As some of you will know, I am now the remote Chair of Creeting St Peter Parish Council, in that I don't live there any more. And you aren't alone in wondering whether or not this is a good idea. There is, I suspect, every possibility that you come across as the Parish Council equivalent of a colonial administrator, without any real skin in the game. I've been conscious of that all along, and am entirely up front about being willing to go should Council conclude that the arrangement doesn't work for them or for the residents of Creeting St ...
Panorama Report: Crumbling schools left in the cold Lucy Frazer: Attack on BBC a desperate distraction New: Met Police Officer numbers fall again Panorama Report: Crumbling schools left in the cold Responding to the BBC Panorama report which revealed that crumbling schools are plagued by leaks and the cold, Liberal Democrat Education Spokesperson Munira Wilson MP said: Thousands and thousands of school buildings across the country are in dire need of investment after years of neglect from this Conservative government. The lack of Government action is shockingly leaving children in extremely cold classrooms having to wear gloves and hats while ...
Saturday's Independent had an interview with Christopher Eccleston by Helen Brown: Eccleston has also turned down roles that he feels patronise working-class people. He's described his own supportive parents - his father Ronnie was a forklift truck driver and his mother Elsie a cleaner - as his "biggest break", and tells me he's "tired of seeing working-class parents portrayed as being vehemently against their kids going into the arts. What was that f***ing ballet film everyone went mad for?" Billy Elliot? "Yeah! I was offered a meeting to play the father. But I said I'm not going to do that, ...
This is lovely. Ella Ravilious takes us on a personal journey through her grandfather Eric's life. She explores the techniques Eric Ravilious learnt and mastered, his influential creative connections, the artists and designers he admired and studied, his favourite subjects to depict, the landscapes he loved and the adventures he had as an official war artist in World War II. Ella Ravilious works as a curator at the Victoria and Albert Museum.
A shocking story from Harborough FM: An investigation has been launched after an otter found seriously injured in Little Bowden died. It had been caught by a snare, which caused a deep wound and was still attached to its body. Staff from Leicestershire Wildlife Hospital in Kibworth took the wild mammal to a vet, but it had to put to sleep because of the serious nature of its injuries. Police and the RSPCA are investigating the incident, as otters are a protected species and there are strict rules governing the use of snares. The Harborough FM report has interviews with ...
The antics of that wonderful radio comedy "The Navy Lark" appear to have been re-enacted in real life in the Gulf last week. Royal Navy minehunter HMS Chiddingfold sailed backwards into HMS Bangor because a "wiring error" in the former meant that pressing the full-ahead lever caused it go full astern. The ship had recently been inspected by the Maritime Capability, Trials and Assessment team. Grant Shapps, the defence secretary claims that the incident "does not reflect incompetence." ( Royal navy warships crashed after 'faulty wiring,' Guardian 22January.) The incident adds embarrassing (and presumably expensive) credence to the view of ...
Hello, dear readers, and we meet again for another episode of the costume drama that is the House of Lords. And this week, it's a "Rwanda week" even though the Rwanda Bill only received its formal First Reading on Thursday and isn't due back until next Tuesday. Even a relatively keen observer like myself is often surprised by the working of the Lords and, this week, the International Agreements Committee takes centre stage. I suppose, having thought about it, that any Parliamentary chamber would want to take a close look at international agreements signed in its name, and the House ...
GP funding slashed by £350 million since 2019 as patients left waiting weeks for an appointment Funding for GP practices has seen a £350 million real terms cut in just four years Average funding per GP patient has fallen by 7% in real terms to £165 a year, while worst hit areas have seen funding per patient slashed by 16% 1.5 million patients waited four weeks or more for an appointment in November Lib Dems warn it is "unforgivable" the government is slashing GP funding at time of rising demand Funding for GP practices has been slashed by £350 million ...
The Guardian reports that Rishi Sunak is facing further attacks on his plans to expand oil and gas exploration in the North Sea this week. The paper says that the Offshore Petroleum Licensing Bill, which aims to boost fossil fuel extraction by establishing a new system under which licences for North Sea oil and gas projects will be awarded annually, has already triggered widespread protests, including the resignation of Chris Skidmore, a former Conservative energy minister. But now, green groups and analysts are lining up to criticise it: UpLift, which campaigns for green energy, pointed out that the bill, which ...
Well, that was unexpected. Ron DeSantis is gone, and has endorsed Donald Trump. And, unless Nikki Haley gets a respectable showing in New Hampshire, it's surely all over in the absence of any other opponent. Biden versus Trump it is then... Meanwhile, nearer to home, the Post Office Horizon scandal continues to unfold. For what it's worth, I do wonder whether or not the various ministers involved were persuaded that there was nothing wrong by the evidently unwise presumption that public officials will tell you the truth when pressed. After all, the Civil Service Code has at its core the ...
DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL - WEEKLY ROAD REPORT REPORT FOR THE WEST END WARD - WEEK COMMENCING MONDAY 22 JANUARY 2024 Blinshall Street (Douglas Street to 50 metres south) - closed from 27 November 2023 for 6 months for road safety concerns. Brown Street (south of Douglas Street) - closed until May 2024 for construction works. Seafield Road, Dundee - closed from its westmost end (in cul-de-sac) extending for a distance of no more than 20 metres in an easterly direction to facilitate a site access for a new housing development. Commencing Tuesday 22 August 2023 for 15 months. South Marketgait ...
