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. 

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)

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 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.”

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.

At last nights meeting of Polefield Tenants and Residents Association we had the usual collection of council officers, Police, residents and me!

As is usually the case the business was upbeat with plenty of positive developments.

Key business was the planning of the estates next fun day for the young people on the estate. This has now been arranged for the week of half term on wednesday, February 17th from 12 noon and will cover activities on the patch of land at the junction of Polefield Circle/Polefield Hall Rd and also on St.Josephs fields at the rear of Prestwich Heys.

On the morning of the 17th skips a couple of skips are to be delivered to the estate and volunteers are needed to help clean up the estate.

But it’s not just about young people.The Association has learned that an application for some funds to provide some “winter warmer” kits to elderly on the estate has been successful. As a result elderly residents will be receiving a bag of goodies to help them keep safe and warm this winter. These should be distributed in early February.

Figures obtained by the Liberal Democrats show that over 5000 pensioners in Bury South (and 10000 across Bury) could be missing out on crucial cold weather payments.

Overall the party has identified that up to 1.7m pensioners could be missing out on the payments that are triggered by 7 days of sub-zero temperatures, according to analysis of Government figures by the Liberal Democrats.Cold Weather Payments of £25 a week are paid to people on low incomes who receive a qualifying benefit, such as Pension Credit, which goes unclaimed by as many as 1.7m pensioners.

Commenting, Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate for Bury South, Vic D’Albert said: 
“It is a scandal that in the 21^st century pensioners on the breadline in this country are missing out on these crucial payments, worth an estimated £42.5m.

“The very possibility that over 5000 vulnerable pensioners across Radcliffe, Prestwich and Whitefield could be missing out is nothing short of a disgrace.
 
“With Fuel prices at all time highs, Cold Weather Payments have never been more important for people already struggling on a poverty pension.

“This is yet another example of how Labour has failed pensioners. By creating a complicated system that makes it difficult for them to get the help they desperately need they have let down some of the most vulnerable in society.

“The Government should be making every effort to identify pensioners who are missing out to ensure that they get them this extra cash to help keep them warm and healthy this winter.”

Estimated winter deaths last winter were the highest for 10 years according to the Office of National statistics - who highlight excessive deaths between December and March as compared to the rest of the year.

The ONS estimate that there were 36,700 extra deaths due to winter last year a staggering increase of 49%

In the North West the picture is even worse with winter deaths estimated at 5000 up from 3210 the previous year. An increase of 56%.

It is an absolute scandal that the frail, the sick and the elderly should be put at risk in this country in this century.

The Government has to be more proactive in seeking out the vulnerable and improving insulation, improving heating provision and ensuring that those concerned can turn on the heating without fear of the cost.

With high energy bills many are petrified of the heating bill and understandably put eating before heating. But if they don’t keep warm enough then illness will follow.

The Government has to do better in tackling fuel poverty and supporting vulnerable people in their homes. Its no use waitingfor this winters deaths figures to be announced next year - the Government needs to take positive action now.

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.

Is the world going mad? Are all men guilty until proved innocent? Is there so much danger exposed to our children when they take part in organised events?

The Government have today announced that parents who regularly drive children for sports or social clubs will have to undergo criminal record checks or face fines of up to £5,000 under new rules.

Along with parents who host foreign exchange students, they will fall under the scope of the Vetting and Barring Scheme, the Home Office has confirmed.

There is a real suggestion here that Government is losing the plot on this issue. At the very least it is a further civil liberties intrusion, at worst it will threaten the existence of small sports and other clubs.

What next ? Why not check out prospective fathers when their partners get pregnant? Why not get schools to carry out checks on parents who want to place their kids in their school?

It’s frankly ridiculous and we are in serious danger now of moving to a society of visible and invisible checkpoints. Perhaps this was one of the aims of the ID card scheme - they could carry our criminal record check details 

Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman Chris Huhne said the government was “in danger of creating a world in which we think every adult who approaches children means to do them harm”.

“Should parents who give other people’s children a lift to sports matches really face a £5,000 fine and criminal record if they fail to register?”

I wonder how long will it be before they extend this to the elderly or the disabled?

The worlds gone crazy.

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. 

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.

Police investigated a quite staggering 300 cases of child abuse in Bury last year and a further 180 complaints from residents worried about child welfare etc.

Vic D’Albert commented, “These are frankly frightening statistics and in many ways a sad reflection on modern society. I just hope and pray that these statistics represent most if not all of the “iceberg” rather than the tip. There is no place for abuse in our society whether child or elder abuse and I would implore anyone who is worried about an individuals welfare and the possibility of abuse to contact the authorities immediately. I also applaud the Police and Council officers for their efforts and diligence in what must often be very trying and disturbing circumstances.”

Bury Police also confirmed that between 90 and 110 incidents of domestic violence are reported in Bury each week. The unit also investigates 120 reports of serious sexual offences each year, including 40 rapes, and 300 video interviews per year are conducted with vulnerable witnesses and victims. Around 100 complaints are received in Bury each year about the abuse of elderly and vulnerable people.

To report a crime contact the unit by calling (0161) 872 5050.

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.”  

Local Lib Dem Councillors have praised clean-up staff following recent Oasis concerts in Heaton Park, but voiced concerns that not enough was done to protect local people during the recent events.

The concerts, which saw 210,000 people enjoy music in the park over three nights, generated controversy over noise, but passed largely without major trouble.

Commenting on the concerts, Cllr Vic D’Albert, Liberal Democrat member for Holyrood and Parliamentary candidate for Bury South said “What’s clear is that over 200,000 people came to Prestwich and had a great time. But there were lots of problems for the people that live here, and we need to get the balance right. Before Manchester City Council think about having more concerts here, they need to think about Prestwich residents.”

Residents complained about excessive noise, particularly on the first night when a power failure caused a delay to the end of the concert. Cllr D’Albert said “Of course there was going to be noise, but I think continuing until 11.25 was too late, and I will be demanding that this never happens again. I want to know why the stage was set up facing the houses of Prestwich rather than the open space of the park, and why revellers weren’t moved on quicker at the end. This was particularly unpleasant for older residents and people with young children.”

Parking arrangements were only partially successful. Vic D’Albert said “We were given assurances that public transport would work and parking wouldn’t be a problem. Whilst streets in St Margaret’s and Sheepfoot Lane were well protected, those in Sedgley and Rhodes were not, and this wasn’t good enough. Buses and taxis were dropping off people in the wrong place, and queues for trams were very long. We need improvements to help residents.”

Cllr D’Albert did praise some aspects of the organisation. “I thought the street cleaning service was excellent, and lots of local people enjoyed a concert, either as paying spectators or for free in their gardens. A lot of local people enjoyed themselves, and local businesses received a welcome boost in trade. The gigs have raised the profile of Prestwich, and that’s great. In addition, some of the profits will be spent improving local parks, so people will see long term benefits as a result of short term disruption.”

“Prestwich Local Area Partnership will receive a report into all aspects of the concerts, and make this available to local people so that we can represent their views. I look forward to working with everyone - local people, and Bury and Manchester Councils - to make sure that if these things are to happen again, we in Bury make Manchester City Council learn from what happened.

There’s certainly room for improvement, but perhaps not for 200,000 people across three nights in quick succession. We need to deal with the noise better, reduce the numbers and restrict activity to sensible times and durations. We need to strike a balance between Prestwich people and money for Manchester.”

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]

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]

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]

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.

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.