Planning Inspector dashes residents' hopes of a quiet life.

The decision of a Planning Inspector to allow the demolition of two family homes and their replacement with a 70 bed Residential OAP Nursing Home in Oldnall Rd. is a massive disappointment to local residents.

The Inspector basically refused pointblank to consider the local traffic conditions and instead agreed with the applicants who had based their figures on the traffic generated by a similar establishment , in Lode Lane Solihull!

We were not best served by the Worcs. CC Highways representative who had failed to carry out revised traffic counts at the site! 

Eat your heart out, Think Tank

En-route for Poland, the lads and I have just spent 4 days in Amsterdam. As the weather was rough we needed somewhere to occupy ourselve....and bits of the Red Light District didnt seem appropriate! So we went to NEMO! The most fantastic, hands on Science Experience, literally kids from 2 to 92! We were there for 4 hours and could have stayed longer but it was our last day and we had to pack!

A few weeks ago Michal and I did the Think Tank in less than an hour and a half! Absolutely NO comparison and Nemo is cheaper!

Radiotherapy!

The news that The Three Counties Cancer Network are to have two new linear accelerators and site one in Worcester and one in Hereford is the best possible news for Worcestershire as it will strengthen the position of those of us calling for ALL of Worcestershire to come under this Cancer Network! Hopefully, in the future they will then consider Kidderminster or The Alex for a further site BUT until we are part of that network it CANNOT happen!

A Fantastic Day out!

Just got back from a few days in Cornwall with the two lads.

On Thursday it poured but we still had the best value day out I've had for years... the fantastic Eden Project!

If anyone reading this hasn't been there, you really should it is truly amazing!

Yesterday it was sunny and we went to Mevagissey, what a contrast to the South Bank! Just as many tourists but NO litter!

We stayed at a super hotel and had a great time!

It was great showing the lads how stunningly beautiful Cornwall is!

Has no-one heard of litter bins?

Last Monday, with the able assistance of Mike Price and Paul Simpson I took Marcin and Michal to London.

We had a super day and did the whole "Tourist thing"!

A Tour on the open topped "Big Bus Tour"; a visit to the London Dungeon, a Thames River trip from Tower Pier to Waterloo Pier and then (for Michal and me ) the London Eye!

From the"Eye" we walked back along the South Bank to Westminster Bridge...walked? I meant waded through litter; chip wrappers, pop cans and cartons, all the detritus of a busy tourist area AND.... Not a Litter Bin in sight!!

Why can't the London authorities take a bit of pride in tourist areas and provide litter bins? THEN prosecute for non-use?

GLASGOW EAST, a DISASTER for LABOUR!

Yesterday's devastating result for the Labour Party in Glasgow East, their 25th SAFEST Seat MUST be a wake-up call. It would seem that Gordon Brown is leading them, like lemmings to a cliff face!

Quite how they dump a Prime Minister without calling an Election is difficult to see but Brown's authority in the Party must now be seriously eroded as is his credibility with voters!

British Sugar Site.

According to press reports, the Cill Dara Property Partnership, who own the BSC Site, are hoping to start on the redevelopment of this strategic site within 2 years. 

It could involve links with a local university to set up high tech ICT training.

We will await developments!

12 year old girl assaulted in Brinton Park.

According to the Express and Star a 12 year old girl was assaulted in Brinton Park last Tuesday; this is awful BUT, what was a 12 year old doing in a park, with a friend, at 10.30 at night!

Just WHAT were her parents thinking of and WHERE were they?

Maureen Aston Court

This afternoon, as Chair of Wyre Forest Community Housing, I officially opened Maureen Aston Court, the new block of flats in The Horsefair.

It was a lovely "do" attended by many of Maureen's old friends and colleagues from Housing. It was particulary nice to see Sue Compton and Mel Craddock.

Sadly neither of Broadwaters 2 Health Concern Councillors could manage to attend!!

The flats are a real benefit to the area and are another part of the Horsefair Regeneration.

Crossing Picket Lines

As an active Trades Unionist, I'm a past President of the largest Teachers Union Branch in the Country (Birmingham NASUWT), I hate being in the position of having to cross a picket line.

As a Liberal and a Trades Unionist I totally support the campaign being waged by the lowest paid public sector workers against the below inflation pay award which they have been given. The vast majority of Public Sector workers earn less than £17,000 per year. Many, across the country, are taking home around £200 per week, they are affected by inflation, they are not the cause of inflation.

BUT, the people of Wyre Forest elect Councillors to represent them and take decisions on their behalf. They do NOT elect us to refuse to cross picket lines and therefore leave their voice unheard in the Council Chamber.

Although I respect the views of the two Wyre Forest Labour Councillors, I believe they were wrong to refuse to cross the picket line and therefore leave their voters unrepresented.

By failing to attend the meeting the Labour Party were not represented in the vote to proceed with the Single Site.

But at least we know WHY the Labour Councillors weren't there.

Neither the Leader, Deputy Leader NOR the most senior member of the Health Concern Council Group bothered to attend! They sent their apologies but NO explanation!

We are left speculating why THEY didn't come!!

The Horsefair and Broadwaters Community deserves better than this!

Last week the Horsefair, Broadwaters and Greenhill Partnership Assembly welcomed the idea of an Alcohol Restriction Zone in St. George's, Baxter Gardens and Springfield Parks. ALL Broadwaters and Greenhill County and District Councillors (4 Liberal, 2 Health Concern, 1 Labour,1 Tory) are entitled to attend that meeting though last week all we got were 3 Liberals (with apologies from Rachel who had a meeting at one of her children's schools) and 1 Health Concern (apologies from Ken Stokes who was away); neither the Tory or Labour Cllrs bothered to apologise for absence.

Tonight Councillors for that area, ALL of whom moan in the press about misuse of alcohol in our local parks, had the opportunity to vote for our motion on an Alcohol Restriction Zone, which would have supported the excellent work of our local Police Team.

And what did they do?

Our newly elected Tory voted with the rest of his colleagues to send the idea off for a drawn out scrutiny exercise which will hold discussions with everyone, everywhere in the district BEFORE doing anything. ALL Health Concern Councillors who were present voted with the Tories. And what about Broadwaters 2 "wonderful", concerned Health Concern Councillors? Neither of them, one of whom is the HC Group Leader, who likes to call himself "Leader of the Opposition" even BOTHERED to turn up at Council.

In fact NEITHER the Leader NOR the Deputy Leader of Health Concern bothered to come to Council!

 I HAVE SUBMITTED THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS FOR WEDNESDAY'S COUNCIL MEETING.

Questions for Cabinet Members, Council Meeting, July 16^th, 2008 from Cllr. Fran Oborski

1.   To Cabinet Member for Community and Leisure Services

In 2007 a WFDC Leisure Services Officer very successfully co-ordinated a bid, via the Wyre Forest Swimming Club, for £1,000 from the Positive Activities Grant Fund from every Wyre Forest County Councillor , to ensure that free holiday swimming sessions were available to every young person resident in the Wyre Forest District.

This year, instead of this successful scheme being repeated; every member of THIS Council has, belatedly, received a letter from the Manager of Wyre Forest Glades requesting an, unspecified, donation from our Community Leadership Fund towards supporting this very necessary facility.

Could the Cabinet Member tell me;

a). Why the decision was made not to try to repeat last year’s successful scheme?

b). How many District Councillors have currently responded to the request and how much has currently been promised?

c). What will happen to the scheme if an insufficient amount is raised?

2.   To the Cabinet Member for Commercial Services

Some months ago we were promised that the County Council would be amending the Prohibition of Parking Order on Black Horse Lane, Kidderminster to ensure that deliveries to the rear of business properties in Lower Mill St. would not run the risk of receiving parking tickets. Despite this promise local traders have been ticketed and have lost their appeals at the Independent Appeals Panel even though they were told that the lack of provision of parking bays had obviously caused them problems.

Will the Cabinet Member please tell me:

a). How many Penalty Tickets have been issued to Traders and Delivery Vehicles visiting these very important commercial premises?

3.   To Cabinet Member for Community and Leisure Services

The Chairman of the Horsefair Tenant Consultative Committee has congratulated the Council on the provision of the play equipment at the Jerusalem Walk site but he has asked me to provide answers to the following issues:

            a).In view of the heavy traffic use on Broad St. will the fence around the site, part of which has been removed, be replaced entirely with an access gate?

            b).In view of the possibility of drug abuse in the area, could the Cabinet Member please explain why the decision was made to use wood/bark chippings, in which discarded needles would be concealed, for the area under play equipment, rather than a “wet pour” surface which is much easier to keep clean?

4.   To the Cabinet Member for Housing, Health and Rural Affairs.

In view of the current crisis in the housing market and the difficulties faced by many homeowners in selling their properties would she consider releasing more Capital Funds in order to allow partner RSLs (particularly the Community Housing Group) to purchase more “Existing Satisfactory Dwellings in order to assist families unable to obtain mortgages by the provision of houses to rent.

Future Use of the Sion Hill Middle School Site.

The County Council has, at last, brought forward proposals for the use of the Sion Hill Middle School site.

This site is in the Green Belt so cannot be used for Housing!

The proposals are to use the site for: The current Pupil Referral Units PLUS a new PRU for pupils with Medical needs; Area Office accomodation for Children's Services staff based in and serving Wyre Forest; a Professional Training and Development Centre to serve the North of the County.

Staff would relocate to Sion Hill from:

78 staff fromElgar House/Bewdley Rd./Park St-Integration Area Team 

43 staff from Parkgate (On the Lea Castle site)

23 staff from the Areley Centre (ex SIAD and Early Years)

3 (mobile) Extended Schools Co-ordinators

As there are mobile and non-mobile members of staff there would be:

34 fixed workstation spaces

67 flexible workstation spaces

8 touchpoints (available for County Council staff).

Storage facilities

Communal spaces - access to meeting rooms/rest areas/toilet facilities/parking spaces/ICT/photocopying spaces.

The Training and Development Centre would include

Refurbishment of the existing hall to accomodate 323 delegates theatre style and 90 delegates cabaret style

2 x 25 Delegate training spaces with acoustic wall separation which could be moved to give 1 x 50 delegate training space

ICT Learning Centre

Science Learning Resource

Early Years Training Centre

Storage

Kitchen Facility

Reception/Admin Area

Five fixed workstations

Dedicated visitor parking.

Comments welcome!                                                           

Why ALL this fuss about a (Very Second Rate) Shadow Cabinet)?

So Health Concern has issued the names of its (very second rate) Shadow Cabinet!

SO WHAT?

The Wyre Forest Liberal Group has ALWAYS had "Shadow" or Lead Spokesman for each area of Council activity with members of the Group acting in "teams".

What I can't understand is:

After objecting to me being the Wyre Forest nominee on Health Overview and Scrutiny, why isn't Dr. Eeles Leading for them on Health (afterall they DID say he was the ONLY Wyre Forest Councillor who was competent to lead on Health!)?

If Mike Shellie is their nominee on the Housing Company, why isn't he leading on Housing Policy?

Why are the "Stourport Muppetts" given lead roles ahead of people like Brian Glass and Ken Stokes who, at least, have knowledge and a bit of integrity on their side!!

Funny old world isn't it?

Oh, and for the record, the so-called Shadow Cabinet will have precisely and absolutely NO more entitlement to Officer Briefings than any other Councillor and will have precisely and utterly NO more influence than any other non- Cabinet member from ANY Party.

What a super event!

Today we had the first ever Offmore Comberton Action Group, Community Carnival, "The Borrington Bash!".

It really was a superb event and one which ALL the Ward Councillors were really proud to be involved with.

The fancy dress parade led by The Boys and Girls Brigade Band; had Kidderminster Town Mayor, Cllr. Marcus Hart and Ward Councillor, Siri Hayward leading a wonderful collection of really inventive fancy dress pedestrians and decorated prams, push chairs and bikes.

We have some really inventive parents and grandparents in our community! Star turns amongst the children were a little lad, on his bike, dressed as a pirate and towing a trailer which had been converted to a Pirate Ship and a tiny in a push chair, the child dressed as a little devil and the push chair brilliantly covered in cardboard which as genius of a grandad had cut and painted as flames!! Sheer Genius! Well Done!

We also had pretty clever adults which included a "sack of potatoes and a carrot" riding a tandem with the slogan "Don't be a Couch Potato!"

Wyre Forest Council had the "Carbon Footprint" challenge and we gave away loads of low energy light bulbs and water hogs, Worcs. CC had the composting/recycling stand; Fairtrade had a stand, loads of local schools, playgroups and community groups ran stalls, tombolas, cake sales etc. Offmore Evangelical Church provided free tea and coffee. The OCAG Committee and Neighbourhood Wardens had soft drinks, heavily subsidised!!

We were well fed and watered with an excellent pig roast, KD7 Scout Barbeque, Cafe Masala Bangladeshi Food Stall and Farmhouse made icecreams!

The local Police gave away over 250 "goodie bags" thanks to our lovely PC. Sarah Brookes ( Sarah, Rose Bishop and I all visited the Mehndi artist!) and PCSO Karen Lloyd. SARA and the Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Authorities also brought vehicles.

We also had an excellent Mehndi artist, bouncy castles, animal welfare display, coconut shy etc.

Thanks also to Adrian Beavis for the disco music and public address system.

All OCAG Committee worked really hard but we must also thank The Community Housing Group for the loan of generators and wheelie bins, and the Neighbourhood Wardens Team for coming "en masse" to support us!

The Police reckon we had around 1,000 residents visit the event!

All in all, a day to be really proud of, AND the weather held, just a few showers towards the end!!

Compared with Bromsgrove, Kidderminster Parking is cheap!

Michal was in the St. Ambrose Catholic Primary School Team at the Catholic Primary Schools'Swimming Gala yesterday evening.

It was held at The Dolphin Centre in Bromsgrove and we needed to get there for 5.15.

I am used to Kidderminster where evening parking is free! Not in Bromsgrove! Parking for over 3 hours was £3 with charges continuing up to 10pm!

Given how little there is of interest in Bromsgrove (their local papers advertise Kidderminster shops and events!) it was real "rip-off" parking!

County Council, Question Time FARCE!

Question Time at Wyre Forest is "relatively" well organised. Written answers to questions are distributed at the start so that only Supplementary Questions get verbal answers.

At County ALL answers are verbal and you, normally, get the written answer in the minutes. This allows some Cabinet Members to "fudge" their answers.

Last Thursday I put the following Questions to Cllr. Clee, seeking answers on the use of various venues since the opening of the refurbished Council Chamber at the May 2008 Annual Council Meeting:

• Since that date how many County Council launches/seminars etc. have been held at external venues (e.g. Worcester Rugby Club, Stourport Manor Hotel)? Could he please itemise these events?
• What has been the cost of each of these events?
• How many more such events are currently booked for the Current Council Year?
• What is the projected cost of such events for the current Council Year?
• How many bookings for the Council Chamber have currently been received from outside bodies/individuals?
• What is the current estimated income we should receive from external bookings for the current Council Year?
• How much is being spent advertising our newly refurbished facilities?
• Where are such adverts being placed?

I got partial answers to 2 of my questions and NO answers to the rest!

We have had 10 expressions of interest in hiring the Council Chamber. It is too early to say if we will hit the income target of £50,000 per year and we are going to put bookings on the members intranet so I can check for myself!

Meanwhile another function, an Anti Bullying Conference is booked for the Rugby Club!

I am continuing to demand answers, we were told that spending £800,000 on the Council Chamber would STOP us having to spend money on outside venues! The Rugby Club is doing exceedingly well out of the Worcestershire Council Tax Payers!

Just what ARE Brinton's Intentions?

It is not just the over 1000 people directly employed at Brinton's, it is the hundreds of other jobs in Wyre Forest which depend on Brintons which are the reason why we NEED to know what, exactly, the Company is planning.

Some years ago they "persuaded" the Council to give them Planning Permission on their Sports Ground as a way of keeping them in the town! Later that Sports Ground was sold on and is now the Fine Point Business Park development NOT the promised Brinton's HQ.

Now we KNOW that they are closing their Australian Operations; we KNOW they are moving major production to China!

There are rumours that production in Kidderminster, (we believe there are currently over 40 looms, will be cut to around 14 looms) BUT, no-one is officially saying ANYTHING!

We know of long-time employees who have never worked anywhere else, who are applying for other jobs.

Surely the Town and the District deserve better than this from a MAJOR employer?

It would appear that the Council has heard nothing.

Please will someone from Brintons tell us whether or not the company has long term plans for production in Kidderminster? Is it too much to ask?

Lea Castle. To close by end of September!

Today'smeeting of the County Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee was told that Lea Castle Hospital is expected to close by the end of September 2008!

There are currently a total of 14 patients in residence on the site of whom 9 are from Worcestershire. 6 of the Worcestershire patients have discharge plans already in place, 3 are currently awaiting detailed plans; 2 of these 3 are still receiving treatment.

There are still 120 staff officially on the books of the Coventry and Warks Trust and some compulsory redundancies are inevitable.

At Fran's insistence there will be a further report to the Committee in early October when the final destinations of all patients and the final redundancy numbers will be known.

Kidderminster Carnival!

Congratulations to everyone involved in today's Kidderminster Carnival.

Thank heavens the rain cleared up after an awful start this morning!

I took the opportunity to have a chat at the Kidderminster-Husum Twinning stall and renew my membership (and have a sit down!) while Michal managed to acquire 2 plastic guns, 1 plastic crossbow, a coconut, a framed picture of a cartoon Gloucester old spot, a jar of sweets, a toothbrush(!) - very useful for after the sweets I suppose!

Half way round Jennings Fairground I realised that the bracelets for really big rides at the Safari Park mean that that fair is cheaper than the Carnival!

July 5th is the Borrington Bash, Offmore Comberton Action Group Carnival. Let's hope we have a good day!

What HAVE they done to The Shuttle's website? (and where the ----! is it?)

Like many other people I have used the on-line Kidderminster Shuttle website regularly and bookmarked it as a favourit! Acouple of days ago it got revamped (BUT not improved in my mind!). Today it has been replaced by a bland load of Newsquest JUNK!

Shuttle readers are generally NOT interested in who runs Newsquest we NEED our on line news service!!

 Hartlebury Castle! What the County Council is up to!

The Tory controlled County Council Cabinet has agreed to:

42 Days! And encroachment into OUR cherished freedoms!

Freedoms that have been a part of our British heritage since Magna Carta are being eroded by this horrendous Government!

Congratulations to Dr. Richard Taylor for his principled vote AGAINST the ludicrous decision to allow 42 day detention without charge!

As Nick Clegg (Lib Dem Leader) so rightly said it will do NOTHING to prevent terrorism, it will be opposed by the House of Lords, The European Human Rights Commission and the Judiciary and is (thank God) NEVER likely to reach the Statute Book!

Congratulations to all those principled Labour rebels who held their nerve and stuck to their principles and particularly to Diane Abbott MP for a superb speech!

Now we have David Davies (Tory) resigning to force a by-election on this "Single Issue"!

Time was when the Labour Party had principles! Now they just have incompetence and spin!!

Appointment as Polish Honorary Consul for the West Midlands.

I received a letter today notifying me that, on 28th May 2008, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland appointed me as Honorary Consul.

I shall be attending a Ceremony at the Polish Embassy, in the next few weeks, at which I will receive Seals of Office etc. but am empowered to act with immediate effect!

Labour Government Consultation on moving the scheduled date of County Council Elections!

In an attempt to minimise the forthcoming debacle of another electoral defeat in next May's scheduled County Council elections, our beloved Government are consulting on moving tyhe County elections back to June and holding them on the same day as the European Parliament Election (which is held via a pseudo Proportional "Party List" system of voting!)

Today, at a meeting of the National Executive of the Liberal Party, held in London and attended by representatives from Scotland, Wales, Devon, Cornwall, Worcestershire, London, Oxfordshire and Liverpool, the following response to the consultation was unanimously endorsed:

To Rt Hon Hazel Blears MP
Secretary State for Communities and Local Government
Eland House
Bressenden Place
London Sw1E 5DU
 
e mail to 2009elections@communities.gov.uk
 
Firstly may we thank the Secretary of State for communities for consulting The Liberal Party over the proposal to combine local and European Elections in 2009
 
It is the robust view of The Liberal Party that there are considerable benefits reducing the numbers of times electors are expected to attend for voting in any reasonable period.
We have long held the view that there should be a democracy day whereby all elections are held on one day in any calendar year.
However if we are to combine elections on one "Democracy Day" there is a real danger that the local aspect" of the elections is unduly influenced by national political considerations. 
 
Therefore we would only support this change as part of a more fundamental reform to energise local democracy.
This should include:
 
Consideration should be made for this to be a National (Bank) holiday
 
The Government should consider facilitating a public information booklet, whereby each and every candidate/party contesting that electoral area is able to make one modest election address in one booklet, paid for and distributed as a booklet to each household
 
Local Councils should be able to vary the electoral systems to enable voting to take place by the Single Transferable Vote, this would ensure there are no safe seats on any council and every vote has equal value wherever the resident lives
 
We believe if councils were allowed to be elect by STV many would switch from annual elections to a four year cycle
This option should be given to all councils operating the current multi member 3 ward system.
 In the longer term it would allow more stability for wards whereby the numbers of councillors for the same ward could be increased or decreased to reflect population changes, rather than redrawing ward borders cutting across historic communities
Again this would reduce the number of times electors are expected to vote whilst retaining a degree of stability that the annual local election system provides
 
 Lastly we have found the party list system used in the European Elections alienates many voters.
We would urge you to change this system to STV with the option to reduce the size of regions to areas more meaningful.
 
We would oppose the combination of Local and European Elections, as it would have an unhealthy influence
of national political issues blurring the local elections, unless it was part of a radical democratic reform of local government
including allowing communities to opt for STV.
 
We strongly urge you to broaden the remit of your consultation to include alternatives strategies.
 

Liberals and Liberal Democrats Publish joint Regeneration Prospectus for Kidderminster.

We have published our joint Kidderminster Regeneration Prospectus which we have worked up with the local Lib Dems!

Copies have been sent to WFDC and The Shuttle.

We will welcome constructive comments!

Quick trip to Warsaw!

Have been on a quick, three day trip to Warsaw to collect Michal, Mike's Godson and youngest son of cousin Wojtek and Goscia to bring him back to UK as he is going to spend a half-term at St. Ambrose Catholic Primary improving his English!

I gather it's been wet and windy at home! Sorry guys; Warsaw is hot and sunny with absolutely clear sapphire blue skies (the beer, however, is ice cold!!

Super time at Polish Embassy!

On Tuesday I went with Mike Price, Paul Simpson,Henry and Brenda Lemiech, Charles Talbot, Dr. Jan Mockrzycki (President of Federation of Poles in GB) and his wife and Mike's brother, Nick to the Investiture at the Polish Embassy to receive the Order of Commander of Polonia Restituta awarded posthumously to Mike. Jean Talbot could not join us because, when she and Charles arrived at Birmingham International to get their train there were NO parking spaces available at all so Jean had to go home!

Mike, Paul, Henry, Brenda and I drove down in  my car and parked close to the Embassy.

It was a lovely ceremony with very moving speeches and followed with a wine and canapes reception.

During the Reception I was advised that my appointment as Honorary Consul has been agreed by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and should be finalised by Warsaw soon. I have been asked to be available for a Consular conference in Warsaw in October!

After the Reception we all went for a superb meal at Lowiszanka, the restaurant at the Polish Social and Cultural Centre (POSK) in Hammersmith.