Fran update...
The sense is on the streets not the box : Cat's chance : Road menaces : The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy : Mayor's Ball : Private Eye
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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| Saturday, April 30, 2005
The sense is on the streets not the box : Cat's chance : Road menaces : The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy : Mayor's Ball : Private Eye posted by Oborski, 22:37 | link | comments Thursday, April 28, 2005
Each local candidate for the County Council Elections was allowed 150 words in the Kidderminster Shuttle. Here is what the Liberal team had to say... posted by Oborski, 15:58 | link | comments Mike Oborski... Kidderminster, St.Chads... Local county councillor for 32 years and long- serving district councillor Mike Oborski says local priorities are: Give local people a real say on the way in which local schools are run and sort out the chaos of the Tory school closures. The destruction of Lea Street and Stone First schools is an absolutely scandalous piece of Tory vandalism. Continue the fight to get A&E and a birthing centre back to Kidderminster. More police on the beat tackling crime, vandalism, nuisance and drug pushing. Fight off the threat of Government spending on "Supporting People" which is going to hit Wyre Forest elderly hardest. A decent concessionary fare scheme for the elderly on public transport. Tackle the appalling state of roads and pavements, public transport and traffic flow problems. Sort out matchday parking chaos on Chester Road South. Scrap Council Tax. posted by Oborski, 15:56 | link | comments (2) Fran Oborski... Kidderminster, St. George & St. Oswald... Long serving district and county councillor Fran Oborski says :"I am horrified at the disgraceful decision to close Lea Street First School and the changes in catchment area for Offmore First School which will have a serious impact on the Hurcott Road area. "The closure of Sladen means youngsters will be forced to go to the Sion Hill site when it becomes Wolverley's Lower School causing travel problems across a wide area. " She says we need to: Sort out the chaos of the Tory school closures. Continue the fight to get A&E and a birthing centre back to Kidderminster. More police on the beat tackling crime, nuisance and drugs. Fight off the threat of Government spending on "Supporting People" which is going to hit local elderly hardest. A decent public transport concessionary fare scheme for the elderly. Tackle the appalling state of roads and pavements, public transport and traffic flow problems. posted by Oborski, 15:55 | link | comments Graham Ballinger... Chaddesley... Long serving district councillor Graham Ballinger is the only "save our hospital" candidate in Chaddesley division. He is appalled at the Tory county council's Wyre Forest Schools Review and totally supports parents and residents who have campaigned for Stone CE First School. On the district council he is campaigning to clean up litter and mess. Graham says: Give people a real say on the future of local schools and sort out the chaos of closures. Continue the fight to get A&E and a birthing centre back to Kidderminster. More police on the beat tackling crime, nuisance, vandalism and drug pushing. Fight off the threat of Government spending on "Supporting People" which is going to hit local elderly hardest. A decent public transport concessionary fare scheme for the elderly. Tackle the appalling state of roads and pavements, public transport and traffic flow problems. posted by Oborski, 15:53 | link | comments Mike Price... Kidderminster, St Mary's... Constituency Liberal Party chairman Mike Price supports the Oldington Pathway Project and development of the extended school on the Birchen Coppice site. While also supporting possible development of an extended St Mary's School, he is appalled at the closure of Lea Street School which will hit many Aggborough families hard. There is an urgent need for economic regeneration in the Horsefair and along the Stourport Road. Bring British Sugar Site back into employment use. Sort out the chaos of the Tory school closures. Continue the fight to get back A&E and a birthing centre. More police on the beat tackling crime, nuisance and drugs. Fight off the threat of Government spending on "Supporting People" which will hit elderly hardest. A decent public transport concessionary fare scheme for the elderly. Tackle the appalling state of roads and pavements, public transport and traffic flow problems. posted by Oborski, 15:51 | link | comments Rachel Lewis... Cookley, Wolverley, Wribbenhall... As a mother with a young family, district councillor Rachel Lewis is a passionate believer in provision of children's services and easily accessible schools for our youngest children. She is worried about the potentially dangerous traffic situation on Wolverley Road if Sion Hill Middle School is used as the Lower School of Wolverley High School for several years. She says: Give local people a real say in the way in which local schools are run and sort out the chaos of the Tory school closures. Continue the fight to get A and E and a birthing centre back to Kidderminster. More police on the beat tackling crime, nuisance and drugs. Fight off the threat of Government spending on "Supporting People" which is going to hit local elderly hardest. A decent public transport concessionary fare scheme for the elderly. Tackle the appalling state of roads and pavements, public transport and traffic flow problems. posted by Oborski, 15:49 | link | comments Wednesday, April 27, 2005
The Hitchikers Guide To The Galaxy ...The Hitchikers Guide To The Galaxy opens at Kidderminster's Warehouse Cinema on Friday 29th April. It is a well known fact that according to "The Hitchikers Guide To The Galaxy" the answer to "life, the universe and everything" is "42". It is lesser known fact that the number of Councillors on Wyre Forest District Council is exactly and precisely - "42". posted by Oborski, 23:35 | link | comments (4)
The County Council is as snug as a bug in a rug! Everything is clappy happy and we all live together in eachother's pockets at County Hall. That is if you are to believe Tories, Labour and Liberal-Democrats. It is just a geat old boys club for them. But on tonight's BBC Radio Hereford & Worcester County Council Election "phone in" it was Liberal Councillor Graham Ballinger who drove home the real message! Here in Wyre Forest our schools are being wrecked, our highway repairs are under funded and we always get the worst possible deal out of the County. While the others patted eachother on the back Graham told it as it is!
posted by Oborski, 22:24 | link | comments (7) Tuesday, April 26, 2005 And when we aren't working we are watching...
...it's just out on DVD. posted by Oborski, 23:46 | link | comments
Elections are strange. The average voter views them with varying degrees of horror and cynicism. Considering the posturing of national politicians and spin doctors and the convulsions of sound-bite hungry national media I am not surprised. There is another election campaign. This is the election of volunteers - the foot soldiers - who look for no personal gain and who slog their guts out canvassing and leafletting in the cause of making their own area a better place in which to live. As I write this I am so exhausted that I can barely write. My feet are on fire. Every joint in my body aches. I am totally and absolutely exhausted. I am so tired I can hardly think. I entered this campaign as a County Councillor. I may or may not finish this campaign as a County Councillor. If I win again I will, at least, be able to continue to fight, campaign and crusade for the causes and outcomes which I believe to be essential. So why do other people - equally exhausted themselves - campaign for my election or for the election of Fran, Graham, Rachel and Mike Price? They put their faith in a vision and a cause. They put their trust in us. It is their trust that renews our energy in that same vision and cause and which will give us the energy and commitment to stagger into another day of campaigning tomorrow! Oh Yes! We intend to win! posted by Oborski, 23:42 | link | comments Sunday, April 24, 2005  Sunflower mystery...Local Liberal Councillors are seeking a solution to one of Kidderminster's little mysteries. Who put the sunflower on top of Land Oak House?!
Cllr Mike Oborski explained today "at the junction of Kidderminster's Birmingham Road and Chester Road North there is a metal sunflower projecting from the roof of Land Oak House which use to be the offices of Wyre Foret District Council's Panning Department."
"The building is now being sold off for private development."
"We would love to know who climbed up to position the sunflower? When did they do it? Why did they do it?"
"It's one of those funny little Kidderminster mysteries. We've heard all the rumours and stories. We'd love to know the answer. Does anybody out there know the real truth?"
posted by Oborski, 15:56 | link | comments (4) Saturday, April 23, 2005 It isn't all politics... Find out about the music here...
Friends reunited across an ocean INTERVIEW: The GO-BETWEENS talk about the trials of growing older and recording their latest album Oceans Apart in London. IN rock 'n' roll, even more than in life, it often feels like there's an uncrossable ocean of time between the past and the present. Staring down the portrait gallery of rock history, when the sounds of 1974 and 1977 seems poles apart, what could the sounds of 1981, when Australia's Go-Betweens made their first album, have to do with 2005? posted by Oborski, 23:00 | link | comments
Best wishes on St.George's Day posted by Oborski, 16:08 | link | comments Friday, April 22, 2005 Crossed Wyres! The front page lead story in the Express & Star tonight reveals that the "Independent Consultants" who reported on the numbers of taxis needed in Wyre Forest bungled their figures - using information relating to Wyre in Lancashire. On Wednesday night the Council voted to defer a decision because there were so many "holes" in the report. The Environment & Economic Regeneration Policy & Scrutiny Panel chaired by Fran was asked to hold a special meeting to investigate and report back. This further revelation tonight deals a death blow to any credibility and public confidence in the report! Fran, as Chairman of the Panel, was not informed of this latest development by the Council and was left to read about it in the press. When she phoned the Leader of the Council it turned out that he didn't know anything about it either. So who exactly did know and when? The Express & Star report... Consultants really get their Wyres crossed Consultants bungled a £10,000 taxi survey for Wyre Forest cabbies – by confusing the area with Wyre Council in Lancashire, 130 miles away.
posted by Oborski, 18:08 | link | comments Wednesday, April 20, 2005 Shortest Council Meeting for sometime... The full Wyre Forest District Council Meeting tonight last just 33 minutes! Maybe everyone had other things on their minds! Highlights? Tory Council Leader Cllr Stephen Clee referring to "taxi decriminalisation". We hope he meant "taxi deregulation". Liberal Leader Cllr Mike Oborski, as the meeting closed, suggesting that the Council complain to the press about the lack of press coverage the meeting would receive. Think about it. posted by Oborski, 22:14 | link | comments  Blaze a disaster waiting to happen!Local Councillors have called for the immediate demolition of Kidderminster's derelict Comberton Arms pub after it was set ablaze last night.
Cllr Mike Oborski explained "The Comberton Arms has been derelict, out of use and boarded up for some time. Wyre Forest Community Housing are currently in the process of purchasing the site with a view to demolishing the pub and redeveloping the site, along with an old adjacent disused garage site, for housing."
"Last night - mid evening - the upper storey was set ablaze with flames shooting out of an upper story window and up the chimney stack. The blaze was extinguished by Hereford and Worcester Fire Service. Obviously it is too early to be sure but it looks like vandalism."
Cllr Oborski said "We have been warning for weeks that this would happen! It's been a disaster waiting to happen. Unfortunately the owners would not permit demolishion until legalities are finalised and the site formally transfers to Wyre Forest Community Housing."
"We will be talking to Wyre Forest Community Housing and the Fire Service in the morning. We want pressure put on to get the building down now before there is a further incident with more serious consequences."
posted by Oborski, 21:49 | link | comments
"We thought for a moment that Television's "Time Team" had been excavating at the junction of Kidderminster's Cherry Orchard and Offmore" an angry County Councillor commented today. However, when local Liberal County Councillor Mike Oborski investigated "It turned out to be yet another County Council pot hole - but this one had worn right down to an old cobbled road surface below." Cllr Oborski said "It's simply another pot hole but this one is truly ridiculous". "On the door step the state of our roads and pavements is becoming one of the big issues of the County Council election campaign. People are sick and tired of the state of our roads and pavements. Getting this sorted has got to be a local priority!" posted by Oborski, 09:35 | link | comments Monday, April 18, 2005
Lots of pressure at work - then back to sort out responses to Focus and postal vote applications. Then very upbeat Group Meeting chaired by Graham Ballinger! Now Indian Meal from excellent New Shere Punjab Restaurant on George Street. We may just get to sleep tonight! posted by Oborski, 22:12 | link | comments A Strong Voice for…
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150 words...
County Hall - a touch of reality...
Elections are strange...
Time Team?
Lots of pressure at work...
Norman Broome...
Fran again!
Taxi report chaos...