Good dog!

Enjoy Halloween!

Fran...

...on a night out in Kidderminster.

 Post Offices...

District Council Cabinet heard a report from Fran, as Chairman of Policy & Scrutiny Panel, tonight and agreed - not that they needed any convincing anyway - to back campaign against the proposed local closures.

Conviction...

We have just heard from the Police that Paul Roberts of Goldsmith Walk was today sentenced to 12 years imprisonment having been found guilty of sex offences against young girls.

Local residents had petitioned for Roberts to be removed from the area.

 Baldwin Road sign...

There should, at long last, be a new street name sign for Baldwin Road (at the junction with Birmingham Road) Cllr Rachel Lewis reports.

 Fran launches web site...

Cllr Fran Oborski, Liberal Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Wyre Forest, today launched her new web site at www.fran4us.co.uk

Cllr Mrs Oborski said today "It is vitally important to do everything possible to get the message across to the widest possible public in Wyre Forest by every means possible".

"Web Sites are just another part of that initiative."

"I hope that this will be a really two way process with local people using it to tell me what they want just as much as me telling them what I'm hoping to do!"

My favourite US Candidate! Barbara Boxer - Democrat - running to hold her US Senate seat!

UPDATE (28.10.04): Polls show her leading 53% : 38%!!!

Meanwhile this little animated graphic says all there is to say about the style of the US Presidential election campaign...

Sad to hear of the sudden death of John Peel. His love of life and music was infectious.

A Kidderminster County Council has described the latest local cuts in bus services as "a total disaster".

Liberal Councillor Fran Oborski said today that "pensioners had been left standing at bus stops waiting for buses which were no longer running".

"The changes effectively mean that there is no longer a meaningful service serving the lower end of Hurcott Road around Sladen School."

"Residents living in Hurcott Road, Imperial Avenue, Greenhill Avenue, Gheluvelt Avenue, The Foxholes, Grasmere Close, Roden Avenue and Shrubbery Street, have, to all intents and purposes had their bus service removed."

"As many of these residents are pensioners who have purchased Pensioners’ Concessionary Bus Passes from Wyre Forest District Council the bus company has in fact already been paid up front for their seats for the whole year."

Cllr Mrs Oborski has asked the District Council to let her know how many pensioner Bus Pass holders are affected.

"The Council has paid for these passes in advance for a whole year. They are now useless. If the bus company is not going to provide the service then they should return the cash!"

In the picture...

We've just added a photo album!

Chapel Court....

Cllrs Mandy Poole and Fran Oborski inspecting those steps and that wall!

Chapel Court...

Cllr Mandy Poole and those steps!

US  Elections...

Scroll down and look on the left for the "Electoral Vote Predictor" 2004 for the US Presidential Elections. It predicts the number of votes each candidate will end up with in the Electoral College once the US public have voted. The numbers change as polls update (when I posted it the prediction was Kerry 247 and Bush 285). Click on the Vote Predictor to go to a superb US Election site!

Safe Routes to schools...

Music & S*x...

It was a very, very brief District Council Licensing and Environmental Committee this morning.

Any decision on whether or not to allow a variation in the Public Entertainments Licence of  The Watermill (they'd like to start earlier) was deferred. Their solicitors want time to look at Police data.

The Taboo "s*x shop" in the Horsefair had its licence renewed. There had been no complaints or problems.

Why the '*'? Because if we put in the 'e' lots of protective software out there would stop people from visiting the site!

Recycling and disposable Councillors...

This morning Liberal and Conservative District Councillors were outside Kidderminster Town Hall promoting recycling. It was an excellent event.

Where were all the Health Concern, Labour and Liberal Democrat Councillors?

Fireworks...

It has started. Fireworks being thrown on Borrington Park. Fireworks thrown outside the Chinese take away on Longfellow Green.

Report it to the Police (0845 7444888). Tell us on (01562) 823911.

Use Fireworks Safely!

Busy week...

...for Fran!

Under Scrutiny...

I was at a Scrutiny session this afternoon at County Hall looking at the way in which the problem of still too many empty places even after the Redditch Schools Review is being dealt with.

We heard very frank evidence from Conservative Education Cabinet Member June Longmuir. The Officers also had much to say of interest.

The chairing by Labour Councillor John Buckley was excellent. Proceedings were up to Parliamentary Select Committee level

The Express & Star reports today...

Rubbish festering as bin rounds cut

Rotting nappies and maggots have been found in wheelie bins around Wyre Forest since bin collections were cut from once a week to fortnightly.

The Schools debate! Full County Council says let Wyre Forest residents have their say...

The only Wyre Forest County Councillor to vote against allowing Wyre Forest residents to have a say on the future of education in Wyre Forest was the Conservative Leader of the Wyre Forest District Council - Councillor Stephen Clee!

After one heck of a fight the discussion on the Wyre Forest Schools Review was at last forced out of Cabinet and onto the floor of the full County Council.

The County Council meeting started with impassioned and well reasoned statements from parents, governors and local community representatives.

A packed public gallery heard the formal debate started with Conservative Education Cabinet Member Cllr June Longmuir telling us to stop wasting time and to get on with the reorganisation proposals.

Labour's Cllr Peter Pinfield proposed a vote by Wyre Forest residents on the issue of whether to stay three tier or go two tier.

Previously, at Cabinet, Labour supported the Conservative reorganisation plans so it was nice to see then having an eleventh hour change of heart. Better late than never.

This was followed by a lengthy and sometimes heated debate.

At the end of the day the Council voted by 27 votes to 25 in favour of a vote by Wyre Forest residents.

The 25 who opposed the proposal to give Wyre Forest residents a say were all 24 Conservative Councillors present plus Labour Councillor Colin Beardwood.

The 27 who carried the vote in favour of giving Wyre Forest residents a say were the two Liberals Mike & Fran Oborski, the Liberal Democrat Group, the Health Concern Group, the one Independent and of course the rest of the Labour Group.

The only Wyre Forest County Councillor to vote against allowing Wyre Forest residents to have a say on the future of education in Wyre Forest was the Conservative Leader of the Wyre Forest District Council - Councillor Stephen Clee!

What happens next?

Well the Council recommendation, because that unfortunately is all it is, now goes to the November meeting of the Cabinet.

If the Cabinet gives the go ahead then Wyre Forest residents will get to vote.

If the Cabinet ignore the recommendation from a vote of the whole Council then there will probably be all Hell let loose!

The Cabinet Consists of 10 members - 5 Conservatives, 2 Labour, 1 Health Concern, 1 Liberal Democrat and 1 Independent. One of the Labour Cabinet Members is Cllr Colin Beardwood who broke ranks from his Labour colleagues in order to vote with the Conservatives against giving Wyre Forest Residents a vote today! It will be fascinating to see what happens.

If the Conservatives block the recommendation in Cabinet the Consevative Party will not be easily forgiven in Wyre Forest. If Labour Cabinet Member Cllr Beardwood goes with them then Labour too will be left with egg on their faces!

To add a final dash of irony to the whole business this week is Democracy Week. It would be absolutely appalling if the Cabinet were to reject the democratic wishes of the full County Council as demonstrated by a vote of Council in the middle of Local Democracy Week!

County Councillor Fran Oborski said...

County Councillor Mike Oborski said...

Speaking in the Wyre Forest Schools Review debate at County Hall this morning Cllr Mike Oborski said:-

Chairman,

I am delighted that the Labour Group have become "increasingly aware" of this issue. Better late than never!

There are many aspects of the proposals upon which there have been absolutely NO debate whatsoever!

There has been no consultation on the closure (rather than the merger) of Lea Street First School. Where will youngsters from that area go?

There has been no consultation on the cut in intake at Offmore First School from 60 to 45 which will inflict mixed age classes on the school.

There has been no consultation on the consequential changes in catchment areas.

There has been no consultation on the impact on the curriculum and on the viability of the 6th Form by reducing King Charles I High School intake from 277 to 168.

There has been no consultation on the inevitable chanes in High School catchment area steming from those changes.

There has been no consultation on the revelation that High Schools will operate for several years on split sites.

Above all you have NOT shown that there is public demand for a change from 3 tier to tier in Wyre Forest!

While we are at it - Comberton Middle School is marvellous. How dare you lecture them about standards!

Incidentally Middle Schools match far better the new Tomlinson proposals and a 14-19 curriculum.

Ask the people of Wyre Forest what they want.

What are you scared of?

Wyre Forest schools are their schools! The children are their children! It is their community!

Listen to the people!

Trust the people!

And I would appeal to Conservative Councillors. Give Mark Garnier a fighting chance at the General Election!

Support the Motion!

Highways backlog...

Fran raised the £10 million back log on Wyre Forest Highways spending with the Cabinet Member for the Environment at County Hall this morning. She also pointed out that the cancellation of the Small Schemes Budgetary provision meant that the opportunity for local members to secure vitally needed local small schemes had been wiped out. There is clearly going to be problems with the County Council Budget next year.

Special Schools challenge...

Fran, using her experience as Chairman of Governors at Stourminster Special School, challenged the County Chief Executive, Rob Sykes, on the outcomes of the Review of Special Education already carried out in parts of the South of the County.

Fran pointed out that what is actually happening is that some pupils who used to go to Cliffey House outside Worcester are now  having to be transported by bus to Stourminster in Kidderminster. Stourminster is also now receiving referrals for pupils who are failing to cope in the mainstream provision which the County has provided in Worcester City. Fran pointed out to the Chief Executive that it is vital that the lessons from these problems are learnt before the rest of the Special Education Review in the county is carried out and that future reviews result in an adequate number of places in Special Schools.

Out of "Care" into B & B...

Fran asked the Chairman of the County Council if he really thought it a bright idea to tip youngsters out of "care" into B & B accomodation at The Lion Hotel in Kidderminster. He agreed that the current situation is not exactly perfect.

Offmore Road Railway Bridge Petition...

Mike presented a 250 signature from local residents - calling for traffic calming to stop cars hurtling over the bridge - at the start of this morning's County Council Meeting.

Mike also presented an amber cameo brooch as a belated birthday present to Council Vice-Chairman Liberal Democrat Diane Rayner.

'Worcestershire Hub'...

The District Council is pushing ahead fast with plans to site the one stop shop for Council services in the Kidderminster Town Hall. Costings should be available any day now with decisions before Christmas. This will NOT interfere with plans to develop other parts of the Town Hall as an Arts Centre!

Flag it up...

The Union Jack and the District Council flag mysteriously appeared precariously above the Chairman's head in the Council Chamber last night! If they are going to be in the Chamber then they had better be better positioned.

Meanwhile, how the heck did we end up with a Council flag featuring the Council logo and a pile of bricks? Apparently we are "building a better future"!

Fran said she hated it but Mike said he loved it explaing that "It's perfect for this Tory administration - they are always dropping bricks or walking into a brick wall!"

Air Quality...

The District Council adopted an "Air Quality Action Plan". There is particular concern about air quality in The Horsefair. Liberal Councillor Rob Wheway emphasised that the plan is at best inadequate. However, the real trouble is that any action lies with the County Council.

Fair Trade...

Peter Grantham put on a display of Fair Trade goodies for members of the District Council to sample. The Council unanimously and enthusiastically agreed to become a Fair Trade Council using Fair Trade goods! Thanks Peter!

Leaflets of mass deception...

A Liberal question high lighted the claim in a Tory leaflet that Tories chair all important District Council Committees. In fact Liberal Mike Oborski and Health Concern's Ken Stokes chair the key Cabinet Scrutiny Committee. Did the Tories think that Committee was unimportant or did they think that Mike and Ken are Tories(!)?

The Leader confirmed that it is a key Committee and seemed to accept that he was not going to recruit Mike and Ken!

Mike warned him to be more careful with his "leaflets of mass deception"!

Highways crisis...

The Leader of the Council agreed with Mike that the current £10 million backlog on necessary Wyre Forest Highways works is "a matter of the utmost concern" - particularly as the annual budget for Wyre Forest Highways is only £1 million a year. The Cabinet Scrutiny Committee, jointly chaired by Mike, will be looking into the matter.

Post Offices...

The Leader of the Council agreed with Mike that the proposed closure of several local Post Offices is totally unacceptable,

Comberton Hill Underpass...

In response to questioning by Mike it was admitted that District Officers had bungled in giving the press the impression that the island at the bottom of Comberton Hill is about to be filled in.

Cinema...

In response to a question from Mike the Cabinet Member confirmed that the ob