Wakefield MDC was established in 1974 & has always returned a Labour council. In the last 33 years the council has never adopted any policy proposed by the Conservative group, irrespective of its merits.
This suggests to me that the Labour group acts on its own narrow self interests, and doesn't therefore always act for the benefit of Wakefield's population.
A case in point: at the last council meeting a Conservative councillor suggested offering free access to sports facilities throughout the district for serving armed forces personnel & their dependents living in the WMDC area.
This seems to me a way for us to show support for military personnel irrespective of our views on Blair's cavalier wars in Iraq & Afghanistan, and at minimal cost to the council & tax payers.
The ruling Labour group paid lip service to the idea & then put forward several weak objections, which meant that the suggestion was kicked into the long grass, never to be seen again.
Monday, 19 November 2007
Wakefield Youth Conference
On Saturday 24th November a group of young people have organised the 1st Wakefield Youth Conference (www.myspace.com/wakeyyouthconference) taking place at City Limits Young People's Centre on Thornhill Street.
The event is to establish a Youth Council for Wakefield which will then be able to lobby the full council ensuring that young people have an input on decisions made locally that will have an effect on them.
Food and refreshments are provided totally free, and it starts at 10.45am, and there are, amongst others, media, environment and drama activities taking place.
As CJ Cregg said in The West Wing (but probably someone else said first) 'decisions are made by those who show up' so I hope anyone eligible reading this turns up, and encourages others to do the same.
The event is to establish a Youth Council for Wakefield which will then be able to lobby the full council ensuring that young people have an input on decisions made locally that will have an effect on them.
Food and refreshments are provided totally free, and it starts at 10.45am, and there are, amongst others, media, environment and drama activities taking place.
As CJ Cregg said in The West Wing (but probably someone else said first) 'decisions are made by those who show up' so I hope anyone eligible reading this turns up, and encourages others to do the same.
Sunday, 11 November 2007
David Who?
During his recent interview with Michael Parkinson, David Cameron told the story of his chat with Kate Moss.
Cameron said he was lost for words as he approached her, so started waffling on about flooding. If only he'd asked me, I could have given him some opening conversational gambits such as: 'Finally dumped the junkie boyfriend then?' or 'Given up cocaine yet?' or even 'What do you actually do?'
I'm not sure who comes out worse from this tale; Cameron with his Blair-like desperation to be 'cool', or Moss demonstrating a lack of awareness of the 'wider world'.
One thing is for certain though; I don't want my Prime Minister to behave like some tongue-tied sycophantic teenager, but rather to act statesman-like with authority and gravitas.
Cameron said he was lost for words as he approached her, so started waffling on about flooding. If only he'd asked me, I could have given him some opening conversational gambits such as: 'Finally dumped the junkie boyfriend then?' or 'Given up cocaine yet?' or even 'What do you actually do?'
I'm not sure who comes out worse from this tale; Cameron with his Blair-like desperation to be 'cool', or Moss demonstrating a lack of awareness of the 'wider world'.
One thing is for certain though; I don't want my Prime Minister to behave like some tongue-tied sycophantic teenager, but rather to act statesman-like with authority and gravitas.
Wednesday, 31 October 2007
La Vida Espanola
I've just enjoyed a week's holiday with my wife & daughter in Andalucia and, as usual when I return home after a break, I've been reflecting on the sad decline within the UK.
I know that in October we don't enjoy weather to enable outdoor socialising; however, one of my favourite activities is to sit outside a local bar talking to my family, and watching and listening to several generations of the same family enjoying time together - no-one is texting or talking on their mobile, and the young have respect for their parents and grandparents.
Even when groups of teenagers (it would be wrong to call them gangs) were out together their enjoyment was not based on aggressive, intimidating anti-social behaviour, they didn't need to hide behind either hoodies or the excuse of being bored.
We were pleased to see several individuals, sitting in a square (wi-fi enabled!)using their laptops; I'm sure that at home there would have been the constant fear of being mugged. Whilst walking back to our hotel around midnight we passed several women on their own who were quite safe.
As a society we really do seem to have lost our way.
I know that in October we don't enjoy weather to enable outdoor socialising; however, one of my favourite activities is to sit outside a local bar talking to my family, and watching and listening to several generations of the same family enjoying time together - no-one is texting or talking on their mobile, and the young have respect for their parents and grandparents.
Even when groups of teenagers (it would be wrong to call them gangs) were out together their enjoyment was not based on aggressive, intimidating anti-social behaviour, they didn't need to hide behind either hoodies or the excuse of being bored.
We were pleased to see several individuals, sitting in a square (wi-fi enabled!)using their laptops; I'm sure that at home there would have been the constant fear of being mugged. Whilst walking back to our hotel around midnight we passed several women on their own who were quite safe.
As a society we really do seem to have lost our way.
The Lottery of Life
For me the saddest story of the week concerned David Hill & his 6 year old daughter Chantelle.
Mr Hill, from Darlington, is suffering from lung cancer and needs a drug called Tarceva to help prolong his life. However, this drug is not available on the NHS in England, where it is deemed not to be 'an effective use of NHS resources', although it IS available in Scotland, home obviously of the Prime Minister.
Determined to help her father, little Chantelle has been fundraising in her hometown and has so far raised £4000 to pay for her father's treatment for two months.
Cases like this, and that of the Velcaid Three, and even Jane Tomlinson (who was denied a life-prolonging drug shortly before her death because she lived in the wrong area) demonstrate again and again that the Labour government has lost the moral authority to rule over us.
I wonder how people like Gordon Brown, Alistair Darling & Alan Johnson sleep at night.
Mr Hill, from Darlington, is suffering from lung cancer and needs a drug called Tarceva to help prolong his life. However, this drug is not available on the NHS in England, where it is deemed not to be 'an effective use of NHS resources', although it IS available in Scotland, home obviously of the Prime Minister.
Determined to help her father, little Chantelle has been fundraising in her hometown and has so far raised £4000 to pay for her father's treatment for two months.
Cases like this, and that of the Velcaid Three, and even Jane Tomlinson (who was denied a life-prolonging drug shortly before her death because she lived in the wrong area) demonstrate again and again that the Labour government has lost the moral authority to rule over us.
I wonder how people like Gordon Brown, Alistair Darling & Alan Johnson sleep at night.
Sunday, 28 October 2007
No Wonder Voters Treat Politicians With Contempt...
...because the politicians treat their electors the same way.
Let me explain: recently I took my daughter to an event at Xscape, Castleford in support of the Mayor's charity fundraising. At the same event were many local councillors, including husband-and-wife team Clive & Heather Hudson.
Like me, I believe that both Cllrs Hudson are in rude health and DO NOT possess a disabled badge for their car, which displays a distinctive personalised registration plate.
I was therefore, surprised to see this car parked in a disabled space.
Given their positions of local prominance, perhaps they could both show a little more consideration to those less fortunate.
Let me explain: recently I took my daughter to an event at Xscape, Castleford in support of the Mayor's charity fundraising. At the same event were many local councillors, including husband-and-wife team Clive & Heather Hudson.
Like me, I believe that both Cllrs Hudson are in rude health and DO NOT possess a disabled badge for their car, which displays a distinctive personalised registration plate.
I was therefore, surprised to see this car parked in a disabled space.
Given their positions of local prominance, perhaps they could both show a little more consideration to those less fortunate.
Sunday, 14 October 2007
Maidstone & Tunbridge Wells NHS
90 patients die from MRSA & C.difficile infections in hospitals run by Maidstone & Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust.
In a move possibly unique within this government, where abject failure and lack of responsibility are watchwords, Alan Johnson, the Health Secretary, has ordered the NHS trust to withhold severance payments from its former Chief Executive, Rose Gibb.
Johnson described the deaths as 'scandalous' and Medical Director Dr Malcom Stewart said that the trust 'was changing the way it offered services internally and externally, opening an independent sector treatment centre, managing a financial deficit as well as applying for foundation trust status.' Silly me, I thought doctors were interested in making the sick better!
One of the causes of the huge increases in hospital infections is the constant pressure from both this government and the previous one, to reduce costs within the NHS. This led to cleaning being subcontracted, the removal of the all-powerful Matron, and hospitals employing armies of paper shufflers. Hospitals exist to make us better when ill, and every patient MUST be treated with basic human dignity.
Ms Gibb, previously Chief Exec of North Middlesex Hospital when it was labeled the worst in the country for cases of MRSA, was this week described as being obsessed with targets. Given that the Labour government is itself obsessed with targeting and measuring everything, but not actually improving much, I would have thought that she would have been Labour's poster girl, not its scapegoat.
In a move possibly unique within this government, where abject failure and lack of responsibility are watchwords, Alan Johnson, the Health Secretary, has ordered the NHS trust to withhold severance payments from its former Chief Executive, Rose Gibb.
Johnson described the deaths as 'scandalous' and Medical Director Dr Malcom Stewart said that the trust 'was changing the way it offered services internally and externally, opening an independent sector treatment centre, managing a financial deficit as well as applying for foundation trust status.' Silly me, I thought doctors were interested in making the sick better!
One of the causes of the huge increases in hospital infections is the constant pressure from both this government and the previous one, to reduce costs within the NHS. This led to cleaning being subcontracted, the removal of the all-powerful Matron, and hospitals employing armies of paper shufflers. Hospitals exist to make us better when ill, and every patient MUST be treated with basic human dignity.
Ms Gibb, previously Chief Exec of North Middlesex Hospital when it was labeled the worst in the country for cases of MRSA, was this week described as being obsessed with targets. Given that the Labour government is itself obsessed with targeting and measuring everything, but not actually improving much, I would have thought that she would have been Labour's poster girl, not its scapegoat.
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