Government must act now on National Food Strategy recommendations Responding to the National Food Strategy review suggesting that free school meals should be extended to every household receiving Universal Credit, Liberal Democrat Education spokesperson Layla Moran said: The Government must waste no time in acting on these recommendations. We know that giving school children a hot, healthy meal at lunchtime greatly improves their health, behaviour and results. The Liberal Democrats are proud to have introduced free school meals in government and have long been calling for them to be extended to more pupils. We need to invest in giving every ...
The Magnet, a minor Ealing comedy, used to be rarity, but it now turns up on Talking Pictures TV fairly regularly. Last time I watched a bit of it I noticed something relevant to my interest in the treatment of children and bombsites in British films. And by some miracle just that scene can be found on YouTube. Before we get to the exchange that interested me, let's not that the film's young star is an 11-year-old James Fox, billed under his real name William Fox, and that you can see a train on the Liverpool Overhead Railway at 00:30. ...
If I didn't know him better, I would think Lord Bonkers was making fun of me. Only this morning I wrote that I am going to vote for Layla Moran. Apologies to whoever it was who first made this joke on Twitter. Wednesday With the village hall being a little too cosy to permit of social distancing, we now hold our discotheques for the young people on the green. Whilst spinning the discs, I observe that many erstwhile dancers are standing stock still with their feet planted and arms at various angles - rather as if they have remembered an ...
Forty-three years ago today I was locked out of the second day of the Trent Bridge Ashes test. On the first day England had bowled Australia for 243, with a young player called Ian Botham taking 5-74 on debut, and closed at 9-0. The result of my being turned away the next day was that I missed seeing a notorious run out. Derek Randall, a Nottinghamshire hero, was stitched up like a kipper by Geoffrey Boycott. That reduced England to 52-3, which became 82-5. At this point Alan Knott came in and began batting with his usual impish brilliance. This ...
This is the latest post in a series I started last November, anticipating the twentieth anniversary of my bookblogging which will fall in 2023. Every six-ish days I've been revisiting a month from my recent past, noting work and family developments as well as the books I read in that month. I've found it a pleasantly cathartic process, especially in recent circumstances. If you want to look back at previous entries, they are all tagged under bookblog nostalgia. June 2007 was the month in which B's behaviour took a serious downward step, and she had to be kept at home ...
My thoughts on the current position of the party, and which of Layla Moran and Ed Davey is best placed to take it forward.
Whilst at face value the announcement of Aurora Energy Resources that they are withdrawing their application (too Lancashire County Council) to be allowed to commence fracking in Great Altcar is excellent news, my feeling is that it would be premature to put out the bunting and celebrate victory. The link below to drillordrop is very informative:- My understanding (please correct me if I'm wrong) is that Aurora have also indicated they may well be take legal action against the government's fracking ban. That must surely mean that if they follow through with such legal action and are successful then ...
The Corona crisis demands different and more in-depth analyses and syntheses. Some causes of our poor management are society shortcomings – economic, democratic, educational and informational. These are failures of analytical thinking. Inextricably interconnected, they need addressing as a network. Power correlates highly with wealth. The concentration of wealth concentrates power. Concentrated power weakens democracy. If we do not manage the continuing concentration of wealth, we connive at the demise of democracy. If we do not expose and oppose Neo-liberalism's concentration of power, which gathers to itself yet more wealth and power, we are democrats in theory only. Neo-Liberalism turns ...
Fourth to First: How to win a local election in under six months by Freya Aquarone and Steffan Aquarone is a short but highly informative and entertaining guide to what really happens in local council elections.
Three separate motions were put forward at the Summer meeting of Bury's full Council. Councillor Michael Powell reports: Liberal Democrat group motion- Supporting Private Renters and Selective Licencing Our motion concerned securing a fair deal for private renters to ensure that they are protected from poor housing management and low standards from a minority of those operating in the sector. The motion suggested trialling the use of 'selective licencing' schemes, which require landlords in finite geographical areas to register with the Council enabling certain standards to be enforced. These schemes are already being used successfully in other Greater Manchester authorities, ...
Six Town Housing have launched a phototography competition to showcase Bury's communities in 2020. Our Bury 2020 is a competition with an aims to create a virtual time capsule showcasing the amazing communities around us, who have worked together to help overcome challenging situations this year. From window posters celebrating keyworkers to people volunteering their time to support vulnerable neighbours, there is a lot to be grateful for and feel proud of. We'd like to capture these moments for future generations, whether it's a photo already saved on your phone or you create something new especially to enter. Photos shared ...
Young people from across Greater Manchester are invited to join a new group to help give other young people the best possible future. Chair of the Greater Manchester Task Force, Olympian and Commonwealth Gold Medal Winner, Diane Modahl, is encouraging young people from across Greater Manchester to apply for a place on the Youth Advisory Group to help shape the future of Greater Manchester. The group of successful applicants will be aged between 11 and 30-year-olds and will work directly with Diane, to provide direction and challenge to the Task Force to ensure the centrality of the young person's voice. ...
Please see below details of the most significant roadworks scheduled for the Prestwich area in August 2020. For the full list see the GM Roadworks site here. Kersal Valley Road / Moor Lane junction – Multi-Way signals until 5th August 2020 (Electricity North West)Scholes Lane / Hilton Lane / Bury New Road junction – two lots of works: T Mobile lane closures on Scholes and Hilton 17-18 August 2020 and Cadent Case – lane closures around Scholes Lane Bury New Road junction up to 11 August 2020.Bury Old Road (junction of St Margaret's Road) Electricity North West Multi Way Signals ...
It's startling to realise that it is 40 years since Stanley Kubrick's psychological horror movie The Shining (based on a novel by Stephen King and available on BBC iPlayer for the next four weeks) first came out, but unlike some of its contemporaries it has aged well. Much of the credit naturally goes to the actors: Jack [...]
Come and use the free gym equipment in Kingsgate and Lilliput Parks: It is suitable for adults of all ages - including elderly residents. There are instructions on how to use them, and you can adjust them to fit your fitness level. Please remember to sanitise your hands before and after use, and keep to social distancing.Lib Dems on Yate Town Council worked with Dodington Parish Council to organise the funding and the two groups of equipment between them. It means people can do gym type exercise for free outdoors. And for those used to taking a walk for fitness, ...
Postal Votes Postal votes have gone to print on the 27th July 2020. The initial run was around 5,000 voters. These will be sent to Royal Mail on the 29th July 2020. We expect paper ballots to land between the 30th July and the 2nd August in the UK. We expect this to take up to the 14th August for non-UK postal ballots. People who haven't received a postal ballot by 2nd August can request a replacement by emailing elections@libdems.org.uk Postal votes have been assigned based on the following criteria: No email present on file Has been requested by member ...
It's make your mind up time and I have decided I shall be voting for Layla Moran in the Liberal Democrat leadership contest. The contest has been billed as one between Layla's ideas and Ed Davey's competence, which is rather unfair on both candidates. I voted for Ed last time round because of his clear policy offer, but I have not seen any difference in competence between him and Layla this time. I am therefore going with Layla's more ambitious vision for out party and winning personality. Ed's supporters are quick to remind us that we are competing with the ...
Tue, 19:01: Comet NEOWISE https://t.co/m8jh1M0WvB Tue, 20:48: Missed this fascinating thread back in April. https://t.co/d5xZfi3lLK Wed, 09:30: Whoniversaries 29 July: David Warner, Escape to L.A., Image of the Fendahl, Vincent van Gogh https://t.co/gSMztOtLd9 Wed, 10:45: Writers Circulate Letter of Concern About Saudi Worldcon Bid https://t.co/lFubXQDxtb For once, read the comments.
The announcement last weekend that the High Court had partially reversed a lower court's decision on Calderstones Park and the South Liverpool Green Wedge will have important ramifications for development across the city. What it wont do, or at least ... Continue reading →
The Frank Hornby Heritage Centre (FHHC) exhibition is to reopen on Friday 31st July by appointment only. It will then be open each Tuesday and Friday – 10am to 4pm – until further notice. The opening days/hours mirror those of Maghull Library with which it is co-located within Meadows Leisure Centre. Visits to it are by appointment only To book a visiting time please e-mail – caractorgraphics@yahoo.co.uk – and say which Tuesday or Friday you wish to visit and suggest the best time for you. Please do not visit without gaining an agreed date/time slot as entry to the exhibition ...
Residents will recall that, when Dundee City Council made its proposals for 'naturalised areas' within some parks and open space areas across the city to improve biodiversity, I mentioned - and highlighted to environment management - that I felt the most problematic proposal in the West End would be at Elliot Road. This is because it completely removed an amenity space and is very close to residential housing - and so it has proved to be as there has been much comment to both myself and the City Council very largely saying that the site was not appropriate. I am ...
The United Kingdom has, for years, taking a flexible approach to the importance of human rights. On the one hand, the UK has taken an impressive stance on the Magnitsky sanctions against human rights abusers, on the other, we often act far too slowly or not at all when it comes to our allies or powerful countries. We as a party have always stood tall in our defence of human rights. The treatment of the Uyghur Muslim community has been no exception, and the work of Alistair Carmichael, Maajid Nawaz and the Young Liberals should be applauded. The work, however, ...
Volunteers from Bury Samaritans walked the distance of a marathon (26.2 miles) in July to raise funds for the much used local charity. The volunteers walked through all six of Bury's towns on the 'Samarathon' top raised funds, and also to raise awareness of the important work that the Samaritans do to support people in some of their most difficult times. Bury Samaritans is the Mayoral Charity for the Mayor of Bury for 2020-21, Councillor Tim Pickstone. Tim joined the volunteers walking from Bury to Whitefield, Radcliffe and back to Bury. You can still support the Samaritans for their walk ...
The local Prestwich area Police Team have organised a summer 'scarecrow' festival and competition to run over the summer as a family event. They say: "We have had a lot of community events cancelled this year due to COVID so the Prestwich team have put their thinking caps on and we are organising a Prestwich Scarecrow Festival." We are asking Prestwich residents to take part in the competition and create a Scarecrow with your family and to visibly display it. Register your entry by sending us a photo of your Scarecrow to burysouth@gmp.police.uk by the 22nd August 2020. We will ...
The schedule for the publication of the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework (GMSF) proposals has been announced. The plans will be put before all ten Greater Manchester councils in October 2020 (the meeting date in Bury is 21 October 2020). If it is agreed by everyone then the final public consultation will be for eight weeks starting in November 2020. We do not yet know what the final proposals will say. The previous draft saw: – space for 202,000 new homes across Greater Manchester – massive developments to the east side of Prestwich and around Elton Reservoir – Prestwich fared very ...
Bury Council has announced the next phase of roads that will be resurfaced. This includes a number of roads in the Prestwich area. Thank you to residents who have raised many of these roads with us. Roads to be resurfaced in the next phase in the Prestwich area are: Heywood Road (Hampden Road to Park View Road) Sandgate Road (Mount Road to M60) Glebelands Road (Heywood Road to Langley Road) Hillcrest Road (Full length) Harlech Avenue (Full length) Park Road (Sheepfoot Lane to Castle Hill Road) Hastings Road (Orange Hill Road to Bailey Street) Ravens Way (Bury Old Road to ...
We are in the middle of a pandemic caused by a previously unknown virus, which under some versions was produced by scientists in a lab, but in other versions was caught from a bat in a market (which seems the most likely) and yet the Independent reports that scientists have persuaded ancient microbes to wake up, grow and start reproducing after laying dormant on the sea floor for more than 100 million years. Have they never read H.G. Wells' War of the Worlds? Or even seen the movie? What could go possibly wrong? The paper says that the organisms are ...
Wed 29th
08:48
Post Office consults on "temporary" Bromfield post office closure - parish council exploring options
Post Office Limited has launched a consultation on the closure of Bromfield Post Office which is to close on Monday 31 August. The Post Office is being closed because it is loss making at a time of dwindling margins due to the Covid-19 epidemic. The Post Office would not fund moving the facility into the Food Centre. The consultation letter (FAQ) insists that the closure is temporary but gives no information on what moves the Post Office is making to ensure continuity or reinstate services at Bromfield. The consultation closes on 31 August. Email: comments@postoffice.co.uk A working group set up ...
Wed 29th
08:30
Whoniversaries 29 July: David Warner, Escape to L.A., Image of the Fendahl, Vincent van Gogh
i) births and deaths 29 July 1941: birth of David Warner, who played Professor Grisenko in Cold War (Eleventh Doctor, 2013) and voiced Lord Azlok in Dreamland (Tenth Doctor animated, 2009) as well as an alternative Doctor (and other parts) for Big Finish. ii) broadcast anniversaries 29 July 2011: broadcast of Escape to L.A., fourth episode of Torchwood: Miracle Day. Team Torchwood arrive at the Pacific coast, and the plot thickens. iii) date almost specified in canon 29 July 1977: first scenes of Image of the Fendahl (1977) as the hiker meets his doom and the scientists play with their ...
PAC report on social care demands lessons are learned Government continues to ignore bad deal economic warning Government must do more to get young people into work PAC report on social care demands lessons are learned Commenting on a Public Accounts Committee report which condemns the "slow, inconsistent and at times negligent approach" to the social care sector during the Covid-19 pandemic, Liberal Democrat MP and member of the committee Sarah Olney said: The coronavirus has left people worried about their future and mourning loved ones. While we have relied on frontline staff to protect us, the Government's PPE shortages ...
