Just one more response...

...while we out leafletting with FOCUS newsletters yesterday  a young man rushed out and pushed a petition form he had signed, from a previous FOCUS, into our hands.

It was the reopen the Birthing Centre petiton which Fran has launched.

Nothing unusal about that then - except that this was a young man, with no reason to love us, who has been in real problems with the Police!

You know who you are. Thanks! Your support means a lot!

 Exhausted and frozen...

We covered a lot of ground today delivering 'FOCUS'. The weather was cold but the response was warm!

  Writing it up...

Several interesting articles...

Most academic is The Community Activist – Challenging Councillor’s views on ‘Acceptable’ levels of Participation by Alison Crow which is good on how Labour imploded locally over the hospital issue but avoids an awful lot of local critical factors in order to make her case. 

See the March 2005 edition of Red Pepper for "Breaking Through Is Hard To Do - The lessons of Kidderminster" by Natasha Grzincic which ponders on the fall of Health Concern on the Council and where it all goes from here.

Then there is Mike Oborski in Liberator (August 2004) "Not What The Doctor Wanted" on the terminal decline of Health Concern on the Council.

 Local round up...

Police Beat Office…

Fran again!

Fran on "Shame of Girll Boozers" and vision for Wyre Forest. See reports on her weblog! 

Wyre Forest District Council - tonight's Council Tax debate...

The Conservative administration proposed their budget with a 3.94% increase in the local Council Tax bill.

Liberal Leader Cllr Mike Oborski made it clear that as the Tories had agreed to take on board every Liberal amendment the Liberal Group would support the Budget. Scroll down to find the full text of what Mike said.

Health Concern and Labour in turn moved amendments. Neither package would have altered the level of Council Tax increase. Both packages were defeated.

The Budget package was then carried with Tory and Liberal votes. Nobody voted against. Health Concern, Labour and Liberal Democrat members abstained on the final vote.

The Liberal Democrats did NOT propose anything, did NOT speak and did NOT vote! What exactly are they there for?

 The price you pay...

In power Health Concern prevaricated over the need to get Wyre Forest District Council onto a Single Site. Tonight they appeared to want to abandon the whole idea.

In reality the single site title is a bit misleading. It comes down to a major one stop centre for all public sercives in the Town Hall with access in via the footpath through from Vicar Street to Weavers Wharf, a continuing publicly accessible presence in Stourport and Bewdley BUT all the behinds the scene staff onto one Office site.

Why is this so important?

Because  the way offices and staff are currently scattered is costing you at least £250,000 in extra unneeded Council Tax spending each and every year - the leases on Tomkinsons and Vicar Street offices, travel costs, energy costs, mantenance, staffing and administration!

Thank you Health Concern for absolutely nothing!!!!!

 District Council Budget? So how do we feel?

Actually after tonights Finance Panel (see below) pretty bouncy really! We think we've come up with some good ideas.

...The Tories have already taken on board our proposals to find a way ahead towards fairer funding of Neighbourhood Wardens.

...We suggested freezing OAP concessionary OAP bus charges at 40p per journey (the Tories want to push it up to 50p) giving us a year to look at ways of providing an acceptable and sustainable scheme that works for users and providers.

...There is enormous support (from Health Concern and Labour) for a plan that Fran helped to hit on with Housing Company Officers to continue free lifeline alarms for existing free OAP users.

...We've suggested pulliung forward preparatory work on the Kidderminster Town Hall Arts Centre so we are ready to go when the real cash from future changes in refuse collection becomes available.

...We've proposed a "teen shelter" for Spennells. That are has the biggest proportion of youngsters and in a recent Council survey that's what they wanted most. It makes a start. 

The way we've worked it would NOT put anything on Council Tax bills!

So, now we wait and see how it goes at Cabinet and Council. Watch out for further thrilling  installments...

 What a strange system...

So the Tory Cabinet on the District Council come up with a set of Budget proposals That went to the Finance & Corporate Affairs Policy & Scrutiny Panel (Chaired by Graham Ballinger) who passed them straight on to a special all Party Task and Finish Group chaired by me.

We went through the Tory Cabinet Budget proposals in as much detail as a very, very tight time schedule allowed. We weren't there to approve or reject their proposals. We have to be sure that everyone understood exactly what they meant and that they could be done if you want to do them (and that's up to Council to decide). We duly reported back to Graham's Panel that "yes" we understand and "yes" that could be done if that's what you want to do!

That was passed back to the Cabinet who made a couple of changes.

Tonight we had another meeting of the Task & Finish Group to look at Health Concern, Labour and Liberal Budget proposals. We asked similar questions and came to similar conclusions. "Yes" we understand them and "yes" they could all be done if that's what you want to do! We reported that the Graham's Panel who also received a presentation from each of the Parties in turn!

All of that information goes back to Cabinet tomorrow who can ignore it or take it on board as they please. It's up to them whether or not they change their package for full Council on Wednesday.

Meanwhile anyone can come along with any new ideas they like (I hypothesised tonight about a possible "Rock Palace of Culture" or "a programme to send the Leader into space"). So it's still all up for grabs.

Does the new system work? It's difficult! it's chaotic! It takes up time! BUT it makes us think a lot more seriously about eachothers proposals and  that must be good. We'll see on Wednesday what gets taken on board!

How would I rate the various Party proposals? Well I'm biased of course but here goes - Lib Dems 0/10, Health Concern 1/10 - what an ill thought out mish mash, Labour 4/10 - tries but misses the point. Conservatives 7/10 - they have the advantage of being in power and therefore better briefed plus they've taken some sensible ideas on board. If Liberal proposals are added to the Tory proposals I would say 8/10. We'll see on Wednesday.

And the Lib-Dems? They didn't produce any ideas or suggestions and said they won't have any for Wednesday. What exactly do they think they are supposed to be doing?

Dr Hunter S Thompson

1937 - 2005

"I hate to advocate drugs, alcohol, violence, or insanity to anyone, but they've always worked for me."

"America...
just a nation of two hundred million used car salesmen with all the money we need to buy guns and no qualms about killing anybody else in the world who tries to make us uncomfortable."

"The Edge...
there is no honest way to explain it because the only people who really know where it is are the ones who have gone over."

"The music business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free, and good men die like dogs. There's also a negative side."

"The person who doesn't scatter the morning dew will not comb gray hairs."

"For every moment of triumph, for every instance of beauty, many souls must be trampeled."

"A word to the wise is infuriating."

"When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro."

The good Doctor of journalism is dead!

Many people in politics loved Dr Hunter S Thompson. West Bromwich East MP Tom Watson comments today on his passing. I first read "Fear & Loathing On The Campaign Trail" when I borrowed a copy from a Tory (!) MP. At one time Fran and I had a cat named Hunter S. Thompson in honour of the great man.

Of course he could be frustrating, ridiculous and infuriating. However, at his very best his crazed "gonzo" writings has a kind of wild  and dangerous total honesty and vision that was unique. Maybe that is why so many politicians drooled with delight over his outpourings. Most politicians live and operate in a world of financial and political constraints constantly striving to make such progress as is possible through a never ending series of compromises. Hunter screamed his truth and railed at the gods in a way in which no politician or normal journalists could ever dare - and yet any decent politician would love to be able.

How very true...

  Towards a Wyre Forest budget...

"Tory Cabinet budget proposals for Wyre Forest are heading in the right direction but there are still  important issues that must be taken on board"¨ the Leader of the Liberal Group claimed today.

Liberal Leader on Wyre Forest District Council Cllr Mike Oborski  said "We welcome the proposal to keep the Council Tax rise down to 3.94% and well below the Labour Government¡¦s top limit of 5%. People just cannot afford massive Council Tax rises".

"We are also happy that the Cabinet Budget proposal picks up on a number of good ideas that we pushed for last year. That's good news."

"However, what pleases us most is that the Cabinet has listened to us over the need to find new and imaginative ways of spreading the costs of the excellent Neighbourhood and Street Warden services. That was not in their original proposal. We are glad that it has been added to their proposal."

"There are, however, certain other issues that need to be tackled:-

...We believe that the proposed 25% increase in concessionary bus fare charges for the elderly should be abandoned. The proposed increase from 40p to 50p a trip is totally unacceptable. Pensioners cannot afford it and it is adding insult to injury to do it at a time when local bus services have been slashed. We should hold fares down now and take the next year to consult users and providers on the best way forward to create an effective and sustainable long term scheme!

...We want to see a deal between the Council and Wyre Forest Community Housing to keep the Lifeline Alarm system free for existing users of the free service who came into it on that basis. These people signed up for a free service, have always had a free service and should continue to receive a free service!

...We believe that it is absolutely essential to have everything in place ready to go when the money from changes in the refuse  collection and recycling service becomes available to fund the conversion of large parts of Kidderminster Town Hall into a major Arts Centre. To make sure that we are ready we must pull forward the expenditure on the design stage from 2007/8 to 2006/7. It is a great project that will bring enormous benefits to the District and we must not get into a mess with the timing!

...We want to see a "teen shelter" and other facilities for teenagers on Spennells. There needs at the very least to be a small amount of money available to pump prime facilities in support of the activities of the new Aggborough Spennells Action Group!¨"

"Our proposals have been carefully costed and will NOT add to the Council Tax increase already proposed by the Cabinet as we are proposing a mixture of capital funds and revenue funds that are already available."

"We hope that the Cabinet will give our proposals serious consideration when they meet on Tuesday a dabefore the full Council meeting to agree the budget."

"We believe that our proposals strengthen the budget and would deliver an improved quality of life for many local residents."

Fran launches...

 "A STRONG VOICE FOR WYRE FOREST..."

Health, Care and Families...

"Stop all the Whitehall meddling and red tape and put patients and those in need of care and support first!"

• Restore full A & E services to Kidderminster Hospital.
• Ensure a first rate Birth Centre at Kidderminster Hospital with post-natal beds for all local mums who want them.
• Free personal care for all when it is needed, no-one should ever be forced to sell their home to pay for Care.
• We need enough National Health Dentists for everyone who needs them.
• Access and services for the disabled are a key priority.
• Develop family friendly employment policies. Schemes to encourage single parents into work must allow childcare payments to be made to grandparents and other family members.

"We are absolutely determined to keep up the fight for the return of A&E Services to Kidderminster Hospital. As "The Guardian" said "The Kidderminster Hospital fight was first taken up by the Liberals".

Tonight...

I was, briefly, at the Wyre Forest District Council Cabinet Meeting. I may be wrong but I somehow got the idea that Tory Council Leader Stephen Clee was not entirely satisfied and not taking too seriously Health Concern's Cllr Brian Glass's report on funding neighbourhood Wardens. I somehow got the impression he thought the report to be, shall we say, rather thin - or maybe it was just me that thought that? It's a very serious issue. It deserved a better report to deliver services.

Labour's Chris Nicholls was in humorous mood presenting a report on services for the elderly. His usual laid back good humour should not detract from the fact that the Panel he chairs has put in a lot of serious good work and is coming up with interesting ideas. Cllr Clee seemed rather more interested in this one!

I then presented the report of the Task & Finish Group which I chaired that scrutinised the Cabinet's Budget proposals. It's NOT been easy - mainly due to lack of time and resources. Cllr Clee said it was "the Council's best financial scrutiny report so far". I replied that "I will put that straight on the weblog". So here it is. Cllr Clee responded "What, before the Chinese meal?" The truth is no - this is being posted after the Chinese meal!

The Chinese meal was in fact a Chinese New Year Feast at the Chung Ying Restaurant on Kidderminster's Comberton Hill. Fran and I met up with four friends there. It was a superb evening. It is always a friendly restaurant with excellent food and service but tonight was just out of this world. Course followed course - each totally magnificent - and all for a really reasonable price!

 Very bad day for democracy...

Having lost a Council seat by desertion to the Lib-Dems the Tory County Council Leaders decided that they should keep their 5 seats (complete with casting vote) on the 10 seat Cabinet when in reality they should have gone down to 4.

With brazen arrogance they happily proposed "that places on the Cabinet be no longer allocated strictly according to the political balance of the Council"!

Liberals, Health Concern, Lib-Dems, the one Independent and two honourable Labour members voted AGAINST the proposal!

However, the proposal was pushed through by the Tories. They could not have done it without the assistance of the 9 Labour members who abstained so making life, as usual, easy for their Tory lords and masters!

Bye, bye democracy at County Hall!

 County Council Budget...

The County Council share of the Council Tax bill is to go up by 3.94% from April 1st. The Budget had unanimous support at County Hall today because it includes some dramatic improvements in services - particularly Social Services and the Youth Service.

Sadly Tory and Labour members combined to defeat a Lib-Dem move, supported by Liberals and Health Concern, to take £414,000 from Contingency funds to improve footways across the County. The proposal would not have affected Council Tax levels.

 Tory apology for leaflet blunder...

We are glad that Tory Prospective Parliamentary Candidate Mark Garnier considers it an "unfortunate mistake"!

A "mistake" being on the Stourminster school site? A "mistake" being photographed there? A "mistake" writing a misleading story? A "mistake printing it in a leaflet? A mistake pushing it through peoples' letter boxes? Some mistake? We think not!

The Shuttle reports it like this...

Tory apology for leaflet blunder

"Stop all the Whitehall meddling and red tape and put patients and those in need of care and support first!"

Restore full A & E services to Kidderminster Hospital.

Ensure a first rate Birth Centre at Kidderminster Hospital with post-natal beds for all local mums who want them.

Free personal care for all when it is needed, no-one should ever be forced to sell their home to pay for Care.

We need enough National Health Dentists for everyone who needs them.

Access and services for the disabled are a key priority.

Develop family friendly employment policies. Schemes to encourage single parents into work must allow childcare payments to be made to grandparents and other family members.

Fair Pensions and Taxation...

Restore the link between pensions and average earnings.

NO pensioners should have to rely on benefits.

We want FULL pensions for all married women.

Introduce better bus concessions for pensioners and free lifeline alarm support for those who need it.

Replace Council Tax with a mixture of local income tax and Site Value Tax.

Higher taxes on incomes above £100,000 per year. Lower the tax burden on low and middle income families and raise the tax thresholds.

Raise the threshold for Inheritance Tax to take account of the increase in house prices.

Use the money raised through Road Tax and Fuel Duties to actually invest in improved roads and transportation.

Crime and Safety…

Tories made a total mess of the Wyre Forest Schools Review. We need a rescue package based on what Wyre Forest people want for local schools!

Replace GCSE and A Level exams with a Diploma which would also include vocational studies!

Spend the £10 billion Child Trust Fund gimmick money where it is really needed, on more Early Years’ Centres!

Scrap University Tuition fees! Scrap "Top-Up" fees!

Introduce more Modern Apprenticeships!

Strengthen the role of LOCAL Education Authorities!

Asylum Seekers and Refugees should work and pay taxes while their claims are being processed!

We need a PROPER Economic Regeneration plan for Wyre Forest!

Liberals opposed Bush and Blair’s illegal Iraq war. We must now work to negotiate an early withdrawal of our troops.

We must eradicate Third World debt and free the poorest people in the world from the burden of repaying loans to the richest countries.

We must open up European markets to trade from the Third World and stop subsidising European farmers to produce, inefficiently, crops better grown in other countries.

We must reform the European Union. We need to get rid of inefficiency and corruption and defend the right of individual EU countries to make decisions in their own economic and cultural interests.

We DON’T need the Euro. We DON’T need red tape. We DO need to be in EU doing business and having OUR say.

Environment, Housing and Transport...

Global Warming is the greatest threat to our planet. We must act now to invest in alternative technologies and cut carbon emissions. We must develop economical schemes for solar heating and wind power.

We must increase the amount of house building on previously developed "brown field" sites and encourage innovative new methods of cheap house building.

We must help 1st time buyers with joint ownership schemes.

We must invest in integrated public transport so that it is an attractive alternative to the car in built up areas. There must be financial incentives to encourage the development of alternative engine power for road vehicles. 

  Fran!   

  Mandy!  

  Rachel!   

  Siri!   

The best team!

We love you!