Sefton's ruling Labour Cabinet have cancelled their meeting that was due to take place next Thursday. The reason given is that there are only two information items for consideration. With large-scale cuts in the offing, including the threat to close Churchtown Library, there should be plenty for the Cabinet to discuss. We have to ask what are they trying to hide? Lib Dem councillor Mike Booth, who represents Kew Ward, has done some digging. This is what Mike has to say: "It seems to be the season for cancelling meetings. Sefton's website informed me this morning that the following meetings ...
I am with the Liberal Democrat MPs who rebelled over the one per cent cap of benefit increases after yesterday's debate. As Caroline Lucas said: The Secretary of State brandishes the figure of a 20 per cent increase in benefits in the past five years. In cash terms, jobseeker's allowance has gone up from just £59.15 in 2007 to £71 in 2012. In other words, in each of those past years JSA has gone up by just £2.50.And as David Miliband said of the politics behind this move: The truth is that this rancid Bill is not about affordability; it ...
I'm sure Olly Neville is a nice enough bloke. I mean, I've seen some fairly bonkers quotes attributed to him, but hey, we all said stupid things aged 21. (Shudder, I'm getting, to the age where I can say things like that.) But really, do we have to pretend to care about the UKIP Youth ...
Sarah Teather stood against the BUB Last night the headsman's axe fell missed the target and hacked at the body rather than a clean slice through the neck. This Government has taken a step to far in freezing benefit rise. Don't get me wrong, there are elements of this bill that I think are just and fair. For example drawing a line where income exceeds a certain point and then scaling back child allowance, tax credits etc. Boris Johnson was quoted as saying that he could have spent his child allowance etc on expensive holidays and champagne and estimated that ...
The blood test's come back normal. My mum seemed pleased, and I guess she should be – nothing physical is (likely to be) wrong. But I'm really disappointed. It means, most likely, I have an anxiety disorder of some form. It would have been much easier for there to be a specific physical issue and
[IMG: liberal-voice] On New Year's Day we opened our annual Liberal Voice of the Year poll — our attempt to find the non-Lib Dem who readers of this site think has done the most to advance the cause of liberalism in the past 12 months. Our 10 nominees were chosen by party members through our most recent survey. To date, over 700 votes have been cast. You can see all the contenders and cast your preferential vote — if you haven't already — by clicking here. We're going to close the poll this Sunday and announce your choice of Liberal ...
How many people realise that the turning point of social action against the British National Party in 2010 involved joint co-operation and a desire to defeat the Far Right by Muslim and Jewish business people in the United Kingdom. The individuals shall no doubt remain nameless and faceless, yet their courage and their willingness to put their hands in their pockets and support organisations like Searchlight and others meant that the Barking & Dagenham fightback against the extremist British National Party had begun. Tens of thousands of pounds were mobilized through a few meetings and the money targeted to ensure ...
For me this is the 1988 season, the 25th anniversary. Sylvester McCoy was more comedic than brooding, Ace was fearless, it had Daleks and Cybermen. I loved Remembrance of the Daleks. Ben Aaronovitch was only just slightly older than me and he made me believe for a short time that someone my age could write Doctor Who stories. And then they cancelled it the next year. Of course, Aaronovitch also wrote Battlefield, which gave us the excellent Winifred Bambera, but more of that later. The show had a decent budget for its silver anniversary. Lots of pyromania in both Remembrance ...
The Guardian have published an article I wrote about Mary Seacole being kicked off the schools curriculum by education secretary Michael Gove. You can read it here and below. Crimean war nurse Mary Seacole overcame ...
A short blog to say have just come back from a quick visit to France where I met with members of the French Government and civil society about the forthcoming G8 summit, the 57th UN Commision on the Status of Women (CSW) and the post 2015 Millennium Development Goals. To see a quick take on some of these issues see this interview.
There's just a day or so to go before the edX 6.00x final exam is opened up. There's a 12 hour window to complete it in and the course team estimate that it will take around 4 hours of effort. I'm hoping to find some time to have a go at it over the weekend, but given the problems the course has suffered since the second midterm exam and that my grade is already a passing one, I can't say that I'm all that enthusiastic about the prospect at the moment. It's not that the material presented has been bad. ...
The news is emerging that BBC political heavy hitter Andrew Marr has suffered a stroke. In a statement released at ten to seven this evening the BBC say: "Andrew Marr was taken ill yesterday and taken to hospital. The hospital confirmed he has had a stroke. His doctors say he is responding to treatment. His ...
Sharon Price, the Director of Huntingdon-based Price Property Rentals Ltd has been banned by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) from ever engaging in estate agency work again. The ban follows a prosecution in June 2011 by Cambridgeshire County Council Trading Standards in which Price was fined £6,000, ordered to pay £2,000 court costs and disqualified from acting as Director of a company for the maximum 5 years. The court heard from prosecutor Mike McGee that landlords, tenants and contractors were left out of pocket by Price - "such was the chaotic and shambolic way that the company was mismanaged". ...
And so we enter the David Tennant era, with the first of the Children on Need specials, the only interactive episodes so far, and the first four Tardisodes as well as the first five proper Tenth Doctor stories. The first quarter of the 2005 Children in Need Special is a reprise of the closing moments of The Parting of the Ways; then follows about four and a half minutes of new material, which basically ticks the boxes of Rose's dismay at the new man in the Doctor's clothes, his attempts to reassure her, and establishing that he has a health ...
Jonathan Portes has it right in The Guardian writing about Britain's ability to attract overseas students and the money they bring with them: [IMG: Jonathan Portes] What are the prospects for this thriving export sector? They should be excellent. We speak English; London is a global hub; and we have the only university sector in the world that compares to the US. And recent rapid growth in numbers has come especially from Chinese and Indian students: precisely the markets we should be looking to expand in. But perversely, in pursuit of its arbitrary target to reduce net migration, the Home ...
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A new planning application has been received within Holyrood Ward as detailed below:- Application number: 55905 Type of application: Full Date Registered: 03/01/2013 Location: 470 Bury Old Road, Prestwich, Manchester, M25 1NL Proposal: Variation of condition no 3 of approved planning application 54591 to reposition extraction duct to rear and siting of new air conditioning unit and air inlet ducting. Plans will be available to view on the Council's website here. Please get in touch if I can be of any help. Tim
A new planning application has been received in Holyrood Ward as detailed below:- Application number: 55906 Type of application: Full Date Registered: 07/01/2013 Location: 28 Simister Lane, Prestwich, Manchester, M25 2RS Proposal: Roof extension with dormers at front and rear to create first floor Plans will be available to view on the Council's website here. Please get in touch if I can be of any help. Tim
The New Statesman has published a helpful, detailed guide to the six Liberal Democrat MPs who rebelled yesterday against the government's Welfare Uprating Bill. Four MPs voted against the bill (Julian Huppert, John Leech, Sarah Teather and David Ward), while two others formally abstained (Andrew George and Charles Kennedy). This being the Statesman, the spin is that four of the six rebel MPs represent Labour target seats. POSTSCRIPT: The New Statesman omitted to mention Adrian Sanders, who abstained (but not formally), with a threat to rebel at the 3rd reading stage if amendments are not secured in the meantime.
I've gathered together the news articles so far on the campaign to reinstate Mary Seacole and Olaudah Equiano to the schools curriculum. At the time of writing we had gathered almost 5,600 signatures via an online petition ...
Yesterday and today I have been in Paris discussing issues on development and violence against women and girls – in my capacity as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for International Development and UK ministerial champion for tackling violence against women and girls overseas. I met with counterparts in the French Government and civil society colleagues to discuss international development priorities, the British Presidency of the G8 and how the UK and France can continue to work closely on tackling poverty in 2013. Watch an interview, filmed during the trip, here: http://bit.ly/13iJ5JE
The parade of shops on Mather Avenue by the junction with Heath Road has been a bit of a local blight. The empty shop front there has helped to make it all look more run down than it needs to. Well it seems there could be good news on the way. There's a plan to use that empty shop to join on to the cafe so that theres a cafe and a deli in the two units. A planning application went in and it's been agreed today (9th) by Council officials. This is great for those who have been pressing ...
Welsh Liberal Democrats are questioning the Labour First Minister's actions in entering into an exclusive relationship to buy Cardiff Airport for the nation with no prior consultation of the Assembly and without publishing any clear idea of how it will be run. Eluned Parrott, Liberal Democrat Shadow Economy and Transport Minister has written an article on this over at Freedom Central. She said: This is of course without consulting the Assembly, without revealing the price he's offered, without revealing a business plan for the airports future, or without even stating what his government is planning on doing with it or ...
I don't suppose you become Chief Whip of the Lib Dems by pussyfooting around. When Stephen Tall wrote this piece in Lib Dem Voice about our electoral prospects in 2015, he illustrated it with a map showing the Chief Whip's constituency thusly... Yes, that's it, top right.... And Alistair was not happy. so look what's in the comments feed on the piece... (click to enlarge) Blimey. Mind you, he's probably a bit cross about the mini rebellion yesterday....
The twitter rumour-mill was working at full capacity last night talking about the fact Olly Neville was being removed as Chairman of the Young Independence council (the Youth movement of UKIP) because his personal opinion on equal marriage was that it was a good thing. It was his personal opinion but having an opinion that doesn't marry up with party policy was enough for UKIP to swing into action and remove him from that position. The reason seems to be pretty simple – they are a party only have one opinion – like the Borg – and if you don't ...
The world's oldest subway system is 150 today. And despite it being immensly overcrowded at times (and expensive) it still takes millions of Londoners in and out of the capital every day pretty efficiently. The Underground's Harry Beck, of course responsible for the iconic and much copied tube map. This one is of the galaxy with each stop representing 1,000 light years. More at the excellent London List alternative tube map site
Just before Christmas, I received an email from a man named Gareth O'Brien. Gareth was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 2008, aged 25, but after a course of surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy, moved in to remission. So far, he's stayed ... Continue reading →
Just before Christmas we discovered that the First Minister of Wales, The Rt Hon. Carwyn Jones AM had bought the nation an unexpected Christmas gift - an airport. Well to say he's bought it is jumping the gun slightly, what he and the Welsh Government have done is to enter into an 'Exclusive relationship' with the airport's owners - Abertis to buy it. This is of course without consulting the Assembly, without revealing the price he's offered, without revealing a business plan for the airports future, or without even stating what his government is planning on doing with it or ...
[IMG: carmichael and teddy bear] Just before Christmas, Scottish Liberal Democrat members received a newsletter which contained a "Twinterview" with Chief Whip and Scottish Deputy Leader Alistair Carmichael. This is a chat he had with me – in which questions and answers had to be within 140 characters reproduced here for your amusement. CL: You clearly enjoy social media despite the risk that it might get you into trouble some day. Why do you do it and what do you like about it? AC: Despite? Because of the risk! Facebook allows me to stay in touch with party members & ...
The Times has today published a letter from US civil rights leader Rev Jesse Jackson and a host of celebrities, politicians and academics calling on education secretary Michael Gove to reinstate the Victorian nurse Mary ...
I couldn't make this up so see below: What the Echo said What my press release said What my motion to the next council meeting says to try and resolve the situation. (This has been agreed with the Labour Party) ... Continue reading →
The Independent reports on the decision of UKIP to sack the leader of their youth organisation for expressing his support for gay marriage on national radio. Presumably, it was the expression of a view contrary to that held by the reactionaries the party is currently trying to appeal to, rather that the fact that it was expressed on Radio Four that was the deciding factor in this decision. The paper says that Olly Neville, who was appointed as chairman of Young Independence at the end of last year, was told by the party's chairman that comments in support of gay ...
Labour have announced a list of 106 parliamentary seats they intend to win in the next General Election. If they won all seats, it would give them a majority of 80. Most of the seats are Conservative-held, with 16 being Liberal Democrat, 2 Plaid Cymru, 1 SNP and 1 Green The 16 Liberal Democrat held seats, with the swing Labour would need to win in brackets, are: Cambridge (7.4%) Norwich South (0.3%) Bermondsey and Old Southwark (9.6%) Brent Central (1.5%) Hornsey and Wood Green (6.2%) Redcar (6.2%) Burnley (2.2%) Manchester Withington (2.1%) Argyll and Bute (4.4%) East Dunbartonshire (2.3%) ...
From the latest ruling of the Press Complaints Commission (with my emphasis): The Press Complaints Commission has upheld a complaint against the Alloa and Hillfoots Wee County News under Clause 1 (Accuracy) of the Editors' Code of Practice, after it published a front-page article about a local housing association which it said was involved in "fraudulent and improper activities". The complainant, the director of the housing association, said that the article was fundamentally inaccurate and that rather than being a suspect in a police investigation into fraud, the housing association was in fact the alleged victim. The PCC ruling includes ...
Yesterday the Education Minister performed a U-turn by announcing that Qualifications Wales will take responsibility for awarding qualifications. The Welsh Liberal Democrats have long argued for an independent regulator, therefore I welcome this change. The unholy mess that unfolded in the summer illustrated there was a need for a more robust system of checks and balances. It should never have been up to the Education Minister to be the sole arbitrator on the way exams are awarded. Just a few months ago, the Welsh Liberal Democrats held a debate in the National Assembly calling for the Welsh Government to establish ...
Wed 9th
13:32
AD LIB issue 2: Swinson and the F word, Hussein-Ece on diversity, inside the spin room and cake
So, the second issue of AD LIB, the monthly magazine which has replaced Lib Dem News, hit subscribers' doorsteps over the weekend. I reviewed the first edition which went to all members in December. I felt that it was a good effort, but there were some mistakes. The last Lib Dem Voice survey showed a mainly favourable response to it. This month's edition is jam-packed full of things which interested me. There's something for even the most connected-to-the-hive-mind Liberal Democrat as well as the mildly interested member. You don't often get Liberal Democrats talking about feminism, so it's good to ...
Here's today's hand-picked selection that caught my interest... Stephan Shakespeare: The myth of the campaign swing Conservative Home Columnists .@StephanShaxper: "there are only the smallest changes in voting intentions within campaigns" http://buff.ly/UJxsev #whyCleggmaniaevaporated Not the Treasury view...: The economic impact of uprating policy Jonathan Portes on why the Coalition was economically wrong not to uprate benefits by inflation http://buff.ly/WsZLbc The coalition reviews itself: Brownian motion | The Economist Is David Cameron the new Gordon Brown? asks The Economist http://buff.ly/VOBDkX Don't mock Nick Clegg - he may stay in power for a generation | Simon Jenkins | Comment is free | ...
Wed 9th
13:24
AD LIB issue 2 - Swinson and the F word, Hussein-Ece on diversity, inside the spin room - and cake
[IMG: Ad Lib 2nd issue] So, the second issue of AD LIB, the monthly magazine which has replaced Lib Dem News, hit subscribers' doorsteps over the weekend. I reviewed the first edition which went to all members in December. I felt that it was a good effort, but there were some mistakes. The last Lib Dem Voice survey showed a mainly favourable response to it. This month's edition is jam-packed full of things which interested me. There's something for even the most connected-to-the-hive-mind Liberal Democrat as well as the mildly interested member. You don't often get Liberal Democrats talking about ...
Because of the economic difficulties the government has extended the period during which it is aiming to reduce the structural deficit. This, however, has required the finding of additional saving. Although I pressed for the full inflation increase on all benefits last year I did support the new Welfare bill which limits the increase to 1%. That is because we cannot expect the Welfare budget
As I was driving to work today, I noticed I was being tailgated. The driver seemed distracted by some electronic gizmo and wasn't paying much attention to his surroundings. I started to take a note of the car's numberplate when all of a sudden the front grill exploded with flashing blue lights, a siren started howling, and the vehicle sped off. "Ah," I thought, "so that's what an unmarked police car looks like. I wonder if there's a way to tell if a car belongs to the police..." I suspect that if I issued a Freedom of Information request for ...
Yesterday, Network Rail published its business plan for 2014 to 2019. It is good news for Manchester jobs and growth. The plan includes over £1 billion of investment for the North West. This investment will create 20,000 jobs and boost ... Continue reading →
Won by the Huffington Post with its: The off-duty Boulder police officer who has been suspended over his role in the killing and disposal of a neighborhood elk on Mapleton Hill last week called in sick the night of the shooting and operates a website advertising "quality taxidermy at an affordable price".
Schools in Calderdale are to get over £4 million boost from the pupil premium. This money is allocated to a school on the basis of the number of children that are on free school meals. Currently schools get £619 a pupil, but this is set to rise further to £900 a pupil in 2014. The policy is just one example of how Liberal Democrats in government are helping to build a stronger economy and a fairer society. A stronger economy as it will help those from disadvantaged backgrounds achieve their full potential and participate in wealth creation, and a fairer ...
63% blame Labour for current budget cuts 51% blame current government 5% blame neither Thanks to Mike Smithson for this one https://twitter.com/MSmithsonPB
Glad to see Ambridge has produced one Horrabin who can draw.
Following on from the news that one of the few private doctors dealing with Trans issues has had complaints made against him by fellow doctors, Sarah Brown suggested that Trans people tweet their bad experiences of doctors using the #TransDocFail hashtag. Most of these failures go uninvestigated, because people are afraid of not being believed or having vital treatment witheld as the following demonstrate: @AutistLiam: Told counsellor (who also does NHS counselling) abt abusive, gaslight-y behaviour from psych. Was told "She'd never do that!" #TransDocFail @AutistLiam: For example, I never complained about my abusive psychbecause I didn't want to end ...
Is there an amnesty for illegal immigrants? Keith Vaz seems determined to prove that there is, although so far without success. But the reality behind the bluster is rather more serious. In 2007 the Home Office 'found' (or so the apocryphal tale goes) 500,000 asylum cases which had not been dealt with, 'lying around' in a room in the depths of Lunar House, Croydon. This backlog was termed the 'legacy' of unresolved asylum cases. A new department was set up and given the grisly task of looking at and resolving these cases, some of which had been untouched for over ...
My latest in The New Statesman. Enjoy!! It's 10 O'Clock Thursday morning, and the interweb and chatterati are abuzz with Nick Clegg going off on one, in his first live phone-in programme on LBC."I've been listening to a broadcast that's disgusting, that's being run in a way that's despicable, vile, repugnant," the UK's Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg told host Nick Ferrari during a live radio show on Thursday morning. "I've heard theories that are distorted and far from the truth. I've seen a reconstruction of reality that's the opposite of the truth." And he finished up by calling the ...
Nigel Farage could be name from the pen of PG Wodehouse, and if so, it would clearly be a name to represent a bad lot. In real life the actual Nigel Farage, with his tobacco scented, saloon bar heartiness and rather loud taste in shirts, in fact comes close to the Wodehousian archetype. He is a man who Jeeves would undoubtedly view with disfavour- too loud and somehow too... well, vulgar, a wide boy, rather than a gentleman. Mr. Farage himself would probably cheerfully concur, regarding his personal brashness with some pride, as the antithesis of the machine politician that ...
Having been football mad since I can remember, I've always wanted to be a football commentator. Come to think about it, any kind of sporting commentary would do! Those who have had the great misfortune of being with me whilst watching live sport (either in the stadium or at home on TV) will testify to my fondness for lending my own unique style of commentary for each occasion. Never is this more so than when Wales are playing in the 6 Nations! I hold sporting commentators such as Murray Walker, Peter O'Sullevan, Sid Waddell, Bill McLaren, David Coleman, Peter Allis, ...
This morning, along with my ward colleague Cllr Richard McCready and other members of the Jericho House Support Group, we attended a photocall to celebrate the charity taking possession of a new minibus that will transform the lives of the service users who are being helped by the very worthwhile Jericho House charity. Jericho House Dundee is an Alcohol Recovery Unit, that provides a clean and safe environment in which men have the opportunity to address their alcohol problems. Unfortunately, in 2008, the minivan that the Dundee charity had came to the end of its useful life and had to ...
Wed 9th
10:50
The British General Election of 1955: David Butler's account is still well worth a read
[IMG: The General Election of 1955] In many ways the 1955 general election was about as unexceptional, free of surprises and predictable as a general election can be, even including the occasional close poll that looked like it might, but didn't, upset expectations. That, however, makes it a good one to read about if you are looking for a flavour of how general elections used to be in mid-twentieth century Britain and the 1955 version of David Butler's excellent general election series is a good guide to read. Some themes are familiar to modern eyes, such as arguments over the ...
Wed 9th
10:25Chris Rennard writes... Marking the great Sutton and Cheam by-election victory with Sir Trevor Jones
Just over forty years ago, the Liberal Party was on 8.5% in the polls. The chair of the London Young Liberals, Graham Tope, was the party's candidate for the Sutton and Cheam parliamentary by-election. Few people believed that a Liberal win was possible. We had come third in 1970, some 17,000 votes behind the Conservatives. Some people prominent in the national party were dismissive of the 'community politics' campaign that was brought to the by-election by a Liverpool Councillor called Trevor Jones. Possibly the first 'Focus' leaflets outside Liverpool were produced for that by-election promoting the local Liberal campaigning led ...
After chatting to the Special Administrator after one of the public meetings late last year, I am very unsurprised to see very little change to his recommendations re the South London Healthcare Trust yesterday. The main impression I had then was that he had made up his mind already – and this has been borne ...
The Kitchen Cabinet recording, Clare College Ozzy goes to a recording of one of my favourite radio shows - like Gardeners Question Time for cooks. (tags: ) Vince Cable calls time on unfair practices in pub industry | Life and style | guardian.co.uk YAY VINCE!! (tags: ) List of Labour's 106 target seats for 2015 | Research | PoliticsHome interesting list. I can see a couple of the Yorkshire and Humber ones switching, but certainly not all of those on the list. (tags: ) LEGO Marvel Super Heroes Game On the Way | Marvel Heroes Games | News | Marvel.com ...
A Much-Needed Literary Award Was it generally known that Le Guin declined the Nebula Award that went to "The Bicentennial Man"? (tags: sf ) Australia turns purple 6 of the 20 hottest days ever recorded in Oz have been in *2013*. (tags: climatechange ) What Did We Learn About Climate And Energy In 2012? ...that it is a big problem which is getting bigger. (tags: climatechange )
Every week, Liberal Democrat Secretary of State for Scotland Michael Moore writes a column for newspapers in his Borders constituency. Here's this week's edition. Happy New Year! First of all I would like to wish everyone a Happy New Year and Best Wishes for 2013. With 2012 now at an end, there is no doubt that it was a pretty special year with the Queen's Diamond Jubilee and the Olympic and Paralympic games providing great entertainment and a sense of pride for the whole country. While 2013 may have less to offer in terms of international sporting events and royal ...
Struggling publicans will soon be able to appeal to independent adjudicator Vince Cable, Lib Dem Business Secretary announced yesterday. I'll raise a glass to that! Pubs are at the heart of British life. They are infinitely varied, unlike the monotonous American style cafés that are invading our cities and even our small towns. Sitting in ... Continue reading →
[IMG: IMG_1116] Chris has asked the county council to repalce invisible road signs. Chris said: 'While many road signs are just urban clutter, some are really important, like the no entry sign at the entrace to Market Place. 'The old Herts Highways regime took years to get this sort of thing done (in practice most complaints were totally ignored). It will be interesting to see if we get a better result from Ringway.'
The prospect of a referendum on British membership of the European Union, in itself, does not fill me with trepidation. With the right campaign, the case for staying in can be won. The fear is that the same sort of people who ballsed-up the AV referendum will be put in charge of the campaign. EurActiv reports that both sides are already limbering up for a campaign and that both plan "to woo the country's biggest swing demographic: those aged between 18 and 44" (although EurActiv's description of such campaigns as "youth-focused" is rather generous to thirty- and forty-somethings). This seems ...
I've found out the latest amounts of Pupil Premium given to East Dulwich schools: East Dulwich ward Goodrich Community Primary School 302 £271,800 Goose Green Primary School 144 £129,600 Heber Primary School 74 £66,600 St Anthony's Catholic Primary School 45 £40,500 Ward total 565 £508,500
[IMG: GB-election-map2] Ask most commentators about Lib Dem prospects at the next general election and a couple of words are sure to crop up sooner or later: either 'wipeout' or 'annihilation'. I understand why. Look at the opinion polls and the party is bobbing around the 10% mark. Compare that to the 23% we won in 2010, get your uniform national swing slide-rule out, and you can see why many folk, even quite sensible ones like Peter Kellner, will say something like this... The Liberal Democrats are facing political extinction with the loss of 80 per cent of their MPs ...
This week's tune has such an irresistible joie de vivre, I defy anyone not to like it! Should I bend over, should I look older, just to be put on your shelf?... Andrew
The Oakland Community Link Service provides support to people over 65 years old or have dementia, to access services in their local community. A trained and experienced support team can offer short term support to older people and people with dementia, who live independently in the community. Examples of the type of support are: • accessing community facilities or activities• independent travel• meeting new friends• building confidence• increasing well-being The short term service is free of charge. However there may be costs if a person requires ongoing support to use some other services or facilities. Finding out more is easy. ...
