Christmas Greetings...                                                    

We are now closing down until the New Year. We need a break and so do you!

So we hope that you have an absolutely superb, relaxed, enjoyable and Holy Christmas.

Catch up with us in the New Year!

Disabled access...                                                            

The Express & Star reports on concern about access for the disabled at Wheavers Wharf. Let us know if you or someone you know are having problems. Yes, we'd love to link direct to the story but they don't allow it. You have to "register" on the Express & Star site to gain access! Funny we all thought the internet was designed to make access to information easier. Apparently not!

Help needed on burglary...                                             

The Express & Star reports...

A call to singers over burglary

Police are looking for teenage carol singers who may have information about a burglary.

Kidderminster - Worcester Road...                                

The Government promises safety measures following fatalities! Good - read the Express & Star story AFTER you have registered there! On the other hand just take our word for it!

Trouble at mill...                                                                

Well we don't want to stoke up any trouble but the phones are fairly buzzing with the press anxious to discover if a leading Health Concern Councillor is jumping ship or being pushed over the side. We have no idea if any of this is true so we are keeping out of it. Mind you, if it does turn out to be true our sympathies would, for once, lie with the recipient Tories! You don't deserve this guys!

Friday's just around the corner...

Dedicated this week to the Health Concern Group on the District Council...

New ticket arrangements for that Harriers game...      

...details in the Shuttle sports section.

Guardian Weblog Awards...                                            

Oh well, we didn't merit a mention in the Guardian Weblog Awards - mainly because the winning sites are much better than ours. They are certainly worth visiting. So, as we no longer need to creep we have removed the picture of judge Tom Watson M.P. - nobly refraining from replacing it with one with horns and a mustache! On the other hand you can find him here!

Click here for your super interactive Christmas Card!

With best wishes for Christmas & the New Year from Fran, Siri, Graham, Paul, Rachel, Mike, Rob and all the Team!

Clutter Free Christmas?                                                 

Welcome To Our Future want us to have "a clutter free Christmas", They suggest...

Avoid over packaged products. You could treat someone to an “experience present” such as theatre tickets, flying lesson or just a trip to the cinema – they’re very personal gifts and don’t come surrounded by stacks of packaging! Use string to tie up your parcels so that the paper can be reused. If you buy electrical goods as presents, look for items that run off mains electricity rather than batteries. More than 680 million batteries are bought in the UK each year, but just 5% of those are rechargeable – the rest are land filled. So if you do buy batteries, buy rechargeable. And say ‘No’ to unwanted carrier bags!

Reuse everyday surplus materials by making them into useful and festive items for Christmas. With a little creativity, old Christmas cards can be turned into gift boxes and gift tags, and foil and sparkly waste into tree decorations. Let the children help to add to the festive fun. Alternatively, check if there’s a charity or community workshop in your local area who would like your bits and pieces so they can turn them into useful items AND make money for a good cause!

Do they really think the whole nation is going to rush out, do that, and save the environment? Somehow I don't think so!

Am I alone in thinking that the ONLY way anything will REALLY happen to reduce waste is if central Government actually acts to get manafacturers - through penalties and incentives - to reduce packaging in the first place?

Read LIBERAL NEWS online...                                       

Read LIBERAL NEWS online here!

Question time again...                                                     

Fran Oborski is Adviser for "looked after" children in Birmingham, a District and County Councillor and past Mayor of Kidderminster.

When and why did you first become interested in politics?

As a Sixth Former I joined CND!

What inspired you to become a councillor?

I couldn’t possibly have been as bad as the old foggies who were doing the job.

What is your greatest fear?

That between them Israel and the USA will cause World war III.

And your greatest hope?

That an enlarged Europe will act as a check and balance to the US.

What is the first thing you would do if you became prime minister?

Adopt a more European approach to Foreign Policy and stop the UK being a US poodle!

What single thing would most improve your local area?

Restoration of full Hospital services to Kidderminster.

For which cause would you die?

Freedom – but I’d rather stay alive to fight for it! 

Which fictional character do you identify with and why?

Robin Hood. He stood up for the poor and anyway I’ve slways had a soft spot for “Merry Men” – though not in tights!

What do you consider to be your greatest political triumph?

Pushing through Kidderminster Town Centre pedestrianisation – against (silly though it sounds now) enormous political and public opposition.

What was your most embarrassing moment?

As Council Chairman’s Consort wearing an outfit identical to the Town Mayor (Jane Bonnick) when we met Princess Anne. She kindly said we both obviously had good taste! Some other extremely dramatic interludes that you might think might have embarrassed me considerably more actually aroused other feelings – particularly anger!

What is the biggest problem with local government today?

Central Government interference.

How would you solve it?

Let Councils set their own priorities and budgets and be truly answerable to local people.

Who is your political hero and why?

Nelson Mandela for his humanity, humility and lack of bittereness.

When and where are you most happy?

Relaxing in a bar in the Old Town in Warsaw.

What’s your theme song and why?

John Stewart’s  “The Last Campaign” – because it is about Bobby Kennedy’s campaign for freedom – “He died on the road” and in a very real sense "it was the last campaign"!

Your house is on fire. What possession do you grab first?

Day six of a five day bug...                                              

Fran and I have had a rough few days with this darn bug  that is doing the rounds in Kidderminster. It's just like a bad cold  with the add on that you feel so utterly washed out and exhausted that doing anything becomes impossible! Everyone tells me, "Oh yes, everyone's getting it - it's a five day bug". So what have I done to deserve to be heavily into day six of a five day bug?

We're purring...                                                                

They've done a super job of landscaping the land at the junction of Offmore Lane and Wordsworth Crescent which was dug up for major drainage work earlier this year - see photos below. Great, but why did it take so long with so much chasing. Landscaping was promised before June, for June, by September, during October and in November before actually materialising now just before Christmas. It has taken umpteen phone calls and letters and even a Question in Council! It's not good enough - but at least it has, at long last, been done!

And just to prove we haven't turned soft...                  

...Crown House - the ugliest building in Kidderminster. Please, please, please demolish it someone!

Meet the whole team!

2 : 1 against Orient...                                                       

Glory, glory...

It depends on where exactly you are placed...            

Our normally good tempered neighbour Labour West Bromwich East M.P. Tom Watson doesn't like this from the Bakersfield Police in the good old U.S. of A...

Well, I can understand that. However, the good folk on the centre of Comberton might not agree. Please, please, please we need strong policing after everything they have been through.

Of course we are also putting in a lot of "carrot" as well as "stick" for the kids.

However, maybe the Police have got to talk to the kids in language they understand - not quite like Bakersfield - but what do YOU think...

Sick but purring!                                                              

Well it turns out that Fran and I aren't out there pounding the pavements delivering "FOCUS" newsletters. We are both stuck here sneezing and wheezing! The rest of the team are pounding the streets of Greenhill and should make the Broadwaters Christmas Fayre tonight!

So why am I purring! Well there is now a lovely little grassed and shrubbed open space at the junction of Wordsworth Crescent and Offmore Lane - just like it's never been gone!

On top of that we have our hellishly expensive digital camera back.

When Janusz (small, black and thoroughly evil) arrived a couple of months back he hadn't been in the house for a few hours when he shot across a table - grabbed a camera strap - and shot off the table. The camera inevitably hit the tiled floor with appallingly expensive consequences.

It is unusual, but not unheard of, for a small black tom kitten to use up 8 of its wretched 9 lives on its first day in it's new home but Janusz is good at that. I still think he should be the main ingredient in a "Kitten stew" but Fran is far more doting and forgiving!

And, Poland is holding on in Brussels. President Kwasniewski is holding press conferences in fluent English; wheel chair bound Polish Prime Minister Miller (who very narrowly escaped death in a dreadful helicopter crash last week) is extorting sympathy and giving nothing away; while Polish Foreign Minister Cimosziewicz is driving them mad by reflecting on the fact that after everything Poland has been through it would value consistency from its allies!

These boots were made for walking...                          

Come wind and rain it's gonna be FOCUS delivery this weekend!

Yes, it's Friday!                                                                

Eating Out...                                                                      

We haven't plugged any Kidderminster or Wyre Forest Restaurants in this weblog yet!

No, we are not being paid for advertising and, yes, we do realise thast everywhere good we don't mention will give us a good kicking.

But some of these places are pretty darn fine. So let's make a start and we'll build up a list over time. So the rest of you just get in the queue.

A group of us had lunch in the Chung Ying on Comberton Hill (why am I starting in my Ward?) today. It is a super restaurant run by lovely people and the superb three course Chinese lunch coming in at well under £6 per head is a real bargain!

Their evening meals are also great. Guess where we are having our Group Christmas Dinner this year. They have great seasonal bargain banquets on offer at the moment.

Love those Christmas Lights...

We just love the Christmas lights in Kidderminster! They are brilliant!

No, not the town centre lights you idiot! They are total rubbish!

Just go round the housing estate and look at some of the super outdoor lights decorating so many houses.

Comberton, for example, is marvellous!

A big vote of thanks to all the people who are putting on such a marvellous seasonal display!

Whither Council Tax...                                                     

The Health Concern Leader of the Wyre Forest District Council told the Budget Scrutiny Committee tonight that he wants to keep the District Council share of the 2004 Council Tax increase below 5%.

However, the report on the three year budget and policy framework 2004/2007 assumes a 5% increase from 2004/5 onwards.

This would mean Band D Council Tax for Wyre Forest District Council (excluding the far larger County bill and the growing Police bill) rising like this:-

2003/4 : £160.13, 2004/5 : £168.14, 2005/6 : £176.55, 2006/7 : £185.38

I made the point that Council Tax Payers are reaching the end of their tethers and have had enough. People are ONLY going to accept a very, very marginal Council Tax increase next April!

Brother where art thou...                                                

An Officer letter attached to the Agenda for tonight's Wyre Forest District Council Budget Scrutiny Committee primly but of course quite properly announced...

"I would draw Members attention to the provision in the Committee's Terms of Reference which states that 'as this is a high level specialist committee, members will seek to avoid substitution'."

Quite right too! We agree!

For those who don't know if you can't attend a meeting of a committee of which you are a member you can, under our rules, send another member of your political group as a substitute to take your place. Fine, but only in emergencies because if you end up with too many substitutes the committee is full of people who don't know the story so far!

Well tonight both Liberals turned up. All three Tories were there. The Labour member was present. The Liberal Democrat was in her place.

Of the five Health Concern Members of the Committee only two turned up!

Of the missing three Health Concern Members two sent substitutes.

The third Health Concern Member not to attend - the Vice-Chairman of the Committee - didn't even send a substitute!

All of which may partially explain our next story...

Why exactly are they there?                                         

The Budget Scrutiny Committee is a "high level specialist committee" we are told!

There are 12 members of that Committee. In addition Council Officers and Cabinet Members attend and contribute as appropriate.

Fine but what about the actual members of the Committee?

In a 60 minute meeting:-

Both Liberal Members made points;

Of the three Tories two (including the Chairman) contributed;

The Labour Member spoke (a lot!);

The Liberal Democrat Member spoke as well (sorry about the faint lettering but it's their fault for choosing yellow as their Party colour!)

From the four Health Concern Members of the Committee (there should have been five but we've already explained that) not a single solitary word was heard!

Why exactly are they there?

What did Wyre Forest District Council's Budget Scrutiny Committee achieve tonight...               

In our humble opinion - exactly and precisely b***** a**!

Tom on ticket prices...                                                    

Labour West Bromwich East M.P. Tom watson was on T.V. news tonight calling for lower pricing of Harriers v Wolves tickets. I agree. What do you think?

Those ticket prices...                                                       

Here's how the Express and Star reports it tonight...

Fans' group backs Cup ticket deal

A fans' group today backed the decision by Kidderminster Harriers to force supporters to pay out at least £80 before Christmas if they want to see the FA Cup clash with Wolves on January 3.

No shock here then...                                                      

So, the final school review proposal for Wyre Forest won't be announced until July - safely after the June local Council Elections!!!!! 

School Review delay...                                                   

So the County have decided to put off looking at responses to the consultation on the reorganisation of Wyre Forest Schools from December 19th to February 9th. The official reason is apparently that they were swamped with responses. Er, what exactly were they expecting from Wyre Forest - a single postcard? Come off it!

It is the season to be merry...                                         

Yesterday was one of those days - running around in circles! Fran got to a whole series of Council meetings. I was busy all day and chaired an Offmore & Comberton Action Group (doing nicely) in the evening. We then had our Constituency Party Christmas Party! Vast amounts of food and alcohol were duly consumed. Sometime in the early hours we wrote a leaflet about the rejection of the planning application for a Vodaphone mast on the Greenhill Industrial Estate. After a few hours of sleep (actually not much sleep as the kittens were in attendance) it has been printed and we are off shortly to deliver it! It is of course raining nicely! Before that I have to clean out the kittens' litter tray - a task which today seems even less appealing than usual...

Borrington Road scheme given green light...              

Plans for massive new play facilities at the Borrington Road Playing Fields got the go ahead from the Development Control Committee tonight! Brilliant!

No to Vodophone mast...                                                

The proposal to put a mast on the Greenhill Industrial Estate was turned down by the Development Control Committee tonight! Good!

Work starts at last...                                                        

...on that land at the junction of Offmore Lane and Wordsworth Crescent! Great! Let's hope they make a good job of it!