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My politics would make a difference says Vance
Reporter: BEATRIZ AYALA and MARINA BERRY
Date online: 04 February 2010
OLDHAM COUNCIL MEETING
VANCE Miller had his first taste of local politics when he attended last night’s meeting — but the controversial businessman left less than impressed and vowed that his own brand of politics would make a real difference to Oldham residents.
The kitchen trader, who is set to sue Oldham Council for damaging his reputation after their case involving his Hathershaw-based firm was thrown out of court, sat in during the meeting to see how council matters were run.
Speaking after the meeting, Mr Miller said: “I came to see exactly what they talked about in this place and discovered that nothing to do with Oldham featured.
“They passed motions but didn’t talk about facts.
“They raised issues about alcohol-related crime being down 27 per cent down in Yorkshire Street but no one bothered to see if businesses are down.
“Then one councillor said he saw 10 drunk yobs on the streets. They just talked and didn’t resolve any issues.
“Politicians need to address why young people are drinking and sort it out, get right to the heart of the problem and deal with it. They haven’t got a clue in there.”
When asked whether he was considering stepping into politics, Mr Miller said it was something he would consider in the future but did not have the time as he was busy running his business.
He admitted that he was aware of a Facebook campaign to get him elected as the Mayor of Oldham.
And he was adamant he would get the best for Oldham residents if voted in.
Mr Miller, from Ramsbottom, said: “I came tonight because I wanted to see the people who get £100m every year. But you don’t see the result of it.
“This is the only town in the country where people say it is a s***hole. There is nothing here.
“I can make the people happy with all that money, we want a hospital that works, police force that works, roads which aren’t potholed, parks, something for the old folks. I would want to get to the position of MP, to get the best for the most people.
“The only people who won’t vote for me are the people who are trying to keep things as they are.”
“The people at the top need to have their feet on the ground, but at the council meeting, I didn’t see people who have ever had their feet on the ground.”
The controversial figure is set to feature in an episode of the BBC One consumer show “Rogue Traders” on Wednesday which he said would cost his kitchen business £1m and see turnover cut by half in the month that followed.
Wrong time and place for trial questions
QUESTIONS about the collapsed Vance Miller trail, which was taken to court by Oldham Council’s Trading Standards department but thrown out after 17 weeks, were raised during the meeting.
Since the trial collapsed, which could cost Oldham taxpayers £5m, an independent inquiry has been launched.
Opposition leader Councillor Jim Mc Mahon and Councillor Steven Bashforth asked a series of questions to council leader Howard Sykes, including who approved the course of action taken and whether the council was fully covered for any claims.
He also asked how Oldhamers could have confidence in an investigation when its terms of reference were agreed behind closed doors.
Councillor Sykes said it was vital that the review stayed free from political involvement so it would be inappropriate for councillors to examine the terms of reference.
He said the council had appropriate insurance and council chief executive Charlie Parker would brief group leaders in relation to matters.
Comments
Mr Vance brings up a good point abbout questionining whether business has dropped off. ASB also drops in bad weather (snowball hooliganism excepted!)
sounds like mr miller is singing from the same song book as me! all we want from our council are the services and infrastructure we expect for out council tax we pay.
but we see very little and it gets wasted on silly pointless things that give little benefits to a handfull!
Vance, i think you probably could make a better place of Oldham, you have a fighting spirit. Unfortunately your past is not all it could be, which is a shame. No doubt you would knock some of the clowns heads together and get Oldham back where it needs to be. Its nothing short of a scandal how this town is run. The current mp's only worry about how much salary etc they can squeeze out of the system.
Last night I logged onto the live Oldham council minutes. I was shocked - discussions about bank penalty charges, log book loans, nat. defence medal, & the ashes to move back to the NW.
When it came to pot holes & the Vance Miller questions there were no answers and they ran out of time! a promise for written answers.
Absolutely stunning, no wonder Oldham is in a mess
Dear Vance,if you really believe that 'this is the only town in the country that people think is a ****hole' then you really have lost the plot!
Your politics Mr Miller?
I wouldn't let you sell me a used car, never name a new kitchen.
I think if you had bought a kitchen from this person you would think differently
Its about time that we had a straight talker like Vance Miller to run Oldham.Lets face it how could he do any worse.£5m,the "might" of Oldham council and the biggest vendetta ever and who won Vance Miller did.Hes allready proved that hes a lot smarter than them so rather than fighting against Oldham council perhaps we should let him fight for Oldhamers.Im sure that Oldhamers would benefit from Vances fighting spirit in any debate.HE DIDNT EVEN NEED A BARRISTER IN COURT AND HE BEAT THEM.
Whether you believe in Vance or not the council cold not be a bigger shambles if it was run by small trained monkeys so why not look at someone like Vance who at least has had enough experiences in his life to be well rounded i.e. can at least have an understanding of people from a wide variety of backgrounds. There is no point a group of portly local elderly people sitting around looking for solutions to problems they have or experience or grasp of. Good luck Vance with business or politics.
The reason I wouldn't vote for Miller is not because I want to keep things as they are, but because I won't knowingly vote for a criminal.
“Politicians need to address why young people are drinking and sort it out, get right to the heart of the problem and deal with it."
Its called drinking your sorrows away because the money that we don't have gets spent on things we don't need...please Vance sort Oldham out it seems like you're the only one who cares.
i'm young chap, and i don't go out drinking in oldham anymore because i prefer to drink in my post office cheers tony allen! who would want to go out to have a good night in a que, open your eyes councillors its not cricket!
I think Miller's past is an assett for the role of MP, how many of those chosen to represent us haven't got a clue about the plight of the average working family nowadays? I hope the Council is bought to book for the disgraceful waste of money spent on one of its officers personal vendetta against Mr Miller and I look forward to the day that Vance does enter the ring of politics and gives this town the leadership it so direly needs
Vance didn't beat the council, he didn't need to do anything, it was the councils totally inability to do a decent investigation that won his case.
Local elections are only a few months away, I would urge the voters of Oldham to make their feelings known by making sure the people who have got Oldham into such a mess are not re elected. it is time council officials realised that they are supposed to represent the people who have elected them, instead of using their position to fund personal vendettas. Vance Miller will say it like it is, he doesn't say what people want to hear, even if this makes him unpopular with some people.
Vance Miller has been proven innocent and this seems to be being forgotten. Not just this trial but the one about his quads aswell (both i believe prosecutions by oldham trading standards) So why on earth could he not be on the council. He would probably at least take some action rather than sitting in an office spending our money. I say get behind him and join the group on facebook that wants to see him as mayor of oldham.
Every town needs somebody like Vance Miller on the council, perhaps then our council tax would be spent on important things like bin collections, street cleaning, education, repairing the roads and looking after the elderly and infirm instead of being wasted on pointless court cases - Vote for Vance !!!!!
Typical "playing to the crowd" behaviour and playing loose with the facts. Most of the things the council spends money on, Managers, "racism" training, diversity officers is because of national laws and totally outside the control of the council. "The only town where people call it a s***hole" ? What planet are you on Vance? The current lot are incompetant and useless whereas Miller would be downright dangerous.
Peterd, you seem to have forgotton Millers' stretch in strangeways quite quickly. He is a convicted criminal that spent time in prison. Model citizen huh?
being an oldham tax payer all my life i would be alot happier for all my future taxes being paid directly to mr miller because he seems like the rest of us oldham folks, we want to see things getting better and that won't happen with the council spending everything they have to get rid of mr miller.....WHY!!!!
It's about time we had someone involved in politics that tells it as it is.
And for those who bemoan his criminal record, its in the past an it goes to show he lives in the real world and not the sheltered world of most of our current politicians. I would certainly rather a politician that understands life and people in the real world with a record than someone oxbridge educated who has never even stepped out of their ideal suburbian detached perfect world.
Miller takes his cue from his best buddy Elwyn Watkins, who is standing for the Lib Dems in Oldham East & Saddleworth.
No wonder Sykes is staying well out of things, his council cabinet failed abjectly to hold Parker and his useless bunch to account. Systematic failure of both sides to stop this farce going as fra as it did. Tony Allen is being made the fall guy, when it should be higher up on both sides.
why would anyone trust him
to be an mp or a local counsillor
i would not
Have Your Say
I don’t think Mr Miller was at the same meeting as your reporter there are at least six items relating to Oldham in your paper have a read vince
By Barros @ 04/02/2010 12:34:24