Welcome! This is the online home of the Liberal Groups on Wyre Forest District Council and Worcestershire County Council.Weblogs are inevitably a matter of taste and balance. You can't please everyone all the time. We tend to have a mixture of serious and lighter material and views. Suggestions and comment are welcome.
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| Wednesday, March 30, 2005
A warning has been issued against any attempt at ballot-rigging through postal voting in the forthcoming general election. The Electoral Commission has set out a new code of conduct for candidates and campaigners who handle postal votes.
posted by Oborski, 21:50 | link | comments (4)
Express & Star reports... Roads worn out within weeks... Thousands of pounds are being wasted on road improvements in Wyre Forest which wear out in just a few weeks, it has been claimed.
Road surfaces are still in a terrible state - despite the fact work on some have recently been carried out. Work to fill in pot holes in Shakespeare Drive was completed just before Christmas but the material has worn away on every one of them, frustrated Councillor Fran Oborski said today. There is a planned site meeting to look at how to improve Lawn Street and Lea Street as the surfaces have worn down so much, she added. Other problem areas include the junction of Offmore Road and Lea Street and Turton Street and Hurcott Road, she said. Councillor Oborski added: "The problem is leading to dangerous roads in some cases and cyclists are being knocked off because the road surface is so bad. "We need to do something as the highways people spend thousands on road improvements but they do not monitor the quality of the work. "This means money is being wasted as the repairs do not last. "In Shakespeare Drive work was only done before Christmas." People living in Washington Street have said it was allowed to get in a terrible state as dangerous holes were just patched up for years. Highways bosses admit hundreds of roads in the county need repairing - but there is huge backlog due to insufficient funds. There is only enough money to tackle around 15 a year, officers say. One resident who lives near Washington Street twisted her knee after stumbling into a 6cm deep hole. Highway bosses finally put Washington Street on their repair list but councillors say there are many more which need doing. Acting Wyre Forest Highways Partnership manager Andy Broome said temporary repairs in Shakespeare Drive were estimated to last three to six months. posted by Oborski, 15:25 | link | comments Monday, March 28, 2005
Fran is at the NASUWT Conference in Brighton. The Union of Women Teachers (UWT) was formed 40 years ago. Fran was its first College Representative! posted by Oborski, 18:15 | link | comments Sunday, March 27, 2005
West Mercia makes number 6 in top 10 "Danger Areas For Minorities" out of 43 mainland UK Police areas! posted by Oborski, 20:03 | link | comments posted by Oborski, 14:29 | link | comments Saturday, March 26, 2005
The Warehouse Cinema... ...is scheduled for April 8th opening. Details here ! First week's films include Heffalump, Robots, Hotel Rwanda and Sahara. posted by Oborski, 15:23 | link | comments
If you go to the national Conservative web site and enter your post code up comes the url for you local Tory Party - in our case the Wyre Forest Conservative web site. However, when you click on the Constituency link the national Conservative Party helpfully warns you:- "You are now leaving Conservatives.com - The web site of the Conservative Party. The Conservative Party is neither responsible for, nor necessarily endorses the content of the Website to which you are going." It is rather reassuring to know that the Conservative Party nationally "is neither responsible for, nor necessarily endorses the content of the Website" of Wyre Forest Conservatives. I suppose after Howard Flight they are only right to be careful. posted by Oborski, 10:57 | link | comments (6) Friday, March 25, 2005 Celebrating & Remembering Steve Roberts Olivers Cafe Bar Mill Street, Kidderminster 12.30 pm onwards, Saturday 16th April 2005 All friends of the late great Cllr Steve Roberts welcome! Again this year this is being organised by Steve Atack and Russell Lloyd. We will be trying to get invites to everyone we can think of who knew Steve well - so this is by way of early notice! For further information or directions contact Cllrs Fran & Mike Oborski on (01562) 823911 or via oborski@btinternet.com putting "Steve Roberts" in the subject line. posted by Oborski, 18:35 | link | comments
posted by Oborski, 10:21 | link | comments Thursday, March 24, 2005 BBC Report...
Renationalising the rail network would save £500m a year, a report from a left-wing think tank has said. The Catalyst Forum said most passenger services could be taken back into state hands without further cost by 2012. "We need a railway that is public owned and publicly accountable, and which delivers a real return on the public money invested in it," Catalyst said. The report came as the RMT union promoted a run of marches to press MPs to return railways to public control. posted by Oborski, 21:34 | link | comments
Cinema opening... ...looks like April 8th! posted by Oborski, 19:37 | link | comments (1)
Harriers scotch stadium rumours... The Kidderminster Shuttle reports... Harriers scotch stadium rumours... KIDDERMINSTER Harriers have poured scorn on stories that a move to a new 10,000-seater stadium on the former British Sugar site is in the pipeline. Recent newspaper reports claimed Harriers could leave their Aggborough home as part of a multi-million pound leisure complex in Stourport Road. Club chairman, Colin Youngjohns, however, insisted the matter had been blown out of all proportion and was a virtual non-starter. It has since been confirmed that restrictions on the old British Sugar site would prevent a stadium being built there anyway. Mr Youngjohns said the story arose after he was asked to comment on county councillor Howard Martin's idea for the derelict site. "To be honest, it's a complete non-story that has been blown out of all proportion," he said. "There's nothing in the offing that I know of and all I said was that if somebody was prepared to build us a mini Millennium Stadium - at no cost to us - then good luck to them. "The last contact I had with the councillor concerned was over two years ago, so there's nothing happening." Mr Youngjohns said Aggborough was perfectly adequate for Harriers' needs, and unless councillors came up with definite proposals rather than "pie in the sky" ideas, the club was more than happy to remain there. He added: "I'm a traditionalist and I would prefer us to stay at the home we've had for more than 100 years. "If it was found that the club would be better served on a site on the outskirts of town then we'd look at every proposal that they put before us. "But, certainly, from the club's point of view, it would have to be a totally municipally funded scheme." posted by Oborski, 18:51 | link | comments
from Cllr Graham Ballinger. Cllr Paul Harrison, Cllr Siri Hayward, Cllr Rachel Lewis, Cll Fran Oborski, Cllr Mike Oborski, Cllr Mandy Poole, Cllr Rob Wheway & The Liberal Team posted by Oborski, 18:02 | link | comments
Express & Star reports it like this... Town bid to calm rowdy revellers... Booze bans, sensible drinking campaigns and a new public toilet in Kidderminster are just three proposals to get rowdy revellers to calm down at night. A no-nonsense list of recommendations has been drawn up by Wyre Forest councillors in a bid to restore a bit of order to the town centre streets. A list of requests will be sent to the cabinet with a view to bringing some of the ideas into practise, after chairman Councillor Fran Oborski spent a night out in Kidderminster to learn more about the night time economy.
posted by Oborski, 17:50 | link | comments Tuesday, March 22, 2005
Just received an e-mail from the Labour Party (aren't I lucky) with the subject being "Guess how low Michael Howard will go". Actually I think it tells you rather more about how low Labour will go! Here is the full Labour e-mail text:- Today we are introducing a new feature to Labour.org.uk , the "Michael Howard Bandwagon Watch". We're inviting visitors to spot bandwagons Mr Howard or his candidates are boarding, nationally or locally. And you are also invited to send in your predictions as to what bandwagons Mr Howard may chase in the future. Here are the current top ten favourites for his next bandwagon:
Make your own suggestion here: http://labour.org.uk/bandwagon Thank you, posted by Oborski, 22:38 | link | comments
For ages Wyre Forest District Council has been gearing up for the stampede as everyone applies for licenses for 24 drinking under the new incoming legislation. So far, in Wyre Forest there has in fact been only one application - for a one hour extension every day! Will "24 hour drinking" turn out to be the new "millenium bugg" - which was predicted to be about to end civilisation as we know it - but never actually happened?! Time will tell. posted by Oborski, 16:47 | link | comments
Some months back the Council declared its determination to back Fairtrade. So why are we being served Nescafe and PG Tips?! posted by Oborski, 16:40 | link | comments
"Council Tax revaluation in 2007 is likely to cause massive "hikes" in Council Tax bills. From 2007 about seven million households in England will pay more" reports Fran. Liberals say SCRAP Council Tax and bring in a mix of Local Income Tax and Site Value Taxation. With that most families would pay less and probably half of all pensioners would pay nothing at all! posted by Oborski, 13:31 | link | comments (2)
Tory Cllr Stephen Clee has apologised in the press for describing (also in the press) a defecting Tory Councillor as "a bitter and twisted old lady - not that age has anyting to do with it". If age did not have "anything to do with it" why did Cllr Clee say it? A general apology to all elderly residents - who are are the backbone of our local communities - would be nice. posted by Oborski, 13:27 | link | comments (4)
The misguided and ill-thought out Tory proposals to reorganise local schools and close some of the best schools in the County goes to the County's School Organisation Committee on April 11th. We believe it is a downright scandal that this meeting, so vital to the future of local children, is going to be held in SECRET with no parents and campaigners from the schools allowed to attend and put their case. Once again Worcestershire Tories are making a mockery of democracy! posted by Oborski, 13:23 | link | comments
The opening of the "Warehouse Cinema" in Kidderminster's Green Street has been put back until early Apriil. posted by Oborski, 13:19 | link | comments
Fran reports that the Wyre Forest Primary Care Trust is due to publish its detailed proposals for the future of Maternity Services in Wyre Forest soon.These proposals will then be the subject of a detailed scrutiny exercise to be carried out by the County Council's high powered Health Scrutiny Panel. posted by Oborski, 13:17 | link | comments
From June 13th a new evening bus service will link Kidderminster Railway Station, Kidderminster Bus Station, Dixon Street, Stourport Road, Foley Park, Birchen Coppice, Gilgal, Stourport, Walshes Estate, Areley Kings and then back via the same route. It is likely that the service will run till 11.30pm. A late service to Bewdley will be launched at the same time. The actual details are not yet known but it is believed that the last bus from Bewdley will be about 11.15pm. Welcome as this is it is still a great shame that a similar service has not also been offered to the east of Kidderminster.
posted by Oborski, 13:13 | link | comments
We are delighted that an agreement has now been reached between the management company at Round Hill Wharf and the County Council. This means that automatic pedestrian gates will soon be installed which will allow padestrian access from Tram Street (by Carters Furniture Store) across the canal, using Caldwall Mill Bridge, and out onto Park Lane. This will make it much easier for many people to get to the Cemetery or to Brinton Park by catching a bus to the bus station and walking. We are absolutely delighted that this route, which has existed for over 100 years, will soon be available again. posted by Oborski, 13:00 | link | comments
It's great to see the demolition of the old temporary shop unit opposite Safeways. We are demanding that the Council presses ahead quicklw with the redelopment of the site which is known as KTC3. Provision of a major multiplex cinema is supposed to be a key factor in the redevelopment of this site. We will be making every effort to make sure this happens. posted by Oborski, 12:54 | link | comments Cllr Mike Oborski reports... Comberton Arms site... Plans for private houses on the Comberton Arms pub site have been dropped. Instead it looks as if Wyre Forest Community Housing will buy the site and develop it along with the nearby old Garage site reports Mike. Old Cricket Ground... Whitbreads want to put a Travel Inn, pub and restaurant on the old Victoria Cricket Ground reports Mike. We have contacted local residents who are opposed to the scheme. Longfellow Green Parking... Following the site meeting County Highways are looking at ways of providing parking in front of the houses at the top of Longfellow Green. The yellw spots which have "appeared" on the tarmac surface are where trial holes will be bored to see if the surface is strong enough to be used for parking! Longfellow Green Trees... Tenants has asked us to get one fir tree removed. Apparently other tenant and the Tenant Consultative Committee got others removed. We were not told that this was going to happen. Wyre Forest Community Housing have now agreed to plant more deciduous trees on Longfellow Green in the autumn. Comberton Road fence - again! The new Highways Partnership Manager has promised to sort out the mess and get the fence repaired. posted by Oborski, 12:36 | link | comments
Chapel Court wall... The latest news is that due to a delay with the County Council's Contractors the work should now start in April. Ring Road fence... The new Highways Partnership Manager tells us that an order has been placed for the badly demaged ring road fencing by George Street to be repaired. Silver Street / St Georges Park... Fran has asked for a pavement barrier to be erected alongside the ring road at th end of Silver Street. Youngsters are dashing out of the gate from the park onto Silver Street and then straight out on to the ring road. We must get a pedestrian safety barrier before someone is killed there. posted by Oborski, 12:25 | link | comments
Stone Conservation Area dropped... As Chairman of the District Council's Environment & Economic Regeneration Panel Cllr Fran Oborski proposed that the Council abandon plans for a Conservation Area in Stone after locals branded it unnecessary. Chaddesley Parish Plan... We are concerned about the split in local opinion over the Parish Plan. We would like to heat ALL opinions. Clearly a way has to be found out of the impasse. Repair Mini-Island... We have asked for repairs to the mini-island at the junction of Heronswood Road and Dunlin Drive. The island is breaking up. posted by Oborski, 12:16 | link | comments (2)
Football Parking... Residents have asked for permanent signs on all Aggborough roads banning match day parking. We are pursuing this with the Police. Lyndhurst Drive parking... Please keep the painted safety area on the road outside St. Mary's CE First School clear for emergency vehicles at all times. Springfield Park... Sadly due to delays in equipment supply the new play facilities will not be in use until May. Mill Lane... We are delighted that Cox Homes have surfaced the area alongside the back of the pub and that the street light has been fixed. Noisy pub leavers... Mike is writing to the landlords of both Hoobrook pubs asking them to remind patrons to be quiet when leaving at night. Dial-a-Ride... We are pushing both District and County Council to ensure that there is sufficient funding to keep this vital service going.
posted by Oborski, 12:00 | link | comments Saturday, March 19, 2005
...has had a facelift and is now more user friendly! posted by Oborski, 10:47 | link | comments Friday, March 18, 2005
posted by Oborski, 23:15 | link | comments
“Sadly there is absolutely no chance whatsoever of Kiddermister Harriers moving to a new stadium on Kidderminster’s former British Sugar site” a leading local Councillor said today.” Cllr Fran Oborski said “I am absolutely amazed that Cllr Howard Martin has come up with the idea as it was in fact killed stone dead in 2002 when he himself was the responsible Council Cabinet Member!” “It is a great shame that Cllr Howard did NOT talk either to the Harriers Chairman or to Council Officers before bursting into print to raise expectations by proposing a scheme which he knows cannot work within current planning policies." Cllr Mrs Oborski, who chairs the Council’s Environment and Regeneration Policy and Scrutiny Panel, explained “when we started with the original draft of the latest Wyre Forest District plan, which is the key document in planning terms in determining what can be put where, we did actually included a proposal for a major sports stadium on the British Sugar Site.” “The Government’s Health and Safety Executive immediately made it clear that they will NOT allow the development of any facility on the British Sugar site which would attract large numbers of members of the Public. Therefore it is simply not possible for a sports stadium to be developed on that site and the proposal had to be withdrawn.” “The problem is that the site is within the designated safety zone around the Ashland Chemicals site which is laid down because of the nature of the materials stored at that site.” “The Stadium proposals were accordingly removed from the Local Plan before it went to Public Inquiry. However the idea was raised during the Inquiry and the Inspector said in his report that there was no proven need for a stadium on the site and that anyway the views of the Health and Safety Executive had to be taken into account." “The final Local Plan, in its final form, was voted through with the support of the whole Council. The Local Plan, including the final proposal for industrial use of the British Sugar site for employment as stipulated by the Health and Safety Executive and was particularly strongly supported by Cllr Howard as the Leader of the Council at that time.” “Cllr Martin also held Cabinet responsibility for Environment and Economic Regeneration at that time and so was personally directly responsible not just as Leader but also as the Cabinet member concerned!” “The owners of the site, Associated British Foods, are currently marketing it for employment uses and, at this time, there is no intention for the District Council to be involved in the development of a Design Brief for the site or in any way to change its Local Plan designation as employment land.” “I do not understand why Cllr. Martin is playing silly games now by proposing a scheme which was withdrawn from the Local Plan when he led Wyre Forest District Council. I can only assume that there must be an election coming!” “It is in my opinion grossly irresponsible to raise public expectations for a scheme which you know to be impossible.” posted by Oborski, 10:06 | link | comments posted by Oborski, 00:48 | link | comments Wednesday, March 16, 2005
The “Promoting The Evening Economy in the District” Report from the Environment & Economic Regeneration Scrutiny Panel, chaired by Fran, was agreed tonight and now goes to Cabinet. Recommendations are:- 1. Regular meetings be held between the Council’s Strategic Community Safety Officer, appropriate operational Council Officers and the relevant Police representatives to develop even closer working relationships. 2. The Primary Care Trust’s action on promoting sensible drinking guidelines be endorsed and it be established which schools are included in its promotion. 3. Consideration be given to the appropriateness of designating areas within the District suitable for a drinking ban, and to the promotion of them as alcohol restriction zones, if applicable. 4. The Environmental Health and Licensing Manager work with licensees of premises who hold Public Entertainment Licenses, relevant Police officers, the British Beer Pub Association, Kidderminster Licencees Association and the Licensed Victuallers’ Association to:- a) Ask Wyre Forest Licensing Forum to monitor standards of behaviour for people using licensed premises particularly with regard to alcohol related problems and to agree common policies on dealing with people who ignore those standards of behaviour. b) Monitor local compliance with the Private Security Act 2000, under which door staff are registered and request West Mercia Police to encourage the employment of properly qualified door supervisors at all late opening establishments. c) Whilst not a requirement of the 2003 Licensing Act, ask night clubs to consider serving hot food/sandwiches. 5. The Environmental Health and Licensing Manager report back to the Environment and Economic Regeneration Policy and Scrutiny Panel on a quarterly basis, on matters detailed in 4. above and that this Panel receives regular updates on the progress of all the recommendations in this Report. 6. Non-alcohol and family orientated related activities within the District, including the Warehouse Cinema, be commended and encouraged. 7. Development of a major Cinema be regarded as an essential element within KTC3 and the Cabinet be urged to take every step to ensure its completion. 8. The Bus Quality Partnership be recommended to work with local bus and taxi companies to try and establish late night transport provision to help develop the night culture. 9. The Bus Quality Partnership be recommended to work with relevant local transport companies to undertake a survey into the evening’s transport services and requirements. 10. Consideration be given to the incorporation of 24-hour accessible toilets within any proposed development of car park in New Road, Kidderminster. 11. The Highways Authority at Worcestershire County Council be requested to consider provision of pavement barriers in New Road, Kidderminster, above the Tesco mini-island at the Corporation Street junction. 12. The Highways Authority at Worcestershire County Council be requested to consider provision of an additional Taxi Rank in New Road, Kidderminster, above the junction with Corporation Street. posted by Oborski, 21:50 | link | comments (1)
Attendance at Policy & Scrutiny Panels looks like a pretty anorak topic. However, under the current Council structure it is vitally why important. Why? Because by definition these Panels can only do their job if there is a consistent attendance.
posted by Oborski, 17:28 | link | comments (1)
Commenting on the Budget Statement Cllr Fran Oborski, Liberal Parliamentary Spokesman for Wyre Forest said "This budget does little or nothing to help Wyre Forest people". posted by Oborski, 16:38 | link | comments
posted by Oborski, 15:38 | link | comments  The Independent reports...Blunder by Tory MPs kills Bill meant to protect householders... Tory attempts to introduce a new Bill designed to strengthen protection for householders who tackle intruders have run into the sand after three MPs failed to turn up for a crucial committee hearing. The blunder by Chris Grayling, Andrew Mitchell and Hugo Swire - seen as deeply embarrassing for the party leader, Michael Howard - means the Householder Protection Bill will have no time to become law before Parliament is dissolved for the expected general election on 5 May.
posted by Oborski, 13:52 | link | comments Monday, March 14, 2005 Consultation on Travel Inn proposal... Liberal Councillors are consulting local residents about plans to build a Travel Inn, Restaurant and Pub on the site of Kidderminster’s old Victoria Carpets Cricket Ground. Cllr Mike Oborski explaineds today that “Whitbreads have submitted an incomplete application for a 50 bed Premier Travel Inn with Restaurant and Pub and parking for 114 cars.” “Access would be off Spennells Valley Road some 80-100 metres from the Chester Road South Island”. Cllr Oborski explained that the plans are currently “incomplete” because “Whitbreads have not yet submitted the required flood risk analysis. As a result Wyre Forest District Council’s Planning Department cannot yet “log” the application and so start the process to deal with it!” “Given that we already actually know what it is that Whitbreads want to put on the site I have written to local residents asking for their initial reaction and comments.” “It is extremely important that their views are heard as son as possible.” “Speaking personally I have considerable reservations about the proposal. There are a lot of questions that need to be answered.” |
Warning over postal voting fraud...
Roads worn out within weeks...
Danger Area For Minorities!
Careful Tories...
Scale of planned cuts was being concealed to help win an election 
State-run rail 'would save £500m'
Easter Greetings
Town bid to calm rowdy revellers...
Guess how low Labour will go....
The stampede to 24 hour drinking...
A strange way for the Council to support Fairtrade!
Council Tax bomb...
It's time for Cllr Clee to apologise to all elderly residents...
Schools latest...
Warehouse Cinema...
Birth Centre Latest...
New Evening Bus Service...
Caldwall Mill Bridge...
Kidderminster Town Centre...
Cllr Fran Oborski reports...
Cllr Graham Ballinger reports...
No chance of Harriers move to British Sugar site...
Interesting site...
or 
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Promoting the evening economy…
Click link for key Budget points...