Local Services and Businesses

What Is Happening?

 

Lancashire County Council is in huge debt, the daily interest rates are colossal.

To balance the books, they’re planning huge cuts. That means cuts to the services we rely on and need.

 

Why Has This Happened?

 

For years, the two main political parties have mismanaged our country, our county and our area, leaving our economy and services in a mess.

Only Reform UK stand a chance of getting us out of it. This is why I’m standing for Reform UK. Things are going to get worse, and fast.

Now, more than ever, we need a County Councillor at County Hall, who will represent the people in Padiham and Burnley, and make it about the people who live here. We need someone with the experience, skills and will to make changes.

Since the last election, our current County Councillor, Alan Hosker, only turned up to 44% of Lancashire County Council meetings he was expected at. The voice and the vote of the people of Padiham and Burnley has gone mostly unheard, for years. Our tax money (close to £60k in allowances, plus expenses) has gone to waste paying him to not even turn up half of the time. If you didn’t turn up for your job more than half of the time, you’d be sacked!

Years of Labour and Tory politicians have talked a good game, some have even shown up to vote more than half the time and actually cared, but they have all failed to turn things around.

 

What I Will Do

 

When I used to work in procurement at Lancashire County Council, I saw so much waste of taxpayer money that it knocked me sick.

For every pound I saw wasted, millions of them, I pictured all the local, honest people I knew. I knew they worked hard to pay their taxes and, in many cases, just to make ends meet. I knew that if they saw how their tax money was being wasted, and the attitudes of those whose job it was to make sure it wasn’t,  they would feel sick too.

The politicians would swan in, acting like the big cheeses, impressed with their own importance. I’d watch their campaigns to convince their local people that they were doing a good job for them, just to get their votes, while things only got worse.

I remember speaking to my boss about it, who was one of the good guys working against the grain to stop the waste. He advised me to go into business and learn the skills needed to go back to County Hall and make the changes that are needed. That is exactly what I’ve done. Since then, things have gotten even worse.

I will act and act fast, finding and cutting waste, improving processes, driving the accountability and change we need.

I will be transparent with the public, sharing everything I find and do and asking for your input into every decision. County Councillors represent you, not themselves, it’s about what you want done with your money.

Lancashire’s massive debts will be paid not only by us, but by our children and by our grandchildren. For too long we have kicked the can to the next generation. The buck needs to stop with us. If you think services have got worse in your life and we’re getting less value for money, the decline and cost will be felt even more by our children. At this rate, what will even be left for our grandchildren?

For local businesses, I will engage with all of them, listen to what they need and use my position, skills, experience and professional network to help them grow, bringing more money into the local economy and creating better jobs.

We have a lot of good local businesses already, with a little bit of support and engagement from Lancashire County Council they can thrive even more. That requires someone talking to them, listening to what they need and delivering it, not just turning up for a photo opportunity.

For too long we’ve had politicians who lack the experience to really make a difference, or who even show up. The UK needs Reform. Lancashire needs Reform. Padiham & Burnley West needs Reform.

 

What can you do?

 

I want to hear from the people of Padiham and Burnley West, to find out what you need. Get in touch with me, or join my Facebook Group and page for updates and discussion.

Facebook Group – https://www.facebook.com/groups/tompickupburnley/

Facebook Page – https://www.facebook.com/tompickupburnley/

Contact me directly – https://tompickup.com/contact/