Whether the sun shines or the rain pours children and grown-ups can be active at a Bury Leisure sports centre this summer.

The school holidays are the perfect time for children to learn to swim, learn to dive, take up a new sport or simply take part in fun and active activities.  Bury Leisure promises plenty to keep your kids busy and working off their energy!

Don’t forget!
Children and young people need at least 60 active minutes a day to benefit their health.

What activities are taking place?

Activities are taking place in the pool, in the gym and in the sports hall. Details of each activity and the timetable can be downloaded using the links below.

The full summer activities brochure

Download the full summer activities brochure (12 pages, 1321kb, PDF)

Pool activities

Download activities in the pool (2 pages, 399kb, PDF)

Gym activities

Download activities in the gym (2 pages, 103kb, PDF)

Sports hall activities

Download activities in the sports hall (2 pages, 465kb, PDF)

Activities’ timetable

Download the activities’ timetable (2 pages, 83kb, PDF)

How to book

To book an activity contact the appropriate centre. Contact details are provided below. To book a trampoline course phone Funtime Activities on 07939 567088.

Where are the activities taking place?

Our summer holiday activity programme is available at our three main sport centres: 

Castle Leisure Centre, Bolton Street, Bury
Phone 0161 253 6513 | Email castleleisure@bury.gov.uk

Radcliffe Pool and Fitness Centre, Green Street, Radcliffe
Phone 0161 253 7814| Email radcliffepool@bury.gov.uk

Ramsbottom Pool and Fitness Centre, Porritt Way, Ramsbottom
Phone 0161 253 7292 | Email ramsbottompool@bury.gov.uk

Bury Council is in support of Change4Life.  In order to maintain a healthy weight we need to both eat better and move more.  Many families are making changes that will help them live healthier and longer lives.  Visit www.nhs.uk/Change4Life or call 0300 123 3434 for more information. 

The Government is set to announce a radical shakeup of the NHS, ostensibly handing much of the NHS budget for commissioning services etc down to local GP’s.

The NHS budget currently stands at £105bn. About 80% of this is given to local health managers working for 152 primary care trusts which in turn commission services for their areas.

A Government White Paper to be published later, is expected to call for much of this to be handed to GPs working together in formal partnerships in what would be a major shake-up of the NHS structure.

Now it’s not hard to see that in wanting to meet it targeted aims, the Government want to cut back on NHS management and focus spending on frontline services, that this is an attractive option. But there are big questions and as a high risk strategy if it does not succeed then it would prove disastrous, both from a cost point of view, but more importantly for patients adversely affected.

A lot seens to hinge on being able to cut back on managers and re-invest in GP led/commissioned care instead. But isn’t there a danger that as local Primary Care Trust managers lose their jobs, local GP’s find they need to employ them instead?

And are GP’s and their surgeries equiped to handle this new regime? I should state here that I am sure my GP would excel at such an opportunity, but do all GP’s have the necessary skills? Would it impinge on the time available to see patients?

Presumably for financial reasons the Government is preferring to roll this out across the NHS, when normally such a radical shakeup would have been piloted first.

As with many great ideas it has potential, and undoubtedly makes sense on paper, but then things often look different in practice. I hope they have done their homework and extensively consulted with the medical profession otherwise there may be problems ahead.

Remember the Poll Tax? 

Did you know Dementia affects 750,000 people in the UK?

Did you know over 2000 people are living with Dementia in Bury?

Are you worried about your memory?

If you would like to find out more about Dementia and its early signs pop along to the stand in the Millgate shopping centre on wednesday. There will also be information about caring for people with Dementia. 

 Date: Wednesday 7^th July

Time: 10am – 5pm

Location: Millgate Shopping Centre (outside Boots)

This morning I made my way to the Disability Services Centre which sits on the small remaining corner of the Withington Hospital site that is yet to have houses built on it.

The DSC or “limb Centre” as it is known by patients basically services, repairs and fits prosthetic limbs. I had a lower leg prosthesis fitted following a below right knee amputation as a result of a motor bike accident in ‘95 and have been visiting every 12-18 months ever since.

When you  go there they steer you to a “fitting room” where you are sat down. The “fitter” probably titled a prosthetic engineer or some such then comes and after exchanging pleasantries asks to see your prosthesis. Inevitably he then takes it away leaving you marooned in a particularly unattractive room with similarly unattractive blokes all doing that thing of avoiding eye contact with crotch areas.

You then wait and wait and wait - in my instance (hence this blog), I waited 3 hours today. As if to add insult to injury, you have no tele, no radio and mobiles phones are banned.

So there you are sat - stranded legless, footless whatever with the only entertainment being a handful of womens magazines exploring the wonders of Perth, how to knit with confidence and 18 month old horoscopes and adverts for incontinence pads and chairs that propel you to a horizontal position at the flick of a switch.

But believe me that was preferable to the 82 year old gentlemen (very nice chap) that was being asked to walk up and down between some parallel bars in underpants, that seemed only marginally younger than he, with a significant hole in an unfortunate location. 

Momentarily my mood was lifted when a chirpy lady popped her round the door and said, “The user group are having a coffee morning with tea, cakes and biscuits - feel free to pop round.” To a man the 3 patients and myself looked at each other and looked down at our absent limbs.

Losing the will to live wasn’t in it, you actually begin to think you’ll never get out of there. Thankfully I did. This time!

I’ve just returned from Bury Crossroads 18ths Birthday party. The carers charity in Bury has been going now for 18 years and wanted to celebrate the occasion with carers, staff, trustees and anyone else (like me) who wanted to pop in. So I dropped round to Bury United Reformed Church to show my support and offer best wishes and so on.

Unfortunately it was in my lunchtime and I couldn’t spare the time to get stuck into the buffet, tempting though it was.

I would just take this opportunity though to congratulate Crossroads on their 18 years. 18 years of support for local carers, many of whom were at their wits end and now receive help, advice and respite for their carer activities.

Goodness knows how much it’s saved the NHS over the years and how much it has improved the lives of some of the 9000 carers in Bury. Well done and keep up the good work. Here’s to the next 18 years!

The first Prestwich Area Partnership meeting of the new municipal year took place last night at Church Lane Community Centre.

As ever it was a packed agenda and well attended, some of the key highlights were as follows:

COMMUNITY GRANTS

Concern was raised that the Area Partnership were asked to cancel a recent Grants Panel meeting because no funds had yet been allocated to the Area Partnerships for the coming year. Members raised concerns that funds need to be allocated in order that local organisations and activities can be supported.

BROADBAND JUNCTION BOXES

Residents of Brooklands Road raised concerns about the recent installation there of a new large BT junction box bringing high speed broadband to the area. This is apparently the first of a number of boxes to be established in the area and residents expressed concern that they had not been consulted about the location and that workmen went onto their land without permission to carry out the work. the Partnership agreed to raise the matter with the Council.

DISCRETIONARY RATES

Bury Council operates a scheme of discretionary Business Rates reductions for local charities and non-profit making groups. However representatives of Prestwich Amateur Dramatic and Operatic Society (PADOS) attended to voice their concerns that their discretionary reduction had been cancelled and whether this was a change of Council policy. Prestwich Area Partnership agreed to raise the issue with Bury Council.

NEIGHBOURHOOD INTELLIGENCE ASSESSMENT

Every few years the Council produce this document that brings together a variety of local indicators and figures from different sources, local and national, to provide an insight into local communities highlighting crime, health , levels of deprivation and affluence, population statistics etc. The aim is to use the document to inform and influence the devleopment of local policies. The Area Partnership agreed to establish a Working Group to look more closely at the issues raised and how they may be addressed.

POLICE UPDATE

New local Inspector, Mark Kenny attended and gave an update on local crime and Police issues. He confirmed that there had been some significant reductions in crime over the past year and they were working hard to keep it that way. In addition he informed the Partnership that due to reorganisation there will now be crime investigation teams attached to each ward area, with officers responsible to respond directly to crimes in those areas.

HOLYROOD CHILDREN’S CENTRE

Caroline Finn the Holyrood Childrens Centre Manager and Davina Handley from Childrens services provided an update on building work progress and plans for the new centre on Cuckoo Lane at Heaton Park School. It was confirmed that they are starting to provide services off-site and the Centre is expected to be completed and open by November 22nd.  

NEXT MEETING

July 15th from 6.30pm (open forum 7.30), venue to be confirmed - see local press.

THE LIBERAL DEMOCRAT MANIFESTO

This is a manifesto you can trust. We have stripped our priorities back to the essential, fundamental changes that Britain needs to make it fair:

• Fair taxes that put money back in your pocket
• A fair chance for every child
• A fair future, creating jobs by making Britain greener
• And a fair deal by cleaning up politics

These are deliverable, practical plans to make your life better, and they are right there on the front cover of our manifesto.  Instead of rhetoric and razzmatazz, we are saying what we will do and how we will pay for it.

Elections should be a competition of ideas, not marketing budgets. They may have the bigger budgets but we have the bigger ideas.And you can trust us to deliver because unlike the other parties, we have spelt out, line by line in the manifesto how every single policy is paid for, and how we will reduce the deficit.

We have set out £15bn of details spending cuts and just £5bn a year of new spending, meaning £10bn for the deficit every year. We are the first party to put detailed spending plans into a manifesto.

Four key pledges

1. Fair taxes: We will ensure no-one pays income tax on the first £10,000 they earn. Most taxpayers will get a tax cut of £700 a year.  We’ll pay for it by closing loopholes that unfairly benefit the rich, a new tax on mansions worth over £2m, a crack down on tax avoidance and higher aviation duty.
2. A fair start for all our children: We will get every child the individual attention they need by cutting class sizes.  We will spend an extra £2.5bn on schools, targeted at children who need the most help. The average primary school could cut class sizes to 20. An average secondary school could see classes of just 16.
3. A fair future: a rebalanced, green economy: We will break up the banks and rebalance the economy away from unsustainable financial speculation. We will be honest about where savings must be made in government spending to balance the books and protect our children’s future. And we will create new jobs with a £3.1bn green stimulus and job creation plan in our first year in office, fully funded by cut backs elsewhere.
4. A fair deal from politicians: We will introduce a fair voting system. We will ensure corrupt MPs can be sacked by their constituents and stop non-doms from donating to parties or sitting in Parliament. We will take power from Westminster and give it to communities, with local power over police and the NHS, and introduce a freedom bill to protect and restore civil liberties.

We also have the following commitments:

• Protect front line NHS services. We will help the NHS work better with the money it has and protect front line services by re-investing the savings we find back into healthcare
• Recruit 3,000 more police officers to keep our streets safe and scrapping ID cards
• Scrap student tuition fees to reduce the burden of student debt immediately and eliminate fee debt altogether over 6 years
• A pay rise for our brave service men and women together with cut backs of bureaucrats and top brass officers in the Ministry of Defence
• Uprate the basic state pension in line with earnings immediately so that pensioners do not fall further behind when the economy starts to grow again

YOU CAN READ NICK CLEGGS MANIFESTO LAUNCH SPEECH HERE

YOU CAN READ OR DOWNLOAD A COPY OF OUR MANIFESTO HERE: libdem_manifesto_2010.pdf

ALTERNATIVELY YOU CAN VIEW OUR MANIFESTO IN FULL OR SECTIONS ON OUR WEBSITE HERE 

Commenting on Labour’s plans to reform social care, Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary, Norman Lamb said: 

“After 13 years in power spent ducking social care reform we probably shouldn’t be surprised that Labour has once again hit it into the long grass.

“A white paper without any commitment to substantial change in the next Parliament is barely worth the paper it is written on.

“We’re now being offered a series of piecemeal reforms that have not been properly thought through or costed. Seeking consensus is the right approach but that will only work if the cross-party commission is free to consider all ways of funding social care, not just Labour’s preferred policy. The commission should report within a year so changes can be implemented straight away.

”Vic D’Albert, Lib Dem Parliamentary Candidate for Bury South added:

“Gesture politics coupled with desperation has meant that the Government made this announcement now rather than seeking to further develop consensus and properly consider how the scheme would work and be funded.

“The issue of social care for the elderly is too important a subject to be reduced to a sound bites and slogans.

The announcement has been followed by suggestions that the Attendance allowance benefit may be slashed by £100m to pay for it.

“It is important right now that we make it clear to Labour and the Tories that we will not stand by and allow other vulnerable groups and disadvantaged communities to see their budgets slashed to pay for this.

“It’s no use addressing the need of the elderly while punishing the disabled or others to pay for it.”

from NHS Bury website for information:

Free swine flu vaccinations will continue in Bury until Autumn 2010

NHS Bury will continue to offer the swine flu vaccination for any eligible adults, and children aged six months to five years who may have missed being vaccinated in 2009 or were not able to get vaccinated at their GP surgery, until the seasonal flu vaccine becomes available in Autumn 2010.   The current groups eligible for the vaccine are:

·         People aged between six months and 65 years in the seasonal flu vaccine at-risk groups

·         Pregnant women

·         People who live with those whose immune systems are compromised, such as cancer patients or people with HIV/AIDS

·         People aged 65 and over in the seasonal flu vaccine at-risk groups

·         Frontline health and social care workers

·         Children aged six months to five yearsAll vaccination sessions are ‘drop in’ clinics however anyone wishing to make an appointment or wanting more information can telephone the NHS Bury Flu Team on 0161 272 4049. Swine Flu: 

If you can’t catch it, you can’t pass it on. Forthcoming sessions will take place as follows:             

·         22 March, 5 – 7pm, Bury Walk-in Centre, Moorgate Primary Care Centre

·         24 March, 5 – 7pm, Prestwich Walk-in Centre, Fairfax Road , Prestwich

·         6 April, 9 – 11am, Sedgley Children’s Centre, Bishops Road , Prestwich

·         14 April, 5 – 7pm, Bury Walk-in Centre, Moorgate Primary Care Centre

·         20 April, 5 – 7pm, Prestwich Walk-in Centre, Fairfax Road, Prestwich

·         4 May, 9 – 11am, Sedgley Children’s Centre,Bishops Road, Prestwich

·         13 May, 5 – 7pm, Bury Walk-in Centre, Moorgate Primary Care Centre

·         27 May, 5 – 7pm, Prestwich Walk-in Centre, Fairfax Road, Prestwich

Commenting on the report by the Princess Royal Trust for Carers which reveals that only 23% of the money allocated to help carers was used in this way, Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary, Norman Lamb said:

“The Government has completely neglected the vital work that carers do and this report is further evidence of the scale of the problem.

“Labour’s cuts are already biting across the NHS and their failure to cut back on waste means that it is the most vulnerable who are losing out. 

“This report highlights the need for a guarantee to respite care which only the Liberal Democrats are committed to.”

Vic D’Albert, Parliamentary candidate for Bury South added, “It just shows how low on their priorities list this Government places carers. These funds should have been ring fenced if Labour were really serious about providing respite care.

“Once again many of the 9000 plus carers in Bury have lost out under this Government.

“It’s about time the role of carers, the valuable work they do and the daily pressures and stresses they face were properly recognised with real commitment. Once again it would seem that only the Lib Dems can offer the commitment they deserve.

Friday 26th February 2010 is National Wear Red Day and your chance to help the British Heart Foundation fight heart disease.
All you have to do is wear an item of red clothing in support of National Wear Red day.

Order your free fundraising kit today at bhf.org.uk/red or call us on 0845 241 0976.
You can join in at work, school or with friends and family.They will send you posters, stickers, a collection box and plenty of ideas!
As the nation’s heart charity, they are totally committed to creating a world where people no longer die prematurely from heart disease. But they rely on your donations of time and money to continue their good work.

I hope you will be able to support this worthy cause.

Bury South Lib Dem candidate, Vic D’Albert has called on Bury Primary Care Trust to reconsider their proposals for new health facilities.

It was recently confirmed by the PCT that following rejection of a previous planning application for the uplands health centre near Whitefield Town Hall, that they now plan to relocate most of their plans to premises in the Radcliffe area.

Vic D’Albert commented, “This is a dreadful decision by the PCT that will significantly disadvantage many people in the Whitefield area and will do nothing to help deprived communities in Whitefield. I would urge them to reconsider for the sake of all concerned.

“There has to be a middle way here that provides a planning application in this conservation area that is acceptable to the local authority and enables the PCT to bring first class modern medical and health support services to local residents.”

If there is one single area where Labour has persistently failed many people in this country it would be in its attempts to reduce poverty and the poverty gap in Britain. And within that their pledge to eradicate Child poverty is the most miserable failure of all. 

A report by the National Equality Panel published today has stated that the gap between rich and poor in Britain is now wider than 40 years ago.

The Panel found that “Deep-seated and systemic differences” remain between men and women and minority groups in pay and employment.

This is despite this Labour Government throwing millions of pounds of taxpayers money at the issue and numerous initiatives.

The trouble is they have done just that - thrown millions of pounds at the problem, almost scatter cushion like, without going to the fundamental issues that drive poverty and curse many born into poverty. And coupled with new labours conservative approach to personal taxation, especially in their first Blair Parliament from ‘97, they have undermined their own ambitions to deal with poverty.

It’s probably their biggest failure and worst legacy to many over the course of a generation, who despite promises now bear the brutal scars of poverty and all that flows from it.

As I drove to work today, passing a billboard with David Cameron staring down at me trying to look all ernest and serious, the election campaign ahead became even clearer to me.

You listen to Cameron and Brown and all you seem to get is a bidding war as to how much they would cut public services in order to deal with the budget deficit. They both pledge to “protect” the NHS. Although it would seem the Tories now don’t mean all the NHS, just certain bits.

It’s as if they are trying to prove they are tougher than each other and in the mad scramble to chop services they are forgetting that we need radical change to improve many of our public services and crucially the great British Public need to know where those cuts will fall. What services will they be left with after the great cull!

That’s why we need the real change only the Lib Dems can offer not the fake change Tories or No change Labour. There has been much damage to many of our services with countless tinkering, interfering and gimmicks over the past 13 years and blatantly we can’t afford a Conservative Government when Labour have left Britain with wider poverty gaps than ever. The Economy is in a delicate position and we need sustainable economic policies not soundbites for the city.

Real change for Britain has never been more needed, Only the Lib Dems can offer the changes we need at a cost that we can afford. It’s about creating a fairer Britain for all.

Nearly 40,000 children have been fined, cautioned or taken to court for alcohol-related offences in the last five years. The number has increased by over a quarter in that period, according to research by the Liberal Democrats. The key points are: 

·         39,714 people aged under 18 were fined, cautioned or taken to court for alcohol related offences between 2003 and 2007

·         This includes 124 children aged 10 to 12 and 6,111 aged 13 to 15

·         The number of under-18s fined, cautioned or taken to court for alcohol related offences has increased by 28.4% from 6,764 in 2003 to 8,686 in 2007

·         The number of 13 to 15 year olds being cautioned has increased by 17.4% and the number of 13 to 15 year olds being taken to court has increased by 19.9% in the same period.  

Vic D’Albert, Lib Dem Parliamentary candidate for Bury South said said:“These figures are absolutely shocking. It’s extremely worrying to see how many children are being dragged into the criminal justice system through alcohol abuse. The problem appears to be growing worse by leaps and bounds. 

“There has been a lot of Government talk about the alcohol crisis in this country but these figures show that they are completely failing to tackle this crisis. 

“Unless we change our drinking culture, we will condemn many of these children and adolescents to serious long-term alcohol-related illnesses or a life of crime. We must stamp out the sale of ultra-cheap alcohol being sold at pocket-money prices and improve the education of our children about the dangers of drink.

“The Government must get serious about this escalating problem. They must end the culture of cheap booze imports and show zero tolerance when enforcing a strict policy that those who sell alcohol to under-age children will lose their licence.”

The National Autistic Society is running a FREE Information Sharing Drop-In giving you the chance to meet a range of providers who offer support and services to people with autism and their families.

The Information Sharing Drop-In will also offer FREE training sessions on Sensory Issues by the National Autistic Society HELP! Team as well as information on the changes in Social care.

Date: Wednesday 9^th December

Time: 10am – 6.30pm

Location: The MET, Market Street, Bury BL9 0BW

Everyone is welcome! Just come along to have a chat and find out more. For further information, please contact Sara on 07766248915

For further information about Bury Adult Care Services? Then visit: www.bury.gov.uk/adults

The Social Work Task Force report published yesterday, provides a long overdue and much needed insight into the profession, but why has it taken so long?

These changes should have been made following the tragic death of Victoria Climbie’ nearly 10 years ago.

And, whilst very welcome the big question mark surrounds funds available. Cash strapped local authorities are already struggling to pay the kind of salaries to attract social workers and they will undoubtedly need to know that extra resources will be made available to provide the professional development, training, support and salary packages that need to be provided if the Government is serious about developing the profession and retaining experienced social workers.

So we will have to see how serious the Government takes this issue. Lip Service or crucial service? We will see. Whatever happens the fact remains that social workers do a difficult job in often difficult circumstances under extreme pressure and stress.

They deserve and we should expect that should have their situation and the professions future development taken seriously. We don’t need any more Baby P’s.

It’s World Aid day -and is it me or has Aids/HIV ceased to be news? Yet millions of the worlds population are HIV positive or living with Aids, from babies to adults, male, female, gay, straight, black, white. Millions are dying or suffering. Across Africa millions are orphaned, homeless or starve as a result.

Aids is the disease that cursed the 1980’s and 90’s and ravaged Africa. And we must not forget the millions worldwide that have circumbed to this terrible wasting disease. We must also not forget the millions neglected of crucial anti-virul drugs in Africa, because it wasn’t either accepted as a problem or the drug companies weren’t prepared to compromise their profits.

So on World Aids Day 2009 remember: 

• 40 million people live with HIV/AIDS worldwide.

• 12 million children have been orphaned as a result of HIV/AIDS.

• There were 4.3 million new HIV infections in 2006 and 2.9 million AIDS-related deaths.

Aids is still with us, It is still killing, It still needs fighting as much as ever.

Support Aids/HIV charities:

Terence Higgins Trust www.tht.org.uk 

George House Trust  www.ght.org.uk

Bury Council is facing a funding crisis for Disabled Facilities Grants according to local Lib Dems. Figures obtained by Vic D’Albert, Lib Dem Parliamentary Candidate for Bury South reveal that over £1,500,000 of grants are either waiting for approval or approved and not yet paid.

“This is a serious issue with serious consequences for those waiting for these important grants” Said Vic D’Albert, adding, “These grants are essential to enable people with severe disabilities to adapt their properties to enable them to live as independent and full a life as possible. Often these involve proving basic ground floor facilities. These figures show that Bury is heading for a financial crisis with these grants, and are stalling over payments more and more in an effort to keep payments down. If the Council does not address this issue sooner rather than later we will see an escalation in the number of disabled people suffering longer and longer as a result.”

The Council had a budget for the year of just over £1.1m but already have applications totalling £1.53 not paid on top of £418,713 already paid this year. On top of these outstanding applications there are a further 34 cases that have now been marked as medium or low priority.

This backlog of grants follows on from the recent high profile local case of Mr Westwood of Whitefield, a double amputee and constituent of Vic D’Albert, who had to wait over 10 months for his grant. In another instance a mother with a 5 year old autistic child approached Vic D’Albert after being told by a council officer that “the council couldn’t afford to do the work yet – could they find the £29000 necessary and the council pay them back later”.

“I find it intolerable that in an effort to meet the budget that has been set at the beginning of the year, that Bury Council is effectively stalling on providing much needed adaptations. We are not talking luxuries here, these are essentials and needed immediately not in 10 months or a years time. I expect Bury Council to respond to this crisis with a detailed strategy as to how they plan to deal with this problem in a way that meets the demands of disabled residents.“

“It’s stressful, hurtful and frankly insulting for people to be treated this way. Bury Council needs to get a grip of the situation immediately.”

It was extremely sad to read in the local paper of the tragic death of Rachel Davies as a result of an air rifle accident. And to read the heartfelt plea from grieving parents Angela and Ricky Davies at the inquest into their daughters death urging people to stop buying these weapons.

Too often we read in national and local news of either tragic accidents or abuse of these weapons by owners. I firmly believe the time has now come for the Government to take a firmer line with these weapons. Whilst there are regulations already it is worrying that air guns and rifles do seem to be readily available and they seem to fall into the wrong hands too easily.

I myself was “shot” at from a bedroom window while visiting an estate in my council area a while ago and whilst I suffered no injuries the incident was alarming, and even now I wonder what damage would have been done if the pellet had hit me in the eye rather than my jacket.

It would seem to me that the regulations are too casual, we need need firm regulations from beginning to end - from importers to shopkeepers to purchasers. Outlets selling these weapons should be strictly licensed and limited.,And there should be strict penalties for improper use of these weapons. Too often people treat them as toys when they are offensive weapons.

How many more tragedies will we have to put up with, how many more parents have to lose their precious daughter? 

The scandal of 180,000. dementia sufferers being prescribed anti-psychotic drugs - leading to behaviour changes in many and even death, is bad enough, but sadly I think the problem is a much wider problem.

We need (as a country - society) to decide how we want to be treated both in old age and when unable to properly look after ourselves such as in this case. We need to once and for all decide how we are going to provide the hidden health service - our carers, with the support and advice they need and deserve.We need to fundamentally address a few issues as a society, we need a national debate on these issues which can ultimately inform Government as to what we should expect.I remember when the elderly were often referred to as Senior Citizens - that phase doesn’t seem to be used often enough these days. But to my mind that’s what they are.

In a week when we have commemorated the passing of a generation that gave so much for our freedom and quality of life, isn’t it time we properly recognised that we owe them a certain quality of life in their final years. And isn’t it time we guaranteed a certain quality of life for severely disabled or those generally in need of constant care?

It’s time this issue was placed firmly on the agenda before it slips beneath the cloud of spending cuts and the un-holy political auction between parties fighting to out-cut each other.

Read the rest of this entry.

So now we understand the purpose of Government advisors. Whilst it would have been reasonable to assume that they existed to provide advice on important issues from acknowledged experts in their field, we now know better.

From the fall-out of the sacking of David Nutt the Governments chief drugs advisory on the Drugs Advisory Panel, we can now see that it would seem that the real purpose is to give credibility to Government policy. 

The sacking of David Nutt was an incredible over reaction from a Labour Government clearly now extra sensitive about every tiny aspect of public policy so close to an election.

The decent thing for Brown to do would be to re-instate David Nutt with a formal apology. That however is unlikely to happen. The real damage as a result of the mishandling of this whole affair is that it’s now highly unlikely anyone will take any notice of any other advisors. Why should they? How do we know that it hasn’t all been agreed in advance with the appropriate Government Minister.

Most sensible people would have accepted that there is a place for science and a place for politics. That whilst it is right and proper for scientific advice to be furnished to Ministers and Government, it is also right and proper that a fuller judgement is made by Ministers based upon other factors as well - and yes that may well include public opinion.

BUT, in doing so the Government has to be honest and transparent about how it makes its judgment, it needs to acknowledge the advice given and explain the overall rationale behind decisions , not try and cover up the real reasons and seek false explanations.

The whole shady affair reminds me on a grander scale of the attempt to prove that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction.

It has damaged the credibility of Government advisors and the Goverment yet further.What a mess.

PLANNING APPLICATION 

A Planning application has been lodged by Care UK for the siting of a mobile Health Clinic at Tesco’s for a period of seven years.

Details would be appear sketchy at present but presumably it will be one of those mobile testing clinics - where you can get your blood pressure checked out or perhaps have more serious matters checked/tested for problems. All potentially very good but immediately questions spring to mind.

Firstly why isn’t this happening at the walk in centre (or its much hoped for LIFT centre replacement)?

I thought the NHS was hard up. So why are they paying a private company to dump a mobile clinic at Tesco’s for 7 years and staff it?

It also seems a bit bizarre - have your heart checked out, while your better half rumages through the fruit and veg!

And I assume Tesco’s are getting a pretty good slice of the action also. Let’s face it they’re not exactly know for their benevolence to the local community. So perhaps someone will let us know who is paying what to whom in this novel initiative?
 

David Cameron’s announcement on the eve of the Tory Conference, that  Tory Government would review all those on Incapacity benefit with a view to getting many of them in to work or on £25 per week less in benefits (switching to Job Seekers), is a cheap shot at best in an attempt to woo the right wing of his own party and of course the right wing press.

At a time of deep recession when unemployment isn’t expected to start dropping any time soon, targeting those on incapacity benefit, forcing them onto the end of a growing jobs queue really isn’t going to solve the problem. In many parts of the country it is now common for up to 100 applicants for a job. How helpful will it be to add people who have been on incapacity benefit for possibly years , too that jobs market?

Everyone knows that the benefit system needs reform, it’s been Lib Dem policy for as long as I can remember. All main parties want reform and all main parties are committed to reviewing spending.

But this is really just another case of Tory posturing coupled with spending cuts. But cuts for cuts sake is irresponsible and will harm vulnerable people. We have to reconcile any proposed cuts too what our spending priorities need to be over the coming decade.

We need to protect the vulnerable, to protect vital front line services and to maintain key public services. Sadly the nature of Cameron’s announcement just reaffirms Tory cruel intentions and shows a reverting to type in the quest for media coverage and spending cuts.

Plans for Heaton Park School’s Childrens Centre have been approved by Bury Council’s Planning Committee.

At last nights meeting the committee unanimously approved the plans for the new centre on Cuckoo Lane.

This will prove a tremendous asset for both the school but especially the local community. The School will be undergoing refurbishment soon and the Childrens Centre work is expected to be wrapped up in that development/refurbishment work.

When completed it will almost be the finishing touch to the transformation of Heaton Park Primary school that in addition to a nursery , will also be getting a recently approved nursery play area.

These facilities are most welcome in this area and much needed by the local community and especially valuable to nearby Polefield estate that is recognised as a deprived area.

At last nights Planning Committee I asked (on behalf of residents) that careful consideration be given to drainage issues surrounding the new development as in the past developments have adversely affected drainage of surface water into neighbouring properties. The committee noted my concerns

I was delighted to have the opportunity to visit Sedgley Childrens centre at Sedgley Park School yesterday.

The centre opened in July 2008, so it was great to see how it had progressed in 14 months since. The centre caters for all Sedgley’s diverse community including the growing muslim community and the orthodox Jewish community.

It was amazing to see the amazing rage of events that take place over the course of a week and to see and hear first hand about the facilities available and to see how health and childrens services are using the facilities.

The centre is clearly going from strength to strength and there clearly great pride and enthusiasm amongst the staff for the important services they are offering.

Congratulations to Vicky and the team for all their endeavours and achievements to date,

Well Done! (and thanks for the tea).

Tory Councillor and MP hopeful Michelle Wiseman says she is confused.

She is confused ,she says, because whilst the Lib Dems are opposed to a sports zone being built on open parkland in Heaton Park, we were proposing (at last nights council meeting), to press for more sporting activities and initiatives in Bury in the run up to the Olympic Games in 2012.

I would urge Mrs Wiseman to get out more (and meet real members of the public) as things aren’t always as black and white as Conservative Central Office makes out.

The Lib Dems are opposed to the specific proposals because, put simply, they are:

a) in the wrong place

b) Not freely available for public use - charges may be as much as £45 for pitch hire and,

c) Will mean the end for yet another piece of Heaton Park .

They are primary reasons and when you throw in the damage to the environment and extra congestion and nuisance to neighbouring residents we feel that makes a compelling case.

That should not however mean we are opposed to sports facilities - for the record we did not oppose the building of the Commonwealth Bowling greens and pavilion etc. But why should we be building on historic open parkland when there are derelict brown field sites across North Manchester and Bury?

But what was most dissapointing from Mrs Wiseman was that her desperate attempt to sit on the Heaton Park fence was exposed last night after telling Heaton Park Action Group that they had her 100% support we now know that was a shallow empty committment.

As for our motion we believe the Olympic Games provides a great opportunity to encourage young and old alike to get involved in sports and improve fitness and health etc by tapping into that enthusiasm that will be growing over the next few years. So it was particularly dissapointing that Michelle and her Tory colleagues voted down our proposals which included the development of a Greater Manchester Leisure Card enabling all residents across greater manchester to get better more affordable access to facilities across the area.

Confused, Shallow, Fence sitting - Bury Conservatives, one change we don’t need.

David Cameron is today making a speech on the NHS in another desperate attempt to prove the Conservatives are the party of the NHS , that it’s safe in their hands.

The trouble is even if we believe him, I am not sure I can believe the Conservative Party - especially following very public outbursts from  some of his MEP’s etc.

The problem is their past handling of the NHS and the lack of detail on their current policies. For instance they propose to “introduce more providers”. Now this can only mean privatisation. But there is no substance or detail so we can only wonder and worry about the extent of the privatisation they plan.

Until we see the small print of their health manifesto then no one can be confident that the NHS won’t suffer as it did under Thatcher and Major. The Tories can’t be trusted with our vital public services. That has been proved time and time again.

The right wing opponents to Obama’s public health care proposals in the US are now going into hysterical hyperdrive with allegations about the NHS that are totally wrong and a total fiction.

I for one would not be here today if we didn’t have the NHS - OR if I lived in the US - the NHS saved my life and I find it both distateful and upsetting to read the slanderous, insulting comments that are being misrepresented in the US media.

For instance: 

A Republican National Committee ad said that in the U.K. “individuals lose their right to make their own health care choices.”

Another ad launched earlier this month by the anti-tax group Club for Growth claimed that government bureaucrats in Britain had calculated six months of life to be worth $22,750. “Under their socialized system, if your treatment costs more, you’re out of luck,” the ad says, as footage of an elderly man weeping at a woman’s bedside alternate with clips of the Union Jack and Big Ben.

One Republican Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa told a local radio station last week that “countries that have government-run health care” would not have given Sen. Edward Kennedy, who suffers from a brain tumor, the same standard of care as in the U.S. because he is too old. Another Republican, Congressman Paul Broun of Georgia, said that the U.K. and Canada “don’t have the appreciation of life as we do in our society, evidently.”

I am pleased to hear that the Department of Health has now launched a campaign to correct the lies being reported, I believe the Government should also make the strongest representations possible.

What is happening is insulting to all those that have relied on the NHS  and to all those dedicated and highly committed health practitioners that work in the NHS. These right wing comments are nothing short of a disgrace and an insult to the UK.

We love our NHS  - Hands off!

Last night Bury Councils Healthier Communities Scrutiny Committee confirmed the Councils decision to close all but one of our elderly persons homes and change some to special centres ie for dementia/respite care etc.

Whilst the issue was controversial in itself and only went through on the casting vote of the chair, what is in many ways more controversial is the manner in which this decision has come about and the delusion that the Council scrutiny committees actually scrutinise to any degree.

Last nights meeting took over 2.5 hours to scrutinise the future accomodation needs and facilities required by the elderly in a 10 year plan culminating in the hoped for build of two care villages by 2020.  Were projected costings scrutinised? No. Were detailed analysis of the various options scrutinised? No. Have the implications for those with learning disability been fully scrutinised (as it will affect their facilities)? No.

Effectively what was actually being scrutinised (and I do use the word loosely now) was a vision from officers of what they would like to see developed over the next 10 years for elderly accomodation provision. Visions are fine but they are the beginning of a process, not the end.

Bury’s scrutiny of council decisions amounts to little more than a rough evaluation or assessment of the decision. How on earth can you scrutinise life changing decisions of the council in a couple of hours, especially when ranged in front of you are a bank of senior officers in support of the decision and no support for councillors trying to scrutinise.

The “scrutiny” system is a disgrace, doesn’t work, and a pointless waste of time.It will lead to policy mistakes and that means people may suffer. Surely even the ruling Tory group don’t want to see that. 

A new planning application has been received which is within Holyrood Ward of Prestwich as detailed below:-

Application number: 51622         Type of application: Full         Date Registered: 03/08/2009

Applicant: Bury Metropolitan Borough Council
Location: HEATON PARK CP SCHOOL, CUCKOO LANE, WHITEFIELD, M45 6TE
Proposal: EXTENSION AND REFURBISHMENT TO PROVIDE NEW CHILDREN’S CENTRE

Plans will be available to view on the Council’s website (see the Planning Dept link on the left) within 2 working days. Should you require further details please contact the case officer: Helen Longworth on: 0161 253 5322 or myself or my fellow Holyrood Councillors, Cllr Tim Pickstone or Cllr Wilf Davison.

As an update from my previous post, a council officer has now come back to me and apparently Environmental Health will pay a visit and try and find evidence to prosecute someone. Progress at last!

The answer so far is 25 days and counting.

Baguley Crescent, Rhodes , Middleton - One block of flats has a mountain of household refuse including rotting foods and dumped mattress at the rear with over flowing drains covered in grease. I reported it to the Council initially about 6 weeks ago - no response. I re-reported it on June 22nd! I’ve just re-re-reported it an hour ago. I was told the supervisor is looking into it and will come back to me.

On another part of the same estate there is a stack opf asbestos roofing leaning against a wall. I reported that also on June 22nd - it is still there.

It really isn’t good enough that residents complaints - especially on an evironmental health issue (rats have been seen), should be so appallingly handled.

Lets see what happens next.

Labour have announced today a review of elderly care funding to end what they rightly call a care lottery.

The trouble is that firstly they have said they want to make things fairer for the elderly requiring care but haven’t exactly said how. Only suggesting a few options that could be considered. Secondly you can’t go round inventing policies that affect one aspect of one sector of the community (albeit a major one).

Yesterday they announced a review of official retirement age, also fine, but shouldn’t it be considered as one of a range of measures that improve the quality of life of Britains people through their passage from working life to retirement life to elerly care and dependency?

Council officers endlessly talk about creating provision and support for those wanting to remain at home, then there are those with disabilities. Travel and leisure requirements and extra pressures on the NHS, not to mention actual pension levels  and other state entitlements.

It’s one thing Labour saying something needs to be done (It’s shameful by the way, that it’s taken 12 years for them to realise that!), but we need joined up thinking, cross agency/service working and genuine consultation with the elderly and the wider public.

Let’s face it we all hope to get there one day.

The Government are set to announce plans for fast tracking professionals into Social Work to help meet the critical shortage of social workers.

The pressure comes in light of the report into the Baby P death which highlighted the shortage of social workers at Haringey Council - A problem faced by many Councils.

Whilst I applaud every effort to bring more people into Social Work we have to be extremely careful that their inexperience coupled with on-the-job training pressures both with trainees and their experienced couterparts, doesn’t stretch our social services even further. 

The public needs to have confidence that the trainees aren’t getting a cut down training programme on the cheap that could ultimately put at risk even more children and vulnerable adults. We experience Social workers leaving or retiring all the time we could end up with a highly inexperienced and dangerously exposed social worker network.

At the end of the day we have to address the drain of social workers away from this service by bring pay and other benefits in line with the daily risks and pressures that they face.

To my mind that’s first base, we can then address the best ways of bringing more people into social work as quickly and expedient as appropriate bearing in mind the extreme vulnerability of their clientele and the high expectations of the general public.

On Thursday 2 July the Government announced a shift in policy for managing the Swine Flu outbreak.

As Swine Flu spreads and more people start to catch it, it makes sense to move from intensive efforts to CONTAIN the virus to focusing efforts on TREATING the increasing number of people who have the disease.

This means that the UK’s Pandemic Flu plans will change from the containment and outbreak management policies to the treatment phase.

What should you do if you think you have Swine Flu?
The most comprehensive information about Swine Flu can be found at: NHS website.
Definition of flu like symptoms
Fever (a temperature of at least 38°C) and either influenza-like illness (two or more of the following symptoms: cough, sore throat, runny nose, limb/joint pain, headache).

Advice
It is extremely important that if you think you have swine flu, you do not go to hospital or to your GP. If you have flu-like symptoms and are concerned because you think you have been in contact with someone who may have had Swine Flu:

•  
  • Stay at home.
  • Check your symptoms on the NHS Direct website, if possible.
  • Call the Swine Flu Information Line on 0800 1 513 513 to hear the latest advice.

If you are still concerned, call your GP or NHS Direct on 0845 4647.

Do not go into your GP surgery, or to a hospital as, if you do have Swine Flu you may spread the virus to others who are already unwell and less able to cope with the new strain of flu.

For more information visit the Swine Flu page (see menu on the left of this page.

A Manchester University study has found that patients with asthma avoid using inhalers or cut down their dose because they cannot afford prescription charges.

The study discovered that patients “skipped” or “stretched out” medicine, potentially making their illness worse. The UK survey has also found more than a third of patients are struggling with drug costs due to the recession.

Whilst this study highlights problems faced by patients suffering with a specific illness, it is undoubtedly the case that a review of precription charging is now well overdue. Many people are suffering because they cannot afford multiple prescriptions and so go without with the inevitable consequences. the recession has just aggravated the situation further.

What until recently affordability was mainly a problem facing dental patients, the problem has now spread to general medication. Whilst the Government has promised a review in the autumn we need urgent action now to deal with this growing health risk.

The first case of swine flu has been reported in Bury. A 13 year old pupil of The Derby High School has been confirmed as having mild symptoms.

It is understood she may have contracted the virus on a visit to Scotland recently.

As a result the school have taken appropriate measures to contain the virus and have sent home identified possible contacts with the affected pupil. I understand about 50 pupils have been sent home. 

Only Cllr Bibby, the Conservative Leader of Bury Council, could manage to insult so many local people in one meeting.

The local paper is reporting that Cllr Bibby commented that being disabled was a “reality of life” after admitting that disabled children being sent to a school without disabled access would be a “bit of a problem”.

As someone who is disabled I am happy to enlighten Cllr Bibby that disability is more than a “bit of a problem” and, whilst it may be a reality of life, such throw-away remarks and obvious complete lack of understanding of disabled people, their concerns and needs in coping with the daily realities of life are  almost beyond contempt. In fact when I read the comments I had to read them twice, because I couldn’t believe that someone elected to represent local people,  including the disabled, could say such a thing.

Equally alarming is that Cllr Bibby is leader of the Council and no doubt responsible for disability stratagies and helping the disabled enjoy equal access to services and facilities. Oh dear.

Incredibly this furore came about because of the proposed closure of Riverside in a couple of years time with Radcliffe children being encouraged to attend the “non-disabled” access The Derby High School while a new Radcliffe school is being built.

Cllr Bibby hit top score in the insult stakes when not only he offended the disabled, but arguably the most vulnerable of disabled groups - the young disabled. It’s bad enough going through the inevitable growing pains and other emotional upheavals you ordinarily face at that stage in your life. You just want to fit in and join in - Something Cllr Bibby clearly doesn’t understand. I hope he has at least the courage to apologise or failing that perhaps the rest of the Conservative group will publicly distance themselves from his remarks.

In an attempt to attack the Government this morning, the Conservatives confirmed that if elected they would cut public services by 10%.

Although they insist they wouldn’t cut NHS spending (Would they increase it in line with the massive deficit from 2011 announced today??), they did confirm that all other departments would be expected to make 10% cuts.

Whilst some of this may seem appropriate “careful” talk in times like these, but unless they are prepared to be more precise then they are acting wholly irresponsibly.

Where in Education would 10% be found, What cuts to defence, the Police, Local authorities, Transport?

The Conservatives are trying to respond to claims that they haven’t any policies by announcing little tasters that they hope will put the opposition on the back foot. The trouble is their “policies” don’t go anywhere. They have reduced policy announcements to sound bites! 

Local Lib Dems have called on the Government to use Carers Week  to recognise the work of Britains army of carers by rewarding them with a big increase in the Carers Allowance and a review of the support they currently receive.

Vic D’Albert, Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate for Bury south said, “In many ways the army of carers across Bury and the country save health and social services millions of pounds every year. Yet the financial support they receive amounts to a paltry £53 per week. Often unable to work themselves  because of the care needs that are required, they have to carry out often difficult care tasks, sometimes under very stressful circumstances.”

There are estimated to be over 9000 carers in Bury, but it is also estimated that there are many more “hidden” carers that are unknown to the authorities and therefore currently receive little or no support of any kind.

The call follows the publication of a survey by Carers UK that revealed many carers were being pushed close to breaking point. Problems and delays accessing benefits, healthcare and social services were some of the factors. Other factors include a deterioration in the health of the person being cared for, lack of sleep and financial worries.

The survey highlighted that for most carers, ‘practical support’ would – or did – make the difference when they were at breaking point, with ‘just having someone to talk to’ a close second. Many carers said that more money would make a difference – hardly surprising given that Carers Allowance is the lowest benefit of its kind at just £53.10 per week.

“It’s high time the Government properly recognised the contribution the 6 million carers in Britain make to health and social care in Britain, offering much improved allowances and better access to additional support. These people are doing tremendous work, work they want to do for their loved ones, but at present many are feeling exploited by the state as barely more than health care on the cheap. The current situation is nothing short of scandalous.”  

This was the week that…

·         Allegations into the misuse of MPs’ expenses continued – one MP claimed for his ‘servants’ quarters’ [more]

·         Labour and Tory MPs decided to stand down over their expenses claims [more]

·         Former Labour Deputy Leader Roy Hattersley called for ministers who avoided paying tax to be sacked [more]

·         Nick Clegg, writing for the Guardian, set out his proposals for electoral and constitutional reform [more]

·         A number of Cabinet ministers and former ministers called for electoral reform [more]; [more]

·         The Treasury’s economic forecasts were doubted by a survey that it commissioned [more]

·         The BNP faced the prospect of an inquiry into their funding [more]

·         David Cameron was criticised for failing to wear a seatbelt in his latest party political broadcast [more]

Over the last week we learnt that…

·         The government’s mortgage rescue scheme has only helped two households in four months [more]

·         Despite government attempts, social mobility in the UK is still falling under Labour [more]

·         Mortgage lending has hit a new low [more]

·         The taxpayer has funded a former Tory spin doctor to the tune of £66,000 through Tory MPs’ expenses [more]

·         Conservative proposals could force a British exit from the EU, claims a group of senior lawyers [more]

·         Tory and UKIP MEPs are the worst UK MEPs for voting for EU transparency and reform [more]

Over the last week the Liberal Democrats…

·         Launched the campaign for fundamental political reform [more] and http://www.takebackpower.org/

·         Challenged UKIP MEPs to publish their expenses claims as Lib Dem MEPs have [more]

·         Renewed calls for extra police officers to tackle the credit crunch crime wave [more]

·         Highlighted concerns arising from the nationalising of banks [more]

·         Cast doubt on train punctuality figures [more]

·         Demanded the publication of MI5 agents’ guidelines [more]

·         Called for the FSA to launch an allegation into financial irregularities at HBOS [more]

I have pledged my support to Scope’s “Time to get equal week” from June 8th to 14th.

Scope’s Time to Get Equal Week is a celebration of disabled people’s contribution to society and a chance to raise public awareness of the barriers disabled people face in their day-to-day lives.

Their campaign covers four main themes: Beating disabilism, freedom of expression, independent living and making rights a reality.

If you would like to pledge your support or get involved with their campaign go to www.timetogetequal.org.uk

This was the week that…

·         The Speaker of the House of Commons bowed to pressure and stood down [more]

·         The government finally backed down and granted Gurkhas and their families the right to settle in the UK [more]

·         Two Labour Lords became the first peers to be suspended from the House of Lords since 1642 [more]

·         The government’s car scrappage scheme got off to a chaotic start [more]

·         A Tory MP blamed the outcry over MPs expenses on public ‘jealousy’ [more]

·         The UK’s reputation suffered on credit markets as the outlook for government debt was downgraded [more]

·         A business leader attacked the government’s ‘economic vandalism’ [more]

·         Labour sunk to an all-time-low in opinion polls [more]

·         A group of Lib Dem MPs were named ‘heroes of the week’ [more]

Over the last week we learnt that…

·         Car production fell 55% in April [more]

·         Household spending has fallen at the fastest rate since 1980 this year [more]

·         Mortgage lending fell again in April, this time by 9% [more]

·         The government has paid out £15bn too much in tax credits since 2003 [more]

·         Spending on NHS management consultants has trebled in the last two years [more]

·         The UK economy has slid further into deflation [more]

·         Prison violence is increasing [more]

·         Government buildings, including the Department for Energy and Climate Change are not meeting green standards [more]

·         Jo Swinson, Lib Dem MP, has made the most parliamentary contributions of any Scottish MP [more]

Over the last week the Liberal Democrats…

·         Challenged the government to make the difficult decisions needed to cut the budget deficit [more]

·         Called for a complete transformation in the way politics is conducted [more]

·         Revealed that 24,000 people die prematurely every year in Britain due to air pollution [more]

·         Showed how the government managed to block the creation of 10,000 new jobs [more]

·         Held the government to account for failing to tackle Britain’s alcohol problems [more]

·         Uncovered a huge rise in sexually transmitted diseases among under 16s [more]

·         Warned that the UK is facing a junior doctors crisis [more]

·         Federal Executive published its response to the revelations of misuse of MPs expenses [more]

·         Lord Rennard announced he would be stepping down in September for health and family reasons after six years as Chief Executive of the party [more]

This was the week that…

·         Parliament was rocked by revelations about the misuse of MPs expenses [more]

·         One of David Cameron’s closest aides was forced to quit over his ‘unacceptable’ expenses claims [more]

·         Labour suspended a former minister from the parliamentary party [more] and accepted the resignation of the Justice Minister over the expenses scandal [more]

·         Two Labour peers faced suspension from the House of Lords after being found guilty of intending to accept money to amend legislation [more]

·         An opinion poll showed that Labour support has fallen to a record low [more]

·         A poll of Euro-election voting intentions showed a three-way tie for second place, with Labour, the Liberal Democrats and UKIP all on 19% [more]

·         European leaders criticised Cameron’s decision to move his party to the fringes of European politics [more]

·         Nick Clegg’s public approval rating continued to rise [more]

·         An expert on crime reduction said Labour had failed in its pledge to be ‘tough on the causes of crime’ [more]

·         On Burnley Council, Labour and Tory councillors teamed up with 4 BNP councillors to try to unseat the Lib Dem council leader [more]

Over the last week we learnt that…

·         The number of unemployed jumped 244,000 in the first three months of the year [more]

·         BT announced that it is to cut 15,000 jobs, mostly in the UK [more]

·         100 primary schools are closing every year as demand for places looks set to grow [more]

·         Alistair Darling’s economic forecasts are over-optimistic, according to the Bank of England [more]

·         Teenage crime has soared 60% under New Labour [more]

·         The government has cut funding by 25% for five key environmental initiatives [more]

·         Only 13% of terrorism arrests lead to convictions [more]

·         Gordon Brown is “brutal” and has “anything but” a moral compass according to a former aide [more]

Over the last week the Liberal Democrats…

·         Launched their European Election campaign under the slogan ‘Stronger Together Poorer Apart’ [more]

·         Wrote to party leaders urging them to fully accept the recommendations of the investigation into MPs’ expenses [more]

·         Called for intercept evidence to be made admissible in court in terrorism cases [more]

·         Welcomed proposals for a mandatory code on alcohol sales [more]

·         Revealed the environmental impact of the government’s major road schemes [more]

·         Uncovered the fact that over 15,000 farmers earn less than the minimum wage [more]

·         Argued for a shift in focus in crime policy - from punishment to crime prevention [more]

·         Pushed for an investigation into allegations against the police at the G20 protests [more]

All combined for a typically broad ranging Prestwich Area Partnership meeting at Heaton Park School last night.

FESTIVAL

Area Partnership manager Carran O’Grady and Festival Organiser David Curtis gave a joint presentation on arrangements for the 1st Prestwich Festival which kicks off on sunday with the Clough Day in St.Mary’s Flower Park. From an initial hope that we may have about 10 events this inaugural festival has grown to a whopping 50 events. Much credit must go to the efforts of David and Carran amongst others.

OASIS

The Area partnership had requested an update on arrangements for the June Oasis concerts in Heaton Park.  Questioners asked about toilet provision, parking arrangements and security. There were also concerns raised about access to homes and polling stations. A 700 car parking facility will be available at Bowlee ticket holders are being advised that there is no local parking available. In addition there will be a massive security operation, including wheel clamping and monitoring of public drinking etc.

YOUNG PEOPLE

The partnership received a presentation from a representative of the Youth Inclusion Support Panel (YISP). YISP tries to intervene to help young people avoid the slippery slope to crime by intervening through referalls when young people get involved in anti-social behaviour. They help and support young people in meeting acceptable standards, adhering to ascceptable behaviour contracts etc and advising and offering help on youth issues.

HEALTHY EATING 

As opposed to tackling the the obese the NHS has instead launched a massive £75m campaign to encourage healthy eating. I’m sure most will have seen the nationwide TV advertising campaign. Basically it places greater emphasis on encouraging better, healthier eating habits and more exercise. It encourages parents to review what food they provide, portion control etc and develop more exercising for their children and themselves.

POLICE REPORT

PC Andy Ferguson gave a brief report at the end of the meeting informing the partnership that following a sustained campaign on Polefield the gang of young people that had caused much nuisance had been broken up and the estate is now much quieter.

There is to be a further campaign against the illegal use of quad bikes and scooters shortly. The campaign over last bank holiday weekend was a big success with several bikes confiscated. 

Private lobbying by an American pharmaceutical company saw government ministers back down from supporting British people who claim one of its failed drugs caused them heart attacks and strokes.

Ivan Lewis MP, then Health a Junior Health Minister promised in parliament that the government would back their campaign against Merck, one of the world’s largest drugs firms. But Whitehall documents obtained by the Guardian reveal Merck immediately put pressure on the minister and helped persuade the government to withdraw its support.

Merck is refusing to compensate hundreds of Britons who say their health was damaged even though the multinational has paid out more than £2bn to 44,000 people in America.

Merck had to stop selling its profitable pain relief drug, Vioxx, in 2004 after scientific data showed the increased risk of heart attacks and strokes with high-dosage use.

Department of Health documents obtained under freedom of information legislation show how on 17 June last year Ivan Lewis came out in support. He told parliament he would tell Merck “to ensure that it fulfils its responsibilities to people who have been affected in the UK”.

Within hours, Merck launched a campaign to head off government support for the alleged victims. At a meeting on 10 July, Merck told Lewis that compensation paid to victims in the US was “not an admission of fault”. Ministers then dropped their support after the meeting, saying: “This is a complex issue…inappropriate for ministers or for government to intervene in”.

Local Lib Dem Vic D’Albert commented, “These documents reveal the sordid dealings and brutal attitude of Merck and also raise concerns about the plight of British victims of the drug, It is disappointing to say the least that our MP abandoned his support for those suffering the consequences of this drug. The Government needs to recognise the victims of this drug and at the very least support their legal aid bid in their campaign for justice.

You can read the full story here http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2009/may/04/merck-vioxx-campaign-parliament

This was the week that…

·         Cabinet members came under fire as details of their expenses claims were revealed [more]. Outrageous expense claims included claiming for mock Tudor beams [more]; storm windows [more]; hanging baskets [more]; and plumbing to fix water that was ‘too hot’ [more]

·         A Labour peer was accused of abusing the expenses system by claiming expenses for an unoccupied flat [more]

·         A senior Cabinet minister attacked the “lamentable failure” of her own government [more]

·         The pressure was kept up on the government over the poor treatment of Gurkha veterans [more]

·         A Tory MEP received a standing ovation from the European parliament for criticising David Cameron [more], while another Tory MEP described Cameron’s European policy as “dotty” [more]

·         Senior figures in the Foreign Office called into question Tory foreign policy [more]

·         Labour braced themselves to lose their four remaining county councils at the local elections [more]

Over the last week we learnt that…

·         The gap between the rich and the poor has widened significantly under Labour [more]

·         A think tank believes this will be the worst recession since the 1930s [more]

·         House prices are set to fall 28% on average overall [more]

·         Over 20,000 civil servants think the government is run badly [more]

·         Only one in four voters back Brown and Darling to manage the economy properly [more]

·         The gender pay gap is higher in the public sector than in the private sector [more]

·         The government has spent £28,000 on ‘media training’ [more]

·         A Tory MP claimed swine flu is “nothing worse than a cold” [more]

Over the last week the Liberal Democrats…

·         Revealed the significant increases in train and bus fares under Labour [more]

·         Wrote to the FSA to encourage them to release details of bank ‘stress tests’ [more]

·         Continued to press the government for the fair treatment of Gurkhas [more]

·         Called upon the government to go further after the abandonment of Science SATs [more]

·         Pressed the government for further action on the removal of innocent people’s DNA from databases [more]

·         Uncovered the fact that two million social tenants have missed out on a government rent promise [more]

·         Demanded an urgent review of the out-of-hours care system [more]

·         Rubbished the government’s proposals to ‘fix’ the social services system [more]

This was the week that…

·         The World Health Organisation warned of the threat of a pandemic as swine flu spread across the world [more]

·         Gordon Brown was forced to make concessions in his plans to reform MPs expenses [more]

·         Labour MPs, including two former Home Secretaries, queued up to criticise Gordon Brown and his government [more]; [more]; [more]

·         The government made a u-turn on their communications database plans [more]

·         And the government also cancelled plans for Titan prisons following Lib Dem opposition to the scheme [more]

·         The Home Secretary who launched ID cards called for the scheme to be scrapped [more]

·         Gordon Brown was snubbed by the Pakistani President on a visit to the region [more]

·         The van maker LDV went into administration [more]

Over the last week we learnt that…

·         A record number of people were declared bankrupt in the first quarter of the year [more]

·         Government departments are set to miss their own carbon-cutting targets [more]

·         Labour has lost half its voters from the 2005 election [more]

·         A Labour Minister bet against Labour winning the next election [more]

·         The recession can be “constructive” – according to one Labour Minister [more]

·         Tory parliamentary candidates are more socially conservative and less green than the leadership line [more]

·         The Tories tried to recruit a BNP member to stand as a councillor, saying the parties “sing from the same hymn sheet” [more]

·         David Cameron took an all expenses paid trip to apartheid South Africa as a young party worker [more]

Over the last week the Liberal Democrats…

·         Defeated the government over Gurkha rights – the first time since the 1970s that a government has been defeated on an opposition day motion [more]

·         Revealed that the government’s mortgage rescue scheme has only helped one household [more]

·         Nick Clegg wrote to other party leaders to try to find a solution to the issues of MPs pay and expenses [more]

·         Welcomed government climbdowns on databases [more] and Titan prisons [more]

·         Criticised the policy that has led to a huge increase in imprisonment of mentally ill offenders [more]

·         Demanded tougher building regulations to prevent an “environmental catastrophe” [more]

·         Uncorked the statistic that the government has a wine cellar worth nearly £800,000 [more]

For those that may be concerned about Swine flu and travel to Mexico etc please go to the page on the left menu for advice on travelling to Mexico and how to obtain more information about the virus and its symptoms.

This was the week that…

·         The Budget was unveiled to severe criticism, revealing the dire state of the nation’s finances [more]

·         Labour broke their election manifesto promise by raising the top rate of income tax to 50% [more]

·         The Education Minister and the General Secretary of the Labour Party were drawn into the email smears scandal [more]; [more]

·         The Education Minister faced further criticism for allegedly ‘sexing up’ evidence given to an inquiry [more]

·         Francis Maude became the latest Conservative politician to become embroiled in an expenses scandal [more]

·         A former Labour MP resigned from the party, citing the culture of spin as her reason [more]

·         The Lib Dems new tax proposals were well received by influential political figures [more]

·         Unison, a Labour supporting union, attacked the government over their “childish venom” [more]

·         Allegations of ballot-box tampering threw the selection of a Labour parliamentary candidate into further controversy [more]

·         A leading think-tank said that the government’s income tax rises could lose the Treasury money [more] 

Over the last week we learnt that…

·         Unemployment has hit a new high of 2.1m [more]

·         The national debt has crept over 50% of GDP [more]

·         Deflation has arrived in Britain for the first time in 50 years [more]

·         The IMF are far less optimistic about the economy than Alistair Darling [more]

·         1 in 10 households are struggling to pay their council tax this year [more]

·         The care system is “catastrophic” for vulnerable children a report concludes [more]

·         The number of burglaries has risen for the second quarter in a row [more]

·         UK youth are some of the unhappiest in Europe [more]

Over the last week the Liberal Democrats…

·         Launched tax proposals including a pledge to cut income tax £700 for low and middle income earners [more]

·         Attacked the Budget as “a political supermarket sweep of random promises” [more]

·         Reacted to the Budget’s proposals for housing [more], broadband networks [more], car scrappage [more], energy [more] pensions [more], child poverty [more] and college funding [more]

·         Gained council seats from Labour, the Conservatives and an Independent in a spectacular week of council by-election results north and south of the border [more]; [more]

·         Nick Clegg rejected Gordon Brown’s proposals for reforming the system of MPs expenses [more]

·         Warned that the UK was facing a “credit crunch crime wave” [more]

·         Demanded that David Miliband corrects the Parliamentary record over torture allegations [more]

·         Led a debate calling on the government to provide greater support to armed forces veterans [more]

·         Criticised banks for charging exorbitant credit card interest rates [more]

·         Called for greater support for the children of nuclear test veterans [more]

So today we finally saw the death of dear old prudence, once held so dear as a treasury principle by Gordon Brown. The chancellor weighed in and with his second budget gambled the future prosperity and economic fortunes on a roll of the dice and a spin of the wheel.

The big big gamble is that he tells us the economy will start to improve (grow) by the end of the year and much of what he is putting in place is designed to reap the rewards of growth from 2010/11 - so precious little support for those struggling in the hear and now.

The second gamble is that he is trying to maintain spending at reasonable levels through massive record level borrowing, both in the hope of a speedy turn round in the economy but also in the hope of turning round Labours fortunes especially at the next General election.

Well I suppose now we own most of the banks we should be able to borrow plenty, but the sums just don’t add up. He has tried to please environmentalists - perhaps successfuly re:wind farms, not so with car scrappage scheme, and no Green tax switch. No easing of the tax burden with personal taxation and precious little else.

He has spun the wheel, but he can’t tell where it will stop. However it will cost us dearly when it does. It became clear today that this Labour Government is as bankrupt on ideas to get out of this mess as they are financially. But they are prepared to gamble everything on getting re-elected . Whoever gets elected next May/June - the first budget in a new parliament would be very interesting indeed.

This was the fortnight that…

·         Gordon Brown’s key aide’s plans to smear senior Tories and their families were exposed [more]

·         And Gordon Brown eventually accepted responsibility [more]

·         The Home Secretary came under pressure following the collapse of the case against Damian Green MP [more]

·         A DNA pioneer attacked the government for storing the DNA of innocent people [more]

·         The Chancellor admitted that his previous economic forecasts were wildly optimistic [more]

·         The CBI attacked the government’s environmental policy [more]

·         Two organisations criticised the government’s ‘knee jerk’ crime and prison policies [more]; [more]

·         A teachers’ union called for a boycott of SATs [more] and adopted a Lib Dem policy [more]

·         A high profile Tory MEP branded the NHS a “mistake” [more]

·         A former Tory councillor was jailed for a year for abusing his expenses privileges [more]

·         Vince Cable published a “lucid and eloquent” book on the recession to positive reviews [more]

Over the last fortnight we learnt that…

·         The UK economy will not recover from the recession until 2012 [more]

·         A bailed-out bank will cut a further 4,500 UK jobs [more]

·         Unemployment will reach 3.2m by 2010 [more]

·         UK industrial production is falling at the fastest rate in four decades [more]

·         Car sales have fallen 30.5% in the last year [more]

·         The government have overpaid the Irish health service – possibly by €750m in the last five years [more]

·         Cost-cutting in the NHS is responsible for 4,000 blunders a year and putting up to 1m patients at risk [more]

·         The Treasury will be left with a £39bn public sector spending gap by 2015 [more]

·         Two thirds of small businesses feel they are not getting enough government support [more]

·         Three ministers have claimed their second home allowances while living in grace-and-favour apartments [more]; [more]; [more]

·         The leader of the Green Party thinks flying to Spain is as bad as stabbing someone in the street [more]

Over the last fortnight the Liberal Democrats…

·         Criticised the governments plans for a new generation of nuclear power plants [more]

·         Rejected government proposals to dock alcoholics’ benefits as ‘inhumane’ [more]

·         Dismissed the government’s new electric car policy as a ‘gimmick’ [more]

·         Uncovered the fact that the NHS is paying the government £81m at a rate of up to 5.6% [more]

·         Published research showing that 4 patients a day die in mental health trusts [more]

·         Revealed that the number of anaphylactic shock cases has doubled in ten years [more]

·         Found that the government’s VAT cut is principally benefiting the rich [more] 

·         Discovered that the dole is worth less now than in the previous two recessions [more]

·         Condemned a proposed 30% price hike by water companies [more]

This was the week that…

·         World leaders met in London and agreed to pump $1 trillion into the world economy [more]

·         A report showed that only 0.6% of the Government’s fiscal stimulus will be spent on green measures [more]

·         At least 4,000 jobs were lost in the UK across a range of sectors [more]

·         The UN named and shamed the UK over its response to the Somali refugee crisis [more]

·         The Home Secretary was criticised for charging the taxpayer for her husband’s adult films [more]

·         An inquiry began into a millionaire’s donations to the Tory party [more]

·         21 NHS trusts failed to meet new hygiene standards [more]

·         Lord Myners came under pressure to resign after he was accused of misleading Parliament [more]

·         A Select Committee called for the National Curriculum to be slimmed down – a Lib Dem policy [more]

·         The scandal into MPs expenses showed no sign of disappearing [more]; [more]

Over the last week we learnt that…

·         Unemployment will hit 3 million within two years [more]

·         The national DNA database has grown 40% in two years and now has more than 5 million people on it [more]

·         There are 10% fewer hospital beds today than there were three years ago [more]

·         The Government’s adult literacy drive is failing and wasting billions according to a government adviser [more]

·         According to most measures, house prices continued to fall in March [more]; [more]

·         Boris Johnson proposes to cut his environmental team in half [more]

·         160,000 kids left primary school without basic English and Maths competency [more]

·         Older people do not have fair access to mental health services in most mental health trusts [more]

·         The Europe Minister hasn’t read the Lisbon Treaty [more]

·         Conservative run Bournemouth Council are employing a transport manager who lives in Edinburgh – and paying £200,000 a year for his travel expenses [more]

Over the last week the Liberal Democrats…

·         Challenged Gordon Brown to turn the G20 agreement into real help for British people [more]

·         Led a debate challenging the Government in the House of Lords over tax havens [more]

·         Unveiled research showing that 80% of hospitals do not pass on knife crime information to the police [more]

·         Led a debate calling for a step up in nuclear non-proliferation action in the House of Lords [more]

·         Proposed a bill to end discrimination in the line of succession to the throne [more]

·         Highlighted shocking figures showing that prison assaults took place every half an hour in 2008 [more]

·         Called for the same guarantees of access for mental health care as for other health services [more]

Creation of a new Sports Zone, St Margaret’s Gate Entrance

Local Lib Dems are growing increasingly concerned at Plans for a Sports Zone in Heaton Park.

Plans are likely to come to Manchester Council’s Planning Committee before the summer for a “Sports Zone” near to the St Margaret’s Entrance of the Park. This would build on the existing Bowling Greens (created for the Commonwealth Games).

The proposed Sports Zone would include:
· 5-a-side pitches
· 7-a-side pitch
- Tennis Courts
· Spectator area
· Climbing wall
· Single storey pavilion comprising changing rooms, meeting rooms and bar
· Car parking

It would be run by a private company (ie there would be a charge for using the facilities normally, however it is proposed that it is made available for community use at non-peak times with free access for under 16 year olds. We’re also assured that there will be no activity after 9.00pm at night.

Vic D’Albert commented, “While in many ways this is a very positive development with the creation of much needed additional sporting facilities there are major worries too.” 

• Will the Prestwich Public and local schools and community groups receive free or discounted access or will that only be for Manchester City Council residents?
• This development would mean much more traffic along St.Margarets Road
• Should an historic public park have a large chunk hived off for the use of a private profit making business. Is this the start of further developments. MCC have already tried to build a school there!

“I am deeply concerned that local Prestwich residents  will once again get the short end of the stick with this development. We would urge all local residents to respond to the consultation and as your local councillors, myself Wilf and Tim will be responding formally to Bury Council and Manchester City Council on this issue. ”

The project is still at the planning stage and a public consultation exercise will take place in the Farm Centre, Heaton Park within the next 2 months following which the Planning Application will be submitted. (I will let people know when I have a date for this.)

What do you think?
Please let me know your views on this issue, which is likely to have a big impact on the St.Margarets area of Prestwich.

This was the week that…

·         HSBC became the latest company to make cuts – 1,200 jobs are to go [more]

·         Business leaders queued up to warn that Britain cannot afford another fiscal stimulus [more]; [more]

·         The government confirmed there will be an Iraq War inquiry, but suggested it will be held in private [more]

·         A UK bond auction failed to find enough buyers for the first time since 2002 [more]

·         The split between the Prime Minister and the Treasury began to widen [more]

·         The Parliamentary Standards Commissioner launched an inquiry into a minister’s expenses [more]

·         A Sunday newspaper revealed the affair of a Labour MP and close friend of Gordon Brown [more]

·         The Conservative Party Chairman came unstuck justifying his expense claims [more]

·         Ken Clarke admitted he wasn’t sure if controversial Conservative tax reforms could be afforded [more]

·         Vince Cable was the only politician named in a ‘fantasy boardroom’ [more] 

Over the last week we learnt that…

·         GDP suffered its biggest quarterly fall since 1980 in the last quarter of 2008 [more]

·         The government will borrow £351bn in the next two years – more than in the 306 years up to Labour’s election victory in 1997 [more]

·         Retail sales almost stalled in February, coming in well below expectations [more]

·         15% of shops will be vacant by the end of 2009 [more]

·         Poor leadership at the Foreign Office has created a culture where “mediocrity flourishes” [more]

·         £3bn of overpaid tax credits have been written off as unrecoverable [more]

·         As many as one quarter of government databases may be illegal [more]

·         The Department of Transport misled environmental groups over Heathrow expansion [more]

·         Unemployment is good for your health – according to one government minister [more]

Over the last week the Liberal Democrats…

·         Launched their G20 development plan [more]

·         Successfully amended the Coroners and Justice Bill after forcing a government u-turn [more]

·         Tabled an Early Day Motion calling for the second home allowance to be abolished for London MPs [more]

·         Called on the Government to replace the VAT cut with investment into public transport and home insulation to create new jobs [more]

·         Revealed that anti-terror legislation is routinely used by local councils against minor offenders [more]

·         Wrote to the Chancellor over Sir Fred Goodwin’s pension payments [more]

·         Highlighted shocking statistics about Britain’s knife crime culture [more]

This was the week that…

·         Unemployment passed the 2m mark for the first time in 12 years [more]

·         The IMF predicted that the recession in Britain will be the worst in the developed world [more]

·         Evidence grew of the Government’s complicity in torture [more]

·         NHS target culture was blamed for up to 1,200 people dying unnecessarily at a Staffordshire hospital [more]

·         The NHS was criticised for spending millions on unproven schemes [more]

·         The Immigration minister announced plans for a detention centre outside Calais – although no one in France had heard of the plan [more]

·         After Lib Dem pressure, the government backed down on plans to share data between departments [more]

·         Senior Labour figures lined up to criticise the PM and make him accept blame [more] ; [more]

·         The Government Chief Whip accused his own backbenchers of “idleness” [more]

Over the last week we learnt that…

·         Car production fell by almost 60% in January [more]

·         Each adult in Britain is an average of £40,000 worse off because of the recession [more]

·         Gordon Brown was warned over Britain’s weak regulatory regime in 2004 – and did nothing [more]

·         2m people will be on the waiting list for social housing by 2011 [more]

·         The UK will borrow more money than any other major economy next year [more]

·         Britain is giving less help to the country’s poor in the recession than other G8 nations [more]

·         Youth crime has soared over the last 10 years under Labour [more]

·         The Government’s new Department for Energy and Climate Change is in chaos [more]

·         Housing prisoners in police stations has proved more expensive than the Ritz per night [more]

·         The Government has spent £780,000 on flowers in four years [more]

Over the last week the Liberal Democrats…

·         Condemned the Government over their management of the Northern Rock crisis [more]

·         Exposed a £2bn black hole in the government’s unemployment benefits estimates

·         Challenged the Prime Minister over the Government’s “frenzied” target culture [more]

·         Attended the launch of a cross-party campaign for a ‘Post Bank’ (a long-standing Lib Dem policy) [more]

·         Revealed shocking statistics about alcohol related youth hospital admissions [more]

·         Heaped pressure onto the Government to open a public inquiry into the invasion of Iraq [more]

·         Called for a green road out of recession and criticised the Government’s neglect of the environment [more]

So now there are proposals (apparently dismissed by the Government) to deal with the binge drinking culture by charging a minimum price per unit for alcohol.

Whilst the idea has some merit I think its failing to deal with the causes of the problem and fails to address the situation generally, merely adding a further complication to the mix.

Will raising the minimum cost of alcohol pro-rata based on strength solve the problem? I think not. The Government raises taxes on alcohol already, and it might be more appropriate to increase taxation in this instance which might also aid a public purse now considerably strained by bailing out numerous banks.

But there are other issues. One is the flow of dirt cheap and often illegally imported booze into this country. Raising prices for legal purchases may well only increase the flow of illegal imports and grow the black market trade in such goods.

Another issue is alcohol education. For too many years now we have concentrated on telling people its wrong to smoke and to do drugs. As a nation we’ve done our best to ban public smoking and warn of the dire consequences of smoking with considerable affect, but what about alcohol?

Alcohol has been shown to potentially as damaging as Cannabis but its not treated as such. Now I like a drink as much as the next man - so I won’t be advocating a ban by any means. But we need to start having a sensible conversation about how to deal with this issue. And what we don’t need is more gimmicky ideas or schemes to throw public money at.

Perhaps we need to consider raising the minimum age to 21? Stronger enforcement of underage drinking controls, Heavier penalties for drunk and disorderly offences, and I would certainly advocate stiff penalties for illegal imports.

There may well be other tactics and strategies available, I don’t pretend to have all the answers, but lets start talking sensibly and start tackling he problem rather than merely increasing the profits of the retailers or brewers.

I found much of the past weekend being pre-occupied one way or another with an elderly relative.

The relative concerned is an 83  year old man, and as with many of that generation is fiercely proud as well as private. Whilst he remains as mentally astute and lucid as ever, this weekend his weakened body caught up with him and he has had to be temporarily admitted to hospital.

But whilst myself and Mary sat with him at visiting time last night what was most upsetting was to to see the fear and anxiety in his eyes and body language. Here was a once strong man now weakened with age but fortunately (or unfortunately) so mentally alert still that he was all too aware of the situation and anxious as to the impending investigations and examinations he was about to face.

It really did bring home to me how we cannot pidgeon hole our elderly people and care provision really does have to be tailor made or we risk trampling all over their dignity and pride and perhaps hastening their deterioration rather than sustaining a quality of life in their final years that they should rightfully expect.

THIS WAS THE WEEK THAT…

·         House sales fell to their lowest level in at least 31 years [more]

·         The recession in the UK continued to gather pace [more]

·         A United Nations report declared that the UK had breached human rights [more]

·         Government divisions over the need to apologise for the economic crisis continued to grow [more]

·         A former cabinet minister publicly attacked Gordon Brown on Labour’s lack of ‘narrative’ [more]

·         Labour MPs rounded on the PM at Prime Minister’s Questions [more]

·         A business leader said that the government was focusing on ‘red herrings’ [more]

·         Government ministers failed to comprehensively reveal their financial interests [more]

·         A Tory MEP described climate change as a ‘media driven frenzy’ [more]

·         A Labour mayor resigned after his arrest over corruption charges [more]

OVER THE LAST WEEK WE LEARNT THAT….

·         Continued systematic failings in the social services are leaving vulnerable children at risk [more]

·         Almost one playing field a day was sold in 2008 despite government commitments to reverse this trend [more]

·         Many elderly people are looked after by untrained staff in unclean care homes [more]

·         One in six children did not get into their first choice secondary school [more]

·         New Royal Navy destroyers will be delivered £1.5bn over budget and two years late [more]

·         The private sector pension deficit is at a record £219bn – and is still growing [more]

·         One in four of the world’s CCTV cameras are in Britain [more]

·         Gordon Brown is the country’s most boring public speaker! [more]

OVER THE LAST WEEK THE LIBERAL DEMOCRATS…

·         Revealed that over 1000 serving police officers have criminal convictions [more]

·         Said government economic proposals were “shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted” [more]

·         Visited Google to discuss internet privacy issues [more]

·         Called for dirty care homes to be closed down [more]

·         Demanded a public inquiry following revelations of heavy-handed policing at a protest last year [more]

·         Called for a tougher government response to reduce knife crime [more]

·         Exposed a huge decrease in the amount of domestically produced food consumed in the UK [more]

·         Attacked the government’s insubstantial approach to tackling domestic violence [more]

·         Accused the Home Office of being “illegal, immoral, and ineffective” for keeping the DNA of a baby on record [more]

Vic D’Albert, Lib Dem Parliamentary candidate for Bury South, has called for a revival of the spirit of the blitz to help people through the recession. 

“People recount to me how during the war there was a tremendous spirit amongst neighbours and communities. People supporting one another, looking out for each other and generally helping each other through difficult times. And those days have become an example of how in tough times the British people find inner strength and determination to carry them through. 

“Well thankfully we are not at war, but we have been hit by an economic blitz with many losing their jobs and even homes, and generally people finding things much tougher.  

“So I think it’s time for people to stop “looking after no.1” and hiding in front of the TV of an evening and instead to keep an eye on their neighbours and offer support and help in these times of need. 

“The authorities have already warned of rising crime and illnesses such as depression and stress related illness. But if we can only summon up the spirit of the blitz I believe many potential problems can be averted and we can help get people through this recession.”

This was the week that…

·         UK and world markets sank to new lows [more]

·         Repossessions and losses soared at the nationalised bank Northern Rock [more]

·         The Bank of England created £75bn to boost the economy in an unprecedented step [more]

·         Gordon Brown’s speech to Congress received a mixed reception [more]

·         20% of pupils failed to get into their first choice schools [more]

·         Government ministers finally admitted to mistakes over the economy [more]

·         A double Victoria Cross holder condemned the government’s treatment of veterans [more]

·         The government made a u-turn and adopted Lib Dem policy on voter registration [more]

·         Discontent over Brown’s leadership continued to grow [more] but his deputy did herself no favours [more]

Over the last week we learnt that…

·         Labour has spent £7bn on an army of consultants [more]

·         The government misled the public over opposition to Heathrow’s third runway [more]

·         A top Tory became the latest opposition MP to break parliamentary rules [more]

·         Government incompetence and waste has put UK soldiers at risk [more]

·         David Miliband spent £7,000 on ‘presentation’ lessons [more]

·         A breakthrough depression treatment launched two years ago is still not available in most of the country [more]

·         A Labour-dominated committee of MPs launched a stinging attack on the DCLG’s competence [more]

·         It could take a decade for the country to fully recover from the economic crisis [more]

·         12,000 kids could be left without primary school places in London alone [more]

·         One third of young people have carried a weapon in the last year [more]

Over the last week the Liberal Democrats…

·         Boycotted the government’s new unrepresentative Regional Select Committees [more]

·         Warned the government that it had run out of options to tackle the economic crisis [more]

·         Fought to cap individual party donations to £50,000 [more]

·         Voted against the continuation of control orders legislation [more]

·         Revealed that 45,000 pensioners were forced to sell their homes to pay for care homes [more]

·         Called on the Chancellor to stop propping up Labour’s failed PFI projects [more]

·         Pointed out that less than 3% of the government’s fiscal stimulus is going on green measures [more]

The Liberal Democrat leader tells his party conference that it will be a long, slow climb out of recession but his party offers hope for the future.

Click here to read the full text of Nick Clegg’s speech

Nick Clegg laid the blame for Britain’s economic crisis and political malaise squarely at the door of both Labour and the Conservatives, in his keynote speech to the party spring conference in Harrogate:

“A never-ending cycle of red-blue, blue-red government has got us into this mess - it is never going to get us out.”He said now was the time to try something new:“Now is the time to think big.If you want better, choose different.Choose the Liberal Democrats.”

Nick made a stinging attack on the Labour Government for having let people down: 

“Labour is like a spent match. There’s nothing left. You remember how hopeful people felt in 1997? Remember the promise of a better future?  Don’t you feel the disappointment?“An economy in tatters. A country more unequal than before. An illegal war, our government implicated in torture and rendition. Our environment poisoned. Our privacy invaded, our freedom curtailed. If you believe, like I do, in progress.If you feel let down by Labour, and see that the Conservatives will never be a party of change. Turn to the Liberal Democrats. We carry the torch of progress now.”

Much of the speech was devoted to the state of the economy and what the Liberal Democrats would do to turn things round:

“At least 3 million unemployed by the end of the year. That’s devastating. Let me be clear. We will do everything possible to help. Everything to protect jobs, keeping viable businesses going. Everything to make sure being made redundant does not mean you lose everything. And everything to create hundreds of thousands of new jobs, to get people back out to work as soon as possible.”

Nick told conference that the government has borrowed twelve and a half billion pounds to finance this year’s VAT giveaway:

“That money alone could have created nearly 100,000 new jobs. And laid the foundations, quite literally, for a new green economy.”

Nick said the party should be proud of their progressive policies and enduring liberal values:

“Let us say it loud and clear. We are the only party who will put money into people’s pockets with fair tax cuts. The only party to offer universal childcare and smaller classes in our primary schools. The only party who would use Gordon Brown’s wasted billions to create thousands of jobs today by investing in homes, hospitals, schools and public transport to build the green economy of tomorrow. The only party that will rebuild the jobs, homes and hopes this recession has destroyed.” 

It has just come to light that based upon figures for August 2008, there may well be at least 2000 obese adults in Britain claiming Incapacity Benefit primarily because they are obese.

Incapacity benefit starts at £63.75 per week and rises to £84.50 after 53 weeks, which means that at any point in time over £150,000 per week may be being paid out in benefits to obese people. The mathematically astute will have noted that this adds up to a tidy annual amount of £7.8 million.

Now I do support the notion that benefits should not be given lightly and encouragement and support should be offered (the carrot) to improve a persons health and condition etc to enable them to work again, however we have got to be careful not to start singling sections of society out as “targets” because we don’t approve of their lifestyle or condition.

It’s a danger I fear creeping into our society and at times Governments thinking to start targeting those that don’t perhaps carry as much public sympathy as others, and in the process making an easy saving for the public purse.

As someone who was clinically obese not so long ago, I can confirm as those who know will hopefully concur, that the obese are in fact human beings as well and generally don’t become obese because they particularly want to! 

It is absolutely right to “target” the obese because of the health dangers they are storing up for themselves and the ultimate benefit to society and the contributions they could make not to mention the impact on family life etc. But we shouldn’t be doing it as a soft option to save money.

People need to be handled carefully and with sensitivity and with support. People do want help and the right help will ultimately pay a dividend with financial benefits as well.

Soaring energy bills have left an estimated 13,244 households in Bury in fuel poverty¹ this winter, according to new figures highlighted by the Liberal Democrats. 

Liberal Democrat parliamentary spokesperson for Bury South, Vic D’Albert, is demanding the Government act urgently to help people struggling to pay their fuel bills and is calling on MPs of all parties to back the Fuel Poverty Bill being introduced by Liberal Democrat MP David Heath. 

He said: “These new estimates from Consumer Focus are truly shocking. Nearly one in six households here in Bury are in fuel poverty this winter, including four out of five single pensioner households. This is even worse than the situation nationally. ² 

“It’s not hard to see the culprit. Over the last five years average gas and electricity bills have more than doubled. The prices being paid by energy companies for fuel on the wholesale markets are coming down, but the companies aren’t passing on the cuts to their customers. And meanwhile they are making big profits. This is totally unacceptable.

“As a result growing numbers of people are struggling to heat their homes. As recession bites, here in Bury and across the country an increasing number of people are being faced with the dreadful choice between heating and eating. 

“I am calling on the Government to take urgent action to help people struggling with high fuel bills.“The Fuel Poverty Bill currently in Parliament, proposed by Liberal Democrat MP David Heath, would deliver a massive home insulation programme which would halve the energy needed to heat the average home. And it would end the scandal of those who use pre-pay meters – generally the least well-off – paying higher rates for their gas and electricity. “The Government must give it their support. And energy companies, who have made billions in windfall profits from the European Emissions Trading Scheme, must be made to pay for the programme, as well as being told to cut bills faster for their customers.” 

¹ A household is said to be in fuel poverty if it needs to spend more than 10% of its income on fuel to maintain a satisfactory heating regime (usually 21 degrees for the main living area, and 18 degrees for other occupied rooms).

² Full national figures can be viewed on Consumer Focus’s website at http://tinyurl.com/fuelpov. Find out more about the Fuel Poverty Bill at http://www.endfuelpoverty.org.uk.

Bury Conservatives have ignored the recession and forced through an inflation busting 4.79% Council Tax increase amidst cuts to public services at the special Budget setting Council meeting last night.

Much of the debate was focussed on the proposals to cut youth services in the second year of the 3 year budget approved. The Conservatives plan to cut £200,000 from the service by outsourcing aspects of this vital service.  A large number of young people attended to ask questions and lobby against the proposals.

The other controversial issue was the proposal to save money by turning  a number of street lights off at night. Full details of this proposal are yet to emerge, however it has to be made clear that this is a money saving measure from the Conservatives NOT an environmental energy saving measure. It clearly has not been thought through as yet and may well take some persuading before it happens. But that doesn’t bother the Conservatives.

Whilst there was a welcome cash injection for disabled adult services which has struggled with adequate funding, there were cuts across the service spectrum and further use of reserves.

Opposition parties proposed amendments which were both defeated by the Conservatives. The Lib Dems proposed an additional £300,000 for local street repairs and an additional £300,000 in support of a apackage of measures to support local businesses through the recession over the next 12 months. In addition we proposed a review of youth services - but significantly with a view to ploughing back any savings directly into providing better youth services across the borough.

The debate was marred by the constant “bating”, provocation and insulting behaviour by a number of senior members which in my opinion bordered on showing a lack of respect for their office and threatened to reduce the debate to a cross between a playground squabble and a circus.

I raised concerns in the debate that the Conservative group were using the budget to announce major policy initiatives involving significant resources, without any consideration by officers, scrutiny by councillors nor consultation with the public. This could lead to serious problems as the year progresses.

It is now clear to me that the Conservative strategy is to bump up Council Tax this year and cut services as there are no elections. Then prior to next years elections we will see more cuts in an attempt to set a council tax as close to 0% as possible. Politics of manipulation, deceit and cynicism.  

Last night saw the much needed and delayed scrutiny of elderly persons accomodation review proposals proposed by Bury Council.

In order to get these important proposals properly scrutinised the Lib Dem Council Group had to formally “Call-In” the decision of the Council Executive. The reason for this Call-In was to find out about the impact these proposals would have on people with learning disabilities and the proposals for the elderly accomodation review.

The whole process has been badly handled by Bury Conservatives from the start, with a strong pervading feeling that they were trying to rush these policies through amidst a reluctance to share information and curtail scrutiny.

Last nights scrutiny meeting was notable because after the initial presentation from officers, Council proposals and policies seemed to be peeled off in layers  one by one . Until by the end of the meeting at 10.15 there was seemingly a blank piece of paper left - on which the Council was assuring members and public that all users/stakeholders would be completely and thoroughly consulted on at all stages.

But there is now some confusion as to what we are now consulting on. Proposals for Care Villages for the elderly appear to be being reduced to aspirations rather than real objectives and “wellbeing “centres alongside care villages may or may not be for those with learning disabilities depending on any number of variables. In addition officers confirmed that there may be difficulties in achieving aspects of the councils own 2005 proposals for Learning disability services especially as they no longer have an implementation plan!

 All in all a worrying state of affairs. I left with the one positive feeling that everyone will be thoroughly consulted when we eventually have any firm proposals from this Tory Council. However I am very concerned that some important modernisation to services may never happen and I can’t help feeling that there has been an attempt to manipulate the democratic process, and even worse, the general public throughout this whole sorry saga.

The Committee made a number of recommendations in the end. Which included bringing a further report to scrutiny within 6 months - essentially an updated proposal for learning disability services with an implementation plan. However it was felt that we should not delay the consultation process and so allowed the general decision to move forward.

Democracy and public engagement are two areas of growing concern in Bury at the moment.

An extra £4.2bn a year will have to be spent on tax credits if the government is to meet its target of halving child poverty, a report warns.

The Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) estimates that 2.3 million children will be in poverty in 2010, missing the 1.7 million target set in 1999.  

It is fair to say if Labour miss their 2010 target the likelihood is they will never reach the 2020 target of eradicating child poverty in Britain. 

“Labours mishmash approach has cost the country and taxpayers dearly, while failing to deal with fundamental problems that lead to child poverty. And, as we plough into a recession the likelihood is that child poverty may well increase in line with unemployment.

Personally I don’t believe the answer lies in increased tax credits alone but also with family support schemes, advice and practical help for those in most need.”  

“The fact remains that between them Brown and Blair will have failed a generation of our poorest children, what a legacy for a Labour Government.”

PLANS by the Liberal Democrats to massively increase the energy efficiency of all homes will lead to big savings in energy bills, say Bury Liberal Democrats. 

In a message to local residents, Parliamentary spokesperson for Bury South, Vic D’Albert has backed the plans to raise the standard of home energy efficiency. 

“The energy efficiency standards of 99 out of every 100 homes fall well below what they should be,” said Vic D’Albert. “Nearly every one of us is spending money on bills to heat the great outdoors as so much energy escapes from our homes. 

“We want to bring home energy efficiency up to the highest level possible. In the past year, fuel bills have gone through the roof. But too often, our heat is escaping through the roof as well. Our plans will put an end to that. 

”By cutting energy waste, we are also cutting the damage we do to the environment. It’s a win-win situation: lower fuel bills and fewer emissions that are leading to climate change that has given us extreme weather.” 

The Liberal Democrats’ plans include requiring energy companies to use some of the £9 billion profit they have made from emissions trading to insulate the homes of the poorest residents. 

They will also set up a National Green Loans scheme which will pay for a complete overhaul of the energy efficiency of people’s homes. Repayments will be added to energy bills with the loan paid off from the savings in energy use. Loan repayments will not be allowed to be more than the savings. 

“This is a great idea for helping people to cut their energy bills and help us save the planet,” said Vic D’Albert. 

A synthetic drug that is up to five times as powerful as cannabis is being sold legally in Britain, as incense. It has already been made illegal in Germany and the Netherlands and is under review in Austria.

The drug is based on the chemical JWH018 which mimics the effects of tetra hydra cannabol or THC, the main active ingredient of cannabis. Drugs watchdogs are currently investigating the sale of the substance in the UK.

It is now being manufactured in China, and is being sold at UK events like rock festivals as part of the growing “legal high” industry.The UK Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, which advises the government on whether a drug should be made illegal, is also aware of the substance, and is investigating it. But scientists do not know what side effects the drug could have, as no tests have been done on its toxicity either in the lab or on animals.

This really does expose the Governments drug regulations as a bit of a shambles. Earlier this week they were saying they would ignore their own drug advisors recommendations to downgrade Ecstasy while at the same time a drug 5 times stronger than Cannabis is legally available without even being properly tested or investigated. 

Last night I attended the meeting of Bury Councils Healthier Communities Scrutiny Commission at the Town Hall.
The following agenda items were discussed:

WORLD CLASS COMMISSIONING
The committee received a presentation from NHS Bury about progress towards proposals to ensure key local health improvements are met and to ensure we have the best local health services possible.
As part of this process NHS Bury have been marked against the best possible standards over a broad range of services etc and has come out fairly well with 8 “good” and 2 Satisfactory.

JOINT HEALTH OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY-PENNINE CARE & PENNINE ACUTE
This was a basic report to provide committee members an overview about the committees jointly established with Bury and local NHS trusts to scrutinise their work, services and policies etc.

ANNUAL HEALTH CHECK 2008/9
NHS Bury has to undergo an Annual Health Check by the Healthcare Commission. This is to check its performance and to provide information in an attempt to improve local services.
Bury Council have been invited to make comments about NHS Bury services for submission to the Healthcare Commission.
I raised a concern that we are being asked NOW to make comments, which have to be submitted by the end of March. As there are no further Healthier Community meetings before then this means we are unable to discuss possible comments as a committee. The Committee agreed that the matter would be delegated to the Committee Chair. I asked that this comes to a meeting earlier in the year next time.

LEARNING DISABILITY TRANSFER OF MONIES FROM FROM NHS BURY TO BURY COUNCIL
An update report on progress towards this aim was submitted for information.

URGENT BUSINESS
I, along with Lib Dem colleagues recently “called-in” the Councils review of elderly accomodation to enable us to scrutinise proposals for elderly persons accomodation and the impact of learning disability services.
The Committee agreed to arrange a special meeting to discuss these proposals on Thursday February 19th at 7pm in the Town Hall. Public as always are welcome to attend.

The meeting finished at 8.45pm

Full minutes of this meeting will be uploaded to the Councils website (meetings pages) shortly. Please contact me if you would like to clarify something or would like further information.

Following last nights Council Executive Committee it’s now clear to me that Learning Disability services in Bury are under threat from Bury Conservatives.

At the recent Joint Scrutiny meeting called to examine proposals for Elderly accomodation in the Borough, members of all parties were unhappy with proposals to take over learning disability facilities at Whittle Pike and William Kemp Heaton.

As no details were provided about the impact of these proposals on these centres and Learning disabilities, members of the committee took the reasonable step to ask the Council Executive to withdraw the proposals and re-submit a more complete report that detailed the impact on learning disability services in the Borough.

A reasonable request was met with cynicism, accusations of playing politics and utter contempt from the leader of the Council and his Conservative Executive for the Scrutiny Commissions request, which was ignored as they approved the proposals as they stood - without any knowledge of the affects on some of the most vulnerable people in Bury.

Last night the process of scrutinising council policy was dealt a major blow as well. The whole concept of councillors scrutinising decisions of the Council Executive is based upon a respect and acceptance of that process and the need (for the benefit of all concerned) to examine proposals to ensure they are acceptable, offer best value and meet the needs of local people.

Last night Bury Conservatives decided they don’t need scrutiny - well perhaps we don’t need Bury Conservatives.

What we certainly need is a Council administration that values Scrutiny , values the opinions of local people and stakeholders and is prepared to take reasonable time, care and attention to ensure it delivers policies and proposals that the people of Bury need, irrespective of political agendas.

AGE OF OPPORTUNITY CELEBRATES 2nd BIRTHDAY

Bury Councils Age of Opportunities innitiative is celebrating its 2^nd Birthday and you are invited to join the party on:

Date: Wednesday 18th February 2009

Time: 11:00am - 6:00pm

Venue: Elizabethan Suite, Bury Town Hall, Knowsley Street, Bury, BL9 0SW

Age of Opportunities is an initiative focussing on the promotion of health, well-being and independence for the people of Bury aged 50 plus, and builds upon the national Dignity in Care and Respect agendas. It is being delivered by a wide range of organisations across the borough from the public, private and the third sectors.

To ensure the day is as successful as last year, we need your continuous support and attendance to show that services we offer are being improved and are having a positive contribution towards promoting the health & wellbeing of the 50+ residents in Bury.

This fun filled day is going to be packed with a Nintendo Wii Demonstration, a wide variety of information stalls, activity taster sessions such as Plant Potting, Art Classes etc, a Free prize draw and much more.

Please find below a copy of the invitation/ Registration Card, which you can complete and bring with you to the event to be entered into our FREE prize draw with the opportunity to wim a variety of fantastic prizes.

age-of-opps-registration-card.pdf 

For further information about the event or the Age of Opportunities Scheme, please click on the following link:
http://www.bury.gov.uk/HealthAndSocialCare/SocialServices/ GeneralSupportCare/AgeOfOpportunities/default.htm

If you have any further queries regarding the event or the Age of Opportunities scheme, please contact the Adult Care Communications Team on 0161 253 6021 or via email at adultcarecomms@bury.gov.uk

Last nights Joint Scrutiny into elderly persons accomodation went somewhat pear shaped so far as Bury Council Executive proposals were concerned.

We had before us a fine report outlining proposals to bring elderly persons accomodation up to scratch and to offer 21st century choices to our elderly citizens to meet their changing needs and demands.

Unfortunately myself and other councillors had noticed a small but significant reference to Whittle Pike and William Kemp Heaton - facilities use by and for people with learning disabilities. The proposals suggested using these facilities to provide new services for the elderly by either demolishing, adapting or refurbishing these sites.

The report was completely flawed because there was no mention about the impact on services for people with learning disabilities, no mention of any consultation. So we were being asked to approve a report to go before Bury’s Executive without knowing the implications for people with learning disabilities in the Borough.

Because of that I stated that I could not support the report as it was and I proposed that the committee recommend that the report be withdrawn from consideration and new reports produced following consultation with all involved in learning disabilities.

Thankfully my proposal was supported by members of both other parties represented. The more I reflect on it the more astonished I am that we were expected to support effectively a report that offered “piecemeal policy” that would have affected some of the most vulnerable people in Bury. Disgraceful.   

I was amazed, appalled and very dissapointed to see Graham Stringer, Labour MP for Blackley, suggesting that Dyslexia wasn’t a real condition and was a myth made up to cover poor educational practices.

Approximately 1 in 10 suffer from dyslexia in one form or another. sometimes with a major affect on life and career etc. The British Dyslexia Associaton has even confirmed that the gene that causes the condition has now been identified. No doubt Mr Stringer would claim that is a myth also.

Mr Stringer completely misses the point. Yes, certain techniques and specialist education can get round the problem. But that enables sufferers to read and write - it doesn’t “cure” the condition.

I am dissapointed because Mr Stringer has a reputation for being a fairly independantly minded MP , that’s prepared to stand up to the Government on occasion. This time I’m afraid his judgement is wide of the mark and he should apologise - if only to the thousands in his constituency with dyslexia. 

The following items were discussed at last nights meeting of Bury Council’s Healthier Communities Scrutiny Commission.

The public meeting was not attended by any members of the public or local press.

National Year of Reading Evaluation

Good report showing increased take up of library membership and book loans despite cut backs to book budget and libraries over previous years etc.
I was complimentary of some of the “legacy” initiatives such as reading clubs for carers but was critical about the lack of statistics especially comparing aspects of our performance with neighbouring authorities. Following my request a report comparing the results of the year of reading initiatives with other authorities will be coming to a future meeting

Direct Access Diagnostics and Clinical Assessment Treatment and Support Services update

Progress is being made to bring a number of non-emergency services out of hospitals and into community based facilities.
However there was criticism that of the 7 sites chosen to provide Clinical assessment treatment support services (CATS) none are in Bury.
The CATS will have facilities for Musculoskeletal, Gynaecology, Urology, ENT, General Surgery.Mobile Units will be used at Bolton, Oldham, Salford, Manchester, Rochdale Town Hall, Trafford, Tameside.
I was critical of the claimed travel times to these sites. The report claimed that anyone in Greater Manchester could get to one of these sites by car within 20 minutes and by public transport 49% could get to one within 30 minutes (what about the other 51%!) 
The presentation by Anne Coates (PCT Director Commissioning) also raised concerns about Dermatology treatment. The Acute Trust are struggling to maintain these services to targeted treatment/Waiting times. Which is becoming a major problem. The PCT are in discussion with the Acute Trust and may well start commissioning their own dermatology services to ensure services are retained to appropriate standards/targets.

Safeguarding Adults

We are all aware from the numerous enquiries etc that there is much protection and legislation in place to try and safeguard children. Well there is precious little in place to protect adults from abuse and there is much abuse.
The Government are consulting on developing greater protection through various means to protect adults and local authorities are being asked to consult on how they see their roles in this area in particular any leadership roles and the issues that need to be addressed from our perspective.

Age of Opportunities

Finally there was a dissapointing powerpoint presentation on the work of the Age of Opportunities initiative (now nearing the end of its second of 3 years).
I was very critical. The presentation gave no evaluation or detailed statistics of the work done to date. I told the commission that I was at a loss to see the point of this agenda item. It transpired that a fellow Commission member had requested it two meetings ago. But there was no point, it didn’t do anything, there was nothing to scrutinise. We were told that an impact study was to be undergone. I said that made me suspicious about the timing of this and queried whether funding for the 3rd year is safe and whether a case for scrapping it altogether after the 3 years is being put together.
Another Commission member rightly raised concerns about the fact that Care link was included in the presentation which also served to raise concerns about the future of that service as that has nothing to do with Age of ops at all. I requested an update report on the Care link service asap.

Reports for the above items are available from the councils web site. Minutes should be available soon. 

Please don’t hesitate to contact me if any of the above items raises concerns or needs clarifying. In addition I look forward to any comments.

The meeting finished just after 10pm.

The tragic death of Baby P has saddened and angered people across the country. To learn the full lessons of this tragedy, we need a public inquiry and so I am today joining the campaign for a full public enquiry and urging everyone to contact their MP’s calling for them to do the same.

I believe the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, Ed Balls, took the right immediate steps after the convictions, ordering an urgent investigation and ensuring there were changes at the top of Haringey Council.

But there are many wider issues that Baby P’s death has raised.

Today it was confirmed that Haringey has inadequate childrens services yet a desk top research inspection awarded Haringey three stars – despite no knowledge of what is really going on in a children’s department? How is that possible? Then there are other issues such as - Is our inspection approach the right one? Is the emphasis on following procedures and ticking boxes really a good regime to hold children safe? How has the merger of education and social services at a local level been working? Where health and other services are outsourced, how do we ensure a strong level of accountability and communication?

These issues are ones that matter across the country. And that’s why we all need a public inquiry to get to the bottom of them.

So far 39 MPs have signed an Early Day Motion (EDM - a sort of Parliamentary petition) calling for one. Please contactour MP’s and urge them to add their signature.

It takes just a few moments to contact our MP’s David Chaytor (Bury North) and Ivan Lewis (Bury South) and send them a message via www.writetothem.com.

It is important that the coming Christmas break doesn’t mean this issue just slips off the agenda. And important too that we show that the political system can take people’s angers and concerns - and channel them into a productive outcome.

Age Concern are predicting a big increase in winter deaths due to a deadly cocktail of higher energy bills and the economic climate. In addition to many vulnerable elderly people at risk - frightened to turn the heating up - increasingly the rest of the population, especially those directly affected by the economic climate,  are putting their health at risk by turning the heat off to save money.

In october, Gordon Brown announced a £910m package of fuel measures aimed at helping people with soaring fuel bills with money for insulation etc. At the same time he said energy companies, Council and Voluntary organisations would be making door to door visits in deprived areas.

Well the cold is beginning to bite and so I have asked Bury Council for an update on how many homes have been called on - as I have heard nothing about any door to door calls. Or was it yet another instance of warm words from our under seige PM?

In any event what we need is joined up action with HNS trusts, Voluntary organisations and the Council and partners (ie Police) working together to identify people at risk from the current economic and weather climates.

I am growing increasingly concerned about the response to the current crisis by the Government.

The bail-out of banks including part nationalisation was welcomed by all parties as he best if only way forward to deal with problems in the financial sector.

But following the massive leap in unemployment, which was lets face it expected, and the cost of energy etc there is still tremendous pressure on ordinary working people and their families.  Yet the Government is reacting significantly slower to these problems.

I think its time the Government showed as much urgency with the plight of working families and small business as it has done for big business, Banks and the City. That means tax cuts, lower interest rates and real help with fuel bills for this winter to protect the elderly, infirm and children.

But remember we have the most conservative Labour Government ever - so we will have to wait, but for how long?

Every day more jobs are lost, every day more people are in more debt and our pensioners are living in fear of the next heating bill.

“I hope that at this early stage the NHS trust will review their decision and take this opportunity to try and widen access to NHS dentistry in the Whitefield Area, I strongly feel a failure to provide general dentistry services will amount to a missed opportunity to improve dental health for local people.”

As part of the consultation on future options for residential care, a free phone number and email address have been set up to extend opportunities for people to have their voice heard on this important matter.

Tel:    0800 107 9906 (quoting Bury Council)

Email   bury@rmltd.net

These facilities, which are being run independently of the council to encourage participation, will be available until mid October 2008.

In addition details have been issued to the local press advertising these channels to the public.

Whilst many people will undoubtedly focus specifically on the options, the Council inform me that they would also like to receive feedback on people’s views on related topics such as:

• Should the council be helping more people to live at home
• The type of services (and accommodation) are needed by older people
• What can be done to address the growing number of vacant beds across the residential care sector because demand is falling

And of course any comments or suggestions as to how Bury Council can improve services would of course be equally welcome.

I am assured that all responses will be analysed independently with a summary being provided during November.  These results will then feed into the council’s views on developing older people’s accommodation services for the future.

Bury Liberal Democrats would also like to know your views on these subjects and other questions such as :

What kind of housing choice should be available for the elderly and very elderly in Bury?  

If you would rather not take up these options for making your views known, but would prefer to channel them through your local councillors, please don’t hesitate to get in touch via this website, post, email addresses or even the phone!

Lib Dems are demanding assurances over hospital cleanliness after it emerged that Pennine Accute NHS Hospitals were visited 855 times by pest control officers in just over 2 years to deal with insect and pest infestations.

Pennine Acute NHS Trust covers both Fairfield Hospital and North Manchester as well as hospitals in Oldham and Rochdale.

Pennite Acute came 4th highest on a national list of 89 hospital trusts that had received more than 50 visits between January 2006 and March 2008.

Vic D’Albert, Lib Dem, Parliamentary spokesperson for Bury South said, “This is absolutely appalling. Patients and their families need to have the utmost confidence that treatment and operations are being undertaken in a clean, pest free environment. This once again raises questions about the privatisation of ancillary and cleaning services in the NHS and whether the stringent budget controls imposed by Labour are affecting hygiene and cleanliness.  “These statistics amount to 30 pest control visits per month or 360 per year. It’s a good job they don’t run restaurants – they’d be closed down!“

“I will be calling on Pennine Acute to make public details of these pest control visits and to explain what actions they are taking to deal with the problem. They need to offer assurances that this issue is both under control and being dealt with.

Today Centrica, the parent company of British Gas have announced that their profits have dropped by 20%. This comes the day after British Gas announced that domestic gas charges would increase by 35% - no doubt the former had an affect on the latter.

That all sounds almost reasonable until you consider that Centrica’s reduced profits meant they ”only” made just under £1 billion in profits.

SICK JOKE

With 2.5 million people in or nearing fuel poverty (where 10% or more of your income goes out the door in energy bills), the British Gas increase amounts to nothing more than a sick joke.

Its time the Government took decisive action to protect those facing fuel povertybefore we get into the autumn and winter months. We need a series of initiatives that enable those struggling with energy bills to continue to use their energy supply. We need tarrifs that meet peoples needs and we need energy companies to look after their customers as well as their shareholders and a Government determined to ensure that they face up to their responsibilities.

Let’s pray it’s a mild winter!

Liberal Democrats in Bury have welcomed the launch of the Liberal Democrats’ vision for Britain by Party Leader Nick Clegg MP. Called ‘Make it Happen’, the paper will be debated at the party’s conference in Bournemouth in September. In ‘Make it Happen’ the Liberal Democrats say: 

       ·         They will cut taxes for ordinary families

• If your local hospital can’t see you on time, they will pay for treatment elsewhere

• They will switch taxes from people to pollution - so it pays to go green

• To improve standards in education, they will fund extra help for those who need it most

• They will put Britain at the heart of Europe to make us a force for good in the world

• They will stop ID cards so we can keep control of our privacy

• They will change the voting system so everyone’s voice counts

• They will bring communities together with local people in charge

       ·         They will give communities a say in how offenders pay for their crimes 

Vic D’Albert, Bury South Parliamentary spokesperson said, “I am delighted to be able to back ‘Make it Happen’. It sets out how the Liberal Democrats will run Britain. “No resident of Bury has escaped the rising cost of food and fuel. The credit crunch is biting hard and local people are feeling the pinch. “Nick Clegg has set out how we can help ordinary people through cutting taxes on those on low and middle incomes. Thousands of people in Bury will benefit from this.  “We are taking the plans in ‘Make it Happen’ to the people of Bury during the summer to get their response.  And in September, we will be heading to the Liberal Democrats’ conference where we are looking forward to taking part in the debate.

” ‘Make it Happen’ is available at: http://www.libdems.org.uk/media/documents/policies/Make%20it%20Happen.pdf 

Last nights Town Hall meeting of the HCSC concentrated on presentations and reports covering aspects of delivering improved health and treatment facilities in the area of the next decade.

Three presentations: World Class Commissioning, Adult Commissioning Strategy 2008-2023 and Bury’s learning Disability Commission Strategy.

Focused on ways of ensuring improved health outcomes from NHS treatments/diagnostics and care. I won’t bore you with the minutae but ifthe NHS is your thing minutes will shortly be available from the council web site or I will be happy to share the information I have.

I think it’s fair to say there was concern amongst councillors that these aspirational documents would actually come to fruition and that there would be sufficient resources available to bring about the improvements we all want to see locally.

In addition I raised concerns about providing adequate services and meeting the needs of the very elderly in our communities. I said we need to ensure there is real choice for residents between being able to remain in their own home for as long as they can and then modern residential accomodation that meets their aspirations when they choose not to stay in their own home. I stressed the need to progress to providing access to a large section of the population not just the “lucky” few. “It’s no use providing a first class service to few its about numbers”.

There was also a report on Community Access Treatment centres being developed. These aim to bring diagnostic and assessment services nearer people - making services more accessable. One recently opened in Sunnybank. It is hoped that they will able to deliver a growing range of services as they develop.

I took the opportunity to raise concerns about the provision of dental services. In response to a question I was told that they would not be delivering general dentistry services. I think this is a great pity and a missed opportunity.

Any questions etc , please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Prestwich Local Area Partnership, which brings together your nine Liberal Democrat Councillors, together with representatives of partner bodies and community groups, have agreed a “Prestwich Community Plan” for 2008-2011. The plan sets out what the Partnership aims to achieve over the next three years to make Prestwich a better place to live and work.

There are three overall themes, and within this ten priority areas:

GREEN PRESTWICH
1 - Improve Parks and Leisure Facilities (play areas, parks, green spaces - including the Phillips Park development)
2 - Achieve a reduction in car useage in Prestwich (walk to school, community bus routes, cycle routes etc)
3 - Reduce air pollution in Prestwich (particularly addressing the M60)
4 - Improve the Prestwich environment by reducing litter and graffiti

THRIVING PRESTWICH
5 - Vision for the Redevelopment of Prestwich Village Centre (the URBED study)
6 - Support local Prestwich businesses
7 - Create better facilities for the most deprived areas of Prestwich

STRONG PRESTWICH
8 - Make Prestwich Healthier (working with the local PCT and others)
9 - Make Prestwich Safe (working with the Police and others to reduce crime and the fear of crime)
10 - Create a Prestwich for people of all ages (focus on young people and older people, and a sense of community pride).

The plan sets out an exciting vision for how we want Prestwich to develop over the coming years, people’s views and ideas are much appreciated.

You can download the full plan here: Prestwich Community Plan 2008-2011

Commenting on the news that nearly 1m people have lost their NHS dentist since the Government introduced a new contract for NHS dentists in March 2006, local Lib Dems accused the Government of “ignoring the plight of the low paid and building a dental health time-bomb.” 

According to figures from the NHS Information Centre a total of 338,000 people lost their NHS dentistry in the last three months of 2007 - 3,674 people a day.In the North West the number of people treated plummeted by 61,000 in the 24 months to December 2007 , compared to the period up to March 2007.  4 out of 10 North West residents were not treated in the last 24 months.

Vic D’Albert, Lib Dem Parliamentary Spokesperson for Bury South commented.

“If evidence were needed that the new dental contract is failing then this surely is it.” “This Government is overseeing a crisis in NHS dentistry and as a result more and more people either don’t have a dentist, can’t find an NHS dentist or can’t afford the exorbitant cost of treatment. With dentists and hospitals treating more and more serious dental problems it’s now clear that the long term legacy of this Governments mishandling of NHS dentistry is a dental disease time-bomb.

” We need an urgent review into why reforms undertaken just two years ago have completely failed to improve access and action to get NHS dentistry back on track.”

Last night I had a meeting with the Chairman of the Creative Living Centre about their current financial plight.
The Centre has financial difficulties since lottery funding has ceased and has had to lay off staff in order to ensure this important local organisation can survive. They are now desperately seeking new funds to secure the future of the centre and its services.
The centre provides a range of support services and activities for people suffering from various mental health problems from depression upwards. Its contribution to peoples well being is incalculable.
I provided hopefully some useful advice on some potential avenues for funding to explore and have agreed to make some enquiries myself. In addition I have suggested that they may wish to apply for a small grant from the Area Partnership towards one of their projects.

Key items to report back on from last nights meeting are:

MIDWIFE LED UNITS
Members were briefed on a feasability study under way into the creation of Midwife led maternity Units. NHS Trust Officers confirmed that the outcome of the feasabilty study would be brought back to the next meeting and that if proposals get the go ahead there would be a public consultation exercise during the summer.

ESTABLISHMENT OF A HOME IMPROVEMENT AGENCY TO MANAGE HOME ADAPTATIONS
I had real problems with this report despite supporting the creation of such an agency- which is much needed. The Council wish to give the contract for this service to Six Town Housing. There was no case made (as far as I can see) for Six Town Housing to get the contract – and the Council don’t see the need to go out to tender. I told the committee that it all “smacks of deals being done”. I was assured that this wasn’t the case. In my opinion the report was inadequate to the extent that there was too much missing information – for instance no details of the contract to be offered, no details of targets and no details of the budget! I proposed that the matter be deferred pending the provision of appropriate information. This was supported by the committee.

HOME CARE REORGANISATION
This was a good news report. We received a presentation on changes to Home care provision. As a result of a review the department are now focusing on providing more flexible integrated services in an attempt to better meet needs and expectations. Changes already implemented have save significant funds which have been ploughed back into services. They now offer extended cover and can spend longer on site and all in all seem to be developing a more user led service.

IMPLEMENTING THE AGE OF OPPORTUNITIES INITIATIVE
This initiative , supported by all parties is now 8 months into a 3 year commitment. The aim is to develop projects and services that offer a “little bit of help” to the over 50’s as required. Promoting independence, health and well-being. Dozens of projects have been set up and are clearly having a beneficial impact. I raised the issue that the council needs to start looking shortly about how this success story can be maintained after its initial 3 year stint and that the management of the initiative will need to move towards monitoring the sustainability and on-going success of projects , especially if (as is planned) they are handed over to voluntary organizations and charities to run in the future.

MODERNISATION OF RESIDENTIAL SERVICES FOR OLDER PEOPLE
We were due to receive a report on proposals but the item was withdrawn on the night!

The meeting started at 7pm and finished at 9.55pm

Visitors to this year’s annual public meeting of the Pennine Acute Trust will be able to find out more about a range of initiatives underway in its hospitals.
 

The Trust runs Bury’s Fairfield General Hospital, North Manchester General Hospital, The Royal Oldham Hospital, Rochdale Infirmary and also has services at Birch Hill
Hospital. The annual public meeting takes place at 6.30pm on Tuesday 25 September at North Manchester General Hospital Postgraduate Centre, Delaunays Road, Crumpsall,
M8 5RB. Doors will be open from 5.30pm, and it is expected that the meeting will have concluded by 8pm.The meeting is open to members of the general public, with many local patients, organisations and patients groups expected to attend.

A short formal meeting will be followed by a series of informal workshops, hosted by Trust Board members and clinical staff, who will be on hand to listen to participants’ views and suggestions.

Among the workshops are:
*       waiting list reduction work
*       infection prevention
*       good health during pregnancy and beyond
*       the results of the Healthy Futures/Making It Better consultations

For more details about the event, or if you wish to attend and have either access or particular requirements, then please contact Lesley Holland, communications manager, on tel: 0161 918 4283 or email: mailto:lesley.holland@pat.nhs.uk