It looks like Library closures are a distinct possibility, with Unsworth Library possibly a victim of library services cutbacks that were originally proposed a number of years ago. At 5.20pm this evening Bury Council sneaked out the following press release: Public consultation to begin on review of Bury's library service https://t.co/q9Av1IEL9X — Bury Council (@BuryCouncil) June 1, 2016 The council must think we have very short memories! They made cutbacks to Bury's library services in 2011 (see here) then made further, sweeping cutback proposals in 2013, which were mostly abandoned at the last minute (although 20 council library employees lost ...
Barking and Somersham is, in geographic terms, quite a big place. The seven villages are pretty distinct, with chunks of arable farmland dividing them. And, over the short period of the by-election campaign, I've already developed a pretty good sense of where things are. That's helped by the fact that there aren't too many roads. There are, however, lots of outliers, i.e. houses beyond the prime settlement limits of each village. They tend not to get too much attention between elections, as the effort/reward ratio is seen as too great, i.e. you spend a lot of time getting to them, ...
[IMG: European parliament in session] European parliament in session The basic structure of the EU can be traced back to the formation of the Coal and Steel Community in 1951. What has grown up is a very balanced and highly democratic process which balances the democratic voice of the peoples of Europe in a nuanced and effective way. Law-making involves the European Parliament, the Council of Ministers, the European Commission, and consultation with the Committee of the Regions. Of these: The 751-member European Parliament is directly elected by the citizens of the EU. The Council of Ministers comprises ministers from ...
Conservatives are generally in favour of austerity until it affects their own ward or constituency. Still, I am pleased to see that Conservative councillors are campaigning to save the Market Harborough to Gretton 67 bus. According to the Northamptonshire Telegraph: Conservative councillors Rob McKellar, Kevin Watt and Bridget Watts, who represent Weldon, Gretton and Priors Hall on Corby Council, are campaigning to save the service which Centrebus has announced will cease in July after its county council subsidy was withdrawn. They have launched a Facebook page calling for the service to be saved and are working with MP for Corby ...
Embed from Getty Images In its Pass Notes style, the Guardian tells the story of Lee Chapman: Chapman is a postman who looks like Jamie Vardy. He is also a diehard Leicester City fan and came to minor prominence when the team hauled him on to the victory bus to celebrate with his beloved Foxes in the wake of their Premier League triumph. That's nice. Yes, it was. Is it not still? It was nice for a while. A lookalike agency spotted the photos the team posted from the bus and offered Chapman work. The Royal Mail has given him ...
In Oakham for the reopening of the castle on Monday, I noticed a couple of mud walls in the town. I realise it is a niche interest, but you can find more examples on this blog's mud walls label.
I reported before how the Tories were trying to block some of the police investigations into election expense returns from the 2015 general election. Well, those attempts have failed: Kent Police last week applied for an extension of the 12-month statutory limit into investigations of potential breaches of the Representation of the People Act at the 2015 general election. An investigation by Channel 4 News and the Daily Mail newspaper alleged that the Tories broke spending limits in key marginal seats at the last general election... [The Conservatives'] legal team argued that no special circumstances are in effect and that ...
Earlier this evening, I attended the June meeting of Community Spirit Action Group - the community group for the "north" part of West End Ward, covering Pentland, Tullideph, Ancrum and the Cleghorn area. The meeting took place at the Tullideph Sheltered Housing Lounge and the guest speaker was the City Archivist Iain Flett who gave a very interesting and informative talk "From St Clement's Church to St Ninian's Well; 600 Years of Filling in The Tay." It was a well-attended meeting and there was also an opportunity to discuss a number of local issues.
The Hollins Village Community Association met last night and the developers of the land at Park 66, Pilsworth (the site of the former Cinema and Bowling Alley) were present to discuss their proposals. They are proposing a 50/50 split of warehousing and retail. Not all of the land can be built on, due to the location of gas and water pipes. The site of the former bowling alley will be: JD sports with gym upstairs and a camping store. Food warehouse (part of Iceland chain). Home bargains. The former cinema area will be warehousing. Aldi have first refusal to build ...
A new job ad has appeared on the Liberal Democrat website: Diversity & Talent Support Manager (Lib Dems HQ, London) It is the Liberal Democrats' goal to better represent the communities we serve, by improving participation of individuals from diverse backgrounds at every level of the Party. Therefore the Diversity and Talent Support Manager will be responsible for planning and implementing key initiatives targeted at individuals from under-represented groups, to monitor, encourage and enable their greater participation, activism and candidacy within the Liberal Democrat Party. More details here.
Wed 1st
20:05
Shropshire is falling behind on bringing empty homes into use, denying hundreds of people a decent h...
Questions will be asked at a Shropshire Council meeting this Thursday to try to find to why this county has such a poor record on bringing empty homes back into use. If Shropshire Council had kept up with the national trend on reducing empty homes, we would have another 770 homes available in the county... Continue reading Shropshire is falling behind on bringing empty homes into use, denying hundreds of people a decent home →
The prospect of 40 new retirement apartments at Stone House has caused some consternation. Several people have commented that we should be concentrating on homes for young people, not increasing the retired population in the town. I have commented on this in a recent post. We know that Ludlow's population is older than average but... Continue reading Two in five Ludlow people will be aged 65 or over by 2039. Are we glad to be grey? →
One extraordinary point about this year's election is that the combined aged of the two front-runners is by some margin the highest ever. Donald Trump turns 70 a few months before the election, and Hillary Clinton a few months after. Their combined age of 139 on Election Day is ten years more than the previous record, Reagan (73) and Mondale (56) in 1984 (total 129). Only twice before have both main candidates been over 60 - the obscure elections of 1848, when Zachary Taylor (63) beat Lewis Cass (64), and 1828 when Andrew Jackson beat John Quincy Adams (both 61). ...
Wed 1st
18:55
Why I'm voting remain: I want to live in a Britain that stands tall and proud in the world
Tomorrow I'll be sending off my postal vote. A vote that will possibly be the most important of my lifetime. Unsurprisingly (to those of you who know me) I'm voting for Britain to remain a member of the European Union. I'm doing so because I believe passionately in the project and what it represents. However, I want to explain why this referendum is about so much more than whether Britain is simply a member of the EU or not. In my view it is just as much about the sort of country we see Britain as and what it's place ...
Despite knowing nothing about flying a helicopter, I feel pretty confident in saying that this is rather impressive:
Second paragraph of third chapter of George's Cosmic Treasure Hunt: 'Don't worry!' said George's dad. 'I'll keep an eye on the house for you. Might tidy up the garden a bit.' He gave Eric a firm handshake, which made the scientist turn rather pale and rub his hand afterwards. Second paragraph of third chapter of George and the Big Bang: The two friends stared blankly at him. These books follow on from George's Secret Key to the Universe; they too are almost entirely by Lucy Hawking, with a few inserted pieces on science by her father Stephen Hawking and various ...
One of the real successes of the coalition years was an initiative by Liberal Democrats to make revenge porn a criminal offence. It's just over two years since I first wrote about it and the harm it can do to people. At that point, there was little the police could do: It's time for the law to catch up with this most modern form of abuse. It takes seconds for a controlling man to inflict a lifetime of hell on a woman. That can't be right. Just 5 months later, the law was changed, thanks in no small part to ...
Scottish Liberal Democrat health spokesman Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP today said Scottish Government plans to provide pregnant women with vitamins miss a crucial part of the maternal health jigsaw as he called for a step change in perinatal mental health services. Recent research from NSPCC Scotland revealed that there are significant gaps in perinatal mental health [...]
A chance sighting by friends Janet & Keith of a leaflet detailing the showing of this delightful film in Parbold Village Hall took us to this quiet part of West Lancashire last Sunday. And what an enjoyable time we had too. [IMG: Parbold Village Hall 29 05 16] Yes I know the film has been out for a few months but we had not got around to seeing it. We did not know what to expect in terms of a viewing experience but actually it was great. The hall is large and high and the screen was equally large, indeed ...
The European Movement has published this guide to issues in the referendum. It contains a wealth of useful information when speaking to people about Europe. It has been compiled by Lib Dem campaigner Mike Biden from Winchester, who has done a fantastic piece of work for us all. Some of the facts in it ,include: For every £1 the EU spends, the UK economy has grown by £10 The EU's plans for growth will add 7% to the UK economy Only 1% of government expenditure goes to the EU. If you earn £30,000 pa, your contribution is just £51 Prices ...
[IMG: Last year's winners were the York Lib Dem Council Group] The LGA Liberal Democrat Office will be accepting nominations from Lib Dem council groups for the Council Group of the Year Awards from now until midday on Thursday 16 June : where local Lib Dem Groups have come up with good ideas for campaigning, either gone forward ordefended well where Lib Dem Councillors and Groups have served [...]
[IMG: aberdeenshireIN] Scottish Summer may be a non sequitur in some folks eyes but the summer of campaigning has well and truly started as temperatures have rocketed to the low to mid teens. The thank you parties are over and the Thank You/IN Focuses are being batched up. The Referendum campaign offers a great opportunity to get [...]
[IMG: Calendar] "Just get out and campaign" is a well-worn Liberal Democrat saying and, of course, it is right. However, there is also a need to stop, draw breath, look at what you have done and then plan for the next cycle. Often circumstances change and we campaign in response to local people's concerns or an event, [...]
Is corruption endemic in the political and economic classes? I joined TVOntario's The Agenda with Steve Paikin, to discuss the extent and potential remedies to corruption in Canada's public institutions.
The betting odds on the outcome of the EU Referendum are comforting. And the polls so far are not too bad. But once you are out of London, and on the doorstep, it doesn't feel good. The messages that feed back, picked up from social media and the subtle messages that the Leave campaign are putting out, show how many people have picked up their portrayal of the EU as draining both our sovereignty and our budget. Their latest political broadcast played heavily on the idea that the NHS will get worse if we stay in, and will benefit from ...
[IMG: Kickstart 2014] With Welsh local elections approaching fast, ALDC is offering a comprehensive training package to support groups and local parties prepare for May 2017. These opportunities are open to all Welsh Lib Dems. THREE TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES First, we are holding our 'JumpStart' training day at the Elim Centre in Brecon on Saturday 9th July. There will [...]
In February, former West Midlands Lib Dem chair and President's Award winner Jonathan Webber sadly died. His partner Kathryn Ball wrote an obituary for us, with tributes from Nick Clegg, Paddy Ashdown and Tim Farron. Tim said: His advice and counsel to successive leaders, his energy and his optimism, helped sustain the party in the most challenging of circumstances. Kathryn has now written a very interesting article on Jonathan's life for the Guardian. Here's an excerpt: After studying drama and setting up a small business as a bookseller, Jonathan worked as a bus conductor in Exeter. There he met a ...
I'm a busy person, so I tend to plan things in advance where I can, part of Ros's influence on me, especially when travel is concerned. And, having to go to London for a meeting seemed like an excellent opportunity to renew my passport too. When I had made the arrangements, the prospect of a by-election was not on the horizon. And so, I had booked an appointment at the Passport Agency in London using its online facility, and was resigned to writing off the day. It was, at least, an opportunity to draw breath before the final run-in to ...
Wed 1st
11:08Linney Hobbit House thrown out by planning inspector - the decision will help us protect our town ag...
Plans for a partly subterranean house near the castle mound on the Linney have been thrown out by the planning inspectorate. The plans for a so-called 'Hobbit House' were rejected by council planners last September. The decision to refuse this scheme is a textbook application of local planning rules. It will strengthen the case against... Continue reading Linney Hobbit House thrown out by planning inspector - the decision will help us protect our town against harmful development →
BBC Radio Leeds - Andrew Edwards - EU referendum debate RT @louisemartin25: .@BBCLeeds is hosting an #EUref debate in Bradford, two weeks tomorrow. You can sign up here to go! miss_s_b | Pod Together signups are open ... and it'd be nice if more writers signed up Blitzkrieg Bop - Remastered Version, a song by Ramones on Spotify #NowPlaying Blitzkrieg Bop - by Ramones (and daughter singing along) ♫ Instagram Day 30 of @mjrutell's #pfsixwordchallenge - prompt: magic #ink #inkyfingers #fountainpen... Instagram For day 31 of onicahanby's #quotedmay2016 #challenge - prompt: fave colour #ink #inkyfingers... NHS England » Further update ...
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader and North East Fife MSP Willie Rennie today said a Vote Leave leaflet which misrepresents comments from Fife SNP MP Stephen Gethins is a clear effort to con voters. Mr Rennie said that the leaflet, which takes comments from Mr Gethins out of context, should be withdrawn and pulped. Commenting, Mr [...]
Embed from Getty Images The government's white paper on the BBC ("A BBC for the future: a broadcaster of distinction") is available to read here. For a white paper, it is attractively presented. It puts forward a range of thoughtful and carefully calibrated proposals for the future. I've appended the text of the paper's main recommendations at the bottom of this article. Paddy Ashdown has blasted "changing the BBC's governance rules that (mean the government) could appoint the new executive's Chair and deputy." Perhaps I have fallen for weasel words in the white paper, but if I compare the current ...
Scottish Liberal Democrat education spokesman Tavish Scott MSP said yesterday it is no surprise that the SNP were happy for the latest numeracy statistics to be buried until after the election as new figures showed further falls in numeracy in schools. The Scottish Survey of Literacy and Numeracy was published today, more than a month later [...]
[IMG: audit] Before you start working out who you need to recruit to your team you need to think about who you already have helping and ultimately what gaps there are that you need to fill. Lib Dem councillors and campaigners know that there is no such thing as having too many helpers. We always need to [...]
I've read a few articles over the past week or so from members of the Right who are desperate to jump on any sign of life from the Leave camp as proof that the country still might vote to leave the European Union on June 23rd. Anytime a poll puts Leave in even the most marginal of leads – even when it just puts Leave only marginally behind – they jump up and scream that the establishment has underestimated Euroscepticism in this country. The strangest thing about these pronouncements is that even if they are true, shouting about them actually ...
[IMG: ALDC Master Logo (for screen)] Each year, ALDC recognises the outstanding work of local Focus teams through our Campaigner Awards and nominations are now open. The Campaigner Awards are presented at the ALDC AGM at Federal Conference. Winners in each category and our Overall Winner will receive cash prizes and a signed and framed certificate for their office! This year, after shortlisting, we will also be opening the vote to you! We want members of the party to have a say in this year's winners and will be opening the vote to the public. This year, our categories are: ...
In addition to a number of meetings with constituents yesterday, I also attended : + A meeting at the Wasps Studios at Meadow Mill for local businesses in the Blackness industrial area hosted by the council's consultants who are looking at ways of improving the area in a collaborative way, as part of the council's review of the local development plan. Ideas include bringing forward a masterplan for the area, including improved car parking, 'greening' the landscape, better walking links and compatible new planning uses such as creative industries, workshops, some small scale retail and residential development. At this stage, ...
Today's Telegraph carries a fascinating insight into the workings of the Corbyn leadership in which they report on a 30 minute fly-on-the-wall documentary, including preparations for Prime Minister's Question Time. The piece includes the startling claim by Seumas Milne, the Labour party's executive director of strategy that there is a mole in the Labour leader's inner circle who regularly leaks his attack lines at Prime Minister's Questions: During the 30 minute long fly-on-the-wall documentary, Mr Corbyn's team was filmed preparing him for the weekly clash at Prime Minister's Questions with a group of aides, including one who played the part ...
There is a ban on publishing exit polls – that is polls based on how people have actually voted – before the polls close in an election or referendum. (See principally Section 66a, 1983 Representation of the People Act.) The idea is to stop reports that the election result is set putting people off voting, such as if the media was dominated from lunchtime on polling day by reports that party X is going to win in a landslide. Which makes the following an interesting twist – a way in effect of carrying out an exit poll, keeping the results ...
The campaign schedule called for the final leaflet to be with the deliverers no later than the Friday before polling day, which meant that it had to be with the printer on Wednesday morning. Accordingly, the leaflet, with photographs of candidate and some very kind endorsements, had to be agreed and proof-read the evening before. Martin had laid out the leaflet, and my job was to review it, make any necessary changes and approve a final version. Luckily, Martin is pretty good at this, and it didn't require very much work before I could give it the all clear. And ...
Now here's something that could have been utterly boring but was actually quite interesting. I attended my first meeting of this group recently representing both Lydiate Parish Council (which I am a member of) and Maghull Town Council (which I am not a member of). The meeting was held in Ainsdale's Discovery Centre near to Pontins. Other Parish Councils in Sefton were represented on it together with Ramblers and horse riding groups. I have always had a fascination with public footpaths and regularly walk them both locally and further afield with Sheila and old chum Keith. Scramble motorbikes on the ...
