A new direction for Bury South

Tonight’s full Council meeting is to present the budget and to set the Council Tax for the forthcoming financial year.  It promises to be an evening of lively debate and back-slapping (or should that be stabbing) by the Labour Group.  There were many concerned people at the Governor’s meeting last night at my local primary school when we went through the proposed cuts for educational services alone.  Anyone who wants to come along it is at 7.00pm at Bury Town Hall – plenty of room in the public gallery – better than Coronation Street any time!

Yesterday afternoon David Nuttall (Bury North Parliamentary Candidate) and I  met with Bob Chadwick the Acting Chief Executive and Tom Wilders the Head of Strategic Planning at Penine Acute Hospital Trust to find out more about the review of the recent consultation process that took place regarding the proposed closure of maternity services at Fairfield Hospital.  It was interesting to find out that an Independent Reconfigeration Panel has been set up and their report will not be presented to the Secretary of State until May (just after the local elections).  The Secretary of State then has 8 weeks to decide whether she backs their findings – the report is then made public after this time whether she has reached a decision or not.  So we wait in anticipation to find out the conclusion.

Last night I attended one of my regular Conservative Councillors’ Group meetings and of course the hot topic of discussion was the budget which is being presented to tomorrow night’s full Council meeting and the anticipated rise in Council tax.  All I can say is that I hope the Leader of Bury Council has a sharp pair of scissors to cope with all the cuts he is proposing to make.

You must think I sit reading all day, but I don’t honestly, however catching up with the weekend’s reading I noticed in the Local Government First publication that two pieces of legislation come into force this week – both of which I welcome.  One is that anyone caught obstructing emergency workers can be punished with a fine of up to £5,000 and the other is that anyone caught using a mobile phone while driving could face a £60 fine, three points on their licence or a two-year prison term.  This trend seems to have increased again and I cannot count the number of times that I see someone driving whilst using a mobile phone – my  heart misses a beat sometimes when I see someone, especially in a large vehicle, coming round a mini roundabout or turning out of a road in front of me – but I have yet to see anyone being stopped for such an offence.  The legislation against the obstruction of emegency services has unfortunately become essential in today’s culture – the number of times I hear of fire engines and ambulances not being able to go into certain areas or being stoned or threatened is frightening – again however it will be a matter of catching these offenders and of course their ability to pay could be an issue.

I went to a lecture this morning on Women’s Health entitled ‘Women’s problems – is it all due to our hormones?’  I was getting really depressed listening to what is to come when I get even older – but Dr Tara Kearney the Consultant Endocrinologist from Hope Hospital was an amazing lecturer and made it all sound much better than it looked written on the handouts she gave out.  Left early to meet our candidate in Unsworth – walking down Sunnybank Road I could believe what I saw – three youths on bikes freewheeling on their bikes down the hill, two on either side of the white hash lines (therefore one on the wrong side of the road) and one on the pavement! 

From a night away at the Reebok Stadium in Bolton for the Conservative North West Conference.  Last night began with a reception with David Cameron followed by dinner where the Guest Speaker was Jim Hancock, former BBC North West Political Editor.  Dinner took place whilst watching the St Helen’s v Brisbane World Cup Challenge rugby match!  Today was a full day of presentations and 8 parliamentary candidates, including myself, were given an opportunity to speak on the ‘platform’.  It also a chance for me to meet many other candidates who up until today had just been a name.  I also met up with Bury South’s last Conservative MP, David Sumberg MEP, and the 2005 candidate Cllr Alex Williams.¼/p>

Last night I was invited to the British-Israel Chamber of Commerce dinner at the V&A Hotel in Manchester where Abraham Hirchson, Israeli Minister of Finance, was the keynote speaker.  Over 200 people supported the event which was held in conjunction with the promotion of the State of Israel Bonds.  Mr Hirchson apparently took the time to visit Westminster whilst on his first trip to the UK.  It was encouraging to hear that the Israeli economy is doing well with the lowest unemployment rates for 10 years and low interest rates.  I have heard that David Cameron is to visit Israel next week for the first time.¼/p>

I was sat at my desk at work yesterday reading through my copy of Community Care when out of the page jumps a picture of our Bury South MP with the heading ‘Lewis touts idea of well-being minister’.  This role would be to forge the integration between the NHS and local Government.  Surely our NHS needs less Government interference not more.  The salary of yet another Government Minister would be better spent on additional nursing staff or maybe he is just worried there won’t be enough jobs to go round after the next Cabinet reshuffle!

As a Governor at both Higher Lane Primary School and Philips High School both based in my Ward I decided to attend the Module 4 of the Governor Training last night (having already done 1, 2 and 3).  It was 2 hours well spent and the trainer, David Lee, was excellent.  Last night’s module was based on accountability and it certainly made me think as to who all the ’stakeholders’ are in a school and questions to ask of the school next time I attend a meeting.  It was also a good opportunity to meet Governors from other schools within Bury.  

First thing this morning I met with Sharon Bannister from The Project to discuss the funding issues they are having and on my return to the office received a phone call from a friend of my son’s over problems he is having with funding for his university course this year and so the day began …………..

This weekend my latest Ward ‘In Touch’  leaflet was delivered – with thanks to those who helped and thanks also to those who have taken the time to respond to the survey on the roundabout on Ringley Road/Stand Lane.  This is to be discussed once again at the next Area Board Meeting on the 12 March and I really hope that we can reach a definitive concluson.  However I hear on the grapevine that there may be no money available for even basic highway repairs like pot holes in the coming financial year and the removal of the parking restriction lines on Church Lane, which has been approved after public consultation, have been delayed yet again due to lack of funds.

This morning I was invited to give the Vote of Thanks at the Friendship Clubs AGM.  These clubs are run by the League of Jewish Women and there are 8 throughout Greater Manchester.  They are all run on a voluntary basis and thanks must go to the hard work and dedication of all who run them – as one representative said ‘it is not a club but a family’.  Frances Blake, the Chairman, works extremely hard together with her Executive and Group Chairmen.