It is not every day a vision becomes a reality - and it is plus what you wanted! Today it was though. For many years Stockton has had no volunteer bureau for reasons not to be gone into on a happy day, and I have been determined that we would get one back - one day. It took some doing but I did get it into one of the recommendaitons of the Select Committee group that I chaired 2 years ago that...
The full list is on the Orwell Prize site. Not having bothered to enter this blog (which is clearly not the sort that wins award), I feel I am a member of a far more select group.
The Wardman Wire has the new rankings for all blogs and Subrosa has them for political blogs. Mark Pack will have the new Lib Dem rankings once the Wikio site is updated.
All, The BBC are reporting http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/8493248.stm that the number of people with Alzheimer's Disease in the UK is now over 800,000. What is even more shocking is that the amount speant on research into the disease is only £50 million (the amount speanty on cancer research is around £600 million). Many local people are affected by this illness, either as carers or sufferers. There are, however, local resources to help, such as the Dementia Cafe in Shipston on Stour publicised in the Cotswold Journal. As many of you know I'm a nurse - and while good care can help, what ...
Are your streetlights going off in Taverham ? If Norfolk County Council have their way then 665 streetlights in Taverham (where I live) will be turned off from midnight each night. What amazes me in this is that there are so many more options that Tory run Norfolk County Council have failed to consider but so little consultation with parishes and local people. 1) Why not turn them off from 2am ? People are still returning from pubs, friends, etc at midnight, so why the arbitrary 12pm turn off ? 2) Why not turn every other light off ? It ...
Durham Constabulary has lost more officers, as a percentage of its total, than any other force in the country. Between March 2005 and September 2009 Durham Constabulary lost 193 officers, 11.1% of its 2005 total (1738 down to 1545). All our ward surveys show crime and anti-social behaviour is one of the most important concerns for local residents. With police numbers tumbling in the Durham
[IMG: paul francis] Not knowing or interested by the machinations of regional politics in other parts country, I am however keen, on what goes on in Kent. The reason I post on Kent Council, so often, is with one exception, my view is that Kent news organisations, steer clear of Kent politics, other than bland, non analytical reporting, strangely the BBC (Radio Kent) seems reluctant to cover county politics in any consistent way, Kent on Sunday, this weekend, had rare but rather sycophantic comment referring to KCC's vision of Kent in 2030 "...actually it is an inspirational masterplan...", Kent Regional ...
Tonight, I attended a very interesting and informative meeting of the Harris Academy Parent Council. A detailed overview of the school's extensive preparations for the Curriculum for Excellence was given. Along with Jim Thewliss, Head Teacher, I spoke about the latest developments on the Harris rebuilding/improvements project. Yesterday, the Director of Education gave me the following update on the project : "There will be a site meeting this week with a representative from Historic Scotland to discuss possible options re the listed building issue. There has been no formal meeting with Scottish Futures Trust since the original meeting, but an ...
[IMG: Bury Town Hall] SPEECH TO FULL MEETING OF BURY COUNCIL TONIGHT Mr Mayor,The Liberal Democrat Group put this motion before Council tonight in an attempt to raise an issue in the borough that could ultimately have serious consequences for safety and crime detection in the area and therefore ultimately undermine the Bury Safe partnership. Greater Manchester Police are either heading for or in a crisis depending on your stand point. They are currently heading towards a £5m overspend on their current £560m budget and are in the middle of a radical shake up.Just before Christmas Chief Constable Peter Fahy ...
Liberal Conspiracy has a list of all those Tory blogs who will, if the Tory Party has its way,be offering less in the way of objectivity and more in the way of Tory "spin" during the forthcoming general election campaign. I myself was a regular poster on events during the Norwich North by-election, but at no point did the Lib Dems ask me to post a story on their behalf, rebut a story or become part of any online campaign. I guess those Tory bloggers identified need to question why they blog. I am sure some of them would have ...
The story so far: Labour selects Luciana Berger as their candidate for Liverpool Wavertree, despite the fact that she was also a candidate for the local elections in Camden, London. Labour MP Peter Kilfoyle attacks Luciana Berger's selection. Off the back of her Camden connection, a Liverpool paper decides to put Luciana Berger's Livipudllian credentials to the test; a test that she then fails. And now there are mutterings of discontent over how the selection process was run – because it turns out that during the selection contest she was staying in same house as Jane Kennedy, the retiring MP ...
It's not officially announced until tomorrow, but the embargo has been broken by various news outlets and so I can reveal that I have won the New Councillor of the Year award given by the LGIU. Obviously I'm very very chuffed at the news and want to thank the LGIU very much indeed. Tomorrow I'll be in London at the LGIU's conference (and picking up the award) and so I'll blog more about it then.
Forget the Oscar nominations (although Colin Firth picking up one of the coveted golden statues would be kind of heavenly), Scotland's political bloggers have been waiting with a bit of trepidation for Duncan to reveal the Top Politics blogs as voted for by you, dear readers. I was utterly gobsmacked to be number 7 on the list. I really don't understand it, but I'm not going to ask too many questions, I'm just going to appreciate it. It must be my lucky number because in the Total Politics blogs, I ended up in 7th position for Scotland and Lib Dems ...
He wants to come here and talk about natural law, but strangely omits the yogic flying element, yet sees it fit that we the British tax payer should shell out £20m for the privilege of him telling us we are wrong. Well EasyJet have offered to fly him here for 'nothing', diddly squat, gratis*. So I think we the British public should put our heads together on how Pope Benny can talk to his flock without affecting our economy. May be we should chip together to get him one of these: It would make the new Popemobile cheaper for him ...
The council is proposing to put in crossing points lower down the Wellsway, the other side of the Red Lion Pub"The enhanced pedestrian crossing points are associated with the improved bus route works within the GBBN package, and also as a result of requests from residents living along the Wellsway who use the bus service to travel to and from Bath City Centre."
The infighting, missing money and resignations in Southport Conservative Party have been regularly reported over the last few years on The Voice, though our reports have only covered part (!) of the myriad events. So to keep you updated with the latest round as reported by The Champion: The row over a letter showing infighting within the local Tory group has led to the removal of Jackie Glover as chairman of the Southport Conservative Association. Last week The Champion reported on a leaked letter from Ken Porter, the husband of the Tory Parliamentary hopeful, Mrs Porter, to councillor Tom Glover ...
We have had back the speed counts for Old Fosse RoadThe morning peak speeds on Sunday were high than the rest of the week (lighter traffic) and were as follows;South boundAM peak 34.6 mph PM peak 29.5 mphNorth boundAM peak 34.4 mph PM peak 28 mphThe rest of the week AM peak for the north and south bound speeds varied (depending on the day)between 25.3 mph and 32.2 mph and PM peak varied between
The council has just told us"Urgent Temporary Road Closure of Midford Road, Bath, between its junction with Wellsway and Kempthorne Lane ( a total of approximately 100 metres) will be in place from Monday morning 8th February 2010 for approximately 5 days. The closure is to accommodate works required for the pedestrian crossing point enhancements currently underway."
Kent day, what the hell is Kent day, you might well ask well that's what the telephone operator at KCC called the authorities latest give away. Let me explain trawling through my email inbox for things I'd missed, ignored, etc. a regular source had pointed out that their child's school would be closed for an additional day this summer. The reason apparently all Staff employed by KCC will be given an additional day off, the reasons are none too clear, since no surprise Kent press office were unable or unwilling to expand on this day off which I calculate will ...
It is official as of lunchtime, Sulis Meadows is finally adopted
This first appeared on the PRSD website HERE. To visit the front page of the PRSD website, click HERE. The Government is "wasting millions" on chauffeur-driven cars for Labour ministers while Plymouth councillors face a multi-million pound black hole in the council's finances. Plymouth city council needs to close a funding gap of between £10 million and £14 million in the next financial year. With time running out, local people are braced for redundancies amongst council staff and cuts in services to local people. At the same time, the latest official figures show that £6.3 million was ...
This first appeared on the PRSD website HERE. To visit the front page of the PRSD website, click HERE. The Government is "wasting millions" on chauffeur-driven cars for Labour ministers while Plymouth councillors face a multi-million pound black hole in the council's finances. Plymouth city council needs to close a funding gap of between £10 million and £14 million in the next financial year. With time running out, local people are braced for redundancies amongst council staff and cuts in services to local people. At the same time, the latest official figures show that £6.3 million was ...
It is fifty years now since PM Harold Macmillan, at a speech in Cape Town, said, "The wind of change is blowing through this continent. Whether we like it or not, this growth of national consciousness is a political fact". This speech at the time, and since, has always been used as an example of the pragmatic attitude of the "modern" Conservative party. For me however, the key phrase is "Whether we like it or not", of course, we like it! Amandla!
The local Neighbourhood Policing team have recorded a video to update residents and businesses of the Jewellery Quarter on their priorities and recent action. This video report is a positive step in the right direction, opening up lines of communications between the police and residents. I'm especially pleased to see the action taken on traffic and in particular one-way streets. Those living in the Jewellery Quarter and readers of my last FOCUS will know it's a big issue around here. There's still plenty of work to do in this area, but it's good to know a start has been made. ...
Wed 3rd
18:45
The Lib Dems and the 2010 general election ... 'The future's bright, the future's gold.'
I have an article published in the January edition of the Government Gazette, the monthly magazine of the Centre for Parliamentary Studies, looking at the Lib Dems' prospects for the coming general election. Here's what I say ... A missed opportunity. That was the consensus, inside and outside the Liberal Democrats, on the party's general election results in 2005. The disappointment was the greater as realisation dawned that the unique set of circumstances of that election - an unpopular government and an even more unpopular opposition - might never again be repeated. What could have been the Lib Dems' breakthrough ...
Wed 3rd
18:45
The Lib Dems and the 2010 general election ... 'The future's bright, the future's gold.'
I have an article published in the January edition of the Government Gazette, the monthly magazine of the Centre for Parliamentary Studies, looking at the Lib Dems' prospects for the coming general election. Here's what I say ... A missed opportunity. That was the consensus, inside and outside the Liberal Democrats, on the party's general election results in 2005. The disappointment was the greater as realisation dawned that the unique set of circumstances of that election - an unpopular government and an even more unpopular opposition - might never again be repeated. What could have been the Lib Dems' breakthrough ...
The latest "House of Comments" podcast with myself and Stuart Sharpe of the Sharpe's Opinion political blog is now live. The website for the podcasts is here and the twelfth episode which we recorded on Tuesday 2nd Feb is available to download via this page here (raw mp3 file here if you prefer). You can subscribe to the podcast via iTunes here. Or you can listen to it right now here: The format is to invite one or two other political bloggers each week and discuss a few of the stories that are making waves in the blogosphere. This week ...
Oops! It appears that Nigel Griffiths has mailed out a 2010 calendar to the constituents of Edinburgh South which only arrived on Monday, hours after he announced he was resigning. On it he claims he is "Here to help you 365 days a year". Firstly the first first 31 were clearly not important enough so only 11 months of the calendar are of us. Plus in April when Gordon is expected to dissolve Parliament Nigel will only be here for you if you lucky enough to be enrolled at the international educational establishment he is heading off to in London. ...
It appears to me after the recent revelations about John Terry's private life and after his super injunction failed that an injunction can make things worse for the subject in question. The Newspapers have now really got it in for him perhaps because they were gagged. It just builds up a torrent of anger. When unleashed which is much worse than letting the story come out. Its like cutting your nose off to spite your face. Also look at the Trafigura affair. I think that would of gone almost unnoticed if it wasn't for the super injunction. Where social media ...
What indeed: [IMG: Citation list of the week: but what about Raman et al?]
Councillor Neville Summerfield, the Cabinet member for Regeneration, has responded to my request for clarification about the proposed Acocks Green Conservation Area by going public on the issue in yesterday's Full Council Meeting. He gave a state of play of all the Conservation Areas in development in the City and promised that Acocks Green is indeed in the workplan and will be developed when resources allow. So timing remains the issue. Clearly the original aim of starting work on the scheme in 6 months (from last November) was over ambitious. With the Head of Conservation retiring at the end of ...
It's now snowing fairly hard, and I've received this information about public transport in Greater Manchester. I'll post more details as they come in. Public Transport Information Alert 3 February 2010 Possible weather-related travel disruption GMPTE is advising passengers that sleet and snow forecast in Greater Manchester this afternoon could have an impact on travel services. Current forecasts indicate that up to 5cm of snow may fall on lower ground and up to 8cm in higher areas of Greater Manchester during the afternoon and early evening. This could result in delays across the public transport network. For example, it is ...
Which is most likely and scary: inflation, a debt crisis, a double-dip, or a collapse in our economic potential?
Scottish Budget 2010 - from Tavish Scott MSP At the end of the Scottish Budget process for 2010 it is worth remarking on some points. Today the Scottish Liberal Democrats have achieved changes to Scottish Government programmes that reflect our priorities. The changes are the ones that we started this whole process campaigning on. We stuck to the issues. We have developed thoroughly researched proposals that help to build a fairer society and a sustainable economy. There have been substantial changes to the Scottish Budget as a result of the work of the Scottish Liberal Democrats. Our research demonstrated that, ...
"Avatar" is on my list of all time favourite films. I don't think it's the greatest film ever made, and to be honest I wasn't very taken with the 3D effects. But you don't need 3D to be immersive.There's been a lot of stuff around in education recently about immersive worlds and what they can or can't do for education. The less reflective writing tends to assume that places like Second Life are unproblematically immersive and other environments are equally unproblematically not immersive. But SL isn't immersive if it doesn't engage you. You can be there, and your avatar can ...
The man who developed techniques for DNA fingerprinting and DNA profiling has spoken out against the government for wanting to retain DNA profiles of innocent people on the UK's national database. According to Lobbydog Sir Alec Jeffreys, who was speaking at a Home affairs select committee said "If my DNA were to be put on the database I would object profoundly against that," "What advantage is it to me, as an entirely blameless citizen? The best outcome is that my DNA would sit there cluttering up a fridge and that my DNA profile would sit there cluttering up the database. ...
Wondering what I think of Labour's plans for a referendum on electoral reform? Well wonder no longer! The alternative vote is a small but significant step forward in the ongoing campaign for a fair electoral system fit for the 21st century. On a good day. Maybe. ... If Brown's system of choice bores campaigners, what hope is ...
"His efforts will be graded daily by the pundits, and polls will be thrown around as evidence of progress or setbacks, but he will keep the ship steady, focused on achieving an end result that will improve the lives of Americans. Without this discipline and long-range focus, change would be impossible to bring about in ...
While I'm on the subject of buses, please do sign the petition to extend the 63 bus route from it's current terminus at Honor Oak-Forest Hill Tavern over the hill to Honor Oak Park station and Brockley Rise. There's also a facebook group on the campaign, which is being run by our colleagues at Peckham ...
By ignoring reform of the House of Lords, George Brown's recent announcement of a referendum on replacing the first past the post system for the House of Commons does not go far enough. Whilst I personally believe that there should continue to be a strong link between constituencies and their MP, voters need to be appropriately represented in parliament. Brown's proposed Alternative Vote has some strong merits. In Angus, Mike Weir MP was elected with only 33.7% of the vote, so twice as many voters voted against him than for him. Alternative Vote ensures that MPs will have the backing ...
The Conservatives running Bury Town Hall plan to introduce parking charges for the car park on Fairfax Road in Prestwich. The proposed new charges, which have not yet officially been announced but which I have learned about from a source close to the Council, are planned to come into force in the new financial year, and are included in the budget which is to be presented to Council in a couple of weeks. Charges will run until 3pm, meaning that morning and lunchtime shoppers will have to pay to use a car park that was free to use until now. ...
The Guardian continues its coverage of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Changes ongoing woes. It also carries an interview with Conservative leader of Barnet Council Mike Freer and his "easyCouncil" model (as a Barnet resident, I was interested to see that my council tax was spent on clearing up all the grit on the pavement on Monday and putting back more grit on Tuesday – value for money FTW!). The Tories have been attacked for publishing misleading crime statistics in such a way that makes a couple of cock ups by the IPCC look insignificant. Chris Grayling is unreprentent. And ...
Notice reaches me from TfL and Lewisham Council of two bus route schemes for Honor Oak Park and Sydenham Rise. The object of both is to try and make the buses flow more smoothly on those sections of their routes. We've glad that some of the plans go a little of the way to addressing some ...
Thanks to those who reported the graffiti on the Scholes Field pavillion to me - I've passed it onto the Council. A word of thanks to our Council Area Conditions Officers too: over the last year or so I think we've seen a real decline in graffiti around Cheadle & Gatley, and it comes down to quick action when it appears. Some graffiti is easier to clean off (or paint over) than other bits, but I think it's a battle we're winning.
When I heard the magnitude of the scale of the closures that Tubelines want during their upgrade of the Northern Line I thought they must be taking the you know what! Sixteen months of early evening closures and something like 83 weekends - and we are talking major closures - either the whole caboodle and/or north of Stockwell. They must be bloody mad! I could say 'I told you so' - 'cos I did - endlessly when Labour forced the PPP (private public partnership) on us for the tube. The contract is a nightmare - and now we in North ...
A few weeks back I wrote a fairly run-of-the-mill post summarising two views on whether China will go the same way as Japan. I have to admit I have not initiated this idea – it is fairly unoriginal. Today, my China correspondent, one James Callender, a man who has recommended many fine musical tracks to me, ...
...you're sure of a Lib Dem conference! Well, as much as most students are probably thinking "Oooh, I could go to Wine Street and see the latest in Welsh clubbing cuisine!" or even, "Hmm, I wonder if Swansea's chip shops are really all they're cracked up to be?" or maybe, "Cardiff? Who'd go to Cardiff when you've got Swansea?" For the record, I think you should go to Newport, but I may be biased. Anyway, why go to a Welsh Liberal Democrat Conference, if you are a Welsh Lib Dem student? The simple answer is this: why not? The longer ...
A short film to promote The Spirit Level, the paperback edition of which came out this week: Okay, it ever so slightly over-eggs the pudding, but it is good fun nonetheless. The Social Liberal Forum will be running a joint fringe with the Equality Trust at the Liberal Democrat Spring Conference in March. More details soon.
Clifford Singer of MyDavidCameron, the site which lets you produce spoofs of the Conservative billboard posters such as mine, has written an excellent piece about the lessons he draws from the site's success. His points about humour, the role of Twitter but the much greater importance of the concept, the ups and downs of letting people create their own content and why being jolly worthy isn't enough are all very well made. They are also widely applicable to other internet campaigning. So go and read his post.
The Liberal Democrats have moved a motion to decline a second reading of the Children, Schools and Families Bill. CHILDREN, SCHOOLS AND FAMILIES BILL: Second Reading. [Until 10.00 pm] Mr Nick Clegg Mr David Laws Annette Brooke Stephen Williams Dr Vincent Cable Mr Paul Burstow That this House declines to give a Second Reading to the Children, Schools and Families Bill because it adds hugely to the bureaucratic burdens on schools and colleges without improving real opportunities and educational standards for pupils and without genuinely empowering parents; its proposals for the regulation of home education introduce powers which are excessive and ...
I have uncovered plans by Royal Mail to close Launceston Post Office and move it to a new base outside the town centre. There is a total lack of public consultation and that the likely new location is all but inaccessible to pedestrians. Until a year ago, Launceston had two post offices - in the town centre and at Newport. In addition, there were numerous post office services in the villages around the town. Since the last round of closures, the people of Launceston have had to rely on the main town post office and part time or home services ...
Well, as deathbed conversions go, the sincerity of Labour's move to promote electoral reform is a pretty cynical exercise. Even David Cameron was able to mock at today's Prime Minister's Question Time. I think as Liberal Democrats we can hold ourselves back from the not-particularly-appetising morsel of AV- which is not necessarily fairer than First-Past-the-Post, and is anyway considerably more closed, since it relies on Party lists. A Single Transferable Vote (STV) in multi-member constituencies is what the Lib Dems want: since it retains constituency links, is not reliant on lists, allows non party figures to be elected and allows ...
Cornwall Council has told me the cost of the independent review of councillors allowances - a review whose findings were ignored and the expense of which could have been avoided had a Lib Dem motion to freeze allowances been accepted back in July. In response to a question by me, officers have revealed that the costs included: IRP Panel Members £6,893.16 The other costs are from within existing resources: Staff hours: approx 95 hours (including meetings, preparation, research/analysis, report preparation) Printing/postage costs: minimal as meeting papers circulated electronically to the Panel printing of final IRP report was part of the ...
So after thirteen years in government, during most of which he actively obstructed change, Gordon Brown has suddenly remembered that he is in favour of electoral reform. Forgive me if I don't get too excited. Firstly this is not even a death bed conversion. It is something that is never going to happen. Even if Brown ...
My God, and I thought I was bad. Listen through, very amusing... EMBED-Douchebag Phone Message - Watch more free videos
6) Faith Adiele, Meeting Faith: An Inward Odyssey (New York: Norton, 2004, ISBN 039332673X). This is a great book - a devastatingly honest memoir of the author's time as a foreigner and Buddhist nun in Thailand, with a major focus on the racism and sexism she experienced both there and in the US, but also an interesting and moving account of her spiritual journey. Highly recommended if you're interested in Buddhism, meditation, race and gender issues, or any combination thereof. This entry was cross-posted from Dreamwidth, where there are currently [IMG: comment count unavailable] comment(s). View DW comment(s).
I sort of knew this statistic already, but was quite shocked when working out the actual numbers: Number of murders in the UK: 786 Number of suicides in the UK: 5,706 The proportion of murders which get reported in the media is extremely high compared with nearly all other crimes or forms of death. Many of the reasons for that are understandable, but one risk of giving murders such prominence is that it unbalances public perception of how many people are murdered compared with other crimes or deaths. That in turn effects the issues which politicians speak out about. Having ...
Over at Liberal Conspiracy: Eric Pickles and the CCHQ press team told the bloggers they would be given 7am briefing emails or "talk point memos" during the election campaign which would include the days lines and strategy and rebuttals to Labour attacks.
Yesterday George Osborne - the man who would be Chancellor of the Exchequer (despite no actual expertise in finance, not to mention Treasury finances), stood up in the British Museum and when he spoke the Tory manifesto pledges on the economy and budget deficit etc started to unravel before our very eyes. You may recall that the Conservatives had pledged massive cuts in their first 50 days of Government. For this they were roundly attacked because of the damage such mid-year cut backs would have on the finances of many public sector and voluntary organisations. Now they say they are ...
Sometimes it is possible to give too much information in one's contribution to Plenary questions and debates. Back in the first Assembly there was the famous case of an AM, who no longer sits as such, informing us about his wife's underwear buying preferences. Nick Ramsey's question to the First Minister yesterday was not quite in that league but it was revealing nevertheless: Nick Ramsay: I was pleased that Dai Lloyd asked this question, and I concur with his comments. I was also pleased to hear what the First Minister had to say about the Government's discussions with LINK. The ...
[IMG: image2045501196.jpg] All, With the news this morning that energy bills are expected to rise by 15-20% in the next few years, the need for us to discuss how we use energy in Shipston has never been greater. Transition Shipston & Surrounding Communities are holding an event for local people to discuss local solutions to our rising energy crisis. Everyone is welcome, either to learn about energy saving ideas or to contribute to new initiatives. This might be one of the most important things you go to this year! I reprint their advert below. Regards, Philip Powering Shipston How can ...
"Gordon Brown was one of very few with the power to put the brakes on Tony Blair," said the Liberal Democrat Shadow Foreign Secretary.
Section 44 of the Terrorism Act gives the police the right to stop and search people who are taking photos in public places. Well, there I was next to the Churchill statue in Parliament Sq this morning, waiting for some MPs and candidates to turn up and have their pictures taken when I found a policeman standing next to me. I was actually working on my blackberry at that point. Anyway, he asked
This first appeared on the PRSD website HERE. To visit the front page of the PRSD website, click HERE. I love travelling by train. With our region's countryside and landscape out the window as the train snakes its way towards its destination, it's a joy. In South Devon of course we have that beautiful stretch of track running alongside the sea. All very lovely. With all that to distract me, I'm not the kind of guy who looks around wanting to strike up conversation with anyone who makes eye contact. I'll usually be found reading or writing something, hoping for ...
Latest speaker (author Chapter 9) is v. Amusing & has effectively proven that there's hardly ANY public sector wage premium, when you adjust for education & job type. You can't compare neurosurgeons to waiters! Plus – we have taken on 200,000 bankers in the last 2 years! V critical of Economist 'Leviathan' article. But PS pensions significantly ...
The report to the Communities and Neighbourhoods Committee yesterday revealed that Chorlton has the second highest number of defective gullies in the City! Out of the 3,200 gullies in Chorlton, 560 are defective and 237 have not been attended to by the Council. Many Chorlton residents have complained to me about the atrocious state of gullies along their Road. The Council simply isn't doing enough to prevent blockages which cause problems for local residents. Many gullies have not been properly cleared or jetted by the Council; as a result they have become blocked and consequently can flood. This makes it ...
At Prime Ministers question time today I raised the issue of cancellation of bus services. I referred to the No 41 bus which was cancelled at the weekend.Bus services are being cancelled all over the country because we don't have the same system for bus management outside London that exists in London.I asked the Prime Minister why we could not have the same system (Sector Tendering) outside
When I showed up at Aberdeen University as a nervous first year student, coming from a place where traffic lights were only a theory, one of the first people I met was a Liberal SRC member called Dan Falchikov. He was really welcoming and friendly and always happy to help. He was very funny too and invaluable support as I made my first forays into student politics. I lost touch with him over the years, although we ended up on the same Training for Trainers course about 12 years ago and I keep up with his news via his dad, ...
Following an up earlier posting, here is the answer to a Question on this issue: KosovoQuestionAsked by Lord Avebury To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they will take to assist the World Health Organisation's campaign to shut down the lead-contaminated camps at Osterode and Cesmin Lug in Kosovo, and to resettle the Roma inhabitants on uncontaminated land. [HL1645] The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead): The Government are fully supportive of, and committed to, the international effort towards the closure of the lead contaminated camps at Cesmin Lug/Cesmin Llug and Osterode, and the successful ...
This morning's Today programme provided another of those 'mustn't miss' moments, as presenter Evan Davis took the Conservatives' Shadow Home Secretary Chris Grayling to task over the party's misleading use of crime statistics. Last week Mark Easton, the BBC's Home Affairs editor, had asked 'Are the Tories being honest with their claims on violent crime': Last week, David Cameron told me that one reason he could justify the phrase "broken society" was because of "significant" increases in violent crime, notably gun and knife crime in Britain. When I challenged him to produce the evidence, his party press office sent the ...
Manchester Lib Dems have successfully campaigned to freeze Council Tax next Year, despite Labour previously opposing plans. Chorlton campaigner, Victor Chamberlain said "This is excellent news, I believe Manchester residents should not have to worry about a rise in their Council Tax next year whilst we continue to fight the effects of the recession in the city. This move will put more money back into local people's pockets" Cllr Paul Ankers said: "This is great news, the Council needs to be much more careful about how they spend tax payers' money"
Today's somewhat belated instalment of my series on what the Liberal Democrats stand for moves on to Liberty in Love and Liberty, a 1999 booklet exploring my own Liberalism. From Locke in 1689 to the Liberal Democrat Constitution (and headed by my favourite home-made Lib Dem slogan), I summarise the Liberal view of the state - why it's necessary, but why it also has to be kept in check. What should be the balance between Liberalism's different values, or between the power of the state and everyone else? And what was Conrad Russell's simplest statement of what Liberalism's there for? ...
Last night Eric Joyce asked on Twitter, "AV [Alternative Vote] Voting. Any thoughts?" so I had a little debate with him about how it was change not reform etc. How it still gave too much power to the parties and not enough to the people. he went strangely silent on me when I asked. "Why now? It was discussed pre-1997 by the Blair-Ashdown negotiations. Why wait 13 years?". I take it Eric's silence adds strength to the argument that Gordon Brown is proposing this now as a political expedient not out of any real commitment. Indeed in this morning's Scotsman ...
Conrwall Council's Conservative led administration is planning to slash at least 1500 council jobs and the services they provide, Deputy Leader Jim Currie has admitted. But a think tank believes that the cuts will be more like 3500 jobs. The full story is on the BBC website and the interview was on Radio Cornwall this morning. Whilst I believe that there are back office functions that can be cut within the council, to lose 3500 staff (or even 1500 if Mr Currie is right) will mean swingeing cuts to front line services. My question to the Conservatives therefore is: Will ...
LOCAL LIB DEMS PRESS FCC TOP MANAGEMENT ON COMPENSATION - FCC agree to additional Meet The Managers meeting at Harpenden Local Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidates Sandy Walkington for St Albans and Nigel Quinton for Hitchin & Harpenden joined senior Liberal Democrat MPs at Westminster yesterday for a private meeting with FCC top management, Mary Grant and Neal Lawson. Sandy Walkington used the meeting to communicate the complete dissatisfaction of local travellers with the proposed compensation scheme, and particularly the inadequacy and complexity of the so-called Delay Repay. Nigel Quinton successfully requested that FCC hold a Meet the Managers session at ...
I am at home waiting for the man to come to look at my central heating. I think I just need a new timer, but I can't have the fire on in case he does need to look at the back boiler. While I am waiting I thought I would have a go at live blogging prime minister's questions. I am promised the gas man will be here some time after noon. Trying to live blog PMQs should ensure that he comes in the middle of it. Scroll down for my latest comments The Daily Politics is talking about the ...
Simon Hayes of Barclays: "A sovereign debt crisis is not the elephant in the room. Maybe it's the Yak in the room." IFS expects higher tax revenue than PBR 2009. Also the government is UNDERSPENDING by billions. Added together we have a deficit £10bn lower! First good news all day! Apart from the yak. If the economy ...
Last month, a report went to the City Council's Leisure and Communities Committee proposing changes to the opening hours of Dundee libraries. The effect on Blackness Library is given below (to take effect from 5th April 2010): I have written to the Council's Head of Libraries asking for details of library usage between 5pm and 7pm on Mondays to Wednesdays. Clearly, dropping two of the three late night opening times is a concern, although the slightly earlier opening time will be welcomed. I'd appreciate any feedback from residents on this matter - library@frasermacpherson.org.uk. Many thanks.
There has been a very angry meeting at County Hall today with officers answering questions about the so-called office vision. The anger stems from the lack of information being given to members by officers on the subject. I accept that there should be a strategic review about where our offices are, but am aghast at the lack of information being given to councillors on the subject. An attempt to call-in the original decision was denied by officers and today's meeting was a substitute to allow questions to be asked by ordinary councillors. Unfortunately, officers and the Cabinet member are still ...
This week sees the memorial service for Chris Clarke, former leader of the LGA Liberal Democrat Group He was always Chris. Even when he gained a knighthood in 2005, he was just very occasionally Sir Chris. No pomposity there. I came across Chris first of all as Leader of Somerset County Council and thus someone from one of our most successful counties and regions. He was larger than life at the Local Government Association even before he was successfully elected as Leader of its Liberal Democrat Group. He gave clarity to the Liberal Democrat push within that organisation but also ...
Vince Cable, Treasury Spokesman and Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats, visited Southport Town Hall last Saturday to take questions from local business people about the economy, banks and the recession. "Vince's economic knowledge is second to none," said local MP and Treasury team colleague, Dr John Pugh. "it was great that members of the local business community had a chance to ask their questions. The majority of the concerns raised by those who attended centred around the danger of heading back into recession and also about how the power of the banks can be curbed." Dr Cable was the ...
The Southport Visiter has the story New blow for Southport Conservatives as activists quitFeb 3 2010 by John Siddle, Midweek Visiter 1 2 nextSOUTHPORT'S Conservatives lurched into deeper crisis following the resignation of two of the party's top activists. Retired judge Stuart Fish, chairman of Dukes Ward Conservative Association, has sensationally quit the party, with Michael Hunton stepping down from his role as Kew Ward chairman. Both left following the controversial removal of Jackie Glover as chairman of Southport Conservative Association, after her involvement in an extraordinary spat with Tory election candidate, Brenda Porter and husband, Ken. Read the full ...
I'm sure there are many people in this country who share a name with the UK's newest pollster. To them, I apologise. Angus Reid Strategies are not new to polling. They are an international firm with a very decent reputation in their main market, Canada, where they successfully predicted the last federal election there. They chose to ...
[IMG: scamnesty.jpg] The county council have sited 4 "Scamnesty" bins across the county. The idea is that you put in these bins any suspected scam letters, emails or other approaches. They will be looked through, and investigated where possible with a view to cracking down on this nasty practice which takes somebody in every day. Unfortunately no bin has been sited in Consett, but if you've received anything you want to go into a "scamnesty bin" you can let me have it and I'll put it in the scamnesty bin at County Hall. If you want to know more about ...
Missing the IFS Green Budget for economy nerds must be like living near Woodstock in the 1960s & missing out on Hendrix. Is Robert Chote Hendrix ? R Chote: Current government plans are ALREADY front-loaded. No more cutting in 2010. But parties should not use unavoidable uncertainty as an excuse for inaction. First presentation is about ...
[IMG: Success as Bounds Green Tube gets listed after Lib Dem campaign] Bounds Green Tube Station has been designated a Grade II listed building by the Government, as the result of a two-year campaign by Liberal Democrats and local residents. In July 2008, Cllr John Oakes wrote to English Heritage, requesting that Bounds Green Tube Station be put forward for listing by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport , in order to protect the much-loved local landmark. Cllr Oakes, Liberal Democrat councillor for Bounds Green, comments: "I have long admired our tube station, and the way its Art Deco ...
The link is to a significant story about how the rules of war were rewritten for the Gaza conflict. It did seem obvious at the time that the rules of war which aim to protect civilians were not having a sufficient effect. The reason for this appears to be that the rules of engagement were deliberately changed.Notwithstanding the fact that combatants in gaza would not be wearing a uniform this
This is a social problem I didn't know existed. Apparently some architects can't afford houses in Bournemouth. Shelter has raised the alarm.
I have raised the issue of unreliable bus services in the area with the County Council. Issues include: unpunctuality (even on Sundays when congestion cannot be blamed), infrequency and timetable bunching - where services are set within five or so minutes of each other as bus companies try to take each others' business. The privatisation of bus services by the Conservative Government was a terrible mistake. Bus ridership is rising nationally but only because the increase in ridership in London - which escaped privatisation - outweighs the decrease in the rest of the country. Interestingly, the proposals for the Abbey ...
Last month one of my nieces was diagnosed with autism. I have four nieces and one nephew in total, all five of them wonderful kids. Sasha, my sister's younger daughter had a developmental check-up recently, prompted by a few little things - but mostly a bit of concern that she had not started speaking properly yet (she's two and a half years old). Now, children obviously develop at different speeds and in different ways, including the age at which they'll start to speak fluently. And Sasha has in effect been given a sort of provisional diagnosis, with relatively mild examples ...
Wed 3rd
09:37
Thoughts from the Train: Proportional Representation is for life, not just for St Valentine's Day
The first signs of spring are beginning to appear in Creeting St Peter and, unfortunately, have received something of a frosty reception from Mother Nature. However, as the days lengthen, things are definitely beginning to stir. And yes, that precursor of Spring, St Valentine's Day, is approaching fast, so one shouldn't be surprised if the thoughts of politicians turn to romance. This year, the Liberal Democrats appear to fulfil the role of back-up prom date, who need to be kept sweet in case they're needed. The Conservatives came early, attempting to convince us that they are liberal conservatives, and that ...
Yesterday Don Foster (Shadow Culture, Media and Sport Secretary) kindly gave over some time to talk about his views on the Digital Economy Bill and the line the party is taking. It's a topic we've often covered on The Voice, particularly the question of the balance between carrot and stick in responding to internet piracy. Should the response be making it easier for people to buy legal content and a move to new business models (the carrot) or should it be a crackdown based on the existing copyright rules (the stick)? Don's answer was that the carrot should be tried ...
The Guardian reports on a pledge by Gordon Brown that if re-elected he will serve a full term. Quite how this is meant to persuade people to vote Labour I have not worked out yet.
The reaction to yesterday's events over the vote to trigger a referendum on utilising the Assembly's full powers is predictable but bizarre nevertheless. To recap, all four parties want a referendum but the two opposition parties want to make sure that it can be won and for that reason they do not want it held on election day. It is right that this may be a decision for the future but by the time an order is laid specifying a referendum date it may be too late to reverse the process or lose the opportunity for a generation. That would ...
The school admissions consultation is launched from Monday, 25 January to Monday, 22 March 2010. You can have your say on the Stockport website. The Council have told us that the key proposed changes are: · New admissions criteria proposed - from September 2011 · Holiday dates: Queen's Jubilee - 2012. · Primary In-year admissions - from September 2010: done centrally by Admissions Support & Advice Team. · New closing dates and acceptance of offers for Reception & Year 7 intakes - for September 2011 admissions. · Proposed Increase of Published Admission Number at Stockport School from 185 to 215. ...
The debate on PR has been re-ignited thanks to the Prime Minister's plan to force a Commons vote next week on holding a referendum on scrapping the first-past-the-post election system for MPs. As a supporter of fair votes this is a step in the right direction even if it does fall short of a proportional system. My concern is that the party gets distracted from talking about the issues people care about of late. Last year I posted this regarding constitutions reform Most people are worried about the state of the economy and their jobs, the quality of local schools, ...
Another off-road bike tragedy, this time in Denton. Except, I find my sympathy is more for the other drivers than the young lad who died. Now it's entirely possible that I am wrong about this, if it turns out that the bike was taxed, insured and being driven within its legal loading capacity by a driver who was driving it lawfully and with a proper licence, then the situation is different. However as I am not familiar with many makes of motorbike which are designed to carry two passengers my first assumption is that this bike for various reasons should ...
This week it's Suz Blog with "The no title editon".
It's not very often electoral reform tops the news headlines – which is probably no bad thing. As yesterday was one of those rare occasions, let's see what was being said – Lib Dem bloggers had some differences of opinion: The Futility Monster took the subtle, understated approach with the headline "Stick Your AV Up Your Arse" The problem is that this is purely a gimmick, done purely to ask questions of the Lib Dems. Brown has no history of interest in electoral reform, LibCync, on the other hand, was more positive: I can't believe anyone can seriously suggest that ...
If someone offered to upgrade your shower, but said that you couldn't use it for 82 weekends while the upgrade's being done, would you say yes? Thank you, Gordon Brown, for creating the Public Private Partnership mess that governs London Underground. The Liberal Democrats advocated a bond issue instead, but Gordon knew better, of course. Hence the fiasco of the huge tranche of weekend and evening Northern Line closures announced this week by Tube Lines. I have emailed senior managers at the Northern Line and Tube Lines asking to see Tube Lines' "optioneering" document for its forthcoming work on the ...
"Dictatorship in the name of religion is the worst kind. The most evident manifestation of a continued tyrannical attitude is the abuse of parliament and the judiciary. We have completely lost hope in the judiciary." Those are the words of Mir Hossein Mousavi about the latest round of executions of dissidents opposed to the current Iranian regime. The man who was defeated in last year's controversial Presidential elections has taken a more defiant role in recent days. His nephew was shot in the last major demonstration on 27 December. When Ayatollah Ahmad Janati, a hardline cleric at prayers last Friday ...
Lewisham Council has announced the completion of the purchase of the Catford shopping centre: Lewisham Council has exchanged contracts in a deal that moves the renewal of Catford town centre a major step forward. The deal will see the ownership of freehold and leasehold interests in and around the Catford Centre transfer from current owners, St Modwen ...
Not a headline you would expect to see, but according to the Daily Telegraph Ann Widdecombe is in fact a Labour MP as you can see from the picture. The things people do to avoid admitting they are one of Cameron's Conservatives.
I recently met with Inspector Dave Shaw and Sgt. Tim Harper at Bromsgrove Police station and we covered many topics ranging from crime rate to local cannabis farms but a couple of things stood out: The work the police does with the local housing trust (BDHT), community groups, such as The Trunk and with the community via PACT (Partners and Communities Together) ...
It's not racist to impose limits on immigration. Shame then that it appears there is a culture of racism within the body which imposes limits on immigration. I of course don't use the term 'racist' lightly. A whistleblower has revealed to the Guardian her experience of working at the UK Border Agency in Cardiff. The whistleblower claims: UKBA staff kept a toy gorilla that was placed as a badge of shame on the desk of any officer who approved an asylum applicationAn official tested the claims of boys from African countries who said they had been forcibly conscripted as child ...
Liberal Democrat Shadow Energy and Climate Change Secretary, Simon Hughes said about today's Government announcement of details of its feed-in tariff scheme: "This will disappoint anyone looking to do their bit to contribute towards our energy supply. "Another opportunity has been squandered. While dozens of countries already support home energy generation, Labour's plans are too little too late. "The Government has given in to the nuclear lobby at the expense of community-led power generation. "People who supply green energy should get a better deal if we want to cut energy bills, create green jobs and help cut emissions." Welsh Liberal ...
Commenting on Sir Jock Stirrup's evidence to the Iraq Inquiry, Liberal Democrat Shadow Defence Secretary, Nick Harvey said: " This is yet more evidence that the Government's pursuit of this disastrous war recklessly endangered the lives of our service men and women. "The invasion of Iraq should never have gone ahead. But having done so, the least the Government could have done was ensure that our troops were properly equipped. Instead, they ignored the warnings of military commanders. "Sir Jock Stirrup's comments demonstrate that Labour irresponsibly overstretched our forces and endangered the mission in Afghanistan by trying to fight in ...
Great meeting last night organised by Aidan and Jo at Walnut about 50 people present (including the CNJ) at which we discussed the potential problems both of the "Tesco takeover" and more particular issues such as parking, noise and nuisance and how to object to the alcohol license. We had a comment that we hadn't said on this blog how to object (or as the council calls it "make representations) so we are repeating the info first posted Jan 26th. The reference no is: APP\PREMISES-NEW\000876 Premises name:Tesco Premises address: 37-63 FORTUNE GREEN ROADLONDONNW6 1DR. You can contact Camden's website: www.camden.gov.uk/elicensing ...
Commenting on BBC reports that the Government intends to put forward a referendum on the Alternative Vote for the House of Commons, Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary, Chris Huhne said: "If this is confirmed then it is a deathbed conversion to electoral reform from a party facing an historic defeat, which is why scepticism is warranted. "The Alternative Vote is a small step in the right direction, but it is not a proportional system and it does not give voters real power over both the party and the person elected as MP. "Only the Single Transferable Vote in multi-member seats ...
That's the Stockton we heard about at today's meeting of the Renaissance partnership. Imagine a town with £1 billion of investment planned in the next few years. Imagine the number of jobs and the lives that'll be changed by that. Then think of the hope it's going to bring to young people across the borough to know that there are good jobs for the taking if only they develop their skills
Yesterday's blog wasn't quite about the meaning of life but it was about the value of life. For a change I'll write about my green wheelie bin for garden waste. On the 11th of January I wrote about how Lancaster City Council had told me on their website that the green bin would not be collected on the 6th January. I was really pleased that I could find out this information at the click of a button. It just so happens that my green bin has been full since the day after it was last emptied on the 9th December. ...
Interesting to see Claire Shorts account of the build up to the Iraq war today. To me the war was an illegal one and Blair bears a heavy responsibility for legitimising the agenda of the Bush Administration. The shame about the Iraq enquiry is that the media seems focus all about the legality of the war. Important as it is, it is even more imperative that we learn from it and don't repeat the mistakes. It was a shame to see that Blair thinks there was nothing that he would do different and in fact he would be tempted to ...
Tuesday: First thing, Mr Frown is going to ram voting reform through the Cabinet today and force it down Parliament's throat next week. But being Hard Labour his idea for "fair votes" is actually LESS fair. Second thing, Master Gideon says he'll be bench-pressing the UK into a "new economic model" which looks suspiciously like the OLD economic model of "free-market capitalism with a hint of Government intervention". Third thing, an e-mail from the POWER2010 people pops up saying that their 25,000th contributor has posted his vote for "None of the Above". Funny thing: all these things are TOTALLY interconnected. ...
