School catchment areas...

The County Council has brought out an informal consultation paper on suggested catchment areas following on from the Wyre Forest School Review. The paper has gone to current heads and governing bodies and head teachers designate and temporary governing bodies for new schools. They have till Friday 13th (!) January 2006 to respond. After their responses have been taken on board definitive proposals will go out for consultation with "all interested parties" between February Half Term and April 7th 2006. There will be a "surgery" at Kidderminster Library from 2.00pm to 7.00pm on Wednesday 22nd March 2006.

There are lots of issues about catchment areas for individual Primary Schools that need to be examined in detail and parents will need to be sure exactly where they stand. More of that later as the issues become clearer.

Proposed High School Catchment areas...

The issues here centre on Kidderminster. There are TWO sets of Options. Under BOTH sets of options:

BAXTER COLLEGE...

...would take pupils from Franche Primary School, St. John's Primary School, Sutton Park Primary School, Birchen Coppice Primary School.

KING CHARLES I HIGH SCHOOL...

...would take pupils from Offmore Primary School, Comberton Primary School, Spennells Primary School and Chaddesley Corbett Endowed Primary School.

WOLVERLEY HIGH SCHOOL...

...would take pupils from Wolverley Sebright Primary School, Cookley Sebright Primary School, Marlpool CE Primary School, St. Mary's CE Primary School and St.Oswald's CE Primary School.

PLUS...

UNDER OPTION 1...

....children from St. George's CE Primary School would go to Wolverley High School, and

...children from Foley Park Primary School would go to King Charles I High School.

UNDER OPTION 2...

....children from St. George's CE Primary School would go to King Charles I High School, and

...children from Foley Park Primary School would go to Baxter College.

We welcome all comment, questions and suggestions.

The Express & Star reports...

Motivator brought in to improve police calls

West Mercia police force ha spent £200,000 on an American "Mrs Motivator" in order to train up its call centre staff to stop using the word 'can't'.

Mary Gober, aged 56, has drawn up a training scheme for the West Mercia force's 230 emergency call-takers encouraging them to banish words such as "can't" and "unfortunately" in favour of more positive language.

But the scheme was today branded a "sick joke" and a waste of money by a leading councillor..

Miss Gober, who has been dubbed Mrs Motivator, has previously worked for Marks & Spencer and Nestle and hotel group Novotel and hopes to have completed the training course by the end of next year.

The idea of the course, which has earned the backing of Wyre Forest District Council leader Stephen Clee, is to banish negative words and phrases and use words such as "glad" and "sure" instead.

Councillor Mike Oborski, a member of Wyre Forest District Council said: "I think this is a sick joke. If there is money to spend then it should go on something worthwhile".

The force's head of operations support for West Mercia, Police Supt. John Jones said: "A recent report by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary recognised the need for call handling nationally to focus on the needs of the customers."

We say...

1. Goodness knows the police call centre needs sorting but it can be done without spending £200,000;

2. When people phone in they need Police ACTION not nice words;

3. The £200,000 could be put to better use improving the actual Police service;

4. At a time when West Mercia Constabulary need public support in the face of threatened Police mergers they have just shot themselves through the foot by exposing themselves to public ridicule;

5. Despite this folly we still support West Mercia Constabulary in the campaign to avoid us being submerged in a huse West Midlands force.

Tell us what YOU think!

Daily Mail reports...

Police recruit £200,000 Mrs Motivator

A police force has spent £200,000 on a US motivational guru to train call centre staff to stop using the word 'can't'.

West Mercia Police said the recruitment of Mary Gober - nicknamed Mrs Motivator - was necessary to improve their service to the public.

Miss Gober, 56, who has worked for Marks & Spencer, Nestle and the hotel chain Novotel, has devised a training scheme for around 230 staff who handle 999 calls and general switchboard inquiries, encouraging them to 'think outside the box'.

The training scheme is based on her Gober Method philosophy that staff should banish negative words and phrases such as 'can't' and 'unfortunately' and replace them with a 'can-do attitude'.

Yesterday the force was accused of wasting taxpayers' cash on the initiative, which has already been rolled out to staff at its two central 999 call centres in Worcester.

Less bobbies on the beat

The force, which covers Shropshire, Worcestershire and Herefordshire, could have had an extra four officers on the beat if they had spent the £200,000 on frontline resources.

Paul Keetch, Liberal Democrat MP for Hereford, said: "If the Chief Constable felt this training was essential I would like to know why trainers could not have been recruited from other police forces with relevant knowledge.

"A greater police presence is what my constituents ask for - there have been no complaints passing through my office about the 999 service."

Miss Gober, whose firm Mary Gober International has its UK headquarters in Camberley, Surrey, has worked for public and private sector firms in 26 countries, but this is the first time she has been asked to apply her approach to a police force.

The motivational guru devised a training programme for West Mercia after analysing tape recordings of 999 calls and observing call handlers in the control rooms.

Her recommendations include telling switchboard operators handling routine calls to say 'welcome', give their names and ask how they can help.

She said 999 staff should let callers tell them about incidents before demanding their name and address. A force spokesman

said Miss Gober's initiative had been paid for out of an existing training budget and not from front-line resources.

"Mary Gober was appointed after a tendering process to ensure we got the most costeffective training package," he added.

"It is about thinking outside the box.

Buzz phrases

"By taking a can-do approach rather than uses negative words, we feel we can help to put the caller at ease and therefore help to provide a better service." Miss Gober's website boasts that she is "the most dynamic force in customer service culture".

Her buzz phrases are "Put a smile in your voice" and "Everything I do or say is either a service or disservice to another person".

The Gober Method TM, delivered through seminars and coaching sessions, is built around three main strands.

The Psychology of Service involves improving motivation and mind-set to deliver superior service, The Language of Service teaches placing greater emphasis on use of positive words rather than negative words while Developing a Management Framework is about building a 'rich service culture'.

Mary Gober, from Chicago, most recently worked for M&S, who paid a reported £10million for her services, a figure disputed by the company.

She devised a series of daylong workshops for the firm's workforce, beginning with a 'dress-down' event at Birmingham's NEC last month for 5,000 staff.

Here's how Anorak takes the news...

FORCE SMILE

“HELLO, police. What seems to be the problem?” says the cheery voice on the end of your call to the emergency services.

"Try to think of it less as a kidnapping and more of a spontaneous holiday, sir"

“My house is being burgled. I’m terrified,” gushes the caller.

“Try not to worry madam. We stock a full range of goods and services and can replace any lost or damaged items. Did you keep your receipts and take out any additional in-store insurance cover?”

Such a conversation has yet to happen. But it might. As the Mail reports, the West Mercia Police Force has just recruited Mary Gober, the motivational guru who has worked for Marks & Spencer.

Nicknamed Mrs Motivator, American Gober has been employed for a fee of £200,000 to devise a training scheme which will invigorate they who handle 999 calls and general switchboard enquiries.

Gober will encourage the men and women who spend their lives sat in neon-lit rooms to “think outside the box”.

Predictably, the force has been accused of wasting taxpayers’ money. Paul Keetch, Liberal Democrat MP for Hereford, wants to know why a trainer wasn’t brought in for much less from another part of the force.

The Mail says that for Gober’s fee, the area could have employed another four officers on the beat. But Gober got the call after the job was put out to tender. As a police spokesman explains: “By taking a can-do approach rather than using negative words, we feel we can help to put the caller at ease”.

“Put a smile in your voice,” says Gober. “”Everything I do or say is either a service or a disservice to another person.”

Sounds great in theory. But let’s find out if it works in practice. Let’s dial and see. “Hello, caller,” comes the chirpy voice.

“Help! I’m under attack. My life is in jeopardy. They’re coming in through the windows. Come quick. Help!”

“Your call is very important to us. You are held in a gently meandering queue. Try not worry. Think of a green field and lying by a smooth sun-dappled pond... Your call is very important to us...”

The weather...

If YOU are having problems with the cold spell that the Council should tackle let us know straight away on 01562 823911 and we will do what we can to help. By the way please keep an eye out for elderly neighbours who may have problems.

By the way I always get wound up by the people who moan about "half an inch of snow and we come to a standstill - other European countries cope why not us?" The answer is basically, yes, that's all we get - half an inch. If we were sitting on enough salt, grit, snow ploughs and manpower to solve the matter instantly we would be sitting on millions of pounds of investment just for the odd day of snow. It would NOT be a sensible use of cash.

In Poland vast numbers of snow ploughs and massive prepared resources and manpower ready to wipe out the problem at a moments notice makes sense because in Winter Poland is likely to have months of continuous deep snow so it really matters big time. Seeing numerous teams of three snow ploughs (each with different blade settings) cutting through the snow and pushing it firmly aside) - followed by teams of gritting lorries - on the mountainous roads from Krakow up to Zakopane high up in the Tatra Mountains is quite something. The roads stay open despite - a couple of years back - snow three metres (nine feet!) deep.

In addition Polish drivers have far more experience of driving in serious snow (when did you last use snow chains?) and know how to handle it.

Yes, snow here is an irritation and we need to sort out the stupid and serious problems that arise - but if we could work the miracle of instantly removing every snow flake from the roads you would not be thanking us - you would be, quite rightly, out to kill us because of your massively increased Council Tax to sort out just a few days a year.

Collared....

Our cats like their collars. Our enormous tabby sports a rather flash multi-colour collar carrying his id disc, his "I've been chipped" disc, 2 bells (don't ask) and a red - cat head shaped - reflector. No birds have been saved by the bells. They are only ever rung - with a deliberate flick of the head - to summon room service. A couple of days ago he came back without the red reflector. So we duly replaced it with a yellow - fish shaped - reflector. The next day he came back wearing BOTH the yellow AND the red reflector! That cat obviously has an interesting social life. If his friend who restored the red reflector happens to read this then thank you whoever you are!

Island story is just that...

Anyone who got exited by the Express & Star bubbling on about the Conty Council spending half a million to remove the Horsefair island as part of major improvements in the area needs to get their feet firmly back on the ground. At present there is no money in any budget for this scheme. There is a consultants report promoting the idea as the best way of tackling air quality issues in that area. Any funding is subject to a bid to government under Local Transport Plan II. If, and at this stage it is still a huge "if" that proposal gets the go ahead from central government nothing will actually happen on site till after 2009. So don't expect to see work starting just yet!

24 hour opening - or not!

The media are going rather melodramatic about the switch to 24 opening of pubs and clubs at midnight tonight.

In fact in this area there is really not likely to be very much change. Some local pubs and clubs have applied for and secured the right to extended hours but it is far from sure that they will all use their new hours. Some just want to be able to use them on special occassions. Any controversial applications appear to have been modified or withdrawn. Locally there have been no applications for 24 hour opening.

So what will be the consequences here? Well, this is my personal guess:-

- Possibly extended hours may cause problems for neighbours in one or two residential areas.

- People probably won't drink any more as a result.

- This will do absolutely nothing to reduce binge drinking locally.

-  On the other hand it probably will not lead to an increase in binge drinking either.

- It probably will not make life easier or harder for local Police.

Of course the story could be very different in big city centres and in holiday resorts.

Incidentally Mike Price reminded me the other day that at one time opening hours were later in Stourport-on-Severn than in Kidderminster and at that time there was a regular late evening rush from Kidderminster to Stourport to drink!

Kidderminster 10, Bydgoszcz 0

The Daily Mail of November 19th 2005 has one of their reporters aboard a plane to Poland reporting...

"Why you come here for?" Katya, my cowboy-booted neighbour asks as we touch down in Poland. "There's nothing in Bydgoszcz. It is over for young people. You should try Kidderminster. It is much better - lovely shops, I live there now with my boyfriend. I just come home to get my things and say goodbye".

It is great to see the really positive way in which a newcomer from abroad takes to the Kidderminster we all too often take for granted!

Policing merger threat meets with unanimous opposition...

On Wednesday night Wyre Forest District Council was unanimous is backing a motion proposed by Liberal Leader Mike Oborski and Seconded by Conservative Leader Councillor Stephen Clee totally OPPOSING proposals to merge the West Mercia Constabulary in with the West Midland Police force. It ould be a disaster with resources inevitably pulled out of the shire counties and into Birmingham, Wolverhampton and Coventry!

On Thursday morning the Worcestershire County Council was also unanimous in opposing such a merger.

Both Councils were unanimous in their desire to retain and continue to develop and improve West Mercia Constabulary.

This is still extremely alarming...

Whatever they say the fact that they are even mentioning it is extremely alarming. They may say now that they wouldn't do it but these things have a nasty habit of taking on a life of their own!

The Shuttle reports...

Closure `will be considered'

by SARAH COUSIN

A HEALTH boss has revealed that an option to close and sell off Kidderminster's beleaguered hospital is on the table - although it is unlikely to gain favour.

Nevertheless, the proposal will have to be considered as part of the consultation exercise being undertaken by debt-ridden Worcestershire Hospitals Acute Trust in a bid to save more than £20 million.

The confirmation that Kidderminster could be in the frame came in a letter from trust chairman Michael O'Riordan to Wyre Forest's health campaigning MP, Dr Richard Taylor.

It was written in response to Dr Taylor's fears - reported exclusively in the Shuttle/Times & News last week - that Kidderminster Hospital could face further cuts in services to appease protesters angered by proposed cuts elsewhere in the county - notably the downgrading of the Alexandra Hospital at Redditch.

Mr O'Riordan wrote: "I will not deny that the closure/sale of Kiddermin-ster is one such option which has been put before us and as such will need to be considered however unlikely such option may be."

He added that the trust had resolved to do as much day case work as possible at Kidderminster to relieve the pressure on the Worcestershire Royal and the Alexandra Hospital.

Mr O'Riordan also told the Shuttle/Times & News: "It has been put to us, why do you not change the Kidderminster services and concentrate on the two sites with accident and emergency, which are at Redditch's Alexandra Hospital and the Worcestershire Royal."

He declined to reveal who had made the suggestion but clarified that by service changes what was meant was removal of services.

Mr O'Riordan acknowledged that some suggested options would be "non-runners" and stressed that the trust had a duty to balance its books and that in resolving the cash crisis it had to ensure the facts and figures of action stood up to scrutiny.

He said the trust was taking notice of all views that were being expressed following last month's publication of the Finnamore Management Consultants pre-consultation report, in which Kidderminster did not figure significantly among the cost-cutting options.

Mr O'Riordan said: "At the moment it is a listening exercise, gathering views from across the county and we are not working to a tablet of stone programme. No absolute decisions have been made.

"We are open to discussion and are listening but we have views as well."

The trust's project board will consider a further options report on Friday, November 25, after which Mr O'Riordan plans to announce which options were not included.

Members will decide their preferred option - or options - from the report and a more detailed analysis will then be carried out before public consultation starts in January.

The board agreed last Friday to put the three-month long public consultation back to the new year to give more time for the current airing of views because of the "degree of interest and concern" sparked by the first report.

For those of you who demand photos of the...

...cats!

Offmore & Comberton Focus online...

...here!

More damaged street name signs...

...and replacing them costs you £185.13 a time! Learn more!

From the Express & Star...

Train station is 'worst in country'

Kidderminster Shuttle reports...

Furious Mike cuts his own Way through

A KIDDERMINSTER councillor furious about overgrown foliage obscuring street name signs has taken matters - and shears - into his own hands.

Mike Oborski cut back overhanging branches, believing they had become a potential menace to drivers.

On Sunday, the Wyre Forest district councillor cleared foliage from around the Husum Way sign.

He said hundreds of signs were becoming overgrown across the district, some were defaced and others were missing.

"We want missing and damaged road name signs replaced and we need the foliage around overgrown signs to be cut back now," he went on.

"Overgrown road name signs are not only inconvenient - the situation is also potentially dangerous when motorists dither because they cannot work out where they are trying to go.

"We want this situation sorted as quickly as possible."

Andrew Dickens, head of cultural, leisure and commercial services at the district council said: "We are responsible for the physical maintenance of the signs but my understanding is that if it is a private hedge covering the sign it is the responsibility of the highway authority."

Andy Broom, of the Worcestershire Highways Partnership, said he did not believe it normally dealt with overgrown hedges and would be discussing the issue with the district council.

Those "Loaded Questions"...

Apparently we were not alone in our anger and disgust at those "Loaded Questions" (scroll down and see below) which accompanied a recent e-mailing from the Home Secretary on the proposed terrorism legislation.

In a new e-mailing the Home Secretary is forced to conclude...

Finally, I would like to apologise for the questionnaire which was attached to the message that I sent out to party supporters on Friday.  It was not intended to gauge public opinion but to start a political debate around the proposals currently being debated in Parliament.  Many people have raised with me perfectly valid concerns about how the questions were drafted.  I can only say that I share those concerns and give my assurance that questions of this type will not used in the future.

Sorry to disable the "comment" feature...

...but once again we're getting a couple of Tory "trolls" who think that rudeness and abuse are a substitute for real debate.

Those Barriers...

...outside Comberton First and Middle School are a real mess. The County Council needs to get its act together! Read more...

Blair's litany of failures on Iraq - ambassador's damning verdict

Meyer says PM failed to exert any leverage on Bush and was seduced by US power

I agree with Kennedy on this one...

A battle between liberty and authoritarianism

Basic freedoms are under attack in the name of the fight against terror. We should heed Churchill's wartime warnings

Overgrown road name signs...

...are a real menace. Here is what we are doing!

Loaded questions?

Having somehow got onto a Labour Party e-mailing list I received this from the Home Secretary no less today:-

I am emailing you today to find out your views on the action the Government is proposing to take to challenge the new terrorist threats that face all of us.

 Since the London bombings of 7 July, we all know that the UK faces a terrorist threat of a different level of seriousness and complexity from anything Britain has faced before. We are confronting extremists whose aims are to kill and maim as many people as possible, to strike at the heart of our society and destroy what we stand for. These terrorists are part of complex international organisations that make ever greater use of new technology such as encrypted computers. Further attacks remain a real possibility, so action to protect our citizens is urgent.

 

The Government has introduced the Terrorism Bill, currently going through Parliament, to try and ensure that the police and intelligence services have the powers they need to stay ahead of the new breed of terrorist. Yet some are opposing the Government's proposals, which come on the advice of specialist anti-terrorist police.

 

Facing up to the challenges of the new terrorist threat is so important; we want to have your views as soon as possible.

Please go the Labour website to register your views. Click here to go there now.

 

Best wishes

Charles Clarke

Home Secretary

A scandal not a survey

So I decided to have a look at the website to "register" my "view". Lo and behold I then discovered that I was actually being asked not for my "view" but to respond either "Yes". "No" or "Not sure" to three short questions.

What is absolutely disgraceful is that the questions are NOT about the actual detailed legislation which has been before Parliament. Instead the three questions are broad unspecific generalisations that are designed simply to push you into a "Yes" answer because any other response is impossible. Look at the "questions":-

Do you think our laws should be updated to cope with the current security threat?

How can anyone say "No" to that? But saying "Yes" to this does NOT mean that you support the actual ill thought out bunngle of Government legislation which will most likely NOT "cope" with anything but just erode civil liberties!

Do you think police shoul have the time and opportunity to complete their investigations into suspect terrorists?

Yes, but NOT to hold them for months without trial!

Do you think the government should make sure there are new safeguards to protect innocent people?

Yes of course - but that is exactly what the legislation does NOT do!

Do you want the sun to shine tomorrow?

These questions are loaded, meaningless and are an insult to the intelligence of the public. They are designed to force a "Yes" response come whatever and Ministers will then no doubt be informed that everything in the garden is lovely because the public do agree with us after all - and this survey proves it!

My Sociology Lecturer at College use to say that the only thing to do with loaded meaningless surveys like this was to add the question "Do you want the sun to shine tomorrow" which would then enable you to issue yet another happy affirmative press release under the headline "We were right - people want the Sun to shine today!"

The Government should be thoroughly ashamed of this crude, manipulative and dishonest little "survey". We should all be thoroughly worried that the Government think so little of our intelligence and opinions that they have dared to come up with such an obvious piece of fraud and deceit.

Are you ready...

...here's what the US Department of Homeland Security suggests!

One of those days...

First thing this morning we down looking at the vandalism to the fencing surrounding the old Comberton Arms site - a pretty gruesome mess - phoned Wyre Forest Community Housing Chief Executive Ray Brookes who was, as ever, helpful. Then looking at traffic issues on Birmingham Road. After that we dropped into St Ambrose Catholic Primary School before looking at parking at the junction of Leswell Street and Clarence Street. Then on to traffic issues in Albert Road and a search for a white lining crew in Offmore Road - there wasn't one. Back home by 9.30am. Fran was then off to a meeting at County Hall. I updated this web log, issued press released, replied to post, dealt with constant phone calls and visitors. Tons of post including interesting letter from "annon." naming lots of local drug dealers - that's one for the Police. Spent some time with a local resident discussing response to threatened Phone Mast on the TA site.

White lines on Offmore Road at last...

Later down to bank in town, back to St. Ambrose Catholic Primary School, saw white lines (at last!) on Offmore Road near the Railway Bridge - looking good! Meanwhile Fran was on phone to County Council Officers about the Wyre Forest Schools Review.

Comberton Arms fencing - not sure...

Checked Comberton Arms fencing progress - partially restored but not finished alas and I'm not sure it will last the night. This one could run and run. After that it was sorting Consular cards for Polish Independence Day (November 11th).

Meetings...

I attended District Council Budget Scrutiny Group chaired by Cllr Graham Ballinger. Despite starting a bit groggy from "chemo" I brightened up during the meeting. I'm not sure that Graham was altogether pleased ;-) Later Fran off to Interim Offmore Primary School Governor's Meeting. I'm at home fielding phone calls and posting this.

If I get really lucky Fran will return at some stage with fish and chips and a bottle of wine, the cats may get the fussing they demand and I might fit in a couple of late night episodes of "The West Wing" (Season Six on DVD no less) before falling into bed.

Get Safe Online...

...if you are worried about online security then this is the site for you!

Revamped Liberal Web Site launched

The Liberal Group on Wyre Forest District Council launched their revamped Web Site today.

Liberal Group Leader Cllr Mike Oborski said today "Our old web site was a huge success but every web site needs a make over from time to time. We hope that the revamped site launched toaday is even more user friendly and useful than the previous version."

The new Liberal Group Web Site can be found at www.liberals4us.org.uk .

Cllr Oborski added "The new web site is linked to the hugely popular Liberal Group weblog at www.wfl.motime.com  which remains unchanged.

Big bonfire?

Someone somewhere has brand new garden fencing or is preparing a real whopper of a November 5th bonfire!

We are talking about the missing panels from the fencing enclosing the old Comberton Arms site.

Today's assurances that the vandalised site will be sorted out are extremely welcome. Pick up on the full story - with photo - here.

...another small landmark for this blog!

So what do would be new UK citizens need to know?

Find the official teaching pack here!

Farfield, Police movement at last!

At last! Police have offered to meet Councillors and residents to discuss the parking issues. Let's hope we get somewhere.