Running a school sometimes involved lots of these.

Fifteen or twenty years ago I used to "spend" a day visiting schools to allocate £6,000 for "mini minor" capital projects. I visited schools where buckets were fitted as standard, caretaking staff knew exactly where to deploy them when it rained on corridors and in classrooms.

Six grand, of course, went absolutely nowhere and the buckets of rainwater became semi permanent features.

A visit to the Infirmary was almost literally like visiting the set of Casualty 1909.

My role as the Chair of Recreation meant trimming hundreds of thousands every year - reducing the museum’s opening hours, not replacing staff, closing swimming pools etc.

But look at us now! Schools have great facilities - interactive whiteboards, computers and IT equipment, more teachers, additional support staff. Soon many schools will be completely replaced with 21st century Schools for the Future.

East Lancashire’s glittering new hospital is a wonderful, welcoming place with state of the art equipment, helpful, caring staff unshackled from working in or near the old Workhouse.

Leisure is free to many and our centres are well equipped and staffed.

Our citizens demand and deserve the best. Want to go back to the "Good Old Days" again? Then vote for this guy:

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LIVE UPDATES: Follow us on Twitter and also the #eu09 tag

The Tories hopes against Jack Straw at the next election have been dealt a massive blow by Labour's local success in the European elections. Despite the current political climate, Labour topped the poll in the borough:

Counting underway at King Georges Hall

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This is useful for activists to 'get out the vote' - or more accurately their party's vote - during elections and indicate where precious campaigning resources should be directed.

The Tories have been spending thousands on direct mail like the above in Blackburn during the run up to the European elections. With the financial pressures on the big parties no one wants to waste any money needlessly.

Perhaps a good way to save a few pennies would be to stop sending Conservative election material to long-serving Labour councillors?

Arshid Mahmood of Corporation Park ward is among numerous Labour councillors that have assured us they aren't planning to defect on the basis of this leaflet.

Perhaps Blackburn Tories should update their voter ID!

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“It's not me Guv it must be someone else!” - the Arthur Daley attitude of the council coalition

"It's not me Guv it must be someone else", is a refrain you expect from a dodgy builder or someone who, in Arthur Daley fashion, has sold you something that is obviously faulty and won't do what they said it would.

Understandably such an experience leaves you frustrated and feeling bad towards your fellow human being.

Well that's how I feel as time and time again I and my Labour colleagues on the Council challenge the policies that are being undertaken by the Tory, Liberal and For Darwen independents who are presently running Blackburn with Darwen Council.

Just a few examples of the dodgy goings on*:

Huge hikes in the cost for family's who want to swim at Waves

"Don't know anything about that, love" - Tory Cllr Michael Law Riding Executive Member for Culture, Leisure and Sport

Closing old peoples homes and doing back-room deals

"It can't be us dear we believe in openness and new ways of doing politics" - Liberal Democrat Leader David Foster Executive member for Adult Services

Cuts in support for vital bus services across Blackburn

"Nothing to do with me, darling, I use a car" - Tory Cllr Alan Cottam Executive Member for Regeneration

Secrecy about children at risk

"We've been misquoted by the Telegraph, honey" - Liberal Democrat Cllr Chris Thayne Executive Member for Children

Salary increases for senior officers and cuts in pay for everyone else

"I know nothing babe, it was before my time" - Tory Leader Michael Lee and former Executive Member for Resources

I know others who have attended meeting at the Council recently share our frustration too as members of the public are treated rudely and disdainfully when they raise concerns at Executive Boards and Council forums.

If it's any comfort however, history tells us that once people get conned they are much more careful the next time someone tries to sell them something dodgy. That though helps me remember that the day of reckoning isn't that far off before our friends controlling the Council will get their collars felt and told by the electorate that the game is up and they don't want to buy their mixed brand of politics anymore.

*These aren't direct quotes, obviously. But I think it's fair to say these sum up the attitude of Executive members.

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Griffin Park School: not a Grade II listed Victorian mansion!

You've got to laugh sometimes when you're at the Council meeting.  The answers that members of the ruling coalition give to those tabled by Labour members vary from complete avoidance to the utterly bizarre.  More than once I've been on the end of Exec members trying to dodge questions - usually Salim Lorgat, Executive Member for Housing; however, last week's meeting beats them all.

Under the report for Culture, Leisure and Sport like my fellow ward Councillors in Mill Hill, Malcolm Doherty and Jim Smith, I was keen to comment on the success of last years' Mill Hill Festival and how many people believe that Arts in the Park should be brought back.  This was supported by many other Councillors.

Following on from this question I asked about the future of Griffin Lodge, a Grade II listed building situated in the middle of Griffin Park which the Council owns and which has been vacant and semi-derelict for the past four years.  The listed building's use has been under review and it is the subject of repeated and worsening vandalism.

Tory candidate Law-Riding was somewhat confused

In spite of the fact that this large Victorian mansion used to be occupied by the County Museum Service restoration department, when asked the question about its future Cllr Law-Riding - who is standing to be Blackburn's next MP - confused the listed building with Griffin Park School.

Bizarrely - and to the chuckles of everyone in the Council chamber - he stated that he thought 'it is an issue for the Executive Member for Childrens Services'.  Later in the evening Cllr Thayne (Childrens Services) took some pleasure in batting the issue back, having been advised by his officer that it is nothing to do with his portfolio.

It's nice to know that Cllr Law-Riding has a grip of his department!

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UPDATE: This news report has been running all day on local radio

Despite CCHQ pleading with him not to talk to the press, the BNP's Nick Holt is now spilling the beans to anyone who will listen on the approach made by the Conservatives to stand him as a council candidate in Darwen, Lancashire.

Jake Berry is the Conservatives' prospective parliamentary candidate (PPC) for the constituency of Rossendale and Darwen. Like all the local Tories, Jake has been curiously silent on this issue. Now we know why!

Guess who attended a key election strategy meeting last month with BNP man Nick Holt and the Darwen Conservative high command?

© UPPA/Photoshot

The answer is Tory Westminster candidate Jake Berry, pictured here with David Cameron! UPDATE: Jake's election agent has just rung making legal noises about the copyright of the Berry/Cameron photo (available here). So above is another snap with him looking somewhat grumpy.

Cameron will be holding a town-hall style meeting this evening in the constituency in which Berry plans to become the next member of parliament. The regional and national media will be there.

Source: Swindon Life

Perhaps they will both use this opportunity to distance themselves from this fiasco and the councillors who invited a notorious BNP organiser to stand as an official Conservative candidate?

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David Cameron is visiting Blackburn with Darwen Borough today as well as the constituency of Rossendale and Darwen. These areas overlap the town of Darwen, where theTories shortlisted a local BNP headbanger to stand as an official Conservative candidate. Local radio is reporting that Cameron is "under pressure" to distance himself from the fiasco.

© Alan in Belfast

 The blerb on his 'Cameron Direct' material heralds that he will 'anwer your questions'! We certainly hope that he is better at this than the distinctly cagey Tory leaders at the all-member council meeting in Blackburn town hall last night:

“That is being left with Rossendale and Darwen Conservatives and I therefore cannot comment at the moment.” - Cllr Michael Lee, leader of Blackburn with Darwen Council

“It is being dealt with by the Association and we don't intend to go any further with that.” - Cllr Colin Rigby, council executive member

Looks like Team Cameron have told the local Tories to kick this one into the long grass!

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The local Tories shortlisted one of the North West's most notorious BNP activists as a council candidate. You may have been following developments in the wake of the splash in the local newspaper on Saturday followed up this week by the Daily Mirror and the Morning Star.

The Conservative Party in Darwen is run by the Slater dynasty: mother Cllr Jacqui Slater, her sons Cllr John Slater and party activist Neil Slater with his wife Cllr Julie Slater. Phew!

Guess which "long-standing party member" the BNP's Nick Holt says invited him to stand as an official Conservative Party candidate?

None other than local party linchpin Neil Slater and his wife Cllr Julie Slater (pictured)! And just when you thought this slow-motion car crash couldn't get any worse, look who is coming to visit the Borough tomorrow:

Source: Swindon Life

Neil and Julie, what have you done?!

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The slow-motion car crash Blackburn with Darwen Conservatives have brought on themselves has now gone national on page six of the Daily Mirror this morning:

This isn't the only national newspaper working on this story.

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Except it won't.

Apologies for the lack of posts on this issue. More tomorrow, we promise!

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