Who cares it’s the council’s 40th anniversary?

Now whether or not one agrees with Coun. David Whipp’s notion of this being a Mars bar-like slogan – and you have to admit he does have a point – there was something else hidden away in the report to the meeting, almost as a throw away line, that caught Mr Pendle’s eye.

This said part of the initiative was a celebration of the 40th anniversary of the council, for which a programme of events is being drawn up.

Now call Mr Pendle a cynic if you wish, but do the powers that be in Nelson Town Hall think anyone outside their inner circle is remotely interested in this anniversary, let alone celebrating it?

They might consider it as a special occasion, but ask the ordinary man and woman in the street if they know it is 40 years since the council was set up and their reaction is likely to be: “So what?”

Mr Pendle is not privy to what is in the programme of events – a black tie dinner and an exhibition of council memorabilia are two which automatically come to mind.

But he feels sure the reaction of the ordinary council tax payer will be lukewarm at best – and rather than waste time and money celebrating something that 99.9% of people want no part of, he would advise them to note the anniversary and get on with what they were elected to do without all the razzamatazz of pointless celebrations.