Election of Mayor and Deputy Mayor for Wirral 2012/2013. Appointments to Merseyside Police Authority.
I've now left the Council. However I'm planning to take an interest in it from outside. That's not helped if the minutes are not reliably published on the Town Council website. At present they are SEVEN months out of date. Town Council Meetings and Minutes Here's another question. How can citizens find out what is going to be discussed at a meeting, incase they want to go along and watch or have their say? That would need the Agendas to be published, preferably on the website. No sign of them. Legally the Council should give public notice of the time, ...
The Wallace case is the nonpareil of all murder mysteries ... I call it the impossible murder because Wallace couldn't have done it, and neither could anyone else. ... The Wallace case is unbeatable; it will always be unbeatable - Raymond Chandler The setting is wintrily provincial, the milieu lower middle-class, the style threadbare domestic. J.B. Priestley's fog-filled Liverpool remembrance of "trams going whining down long sad roads" is the quintessence of it. Events turn tantalisingly on finical questions of time and distance; knuckle-headed police jostle with whistling street urchins for star billing, while at the centre of the drama ...
I can't remember if I've mentioned before that I'm a member of the Colchester WriteNight group at 15 Queen Street. We're a group of writers that gets together twice a month (on the 2nd and 4th Mondays) to write, talk and go to the pub afterwards – all the traditional things that writers do. As this week's meeting was just two days before National Flash Fiction Day, tonight we had a flash fiction challenge, and as I'm trying to put more content up on this blog again, I thought I'd share what I produced. The challenge was to produce a ...
When all we hear about nowadays are cuts, it was good to hear that our individual revenue allocations have been increased this year to £12,615. This is money that can be allocated to organisations for projects "which promote the social, environmental or economic well being of the local community" Last year I made the following grants: - £500 towards play equipment for the Reigate Community Centre - £3000 to allow the Citizens Advice Bureau to fund specialised advice services to clients with mental health issues - £1500 for East Surrey Carers to provide local carers with a day trip to ...
Mon 14th
20:20
More on the 446 state schools where poorer children perform better than average (and where they're l...
At the weekend I blogged the graph first published in the TES magazine highlighting research from the charity I work for, the Education Endowment Foundation, showing The 446 state schools where poorer children perform better than average. Well, we now know a little more thanks to the work of the Financial Times's education editor Chris Cook who's delved deeper into what he describes as this "real core of excellent schools who are market-beaters" in two posts today: 1) How to spot successful schools Here Chris shows how those 446 schools really are helping to make a real difference to their ...
Nick Clegg gave a major speech on education and social mobility at The New North Academy in Islington. You can read the full text on the Cabinet Office website. I find this an immensely encouraging speech. The danger was that, having succeeded in securing his cherished Pupil Premium, Nick would find himself defending it in the language of Labourism: ring fencing, benchmarking, rolling out a programme and so on. But today's he did away with that stultifying agenda altogether. As Jonathan Jones notes on the Spectator's Coffee House blog: While he used the terms 'fair', 'fairness' 'social mobility' and 'socially ...
We have a number of patterns of behaviours of governments. The expropriation recently by Argentina of a Spanish company's holding in YPF is one example of governments not following the law of contract. If Greece votes to try to renegotiate their deal with the Eurozone I expect them to have an unstructured bankruptcy. The question, of course, is what happens after that. I cannot see the
Today the Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon announced the Scottish Governments plan to introduce minimum pricing at 50p per unit. This amounts to an attack on the still fragile Scottish economy as many people will go south of the border for cheap booze or order booze online further challenging our pubs, our off-licences and our supermarkets. ...
Nottingham Liberal Democrats are holding a dinner on Thursday 31 May with Vince Cable as their guest. Details and bookings via the East Midlands Liberal Democrats site.
Today's news that the Scottish government is planning to increase the minimum price of alcohol to 50p a unit rather than the previously-stated 45p has been welcomed by Willie Rennie and the Scottish Lib Dems, despite the largest impact of ... Continue reading →
Cornish Liberal Democrats have today announced a manifesto commitment to refund residents who have their waste collection missed. If we are in control of the authority after next May's elections, we will commit to giving a £1 reduction on the next council tax bill to any household whose waste or recycling is still not collected 48 hours after they report a missed collection. The move to a new waste contract has been a tale of incompetence from the current Tory-led administration. Residents across Cornwall have suffered from missed collections, new recycling containers not being delivered and the Council has failed ...
On a recent visit to Asda in Llandudno, I grabbed the opportunity to introduce the Deputy Prime Minister to what I believe to be some of the best produce in the UK. Edwards of Conwy produce and in paticular their Sausages!! Nick Cleggs Verdict, he said "Gorgeous".
Dragonfly The Friends of Rock Road Library arrange a programme of talks and events at the library. Recently, the topics have been Charles Dickens, World War II evacuees and Save the Children. Next up is an illustrated talk on dragonflies on the 24th May. The speaker is Henry Curry from the Dragonfly Centre at Wicken Fen. This must be Dragonfly Heaven, as it's home to 22 different species. So come and find out more. The talk starts at 7.30 p.m. and doors open at 7.20 p.m. Don't be late - some of the events are standing room only!
Via PoliticsHome: Nick Clegg this morning highlighted the importance of the Lib Dems in keeping the Coalition focused on social mobility. In a speech to a school in north London, Mr Clegg flagged up his party's Pupil Premium policy and said: "The Liberal Democrats are in this government to play our part in rescuing and reforming the economy. But we are not going to miss our chance to make Britain a better, fairer place too."... Asked about regional pay bargaining, Mr Clegg said: "There is going to be no regional pay system, that is not going to happen." He said ...
Mumpreneur could be for you.
The Groceries Code Adjudicator Bill was announced in the Queen's Speech on Wednesday. This is an issue which the Liberal Democrats in general, and Andrew George in particular, have campaigned on for many years. I can remember meeting with farmers shortly after I was first elected back in 2001, and hearing from them the difficulties they faced as suppliers for the biggest supermarkets. A commitment to introduce "a powerful independent regulator of Britain's food market" featured in our last manifesto (in fact, Labour and the Conservative manifestos both included a similar pledge). Following the Competition Commission's report in 2008, which ...
People who live in East Grinstead are used to having their requests for action on our traffic problems ignored. However the events of the last week have taken the treatment of this town to new levels. The effects of existing roadworks at Copthorne Road in Felbridge, on Lingfield Rd and at Brooklands Way were catastrophically compounded by new roadworks at the junction of the A22 and Imberhorne Lane. A journey that should take 10 minutes was taking 90 minutes. Tempers were frayed, appointments missed and social media lit up with anger. Let's be clear: the impact of these roadworks was ...
Nick Clegg, was in New North Academy today giving a speech about the pupil premium, the title of which on the cabinet office site is entitled "Delivering Educations Progressive Promise: Using the Pupil Premium to Change Lives" Nick Clegg's passion for education and social mobility comes through even with some rather stilted speechwriting. The pupil ...
So now all is becoming clear in terms of the national picture 10 days after our election in Liverpool. The saddest fact of all? When given the opportunity only one of the ten areas that held a referendum voted in ... Continue reading →
The UK is more corrupt than Qatar. That's not my judgement, but that of the World Bank and their Control of Corruption Index. This places the UK 18th in the world, behind not only Qatar but Iceland, Chile and Liechtenstein. It's easy to sound jingoistic with this sort of comparison, and I really don't mean to. So here's an even more worrying comparison. In 2010, the latest year the World Bank has collated its figures for, the UK received a control of corruption score of +1.48 (on a scale of -2.5 to +2.5). In 2000 its score was +2.17. The ...
Chris Davies Summer Survey 2012 Chris Davies has launched his summer members survey by posting a copy to ever member in the North West. If you need more copies you can click the link above
Today, the "Debate on the Loyal Address" continues in both Houses. The Lords is having a second day concentrating on constitutional issues, and that will doubtless mean yet more indignation in our House about the government's proposals for Lords Reform. I have been struck, listening to in particular (but by no means exclusively) to Labour Peers, that the question of primacy of the Commons has become the obsessive hobby horse of so many in the Lords. Curiously, most MPs I speak to, of all parties, do not worry so much about the prospect of a fairly assertive second chamber, able ...
Five scenarios for your delectation: The Lib Dem night of the long beards The drastic, dramatic and painful option. Clegg says the Liberal Democrats need David Laws's expertise and media savvy at the heart of economic decision making, restoring him to Chief Secretary to the Treasury and expressing tearful regret that Danny Alexander is off out of the Cabinet, with a resting place as a new Parliamentary Private Secretary in the Cabinet Office where he will not have to handle quite so many tricky TV interviews. Education, education, education Too problematic to bring back Laws in a tax and cut ...
The Lancashire Telegraph reports: POLICE have launched an investigation into voting at this month's local elections. Labour officials have made a complaint about irregularities concerning proxy votes in Hyndburn. A proxy vote is when votes are placed at the polling station on somebody's behalf, usually when they are unable to leave the house or are on holiday and have chosen not to vote via post. Police said they had also launched an investigation into claims constituency MP Graham Jones [Labour, Hyndburn] had intimidated voters. They said this was not connected with the proxy votes allegations. In three wards in Hyndburn ...
CONSTITUENCY and Ward Leader Mayor Percent Leader Mayor EDGBASTON 11732 10128 53.70% 46.30% Bartley Green 2708 2010 57.40% 42.60% Edgbaston 2251 2492 47.50% 52.50% Harborne 3369 3008 52.80% 47.20% Quinton 3404 2618 56.50% 43.50% ERDINGTON 9224 7067 56.60% 43.40%
At Spring Conference we passed a tax motion that confirmed our manifesto pledge for support for a global Financial Transaction Tax (FTT). The implication was that we supported the FTT but only if the entire world agreed. The usual reasoning for this stance is that if we, or Europe, unilaterally institute an FTT it would disadvantage banks within the EU and encourage them to move their operations outside our borders, losing us jobs and tax revenue from the financial sector. The thing is, while the EU has agreed to an FTT, getting America and Asia on board seems much less ...
Mon 14th
12:52
Strawberry Fair Launch First Slam Poetry Competition For Age 13 - 25 Across Cambridgeshire
STRAWBERRY SLAM POETRY COMPETITION: www.strawberry-slam.org.uk Strawberry Fair has launched the first poetry slam competition for young people age 13 - 25 from across Cambridgeshire. The competition is free to enter and prizes include a prime performance slot at the Fair and opportunities to be mentored by critically acclaimed poets. If you write poetry, love poetry and want to share your poetry, then we would love to hear from you. You can use beatbox, rap, mc-ing, polyvocal or acapella, as well as poetry and spoken word. All you need to do to enter is: Go to www.strawberry-slam.org.ukFollow the instructions to post ...
Mon 14th
12:52
Strawberry Fair Launch First Slam Poetry Competition For Age 13 - 25 Across Cambridgeshire
STRAWBERRY SLAM POETRY COMPETITION: www.strawberry-slam.org.uk Strawberry Fair has launched the first poetry slam competition for young people age 13 - 25 from across Cambridgeshire. The competition is free to enter and prizes include a prime performance slot at the Fair and opportunities to be mentored by critically acclaimed poets. If you write poetry, love poetry and want to share your poetry, then we would love to hear from you. You can use beatbox, rap, mc-ing, polyvocal or acapella, as well as poetry and spoken word. All you need to do to enter is: Go to www.strawberry-slam.org.ukFollow the instructions to post ...
Yesterday we saw the Williams Formula One team return to the top step of the podium for the first time in nearly a decade. It was a joyous moment but around an hour and 15 minutes later fire engulfed the Williams Pit Garage. Happily no-one has died although several people are in hospital. It was a ferocious fire and if you haven't seen it then here is a video of the incident from Sky Sports (well until the F1 management get the video taken off of YouTube anyway): [IMG: Share on Tumblr] [IMG: Submit to StumbleUpon] [IMG: Save on Delicious] ...
[IMG: image courtesy of Howard Lake] Please help us learn and improve from the 2012 local election results by taking our short online survey. We know how much everyone hates long surveys, so its deliberately short, but if you want to write more then there is space to do so. The survey has TWO aims: to assess how the support and help provided by ALDC and the rest of the Party was helpful to candidates and campaigners, and to see how this can be improved. to ask you what you think worked or did not work in the election campaign ...
The Independent reports: Co-operative Energy emerged yesterday as winner of the much-heralded Big Switch campaign launched by Which? and 38 Degrees. The collective bargaining scheme aimed to find cheaper energy deals for more than 280,000 people who signed up. But the Co-op - which won the auction by offering the lowest tariff - will offer its deals to 30,000 people on a first come, first served basis. Nigel Mason of Co-op Energy said: "We have used the auction as a launchpad for our new fixed rate tariff for people who want certainty about the rates they pay. Peopleneed to stay ...
Pleased to see on the website of the Palestinian news agency Ma'an that there appears to be a deal in sight to end the hunger strike of some Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails (http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=485505). I was interested to read this short, thoughtful piece about administrative detention in Israel and the UK - worth five minutes if you are interested in this issue. I did not previously know that the Israelis have applied such detention not only to Palestinian terror suspects, but also to "extremist Jewish settlers in the West Bank suspected of trying to organise anti-Arab terrorism". That is ...
If there's one thing I hate about politics it's political opportunism. When a person campaigns, sets it out as their policy or just has it as a known opinion but then votes against it or makes a speech with the opposite message when the time comes just because it could be to their political advantage. I was pleased to see on the Guardian's letter page yesterday a comment from a Labour MP: "The idea that Labour MPs should connive with Tory opponents of House of Lords reform to block the bill is absurd (Report, 10 May). Labour has campaigned for ...
The Floppy Disk means Save Brilliant, if you haven't already seen it. (tags: computers ) Jumping through hoops How London got the Olympics. (tags: ) EU cookie law compliance (in WordPress) Does your blog obey European law on cookies? (tags: internet eu ) Dresscode: Blue tie and male | Dell computers has a message for women: "Shut up, bitch!" (tags: computers sexandgenderandsexuality ) They Took His Life and Threw it on a Skip by Julia Jones The writer Francis Wheen lost most of his archives in a fire last month. (tags: writing )
Today's stage should end up a sprinters stage. Or Today's stage should end up a late breakaway win. There are two option as to how today finishes. First there is a kick up from just before 5 km to go. So someone who can open a big lead at that point could get away and negotiate the descent then the twist and turns into the finish. The sprinters teams however, will be trying to maintain control of those breakaways from that final small kick up. But then there is the matter of getting their man to the front. This could ...
This coming Saturday there will be free parking in Cornwall Council car parks in Launceston. The giveaway is part of the council's celebration of the passing of the Olympic Torch through Cornwall on its way to London. Even though Launceston and North Cornwall have been missed off the Olympic Torch route, I hope that it is an inspirational day and brings in many thousands of visitors. Even if you don't go to see the torch, you can still take advantage of free parking in all Cornwall Council car parks in Launceston on Saturday. And if you haven't yet got your ...
This morning's annoyance was a story on BBC Newsbeat Friday morning. (Newsbeat the branding used by BBC Radio 1 for news) There's an online version of the article, although that doesn't mention the quote that wound me up – you'll have to go to iPlayer to hear it. (Part of the 0830 news, go to 2:02:42 to hear the story) In a nutshell, it concerns warnings from the Attorney General that Twitter and other social network users risk prosecution if they "seriously offend" or "cause distress" via their posts. The offending sentence: "Police have told Newsbeat more of their officers ...
As a party politician I have always been troubled by the concept of an independent, largely because I have never been clear what one is. Obviously, I would expect somebody who considers themselves to be an independent to avoid party whips, but surely that is not enough. What do they stand for? What are their politics and what values do they bring to policy decisions? More confusing still is the very common scenario when independents form official groups, presumably involving whips and group discipline. At that point what shred of independence they might have left disappears. An independent group is ...
Save Sherlock's Home: final chapter for the Undershaw campaign A new book featuring contribs from Gatiss and the ubiquitous Fry (tags: ) Press Ethics and Pseudonomity | Robert Sharp (tags: ) [IMG: comment count unavailable] comments
The new edition of House magazine features an extended interview with Norman Lamb, written by Sam Macrory. Norman features on the cover, with the strapline "The business minister on why 'flunking' the coalition is not an option". The interview took place on election day, so Norman had thoughts for those facing tough polling fights, while defending the coaltion: It's very difficult for those people who are doing brilliant work in their local communities if they lose seats because of the position we are in in government, but you've got to try and do the right thing. Obviously you're concerned about ...
The next North Area Committee will be at the Manor on Thursday 17th May. The planning part of the meeting will start at 6.30; there are two applications on the agenda but the one that will probably be of the most interest is the application to convert the Grove Pub (opposite the Manor) into a Sikh temple. The main meeting starts at 7.30 and the agenda is available on the City Councils website (see here). The main agenda items are: Community Development and Leisure grants*Engagement with Young PeoplePrimary School places in North CambridgeNorthern Corridor Area Transport planPolicing and Safer Neighbourhoods ...
Winning elections is hard work and those in the Lib Dems know better than most how hard it is and as a party we are often faced with confusion about why we lost when we should have won. The recent local election results have produced generally very poor results with some exceptions in some areas ...
Mon 14th
09:00
A back to basics approach to getting involved with politics - Part 1 ~ Ideology & Political Part...
'Politics' is a very boring word associated today with greed, complex bills and acts, and men in suits shouting at each other across the House of Commons on Wednesdays. So lets put the rhetoric aside for now and strip it down – ... Continue reading →
I am pleased with this piece of work carried out on my Ward. I was contacted by a resident regarding the entrance to Glan Y Mor Rd, stating how tired it looked. I asked that this area be put forward for regenerating as part of The Llandudno Junction Regeneration Programme and was supported by fellow Councillors and The Board. The grassed area will now be maintained and feedback from residents is positive. (I'll try and find a photo from before the work was carried out and attach it later)
Last week I followed a twitter link to this story on the BBC website which says that, as part of the Government's attempts to improve it's internet services, individual departments are to lose their own logos and adopt a version of the Royal Crest. Their websites will be brought together onto the one Government website as well. Whilst it may not do much in the way of cost-saving and is, of itself, a pretty small change, it is one of the best news stories I have read in a while. Whatever the aesthetic merits of the individual department logos - ...
Gah. This is why I shouldn't read the Daily Fail. There's an article about how Sarah Teather, Lib Dem MP and government minister, has publicly disagreed with Tim Loughton, Conservative MP and another government minister, on the issue of equal marriage. Loughton had responded to a constituent's letter and said: "For me, marriage as a religious institution cannot be anything other than between a man and a woman, and particularly when all the rights and responsibilities of marriage are available to non-heterosexual couples through civil partnerships. I do not see why we need to change the law, especially at this ...
Jesus taught that the Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath. In my view much the same applies to the economy: it exists to serve men and women - men and women do not exist to serve the economy. In this context I'm not too enthusiastic about the government's proposals to scrap "red tape", including parts of the Working Time Directive. We have to remember that although some "red tape" is a bit odd (eg the rule that prevents shops displaying liqueur chocolates in their windows for fear of turning the young to drink) most exists ...
As I recently indicated following a site visit, good progress is being made on the new building for St Joseph's Primary School, Park Place Nursery School and Park Place Primary School - due to open in October. The contractor has now issued another newsletter - his sixth - to residents who live in the immediate vicinity of the building site on Blackness Road/Glenagnes Road. This is a good initiative to keep residents informed and you can download the newsletter at http://tinyurl.com/schoolsnewsletter6.
On Genesis Of The Daleks, Terry "Will this do?" Nation's finest three hours. Tagged: Doctor Who, me elsewhere
