THAT WAS REALLY VERY COLD INDEED!

Fran looked cool, relaxed and articuate, as always, on regional BBC TV yesterday arguing the case AGAINST freezing chrome seats in Winter outside The Town Hall for pensioners, young mums with kids and the ill and disabled.

She was NOT quite the same when she got back home! Articulate? As always! Cool? Oh YES, certainly VERY, VERY cool indeed! Relaxed? Well not exactly.

For the whole interview they had positioned her sitting - guess where? - Yes, on the freezing seats! And were they really that cold? According to Fran it is a very definite "YES"!

INITIAL RESPONSE TO "WYRE FOREST - NO BARRIERS"  - VERY POSITIVE!

It's early days but so far an excellent response to my "WYRE FOREST - no barriers" idea!

Catholic Father Douglas Lamb based at St. Ambrose RC Church Kidderminster writes "This would be a very commendable initiative which wil find support and acceptance from all sections of the community".

Labour's Wyre Forest Prospective Parliamentary Candidate and County Councillor Nigel Knowles phoned to say "I am with you all the way. It sounds a great idea."

PC Harris was also on the phone to say  "It is an absolutely superb idea! We'll want to be on board!"

And Tory Wyre Forest DC Cabinet Member told me in the Polish Ex-Servicemen's Club on Sunday lunch time "Great! I love it! I love it!"

Great start! Let us know what YOU think!

Well off topic but far too good to miss!

A VERY STRANGE CASE OF FELINE AID!

Most of the time the Cancer, drugs and chemotherapy have no visible effect on me whatsoever and I function perfectly normally both as a Councillor and Consul for weeks at a time.

Today was the exception. I woke up late. Fran had long since disappeared off to work. It took me a moment or two to realise that I could NOT stand up.

Worse still my initial struggle had awoken a pain area above my right hip which in turn had awaken all the pain areas across my chest. For nearly an hour I lay there screaming in Agony! It was painful, miserable and almost unbearable!

The phone was too far away to reach across a very large bed lodged in its cradle on the far bed side cabinet. There was absolutely no way of reaching it!

Our two female cats, who I could see sitting on the floor, were flustered and miserable. Our huge “boss” male tabby looked disturbed and sad.

Or three and a half year old large, fluffy black cat, Janusz Czarny (Janusz the Black) – who is very deeply attached to me clung to my arm throughout whimpering desperately in obvious pained sympathy.

After 45 minutes I had made no progress and was still screaming in agony!

All of a sudden I felt a truly stunning pain as something was thrust with what seemed like enormous force into the side of my right hand ribs!

I turned to see what was happening and there was Janusz pushing the telephone receiver into my ribs with all his might. He had clearly not only worked out what was needed, devised a plan and executed it brilliantly!

Fran and I use the phones – both mobile and household - all the time particularly when Fran is at work in Birmingham and I am working from home!

Janusz also  knows that I am endlessly saying “Fran…” when I am on the phone and that Fran is the great “provider” of all household goodies and support. Mike talking to Fran could solve everything!

Having thought all that out Janusz worked out how to get the phone out of its cradle, across the double bed and, above all how to “deliver” the phone in such a way as to ensure that the arrival and availability of the phone is duly noted.

As I lay hands on the phone Janusz is roaring with pleasure!

Ironically, I don’t want or need the phone. I don’t want to call out the major public services for what is really a very small issue. Furthermore, most of my personal friends and Fran will be out of reach! However, I do NOT want to upset Janusz. So I dial an imaginary number and make a ‘pretend’ call to Fran.

As soon as Janusz ‘hears’ me talking to Fran his Feline roar turns to an unholy Leonine roar of monstrous proportions. I am talking to Fran! Everything will now be “O.K.”!

As luck would have it, in the process of this amazing Feline performance by Janusz I must have somehow moved a centimetre or two. Suddenly I can get up.

Janusz Czarny is totally triumphant! Never before – in the whole of my life have I heard of or experienced a cat behaving with such incredible intelligence. The problem was assessed, a solution and plan of action was devised and carried through precisely, and with total accuracy and success. Not only that but the likely reaction of the known recipient was clearly evaluated and built into the plan!

The Liberal Group on Wyre Forest District Council “have been simply inundated” by responses to the 5,000 leaflets they have circulated locally on their Council Tax and Budget Proposals for the coming financial year they claimed today.

Liberal Budget Spokesman Cllr Fran Oborski said today “We have been absolutely stunned by the size and speed of the response. Within a few days of starting to circulate our proposals we have already received well over 300 responses. Most are in favour, a few are against and very few are sitting on the fence!”

"Given that responses have only just started to roll in we are obviously going to have a huge overall response!"

“If it goes on like this then it is going to take us some time to reply to everyone! We do, however, absolutely promise that everyone who responded will get a full written reply as soon as possible.”

Wyre Forest Liberals have posted 5,000 consultation leaflets on their District Council Tax proposals for 2007-2008.

"The four page A4 leaflets have been sent to local businesses, community organisations, doctors, churches, school staff rooms, pubs, clubs and a many other local organisations and groups" Liberal Budget Spokesman Cllr Fran Oborski said today.

The main thrust of the Liberal Budget Proposals is that "by better use of Council finances and resources and a bill of just 4p per week more in total than the Tory administration is proposing the Council could actually tackle important key issues of public concern which the Tory Budget currently totally ignores:-

Copies of the consultation leaflet can be obtained from Cllr Fran Oborski on (01562) 823911. The full text of Liberal Budget proposals can also be found on their web site at www.liberals4us.org.uk .

COLD SEATS MEAN COLD BACKSIDES!

“The new stone and chrome seats outside Kidderminster Town Hall look very attractive – right up until the moment you actually try to sit on them” Liberal Councillor Fran Oborski warned today.

“In the present weather conditions the metal is absolutely freezing cold and anybody sitting on the seats is due for instant and unexpected freezing experience in a very sensitive area!”

“Given the fact that the people most likely to want to sit down are mums with small kids, the elderly and the disabled, the situation is totally unacceptable.”

“The whole business is yet another classic example of the modern triumph of “design” and “look” over “practical” and “works”! Who exactly wants to sit on an ice cold metal seat in the middle of winter?”

THEY SAID IT THEMSELVES…

 1. The local Tory Web Site happily proclaims…

“Local Conservatives spend Saturday morning tending flower beds and collecting litter.”

Our first reaction is “Congratulations on the good Community Work!”. This is certainly an appropriate level of activity for Tory Councillors and activists.

But hang on a minute! These guys run the Council! These guys are responsible for making sure the Council Budget is adequate to run services! The Council has highly paid officers responsible for organising the tending of flower beds and the collection of litter! The Council has less well paid staff whose job is to actually tend the flower beds and collect the litter! So, why the heck, if everything is running smoothly, why do the Tories have to do the job themselves?!

2. WE ALSO “LEARN" FROM THE TORY WEB SITE ABOUT…

“Local Conservative Campaigner Jenny Greener campaigning with Ward Cllr Stephen Clee for improved youth provision on Bark Hill Bewdley.”

Hang on, when Labour Bewdley Town Councillor Paul Gittins collected a massive petition calling for the siting of the MUGA (multi purposes ball park) at Bark Hill it was Tory Cabinet Member Cllr Nathan Desmond who packed it off to the Stourport Road Leisure Centre site instead!

3. AND LABOUR IN A TIME WARP!

Weeks after adopting Nigel Knowles as their Prospective Parliamentiary Candidate for Wyre Forest their sad, sorry and neglected local Web Site still promotes last times human sacrifice – Marc Bayliss!

I DON'T LIKE HILLARY CLINTON...

Don't get me wrong! I'm sure she is a lovely person and she has certainly been a really superb Senator for New York.

No, what first worried me was reading her book "LIVING HISTORY". It said nothing! It gave nothing away!. It was as if not only any reference to any of the controversial episodes in her life had been neatly filtered away but along with it disappeared any vision or passion leaving only a bland feeling of goodwill for good causes.

Now we have the apparent launch of her Presidential Campaign and what is her opening shot? We get meaningless blandness about wanting to "talk" to the American people and to "discuss" all their "opinions". Blair would love it! Total blandness! Where is the passion? Where is the conviction? Where is the vision?

The lady looks the part and has the big dollars. She'll probably win the nomination and with luck beat the hapless Bush. Americans will be happy with a bland, artticulate, look the part, woman. Whether or not she will achieve, or even attempt to achieve, anything much will be a different story.

John Edwards is simply a good looking Democrat Party hack who should not pose much of a problem to the Clinton steamroller.

Barack Obama will not win because he is far too intelligent for the job and bright intelligent new ideas may frighten the average American voter yearning for peace, security, troops home and a quiet life. Neither will he have the vast Clinton "war-chest" which will be used ruthlesly to smear or smarm it's beneficiiary out of any trouble!

Yet just read Obama's book "THE AUDACITY OF HOPE" which for once is a book that really lives up to its title. Every single page sparkles with insight, viision, hope and new ideas. If you read just one book on politics this year then make it "THE AUDACITY OF HOPE"!

In a sane World Barack Obama should be the next President of The United States of America. Alas sanity in politics is a rare thing indeed. I live in hope!

O.K., IF YOU REALLY DO INSIST ON A BOOK ON BRITISH POLITICS...

If you really want to understand Blair, New Labour and the Blair / Bush relationship by far the best book is "THE POLITICS OF GOOD INTENTION" - History, Fear and Hypocrisy in the New World Order" by David Runciman - an excellent read!

And from "NHS BLOG DOCTOR" a...

...RATHER GOOD HEALTH SERVICE PARODY...

The senior staff of Marks & Spencer challenged the senior staff of the NHS to an annual canoe race to the held on the river Thames in support of Comic Relief. Both teams practised long and hard to reach their peak performance before the first race.

On the big day, the Marks & Spencer team won by a mile.

Patricia Hewitt was discouraged and depressed about the crushing defeat. She appointed a team of senior managers to investigate and to recommend appropriate action. Their conclusion was that the Marks & Spencer team had eight people rowing and one person steering, whilst the NHS team had eight people steering and one person rowing. Patricia did not like the report, so she hired a private management consultancy company and paid them a large amount of money for a second opinion.

The consultants opined that too many people were indeed steering the boat, whilst not enough people were rowing and that, in order to prevent another defeat, the NHS rowing team's management structure should be reorganized to four steering supervisors, three area steering superintendents and one assistant superintendent steering manager. They also recommended a new performance system, involving pre-determined targets that would give the one person rowing the boat greater incentive to work hard. The performance system was called the "Rowing Team Quality First Program" and the rower was required to attend twice weekly meetings throughout the year at which he ate bourbon biscuits, was given free pens and listened to presentations from consultant rowing specialists who, thought they had never rowed themselves, were very knowledgeable. There was much discussion about new paddles, canoes and other equipment which were all on order but had not yet arrived.

The next year Marks & Spencer won by two miles.

Humiliated, Patricia Hewitt laid off the rower for poor performance, halted the development of new canoes, sold the paddles, and cancelled all capital investment for new equipment. The money saved was distributed to the senior executives as redundancy payments and the following year the rowers were replaced by a team of "rowing specialists" who were cheaper and, though they had never been in a canoe before, "knew a lot about it."

LIBERALS CONSULT 5,000 ON COUNCIL TAX PLANS!

Wyre Forest Liberals have posted 5,000 consultation leaflets on their District Council Tax proposals for 2007-2008.

"The four page A4 leaflets have been sent to local businesses, community organisations, doctors, churches, school staff rooms, pubs, clubs and a many other local organisations and groups" Liberal Group Leader Cllr Mike Oborski said today.

The main thrust of the Liberal Budget Proposals is that "by better use of Council finances and resources and a bill of just 4p per week more in total than the Tory administration is proposing the Council could actually tackle important key issues of public concern which the Tory Budget currently totally ignores:-

- re-introducing weekly "wheelie bin" collection over June, July and August to eliminate problems with maggots and smells;

- provision of decent Public Toilets in Kidderminster Town Centre;

- doubling the value of Concessionary Travel Tokens for the very elderly;

- cheaper car parking where it can really help traders and the public;

- separate dog walking faciliies in parks and open spaces;

- shared working to reduce council costs."

Cllr Oborski said "We feel that we've really hit on an excellent value for money package to improve services. We want the widest possible consultation on our proposals before the Council debate on Council Taxes for the coming year."

Copies of the consultation leaflet can be obtained from Cllr Mike Oborski on (01562) 823911. The full text of Liberal Budget proposals can also be found on their web site at www.liberals4us.org.uk

POLICE ADVICE...

Pick on the pdf format police advice on...

SAT NABBED here!

DISTRACTION BURGLARY here!

CARAVAN THEFT here!

HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL DAY IN WYRE FOREST...

National Holocaust Memorial Day in Wyre Forest will be marked by a Memorial Service at the Wyre Forest Holocaust Memorial outside Kidderminster's Parish Church of St Mary & All Saints at mid-day on Sunday 28th January.

Local Ministers of all denominations will be taking part in the service.

Wyre Forest Holocaust Memorial Committee Chairman and Polish Consul for the West Midlands, Cllr Mike Oborski said today "It is absolutely essential that we remember those events of just over 60 years ago. We have to remember because it is only by remembering that we can stop this, or something like it, from happening again".

"It is also equally important that we pass the message onto younger generations so that they too understand the overhelmimg need to prevent any recurrance of that sort of activity anywhere in the modern world."

All members of the public are welcome to attend and are invited to bring a single flower to lay at the Memorial.

LIBERAL LEADER CLLR MIKE OBORSKI

LAUNCHES WYRE FOREST DISTRICT

COUNCIL BUDGET PROPOSALS...

Wyre Forest Liberal Councillors say that for just 4p extra a week over Tory

proposals they “can tackle all the big local issues which the

proposed Tory administration Budget simply ignores…

- Tackling maggots and smells from “wheelie bins” over the Summer;

- Providing decent public toilets in Kidderminster Town Centre;

- Doubling the value of Concessionary Travel Tokens for the very elderly;

- Cheaper car parking where it can really help traders and the public;

- Separate Dog Walking facilities in Parks and Open Spaces;

- Shared Working to reduce Council running costs, and more!”

Launching the proposed Liberal Council Budget today Liberal Group Leader Cllr Mike Oborski said today “It isn’t rocket science it is simply a case of making better uses of Council Finances and Resources”.

“Unfortunately the Tory Group on the District Council  couldn’t recognise one end of a sparkler from another let alone spot a rocket if they saw one! Their Budget proposals simply lack any sort of vision or imagination and fail to deliver the best uses of finance and resources!”

Key Liberal Budget proposals include:-

SOLVING ALL THOSE SUMMER “WHEELIE BIN” PROBLEMS AT A STROKE…

£156,000 to provide WEEKLY “Wheelie Bin” collection from 4^th June to 31^st August 2007 – the hottest part of the Summer – to solve the maggots, rotten nappies, smells and other problems! This can be achieved by starting collections earlier, use of larger vehicles and using overtime (the unions are interested in negotiations!).

We can re-evaluate the situation in October with a view to the scheme becoming permanent for every June, July, August.

DOUBLE THE VALUE OF CONCESSIONARY TAXI TOKENS FOR THE ELDERLY…

DOUBLE the value of Concessionary Taxi Tokens for over 80s – who cannot make use of Bus passes – from £25 to £50 a year! There are only about 600 people involved and it would only cost the Council £12,000 a year while really helping elderly residents! The mean hearted Tories ONLY wanted to put the value up £5 a year and that is simply NOT good enough!

TACKLING THAT TOWN CENTRE PUBLIC TOILETS ISSUE…

£2,500 for a study by a “top ranking” District Council to sort out what we REALLY need to do to improve and run decent Public Toilets!

Provide £300,000 Capital (NOT Council Tax) to fund new Public Toilets in Kidderminster Town Centre.

ACTION ON LOCAL CAR PARKING…

Introduce first hour free car parking on the Comberton Place Car Park and on Stourport’s Vale Road Car Park when it becomes a “chargeable” Car Park.

Change Council Policy to KEEP the Horsefair Car Park free. There is effectively NO on-street parking in the area!

ACTION TO PROVIDE SAFE DOG WALKING FACILITIES…

Introduce a £25,400 a year – maximum – rolling programme of one secure dog walking area in each of the Council’s ten major parks and open spaces.

We have had some sickening attacks and incidents involving dogs BUT the majority of dog owners are excellent caring dog lovers who need safe space too walk their canine friends. This proposal helps everyone!

SAVINGS ON NEW OFFICER APPOINTMENTS…

SAVE £50,000 on a NEW Chief Officer by deferring restructuring of Commercial & Leisure Services until the Council has fully considered PARTNERSHIP WORKING with Wyre Forest Community Housing on Property and Valuation, grounds maintenance including grass cutting, trees, parks, planting of flowers and building maintenance.

We also want to look closely at working with other Districts who “do it better” particularly on things like providing and maintaining public toilets! The aim is BIG long term savings and BIG improvements in services!

REDUCING THE COST OF GOVERNMENT IMPOSED APPOINTMENTS…

We have NO CHOICE – under Government pressure – but to reluctantly “support” three new appointments – Corporate Procurement Officer, Performance Management Officer and Corporate Risk Officer.

BUT unlike the Tories – we insist that these are initially on two year fixed term appointments. This could lead to potential savings of £120,000 in 2009-10.

Clearly there are “good parts” in any Budget. We are NOT in the business of opposing Tory Budgets just for the sake of it. That would be foolish and child-like. So there are certain proposals which we will SUPPORT in the Tory Budget because we AGREE with them and have supported the proposals through out the whole Budget Process.

So here are the parts of the Tory Budget which we will happily support…

IMPROVING STREET CLEANING

£35,000 for extra street cleaning! “We really need it!”

SAVINGS ON RUNNING BUILDINGS

£16,000 immediate savings on Council building costs because of the decision to move to a “Single Site” Office H.Q..” “Desperately needed savings.”

KEEP NEIGHBOURHOOD WARDENS

Let the Housing Company retain £60,000 a year for 5 years from the sale of former Council Houses in order to retain and fund Neighbourhood Wardens - ”so reducing the Council contribution!”

FLOWERS IN TOWN CENTRE

£14,450 for Flower Towers and Hanging Baskets in Kidderminster Town Centre. Local businesses are being asked to contribute. “The aim is to brighten up the Town Centre making it more attractive for shoppers and visitors.”

BACKING NEW CEMETERY

£40,000 for architect and engineer consultancy fees for a new CEMETERY on Stourport Road. “The old cemetery is nearly full. We have to have a new one!”

BEWDLEY MUSEUM

£96,000 in 2008-09 matched funding (20% of £500.00 Heritage Lottery Grants) on Capital work and improving displays at Bewdley Museum. “We’d be fools not to take it!”

‘STOURPORT PRIDE’

One off £25,000 payment to part fund ‘Stourport Pride’ improvements. “Excellent scheme!”

IMPOVING HOUSE LETTING CHOICE

£20,000 to support new “choice based” housing lettings scheme for Wyre Forest. “This will give tenants much more say in where they live.”

WATER FOR ALLOTMENTS

£8,000 for water supplies for allotments—something Liberal Cllr Fran Oborski and Chester Road North Allotment holders have been pushing for! “What use are allotments without water?!”

EXTRA SAVINGS

Use £50,000 savings from 2006-07 on vehicle provision to increase Council Reserves. “Useful savings.”

SAVING ON ADVERTISING

Saving of £15,000 on streamlining of Council’s advertising of basic posts. “Long overdue!”

SUPPORTING FORESTRY COMMISSION

£15,000 for each of next 3 years to support Partnership funding for the Forestry Commission Strategy for Wyre Forest. “Brings in more cash so we would be fools not to support it!”

SUPPORTING ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH

£21,700 Technical Support for Food, Health and Safety Section of Environmental Health. “Much needed funding and support!”

SORTING OUT COUNCIL COMPUTER SET UP

£25,000 from Capital Programme (NOT Council Tax) to report on Council Computer and IT requirements. “We definitely need to sort out mess!”

ROUTINE CHARGES

“Support routine increases for charges for Council Services.”

Cllr Oborski went on to say “Clearly there are things in the Tory Budget which we certainly cannot support:-

- £115,000 a year on 4 new posts who will simply be expensive “box tickers” for Central Government producing no improvement in public services whatsoever WITHOUT TIME LIMITING ON THE INITIAL APPOINTMENTS.

- A new Chief Officer at a minimum of £50,000 a year;

- Failure to tackle key issues which we ARE tacklng.

Cllr Oborski added “The Tory package represents a 2.5% increase. The Liberal proposal represents a 3.6% increase – which means paying just under 4 pence a week on a Bad “D” Council Tax Property”.

TOTALLY POINTLESS COUNTY COUNCIL MEETING ON THURSDAY!

County Council was it useless pointless self yesterday! As back bench Councillors are not allowed anywhere near a decision there are just endless talk sessions sady mislabelled as "debates" but with no votes or decision taking - that's all reserved for the tiny Tory Cabinet.

In my dictionary "debate" comes between "debase" and "debauchery". Well, the former suitably fits. Perhaps we could do with the latter as well!

The sameCollins Dictionary accurately defines a "debate" as "the formal presentation and opposition of a specific motion followed by a vote". Those were the days!

THAT CHRISTMAS TREE!

Remember that happy Christmas story - how the wicked District Council banned the huge Christmas Tree from the Town Hall because of 'health and safety' issues?!

Well, now a little bird tells us that there was a much simpler explanation. Someone forgot to order the tree!

Confirmations and / or denials please!

YET MORE SCHOOL LEAGUE TABLES! THIS TIME GCSE!

As we have so often said before we do not like “League Tables” but, for what they are worth, here is the latest GCSE results League Table!

The Government have changed the rule. Now the number of 5 or more passes at Grades A* - C has to include English and Maths.

Our first figure - in brackets – shows the percentage scored by that school in terms of 5 or more A* - C passed in any subjects. The second figure shows the figure for 5 or more passes at A* - C INCLUDING both English and Maths.

Bewdley High School (64%) 42%

Stourport High School (56%) 41%

King Charles I High School (54%) 35%

Wolverley High Shool (51%) 31%

Baxter College (41%) 21%

By contrast:-

Haybridge (89%) 74%

Hagley RC School (73%) 61%

This years figure for 5 or more A* - Cs INCLUDING Maths and English for Madinatul Uloom Al Islamiya School, Kidderminster is 35%.

Bewdley comes 9 out of 22 County Schools, Madinatul Uloom Al Islamiya School 10, Stourport 11, King Charles 15, Wolverley 17,Baxter 20.

What is worrying is the comparison with schools in let’s say Birmingham with very mixed catchment areas all with very youngsters from very deprived areas and / or many youngsters for whom English is not their first language – indeed many of these schools may have over a dozen different mother tongues:-

HamsteadHall (80%) 67%, Hall Green (66%) 57%, Colmers Farm Secondary (62%) 47%, Bartley Green (73%) 42%, Holyhead (65%) 41%, Bordesley Green Girls (65%) 39%, George Dixon Internationa