Behind the scenes at the museum - and behind the BBC headlines !

I am shocked at the BBC News making a headline at how the Government is making people worse off, and then finding further down the page that 500,000 will be better off by not paying any tax at all.  It is the poorer people who benefit and the well off who will lose something.  With misleading reporting like that I really do wonder.

However it gets better.  Tonight was a preview of Preston Hall's "Behind the Scenes at the Museum".  A most interesting exhibition of items not normally on display. 

I was particulalry interested in a large piece of stone that was from the original Stockton Castle.  Also near that were a statue that used to be on the old Hippodrome, and a model of Dodshon's Fountain. 

Stands also showed an interesting range of hats, clothes and shoes; toys; household items, and more.

 Although it is a bit disquieting to see parts of your own childhood in a museum, it is an interesting and well displayed. 
It is open to the public from tomorrow onwards, along with the refurbished street which I was told now has a small cafe in the drapers shop. 

After several months being closed worth a visit to have a look. All a better portrayal of their subject than the BBC news too !

Sociable or not ?

remember when people went shopping, and it was part of social life and people talked to others they met?  Maybe it was a long time ago.  Today I was doing my stint at manning the consultation stand for Friends of Newham Grange Park in the foyer of Sanisbury's, Whitehouse Farm.  Some people did show an interest, and it was really good to talk to them, and listen to what they had to say.
However I was struck by how many people walked in, eyes down, often a phone clasped to ear or headphones on, and didn't answer when anything was said.  There didn't used to be shopping on a Sunday, and I don't unless really pressed, but it doesn't seem to have relieved pressure that people have to cram a lot into a short time.  Sad.
Whilst I was there John was doing the "big garden birdwatch" for the RSPB, watching birds in the garden.  In our small garden for one hour we had at any one time : 4 blackbirds, 2 chaffinch, 1 coal tit, 1 Dunnock, 1 Goldfinch, 4 house sparrows adn 1 robin.  They all seemed quite sociable !

the real "Big Society"

Been lucky today in meeting lots of good people.  Round and about in the ward I was pleased to see a good turn out for Friends of Newham Grange Park doing the consultation on the next stage of the plan on the way forward.  Lighting or not ?  extension to cycleway ?  Older People's exercise equipment ? and where is the right place for the wetland area ?  Whichever way it goes it is because people have taken the trouble to work together to make the area better.  In this case really good.I met lots of people on my rounds, including all 4 pubs (but only 1 slimlike tonc between them!) and a Club.  An interesting discussion with a couple I have not met before who wanted to know what I thought about "big society".  Friends of Newham Grange Park is only developing the way it is because local people have actually started to do something, that, to me, is "big society", but it does need to have support and access to some resources, which is why it is so important to try to make sure the cuts do not affect the possibility.  I did try to encourage the couple to get involved in the local activities - but that was different!

Tonight was a get together for volunteers and trustees of Justice First, who work with asylum seekers.  We were eating at Maradin, on Prince Regent Street in Stockton.  Well worth a visit for a tasty kurdish meal in very realxed surroundings, and very economical too.  It was a chance to meet new people and get to know others better.  I was so struck by the absolute dedication of people who week in and week out give time, energy, and no doubt money to being part of "drop ins"twice a week, and providing a hot meal once a week.  They are giving so willingly, and stories about some of the asylum seekers that they meet are very moving.  One common theme is that the asylum seekers all want to return home to their own country "when it is safe", but in the meantime want to contribute to our society here in whatever way they can.  If only they had chance to be as much a part as they want, it would be a big improvement in our society I feel.  We can talk about "big society", but this is it  !!

Here is a photo of our lovely staff at Maradin, who gave such a good evening.

Not like national politics.

Conyers School was the starting point, where I was giving a presentation on Fairtrade to Year 8 pupils on behalf of the Stockton Fairtrade partnership.  I really welomed the chance to talk about this with the young people, and although it meant doing it 4 times over it meant a lot of pupils !  I was impressed that they all listened, asked some good questions - and nobody said they weren't going to ask parents when home if they were using Fairtrade goods.  I was encouraging them to use pester power for that, and asking for Fairtrade chocolate and other goods when shopping themselves.
Here is a picture of the Fairtrade shop the pupils were running themselves for the day.
Then for 2 site visits in the ward with representatives from the Police and Care For Your Area.  Both were problems where people were parking very inconsiderately, where there was other parking very nearby indeed.  It causes a traffic danger, blocks pavements for people walking, blocks driveways, and damages the pavement.  Yes you have guessed - one is near an ATM where we were told parking could not be a cosnideration when planning permission was sought!  The enforcement officers will be out enforcing first - so beware ! if that does not work it will have to be bollards, which of course are costly.
I try to sort out a problem arising from the "dogs breakfast" of splitting the Council estate into areas and garages owned by the Council and by Tristar.  I was not pleased to have made 4 abortive phone calls and then 25 minutes to the 0844 number on my mobile, and still not sorted.  The sooner there is something like an 03 number for such calls the better.
Lots of politics this week, bot written about here, so it was good to go to the Panto at Egglescliffe Community Centre and have a good shout - "Oh no it isn't, Oh yes it is", "Boooo"  "Hisss".  But unlike national politics we have a really good laught too.

Partnership Board had a presentation on progress on Parks and Play Areas in the Borough and it was really good to see one's for my ward in there at last, as there was information about the Bishopsgarth Play area as well as Newham Grange Park.  Both long awaited, both only possible because of hard and dedicated work from residents, as well as the background work from Julia and myself.  And of course the work and cooperation of Council officers.
Then a presentation on some planning documents that are out to consultation by the Council and planning for the environment, parking issues and sustainable development.  Lots of questions about what can and cannot go in the plan - we cannot have what we all want, which for one is a real crackdown on all buidlings from tomorrow being carbon neutral.  One thing I am suggesting that might be able to be taken on board is that parking provison be taken into cosnideration when an ATM is proposed, especially given the problems that there are for neighbours when people park on their drives to "pop" to the ATM.  Have a look at the documents and have your say, anyway.
Last but not least a report on views from young people.  I've asked for it to be further up the agenda next time !

Friends of the Newham Grange plans

Meeting of the Friends of Newham Grange Park tonight, and lots to talk about planning the consultation on the Master Plan at Sainsbury's on Saturday and Sunday (be there !).   The Master Plan shows how with the money that is still available from last year, and some more from another source, could have lighting down the path through the park to make it safer, less likely to attract those up to no good, catch them on the CCTV if they are, and make it better for anyone wanting to walk through the park at night.  Also open for views is some ideas for locations of single exercise or play points that could be used for the over 50's exercise that I am keen on having.
Lots of discussions around sheets for comments, rotas, displays and rotas.  Hopefully sorted now.

Telephone conference

I am sat ready for the phone conference with Paul Burstow MP dead on 9.00 p.m. and am joined by Regional Chairs around the country.  Paul really did listen to concerns about the new Health Proposals, and I was able to ask a number of question related to what was raised yesterday at our Health Improvement Partnership.  I must say that I was impressed with his sincere and even passionate approach to the proposals that are being torn to shreds elsewhere.  There is no doubt that the intention is to be patient centred, and making real progress to change the NHS round to producing the sort of results that matter to patients.  I had been very worried about it all being an inroad and beginning of privatisation, but there is no reason at all for GPs to be going down that route at all as far as I could see tonight.  I've complained about quality of communication in the party since the coalition was formed, but tonight was an example of how it could be done with minimal time and expense.  And yes - I've done my report to send round people before writing my blog !
Fun time earlier in the day working out how we were going to transport lots of Fairtrade bunting adn display it in the High Street around the Town Hall.  Ideas anyone ? and no, we are not sending a Nigel onto the roof !

depressing messages from the Health Improvement Partnership, and worse at Elm Tree Community Centre.  However thinking deeply, lots of this has happened from what was set in train from the last Government and cannot all be blamed on this.
On a lighter note I find that Councillors have a seminar on the health white paper that finishes an hour before the Mayor's Ball begins.  Going to be interesting if we turn up all dressed up, with somewhere to go.
A Lib Dem Regional Officers meeting gives a real opportunity for some forward planning as well as getting some progress on the constitution.  I am most certainly not a constiutional fanatic, but must say that I have come across many occasions in pulic life when having resort to a good one has saved the day, and one of my roles of president is guardian of the constitution !  there is a phone conference tomorrow with Paul Burstow, our Health Minister, and I am given the opportunity to represent the region - wasn't expecting that after hearing all the problems earlier in the day !

Forgetting to tell people about the right to petition ?

I forgot to write about this earlier in the week - forgetting to let people know about the right to petition the Council.  Since September there has been legislation to allow people to not only submit a petition, but for there having to be action.  There are details in the depth of the Council website but only one has been submitted so far, and there has not been a press release from a Cabient member of the Council with them being quoted how wonderful it is.  I wonder why.
I raised this at full Council on Wednesday, and there will probably be some action now, and the message will get out.  2,000 signatures or more means there has to be a full and proper debate.  Labour were quick to shout they wanted to do this to talk about the Government, they have missed the point that it is about the Council and what it can do !
I am not blaming overworked Council officers for not doing the publicity - Cabinet members have responsiblities, are usually quoted in press releases - so why not take responsibility.

Number 59 bus at the bus users forum

Complaints continue to come in to me about the 59 bus.  Mainly about buses being missed out and long waits for them at bus stops - not nice at all in this weather.  However today was the Public Transport Users Forum, written about in previous Readmyday blogs.  We had a long battle to get this forum established and it was well worth it, 74 people turned out today, with representatives of 3 bus companies and Council officers to listen to the problems, and present us with issues for the future.  The session is chaired by myy husband, John.
I had had quite a session at the last Forum meeting about the 59 bus so it was there as a report back on the agenda.  Stagecoach said that they had put more established drivers onto the route but there had been the snow (there usually is in winter, but the compaints had not been when snowing!) and roadworks (isn't there always somewhere!).  However they are continuing to monitor the situation so it is very important that people continue to pass on compaints giving times and locations when things go wrong.  We won't let the subject drop till it is sorted !
On a less encouraging note I find that the long awaited work for a ramp at the bridge at Thornaby Station is not going ahead.  Network Rail have spent so long, that the funding has now gone elsewhere.

Enough to give the dog indigestion

A dogs breakfast fit to give the dog indigestion is how I would describe which bits of land have and have not been transferred over to Tristar, along with the houses in Stock Transfer of the Council houses on Elm Tree.  Parts are illogical and will no doubt cause problems.  The present good relationship with Tristar and the Council will hopefully smooth things out so the dog does not need indigestion tablets - but it should not have happened like this.  As I have written before, if only the Labour Government had changed the law, none of this need have happened.
There is hope for the future now, though, and the appalling state of some of the woodwork on the homes is planned to be replaced in 2012 / 13.  As for much needed car parking - a lot will depend on how the land owndership issues pan out, but at least there is a very positive attitude to how improvements can be made from Tristar.
The estate walkabouts are good with representatives from Tristar, Council, and Police as well as Julia and myself.  We all stood and looked at one difficult problem - what were we going to do ?  Each of us (privately!) really wanted to say it was somebody else's - but whoever else was there, and just have to work at it together - no bad thing !
We didn't see any dogs looking poorly, but someone we met told us he had seen foxes by Elm Tree beck.  Interesting.

However later in the day (on the way to a meeting with youth represenatives for them to talk to Councillors - but nobody was there!) I was struck by how beautiful the sky was.  Don't dismiss Stockton as not being a very attractive place - just look at these (amateur) photos - and we have foxes too.

Telling the truth ?

After all the fuss Labour are making about the withdrawal of EMA (Educational Maintenance Allowance) I find that they were planning to withdraw it, even if on a different timescale - http://www.cypnow.co.uk/Archive/761753/Education-Maintenance-grant-axed-when-leaving-age-raised/.  Interesting that their reason for having EMA was to be an incentive for young people to stay in education rather than be unemployed (helps the stats!), whereas what young people are saying is they want support to be able to stay in education.  A difference.  An interesting comment in The Guardian on this difference too.  I do know that EMA has made a big difference to young people, but there are many stories around about its abuse.  The plans to give £100 million (less than is spent now) directly to the colleges for them to distribute according to need may be an answer, we will have to sait and see.  One the one had we don't want an administrative burden on them that causes problems, but on the other hand needs to vary.  A young person living in Elm Tree going to Stockton Sixth Form College has no travel costs at all.  A young person living in Bishopsgarth travelling to Riverside College has travel costs.  In the meantime I know of a young person with autism who has been gettting no help at all for taxi costs to his college.
Tonight wa my much loved book club.  Nothing to do with politics, but we were talking about the book "The Sunday Philospophy Club".  A central theme of the novel is about truth.  When to tell it and when to really think about it.  Some truths are not as they seem.  Very thought provoking.

Save our cheques

Losing the ability to write a cheque is something that is worrying a lot of people from charities, very small businesses, those who write cheques as presents, and many more.  That is why Cllr Alan Lewis put a formal motion to tonight's Council meeting.  We were pleased that he got all party support, what he said is printed below, followed by the actual motion.  Making the point that it was the only way that we could give to support the Mayor's Charity - here he is (cannot think why it insists on being sideeways - picture is right way up !) signing a cheque to him - making the point in a pointed way !  We expect our MPs to vigorously back the campaign.

Cheques have been in use for over 300 years in the UK and in 2009 they were used to transfer £1.9 trillion. Across the country 1/3 of all people still regularly use cheques and 75% use the cheque facility with their bank accounts. In December 2009 the Payments Council – representing the major high street banks – set a target date of 2018 for the closure of central cheque clearing. Apparently the banks stand to gain £200 million a year by phasing out cheques. But I understand that cheques are a bit of a pain to bank staff; but most jobs have a task that people don’t particularly enjoy doing but they just have to get on with it. As they are still a popular way of making a payment I would hate to think that one of the reasons for their abolition was just because bank staff finds them an inconvenience.

Apparently, in 2018 when cheques are due to be phased out there will still be 2 billion of them issued every day and they will be used to transfer £600 billion every year. The Payments Council mentions providers of alternative payment methods such as PayPal. This can only be accessed on the internet and the decision will have major ramifications for disabled, elderly and housebound, as well as charities and small businesses. 64% of people aged over 65 have never used the internet.

The Save Our Cheque campaign is backed by the consumer group Which?, the Union Unite, Age UK, the RNIB, the Federation of Small Businesses and the Institute of Fundraisers.

Although nationally this is a LibDem initiative there is nothing politically controversial about it and I would like to see in this Council, cross party agreement and support the motion.

The actual motion passed says :

This Council notes with concern that high street banks are planning to stop accepting cheques despite protests from consumer groups and businesses.
This Council also notes with concern that in December 2009, the Payments Council agreed on behalf of the major banks to scrap cheques in 2018.
This Council notes that nearly four million cheques are still being written each day and that many people still prefer to pay for goods and services in this way.
This Council also notes that many people and organisations including the elderly, businesses and charities, would be seriously affected as a result and that 126 MPs from all parties have signed Early Day Motion 258 calling for the banks to reconsider their proposals.

This Council further notes that on November 2nd 2010, David Ward MP presented a 10 minute rule bill to the House of Commons which would place a duty on the City Regulator, the Financial Services Authority, to ensure that cheques stay in use until suitable alternatives are found and that the Bill will be debated in June 2011.

Therefore this Council calls upon the Chief Executive to write to our MPs asking them to vigorously lobby support for the bill and also to write to the Prime Minister expressing this Council’s concern about the plans to abolish cheques and urging him to provide Parliamentary time to ensure that the Bill is passed into law.

Watch out ! and listen !

A lot of worry about a fence with no planning permission that is making visibility for cars backing out of parking places, and people crossing the road difficult.  However a new dimension as I realise that people in wheelchairs or mobility scooters can see even less because of the height of the fence, for which planning permission has now been applied for.  Armed with a borrowed wheelchair and willing to help constituent, we went along.  Taking it in turns to sit in the wheelchair and be pushed over the road and back it was quite frightening.  We were a third of the way over the road before round the corner could be seen by the person in the wheelchair.  It was difficult (impossible for me) getting the wheelchair back onto the pavement by pulling backwards if a vehicle was coming.  It would be worse if a pushchair or pram - can hardly expect the baby to look and tell Mum !  I do think that the wheelchair test should be done for every application for a fence or wall near to a dropped kerb.  Do you ?
Sorry not the best of photos showing the person looking in the other direction.
Then on to a meeting with a site supervisor where there was too much mud on the road - sweeping brushes out !
Then what I really like doing - suurveys on the doorstep about people's concerns.  Whatever high and mighty things people think Councillors do or are - there is nothing to beat genuinely doing some listening !

Doors and Windows. Why are some MPs anti AV ?

A meeting with Tristar Homes about how they are set up as a new "Regitered Provider" of Social Housing, which is how our former Council owned housing is being run now.  At last there is an indication as to when our very long awaited "doors and windows" are going to be finally done.  As I have said before, if it had not been for "daylight robbery" and Conservative and then Labour Governments taking a third of Council rents away, they could have been done much earlier.  Also renovation that was done under Labour's "Decent Standards" would have been what tenants here wanted and not what Government in Westminster decreed - "door and windows" is what Stockton tenants badly want and need.
An interesting article in Mark Thompson's blog about the relationship with those MPs who are anti AV and those (from the last parliament) who had to pay back large sums of money from overclaimed expenses.  Interesting, have a look.

The Stockton Wall

Casework to be done and correspondence answered.  One of the items was an invitation to the official launch of "Stockton Wall" on Tuesday.  I won't be able to go, but have looked at the video here, and you can too. 
Now to switch off and relax with some friends - courtesy of a succesful bid at the Justice First Auction last year.  We paid up, and someone is about to bring some nice food to the door.  yum.

Lots of things to do around Elm Tree and in Bishopsgarth today, but one thing we had to keep stopping for - potholes !  The weather, and all the salt and grit to help to deal with it, has had a terrible effect and potholes abound.  Photos taken will help the Council to identify just where they are, but don't identify where the money comes from to pay for it.  There was not enough this time last year (yes - when Labour where in Government!) to do everything needed and Darlington Lane and Back Lane have been left in an awful state, getting worse, probably the worst road in the area by now.  Julia and I have been constantly working at getting it resurfaced, and we were relieved to be told that if weather conditions remain ok, it will be done in February.  In the meantime we are braced for complaints that it is being patched again.  It has to be done to try to prevent accidents from the worst potholes, and here's hoping the weather holds for a new surface soon.

Picking up the pieces after the result of Daylight Robbery

A much needed meeting about exactly what will happen with the land around the areas now owned by Tristar Homes, that used to be owned by the Council.  Transfrering houses is relatively straighforward, but when you get down to who picks up the litter on which path, who is responsible for renovations as wel a repairs for public areas, where are much needed car parking spaces on the estate going to come from, where is rent for some garages going to, and what about cutting the grass ?????? Lots of questions, some answers, and hopefully more to come.  I had asked the questions the minute I got to see the plans in December, but lots of hold ups.  What is particularly sad though is that it is all so unnecesary.  If past Governments had not taken what grew to ONE THIRD of the rent from Council Tenants for the last 20 years the necessary improvements and maintenance could have been made to the homes and environment.  People would have had much needed new doors and wondows to keep them warm and masses of time and money would not have needed to be spent on tranferring the stock.  Pick up the pieces I will, but it should not have been necesary.

River routes - things moving and flowing !

An interesting talk with "River Routes in Stockton" at their exhibition in Stockton library this morning.  Lots of very good work already done, and planned, for making improvements to alongside and access to water courses in the Borough.  We had a good talk and some interesting ideas exchanged.  It is people like this that make the world go round - and keep the water flowing !

The motion to Lib Dem Party conference on "Communication" gets submitted in time from the Stockton and Huddersfield local parties.  Even if it does not get onto the agenda, it will hopefully stir things up where it needs to, and get things moving !

Catch up and Infinity - Town Pastors, Social Housing reform and more

I’ve not got into the habit of writing my blog on this new site.  However times have been busy here in Stockton as well as on the national scene.

There has been a meeting of the housing partnership, looking at the “A fairer future for local housing” consultation paper.  Some measures, whilst new and controversial could be good, but I am concerned about the lack of emphasis and understanding of the need for stability for people and their communities.  Not one to winge and not do anything, I’ve done a full response and put it to the Council for them to add to what they send and will get it off to Government by the deadline on Friday.

A meeting with the Lib Dem group on budget options was followed by a pleasanter time at Queen’s Campus University.  I can never resist taking the picture of the Infinity Bridge.

A Wassail at a friends house was, I suppose, the final event of Christmas.  Lovely to share food and thoughts, and lots of debate too ! needing to feed soya to dairy cattle, problems of libraries being run by volunteers, were there other options to joining the coalition (no!) and fairer voting systems were all aired.  No dissent on lovely vegetarian food !

A talk on Stockton Town Pastors at Church was followed by a discussion with our own volunteer.  Most interesting on not only how there was a reduction in crime and anti social incidents since the scheme started in Stockton, but how young people are really appreciating that someone is there for them, to listen and give a helping hand if needed.  There are visions of angry young people rampaging through the streets, but actually there are a lot of people out there that have many issues burning away inside, and someone just to be there and listen is so important.

Today lots happening.  A visit to the Wolfson Institute to meet with the North East Public Health Observatory with Elm Tree Community Centre was most interesting, and exploring ways of using statistics available on health to be able to deliver services to really make a difference.  I was really struck by this rainbow !  Then a meeting on tackling parking around a school – maybe there are some answers in the pipeline, working with the school children and all using our imagination.

Preston Park Progress

The sun peeped through, so time for the first outing of the year, and we went to Preston Park, in Eaglescliffe.  For new readers this is a great park, Council owned near to where we live.  There were proposals to build a school on it at this time last year, and I am proud to say that my 3 Lib Dem Councillors put up a magnificent campaign, amidst the ice and snow, working with many others, to succesfully stop that development.  I still find it difficult to believe that such a ridiculous propsal was ever even thought of, and the MP who put it forward is no longer our MP.

Lots of people were out in the park and I was pleased to see and use the  new path going down to the river.  It has been built at a less steep gradient than the other path, making it more possible for wheelchair and pushchair users, as well as easier for the less fit like myself.
The museum is now closed for refurbishment till February 1st if you were thinking of going, and today, for reasons I don't know, the playground was closed too.

A visit to Peter Barretts for some different bird seed, seed holder, and also a new bird set up for John's Christmas present from me, that he can see from his end of the study window.  I am lucky that I have a huge bird table outside my end of the study - it used to be an apple tree but the finches now eat all the buds !  Off the subject but I was pleased to see that Peter Barratts sell Fairtrade bananas in the fruit and veg outlet they have.

Gifts

Epiphany today, remembering the story of the wise men bringing gifts.  Makes me think of the gifts we have and how we use them.  I am still in holiday and not political mode, but how do politicians use gifts they have ?  How much is it to do what they can to make better communities, a better country, even a better world ?  How much to preserve self ?  How much to condemn and attack what others do ?  Just some thoughts.
On a lighter note, we are gifted with some lovely friends and neighbours and this afternoon and evening it was "drop in" time, and great to see people and share some mulled liquid (non alcoholic too!) and nibbles.  We did wonder though about how we looked after our feathered friends when our neighbour told us of all the amazing birds in his garden - and it is only next door !
On a tongue in cheek note - just how different would the journey of the Wise Men have been with GPS, texting and googling.  And would Herod have posed as a "friend" on facebook.