Tuesday, May 01, 2007

MAY DAY : OSC, Newington Reference Library, the DDA ,the ranting Cllr. Bob Skelly and the Hibs team rebuild up and running!!!

HAPPY MAY DAY!! I would give a rendition of the Internationale if I knew the words!!!
Last night as OSC we had the Call-in on the moving of the Newington Reference Library to the ground floor with the loss of a really special quiet study space, outrageously done under the cover of compliance with the DDA, somewhat typical of this spineless Lid Dem/Tory Administration who want to do the wrong thing but convince themselves (because they certainly dont convince anyone else!!) that they are doing the right thing!!
What really annoys me is the complete lack of policitical and civic leadership from the Lib Dems along with their absolute spinelessness about facing tough decisions head on and refusal to accept any responsibility. This was nicely encapsulated in the letters from the Blessed Simon Hughes MP, in with the papers,where he started off by expressing concern about the closure and then by the end of the letters supporting his Lib Dem colleagues decision!! Totally spineless!!!!!
Above is a picture of me with the protesters outside of the Town Hall but it was all to no avail. The Labour Group , as we have to do, was trying to explore compromises and see if any Lib Dems of Lewis, the Tory(an a reasonable one at that!!), would weaken but they once again were clealry under instructions and it was clear early on that we were not going to win. I moved a delay on any decision for the 6 months until an overall decision was taken bu they would not have oit and ended up passing a motion "welcoming" the Executive decision!!! Absolutely disgraceful!!!

In addition , Cllr. Bob Skelly gave us one his all too familiar illiberal and anti-democratic displays, deliberately turning his back on the protesters when they spoke and at one point shouting out to the chair, Fiona "how much longer do we have to put up with this lot ranting at us!!" At times i am embarrassed to be a Councillor when in the prescence of the Lib Dems and never more so that when Skelly losses the plot!!!!!
Apparently he will be the only Lib Dem/Tory nomination for Mayor and I am sure that he will be an interesting choice of First Citizen for the year ahead!!!!!!!

On the Hibs front apparently the sacked Micheal Stewart is training with Premiership bound Sunderland. I really liked him and think that we will miss him on the field but if he is a dressing room trouble-maker probably best out of the way!! Apparently Martis, one of the other identified revolters, is also on his way out very soon?
I am told that three are only 3 Scots currently playing in the Premiership, I guess they are Fletcher(ManU) , McFaddyen(Everton) and McCullough(Wigan). It is possible that that total could be more than doubled by Hibs players alone, possibly Brown at Everton, Stewart at Sunderland, Murphy at Bolton and Whittaker at Blackburn?
John Collins will be putting together a new team next seaon and will rely heavily on the youth team, with 5 of them in the Scotland youth squad already and there was some good news about one of them, Darren McCormack(18) who was expecetd to sign for Celtic but instead has signed on again with Hibs and could well be a significant player for us next season alongside Stevenson, McCann, McNeil, Chisholm, Campbell, Gray, Baillie, Lynch and Fletcher! Add to that our foreign younsters David Grof (Hungary), Shana Haji(Iran)and the one that many Premiership clubs and Celtic were after Elias Wagner(Austria) alongside Donaldson and Kerr already pre-signed and Hearts Brellier rumoured to be coming the squad potentially looks very strong even with the reported 15-man clear out over the summer months so roll on next season!!!! The only slight concnern may be putting out a team with an average age under 20 years!! I am sad to see Killen go as well. He appears to have been willing to stay but wanted more than a one year contract which I am surprised that he was not offered?
With such a good record of developing home grown players it is no wonder that Hibs are investing £4M into their new Training Facility!

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