDReporterDeze collectie tonen
Einde van gesprek
Nieuw gesprek -
Het laden lijkt wat langer te duren.
Twitter is mogelijk overbelast of ondervindt een tijdelijke onderbreking. Probeer het opnieuw of bekijk de Twitter-status voor meer informatie.

Future High Streets Fund bid outcome expected from government over summer