Mark Thomas - and thoughts on different hazards walking to school

It was the Mark Thomas show tonight, with his inimitable way of telling the tale, as he talked of his walk along the Palestinian Wall.  It was funny, moving, and really brought home what was happening, and how those involved were real human beings.  Maureen Rigg, who valiantly was part of the stall selling Fairtrade oil, olives and other goods tells it in a way I am not going to try to repeat, so do look at her blog.
The stories of the Palestinian children going to school really hurt.  In one village they had to go down the hill, through a tunnel, and up again.  It sounds a good idea to have a tunnel to get over a main road - but that tunnel turns into a sewerage channel when it rains, and they are "lucky" to have a step so as not to have to walk in the raw sewerage.  Another set of children have to walk past youths throwing stones at them.
A huge contrast to our children here, where some are taken almost into the school gate by car to protect them.  And some that have to go through unimaginable danger and trauma.

walking to school ?

I am talking to people in a road near to a school in the ward, and it is very upsetting how some very selfish people are making life difficult for residents.  Those collecting children from school are not only parking on pavements causing them to crack; making it difficult and dangerous for children that are walking, but also blocking people's drives, blocking entrance and exits to roads for residents, and to top it all tipping litter from the car whilst they wait for children to come out.
We have worked tirelessly with the school, with the police, with the enforcement service, with the Council transportation department, and some things are about to happen, with an excellent Power Point presentation that the children have done just launched.  However it is an uphill battle as so many parents are determined that the children must only walk the very minimum distance possible to school.  Why chidren in the 21st Century are less able to walk to school than before is beyond me.
We have spent money from our environmental budget and persuaded the Council to make no end of improvements to the walk to school to make it more posssible. 
However, we will continue to work with all concerned for a better solution.

I listen to a sad story on the doorstep of a family with multiple care needs, and I am upset that they are worried after reading scare stories in the press that they will lose all of their disablity benefits.  I am glad to have the opportunity to explain more about what is actually planned, and suddenly remember I need to be home in time for the phone conference that I have later in the evening with Steve Webb, Pensions Minister, where I am representing the North East Lib Dems.
Home in time, and time to read through the issues.  An excellent confernece, not as long as I would have liked but a chance to hear first hand what is being planned, to be able to put the issues like the one I had met earlier in the evening, and very importantly, hear at first hand just what our Lib Dem Minister has been doing on our behalf.  I am greatly relieved that our Steve Webb still has the same principles, ethics and care that he has always had.  What policies come out in the end may not all be what Lib Dems want, in fact they won't be, we are not in charge.  But we will have definitely made a difference, and the result is not as the lefties are trying to scare people with.

More team work again

this time in another ward, and very encouraging it was too, despite the opinion polls.  Quite shocking that nobody at all that I met had any idea who there Coucnillor was.
A proper meal to finish the evening off.  in election times we do appreciate that !

Census day

After 100 years you would think they would have got the questions right.  I can remember being a census "person" in 1971, and it had its problems then.  However there was no slot to fit into for being a local government coucnillor.  We are "office holders" not employees.  As are clergy in the Church of England and numerous other people.  If Councillors were  "employed" we would have rights, hourly pay, holiday leave and even sick leave.  We are answerable to our consituents not Stockton Council, too.
I turned to the website for guidance on how to fill in the form but there was little extra information and all I could do on not finding it was to tick a box saying "not helpful".  no e-mail address.  So the form remains not fully filled in.

More teamwork

Nothing like working in a team and we had a good day with a sizeable group of us calling on people and talking about issues with them in Bishopsgarth and Elm Tree.  Between us we covered many more houses than on our daily sessions, and it was good to find that other people picked up the warm welcome that Julia, Elliot and I have been receiving in the ward.
It is meeting constituents and taking up their issues that is an aspect of ward councillor work that I will miss, but am thankful I have Julia and Elliot to carry on the good work.
Nothing like a warm up with toasted sandwiches at the Elm Tree Pub in the middle of the day too.

Teamwork

Yes, it is teamwork all day and evening at the moment, as we prepare for the eleciton campaign, but a different sort tonight when we have our Lib Dem quiz.  Elliot Kennedy is definitly part of a "winning team" :-)

Young People

One of those conundrums.  Young people gathering in large groups at Sainsbury's doesn't sound too bad, but when there are 40 and 50.  And when some are practicing their skateboard skills by dashing out unannouced in front of your moving car, something has to be done.
It needs a balance though.  None of us want to criminalise the young people, and none of us want to alienate them by just shooing them away elsewhere and that becomes somebody else's problem.  None of this helped by the Council closing the Elm Tree Youth Club - and that could have been avioded by taking the route that was well thought out and costed by our Lib Dem amendment at Council that all other parties voted against.
Working together in the community is yet again the key, and in less than a week we have a meeting organised.  The few people we started with had trebled in a week, but an excellent meeting with all concerned is the beginning of moves forward.

Newham Grange Park lighting

A good and interestng "round the table" meeting with Council officers, Friends of the Park, and Police about the next steps in making Newham Grange Park what we need for it to be safe, useable for all ages, and yet retain its charachter as a natural park.  More to come on this but please get in touch if you want to know more.

Peace from Eddelak

A visit from a parish in Eddelak in Schleswig - Holstein (Germany) is visiting our Church in an exchange visit this week, so of course our visitors were at our Church this morning, taking part in the service.  What was very moving was that in the prayers their Pastor praying sincerely for world peace.  It does remind me that there is hope, there is a future, things do move on - if we let them.  Here is a picture of John with the Pastor - they first made contact when John was Mayor and hosted a visit to our Town Hall.

End of an era

It has finally gone public - the news of my retirement.  I decided I did not want to stand again for another 4 year term just 4 years ago, but did not feel I could reture till I had a good team to take my place.  My ward colleague Julia Cherrett is standing again, and Elliot Kennedy has been selected to take my place, standing for election with Julia for the Lib Dems in Bishopsgarth and Elm Tree Ward.  With 2 good people ready, willing and able to had the reigns over to, I can retire after nearly 30 years as a Councillor.
Letting people know has been carefully planned, with meetings, letters and phone calls to key people, and the latest Focus all meshing in.  I am very grateful to everyone who knew for keeping the confidence - it clearly has not leaked out as everyone told is quite shocked !
So it is a very strange time for me, and quite emotional, as so many people, friend and foe, saying such nice things.  It is the end of an era, 30 years is not far from half from my life, and I have been enormously priveleged to have had the opportunity to serve as Councillor for the people and community I think so much of.  However I have good people to carry on the work done, in Julia and Elliot.
Lots of people I tell on the doorstep say "happy retirmement".  I hope so too, but can only do so if people elect Julia and Elliot to look after the ward well as it has been in the past !
that is this weeks news (you must admit it is news!) and all at once as I've been catching up with the confernece report.

Market Forum

My very last meeting as a Councillor today, Market Forum.  Wow!  the market traders are very angry indeed about the Town Centre Consultation Plans which include moving the market so there are no stalls at all between the Town Hall and Dodshon's Fountain.  I can see both sides of this. 
I don't think things can go on as they are, with market traders income declining and a huge row and upset every time they have to move stalls to make way for special events such as the Riverside Festival.
On the other hand, I can understand market traders being suspicious and upset.  They have nothing concrete to tell them that there is sufficient space for them all.  If they are going to be in front of the Castle Gate Centre what happens to the bus stops (and moving them may cause even more people to be upset).
On the other hand, 4 fingers and a thumb !
I do think that representatives of the market traders need to sit down with council officers to work through some of this detail, to be able to present a clearer picture as to how it might work in greater detail before a decision is made.

Focus on the crocus

It is busy and hectic - not retired yet !  however as I am popping here and there dealing with a number of issues in the ward I have a lovely and a pleasant surprise.  A swathe on crocus in an area needing brightening up, and I remembered that it was those planted by Rotary last year as part of their "Focus on the Crocus", which both adds colour to local areas and is part of eradicating polio throughout the world.  Thank you.
this was after my last ever scrutiny committee.  Although I have managed to achieve a number of changes through the scrutiny process it has been a battle.  to put it mildly and obliquely, not everyone is as fully signed up to the scrutiny process as they might be, making the who process a battle rather than a process of getting the best to make the changes for the best possible service to the public.  Avoiding clashes at Cabinet (and elsewhere !) appear to be more important than this, which is sad, and I won't miss these meetngs.  When I have more time, I'll maybe list the successes that I did get through the scruiny process, but the biggest that comes to mind was my determination to have a Voluntary Devcelopment Agency.  They said it couldn't be done, and it has been.  VIVA !

Confernece - Sunday, ending on an awful note

First thing in the morning is not welcome after the Glee Club, but we have an emergency motion on Banks - Being tougher on bankers and bonuses.  I daren’t go home without playing my part in voting for that one.  Not only did we all agree to the motion, which of course we hope will be taken notice of, but I heard that we have done more in 10 months to take action than Labour did in 13 years.  There were strong words, and I have no reason to disbelieve them, about toughening and tightening up more, need for investment in Small and Medium Enterprises, and going further than the Merlin report.

Then it was quake in shoes time again.  Stockton Lib Dems, along with Kirklees, had tried to submit a motion on communication.  We felt very strongly that the Party needs to let its members know a lot more facts about what is happening.  The motion was not chosen for debate and a “Strategy, positioning and priorities” motion put in instead with half a line on communications – so Stockton and Kirklees had an amendment, again not taken.  John Smithson from Kirklees could not be there, so I had to put a card in to speak.  Would I be taken ? could I do it ? wobble, wobble, and I was glad John was able to sit with me.

I was called and managed the speech without the red light.  Phew.  I can e-mail anyone that wants to see what I said.

Great things were said in the rest of the debate though.  Moved so well by Gordon Lishman,  he always says the things I wish I could say like that.  I was too wobbly to take notes though.  What I did note from speakers was a passionate commitment to our values and principles.  I’ll just jot down here some of what I picked up, not in prose, but as I recall.

“Give us respect, give us responsibility and we can take it up.

We need a detailed process on how decisions are made.

Our ideas and ideals are great an we can and will carry them out.

Coalition mark 2 (for second half of Parliament) will not be rushed.  There will be proper processes and for consultation and agreement, but at the end of the day there will have to be compromises.  Conference will have a real role and not a sham role as Labour have.

Simon Hughes talked about how we still stood for Social Justice and Radical Action for what we believe in.  We aim to replace Labour as the radical alternative to the Tories.

I was pleased that in the summing of of the debate that James Gurling did say that I had made some good points and some would be taken on board straight away.  Hope so – it will save me having to aske awkward questions at the autumn conference !

YES to AV

Had Simon Woolley give a passionate speech on AV being part of the fight for a better democratic process leading to greater equalities and a better society.  He reminded us that Martin Luther King used the law and democratic process to make the changes that he did.

Also the welcome news that the BNP are in the NO campaign, and that a better voting system where every vote counts will encourage more people to vote, which will not help the BNP gain footholds.

A well deserved standing ovation was given.

ACCESS TO JUSTICE was the last policy motion, but the most important for me.  A good speech from Tom Brake that I couldn’t paraphrase.

It was emphasised that those who need access to justice are the most vulnerable in our society.  Time after time we heard speakers tell us that legal aid lawyers were not fat cats, but committed to helping the vulnerable, with some moving examples.

Something we don’t hear is how the last labour Government attacked Legal Aid, cut rates and made it very unattractive.  The number of firms doing Legal Aid work shrunk from 3,500 to 1,500.

We also heard about the shocking, and expensive waste of time through inefficient and outdated court processes, and there needed to be a much better way of dealing with such as housing repossession cases.

The work of the Citizens Advice Bureau was highlighted as being crucial in carrying out the work of enabling people to have access to justice, in a very cost effective way too.  The motion we agreed also highlit the need fir proper funding for CABs.

Proposed cuts to Legal Aid work has upset me more than any of the others, so I am relieved that at least the Lib Dems have a proper policy on this issue that I can proudly stand by.

NICK CLEGG

The leaders speech.  Well no need to write anything here – it is all over the net!

A DISTRESSING INCIDENT

That should have been it, going home on a high and happy note.  We were till meeting up with a friend I meet up with at conference who is disabled and is confined to a wheelchair.  Yesterday she had been hit on the back by one of the protesters, shouting that she should be ashamed of herself.  This is someone with back problems already.  She had to be taken to hospital last night because of her injuries and is still in pain.  Words almost fail me.  No mention of it in the media I see.

DAY 2 AT CONFERENCE - THE TRUTH !

PART ONE.

The protesters hadn’t arrived in force when I got there this morning.  Just one man with a rather rude placard, but when I talked to him about what it actually said he had to admit that it wasn’t actually true what it was saying.  Leaflets that were handed out by people who looked to me to be genuinely concerned did no more than ask us to vote for the amendment on health policy that I was going to.

John arrived later in the morning and told me he had seen the communist flag flying as well as the Socialist Workers.  It certainly does not seem it is the angry people of Sheffield mobbing us.

Reports from Party Committees are often seen as drab and not exciting, but it is part of our internal party democracy that they all report back to conference and we have the chance to question them.  A good case was made for all registrations for conference being online, but an even better one was made, and accepted, that there are a few people who do not have any access to the internet at all or cannot use it, so there will be arrangements I the future for those

The policy committee was explaining how, in the future, all major policy issues will go before the back bench policy committees of the Commons and Lords before being announced.  A good move !

The mid term review sounds very important indeed.  The present coalition agreement will be time spent half way though this parliament, and so the outline was given on how the policy making process will work, going through a democratic process to (rather longer than the 5 days to agree the present coalition agreement!) so the party has its say on what platform our leadership can negotiate.

The debate on the VOLUNTARY SECTOR was next.  I was very pleased indeed that information I had passed on about the work of the Professional Services Group in Stockton under the auspices of Viva Volunteers had been specifically mentioned in the full policy document as a good model to follow for everyone else.

I spoke on the importance of giving the voluntary sector the opportunity to bid for delivering services now delivered by the public sector and take over the community assets such as buildings.  They could be innovative and flexible in their delivery in a way that the public sector cannot be.  I stressed the importance of the voluntary sector needing to give the same rights to users as they had with a local authority such as the ability to question, have an input into policy making, go to a public meeting, ask for information and if necessary have Freedom of Information apply, just as they can if the serviced are delivered by the local authority.  These points were not mentioned in the motion before us, but were accepted in the summing up speech, so worth the nerve wracking wait to see if called to speak and then go on to the platform and do it !

The removal of the mobility component from the Disability Living Allowance for people in residential care was roundly and soundly spoken about, and nobody was left in any doubt that removal was not a good idea at all.  Some in Government had thought the cost came from the Local Authority, but the LA had the reverse idea.  It all shows the value of not just thinking things out properly in the first place, and actually finding out facts, but also in having the opportunity for some democratic debate on a contentious idea.  It would have saved a lot of upset and worry for people.

Now the Health debate was contentious, and I was really pleased that the excellent amendment by Evan Harris that I had signed up to last week was taken and debated.  The media were expecting a massive row.  They will have been disappointed, but I wasn’t, as we had a good debate, and the many points about health policy having much more of a Liberal Democrat ethos were taken on board, and conference agreed wholeheartedly.  There was no need to count the votes for the amendments, as it was agreed by just about everyone present.

Wendy Taylor from Newcastle made a brilliant speech about not just needing a willing provider for delivering health care but and excellent one.  Money that Labour had put in had not been well spent and the target culture did not equal clinical need.  Health outcomes and quality of life were what really mattered.

Shirley Williams made it very clear she was not speaking to undermine Nick – BUT – told us very clearly what her views were, and urging us to vote for the amendment.  I really do with the media would stop this ridiculous business of pronouncing such votes as “AGAINST THE LEADERSHIP”, THEY ARE NO SUCH TNHING,THEY ARE VOTES FOR what Lib  Dems in the hall think are best.  For all of us.

Ian Swales MP for Redcar spoke well on the need for local flexibility and the importance of addressing the dreadful health inequalities in his constituency (that goes for Stockton too !)

Others stressed the need for changes to be about better outcomes, rather than targets, and the importance of decisions being taken for clinical reasons

Evan Harris summing up pointed out it was the first time one of his amendments had not had one single speaker against !  He reminded us that the NHS was a LIBERAL idea, and must remain with a Liberal ethos.

As he said, the difficult bit is now for our Lib Dem leadership work with coalition partners to improve what is on offer over Health policy and provision.

part 2 when I get time to post.

SATURDAY AT CONFERENCE - part 2

An interesting Q and A session  with our business team, headed up by Vince Cable.  We hear so much doom and gloom in the press, but there are encouraging signs, particularly in green sustainable industries, and that should help the North East.  Ed Davey told us about ideas to revamp the Post Office Network, and the pilot in Lib Dem run Sheffield.  A campaign for all banks to work with the Post Office, apparently 80 % of banks do, but not Santander.

Simon Hughes told us about his hopes for replacement of the Education Maintenance Allowance, and how important it was for students to be funded for Further Education as well as Higher Education, and called for Year 9 students to have much better information on their real options – along with the costs and help available.  The replacement of EMA is to cover travel costs, free school meals as they would if at secondary school, and support for those with special needs, are living on their own, are carers etc.

YOUTH JUSTICE

Young people in the party had put forward a motion on Youth Justice.  We heard that it costs £185,000 a year to keep a young person in a secure unit – which would buy 6 years at Eton!  Labour’s emphasis on ASBO’s has not worked and 55% of them are broken.  They are not based on real evidence, and that is why so few are not granted and no cases are lost on appeal.    I know from experience here how they have been hailed as the solution to problems, and just created more.  Money has just been wasted when it could have been used positively.  You need to read the motion but it was all about preventing youth crime, better ways of dealing with it in the community, more appropriate treatment of children in the justice system, promoting effective treatments, putting rehabilitation into the heart of custodial provision and assisting those who leave custody to rebuild lives.

An excellent debate and we heard from Milo – aged just 11, who gave us an excellent speech from a young person’s perspective.  She pointed out how strange it was that she was seen differently when seen with her mother and seen with her friends ! makes you think.

NICK CLEGG Q and A quite took me back.  I expected questions to be “selected” from those submitting them, to make sure there was a range of subjects covered, but surprised that he took a number of supplementaries from the floor. 

The key question for me was from Gareth Epps – how is he going to take forward the result of the Health Debate !  It was a “politicians” answer, but he did emphasise that it was yes to reform, and no to privatisation, and giving more of a say to patients.  He will be pursued on this issue for quite some time,  I am sure.  However Nick showed no signs of being bruised by the debate we had had, quite the opposite, and was proud we had had a good debate.  He did point out (again) that we did not win the election, and only had 8% of the MPs.

On tuition fees I was interested to hear that the NUS have now published a document saying that our system is fairer than what Labour had !  how surprising that has not been in the press.  He pointed out that Labour and Tory had agreed with each other and it was Labour that had started off the Browne report – with no upper limit on fees.

The last question perhaps did need asking.  “Did he really forget he was in charge of the country when skiing”.   I am pleased to say he did reply more seriously than when the press asked him.

DISTINCTIVENESS and INDEPENDENCE was the theme of the early evening fringe meeting run by the Social Liberal Forum.  How refreshing to hear some proper debate on the issues, and some interesting ideas discussed, as well as a few facts I didn’t know coming to light.  It is all simple in theory, it is a new game though – politicians working together with natural tensions playing their part.   If I won the lottery (not likely as I don’t even do it) I would buy a newspaper that would stop this dreadful bias against anything it hasn’t thought of, and hasn’t been done before.

GLEE CLUB

The night is yet young at 10.30 as we start the Glee Club.  Always my highlight at conference, when we sing our hearts out and laugh our heads off.  A sign of a really mature and confident party when we know how to parody ourselves and poke fun at each other.  Less confident just could not sing what we do.  Maybe because we were in Sheffield, but the stage had more Yorkshire people (us included of course) singing “on Ilkley Moor” than Scottish and Welsh singing their songs.  I’m not printing the words of some of our “own” songs though, you will just have to join us and join in for that.

ON THE FIRST DAY OF CONFERENCE ...

I am catching up here, so brief notes as well as a bit of narrative about Friday afternoon and evening.  Sheffield is where I was born, and has undoubtedly improved for the better !  Arrival at the station, and no need for a taxi - straight onto a tram to nearby hotel.  How it should be done !

Consultative session on “inequality” was first.  I like these sessions, they are thoughtful, the press are not there to misprepresent what is said, and we all get a chance to contribute to future policy. 

A good and wide ranging debate on inequality, how we defined it, what were today’s causes of it and how to tackle it.

I asked that “poverty of aspiration be added to the list of what it meant.  We now have more than one generation that has people with very little hope for themselves. Much of the discussion was based on a book I have yet to read “the spirit level”. 

Why is inequality not so marked in other countries?

Why is the gap between rich and poor increasing ?

Financial situation is made worse by pay having to pay more for goods through extortionate credit and buying household items such as “pay as you view “ TV.

Basic banking still not available .

Measurement of deprivation needs tackling so areas with pockets of deprivation and individuals are identified, so relevant support and help given.

Importance of benefit system and taxation that is genuinely progressive.

A call I strongly supported about getting rid of upper earnings limit of National Insurance which only helps the better off.

Inequality of transport options so the poorer and les mobile in our society can only use public transport that is infrequent, inflexible and unreliable as well as expensive.

Need for citizens income which gives equality of opportunity  as well as security of income.  Cost of that along with other universal benefits such a heating allowance bus pass winter fuel could be dealt with by simple taxation.

After meeting a Stockton member who is a student at Sheffield University, a heartening experience that we have young and keen members with a lot to offer in their skills and enthusiasm, it was off to face the barricades.  Not pleasant, standing in the queues to get into the conference hall having to be protected by police and having untrue and ludicrous accusations shouted at us by the socialist workers and others.  The socialist workers party didn’t win the election, in fact not one seat, so they are not speaking up for anyone.  The Lib Dems won 8% of the seats in parliament, so we can hardly be blamed for, as a minority party in the coalition all the perceived problems there are.  I say perceived as reading the banners and trying to make out the chantings, they were way off course.  I don’t know how they dare complain about cuts to police budgets when they were there causing police to be off the streets of their usual areas and holding them back here.

I am not a usual fan of “the rally” on the Friday night of conference, but I did enjoy this one.  It was really good to be in the midst of fellow Lib Dems hearing about what we were doing in the country in councils we were leading.  I was surprised if pleased to hear how not one Lib Dem run council has closed a Sure Start centre or library.  Paul Scriven, leader of Sheffield City Council telling up what is happening in the City of my birthplace.  President Tim Farron was worth the journey to Sheffield alone.  Here is his speech, and if you can find a link to  a video of it well worth doing.

LOST LAST WEEK

Lots to write about.  Council meeting where I got Coucnil to agree at looking at making sure new developments had letter boxes usable from outside the barricades (didn't mention need for them to be at easy level for delivery!), voting against elected Police Commissioners.  A most interesting session on how Stockton can plan for the future to be more sustainable, and I was able to make points that I hope are being taken on board about need to involve the community in top level actions and decisions in an approprate way.  Very good meetings in the ward with constituents.  Then off to Sheffield for party conference.
However none of this got written up as I just couldn't get into my blog!  I finally have (going into my googlemail address first got me here in case anyone else has the problem).  So catch up time.

News headlines :
York is a multicultural Society (= shock headlines in tabloids)
York people have to be slaves for the Italians( = UKIP goes into overdrive)
York ruled by Emperor in Africa( = BNP have apoplexy.)

All these statements were from the Yorkshire Museum in York, going way back in York's history.  Not the bits in italics of course!  but that is the take there would be nowadays.  Anyway we had a good time looking round this very interesting museum in the Museum gardens as John's birthday treat - retirement age has arrived.  Needs several more visits to see everything though.

On the way there we had called in briefly at Mount Grace Priory to see the lovely display of snowdrops.

And before that we had looked at the crocus planted next to Egglescliffe Church, in an area made into an attractive and peaceful garden area by the Parish Council that John serves on.

Shouting in frpm the rooftops for Fairtrade - and the Vikings !

Hooray.  this week's (and week's before) preparations came together at lunch time with our Fairtrade event in Stockton High Street.  The events team from the Council had kindly helped with putting up the yards and yards of Fairtrade cotton bunting done by a variety of people.
It included (this is not an exhaustive list) young people from schools and Churches in Yarm, St Cuthbert's RC Primary School, St John's Ragworth young people, Westbury Street library group, friends, relatives, and even one done from a visitor from Australia.  A real community effort.

We got the stall set up, with dispalys of some nice Fairtrade cotton clothing, information, a some free chocolate pieces (bought from the local Co-op of course).  we were in our Fairtrade shirts, and all set for telling people about Fairtrade and cotton in particular.
Children from St Cuthbert's School Fairtrade Club came along, dressed in t shirts they had decorated, carrying poster and really looking the part.  they didn't just look good though, they sang a Fairtrade Rap that they had made up themselves.  Brilliant, and they had us joining in too.  I haven't permission to put the pics of them here (I didn't ask) but we were so pleased that Jeff from The Circuit newspaper came and took lots of pics.  Look out for the paper when it is published next Wednesday.

The next stage is unpicking all the bunting to send down to Fairtrade HQ to be put together in exactly the right way to try to break the longest piece of home made bunting in the world record.  Here's hoping.

That is all enough to write about but I must add that we had a brilliant evening (yes 2 in a row off!) at the North Country Theatre, where we saw" Egil Skallagrimson Keeps his Head".   it really is excellent acting and production with just 4 actors and some very basic scenery.  Like all good theatre it makes you think, and we had a real treat after the performance - they stayed behind for an audience Q and A and discussion.  I am sure I am descended from Nordic origins and I was delighted to find that the Vikings were not just blood thirsty raiders and killers, but did turn out to have a peaceful, forgiving, and lovely prose writing side too.  Is that me ?

John has been misquoted in today's Northern Echo, on the subject of disposal of non nuclear waste in the anhydrite mines below Billingham.  they made it sound as though he was just saying material to be dumped has been brought in for years.  What he was actually saying was - we have been bringing materials for processing since industry began.  Getting the mines filled with non nuclear waste meant that there was not going to be the opportunity in the future for nuclear waste to be dumped there.  We were both involved in B.A.N.D. (Billingham Against Nuclear Dumping) in early 1980's and are passionate that the dumping of nuclear waste should never happen there.
A welcome break from the eternal politics tonight to go to our book club and have a lovely free flowing discussion about life and the future.  What is a happy ending ?  that was the question from reading "Jane Austin ruined my life".  Not a book that I was keen on, but a very good discussion - lovely cake too !  I had the chance to sew lots of pieces of bunting ready for tomorrow too.
Now is it a happy ending that we don't get nuclear waste in Billingham ?  I hope so, but we never know the end ! just make the most of the opportunities we get.

Stockton Budget - and 2 chances lost

After months of hard work tonight's budget was agreed.  However, 2 chances lost to make an improvement, and I am sad to see the opportunity to keep some of our youth clubs disappear, in a desperate attempt of others not to be seen agreeing with us - even when we are right !  There is much to complain about the coalition - but it is based on moving forward on consensus, rather than mindlessly voting against everything that somebody else puts forward.
Maureen Rigg's blog has a good description, and our press release is on our website
Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council tonight approved a budget for the year ending 31^st March 2012, moved by the Conservatives and seconded by Labour. Two changes proposed by Liberal Democrat councilors were defeated.
Following the cuts in the Council's Budget for 2011-12 a number of youth clubs run by the Council will close soon. Liberal Democrats wanted money to be provided to keep them open for a few months to give local people a chance to find alternative ways of funding local activities for local youth. Otherwise, money spent already on good equipment for young people to use and enjoy there will go to waste.
Councillor Maureen Rigg said, "Money for this could be found from the Schools-in-Difficulty Earmarked Reserve, estimated at £460,000. We're constantly told how good this Borough's schools are, so we shouldn't need to keep this money in reserve just in case any schools fail. If the Labour Cabinet Member knows that some schools are likely to fail, she should tell councillors. Otherwise, in these days of tightening our financial belts we cannot afford to keep reserves 'just in case' while the Council is cutting jobs and services. Over and above this, the Council is keeping balances of 3% of budget to cover contingencies across all Council services."
The Liberal Democrat amendment was defeated by Labour, Conservatives and Independents combined.
She also called for an early review of councillors' allowances, last reviewed in 2008-09 before the precarious state of the economy was known, so that they were properly debated in time for 1^st April 2012 (the earliest date they could now change). She said, "While councilors should be remunerated for the time they devote to serving the public, which can interfere with earning money in a day job, do we really need more than half the councilors to draw Special Responsibility Allowances too? When as councilors we are telling staff that their jobs may disappear and the public that we are cutting services, it is only right that we should be seen to be reconsidering what pay we have voted to ourselves."
This was defeated by the other parties, only the Liberal Democrats and one Independent supporting the amendment.
Maureen added, "Council Officers put a lot of hard work into this budget - a pity that councilors refused two chances to improve things further!"

Going bananas

I almost thought it was April Fools Day.  Del Monte planning to sell bananas in a plastic cover at many outlets.  I am not going to waste words on what a barmy idea, but will point out that this all adds to the waste that has to be disposed of by Councils trying desperately to cut costs.
Apparently they will sell for around 62 p (each!), as opposed to around 15p for a "normal" banana.  I doubt if they are Fairtrade - and just how much do we think the farmer will get out of that 62 p ???
I really would like to know.