THE FAULKNER JOURNAL

CHRISTMAS CONCERT AT ELSTOW ABBEY

2009-11-27T09:20:00.001-08:00

On Monday 30 November the Friends of Elstow Abbey are organising a Christmas Concert. Our main performers will be the famous Luton Male Voice Choir, who sang so beautifully in Elstow Abbey earlier this year.

To launch the concert we have a joint Choir of 50 children from Elstow Lower School and Abbey Middle School singing for 30 minutes. Everyone is welcome and tickets are only £7.50 (£5 for pensioners) and children are free. Come along and enjoy some splendid music and start the Christmas celebrations early.

I am Chairman of the Friends of Elstow Abbey and we have raised £42,000 in 14 years to refurbish and restore our lovely Abbey Church, founded as a Benedictine Nunnery in 1078 by Countess Judith, neice of William the Conqueror. Last year we paid for the organ to be repaired - costing over £2,000.

BACK IN THE BLOGOSPHERE!

2009-11-27T08:49:00.000-08:00

Parvez Akhtar and Nicky Attenborough

Hi folks I am back after a few weeks away. I have been repairing my damaged leg with physiotherapy, hydrotherapy and sports therapy. I still limp but am much more mobile than I was a few weeks ago, wearing the big black boot.

Now that I am not a Councillor, I thougt I would not be missed, but I was wrong and have received some reader comments. Sadly, the Conservatives lost the Bedford Mayoral election, due to the disloyalty of Nicky Attenborough, who briefed the press against Parvez Akhtar after he won the Open Primary. Liberal Democrats gleefully used all her comments in their election literature, and the result is that we now have a rather dull Liberal Democrat Mayor in charge of Bedford.

The photos say it all - old Conservative v. new Conservative. Parvez Akhtar is an exceptional young man - a well educated, charming senior design engineer at the Ford Motor Company. He grew up in Bedford and his 5 children attend Bedford schools. We did not have enough time to introduce Parvez to all our rural supporters and Nicky Attenborough sabotaged him, because she refused to accept her defeat gracefully.

Nicky deserved to be suspended by the Conservative Party and was lucky not to be expelled. She was a poor Conservative Group Leader who drove several Conservatives out of the Group. She slavishly followed Frank Branston's Independent agenda, instead of a Conservative agenda for years, especially as Deputy Mayor.

Thank you to Tony Williamson of Texas, USA, for his kind comments about Bedford. It is a lovely town, especially along the Embankment, and I am especially proud of Elstow village, where I live.

VOTE PARVEZ AKHTAR FOR BEDFORD'S MAYOR!

2009-10-12T13:31:00.000-07:00

PARVEZ AKHTAR - THE CONSERVATIVE MAYORAL CANDIDATE

Our Conservative campaign to elect Parvez Akhtar as the Mayor of Bedford is proving successful. Parvez outshone the other 5 candidates on the Sunday BBC Politics Show and at the Wootton Upper School Debate last Thursday evening. David Cameron, Leader of the Conservative Party, came to Bedford today to support Parvez' campaingn and Eric Pickles, Party Chairman is coming here tomorrow.

Parvez is a highly intelligent and well educated senior Ford Engineer. He is one of "Thatcher's children" whose father came to England to work in the Stewartby Brickworks. Parvex is a living example of social mobility, fostered by Margaret Thatcher in the 1980's, which has almost disappeared over the last 12 years under an incompetent and spendthrift Labour Government.

Parve is a modest, unassuming family man with a gentle charm and polite manner. He cares deeply about Bedford and its people and will be an excellent Mayor. As a father of 5 children, all at Bedford schools, he is passionate about education as the key to future success in life. It is time we had a fresh pair of eyes and brain leading Bedford Borough, instead of the same old politicians who have run Bedford Borough Council for 20 years and failed to solve our major transport, infrastructure, policing and employment problems.

I fully support Parvez' campaign and have worked hard over the past 10 days organising the delivery of 7,200 leaflets to the villages of Elstow and Wilstead. Election Day is in just 3 days' time........

Vote for Parvez Akhtar on Thursday for strong leadership and a vibrant Bedford Borough in which we can all be proud to live.

PARVEZ AKHTAR - THE NEXT MAYOR OF BEDFORD

2009-09-25T11:12:00.000-07:00

Parvez Akhtar, Chairman of Queens Park Urban Community Council was chosen to be our Conservative Mayoral candate by a large majority at a packed Open Primary meeting in Bedford last week, attended by over 400 local residents of all political colours. Parvez is now campaigning actively across the whole of Bedford Borough.

Today I took Parvez to a MacMillan Cancer Support Coffee Morning hosted by a keen Conservative, Pat Johnson, at her Wilstead home. We also met a group of young trainee Police Officers who were enjoying meeting local Wilstead residents.

I am delighted to support Parvez Akhtar, as he will bring a new kind of politics to Bedford, similar to the changes brought by Barack Obama in the USA. Like Obama, Parvez is a highly intelligent, thoughtful family man with high moral principles.

Parvez cares deeply about multicultural Bedford Borough and its diverse communities in the urban and rural areas. He has pledged to represent all the 153,000 residents of Bedford Borough, including the often forgotten 43 rural parishes. Parvez is also
firmly committed to getting better value for council taxpayers, cutting costs and improving efficiency, while actively listening to the views of the local community.

Bedford Borough needs a Mayor who will raise the profile of Bedford Borough nationally and revitalise the community and Parvez Akhtar will be an excellent Mayor.

CONGRATULATIONS TO WORLD CHAMPION JESSICA

2009-08-18T13:09:00.001-07:00

JESSICA ENNIS WINS GOLD

Jessica Ennis, 23, has just become the 2009 World Heptathlon Champion in Berlin, only the 6th British woman ever to win a World Championship Gold. In 2008 Jessica was unable to compete in the Beijing Olympics due to multiple stress fractures in her rightfoot and ankle, and she had to learn to use her left foot for the Long Jump.

Today Sheffield born psychology graduate Jessica is a shining example of someone who has overcome adversity in just 12 months to become a World Champion. Her parents, Jamaican born Vinnie Ennis and Alison Powell lost a fortune in 2008 after booking booked flights and accommodation for the Beijing Olympics before Jessica had to pull out. They are understandably delighted with their daughter's success this time.

Congratulations to Jessica on her fantastic achievement. She is now tipped to be the BBC Sports Personality of the Year. It brings back memories of the sensational successes of British athletes in the Beijing Olympics and Paralympics, and augurs well for London 2012. Britain can hold its head up again in world sport.

ACHILLES TENDON UPDATE

2009-08-18T11:29:00.000-07:00

CAM BOOT

This is Boot I have been wearing for 7 weeks on my right leg to help repair the ruptured Achilles Tendon (see the diagram on the right) which I damaged at the end of my doomed June Election Campaign.

Initially diagnosed as a strain, an ultra sound scan after 4 weeks showed a rupture. My orthopaedic consultant decided not to operate but told me to wear the Boot for 8 weeks. Five weeks later I saw him again - for all of 6 minutes! - and extended the period to 11 weeks. I have to wear the Boot all day and am banned from driving, so I am largely confined to the house.

I have managed to get out quite often, thanks to family and friends and have been away twice - to visit friends in Norway and to the Isle of Wight with the granddaughters. My four walls became quite claustrophobic and besides I am a 'traveloholic' having visited or lived in 80 countries across 5 continents.

Temporary immobility concentrates the mind and has made me value my freedom and my car, living on an estate of 470 houses with no bus service. I remain cheerful and am grateful to still have 2 legs. My daughter's mother in law had a leg amputated in 2007 after a stroke due to an infection acquired in Hemel Hempstead Hospital. She is now permanently wheelchair bound so who am I to complain?

Also I am still alive! I have been to 2 funerals recently - Councillor Dave Lewis and my friend Sam Clark, Chairman of Elstow Parish Council and local farmer. Other Bedford Borough Council colleagues have died, including the Mayor of Bedford 11 days ago, Bob Elford and and Mohammed Khan. At present we hear nightly of our brave
young soldiers dying and being blown up by the Taleban bombs in Afghanistan - 204 so far - some of them barely 18 years old. What a tragedy for their grieving families.

Today I took a taxi to Bedford to sit on a 3-day DDA (Disability Discrimination) Employment Tribunal and the young Claimant has been disabled all her life. In 2006/7 I had 3 operations in one year in Bedford Hospital and Addenbrookes in Cambridge, where I met patients who had spent all their lives in and out of hospitals

Life is good - I may no longer be a Councillor but I have a wonderful family and friends, my health (apart from the injured leg!) religious and political freedom, a nice home, possessions and food on the table - benefits not enjoyed by millions of people across the world.

A FAMILY SEASIDE HOLIDAY ON THE ISLE OF WIGHT

2009-08-17T03:30:00.000-07:00

SANDOWN BEACH, ISLE OF WIGHT

Last week I took my two granddaughters, Emma, 7 and Jessica, 6 on a traditional seaside holiday with a church group from Elstow Abbey. We lived on Sandown's sandy beach, paddling, building sandcastles, eating icecreams and getting sand everywhere! We stayed at The Carlton, a traditional seaside hotel - dinner at 6pm and lots of pensioners in residence - but the staff were helpful and friendly.

I grew up in Southsea, Portsmouth,and the Isle of Wight was our favourite family holiday destination - all England in miniature with wonderful sandy beaches, yachts, castles, and lots of interesting places to visit in a small geographical area.

One day we visited Carisbrooke Castle and watched a donkey walking on the wheel connnected to an old well. The children ran round the castle walls with my daughter Helen who joined us for the last 2 days with Oliver, aged 4. I allowed the children one gift from the souvenir shop, so predictably the girls chose a donkey while Oliver chose a toy axe - boys will be boys! We also visited the Godshill Model Village, but car parking was tricky and walking 3 young children along a main road (no pavements) dodging heavy traffic was a nightmare.

Today most families prefer to take their children overseas for more exotic holidays, although the economic recession has created a new breed of "staycationers". My own belief is that most young children are happier sitting on any sandy beach with a bucket and spade. It does not matter if the weather is windy or cool and is safer in England as they do not get fair skins sunburnt as easily as in hotter countries.

At least if it rains there are always lots of indoor activites. There is nothing worse than being stuck overseas in wet and windy weather, with nothing else to do - that has happened to be in Greece, Florida and Majorca. My children loved our holidays 25 years ago in Bridlington, Yorkshire, staying with Grannie and spent many happy hours on a shingle beach, bundled up in anoraks against the East winds. We even had one rare sunny Easter weekend in Great Yarmouth on a deserted 5 mile sandy beach.

Every cloud has a silver lining, and the economic recession has given a new lease of life top the British seaside resort as more families rediscover the pleasures of an English holiday, avoiding the traumas of dragging their children half way across the world and spending hours waiting for delayed planes at crowded airports.

Money cannot buy happiness and many British children are now rediscovering the simple pleasures of sandy beaches, walking, climbing and simple creative outdoor play.

HISTORIC VICTORY FOR CHLOE SMITH IN NORWICH

2009-07-24T06:59:00.000-07:00

Chloe Smith, the new MP for Norwich North

Many congratulations to Chloe Smith, aged just 27, who has been elected the country's youngest MP in Norwich North in an historic by-election after the resignation of a Labour MP. Chloe's majority was an amazing 7,348 and she polled more than twice the votes of her Labour opponent in a formerly safe Labour seat.

The swing from Labour to Conservative was 16.5% on a turnout of 45%, and would translate into a majority of 100 for the Conservatives in a General Election. The tide is turning strongly away from Gordon Brown and his incompetent Labour Government towards the Conservatives.

Chloe is the youngest ever Conservative MP, winning only the 2nd successful by-election in 30 years against the Labour Party. She is one of a new breed of young Conservative MPs with strong business experience, energy and enthusiasm and a more honest, open and ethical attitude towards the role of a Westminster MP.

In her acceptance speech Chloe Smith paid tribute to the previous popular Labour MP Ian Gibson, who resigned after being subjected to a 'kangaroo court' by the Labour Party over his expenses. Chloe said that she hoped to serve the people of Norwich with the same "honesty and conviction" as Dr Gibson, and wished her Labour opponent who is suffering from swine flu a speedy recovery.

NORWICH NORTH BY ELECTION

2009-07-23T12:58:00.001-07:00

Chloe Smith

Sorry for the long silence folks, but I have been nursing my ruptured Achilles Tendon at home for 3 weeks, and also I could not access my own Blog for 2 weeks for various technical reasons. I am something of a technophobe with computers!

Today is the Norwich North By Election which we Conservatives hope will be won by Chloe Smith, Norfolk born and bred, who has nursed the seat for the last 18 months. Unfortunately I could not help with her campaign, as I am barely able to walk, but my Luton friends have been up there, and this week there are armies of MPs helping the campaign. These have included Nadine Dorries my local MP who could not find the time to help me in May with my hard and unsuccessful 6 week lone election campaign in June, which left me with this serious leg injury.

The other photo above shows the Wallia Boot I have to wear all day for 8 weeks.
I am banned from driving for 8 weeks, and it may be longer, so I have to rely on taxis and lifts from kind friends as there is no bus on my 470 house estate.
Fortunately I have managed to get out of the house most days and rarely askt eh same person twice for a lift or help with shopping.

I plan to use the train to go to Bournemouth in September, and will be flying to Norway next week to visit some friends in Stavanger.

ACHILLES TENDON RUPTURE

2009-07-02T10:05:00.001-07:00

Achilles Tendon

Hi folks! Well nearly 5 weeks after I injured my Achilles Tendon during the Unitary Election camapaign, a scan revealed that in fact the Tendon is ruptured. Today I was fitted with a black Wallia boot on my right leg, similar to the one above, in the Bedford Hospital Fracture Clinic and now have to wear this for 8 weeks to help the Achilles Tendon to repair itself. Also I have to do isometric calf exercises.

Apparently it is usually non active middled aged men who rupture their Achilles tendons while playing sports with their kids, so I am just the exception as usual!

The Orthopaedic Consultant does not want to do surgery, as I am a mature woman and my tendon is apparently "squishy" and would be difficult to repair surgically without shortening the tendon. I am not allowed to drive or move about too much, so it looks as if I will have to do a lot of reading. At least I can still get up and down stairs, but I will have to rely on friends and relatives to shop for me.

Unfortunately, this injury is not helping me to bounce back from my Election defeat, but I am trying to be positive - after all I still have two legs. It is such a relief to find out what is wrong with my leg and to start the healing process.

In order to speed up the diagnosis I paid for a private scan, but everything else has been done on the good old NHS. You have to battle over some of the waiting periods - 6 week wait for physio, 6 week waits for scans etc. but when you do get the appointment, the standard of medical expertise is second to none.

Will let you know how I get on.

DAVID CAMERON VISITS LUTON

2009-06-29T14:49:00.000-07:00

David Cameron, Leader of the Conservative Party, visited Luton today soon after making a brilliant speech attacking Gordon Brown's Policy Relaunch "without a price tag" as there will be no Government spending review before the next Election. Cameron lambasted the Prime Minster for his Policy's "lack of honesty on spending" and lack of real reform of our public services".

Today he British-North American Committee, a group of academics and businessmen, published a paper stating that the true cost of pensions for all public sector workers is £1.2 trillion, equal to 85% of Britain's GDP (Gross Domestic Product) ie £20,000 for every man, woman and child in Britain for only 25% of the population. Gordon Brown lives in cloud cuckoo land and expects us to believe that the Government can carry on borrowing and spending vast amounts of public money without it having any effect on the British public. He seems to think that the electorate are stupid, which we are not. As Ken Clarke, Shadow Business Secretary said today:
"Britain has a dying Government, past its sell-by date and needing to be replaced"

Cameron rightly attacked Gordon Brown for his proposals which were 'rehashed' or amounted to "timid and bureacratic top-down tinkering" rather than real reform and stressed: "The truth about today's statement is it only serves to highlight the decline of this Government. Their money has run out. Their political capital has run out. And now their time is running out".Later David addressed a group of 80 Conservatives in Luton from across Bedfordshire, answering several questions clearly and honestly. He then went on to address members of the general public at one of his popular Cameron Direct meetings in Luton.

This was my first meeting with David Cameron and I find him an inspirational leader and an open, honest and empathetic speaker. David will be an excellent Prime Minister in 2011 when Gordon Brown is finally forced to call a General Election and loses.

2- TIER OR 3- TIER EDUCATION IN BEDFORD?

2009-06-28T13:50:00.000-07:00

Elstow Lower School celebrate Ofsted success

Anne McCormick

At long last BOS has balanced the argument on the 2-tier or 3-tier education debate with an excellent, well argued letter from Anne McCormick, Head of Queen's Park Lower School and Vice Chair of the Bedford Learning Community, supported by all the Bedford Lower School and Nursery School Heads and one Middle School Head.

For too long the Primary Education voice in Bedford has been drowned out in the media by emotional, expensive and misleading propaganda from some Middle School Heads - funded by whom? - school parents or the school budgets? Why did their advertisements include Middle Schools in Central Bedfordshire, which are unaffected by the Bedford Borough proposals? Also why were 2 Bedford Middle School logos used without the permission of the Head Teachers?

The Bedford Borough Lower Schools provide a fantastic education - 80% are Outstanding or Good, including Outstanding schools in areas of social deprivation, like Queens Park Lower, Cauldwell Lower and Elstow Lower - rated Outstanding twice! Their Key Stage 1 results are excellent, but children under perform at Key Stage 2 in Middle Schools, who must bear some responsibility for pupils not achieving their full potential at GCSE. Some Bedford Middle Schools are good and two are Outstanding, but their overall performance is well below that Lower Schools.

Most UK local authorities now operate a 2-tier system, which provided an excellent state education for me and my children, all university graduates, and for two of my grandchildren who are at Primary Schools in Staffordshire and Hertfordshire.

My knowledge is also based on experience as a governor of 6 schools in Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire, one of the best education authorities in the UK, which has always provided 2-tier education.

In 2006 I was a Bedfordshire County Councillor when the Council wanted to move to
2-tier education but failed due to flawed public consultation, lack of capital finance for new schools and strong opposition from Mid and South Bedfordshire.

In 2009 we have a golden opportunity to get it right and create a good 2-tier education system over a 4/5 year period with £340m.government funding. Elstow Lower School is already working closely with Abbey Middle School to improve school transition and will soon be opening a Pre School - another step towards providing a more integrated 0-19 education system.

It is time to make the decision and move into the 21st Century. The new Bedford Borough Primary Schools will improve Key Stage 2 results and provide the first class education to which our children are entitled.

NORMANDY D DAY INVASION 65TH ANNIVERSARY

2009-06-07T07:47:00.000-07:00

President Barack Obama & Prince Charles at the D Day Ceremony

Normandy D Day Invasion 65th Anniversary events in Portsmouth and Normandy, France

Today marks the first day of my new life after nearly 20 years public service as a Councillor in Bedfordshire and North Hertfordshire.

This morning I went to Elstow Abbey Church, read the Epistle and the Gospel and listened to the beautiful singing of the Amity Singers from Jersey. They are part of the Bedford-Jersey Arts Festival, celebrating a 60 year link between Bedford and Jersey children who were evacuated to Bedford during the Second World War.

Yesterday marked the 65th Anniversary of the Normandy D Day Invasion by the British, American and Canadian fleets, which led to the Allies winning and ending the Second World War in 1945. Ceremonies were attended by the Heads of State of France, USA and Canada, plus Prince Charles and Gordon Brown, British Prime Minister. The Queen should have been invited but was not due to errors by both the French and British Governments, and Prince Charles was only invited at the last minute after protests.

Britain was Germany's chief opponent at the beginning of the War, and thousands of Britons died during the Normandy Invasion to save France from the Nazis. This was a gross discourtesy and yet another example of the incompetence of Gordon Brown and his tired Labour Government. It 's time for a General Election and change!

President Sarkozy. the French President is only interested in hitching his waning star to the glamorous President Obama, the most poopular world leader, which is perhaps unsurprising as he hopes that some of the stardust will rub off on him.

My late father was decorated by the French Government with the Croix de Guerre for his role in the 1944 Normandy Invasion. He was a navigator in HMS Frobisher, the leading frigate in the British fleet, one of the first ships to arrive in Normandy.

The photographs above are a sample of the various events taking place in Portsmouth, where I grew up as the child of a naval family, and Normandy, including the beach at Arromanches. All the remaining veterans are in their 80's and 90's and very frail.

UNITARY ELECTION RESULT

2009-06-06T08:40:00.001-07:00

Andrew Philips travels on horseback to vote in Wilstead

Well it is all over! I lost my seat after 7 years as a Bedford Councillor in spite of strong support from voters in Elstow and Wilstead - thank you to all those who voted for me and especially to my small dedicated band of campaign helpers.

I had a very tough election campaign against a well known Independent candidate, born and bred in Wilstead, who resigned from the Conservative Party in April. My vote was only 70 less than in 2007 but I lost by 153 votes, because 100 Conservative
supporters switched due to their anger over the MP expenses scandal and I was the victim of a 'dirty tricks' campaign just before Election Day from the Independent Councillor I defeated in 2005 and 2007.

No one can say I did not try hard enough - after knocking on 2,000 doors and distributing 10000 leaflets and letters, which led to the damage to my leg which will take some time to heal. At present I am having to use a walking stick and I could not possibly issue a rebuttal in time to the potentially libellous letter.

One Conservative voter, Andrew Philips, travelled to Wilstead Village on horseback to vote as a protest over his situation. His farmhouse is in Haynes, Central Beds and is accessed from Haynes High Street, but his farmland is in Wilstead, Bedford Borough Council. After the Unitary reorganisation, Andrew and his family were put on the Bedford Borough Council electoral roll. Andrew is Chairman of Haynes Parish Council and his house can only be accessed from Haynes, so naturally he wants the boundaries changed so that he can vote in Central Bedfordshire. I have supported Andrew's campaign for several months but the Boundaries Commission will not be able to resolve the anomaly until 2010, when the Ward Boundaries are reviewed.

TWO DAYS TO GO.......

2009-06-02T10:22:00.001-07:00

I am still smiling although I can hardly walk after straining the Achilles tendon in my right leg on Sunday while delivering 300 letters to voters. Panic set in as my leg swelled up and I wondered how to continue my election campaign and deliver another 800 letters.

By Monday morning my fighting spirit had returned and I persuaded 5 friends to deliver most of the letters for me. Fortunately I can still drive as my right foot is unaffected; only the ankle and calf hurt. My leg is in a tubular support bandage and my doctor says it will take a long time to heal and there is a 6 week waiting list for physiotherapy - the joys of the NHS! In July 2004 I sustained a similar injury to my left leg which took nearly 12 months to heal completely.

Over the past five weeks, I have knocked on 2,000 doors and delivered thousands of leaflets in Elstow and Wisltead, and two other areas - Oakley and Castle Wards to help out fellow Councillors. Thank goodness it will all be over on Thursday.

LAST WEEK OF ELECTION CAMPAIGN

2009-05-31T02:01:00.000-07:00

CANVASSING TEAM IN CASTLE WARD

Yesterday I took 2 hours off my own Election Campaign to help my fellow Conservative Councillor Andrew McConnell and David Fletcher campaign against two Independent Councillors in Castle Ward in the centre of Bedford. Most people were surprisingly friendly on the doorstep on a lovely sunny afternoon.

In the present political climate it is hard to fight Independent candidates, as I am also doing, because the electorate are angry with the 3 main political parties. However, Nigel Farage, UKIP Leader, has just boasted that he has claimed £2 million in expenses since he was elected as an MEP. UKIP have achieved nothing since 2004, apart from expelling 2 MEPs including Tom Wise for alleged expenses fraud. As for their 2004 claim that UKIP would take Britian out of Europe - a small group of UKIP MEPs is no match for the other 700+ MEPs committed to the European Union.

Tom Wise, a former police officer and Leighton Buzzard resident, had the audacity to try to stand again this year as an Independent MEP candidate until he was advised that he had to face fraud charges in court in mid June for misappropriating £40,000 of expenses! Let's hope he receive a jail sentence and drops out of public life.

As for my own election campaign I have now knocked 2,100 doors, mainly on my own, and delivered 9,000 leaflets and letters, with another 1,000 to go out this week. Most of the hard work has been done by me, with a tiny band of helpers. I would love to see Esther Rantzen, David Van Day and other TV celebrities tempted to enter politics deal with all the walking and door knocking in blazing sunshine that I and thousands of other election candidates have done for several weeks in this Election Campaign, dealing with a lot of public hostility about MP expenses.

Last weekend I voted by post, as I have done for many years due to past business commitments. Be prepared for a long yellow sheet of paper listing 14 different parties and dozens of candidates. Voters will be confused by all the new fringe parties this time - Liberata, Jury Team, UK Democracy, Christian Party etc.

If you want to get rid of the worst Prime Minister in living history, just vote Conservative and forget all the others!

SUCCESS FOR MY WILSTEAD BUS CAMPAIGN

2009-05-28T14:31:00.000-07:00

After a long campaign I have persuaded Bedford Borough Council to improve the Wilstead - Ampthill bus service so that Wilstead residents can travel to and from their doctor's surgery in Ampthill, with a long wait for a return bus. With no mid day Ampthill-Wilstead bus people were stranded people in Ampthill for hours.

Bedford Borough Council has agreed to give a special grant to Grant Palmer to run 3 more daily buses so that my Wilstead residents can travel to and from the surgery in half a day. The new bus service started on Tuesday 26 May on a 3-month trial basis. I announced the good news today at Wilstead Methodist Church's weekly coffee morning to a group of pensioners who were very pleased with the success of my long and determined campaign.

Urban residents enjoy better bus services and amenities than village residents. We have a high percentage of elderly residents in Wilstead, many without cars who suffer from mobility problems, so it is very important that they can have good access to their chosen doctor and many have doctors in Ampthill.

I am taking 24 hours off from my election campaign to spend with my 4 grandchildren Today I helped my daughter Sarah organise a cooking party in her Watford garden to celebrate Emma's 7th birthday. We made pizza, biscuits, 'chocolate aliens' and a fancy cocktail with 10 little girls who had a great time. Tomorrow I am meeting Sarah and my younger daughter Helen with all 4 grandchildren - Emma, Jessica, Oliver and Thomas - at Gulliver's Land in Milton Keynes. I worked throughout the Bank Holiday weekend, so it will make a nice change to have a family day and escape canvassing for a day.

DAVID VAN DAY'S AMBITION TO BE AN MP

2009-05-26T04:57:00.001-07:00

So David Van Day fancies himself as an MP and two of my readers think it is a good idea, although one says he "is not whiter than white" - great credentials for an anti sleaze candidate! Another one thinks David would make a good MP.

On checking a few websites I discover that David is a C List celebrity who was a contestant in "I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!" David was born plain David Day in 1957, is a failed actor and singer married to a Page 3 model, once ran a burger bar and has recently had a facelift. In 2007 he tried and failed to reinvent himself as a local politician in Brighton. During his election campaign David made an offensive remark about gay men, reported in the local press and as a result he came bottom of the poll in the election.

According to press reports, David spent £100,000 on cocaine in his pop star era, cheated on his girlfriend Tereza Bazar, and dumped his journalist girlfriend on live TV earlier this year. Just the sort of person we do not need in Mid Bedfordshire!!

If David attempted to stand for election as an MP, especially on an anti sleaze ticket the national media would crawl all over his past and make his life a misery. If David chooses to stand against Nadine Dorries in Mid Bedfordshire, he must first do lots of research (he knows nothing about this area) and even more walking as it is a very rural constituency.

Any prospective MP or local councillor needs a few more skills than just self promotion, singing and jungle experience! In the past 3 weeks, I have knocked on 2,000 doors, coped with lots of personal abuse about MP expenses, and written and delivered thousands of leaflets. During 20 years of experience as a Councillor on 4 different Councils, I have dealt with hundreds of personal resident problems, campaigned energetically on all sorts of issues, sat through endless committee meetings and read huge volumes of local government documents, to say nothing of coping with a hostile local press and sometimes aggressive constituents.

May I suggest that any TV "celebrity" tempted to stand as an MP first undertakes an intensive training programme in speed reading, walking long distances, public speaking, writing, negotiating and dealing with difficult people and a hostile press. Also if they want to stand as "anti sleaze" candidates their private lives must be beyond reproach and squeaky clean!

POLITICS IS A TOUGHER GAME THAN REALITY TV

2009-05-25T03:20:00.001-07:00

Nadine Dorries MP with Jeremy Brier and Nigel Huddlestone, Luton North and South Conservative Parliamentary Candidates

Margaret Moran, Luton South MP and Esther Rantzen

Much has been written in the national press and on my Blog about Margaret Moran, MP for Luton South, who claimed £22,500 for repairing dry rot at her partner's home in Southampton, 100 miles away. Moran tried to justify it by claiming that she "has a right to a family life" in Southampton although her partner is registered to vote in Luton! Since that foolish statement Moran has repaid all the money and is likely to be forced to stand down before the next General Election.

What's wrong with the men in Luton? At least one charming and handsome Luton man, John Young, Campaign Manager for the two excellent Conservative Parliamentary candidates, Nigel Huddleston, Luton South and Jeremy Brier, Luton North, pictured above, has given me much needed help with my election campaign. In 2008 I helped him to distribute 65,000 leaflets across Luton - the first time in years that local Conservatives had formally communicated on such a scale with local residents. John is confident Conservatives will win both Luton parliamentary seats in 2010.

Esther Rantzen, a 68 year old 'C' list celebrity jumped on the Luton South bandwagon and announced that she may stand as an anti sleaze candidates against Margaret Moran. This news did not go down well in Luton. A local paper recently commmented
"As for Rantzen, what have the people of Luton done to deserve this interfering, self aggrandising old crone? Surely they can find a suitable local replacement MP?". Yes they can! Johnn Young is confident that Nigel Huddlestone will be the next Luton South MP. Local Conservatives have campaigned against Moran for years, including attacking her expenses - much higher than her respected fellow MP Kelvin Hopkins, who lives in the same street in Luton.

It seems that TV 'celebrities' fancy themselves as politicians, including David Van Day, who I have never heard of, who may stand against my local MP Nadine Dorries. They obviously have not a clue how hard it is to be a politician, and I speak from 20 years' hard experience as a local councillor, fighting 9 elections, dealing with the daily round of committees, paperwork and facing angry voters on the doorstep during tough election campaigns - this year I have knocked on nearly 2,000 doors.

Nadine has made unwise public comments about the intense media pressure on MPs, but failing to appreciate the personal abuse that local councillors are facing as we knock on doors during our own election campaigns. We have done nothing wrong and are "at the bottom of the food chain" receiving only modest travel expenses for our work. Personally I subsidise my council work with a part time job and pensions and certainly cannot claim for the luxuries listed in the media - TVs, antique furniture, duck islands, blue movies etc !!

Esther Rantzen is 68 years old, and will be 69 in 2010 and has not a clue about what is actually involved in being an MP. Anyway, if Margaret Moran stands down, there is no need for an anti sleaze candidate in Luton South any more.

As for David Van Day, my correspondent admits that he is "not whiter than white", so he would soon be crucified by the national media if he decides to stand as an MP, and like Esther, he probably could not cope with the demanding constituency casework, endless committee meetings and hundreds of dull Government documents to read - nothing like the superficial glamour of TV "celebrity"!

SPOTLIGHT ON WILSTEAD

2009-05-25T02:19:00.001-07:00

Eyebrow Cottage

Wilstead Post Office

During my election campaign I have walked round Wilstead several times, knocking on doors and delivering thousands of leaflets. Wilstead is a village with a strong sense of community and lots of active village organisations including a large Women's Institute, of which I am a member, an excellent amateur dramatic Group, Wilstead Players - I am a Patron. Also there is Wilstead Children's Centre, Bowls Club, Football Club,the Brownies, P3 Walking Group, several social clubs for older people, a Lower School and Pre School, 7 farms, 3 churches etc. I gave Community Leader grants to many of these groups in 2007/8.

Wilstead is blessed with a modern village hall and a good range of shops and services, unlike Elstow and many other villages. It has a Post Office, 2 garages, Pharmacy/general store, Chinese and Indian takeaways, to name but a few. Healthwise there is a part time doctor's surgery, and a prescription and medical services provided by the new Wilstead Pharmacy, which I campaigned actively for last year
writing a strong letter to the NHS to refute false information submitted by two Bedford Pharmacies opposed to the Wilstead Pharmacy, purely for commercial reasons. On Saturday after tramping round Wilstead for 2 hours in hot weather I was delighted to find an ice cold drink in the Pharmacy to quench my thirst.

Wilstead is not a 'chocolate box' village but does have some lovely cottages tucked away in its lanes including the appropriately named Eyebrow Cottage, seen above.

The Campaign goes on and I have been working throughout the May Bank Holiday weekend, including yesterday's heatwave, when I caught the sun on the back of my neck walking round Elstow delivering letters to postal voters.

ELSTOW ABBEY CONCERT TOMORROW

2009-05-15T11:03:00.001-07:00

On Saturday evening the Flitwick Singers will perform at Elstow Abbey. The concert is organised by the Friends of Elstow Abbey, which I chair and all profits go towards refurbishing the 11th Century Abbey Church and organ repairs All are welcome to join us at 7.00pm for a drink before the 7.30pm Concert.

This Concert is a welcome break from a punishing election campaign schedule. So far I have knocked on 1,000 doors, mainly on my own and delivered 2,000+ manifestos with a tiny team of helpers. Early this week I hurt my leg and have aggravated an old injury to my Achilles tendon. Now I am limping round my Ward like Long John Silver! I am getting some hostile responses on the doorstep from people who, like me, are fed up with listening to mealy mouthed MPs making feeble excuses for their dishonest conduct.

Elliot Morley, Labour MP for Scunthorpe, claimed not to know that he had paid off his mortgage and was still receiving £800 per month! For most normal people paying off a mortgage is a major event in our lives, and it beggars belief that he did not know that he was receiving an extra £800 per month in income - more than some people earn in their jobs! My own daughter, a university graduate and single parent with 2 small children, receives less than this for a part time time job as PA in Adult Social Care in Staffordshire.

I have already written about Margaret Moran, her 4 homes, and her £22k claim to cure dry rot in her Southampton home, 100 miles from her Luton South constituency. Richard Stay, a Central Bedfordshire Councillor has now reported Moran to the Police for fraud and she has already been forced to repay the fraudulently claimed money.

The repercussions of this national scandal have affected ordinary Councillors like me who do not receive large allowances or paid help to do our jobs. We have to earn a living elsewhere and my part time job and pensions subsidise my Council work.

LAKEVIEW & WILSTEAD LOWER SCHOOLS

2009-05-14T07:10:00.000-07:00

Wilstead Lower School Owl Logo

Recently, as the local Councillor and school governor I attended the Lakeview Lower School turf cutting ceremony prior to the start of the building of the school which opens in September 2009 on the Wixams Development. The Head Teacher Sue Vint is wielding a spade in the photo and working hard on designing a new school uniform, logo and strapline - "Where the Learning Adventure Begins" - for the school.

In February an absentee Liberal Democrat Councillor stirred the national press into writing scare stories about our new school, which was then a hole in the ground, with no pupils. However, we now expect to have at least 100 houses built this year, providing enough children for the new school to open in two phases. All the neighbouring schools are popular and full, including the outstanding Elstow Lower School and Wilstead Lower School. Also the local authority is legally obliged to provide schooling for children who live on the Wixams Development.

Wilstead Lower School also enjoyed its moment of glory at St. Albans Abbey last Saturday, when it was one of only 3 Bedfordshire schools invited to join a children's choir in a special Diocesan international celebration which was part of the Year of the Child. Wilstead Lower School's logo is a wise owl, very appropriate for a place of learning. Last year I gave the school a grant from my Community Leader's Fund to purchase 11 pond dipping kits for their wild garden.

As a parent and grandparent of 4 small grandchildren, I am very pleased to be involved with these 3 lower schools and delighted with their successes to date.

ELSTOW LOWER SCHOOL DOES IT AGAIN!

2009-05-13T14:27:00.001-07:00

Hannah Brown the young designer of Flynn the Bin Elf

Last Saturday we had our Annual Elstow May Festival, when Elstow Lower School children danced round the Maypole. The children had new costumes this year and danced beautifully. Tyla Damon was crowned May Queen and was towed round the Village Green in a carriage with her attendants, Zara Tahir and coachman Adam Ross. The previous weekend the Year 4 children had an exciting weekend at Hilltops Outdoor Education Centre, having a go at rock pooling, shooting, archery and climbing.

This week Hannah Brown, an Elstow Lower pupil, aged 8, won 1st prize in the Pride in Bedford Mascot Competition with her lively and brilliantly simple design - Flynn the Bin Elf - beating 223 children from other lower and middle schools in the Borough. This design has been made into the Bedford Mascot, pictured above with Hannah. This new mascot will be used to promote a cleaner Bedford Borough.

As Vice Chairman of Governors I am very proud of this Outstanding school and its Head Teacher Jenny Winder, who with her staff provides an excellent education for all its pupils, many of whom do not speak English as their first language.

CAMERON BITES THE BULLET OVER MP EXPENSES FIASCO

2009-05-13T13:50:00.000-07:00

After days of embarrassing revelations about greedy MPs manipulating their expenses, David Cameron showed real leadership qualities, and seized the initiative from the Prime Minister by ordering some senior Conservative MPs to repay expenses claimed for spurious items like garden improvements and housekeeping. Cameron is now campaigning for the whole system to be overhauled as soon as possible.

The Prime Minister Gordon Brown continued to dither, showing poor leadership skills, while Speaker Michael Martin behaved outrageously in the House of Commons by verbally attacking Kate Hoey, a brave Labour rebel MP who challenged him for calling in the police to 'find the mole' instead of criticising greedy Labour colleagues. In 2000 the Labour Party broke the convention of alternating the Speaker between the two main political parties when Betty Boothroyd retired, and Michael Martin became the 2nd consecutive Labour Speaker. Martin has exploited his expenses in the past,
eg by allowing his wife to lavish money on taxis for personal shopping and spending a fortune on refurbishing his accommodation in a grand manner at public expense. He was once a shop steward, and behaved like one in the House of Commons, supporting MP's misdemeanours and attacking the source of the leaks to the Daily Telegraph.

A clear example of Labour greed is one of the Luton MPs Margaret Moran, pictured above, who represents Luton South and lives in the same road as Kelvin Hopkins, the highly respected Luton North Labour MP. Kelvin has one home and commutes to London daily, while Margaret Moran has 4 homes in Luton, London, Southampton and Spain. She claimed £22k for dry rot work at her partner's home in Southampton. When challenged on why she needs a 2nd home 100 miles from Luton, she wittered about her need for family life and her partner working in Southampton. So why is he is on the Electoral Roll in Luton? Moran has now been shamed into offering to repay this money.

Hazel Blears has agreed to pay £13,000 to the taxman for Capital gains tax she should have paid before on selling her second property and the Corby MP is repaying £42,000! None of this would have happened but for the Daily Telegraph informant.

The general public now think that all MPs are corrupt and I know that Nadine Dorries and Alistair Burt have not indulged in these dishonest allowance claims. Alistair was on the TV tonight stating that he rents a small London flat, simply claiming an allowance to cover the cost of his rent and utilities, which seems quite fair.

As a local Councillor even I have come under fire while tramping round 1,000 houses canvassing, but we local Councillors receive very small allowances, and have to do all our own administration work - it is often a thankless 24/7 task dealing with issues raised by local residents. Yesterday I overdid it and strained a muscle, so I have had to stay at home today, catching up with paperwork. I still have to get round 1,250 more houses in the next 2 weeks - a thankless task indeed!

ELSTOW ABBEY MAY FESTIVAL - SATURDAY 9 MAY

2009-05-08T17:14:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is our Annual Elstow Abbey May Festival 12 noon - 3.30pm on the Village Green. After the traditional procession led by the May Queen, children from Elstow Lower School will dance round the Maypole. There are lots of fun activities for all the family including fun fair rides, inflatables, face painting, Hemel Hempstead Brass Band, Cheerleaders from Milton Keynes, stalls and refreshments.

I shall be hosting the event with our Patron, Charles Whitbread and the Speaker of Bedford Borough Council, Anita Gerrard will formally open the May Festival at noon.

Come and enjoy a Fun Day with your family in Elstow, Bedford Borough's most historic village with its 11th Century Abbey Church, 15th Century Moot Hall and Bynyan Museum.

This afternoon I attended the funeral of Councillor Dave Lewis, Leader of the Labour Group on Bedford Borough Council. It was a Humanist Funeral with several tributes and poetry from friends and family, starting with Rowan, his very poised eldest grandchild. The music was mainly from the 1960's and included Buddy Holly tunes.

Dave Lewis was only 62 and died very suddenly in April of an abdominal aneurysm. He was passionately committed to his family and his Kempston residents. Dave will be sadly missed by his family of 3 children and 10 grandchildren as well as his fellow councillors and friends in Kempston where he lived for over 60 years.

SAMUEL WHITBREAD & SOUTHILL HOUSE

2009-05-05T14:34:00.001-07:00

Samuel Whitbread 1720-1796

Today I took a short break from my Election Campaign to enjoy a Charity Visit and Tea in aid of MacMillan Cancer Support at Southill House, home of the Whitbread family since 1795. Our host was Charles Whitbread, Patron of Elstow Abbey, who lives at Southill House with his wife and 4 children and has now taken over the management of the Southill Estate from his father Sam Whitbread.

Samuel Whitbread I was born in Cardington in 1720, grandson of William Whitbread, who bought land there in 1653 and was a contemporary of John Bunyan. In 1736 Samuel was apprenticed to a brewer by his widowed mother and created the huge Whitbread brewing empire, while investing in Bedfordshire land and becoming a local Member of Parliament. He campaigned vigorously for the aboliton of slavery with his cousin John Howard, famous prison reformer. There have been seven Samuel Whitbreads in all including the present Sam Whitbread, Lord Lieutenant of Bedfordshire.

The Whitbread family created one of the largest estates in the country, including the villages of Southill, Cardington and Elstow and have been great benefactors to the local community, eg building Bedford Hospital. The Whitbread family donated the 15th Century Moot Hall to Bedfordshire County Council in 1959 and and the Whitbreads have also renovated several local churches including Elstow Abbey in 1880-82.

Southill House has beautiful wooded grounds and some lovely historic paintings, all by English painters such as Sir Joshua Reynolds and Gainsborough, favoured by Sam Whitbread 1. We had a delicious tea and I bought a bottle of Warden Special Reserve wine, one of five varieties produced by their Warden Abbey Vineyard.

This evening it was back to earth with a bang with an Elstow Parish Council meeting and tomorrow I am back on the campaign trail. I have canvassed over 400 houses in three days and organised the delivery of 50% of my manifestos, my third leaflet this year. An election campaign involves a lot of leg work and organisation with only a few helpers and this is my 8th personal election campaign.

JOANNA LUMLEY'S STUNNING VICTORY OVER GORDON BROWN

2009-04-30T01:39:00.000-07:00

Joanna Lumley celebrates her historic victory with Gurkha veterans brandishing a kukri Gurkha knife

Yesterday Joanna Lumley scored a stunning victory over Gordon Brown, when he lost an Opposition motion in the House of Commons to allow retired Gurkha soldiers to settle in Britain. The denial of residency to 36,000 former Gurkhas who served in the British Army before 1997 made Britain look meanspirited and Brown misread the mood of the nation - again! Joanna Lumley has led the Gurkha Justice Campaign because her father served with the 6th Gurkha Rifles fighting the Japanese in Burma in the 2nd World War and his life was saved by a Gurkha.

The Liberal Democrat motion was supported by David Cameron and MPs of all parties, including 27 Labour MPs and the result was totally unexpected. To quote Ann Treneman in the Times:

"For a split second Opposition MPs could not believe their eyes. They stared, goggled eyed, as the tellers for the Gurkha vote lined up before the glittering mace at 4.15pm. It had been a hell of a debate, the highlight being a blatant Labour bid to buy votes, all watched over by a luminescent Joanna Lumley.

But now everyone could see, from the order the tellers stood in, that Labour's jiggery pokery hadn't worked. ... As the vote of 267 to 246 was read out, Nick Clegg's back was slapped so much he began to list.

The government front bench looked ill. Phil Woolas, the Immigration Minister, had the stunned look of a rabbit with myxomatosis. He was speechless, possibly for the first time in his life."

They say that problems come in threes and this is the third recent disaster for Gordon Brown and his second unintentionally comic moment in a week. The first was a short video on You Tube in which he announced his ridiculous solution to the problem of MPs expenses - a £150 daily attendance allowance. The rest of the working population turns up for work in return for a salary, and we all know that our MPs receive a generous salary package including expenses for second homes etc etc.

This half baked scheme has had to be dropped due to lack of support from David Cameron and Nick Clegg, and only minor measures remain, eg scrapping 2nd home allowances for Greater London MPs and requiring MPs to submit recepits for all expense claims and declare outside earnings - which they should do anyway!

We have nots forgotten the fiasco surrounding, Damian McBride, one of 84 Labour publicly funded political advisers, most of whom focus on inventing dirty tricks and lies about the Conservatives instead of dealing with our acute economic crisis.

Gordon Brown and his incompetent Labour Government are doomed and 2010 cannot come soon enough for me and millions of British people. I intend to do my bit by standing as a Conservative candidate in the Bedford Unitary Elections on Thursday 4 June. Thank you Joan Sygrave for your kind response to yesterday's Gurkha Blog.

"Here here to you Councillor. Keep up the great work. Good luck with your election - well not that you need good luck - you clearly work very hard.

Best wishes Joan Sygrave - Peterborough"

GORDON BROWN SUFFERS A SHOCK DEFEAT IN HOUSE OF COMMONS GHURKHA MOTION

2009-04-29T15:51:00.000-07:00

Joanna Lumley campaigning for the Ghurkha Justice Campaign

Today the Ghurkha Justice Campaign, led by actress Joanna Lumley, has won its battle for citizenship rights to be granted to all the Ghurkhas who have fought in the British Army. Gordon Brown's Labour Government was defeated in a Commons Motion proposed by the Liberal Democrats and supported by David Cameron and MPs of all parties. The voting was 267 votes to 246. Phil Woolas the Immigration Minister then effectively admitted defeat by announcing that new proposals would be published before the Parliamentary summer recess, respecting the will of the House of Commons.

Britain has no greater friends than the Ghurkas who have served across the world in the defence of Britian for 200 years. Over 45,000 died in the two World Wars serving in the British Army and they are still fighting in the British Army today.

Gordon Brown decided on 25 April to discriminate against Ghurkhas with less than 20 years' service in the Army, a target impossible for lower ranks to achieve as they can only serve for 15 years. 36,000 Ghurkas would be denied UK residency because they served in the British Army before 1997 and do not meet new qualifications in respect of service, medals received and injuries - a poor reward for years of loyal service to Britian by these brave soldiers.

Meanwhile Gordon Brown has just returned from yet another overseas jaunt to persuade world leaders of his 'global economic expertise'. His first visit was to Poland. There at a joint press conference the Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk extolled the virtues of avoiding debt. Mr Task said that Poland has gained from 12 years of consecutive economic growth, due to efficient supervision of banks and a refusal to live on credit. Last month the Chilean President Michelle Bachelet embarrassed Mr. Brown before the G20 Summit when she said that the Chilean economy had performed so well because they saved during the good times as a cushion for the economic recession.

It is about time Gordon Brown stopped preaching to world leaders, listened to their greater wisdom in managing their own economies and come home to sort out the huge economic mess he has created in the UK over the last 12 years.

ELSTOW GREEN FIELD PETITION

2009-04-27T15:03:00.000-07:00

Moot Hall and Elstow Abbey

Elstow is Bedfordshire's most historic village with its Abbey Church, built in 1078 by William the Conqueror's niece Countess Judith and our 15th Century Moot Hall. John Bunyan was born nearby and was baptised and married in Elstow Abbey. Elstow is a unique piece of our heritage which must be preserved for present and future generations to enjoy, including many visitors from the USA and other countries.

At present Elstow is under threat of disappearing into urban Bedford and losing its separate identity as a village, because the narrow green strip of land dividing Elstow from Bedford is included in Bedford Borough Council's Bedford Development Framework, listing 300 sites with housing development potential.

Since August 2008 I have been campaigning for this Council owned strip of land to be removed from the list of sites and have had meetings with the Mayor of Bedford and Planners, without success. Therefore I started a petition and so far 220 residents in Elstow and elsewhere have supported my campaign and signed the petition.

On 1 April after the demise of Bedfordshire County Council ownership of Moot Hall and Elstow Village Green transferred to Bedford Borough Council so I hoped that the Mayor and officers might have a change of heart as the new landowners - no such luck!

All Parish Councils were asked in February to invite the Mayor to visit them. Therefore in March Elstow Parish Council invited him to the Annual Elstow Parish Open Meeting on 16 April, requesting him to address resident concerns on the Elstow green field issue and to bring a planning officer with him. The Mayor turned up one hour late, dressed casually, without a planning officer or briefing notes and gave bland and inadequate responses to questions from the public. The residents present were underwhelmed by his apparent indifference to their concerns.

The Campaign will continue and I will not rest until this site is removed from the site list in Bedford Development Framework. We also hope to persuade the Borough Council to allow us to create a proper park with trees, benches, landscaping and play equipment for use of local residents, including all the elderly people in the Bunyans Mead sheltered complex which backs on to this small green field.

If you support my campaign please sign my petition in Elstow Post Office or respond to this Blog.

Tomorrow the Bedford Unitary Election Campaign starts so I may be blogging and tweeting less often until after Thursday 4 June.

SCOUTS ST. GEORGE'S DAY PARADE

2009-04-26T09:39:00.001-07:00

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This afternoon I attended Bedford District Scouts Annual St. George's Day Celebration at Bedford School, followed by a Parade through Bedford town centre. The District Commissioner presented commemorative shields to the Mayor of Bedford, Chief Constable and Head Teacher of Bedford School for supporting the Scouting movement locally.

The Bedford Swan symbol above is the Bedford Scouts logo. The Parade was led by Bedford Scottish Pipe Band, which seemed just a little odd for a St. George's Day celebration. Also when I talked to one of the Scout leaders, who with his group was sporting a red and white cross on his face, he said it had proved difficult to find small English flags for his young scouts to hold - political correctness gone mad?

People of every other country in the world are proud to wave flags, celebrating their nationality, but the English get criticised if they dare to do the same! Personally I am very proud of my English heritage and equally proud that my paternal grandparents were Irish, so I am Anglo Irish and was born in England.

The Scouting movement is the largest youth movement in the world and was started by Lord Robert Baden Powell in 1907 to provide adventurous activities for young people -today volunteers offer 200 different activities to Scouts across the UK. There are 28 million Scouts of both sexes - Beavers, Cubs, Scouts, Explorers and Adults - in almost every country in the world. There are 500,000 scouts in the UK and the local scout groups are led by volunteers, who help young people to learn many different skills including teamworking, leadership, self discipline and loyalty.

SALISBURY CATHEDRAL & ST. GEORGE'S DAY

2009-04-26T05:04:00.001-07:00

Hello everyone. On Friday I returned to Elstow from a few days away at a Conference in Salisbury and a flying visit to my widowed brother in Chichester to a mountain of mail and emails, various local crises and an election campaign to plan.

On the morning of St. George's Day, 23 April, before leaving Salisbury I visited its superb Cathedral, with the tallest spire in Britain and the best preserved copy (one of only four)of Magna Carta, signed in 1215, the foundation of our British legal system. The Cathedral also has Europe's oldest working clock and is set in the largest Cathedral close in Britain. A truly amazing building and fine part of quintessential England - a very suitable place for me to visit on St. George's Day. That evening the Cathedral had a concert and a series of poems was lit up on the Cathedral roof as part of the St. George's Day celebrations.

While away I received some panic emails on my Blackberry pc about my new upright wooden bench, donated to the Abbeyfields estate from my Community Leader Fund. I paid £750 to Bedford Borough Council to buy and instal it securely on Abbeyfields parkland. They installed it without telling me, and it was not secured strongly enough so my residents told me it was wrenched out of the ground on the day it arrived. Fortunately I got Council officers to remove it before it disappeared. Now they have to ensure that it is more securely concreted into the ground - a sad indictment on the dishonesty of some people in today's world! Once upon a time people respected the property of others but no longer.

The Budget was a damp squib which failed to address the huge economic crisis facing this country. Gordon Brown continues to spend money like water and refuses to cut back on public sector spending, eg huge sums for the new NHS computer system and the new ID system. Every proposed budget change is delayed until after the 2010 Election. However, the British people have seen through Gordon Brown and his incompetent government who have ruined the sound economy they inherited in 1997 - eg destroying our pensions industry and selling off the gold reserves at a low price.

Every Labour Government in the 20th Century departed leaving the British Economy in a mess and this one is no exception. David Cameron will be left a 'poisoned chalice' to cope with the huge public debts Gordon Brown has amassed in 12 years.

ALL SAINTS PARISH CHURCH, WILSTEAD

2009-04-17T16:11:00.000-07:00

Wilstead has two churches - All Saint's, the Parish Church, and Wilstead Methodist Church. Recently I gave grants from my Community Leader's Fund to both churches, and above is a photograph of Wilstead Parish Church and me presenting 2 wooden collecting bowls to the Vicar, Stephen Toze and the Church Warden Robert Heeley during one of their services. They were also able to buy some audio equipment and CDs for use in the services. The beautiful wooden collecting bowls were carved by Wilstead resident Ray Terry,a gifted wood turner who makes wonderful wooden items for the regular Wilstead Arts & Crafts Exhibitions.

This evening I took my two lovely daughters Sarah and Helen out for a birthday treat to Milton Keynes Theatre to see an excellent performance of Cabaret, starring Wayne Sleep and Samantha Barks, with a haunting final scene depicting the looming menace of Nazism in Germany in 1931. Beforehand we enjoyed a good dinner at the Taipan Chienese Restaurant and afterwards we headed home in three different directions - Sarah to her family in Watford and Helen to the Midlands.

Tomorrow I will have my photograph taken in Bedford Park along with all the other Conservative Bedford Unitary Coucil candidates for the Election on Thursday 4 June.

Enjoy your weekend.

A SPRING WALK IN HAYLEY WOOD

2009-04-15T09:17:00.001-07:00

Hayley Wood, Longstowe

Today I took the morning off to join some retired BP colleagues on a 5 mile walk in the ancient woodland Hayley Wood in Longstowe, near Cambridge to get some exercise after the excesses of Easter meals. Some of the group took a longer walk of 7 miles but they are keener walkers, fully retired and get far more practice than me.

Hayley Wood is host to hundreds of species of fungi and thousands of insects and birds and at present is carpeted with bluebells, wood anemones, oxlips and lesser celandines. The hedge in Hayley Lane is 800 years old and we were surrounded by birdsong on a beautiful spring morning. After a pleasant lunch at the Red House pub I headed home reluctantly to catch up with emails, phone calls and my Blog.

Today is the 20th Anniversary of the Hillsborough Football Disaster in 1989, when 96 Liverpool football fans were crushed to death due to poor crowd control by the police. In the past few days I have heard some harrowing stories, especially the parents of 2 London teenage girls, who died close to each other, leaving devastated parents who lost their whole family within a few fateful minutes.

Some parents are still bitter that no one has ever been held to account for the police failure to marshal the crowds properly, allowing hundreds of fans to enter an overcrowded stand. However one good thing to come out of the disaster was that most football stadiums are now seating only, encouraging more family attendance, as is the case at American football and baseball matches.

GORDON BROWN REFUSES TO APOLOGISE

2009-04-14T12:32:00.000-07:00

Cabinet Office Minister Tom Watson

Yesterday I was told that Gordon Brown had apologised personally to David Cameron, George Osborne and Nadine Dorries for slanderous lies emailed by Damian McBride, a Civil Servant in Brown's personal office at No. 10 Downing Street. Now I understand that he merely expressed 'regret'. I should have known better.

Gordon Brown never apologises for anything but boy does he have a lot to answer for! He sold off our gold reserves, sabotaged the pensions industry and squandered the Conservative legacy of a strong economy over the past 12 years - and is now the self appointed 'saviour of the global economy'/ Naturally this is challenged by Nicholas Sarkozy, President of France, and the frugal Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany.

Now the Prime Minister is trying to protect Tom Watson MP, Cabinet Office Miister and his close personal advisers who sat in the same office as Damian McBride and should have known about McBride's slanderous emails. Watson writes a left wing Blog which tried to blacken the names of leading Conservatives and Paul Staines, the Guido Fawkes Blogger, who exposed the left wing bias of the Smith Institute. Not surprisingly Tom Watson is now trying to distance himself from McBride and Derek Draper to save his own skin, to say nothing of Gordon Brown who is in charge.

Benjamin Snow sent me this comment in response to yesterday's blog;
"Lynne, the sooner this government is thrown out the better. They are lower than low. They are an insult to our country and deserve to be unreservedly rejected from office at the next General Election. Our Country needs a new Government desperately!"

Hear, hear! June 2010 cannot come soon enough for me, and I can only do my little bit in June 2009 by winning my modest Unitary Council Election.

Today Frank Field, one of the most highly respected and upright Labout MPs in the House of Commons broke ranks to attack Gordon Brown's style of government and the email scandal which is damaging the Labour Party. Gordon Brown could easily have defused the situation with a simple heartfelt apology but 'sorry' is not in his vocabulary. By contrast David Cameron was dignified and impressive on TV News and looks more and more like a future Prime Minister.

LABOUR GOVERNMENT SINKS INTO THE GUTTER

2009-04-13T05:01:00.000-07:00

Damian McBride and Gordon Brown

If anyone doubts that Gordon Brown and his sleazy Labour Government are doomed, the scandal over Damian McBride's scurrilous activities in spinning poisonous lies about leading Conservative politicians, including my local MP Nadine Dorries, pictured right, has exposed its corrosive political culture.

Damian McBride was a senior civil servant, paid for by the taxpayer as Gordon Brown's Head of Policy and Strategy. In the middle of a serious economic crisis when the Labour Government was lending £10 Billion to banks and fighting two wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, McBride had time to draft emails which aimed to assassinate the reputations of leading Conservative politicians including David Cameron and George Osborne. He invented a story about the mental state of George Osbone's wife Frances and told a pack of lies about Nadine Dorries who now plans to sue him for libel.

McBride's activities in briefing the media and starting a Labour Blog Red Rag to spread vicious lies about the Conservatives was exposed by Paul Staines in his popular Blog Guido Fawkes, which receives 100,000 unique visitors a month.

As a local Conservative Councillor I am now planning my campaign to be elected as a Conservative Bedford Unitary Councillor for Elstow and Wilstead on Thursday 4 June 2009.

Roll on 2010 when a Conservative Government will be elected and we can be rid of Gordon Brown and his incompetent and dishonest political colleagues and repair the economic damage caused by Gordon Brown and Tony Blair for the last 12 years.

TWITTER

2009-04-12T12:56:00.001-07:00

Yesterday my friend Cllr Andrew McConnell persuaded me to join Twitter. Within a very short time I had 30 followers including Barack Obama, No. 10 Downing Street, the BBC and Sarah Brown, wife of the Prime Minister. I am a reluctant recruit because I have very little free time and do not intend to 'tweet' boring trivial details of my daily domestic routine to the world every five minutes.

However Andrew says that I must use 21st Century technology to communicate with my electorate - so here I am!!

EASTER AT ELSTOW ABBEY

2009-04-12T12:07:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter to you all! Today I went to the Easter Sunday Family Service at Elstow Abbey and sang some rousing Easter hymns. I have sung in church choirs for many years in Southern England - Portsmouth Cathedral, London University, Surrey, Hertfordshire, Cople, Bedfordshire and St. Andrew's Church, Bedford. Elstow Abbey is undoubtedly the oldest, most historic and loveliest church I have sung in, with a friendly modern Vicar, Jeremy Crocker.

Elstow Abbey was founded in 1078 as a Benedictine Nunnery by Countess Judith, niece of William the Conqueror and became a church after the Dissolution of the Monsteries in 1539 by King Henry VIII, whose crest is on the back wall of Elstow Abbey. John Bunyan, author of the Pilgrim's Progress, was baptised and married in Elstow Abbey and his baptismal font is still used today for christenings. I am also Chairman of the Friends and we raise money for refurbishing Elstow Abbey and its organ.

On Thursday we had a solemn Maundy Thursday service, remembering the Last Supper attended by Jesus and his Disciples. The Abbey was then prepared for Good Friday. Today was a happier day, celebrating Jesus' Resurrection. After the service I rushed home to finish cooking Sunday lunch for 8 as my two daughters and 4 small grandchildren came over for the day. After an excellent lunch of Spring lamb and turkey, the children had an Easter Egg Hunt in the garden and then walked across the fields to Elstow Playing Field to the children's playground. We had a special Easter cake to celebrate the birthday of my elder daughter Sarah, with all the children singing Happy Birthday to her and enjoying their Easter eggs.

Tonight my younger daughter Helen and two grandchildren - Jessica, 6 and Oliver, 4 - are staying here and tomorrow they head south for a short camping holiday in the New Forest so my house will be quiet, peaceful and tidy again!

They say with children that for 20 years you cannot stand the noise and for the next 20 years you cannot stand the silence. Certainly it is all or nothing with small children and very noisy until they are tucked up in bed. Having brought up two daughters, I enjoy the pleasures of being a grandmother and not having to cope with the intensity of 24/7 childcare which can be very exhausting, especially for Helen, who is now divorced and a single working mother.

BEDFORD UNITARY ELECTIONS JUNE 2009

2009-04-10T09:23:00.000-07:00

LYNNE'S ELECTION CAMPAIGN TEAM WORKING IN WILSTEAD

Bedford Borough Council became a Unitary Council on 1 April 2009 but will retain its 54 Borough Councillors until Thursday 4 June 2009, when 36 Unitary Councillors will be elected to lead the new Council.

As the local Councillor for Elstow and Wilstead I keep in contact with residents via my Blog, emails, advice surgeries, newsletters and attendance at village events. Tonight I was persuaded to join Twitter as another modern way of communicating with voters of all ages.

Today I delivered 900 leaflets in the rain in Wilstead, ably assisted by my strong Campaign Team which includes four fellow Conservative Councillors - Mollie Foster, Peter Hand, Andrew McConnell and Jas Parmar. Afterwards we all enjoyed a well earned lunch in the newly refurbished Red Lion Pub, Elstow which provides an
excellent, fairly priced meal and good service.

With 2,100 leaflets to deliver I rely on a team of voluntary helpers in Elstow and Wilstead. The official Election Campaign starts soon and there will be a lot of hard work to prepare and distribute leaflets and canvass local residents.

During the 2007 Borough Election Campaign my team and I delivered 20,000 leaflets and won my 8th Election Campaign, so let's hope June will bring the 9th success!

MOOT HALL AND SEALED KNOT LIVING HISTORY

2009-04-06T13:17:00.000-07:00

Sealed Knot Living History Event and Moot Hall Key Handover Ceremony

On Sunday Elstow Village Green was the setting for a Sealed Knot Living History event with people in 17th century dress and Cromwellian solders marching across the Green. In the afternoon the ownership of Elstow's 15th Century Moot Hall was formerly handed over by me, as Elstow's former County Councillor, to my Borough colleague Councillor Barry Huckle who accepted the key to Moot Hall on behalf of Bedford Borough Council. In the photograph above you can see me with Clive Arnold, the Curator of Moot Hall and Barry just before the official key handover. The Sealed Knot soldiers paraded in front of us while the ceremony took place.

Moot Hall was originally a market hall and now houses a museum dedicated to John Bunyan a fine collection of 17th Century furniture. John Bunyan lived in Elstow most of his life and was baptised and married in Elstow Abbey. In 1644 he joined Cromwell's Roundhead Army at 16 years old to fight the King so it is appropriate that the Sealed Knot held their Living History event in Elstow.

Elstow is North Bedfordshire's most historic village with its 11th Century Abbey Church, founded by William the Conqueror's niece Countess Judith, Moot Hall and the 16th Century timbered houses in the High Street. In 1950 Moot Hall was given by Sam Whitbread to Bedfordshire County Council and was restored for the 1951 Festival Britain. Also in 1951 a special stone was placed in Harrowden near Elstow, to mark the birthplace of John Bunyan in 1628.

ENGLAND'S HERITAGE - THE SOUTH COAST

2009-04-06T12:34:00.000-07:00

West Wittering

Last week I took 3 days off to visit a friend in Lymington in the New Forest and my widowed brother in Chichester. On Thursday the weather was dull but the sun soon came out and I enjoyed some lovely coastal and country walks in the Spring sunshine. Lymington Town Quay is full of small boats which now face a serious hazard from the huge new Isle of Wight ferries sailing very close to them. I was very fortunate to visit the New Forest before its Easter invasion of tourists.

As the child of a naval family I grew up in Portsmouth and overseas and I love to return to the south coast to enjoy the sea air. Bedford is about as far inland as you can get and at least 80 miles from the coast so we are starved of sea views.

My brother took me round beautiful Chichester Cathedral, probably the only cathedral in England which has a separate tower, like Elstow Abbey. We also walked along the East Head on West Wittering Beach, owned by the National Trust. We walked around the edge of Goodwood Park, had a look at the racecourse and then had 'a flutter' on the Grand National. We backed 8 horses between us including My Will which came third but our winnings were only 50% of our stake. The bookies had a profitable day as the winner Mon Mome was a 100-1 outsider and many horses fell.

On the way home I drove through wooded West Sussex and the South Downs, which have now been declared a National Park, and stopped in Watford to help put two of my grandchildren to bed and filled up with petrol, as Watford is the cheapest town I know for petrol and always less expensive than Bedford.

SEALED KNOT LIVING HISTORY - SUNDAY 5 APRILl

2009-04-01T16:33:00.000-07:00

Sealed Knot Crest

On Sunday 5 April the Sealed Knot Society are putting on a Living History Display on Elstow Green 11am - 4pm. The Society cele5brated their 40th Anniversary in 2008 and they stage Civil War enactments. John Bunyan joined Cromwell's Roundhead Army aged 16 in 1644 and fought the Cavaliers.

The Programme includes a 10am Service at Elstow Abbey, a Living History Camp starting at 11am and Sealed Knot Regimental Training Drill and Display at noon. In the afternoon there are Children's events and at 3pm a special key ceremony at Moot Hall.

Moot Hall is a medieval market house and meeting hall containing a Bunyan Museum and which was owned by Bedfordshire County Council until its demise on 31 March. As I was the County Councillor for Elstow & Wilstead and Vice Chairman of Bedfordshire County Council, I have been invited to hand over the key to Moot Hall formally to Bedford Borough Council on Sunday. My fellow Borough Councillor, Barry Huckle will receive the key.

Tea and cakes will be served in the Elstow Abbey church hall in the afternoon and there will also be a 17th Century barbecue outside the vicarage from noon onwards. .

Please bring your family to Elstow on Sunday for a great day out.

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A LOCAL COUNCILLOR

2009-04-01T08:11:00.000-07:00

Today is a lovely Spring Day. It is also 1 April but I do not play practical jokes as suggested by Philip Archer who accused me of "celebrating" the new Bedford Unitary Council. Yes I supported the County Council Unitary 2007 bid and its efforts to improve its performance since my election four years ago. However I am also an elected Borough Councillor and a pragmatist who lives in the real world. In May 2005 I was elected to represent 5,500 residents in Elstow & Wilstead and to campaign for higher quality public services, which I did and will continue to do in the new Unitary Council.

Bedfordshire County Council improved from a Poor 0 star Council to a Good 3 star Council but now it has gone. Bedford Borough Unitary Council opened its doors today in Borough Hall and is now a single tier Council responsible for providing all the local government services for local residents.

A Day in the Life of a Local Councillor
This morning I visited Elstow Lower School where I am Vice Chair of Governors. This week is International Week and each class takes a different country and studies its language and customs. On Friday the children will dress up and show off their week's work.

Next I discussed the bus service for Wilstead residents to and from their doctor's surgery in Ampthill with the Borough Bus Transport Manager and Greensands Surgery. We have persuaded Grant Palmer to put on more buses so that pensioners do not get stranded in Ampthill for hours after visiting their doctor.

Then I attended a Princes Trust Award Ceremony to make a brief speech and present Certificates to 9 young people. The Bedford YMCA working for the The Prince's Trust and has just completed its 9th twelve week Personal Development Programme for unemployed young people aged 16-25 years, many of whom have never worked. The Programme increases their skills, raises self esteem, improves self motivation and gets young people into education, training and employemnt.

Nine young people successfully completed the course and most will take up further training eg carpentry, child care, youth work and music technology. Their Community Project was to decorate 2 rooms at the Kempston Centre for Learning Disabilities. During their Challenge Week they took disabled people to a Safari Park.

My next stop was at Borough Hall to discuss a planning issue and join a large social gathering for some of the 6,000 staff now working in the Unitary Council. Then it was
back home to deal with emails, reading and this Blog before attending an evening Conservative Group meeting.

The Prince's Trust
The Prince's Trust was started by the Prince of Wales in 1976 to help disadvantaged young people aged 14-30 who have been in care, are long term unemployed, have struggled at school or been in trouble with the law. Practical and financial support is provided including help with business start ups or courses developing workplace skills such as confidence and motivation.

Since 1976 the Prine's Trust has helped over 575,000 young peopole and supports 100 more every day. 75% of those helped in 2008 moved into work,education or training.
App 20% of young people in the UK are not in work, education or training and youth unemployment costs the UK economy £10 million a day in lost productivity, while youth crime costs £1 billion per year, so this work is vital to our economy.

Tomorrow I will take 2 days off to visit my widowed brother in Chichester, who is still adjusting to living alone and tore a calf muscle last month while playing in the garden with his 2 grandsons.

BEDFORD CELEBRATES UNITARY CREATION

2009-03-31T16:57:00.000-07:00

Moot Hall

Today Wednesday 1 April 2009 Bedford Borough Council becomes a single Unitary Council. The new Council has published a 'One Council' booklet on all the services covered by the Council, with useful telephone numbers. Pictured above is Borough Hall, formerly County Hall, the new Bedford Borough Council HQ and the Council logo.

One of the new Council's strategies is to create a Healthy Bedford. Everyone aged 60+ is eligible for free swimming at all the Borough swimming pools. Also for one week 1-7 April free access will be provided for everyone to a range of Council run sports facilities, eg casual swimming, badminton, squash and football. For more information have a look at the Borough Council website www.bedford.gov.uk.

Bedford Borough has a history which spans over 1,000 years and I was delighted to see a photograph of Elstow village's Moot Hall in 'One Council'. On Sunday 5 April 2009 Elstow is hosting a Sealed Knot Civil War re enactment on the village green. In the afternoon at 3.00pm I will hand over the key of Moot Hall, fomerly owned by the County Council to Bedford Borough Council in a short formal ceremony. The Sealed Knot celebrated its 40th Anniversary in 2008 and this will be a real Family Fun Day from 11am - 4pm next Sunday.

THANKSGIVING SERVICE FOR BEDFORDSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL 1889 - 2009

2009-03-29T12:08:00.000-07:00

Today as County Council Vice Chairman I attended a Thanksgiving Service at St. Paul's Church, Bedford to celebrate 120 years of Bedfordshire County Council from 1889 until 31 March 2009 when the County Council is abolished. The Salvation Army played and we sang the famous John Bunyan hymn "He who would valiant be". The County Council motto "Constant Be" on the crest above is taken from this hymn which has a special meaning for me as I live in Elstow, home of John Bunyan. The Chief Executive gave an address on the Council's long history and the Bishop of Bedford preached the sermon.

Afterwards we had tea at County Hall before watching the Minden Band of The Queen's Division conduct a Sunset and Beating Retreat ceremony. Then the Bedfordshire County Council flag was lowered for the last time by Bedford Sea Cadets. It was an emotional occasion for County Councillors and staff, some of whom do not know if they will have a job after 1 April. Many senior staff are leaving on 31 March.

The Minden Band consists of 35 talented musicians including 3 women, and are based at Bassingbourn Barracks in Royston near Cambridge. The Band supports 3 Regiments of the Queen's Division - The Royal Anglian, The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers and The Prince of Wales Royal Regiment and perform at high profile civilian events.

Bedfordshire County Council is handing over its services to Bedford Borough Council and Central Bedfordshire in excellent order. For example, during March the Highways Department have filled over 1,000 potholes across the County caused by the recent severe weather, investing £400,000 to put the roads in good order for the new Councils. Recently I visited Hertfordshire where the local paper said that Herts County Council was still surveying its potholes so Bedfordshire was ahead of the pack once again.

On 1 April Bedford Borough Council takes on 5,5000 new staff and responsibility for many new services - Children's Services including 79 schools, fostering and adoption and the youth service, Adult Services including residential care and mental health, highways, waste management, strategic planning, archives & records, libraries, etc.

The present 54 Bedford Borough Councillors will remain in post for two months until Thursday 4 June when Unitary Elections take place. Then there will be only 36 Unitary Councillors taking over the current 72 County and Borough Council roles.

GORDON BROWN'S PUBLIC MAULING ON THE INTERNET BY DANIEL HANNAN

2009-03-28T12:25:00.000-07:00

Gordon Brown Prime Minister and Daniel Hannan MEP

Gordon Brown has been publicly exposed on U Tube for his hypocrisy and incompetencer by a young Conservative MEP Daniel Hannan after Brown's appalling speech in the European Parliament this week. The left wing biased BBC and ITV only reported Brown's speech on TV news bulletins but a video of Daniel Hannan's devastating critique of Brown was posted on U Tube and has been seen by 1 million people so far - striking a chord with the British public who are getting increasingly fed up with Brown's meaningless cliches on the global recession.

Daniel Hannan accused Brown of behaving like a "Brezhnev-era apparatchik". Even the Governor of the Bank of England has warned Brown to stop borrowing money. In his speech Brown warned against protectionism but is guilty of hypocrisy, having nationalised banks and parts of the car industry, to say nothing of his proud boast of wanting "British jobs for British workers". As Hannan said:

"Perhaps you would have more authority in this House if your actions matched your words? You would have more legitimacy.. in the world if the UK were not going into this recession in the worst condition of any G20 country. The truth is Prime Minister that you have run out of our money. The country as a whole is now in negative equity. Every British child is born owing around £20,000. Servicing that debt is going to cost more than educating the child.

Now once again today you try to spread the blame around; you spoke about an international recession. Well it is true that we are all sailing together into the squalls. But not every vessel in the convoy is in the same dilapidated condition. Other ships use the good years to caulk their hulls and clear their rigging; in other words to pay off debt. But you used the good years to raise borrowing yet further. As a consequence, under your captaincy, our hull is pressed deep into the water line under the accumulated weight of your debt.

We are now running a deficit that touches 10% of GDP, an almost unbelievable figure. More than Pakistan and Hungary, countries where the International Monetary Fund have been called in.. You're pathologically incapable of accepting responsibility... You're carrying on wilfully worsening our situation, wantonly spending what little we have left...In the last year 100,000 private sector jobs have been lost and yet you created 30,000 public sector jobs....You cannot spend your way out of recession or borrow your way out of debt.

And when you repeat in that wooden and perfunctory way, that our situation is better than others, that we're "well placed to weather the storm .... you sound like a Brezhnev-era apparatchik giving the party line. You know and we know..that it's nonsense! Everyone knows that Britain is worse off than any other country as we go into these hard times. The IMF has said so; the European Commission has said so; the markets have said so - which is why our currency has devalued by 30%. ..soon the voters will get their chance to say so. They can see what the markets have already seen; .. you are a devalued Prime Minister of a devalued Government"

Gordon Brown has been flying round the world, trying to drum up support for his dtrategy of "saving the world" in countries like Chile and Brazil, while the British economy falls apart at home. In Chile he was embarrassed by their President who said that Chile "had saved in the good times" echoing David Cameron's comment that Brown should have "fixed the roof while the sun was shining".

Roll on the 2010 General Election when we can elect David Cameron as Prime Minister and get rid of this unelected Prime Minister.

KEMPSTON PERFORMING ARTS EVENING

2009-03-22T15:11:00.000-07:00

Last week I was invited as Vice Chairman of Bedfordshire County Council to attend Kempston Schools Performing Arts Evening in aid of MacMillan Cancer Support. Pupils from 5 Kempston schools sang, danced and played music, including some pupils from St. Johns Special School who performed a A Taste of Africa, dressed in African costume. Camestone Lower School sang some lovely songs including My Fantasy Football Team, followed by a superb dance performance - Jellicle Cats by Balliol Lower School and some amazing Breakdancers from Daubeney Middle School.

The evening ended with a rousing performance of Everybody needs Somebody by the Blues Brothers by Hastingsbury Upper School Brass Band who were enthusiastically received by the large audience and gave us an encore. There is a wealth of talent in the Kempston schools and the concert raised much needed funds for MacMillan Cancer Support, a very worthy national charity which supports cancer patients and their families.

Kempston is a historic town, dating back to AD 885 before the neighbouring town of Bedford and is mentioned in the Domesday Book as "Camestone" situated in Wessex. After the Norman Conquest King William gave Kempston to his niece the Countess Judith de Balliol. In 1078 Judith founded a Benedictine Convent for Nuns in nearby Elstow village - Elstow Abbey which became a church in 1539 after the Dissolution of the Monasteries by King Henry VIII.

MOTHERING SUNDAY

2009-03-22T14:20:00.001-07:00

Today is Mothering Sunday, a religious festival celebrated in Christian churches all over the world - all the mothers are presented with small posies of spring flowers by their children. Mothering Sunday is very commercialised but at least people are encouraged to remember the loving care provided by their mothers. Sadly my own mother died 34 years ago but my 2 lovely daughters always remember me on Mothering Sunday and we generally arrange a family reunion.

This year I enjoyed a family lunch in Watford with my daughter Sarah, Gary her husband, 2 of my grandchildren Emma, 6 and Thomas, 3 and Gary's mother, father and grandmother. We went for a lovely spring walk after lunch in the nearby park where the children climbed on the new play equipment which Gary campaigned for as Chairman of the local Residents' Association. He also persuaded the Council to plant lots of daffodil bulbs which are now in full bloom.

When the sun shines in England and the spring flowers are in bloom there is no finer country to live in. It's a pity that the sun does not shine a bit more often, because it cheers us all up when we are emerging from a long, grey and cold winter.

Last night I stayed with an old friend Valmai in Pirton, near Hitchin in Hertfordshire where I lived for 15 years and represented Pirton and Offley villages on North Hertfordshire District Council. Valmai was born in the Welsh valleys and loves to sing, dance and play the recorder. She was performing in an excellent Music Hall Show with the Pirton Players, a very active amateur dramatic group which puts on excellent shows several times a year.

WALKING IN HARROLD COUNTRY PARK

2009-03-19T10:24:00.000-07:00

Today was one of those a rare sunny English days with blue skies and a mild breeze - a perfect day for a country walk. This morning I went on a one hour Health Walk in Harrold-Odell Country Park led by Ed Burnett of the Countryside Access Service. The Country Park was purchased and developed by Bedfordshire County Council in 1983 and
will be transferred to Bedford Unitary Council on 1 April 2009.

These Health Walks will continue fortnightly through the summer so if you fancy a beautiful country walk visit Harrold Country Park on Thursday 2, 16 or 30 April, meeting outside the cafe at 10.30 am.

I had a wonderful scenic drive to and from Harrold through some of Bedfordshire's loveliest villages - Turvey, Carlton, Chellington, Odell, Radwell, Felmersham and Milton Ernest. After our walk I enjoyed a coffee and some homemade carrot cake in the cafe, watching the ducks and swans on Harrold's large lake. It is a haven for wildlife and spring flowers and the Park is very popular at weekends.

Harrold Bridge, pictured above is one of the many single track low bridges in this part of North Bedfordshire, criss crossing the River Ouse which is prone to flooding.

In 2004 I was selected as the Conservative candidate for Harrold Division, replacing County Councillor Phyllis Gershon who had decided to retire. However Phyllis changed her mind and stayed on for another 4 years. Instead I now represent Elstow and Wilstead villages on the County and Borough Councils. Sadly Phyllis died suddenly in January after a long and distinguished local government career representing the 14 villages in the Harrold Division.

FITNESS AND HEALTH FOR THE OVER 50's

2009-03-18T10:37:00.000-07:00

My 2009 New Year Resolution was to find time to improve my fitness and lose some weight. I have succeeded in my first aim, having joined the LA Fitness Club in Kimbolton Road 8 weeks ago. Three times a week I go to Aquacise Classes or the gym. I much prefer the Aquacise and share it with 12-14 other women of varying ages.

Also I now walk regularly between Council activities. On Thursday morning I will to to Harrold Country Park for one of 4 Health Walks organised by Bedfordshire County Council to improve people's health and enjoyment of green spaces. Research has shown that regular walking improves physical health and reduces the risk of heart disease, high blood pressures, strokes and depression.

Bedford Borough Council have just launched a series of activity classes for the Over 50's so there is no excuse for 'couch potatoes' not to drag themselves away from the TV and computer to learn line dancing, badminton, golf, swim or just go walking.

Physical exercise was never popular with me as a child. I was musical and an avid reader and was put off sport by the sporting enthusiasms of my sporty father and my 2brothers. I am a mental athlete but do not really enjoy physical exercise, although I am enjoying the Aquacise classes and healthy walks. Losing weight is a harder challenge as I love my food. In 2006 I succeeded in losing 2 stone, raising £800 for the British Heart Foundation but it is hard to keep it off long term.

Today I was saddened to see the prematurely aged face of Sean Hodgson, aged 57 years, who has just been released from prison after serving 27 years for a rape and murder he did not commit. His prison sentence lasted longer because he has always protested his innocence. We should all be grateful for our liberty and the freedom to stay healthy and enjoy the countryside as we grow older.

Tonight I will fulfil one of my last official functions as Vice Chairman of Bedfordshire County Council by attending the Kempston Schools Performing Arts Evening at the Addison Centre, raising funds for the Kempston Mayor's Charities.

As the 2008 Bedford Youth Champion and a former County Cabinet Member for Culture I am happy to support a charity function involving school children and the performing arts. My daughter Helen used to perform with the Wilstead Players and went on to gain a Stage Management degree at the Welsh College of Music & Drama in Cardiff. Later she worked at the Gateway Theatre, Chester as a sound and lighting technician before moving into the conference industry.

ST. PATRICK'S DAY AT THE EMBANKMENT

2009-03-17T16:11:00.000-07:00

Today is St. Patrick's Day, celebrated by the Irish all over the world, including me as my paternal grandfather was Irish. My cousins live in a quiet and beautiful corner of County Down, Northern Ireland near the famous Mountains of Mourne. Northern Ireland has been almost free from terrorism for some years, although I can remember two bombs going off within 20 miles of my cousins' home when I visited them them in 1998. Sadly this peace has been shattered by the shooting of two unarmed soldiers and a police officer, a tragedy for their families and for the Northern Irish people, the vast majority of whom want to live in peace with their neighbours.

Tonight I dined out with 3 fellow Councillors, two with strong Irish connections, Peter Hand and Andrew McConnell, and one true Englishman Nigel Haughton at a newly refurbished restaurant The Embankment, Bedford. It is a historic building located on the Embankment, one of Bedford's beauty spots which is illuminated at night. The new owners Kelly and Andrew invited us to sample their new menu free, paying only for our drinks and desserts and also showed us a few of the renovated hotel rooms.

My Scotch beef rump steak was superb as was the starter - a crab and asparagus risotto -, but my dessert was a bit stodgy. My 3 companions enjoyed their starters - a crispy duck salad, leek and potato soup and a pear and Stilton tart and their main courses of leg of lamb, rump steak and stuffed mushrooms. However they were also disappointed with their desserts. The service was friendly but the music a bit raucous for a smart pub restaurant. Do look up the The Embankment's new website, www.embankmentbedford.co.uk and go and try their delicious food:

LAMBING DAY IN WILSTEAD

2009-03-15T12:12:00.001-07:00

Spring is here! Daffodils are everywhere and today on a beautiful Spring Sunday Wilstead held its annual Lambing Day at Manor Farm, owned by sheep farmers David and Barbara Seamark. Bedfordshire has some very large sheep farms and there are now 20 million breeding sheep in the UK, producing the delicious lamb many of us enjoy for our Sunday lunches, especially at Easter.

Many local families came to watch lambs being born to some of the 470 sheep at Manor Farm, sometimes as many as 3 or 4 lambs to one sheep. Wilstead Lower School Parent Teachers' Association provided burgers, hot dogs and cakes, raising funds for the school and a good time was had by all. The only slight hitch was a power cut which stopped the important supply of tea and coffee for a short while.

I took my daugher Helen and 2 of my grandchildren Jessica, aged 6 and Oliver, 4, who were fascinated by the lambing process and the chance to hold an orphaned lamb. We also met two of Helen's former school friends, Sarah and Debbie who used to live in Wilstead, with their 5 children, aged from 10 years down to 9 months, so our young children had a great time and we all enjoyed the spring sunshine.

During the visit I bumped into Cathy Whittle, Project Manager of Wilstead Children's Centre which opened in April 2009. Cathy told me that Wilstead Pre School was inspected by Ofsted in October 2008 and rated Outstanding, the top rating. I was delighted at their good news, after the hard work put in by Cathy and many other Wilstead volunteers on a building project, which was completed in a very tight timescale to qualify for its Government grant.

Helen, Debbie and Sarah all attended John Bunyan Upper School, starting in 1988 and Helen went on to graduate from University in 1996. In those days John Bunyan Upper was an excellent school but in recent years it has been in the doldrums. Since the appointment of a dynamic new Head Teacher, Ursula Byrne last year John Bunyan School has started to improve rapidly and achieved good GCSE results in July 2008. In September 2010 it will become Bedford Academy with the support of Bedford College and the Harpur Trust. With the new buildings due in 2012, the school should continue to improve its academic results and provide a good rounded education.

AMANDA PLATELL AT THE CARLTON CLUB

2009-03-13T17:22:00.001-07:00

Amanda Platell

Last night as a Patron of Mid Beds Conservative Association I attended a wonderful dinner at the Carlton Club, off Pall Mall in London with 40 others. The dinner was hosted by our MP Nadine Dorries and our guest speaker was Amanda Platell, the well known acerbic Daily Mail columnist who was once William Hague's spin doctor. Amanda is Australian, came to live in the UK in 1983 and never went home. She is charming, funny and warm and we enjoyed an excellent dinner in the Churchill Room, with enormous portraits of Sir Winston Church and Queen Elizabeth II, painted soon after her accession to the throne in 1952, looking down on us.

The Carlton was founded in 1823 by the Prince Regent, after he had a row with his father King George III, and the Club symbol is the Prince of Wales feathers. It has a spectacular circular staircase and dozens of large portraits of historic figures.

WILSTEAD WOMEN'S INSTITUTE

2009-03-13T16:42:00.000-07:00

Wilstead WI Committee show off some of their 40 new mugs

Wilstead Women's Institute has 43 members and is one of the largest village branches in Bedfordshire. Nationally, the Women's Institute has over 200,000 members and is a force to be reckoned with as Tony Blair discovered in 1997 soon after his election as Prime Minister. Blair attended the National WI Conference at the Royal Albert Hall and made the mistake of patronising the large female audience and made a blatantly party political speech to a non-political organisation. His reward was slow handclapping and humiliation by thousands of women.

Recently I gave Wilstead WI a small grant from my Community Leaders' Fund to buy 40 new mugs and last week I went along to celebrate with them and enjoy a cup of tea and some homemade cake. I also enjoyed an interesting talk from Trevor Gunton, a retired RSPB officer on his travels around the UK's Offshore Islands and wildlife watching.

This has been another busy week, culminating in a visit to Essex today to see an MBT (Mechanical and Biological Treatment Plant) one possible solution to reducing the waste going into Landfill. However it is a messier and more expensive process than the modern EfW (Energy from Waste) Plant I viewed in Portsmouth, which generates electricity on site and is cost effective.

WOTHOLES?

2009-03-11T14:17:00.000-07:00

Bedfordshire in the snow

Remember all that snow we had in February? It all seems like a bad dream now, but it devastated our roads and we now have large potholes everywhere. Bedfordshire County Council disappears on 31 March and the Bedfordshire roads will then become the responsiblity of Bedford Borough Council and Central Bedfordshire Council.

The public get very upset about potholes as they can cause nasty accidents. Therefore as a gesture of goodwill Beds County Council launched its "Wotholes?" campaign last week, allocating £400,000 extra funding to repair as many potholes as possible across Bedfordshire before 31 March. The photograph on the left is of my County Council colleague Tom Wootton, Cabinet Member for Highways and Waste Management, standing by one of the larger potholes created by the severe weather in February.

Already after only one week £75,000 has been spent on filling over 600 potholes in Bedford, Bromham, Harrold, Kempston, Dunstable, Leighton Buzzard, Biggleswade and other places.

If you see any dangerous potholes which need repairing, please call the Wotholes Hotline on 01234 228661.

Last night as Vice Chairman of Bedfordshire County Council I co hosted a final reception for Town and Parish Councils before handing over to the new Unitary Councils on 1 April 2009. There are 125 'settlements' in Bedfordshire, including four large towns -Bedford, Dunstable, Kemspton, Leighton Buzzard and Houghton Regis, smaller towns like Ampthill, Arlesey, Biggleswade, Flitwick, Sandy, Shefford and Stotfold, and dozens of villages. There are 20 town councils and dozens of parish councils. My Division includes just 2 villages, Elstow and Wilstead, but some councillors represent large numbers of small villages. Tom Wootton, a local farmer, represents rural North East Bedfordshire which has 24 villages and 14 parish councils.

On Monday I chaired two Personnel Appeals at County Hall, one a Grievance Appeal and the other an Appeal against Dismissal.

When Bedford Borough Council takes over County Hall on 1 April 2009, the building is to be renamed Borough Hall, although some Central Bedfordshire staff will continue to work in the building for the foreseeable future.

THE CYCLE OF LIFE and QUEEN VICTORIA

2009-03-09T14:15:00.001-07:00

These two photographs epitomise the Cycle of Life from 0 to 110 years.

Last weekend I attended two christenings - the first of Eleanor Milligan, the 3rd chld of Philip and Katherine in the Roman Catholic church in Flitwick. On Sunday I sang in Elstow Abbey choir at the Anglican christening of Isabella Rose Sanderson. Both events were joyous family occasions attended by many relatives and children.

Elstow Abbey is a popular venue for christenings because it is a beautiful and historic church, where John Bunyan was baptised in 1628. Also we have a charismatic Vicar Jeremy Crocker and in the next 2 weeks we will have the baptisms of Natalie, granddaughter of our organist Steve McDonald and Alice, Martha and James Matthews, the triplet grandchildren of my fellow chorister Teresa.

The 2nd photo is of Margaret Fish, the oldest person in Bedfordshire who lives in Wilstead and celebrated her 110th Birthday on Friday 6 March. Sam Whitbread, the Lord Lieutenant of Bedfordshire, personally presented Margaret with her 7th telegram from the Queen. There are only 30 people aged 110 years in whole of the UK.

Margaret was born in London in 1899, the year the paper clip was invented and Coca Cola was first bottled in America. The population of Britain was only 29 million. Mrs Fish was a dressmaker, married in 1928 and moved to Bedfordshire with her husband during the 2nd World War bombings. She visited her daughter in Australia at the age of 90, lived independently in Cople until she was 104 and was still digging her garden at the age of 100! And her favourite TV programme is "Dancing on Ice".

Margaret was born during the reign of Queen Victoria and on Saturday evening I went to see the new film "The Young Victoria". Victoria became Queen when she was just 18years old and faced a daunting task, surrounded by a dominant mother and power hungry politicians and courtiers. Fortunately Victoria found the ideal husband in Prince Albert, who was intelligent and had a strong social conscience and inspired the 1951 Great Exhibiton at Crystal Palace. It was a true love match which resulted in 9 children and many grandchildren who married into most of the royal houses of Europe - Germany, Spain, Greece, Norway, Italy, Denmark,Russia, Sweden.

Victoria ruled for 64 years, the longest reign in British history and ruled an Empire which covered 25% of the world in the 19th Century. Her great granddaughter Queen Elizabeth II has followed in Victoria's footsteps, having become Queen at the age of 26 and she has reigned for 57 years.

THE RED LION ELSTOW and THE NHS

2009-03-08T11:37:00.000-07:00

Elstow village has two fine pubs, The Swan, a traditional village pub and The Red Lion, which has just been refurbished by its new owners Mitchells & Butlers and reopened this week with a new Manager Edward White. On Sunday customers and local residents were invited to sample the new menu and I enjoyed an excellent and fairly priced Sunday lunch. It was a brief relaxation before a very busy week.

On Monday I chaired my last Borough Council Corporate & Resource Committee, and on Tuesday attended a BEAR Seminar about the Countywide Waste Management strategy after a school governors meeting and before an evening update on the new Bedford Academy, which John Bunyan Upper School becomes in September 2009.

On Wednesday and Thursday I had regional meetings in Cambridge and chaired my final County Council Redundancy Panel and on Friday had an Employment Tribunal in Watford, so I seemed to do a lot of driving around this week. In between meetings and dealing with various resident issues and numerous emails I managed to fit in 3 visits to my Fitness Club and two medical appointments.

On Tuesday it was my 3 yearly breast screening and on Friday I had an emergency dental appointment to replace a crown which fell out of my mouth when I was chewing an Opal Fruit sweet! My wonderful NHS dentist is a white South African who came to the UK 16 years ago and I travel 20 miles to see him because he is such an excellent dentist. This time I saw his colleague, another South African who is equally good. Many people complain about the NHS but I have only ever experienced excellent service from NHS doctors, surgeons, dentists, physiotherapists and nurses, especially in 2006/7 when I had 3 operations in Bedford and Cambridge within a year.

On Friday evening I met Hannah Miles, the Masterchef Finalist who runs a popoular Blog called Hannahscountrykitchen which attracts 150,000 hits a month. Hannah is a shipping lawyer with a passion for cooking, especially patries and desserts and lives in Podington, a small village on the edge of North Bedfordshire. Hannah gave a talk and a cookery demonstration to an audience of 100+ enthusiastic Conservatives. She charmed us all and made a delicious Toblerone Tiramisu, which takes only 30 minutes to prepare, a Lime and Ginger cheesecake and a delicious rose flavoured summer punch.

ELSTOW LOWER SCHOOL PUPILS CELEBRATE 'OUTSTANDING' OFSTED REPORT

2009-03-04T15:04:00.000-08:00

Last week I announced the great news that Elstow Lower School has just been rated 'Outstanding' for the second time in 3 years by Ofsted. As you can see in this photograph our school children are as thrilled as the staff, parents and governors with this tremendous result as they play a key part in the school's success.

Despite heavy snow in February, Elstow Lower School was one of the few Bedfordshire schools to stay open so that the Inspectors could visit and assess the standard and quality of the education.

Recent achievements at Elstow Lower School include gaining 'Eco School' status and receiving the prestigious 'Green Flag' award. Many of our children do not speak English as their first language and each year the school has an International Week.

Highlights of the Ofsted Inspection report include:
1. Inspectors were 'wowed' by the young School Council Members and 'Eco Warriors' who talked enthusiastically about their roles and the decisions they have to make.

2. Parents said that their children 'always come home full of information and we could not ask for anything more'

3. The Inspectors considered the level of care and support for the children to be of the highest quality and a real strength of the school.

4. Recently the children enriched their learning with visits from 'Night Owls', re- enactments of historical events, becoming 'entrepreneurs', visits to London and other exciting projects.

As Head Teacher Jenny Winder says "We are delighted and proud of the result of this latest inspection. Everyone - children, staff, parents, partner schools and local businesses - works hard as a team and together we strive to provide our children and their families with the very best education which will give them life opportunities and allow them to live healthy and harmonious lives within the society of today and in the future".

As Vice Chairman of Governors at the school I am pleased to endorse these comments, and also passionately believe in the importance of teamwork and partnership in my other role as the local Councillor for Elstow and Wilstead villages.

This week I attended a meeting to discuss the development of John Bunyan Upper School into Bedford Academy in September 2010. The meeting was held at Cauldwell Lower School, another Outstanding Lower School, located in an area of South Bedford with high levels of social deprivation. Elstow Lower School also draws 40% of its pupils from this area and the qualities that shine out of these two schools are strong, inspirational leadership and teamwork.

WILSTEAD FOOTBALL CLUB

2009-03-02T12:01:00.000-08:00

Wilstead is a small Bedfordshire village (population 2,300) but it has a splendid Football Club with several adult and youth teams, ably led by the Chairman James Struthers and Chief Coach Ben Wisson. Recently I gave the Club a grant from my County Community Leaders' Fund to refurbish their showers and on Saturday I watched them play a home match against Renhold. They scored 2 goals but Renhold scored 4 so Wilstead lost the match but there was lots of action.

My home town is Portsmouth and my 2 brothers once dragged me to watch Pompey play a match at Fratton Park when I was a teenager. I was bored stiff because no goals were scored until the 89th minute and swore I would never go again. Apart from watching World Cup football on TV I have never watched another football match since until Saturday but it was fun - I just blocked my ears to the occasional four letter words!

I drove 160 miles south down the M1 from Leeds for the match as I was at the CCA (Conservative Councillors' Association) Annual Conference, at which David Cameron was due to speak. David could not attend as he is in mourning for his 6 year old disabled son Ivan who died on Wednesday. David and Samantha Cameron have been devastated by the sudden loss of their eldest child and his funeral takes place tomorrow in Oxfordshire

Alan Duncan gave a keynote speech instead of David Cameron and we had a feisty after dinner speech from Baroness Warsi, the youngest and sole female Moslem peer in the House of Lords who described her relentless battles against discrimination and prejudice, especially from within her own Moslem community in Dewsbury, Yorkshire.

Thank you to Cathy Burridge, from Texas, USA who sent me the following kind comment:

"I have just visited your lovely town and was delighted to have also visited Elstow, what a beautiful place you live in!

It was a whistlestop tour of the City of Bedford, but it was such a shame I did not get to meet a local celebrity as yourself.

Thanks for this blog. Its very informative, it looks like you too travel a lot, have you been to Cambridge, its fantastic?

Oh, I so agree with you, your country needs more trees, so I hope you will be planting some more soon. Best wishes Councillor Lynne"

ELSTOW MUSIC FESTIVAL

2009-03-01T12:19:00.001-08:00

Happy St. David's Day!

Last night we had a wonderful Concert performed by the Luton Male Voice Choir at Elstow Abbey, concluding our first ever Elstow Music Festival which raised a total of £1,000 towards refurbishing our 11th Century Abbey and repairing the organ.

The 31 strong choir included several Welshmen, very appropriate just before St. David's Day and they sang two Welsh hymns including my favourite Cwm Rhondda. The varied programme included the South African National Anthem sung in Swahili, Frank Sinatra and Perry Como music, a Russian soprano and some lovely piano solos including a haunting Italian piece - Giorni Dispari by Ludovico Einaudi - played by Stewart, one of the two accompanists. The choir sang superbly without a note of music in front of them and almost raised the roof with their robust singing of the football anthem "Walk On" and the Battle Hymn of the Republic.

Such a pity that we did not have a larger audience but we will invite them back next year so more people can enjoy their wonderful music.

I have a special fondness for Wales as my younger daughter Helen studied Stage Management at the Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff and we had Cwm Rhondda as one of her wedding hymns. Cardiff is a cosmopolitan city and I used to enjoy shopping in Morgans, Cardiff's answer to Harrods, which alas is no longer there.

Helen's student flat was a stone's throw from Cardiff Castle and within earshot of Cardiff Arms Park. On a Saturday afternoon conversation would suddenly stop when we heard a huge roar - the home rugby team had scored a try!

ELSTOW LOWER SCHOOL IS OUTSTANDING... AGAIN!

2009-02-26T12:56:00.001-08:00

Elstow Lower School, where I am Vice Chair of Governors, was the 1st Lower School in Bedfordshire rated Outstanding by Ofsted in 2005/6. The Ofsted Inspection regime is now more rigorous and inspections are conducted at 2 days' notice to give a more genuine impression of school performance to Inspectors.

The school was inspected during the recent freezing cold, snowy weather in early February. All the staff, governors and children braved the weather when most of the Bedfordshire schools were closed and passed the inspection with flying colours. Once again Elstow Lower has been rated Outstanding and even the governors were rated outstanding! This is an exceptional school led by a dedicated Head Teacher Jenny Winder, enthusiastic staff and governors which draws its children not only from Elstow village but also from socially deprived families in South Bedford and many of our children do not speak English as their first language.

On Wednesday we had the final meeting of the County Council Children's Services Committee, of which I am Vice Chairman. Since my election as a County Councillor in 2005 a lot of effort has been put into improving Children's Services, which were in 'Special Measures' in 2004. The School Improvement Programme has produced much improved GCSE examination results and performance improvement in most of the Bedford Borough Upper Schools and we now have a number of Outstanding or Good Schools.

Remembering the horror of the recent Baby P case, it is reassuring for you to know that Bedfordshire's Child Protection Service is now one of only 17 rated Outstanding in England, its Youth Offending Service is rated No.1 in England, and our Fostering and Adoption Service is also rated Outstanding. When Bedfordshire County Council finally 'shuts up shop' on 31 March 2009 Children's Services will be handed over to the new Bedford Unitary Council in excellent order.

Tonight I was one of 100 school governors from the 79 schools in Bedford Borough invited to meet Chris Hilliard, the new Director of Children's Services in Bedford Unitary Council. Chris will have 5 Assistant Directors including 2 senior County Council Officers, John Goldsmith and Katie Theodore. Hopefully this team will continue to build on the County Council's success and provide a high class service for the people of Bedford Borough from 1 April 2009 onwards.

BEDFORDSHIRE'S BARREN LANDSCAPE HAS BEEN TRANSFORMED WITH 1 MILLION TREES

2009-02-23T14:40:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I mentioned the work of the Forest of Marston Vale:

"Our challenge is to use trees and woodlands to transform 61 square miles between Bedford and Milton Keynes, repairing a landscape scarred by decades of clay extraction, brickmaking and landfill. We have already planted 1 million trees and by 2030 we will plant 5 million more, working with local communities, government and businesses to create new woods and other wild places for everyone to enjoy"

In 2002 the Marston Vale Trust bought Rectory Wood, 173 acres of arable farmland between Cranfield and the ancient woodland of Marston Thrift and has been planting thousands of trees there in several phases. Phase 4 is Legacy Thrift, named by Bedfordshire County Council who have financed the planting of 24,000 trees to commemorate 120 years of the Council's work 1889-2009.

Today I received this comment from a reader, Mrs Valerie Seymour:

"Dear Cllr Faulkner, thank you for this blog. As a Bedfordshire Conservation Volunteer myself, I was delighted to hear about the planting of all these new trees in the Marston Vale. I have been there many times with my family and we are delighted to have such a fantastic project on our doorsteps! Bedfordshire should be so proud of it!

However I am concerned that Bedford Borough Council opposed the planting of these trees. Is this correct? I have read that the Mayor was completely opposed to these legacy initiatives, including the planting of 20,000 trees in the Marston.

Under the new Unitary authority for Bedford Borough, will all the good work of the County in supporting the Marston Vale have been in vain? Please do all you can to ensure that Bedford lifts its eyes and supports this great initiative! Thank you for all your support in this area so far too." "

Sadly the Mayor of Bedford and the local media constantly criticise the County Council but have failed to appreciate the benefits of this important tree project. The Labour Government has forced us to accept 20,000 new houses in the Marston area, although local residents campaigned successfully to stop the proposed Eco town. Our 24,000 trees will now provide much needed green space and new wildlife habitats for local residents to enjoy.

You have my personal assurance that as a Borough Councillor, and hopefully after 4th June as a Unitary Councillor in Bedford Borough I will continue to support the excellent work of the Forest of Marston Vale in planting 4 million more trees.

TREE PLANTING EVENT MARKS 120 YEARS OF BEDFORDSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

2009-02-22T10:37:00.000-08:00

WILSTEAD P3 WALKING GROUP

Last Sunday 1,000 trees were planted by staff and councillors to celebrate 120 years of Bedfordshire County Council. In total 24,000 trees will be planted at the Forest of Marston Vale forming Legacy Thrift, a new Woodland to help regenerate the Marston Vale and celebrate the 120 years of Bedfordshire County Council from 1889 - 2009.

For too long the Marston Vale has been blighted by clay extraction, brick making and landfill. The aim is to bring local communities together and create new wildlife habitats and "green lungs" in an area where 20,000 new houses are planned, so that local residents can enjoy their leisure time in beautiful Bedfordshire countryside.

This Sunday I joined 10 members of the active Wilstead P3 Walking Group on a 6 mile walk in Holwell, Hertfordshire. We then enjoyed a well earned drink in the historic Motte & Bailey Pub in the village of Pirton where I lived for 15 years. Then I returned to Elstow for an excellent Sunday roast dinner in my local, The Swan Pub.

It was a nice change to get some fresh air after a busy week looking after 2 lively small grandchildren, sitting on a complex 3 day employment tribunal and attending an interesting conference in London on "Championing the Older Generations".

Variety is the spice of life.....

SLEEPING CATS and BABIES

2009-02-16T14:57:00.000-08:00

Last Monday I had to have my elderly female tabby cat, Spice aged 17+ years, put to sleep as she had developed kidney disease. In my sadness I was cheered up by some comical photographs of cats sleeping in strange places sent to me by a friend. Cats have an amazing ability to find cosy if eccentric places to sleep.

On Thursday we had our penultimate County Council meeting, duly reported in Beds on Sunday - I got a mention this time! Then I headed north in a flurry of snow to Staffordshire to look after 2 lively small grandchildren, Jessica, 6 and Oliver, 4 for three days, while their recently divorced mother Helen had a well earned Valentine's weekend off with her lovely new man. I was once a divorced working mother with sole responsibility for 2 young daughters after my husband went off with a younger single woman and it is hard coping 24/7 alone with two young children.

We had a flurry of nursery, swimming lessons, ballet, a visit to a Wacky Warehouse for indoor soft play, visits to the shops, walks, roller skating, Play doh, reading stories, pancake making etc. By Sunday evening I was totally exhausted. Thank goodness I am only a grandmother and not a young Mum as bringing up young children demands total commmitment, unselfishness and lots of energy.

That American single mother who chose to have 6 IVF children without a father in sight and has now produced IVF octuplets is totally selfish and irresponsible. As for the 13 year old English boy who has fathered a baby and those women who want to have babies at 60 years plus - words fail me!

Today after an early morning swim I have been sitting on a complex 3 day race discrimination employment tribunal case in Bedford - very taxing mentally but in a different way from childminding. Tonight I put up posters in Elstow village for my Advice Surgery next Saturday morning and for the Concert we are having at Elstow Abbey on the evening on Saturday 28 February at 7pm - the Luton Male Voice Choir which should be fantastic.

Finally, tonight I had to deal with all my emails and write the Foreword to the 2008/9 Annual Report of the Borough Council Corporate & Resource Committee which I chair.

Goodnight..........

BEDFORDSHIRE LEGACY CONCERT

2009-02-10T09:56:00.000-08:00

On Sunday evening I attended a wonderful Legacy Concert at Bedford Corn Exchange performed by 200 Bedfordshire school children, celebrating the history and achievements of Bedfordshire County Council over the past 120 years. It was a fitting tribute from Bedfordshire Music Service and the award winning Bedfordshire & Luton Archive Service, both of which have well deserved national reputations for providing a first class public service .

Nigel Lutt, the County Archivist was the Narrator, telling us some fascinating historical stories, while we watched a series of old photographs and listened to a superb selection of music from each era from our very talented young musicians and singers. They had braved the snow last week to prepare for this special concert.

The Concert opened with Edward Elgar's Pomp and Circumstance March No.4 and Nigel described the era 1889-1902, when Queen Victoria ruled over 25% of the world and Bedfordshire's population was only 160,000. Next we had 3 lively Gilbert & Sullivan pieces. The Leader of the Council, as the Lord High Executioner from The Mikado, read out her "Little List" of people, none of whom would be missed, including some well known Bedford figures, local journalists, rogue bankers and talkshow hosts.

Nigel told us about the period 1902-1919 when Frank Spooner, the Director of Education ran off with £5k of County Educational Funds about the time the Titanic sank, so it did not make the main headlines! In 1904, 400 driving licences were issued, including 3 to intrepid women, and dog licences were introduce in 1908.

The Legacy Orchestra then played William Walton's Facade Suite and we moved into the next age 1919-1939. In 1922 Amy Walmsley was the first female County Councillor and in the 1920's the Library and Adult Education Services were started and the first school meals were provided at Sharnbrook School in 1925.

Then it was 1939-1953. Children were evacuated to Bedfordshire to escape the London bombing during the War and in 1944 the last Glenn Miller Concert was held in Bedford before he disappeared in a plane over France. During the 1951 Festival of Britain, Moot Hall in Elstow was restored and John Bunyan's birthplace in Elstow was marked by a stone monument. After the interval we had a Glenn Miller selection from the Legacy Wind Band, who also played a lively Beatles medley to mark the 1953-1970 period. In 1957 Harold MacMillan, Prime Minister made a famous speech in Bedford using his famous phrase "Most people have never had it so good" . In 1959 the M1 Motorway was opened and Mander College, now Bedford College, was built by the County Council. The New County Hall was opened in 1970 by the Duchess of Kent.

So then it was 1970-1996 and Local Government Reorganisation in 1974 and the creation of the new Bedford Borough Council. Frank Branston, now the Mayor of Bedford, started his Bedford on Sunday newspaper in 1974. In 1983-86 a long, fierce and successful campaign was fought to stop NIREX from dumping nuclear waste in Elstow. In 1993, Bedfordshire Archive & Record Service received its 1st Charter Mark. Our next musical item was from the Dhol Drumming Group from Kymbrook Lower School - a small but very enthusiastic group of very young musicians.

So finally to 1996-2009 and we had the Legacy Choir and Rock Band performing Eric Clapton and a very emotional rendering of Josh Groban's "You Raise Me Up". In 1997 Luton Borough Council became a Unitary Council, and Bedfordshire County Council went through a difficult period, rated a Poor Authority in 2003. However after the appointment of a new Chief Executive in 2004, the Council was transformed in 3 years from Poor to Good, moving from 0 Stars to 3 Stars. Its success was described by The Times as "A comeback of Lazarus proportions".

The Legacy Concert ended with a rousing rendition of the Queen Bohemian Rhapsody by the combined Legacy Orchestra, Wind and Rock Bands and Choir who received a standing ovation from a very appreciative audience. Bedfordshire Music now engages 50,000 children and adults in a range of musical activities, quite remarkable when you note that there are only 63,000 school children in Bedfordshire.

As a result of the latest Local Government Reorganisation, the Labour Government has decided that the County Council will be abolished on 31 March 2009, to be replaced by 2 new Unitary Councils, Bedford Borough and Central Beds. However, fortunately both Bedfordshire Music and the Bedfordshire and Luton Archive & Record Service will be retained as "Shared Services" and will continue to provide an excellent service.

FUN IN THE SNOW

2009-02-06T03:08:00.001-08:00

Monday's snow was a novelty for many of our children, as it is 18 years since we last had enough snow for them to build snowmen and have toboggan rides. In Bedfordshire we had several snowfalls of 4-6 inches and the older children and their parents have loved playing in it, although little ones quickly get cold.

Some Bedfordshire schools stayed open on Monday and Tuesday, including Elstow and Wilstead Lower Schools and Abbey Middle, but others closed at the first sight of snow. Teachers have had several paid days off pay while thousands of children missed
up to a week's schooling, creating major problems for working parents across the country.

Unfortunately after 4/5 days off school the novelty wears off. In Canada where snow falls often in winter the children have "snow days" which are added on to the school term in June so that their education is not disrupted. An idea which the British could copy?

Many adults, including me, can work from home using their home computers but for others who do not get paid for not being at work like the self employed, shop assistants and many other private sector workers, several days off means lost wages -and many families are already struggling financially with the credit crunch.

Maybe the Government and Local Authorities should learn from the experience of other countries who regularly suffer severe winter weather, like Canada, Russia and Scandinavia, and develop better crisis management skills, so that London and the rest of the country do not grind to a halt whenever we have snow.

GRITTING BEDFORDSHIRE ROADS IN THE SNOW

2009-02-06T01:42:00.000-08:00

SNOWBOUND LUTON TRAFFIC

Day 5 and yet more snow falls in Bedfordshire! Some Bedfordshire schools have closed for 3/4 days although Elstow Lower School was one of the few to stay open on both Monday and Tuesday. London came to a standstill on Monday when all the underground trains stopped and buses were cancelled because one bus was seen on CCTV to slip on the ice. Bedfordshire buses kept running on Monday because of the daily gritting of the extensive A and B road network by Bedfordshire County Council.

In spite of the snow I have driven on local roads every day this week. After 5 days of snow Bedfordshire's supply of salt and grit is down to 4 days' supply. On Wednesday the Government threatened to withdraw all the Cheshire Salt Union supplies from Local Authorities, so that the Highways Agency could use it for motorways. Fortunately Bedfordshire has more salt and grit due to arrive next week.

Bedford Borough Council is running out of grit for Bedford roads and the Mayor of Bedford has criticsed the County Council in his Blog for not sharing their fast diminishing grit supply. No doubt he will also criticise the County Council next week if they run out and fail to grit A and B roads. You are damned if you do and damned if you don't! Even if the County Council had any grit to spare, the Mayor can hardly expect a friendly response when he has continually criticised the County Council, long after Bedford Borough Council won the Unitary battle. Also even he cannot blame the County Council for the Borough's failure to order enough grit.

Luton is in such a mess with snowbound traffic that it has banned motorists from entering the town centre today. Also hundreds of flights have been cancelled at London Luton Airport and many parts of the country just ground to a halt. Therefore we should be grateful that Bedfordshire County Council was well prepared for the snow and has enabled many people to get to work and school this week.

SURVIVING SNOW AND THE CREDIT CRUNCH !

2009-02-02T01:09:00.001-08:00

LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW!
Today it is snowing and in 21st Century Britain 50% of the population will get up and soldier into work somehow while 50% turn over in bed and go back to sleep. Bedford has not had heavy snow but one school closed instantly, while Elstow Lower School has stayed open - our Head Teacher is made of sterner stuff. The post has just arrived and I drove home in snow last night - but I remember living in Scotland as a child. We regularly had heavy snowfalls and were never allowed to stay off school - it was par for the course. We are fast becoming a nation of risk averse wimps, doomed to live safe, bland and boring lives with no excitement at all.

My late father survived 6 terrible years at sea during World War II on minesweepers and minelayers, including Arctic convoys to protect merchant shipping. One of his ships was sunk and half the ship's company including the captain were drowned, but never a word of complaint about his suffering crossed his lips after the War. He was also the navigator in HMS Frobisher, the leading frigate in the British Fleet during the 1944 D-Day Normandy Invasion and 33 years later he was awarded the Croix de Guerre by the French Government - their highest military honour.

SURVIVING THE CREDIT CRUNCH
Last Saturday, the Friends of Elstow Abbey did their bit for the Credit Crunch by providing a wonderful Organ Recital and a generous Ploughman's Lunch with a free drink, all for £5 for the older music lovers. This was our 3rd Concert in our 1st Elstow Music Festival and the cannier souls bought season tickets for £15 for 4 concerts, so the Saturday concert and food only cost them £3.75 each. Where else in Bedford could you be entertained, fed and watered for that money in 2009?

Our 4th and final Concert will be a rousing performance from the Luton Male Voice Choir on Saturday 28 February at 7.30pm and we are well on the way to raising our target £1,000 for the 4 concerts to continue refurbishing our historic church and its organ. Not bad when we have offered such bargain prices for the 4 excellent concerts.

After a recent expensive weekend dining out, this weekend I enjoyed gourmet home cooked food at a fraction of restaurant prices. My fellow Councillor Andrew McConnell had a Jamie Oliver moment on Saturday and cooked 2 superb fillet steaks and I cooked a deilvcious lamb shank on Sunday before trampingout in the snow to deliver election leaflets for the forhcoming Unitary Elections. We are indeed fortunate to live in a country where food is plentiful and cheap, unlike the poor souls living at starvation level in Zimbabwe.

HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL DAY

2009-01-27T13:21:00.000-08:00

Today is Holocaust Memorial Day when we remember the millions of people killed in racially motivated wars - the 2nd World War, Cambodia, Bosnia, Rwanda and Darfur.

In Hitler's Nazi Germany 6 million people were murdered in concentration camps - mainly Jews, but also Polish Roman Catholics, Russians, gypsies, homosexuals, political opponents and mentally and physically handicapped people who were not deemed to meet the distorted Nazi vision of racial purity. In one notorious concentration camp, Auschwitz in Poland, one million people died.

This evening I attended a moving and emotional Commemoration of Holocast Memorial Day organised by Bedfordshire SACRE and performed by students from 5 different Bedfordshire schools at Samuel Whitbread Community College in Clifton. Rabbi Thau lit Memorial Candles and led the prayers. Therer was a moment of silence to remember the dead and all those affected by racism, discrimination and persecution across the world.

The students performed various musical, drama and dance items including "Mountain Language" by Harold Pinter and one student from Samuel Whitbread talked about her visit to Auschwitz. Sadly racism still pervades the world today and one student reminded us that 260,000 people were victims of hate crime in the UK last year. Bedfordshire school students have planted 500 yellow crocuses in memory of all the Jewish children who died in Nazi Germany, chosing yellow as a symbol of the yellow star badges they were forced to wear during the War to identify them to the Nazis.

The Bishop of Bedford made some final comments and the audience, which children and adults of all ages, made the following pledge:

Statement of Commitment
"We must make sure that future generations understand the causes of the Holocaust and reflect upon its consequences. We vow to remember the victims of Nazi persecution and of all genocide.

We pledge to strengthen our efforts to promote education and research about the Holocaust and other genocide. We will do our utmost to make sure that the lessons of such events are fully learnt.

We condemn the evils of prejudice, discrimination and racism. We value a free, tolerant and democratic society."

NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS

2009-01-26T14:13:00.000-08:00

Most New Year Resolutions are broken by the end of January but I have made two this year which I intend to keep. Firstly, after a very stressful and demanding 2008, with little personal free time I decided that I will take some time out each week to get fit and sometimes just "chill out". Secondly I need to lose some weight, a real challenge for someone who loves her food.

Therefore I have just rejoined LA Fitness in Bedford and started going to Aquacise classes last week between Council meetings. Early tomorrow morning I have a gym session with a personal trainer and will try to use the gym at least once a week in addition to the Aquacise and some morning walks.

The weight reduction and "chilling out" may prove more challenging, although I did lose 2 stone two years ago, raising £800 for the British Heart Foundation. To give me the incentive to cut down on high calorie, fattening food, last weekend I enjoyed a farewell treat by dining out in two Bedford restaurants which I had not previously visited.

On Friday three fellow councillors, Andrew McConnell (Blogging for Bedford) Peter Hand, Tom Wootton, his lovely wife Elizabeth and I dined out at Harpurs in the Broadway, celebrating Peter's 30th Birthday. We enjoyed a delicious meal and some good wine with first class, friendly service in pleasant modern surroundings.

On Saturday a friend took me out for a belated New Year dinner at the chic and trendy Four Restaurant in St. Peter's Street where the portions were very dainty and well presented but unexciting. It was half empty so maybe the Credit Crunch is beginning to bite. We had planned to eat at my friend's favourite restaurant, Santinielli's which is cheap, cheerful and noisy but it was too crowded, another sign that times are hard.

Progress reports will follow...........

WEEK OF PRAYER FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY

2009-01-25T14:35:00.000-08:00

" /> WILSTEAD PARISH CHURCH and ELSTOW ABBEY

Last week was exceptionally busy and included a 3 day Employment Tribunal, a Speed Reading course, a Finance Briefing for the new Unitary Council, a BBC 3 Counties Breakfast interview, a Community Safety Forum with the Police and representatives from 6 villages and a meeting to launch Wilstead Parish Plan. I also visited a local farming family to advise them on a peculiar situation whereby their home is cut in half by the boundary between Haynes and Wilstead and will be located in 2 different Unitary Councils, Central Beds and Bedford Borough Councils in April.

Today I went to Wilstead Parish Church to present gifts purchased with a grant from my Community Leader's Fund - 2 lovely English Ash wooden collecting bowls, made by Ray Terry a Wilstead resident, and a CD Player and CDs of hymns for use when an organist is not available to play. In the congregation were 16 week old triplets, Alex, Jessica and Oliver with their proud parents and a pair of identical boy twins. There must be something in the water in Wilstead....

This evening I attended a Joint Ecumenical Service at Elstow Abbey to celebrate the 100th Week of Prayer for Christian Unity organised by Churches Together in Britain and Ireland, with representatives from many different Bedford churches. I was invited to attend both as Vice Chairman of Bedfordshire County Council and Elstow's local Councillor. Also I sang the anthem - A Clare Benediction by John Rutter - with the choir and we had some rousing hymns including Cwm Rhondda and an interesting Sermon from David Cornick, General Secretary of Churches Together in England.

Next Saturday 31 January Elstow Abbey Friends are holding the 3rd Concert in our 1st ever Elstow Music Fesitval - an Organ Recital by Bedfordshire Organists Association at 12 noon. Tickets are only £7.50 (£5 for pensioners) including a Ploughman's Lunch - a real bargain for those who are watching the pennies in the Credit Crunch. Tickets can be bought on the door and all are welcome.

Never a dull moment for this local Councillor - and I even found time to watch the Inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th US President!

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA

2009-01-20T12:37:00.001-08:00

On a freezing cold January day in Washington DC Barack Obama took the oath of office from Chief Justice Roberts today at the US Capitol to become the 44th President of the United States in front of a huge crowd of one million Americans.

Barack Obama is the living embodiment of the American dream as the 47 year old is the son of a black Kenyan father and a white American mother. He grew up in Hawaii and Indonesia and worked as a community worker before studying to be a lawyer and academic and became the Senator for Illinois in 2004. President Obama faces enormous economic and political challanges. He has already shown a sure touch in appointing strong candidates to key jobs, including former political opponents like Hillary Clinton as his Secretary of State. She will have to deal with the Middle East crisis and the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars, which will keep her very busy.

Obama's election is important for the free world, as he wants to restore America's role as a benign world leader and has a far more international outlook than most previous US Presidents. Obama is a thoughtful intellectual, rare in a politician and a complete contrast to George Bush, who often found it hard to string a sentence togethe and was very unpopular in recent years.

In his Inauguration speech President Obama called on all Americans to accept personal responsibility for trying to solve the challenging tasks confronting the nation, and he reached out to the world saying "And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born, know that America is a friend of each nation and every, man, woman and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity and we are ready to lead once more".

WELCOME TO 2009!

2009-01-13T01:54:00.000-08:00

MADEIRAN NEW YEAR FIREWORKS AND LEVADAS

Hi everyone and a Happy New Year to you all! I am back from my New Year holiday in Madeira 24 hours late due to fog at Funchal Airport which caused the cancellation of my Easyjet flight and an overnight stay in Santa Cruz village close to Funchal Airport.

For the first time I watched Madeira's famous New Year Firework Display standing in the port with thousands of local Madeiran people and tourists. The Firework Display was spectacular and you can watch a video of it on U Tube.

After a lively family Christmas and a busy working year I enjoyed a break to 'recharge my batteries'. I aimed to get fitter with some Levada Walks, in wonderful scenery as shown in the 2 photos above, but sprained my left calf muscle on an 8 mile walk, and have been hobbling around for a week. I did managed to shake off a heavy cold acquired before I left a freezing cold UK on New Year's Eve.

The downside? The holiday was expensive as our weak £ only buys 1 Euro now when one year ago the £ was worth 1.4 Euros. We economised by eating meals in my small Timeshare apartment (purchased in 1988) and packed up sandwich lunches. Just for the record, this was a private holiday funded by me and nothing to do with the Councils. After arriving home 24 hours late, I immediately had to rush off to 3 meetings and have a busy month ahead.

Let's hope that 2009 will be more cheerful than the end of 2008. We must keep smiling and learn to live more economically. Those of us who grew up in the post war years can remember food rationing but it will be hard for younger people who have grown up in more affluent times and have never learned to 'save for a rainy day'.

I'M DREAMING OF A GREEN CHRISTMAS.....

2008-12-30T04:25:00.000-08:00

RECYCLE MORE TO HELP THE ENVIRONMENT AND CUT TAXES

Now that Christmas is over the Bedfordshire County Council Recycle Now! Team are urging people to recycle some of our 6.5 million Christmas cards and other Christmas items. Those of us who now have orange-lidded bins have no excuse not to recycle more goods. Here are a few recycling tips from the Recycle Now! Team:

* Recycle Christmas cards for charity by taking them to WH Smiths, Tesco, M&S or TKMAXX stores between 2 and 31 January 2009 or put them in your orange lidded bin.
* Recycle some of the 750 million bottles and glass containers used over Christmas in your local bottle bank or Household Waste Recycling Centre.
* Take real Christmas tree to your local Household Waste Recycling Centre for composting.
* Take unwanted clothes, household items and toys to charity shops
* Use reusable shopping bags and rechargeable batteries.

BEAR PROJECT
The BEAR Project (Bedfordshire Energy and Recycling Project) has announced that all the Bedfordshire local authorities - Beds County Council, Bedford Borough Council, Central Bedfordshire and Luton Borough Council have formed a partnership to deliver a 25 year residual waste management solution for their communities. 32,000 new orange lidded bins were delivered to homes in Bedford Borough before Christmas. Those who do not want these bins will continue to use orange recycling sacks.

RECYCLING TARGETS ACHIEVED
Bedfordshire has exceed stretching Government recycling targets in the first 6 months of 2008/9 by diverting 49% of municipal waste and 46% of household waste from landfill, an average of 48% overall. The 5 Household Waste Recycling Centres, which include Barkers Lane, have averaged 70% recycling rates and achieved 90% customer satisfaction levels.

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL!
Tomorrow I am off to Madeira on a private visit to watch their New Year Fireworks, do some levada walking and 'recharge my batteries' for 2009 so I will not be blogging again until after Sunday 11 January.

Happy New Year to you and your families

MORE INTERNATIONAL CHRISTMAS TREES

2008-12-29T14:24:00.001-08:00

FRANKFURT

VENICE

MADRID

I am back home in Bedford after spending a week with my family in the Heart of England. Today I looked after my small grandchildren and took them to the Wacky Warehouse near Lichfield for indoor fun and games as it was damp and freezing cold outside. We are in for a very cold New Year in England and the gritting lorries were out when I was driving south on the M1 tonight.

Darwen Reporter has commented favourably on my German Christmas tree and said that she thinks that the Germans really know how to celebrate Christmas. I agree with his view and have posted another German photograph of a Christmas tree, this time in Frankfurt, along with 2 more - one a beautiful modern Murano glass tree in Venice and the other a traditional Spanish tree in Madrid.

I am always fascinated at the different ways in which other countries celebrate Festivals and this year I will be fortunate enough to celebrate New Year in Madeira, where the annual firework display is considered truly spectacular.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2008-12-27T05:18:00.001-08:00

JESSICA AND OLIVER

My grandchildren Jessica and Oliver and I send you Christmas greetings from Alrewas, Staffordshire in the Heart of England.

We hope you had a Happy Christmas with your family as I did with my 2 daughters Sarah and Helen and partners and 4 children. At least this year the weather was mild and we had some walks in between eating a large Christmas dinner and playing family games.

Everyone is rushing out to the Sales to spend what little money is left over before settling down to cope with the recession.

Let's hope all is not gloom and doom in 2009 and we take this opportunity to wish you and your families a Happy New Year.

CHRISTMAS TREES AROUND THE WORLD

2008-12-22T14:54:00.000-08:00

PRAGUE'S OLD TOWN SQUARE

ITALY
The top left photograph is of the world's largest Christmas tree display, rising up the slopes of Monte Ingino outside Gubbio in Italy's Umbria regions. Composed of 500 lights connected by 40,000 feet of wire, the 'tree' is a modern marvel for an ancient city.

AMERICA
The Capitol Christmas tree in Washington DC is decorated with 3,000 ornaments, the made by American schoolchildren. Encircling evergreens in the 'Pathway of Peace' represent the 50 US States.

GERMANY
'Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree'. Even in its humblest attire, aglow beside a tiny chapel in Germany's Karwendel Mountains, a Christmas tree is a wondrous sight.

PORTUGAL
The largest Christmas tree in Europe (over 230 feet tall) is found in the Praca do Comercio in Lisbon in the middle right photograph above. Thousands of lights adorn the tree adding to the special charm of the city at Christmas.

CZECH REPUBLIC
Illuminating the Gothic facades of Prague's Old Town Square, and casting its glow over the manger display of the famous Christmas market, is a grand tree cut in the Sumava Moutains in southern Czech Republic.

RUSSIA
Moscow celebrates Christmas according to the Russian Orthodox calendar on 7 January. For weeks beforehand the city is alive with festivities in anticipation of Father Frost's arrival on his magical troika with the Snow Maiden. He and his helper deliver gifts under the New Year tree, or yoka, which is traditionally a fir.

Tomorrow I am off to the Midlands, laden with gifts and food to celebrate Christmas with my two daughters and four small grandchildren so I will not be blogging again until next week.

May I wish you and your families a very Happy Christmas.

CHRISTMAS CAROL SERVICES

2008-12-22T13:51:00.000-08:00

ST. PAUL'S CHURCH, BEDFORD

No Christmas is complete without Christmas Carols, trees, lights and children. As a choral singer I love Christmas Carol Services and this year I have been to five. The University of Bedfordshire had an exciting international 'Celebration of Christmas' at our lovely 11th Century St. Paul's Church in Bedford. Children from Queens Park Lower, John Bunyan Upper School and Wootton Upper School sang carols and danced, the University Scottish Pipe Band played and we had and a presentation by Michelle Row, a former student who is raising funds for a school project in Malawi.

Last night I sang in the choir at Elstow Abbey's 9 Lessons and Carols and last week went to the St. John Ambulance County Service at St. Andrews Church, Bedford. We also had two Civic Carol Services - the Bedford Borough Council Carol Service at St. Paul's and the final County Council Staff Carol Service at County Hall.

As for the children, I have been to 2 Nativity Plays performed by small children at Elstow Lower School and we had a wonderful Christmas Concert at Elstow Abbey performed by 40 children from Kingshott School and the Hitchin Concert Band Brass Ensemble, which raised £400 for organ repairs and refurbishment of Elstow Abbey. This was the second concert in our Elstow Music Festival, and the third one will be an Organ Recital by Bedfordshire Organists on Saturday 31 January 2009 at 12 noon.

My brother in America has sent me an explanation of the true meaning of the curious Christmas Carol "A Partridge in a Pear Tree". From 1558 - 1829 Roman Catholics in England were not permitted to practise their faith openly. Someone wrote this carol as a catechism song for young Catholics. It has two levels of meaning: the surface meaning plus a hidden meaning known only to church members:

* The partridge in a pear tree was Jesus Christ
* Two turtle doves were the Old and New Testaments
* Three French Hens stood for faith, hope and love
* Four calling birds were the 4 Gospels - Matthew, Mark, Luke & John
* Five golden rings recalled the Law, the first 5 Old Testament books
* Six geese a-laying stood for the six days of creation
* Seven swans a-swimming means the 7 gifts of the Holy Spirit - Prophesy, Serving, Teaching, Exhortation, Contribution, Leadership and Mercy.
* Eight maids a-milking were the 8 Beatitudes
* Nine ladies dancing were the 9 fruits of the Holy Spirit - Love, Joy, Peace,
Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self Control
* Ten lords a-leaping were the 10 Commandments
* Eleven pipers piping stood for the 11 faithful disciples
* Twelve drummers drumming symbolized the 12 points of belief in the Apostles' Creed

We learn something every day!

TOP RATINGS FOR BEDFORDSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL CHILDRENS SERVICES

2008-12-21T04:16:00.000-08:00

OUTSTANDING OFSTED RATING FOR CHILDREN'S SERVICES
Bedfordshire County Council has been given an 'Outstanding' rating by Ofsted for keeping children safe and making a positive contribution to children's lives. This year's Ofsted Annual Performance Assessment (APA) rated the County Council's Child Protection Service as one of the best in the country. This is very reassuring after all the recent national media coverage of the horrific treatment of Baby P and the poor quality of Haringey Council's Child Protection Service.

As Vice Chairman of the Council's Children's Services Committee I am very proud of this accolade, particularly as the Service was poor and in 'Special Measures' before my election in May 2005 as a County Councillor and has made a dramatic improvement since then.

'FOSTERING AND ADOPTION SERVICE IS OUTSTANDING AGAIN
Bedfordshire County Council's Private Fostering and Adoption Service has also been rated Outstanding by Ofsted, the third Outstanding rating for the Service in 2008. Ofsted commented "All features of the service are outstanding and yield good outcomes for the children and young people involved" - high praise indeed!

The County Council will be supporting a National Campaign which runs 19-23 January 2009 to highlight the potential vulnerability of children living in private fostering arrangements and will promote the need to notify the local authority of such arrangements.

YOUTH OFFENDING SERVICE IS NO.1 IN THE COUNTRY
As previously reported Bedfordshire County Council's Youth Offending Services is now rated No.1 in the country and has reduced the number of first time offenders by 28.1% in 2007/8.

BEDFORD SCHOOLS ARE OUTSTANDING
Putnoe Lower School has just received an Outstanding Ofsted report and was a finalist in the DCSF National Teaching Awards Sustainable Schools Awards. Congratulations are due to the Head Teacher, Gillian Peck, pictured above with some of the children, for this tremendous achievement, supported by teachers, governors, parents, children and the County School Improvement Team.

Queens Park Lower School was also recently rated Outstanding and Elstow Lower School, where I am Vice Chair of Governors was the first Lower School in Bedfordshire to be rated Outstanding in 2005.

John Bunyan Upper School has also just been praised by Ofsted for its continuing performance improvement under the strong leadership of its new Head Teacher, Ursula Byrne, who has formed a partnership with the University of Hertfordshire. Ofsted particularly praised the school for its social cohesion, racial harmony, excellent pastoral initiatives and improved examination results. This improvement should continue when the school becomes an Academy in 2010.

Bedford Upper Schools achieved their best ever GCSE results in 2008, with Sharnbrook Upper School achieving an 80% GCSE pass rate for the first time.

This excellent news is in sharp contrast to the blatant misinformation in Beds on Sunday and Bedford News about 'poor' Bedford Schools, which is untrue and unfair to the hardworking staff and students at our rapidly improving Bedford schools.

MY ORANGE LIDDED RECYCLING BIN HAS ARRIVED

2008-12-16T02:24:00.000-08:00

Our orange lidded recycling wheelie bins have at last arrived in Elstow! The first bins were delivered to Bedford homes in early November but as ever the 40 villages had to wait their turn. All bins should have been delivered by the end of the year.

Bedfordshire County Council offered £1m to Bedford Borough Council in 2007 to pay for the new recycling bins. The Borough accepted this offer early this year but there was a 6 month wait for the new bins due to a huge bin order from Germany - the German people are very enthusiastic about recycling, as I discovered when I stayed with my German friend Irmgard in Bamberg in October 2007.

The Labour Government is now forcing local councils to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill dumps by imposing huge Landfill Taxes (called LATS). If Council Taxpayers do not want to pay much higher taxes in future, we must all recyle, reuse and reduce our waste in future.

There are two sizes of orange-lidded recycling bins, but some people
do not have enough space for these bins and have opted to retain the
orange recycling sacks. If you have not yet decided whether to have an orange lidded bin, I urge you to consider ordering one by calling Tel. 0900 121 888.

In Bedfordshire we have successfuly increased our recycling rate from 24% to 40% in two years, and we are now aiming to increase recycling rate to 50%.

2008 BBC SPORTS PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR

2008-12-14T13:36:00.000-08:00

Chris Hoy, a 32 year old Scot from Edinburgh has just been voted the 2008 BBC Sports Personality of the Year for his epic achievement in winning 3 Gold Medals at the Beijing Olympics, the most successful British cyclist in Olympic history. The last time a cyclist won this sports award was Tommy Simpson in 1965.

Runner up was 23 year old Lewis Hamilton, the youngest person to become World Motor Racing Champion, who comes from Stevenage just down the road. Third place went to Rebecca Adlington, a bubbly 19 year old blonde from Middlesborough, who won 2 Gold Medals in swimming at the Beijing Olympics - and still gets up at 5am every day to practise! The most noticeable feature about these three sports personalities is their natural charm and modesty over their fantastic successes as British athletes, so different from the antics of some of our pampered and overpaid footballers.

Sadly the lovely Victoria Pendleton, Bedfordshire's own Olympic Gold Medal cyclist, pictured above, just missed the final shortlist but she gave a gracious acceptance speech when accepting the BBC Sport Team Award on behalf of the Olympic Cycling Team. The team cycled into the Liverpool studio in their sports gear, before changing back into their more glamorous evening clothes. David Brailsford the Olympic Cycling Coach won the BBC Sports Coach of the Year Award - a fantastic haul of well deserved BBC Sports awards for our brilliant British cyclists.

The other photograph is of tiny 13 year old Eleanor Simmonds, who won a gold medal in swimming at the Beijing Paralympics, the youngest ever British winner, and she was voted the BBC Young Personality of the Year tonight.

PRINCES TRUST AWARDS FOR TEAM 8

2008-12-09T13:19:00.000-08:00

BEDFORD PRINCE'S TRUST TEAM 8 RELENTLESS

Last Thursday I presented Certificates to The Prince's Trust Team 8 - six young people who have completed a tough 12-week course to develop new skills and help them into education, training and employment. The young people, photographed above, were all unemployed and have found a new direction in their lives. Two want to join the Fire Service, one wants to work in retail, one with animals and 2 are going to college. The 12-week course includes a residential, personal action planning, a community project, job search and work experience and raises self esteem.

The Prince's Trust is a successful charity started by the Prince of Wales 40 years ago to help disadvantaged young people aged 14-30 who are unemployed or in trouble with the law to find work and start businesses . In 2007 The Prince's Trust supported 40,000 young people, eg 9,300 through the Business Start up Programme, 11,500 through clubs, 5,500 with grants and 8,000 through Prince's Trust Team Development Programmes like the Bedford one.

The Team 8 Leader was Caroline Barkham of Bedford YMCA, a leading provider of supported housing for young people in Bedford, and the local delivery partner for the Prince's Trust Team. The next Programme starts in January 2009 and any unemployed young person who wants to join the 12 week course is invited to an Open Day at 7 Ashburnham Road, Bedford, or can contact Caroline Barkham on 01234 307040/307804. The website is www.ymca.org.uk

A few years ago I was a Member of the Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire Area Board of the Prince's Youth Business Trust, helping disadvantaged young people start their own businesses. Most had difficult home backgrounds, had taken drugs or been in prison and could not get bank loans to start their businesses. The PYBT not only gave them grants but provided free business mentoring. Many of these businesses are now very successful, some with turnovers of £20 million pa or more.

FREE PARK AND RIDE FOR CHRISTMAS

2008-12-04T07:44:00.000-08:00

ELSTOW PARK AND RIDE SERVICE FREE DURING DECEMBER

Just to remind you all that you can use the Elstow Park and Ride Service free during the whole of December. Also Christmas shoppers can park free in Bedford Town Centre car parks on 19, 20, 22 and 23 December. These measures have been introduced by Bedfordshire County Council and Bedford Borough Council to help Christmas shoppers and small businesses fight the Credit Crunch.

BEDFORDSHIRE POLICE

My blogging colleague Andrew McConnell has criticised Bedfordshire Police in Blogging for Bedford over the recent crime wave in Bedford. While I agree with much of what he says, I must praise our local Police Beat Manager, Guy Steel-Jessop and his 2 PCSOs Lisa and Emily for providing a good local police service to the residents of Elstow and Wilstead.

Recently we have had a spate of rural crime, with thefts from farms and sheds in Wilstead but after some good detective work, drawing on local information, 2 men have now been arrested for the thefts, so we hope the thefts will now stop.

ROAD SAFETY - DO YOU KNOW YOUR RULE 243?
A new Road Safety Campaign - '243' - was launched yesterday in a bid to warn motorists that parking in dangerous places can cause accidents and is often illegal.

The Highway Code - Rule 243 states that No driver should park in the following places:

* near a school entrance
* at or near a bus stop or taxi rank
* opposite or within 10 metres of a junction (except authorised parking spaces)
* near the brow of a hill or hump backed bridge
* opposite a traffic island
* in front of the entrance to a property
* on a bend
* where the kerb has been lowered to help wheelchair users
* where you would obstruct cyclists' use of cycle facilities
* anywhere you would prevent access for Emergency Services
* on the approach to a level crossing

243 signs will be put up soon at sites where drivers are particularly abusing these rules. £70 fines, under the Traffic Management Act 2004, will be imposed where vehicles are parked inappropriately.

You have been warned!

MUGABE BROWN

2008-12-02T08:38:00.001-08:00

An extract from Guido Fawkes Blog

'BABY P' REPORT PUBLISHED

2008-12-02T04:21:00.000-08:00

Today the OFSTED 'Baby P' Report was published, highlighting a 'catalogue of failings' by Haringey Children's Services Department and its senior management. Action has finally been taken to dismiss 3 senior Haringey Managers, including Sharon Shoesmith, the Director who claimed that her Department was 'effective' - but totally failed to protect a tiny child from being tortured to death in spite of 60 official visits by health visitors, social workers and the Police.

As Vice Chairman of Bedfordshire Children's Services Committee, I questioned our Director of Children's Services at a recent meeting about our Bedfordshire child protection procedures. He issued a detailed statement which reassured Councillors that the Bedfordshire child protection system now operates to a very high standard, having been radically reformed during the past 3 years.

The Labour Government imposes endless performance targets and central controls on local Councils so strategies, box ticking and management speak dominate. Whatever happened to simple common sense? Also in today's world top politicians and highly paid public sector managers happily take high salaries but refuse to take the blame when their flawed systems go badly wrong.

ARE WE NOW LIVING IN A POLICE STATE?

Now in an even more sinister turn of events the Government has lost control over the flow of information, in spite of its own constant information leaks to press, eg information on the Pre Budget Report realsed before Alistair Darling's Speech.

Damian Green MP, a Shadow Conservative Miister, was treated like a terrorist and dragged off to a police station at dawn by an army of police officers for 9 hours' questioning, simply for receiving information from a disillusioned civil servant, in exactly the same way that Gordon Brown did as a young politician!

Whatever happened to civil liberties? The Government's hypocrisy and Metropolitan Police 'overkill' are mind boggling and the Home Secretary, Jackie Smith denies all knowledge of what is going on in her own Home Office! If this is true, who is really in control?

Arresting Opposition MPs for spurious reasons is a tactic used by police states across the world, especially by Robert Mugabe in Zimbabwe, but until now I believed that England was a civilised and democratic country accountable to its people.

WHAT DO COUNCILLORS ACTUALLY DO?

D Jones has criticised me for attending concerts and asks if I do anything as a Councillor. If he read ALL my Blogs he would see that I am a very active Councillor but my daily routine makes dull reading.

Today I met with my local Police Team, replied to dozens of emails and telephone calls from residents and am organising some small grants for village organisations. Tonight I will chair a Borough Corporate & Resource Committee and attend another meeting.

Contrary to popular belief local Councillors do not receive a salary, but an expense allowance and their role is only part time. As a County and Borough Councillor I work 30+ hours a week on Council duties and related activities, daytime and evenings.

I attend many Elstow and Wilstead village social functions including concerts, so that I am free to talk to residents. I hold regular surgeries, attend evening parish council meetings and reading endless Council documents. Also I am involved in other voluntary activities - I am a school governor at Elstow Lower School and chair the Trustees of the Friends of Elstow Abbey Church, raising funds for church repairs.

At present I am one of only 2 Councillors out of 220 across Bedfordshire who bothers to write a Blog which I use as another form of communication with local residents.

My main income comes from pensions and a 3rd part time job as an Employment Tribunal Member. In truth I am far more active than many other Councillors and the majority of people of my age and hardly ever sit at home and watch TV in the evening.

CHRISTMAS MUSIC ON MONDAY 1 DECEMBER

2008-11-30T12:16:00.001-08:00

CHRISTMAS CONCERT AT ELSTOW ABBEY

Tomorrow Hitchin Concert Band Brass Ensemble and the Kingshott School Chamber Choir perform a Christmas Concert at Elstow Abbey in the 2nd Concert of our 1st Elstow Music Festival.

All are welcome at 6.30pm on Monday 1 December Tickets can be bought on the door for a modest price - £7.50 each, £5 for pensioners and children are free. Come and sing Christmas carols in our historic church to get into the mood for Christmas. Proceeds go towards refurbishing our 11th Century Abbey Church.

Last Wednesday I was privileged to hear a fine performance of 'The Apostles' by Edward Elgar performed by the 100 strong Parliament Choir in Westminster Cathedral.

On Friday I also watched the Thursford Christmas Spectacular Show in Norfolk, performed on the widest stage in England by a superb international troup of colourful dancers and singers.

CHRISTMAS IS COMING SOON!

2008-11-30T11:37:00.000-08:00

FREE PARK & RIDE HELPS CHRISTMAS SHOPPERS FIGHT CREDIT CRUNCH

Bedfordshire County Council has announced that its Park and Ride Service will be free over the Christmas Period, starting on Monday 1st December until 31 December, to help shoppers and small businesses fight the Christmas credit crunch.

This is one of a series of initiatives where the County Council is helping residents and small businesses fight the credit crunch. Recently the Council launched its new PayPlus scheme to help its small business suppliers receive fast track payment of invoices within 20 days or less.

Bedford Borough Council has also announced that free town centre car parking will be provided for Christmas shoppers on 19, 20, 22 and 23 December.

ROAD SAFETY AWARENESS

On a more sober note, Beds CC's Road Safety Team, who recently won an International Road Safety Award, have launched a new road safety campaign "17-25 year olds - no time to die" to encourage safe driving in young motorists. Fatal crashes involving 17-25 year olds account for 40% of all road accidents nationally. Over the past 5 years, 32 men and 8 women between 17 and 25 years have died in road crashes on Bedfordshire's roads. The Road Safety Team will be handing out torch key rings, using the motto 'see the light, read the risk' to young drivers to act as a reminder.

The Road Safety Team are also carrying out free safety checks around Bedfordshire on child car seats. A recent campaign by Trading Standards and Road Advisory teams revealed that 140 child car seats were fitted incorrectly and needed adjustment.
For further advice on child car safety, please visit the following website: www.childcarseats.org.uk.

GORDON BROWN'S BIG IDEA

2008-11-24T12:15:00.000-08:00

Today we learned from Alistair Darling the details of Gordon Brown's 'Grand Plan' to solve the UK's financial crisis by borrowing £116 Billion! VAT will be reduced to 15%, so Brown is encouraging people who are already in debt, many now unemployed with mortgage arrears to spend more money and get deeper into debt.

The current UK financial crisis was mainly caused by Gordon Brown's heavy public borrowing over 11 years and failure to build up financial reserves during the good years. Brown encouraged the whole nation to live beyond its means, destroyed the pensions industry in 1997 and sold off our gold reserves at a low price.

Many people are being driven to despair by unemployment and debt. Today's Pre Budget announcement will discourage you from drowning your sorrows with a drink, a cigarette or a car drive because tax on alcohol, petrol and cigarettes goes up by 8% on 1 December! The VAT reduction only benefits those who spend money on goods and services - it will not put any money in your pocket or pay your bills.

On Sunday I went Christmas shopping for my 4 small grandchildren and there were few people in the shops. The Credit Crunch is starting to bite so let's hope that the VAT reduction does help to revive the economy. Make the most of it now because in 2009 you will have to pay more tax and National Insurance to pay for it all.

Eric Devan has asked me if I will attend Bedfordshire County Council's Farewell Legacy Concert in February. The answer is yes, because the musicians will be schoolchildren performing free from Bedfordshire Music, the County Music Service, one of the best in the UK. I am Vice Chairman of Bedfordshire Music, which has several orchestras and chamber groups and as Bedford's Youth Champion I will continue to support all talented young musicians who play high quality music.

The local media misreported Bedfordshire County Council's plans to mark its demise after 120 years. The legacy concert will not cost much and the County Civic Church Service is an annual event similar to Bedford Borough Council's Carol Service. Most of the £250k budget will be spent on planting trees in the Forest of Marston Vale, a major scheme to provide 'green lungs' across a barren part of Bedfordshire which was formerly a wasteland of quarries and landfill dumps. This tree planting will improve the quality of life and environment for Bedfordshire residents.

On Saturday I enjoyed a superb performance of Edward Elgar's King Olaf by the Bedford Choral Society and the Bedfordshire Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Ian Smith. As ever Bedford showed off its wealth of talented singers and musicians.

BEDFORD CHORAL SOCIETY and BSO

2008-11-22T09:37:00.001-08:00

Tonight I am in for a musical treat. Bedford Choral Society are performing King Olaf by Edward Elgar with the Bedfordshire Symphony Orchestra at the Corn Exchange and I have been invited in my capacity as Vice Chairman of Bedfordshire County Council. The standard of music in Bedford is extremely high, so it will be good.

Today I organised an Autumn Lunch for 28 members and friends of Bedfordshire Branch of the European Union of Women, which I chair. Our Speaker, Jacek Gajewski, EU Counsellor at the Polish Embassy in London, gave us an insight into Poland's development before and since joining the European Union. We enjoyed an delicious lunch of guinea fowl or trout and raspberry brulee at the Hunt Hotel, Linslade, which provides a first class customer service.

The European Union of Women was founded in 1953 by Dr Lola Solar, an Austrian MP to stimulate an interest in European affairs and enable women to make a contribution to international understanding. The EUW has sections in 21 European countries including the UK.

On Thursday/Friday I attended an interesting new Conference at the Business Design Centre, London on Public Services Innovation - sharing bright ideas to improve people's lives. We had inspirational talks from Charlie Leadbeater, a top corporate thinker, Paul Sloane, ex IBM Managing Director and author of 18 books on creative problem solving, Sir Michael Bichard, Director, Institute for Government and Jonathan Kestenbaum, Chief Executive of NESTA, a £350 million body which fosters innovation in science, technology and the arts. Lots of ideas were generated on how to maintain high quality of public services when finances are increasingly tight.

UPDATE ON ANTI BULLYING WEEK IN BEDFORDSHIRE

2008-11-19T14:09:00.000-08:00

This is the yellow Anti Bullying Bus which arrived at John Bunyan Upper School on Monday morning, marking the official launch of Anti-Bullying Week in Bedfordshire.

Tuesday was "Be Kind and Make a Difference Day" and children from two schools, one pictured above, went to the Grove Theatre to watch a showing of "The Tiger Who Came to Tea" - my daughters' favourite book when they were little. On Friday Chiltern FM will host an event for young people from 9 Middle Schools to display their musical, dance and drama talents before a judging panel.

Today I attended the 5th and final Bedfordshire Countywide Assembly at Cranfield University with 180 representatives from 100+ organisations including 4 local Councils, NHS, Police, Fire Service, Parish and Town Councils, voluntary organisations etc.

We were discussing our Local Area Agreement and the challenges facing the people of Bedfordshire in 4 main areas - Health & Children, the Economy & Environment, Safer and Stronger Communities and the setting up of the two new Unitary Councils, Central Bedfordshire and Bedford, which replace Bedfordshire County Council on 1 April 2009.
Topics covered included Child Obesity and Poverty, Enterprise and Carbon Reduction, Civic Participation and Domestic Violence.

Tomorrow I am off to London for a 2-day Public Services Innovation Conference, organised by the Local Government Association, to share bright ideas on how to improve people's lives. This Councillor's life is never dull, just very busy!

ANTI-BULLYING WEEK IN BEDFORDSHIRE

2008-11-18T10:14:00.000-08:00

Yesterday the Anti-Bullying Bus came to Bedfordshire to mark the official launch of Anti Bullying Week, a national event organised by the Anti-Bullying Alliance. Bedfordshire Students Against Bullying representatives joined Cllr David Reedman, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People at John Bunyan Upper School in Bedford to unveil the yellow double decker bus.

This year's theme is "being different, belonging together' and aims to raise awareness of the serious impact of bullying on young people. There are a series of events involving schools and local communities across Bedfordshire this week.

Jayden Rai, a Year 11 student at John Bunyan Upper School and a Bedfordshire Students Against Bullying Representative said "We want to make sure people know that bullying is not just in school, it's outside - in parks, on the street, even at home and on the buses. We want to raise awareness, so we're doing posters, badges, assemblies, an internet forum and even role play".

200 children aged 9-12 years entered an Anti-Bullying Superhero Art Competition in 17 Bedfordshire Libraries and 12 winners have been chosen to receive prizes at a special Award Ceremony on Thursday 20 November in Flitwick.

BILLY SMARTS CIRCUS AND YOUTH NEWS

2008-11-16T05:26:00.001-08:00

Last night I was invited to watch Billy Smart's Circus in Bedford, which was quite entertaining but nothing like the circuses I remembered seeing years ago as a child.

Billy Smart started his Circus in 1946, and Circus visits used to be a great treat with lots of exciting and magical acts including animals - elephants, monkeys, lions, horses etc. At one stage Bill Smart had 200 animals on tour. However over the years the vociferous animal rights lobby complained loudly about the cruel treatment of animals in circuses and in the end they were banned altogether.

Today there are no animals just human circus performers who come from all over the world - everywhere except the UK! We had Chico Rico, a Mexican clown, Russian and French trapeze artists, a Mongolian foot juggler and illusionists and acrobats from Italy and Kazakhstan.

MORE YOUTH NEWS FROM BEDFORD'S YOUTH CHAMPION

The Global and National Enterprise Week kicks off on Monday - a national celebration of business with thousands of events across the UK to inspire young people to take an interest in entrepreneurship. In 2007 there were 5,000 events involved 500,000 young people. This year's theme is 'Make Your Mark' and a week of action-packed events will be organised locally by Bedfordshire County Council, including:

Monday 17 November - Entrepreneurship Challenge (North Beds) at Marston Vale Forest Centre for talented Year 8/9 pupils to learn entrepreneurial skills by creating a visual business plan with help from local entrepreneurs.

Wednesday 19 November - Developer for a Day at Dame Alice Harpur School, Bedford. A Masterclass Workshop on opportunities for women in the construction industry for Year 9 girls.
Making Dough - at Hastingsbury Upper School, Kempston, in which 7 Upper Schools take part in an interactive programme to help young people develop finance, marketing and business skills.

Thursday 20 November - 'Dragon's Den for Young Entrepreneurs'
Competition in Flitwick for Year 10 & 13 pupils from various schools.

Bedfordshire Music
On Wednesday 12 November, 'Tenforu' one of Bedfordshire's youth chamber orchestras, was invited to take part in the National Proms Concert at the Royal Albert Hall. Tenforu comprises 10 talented young musicians playing wind and string instruments and has been successful in regional and national rounds of the National Festival for Youth during the past year.

It was a great honour for Tenforu to be invited to play in this Concert, which showcased the very best of musical talent from around the UK, and highlights the top quality young musicians we have in Bedfordshire, one of the UK's smallest counties.

CHILDREN IN NEED UPDATE

2008-11-15T09:52:00.000-08:00

In spite of the 'Credit Crunch' Terry Wogan broke all records and raised neary £21 million with his Children in Need TV marathon which ended early this morning. With other money raised by thousands or people across the UK, the total should reach nearly £40 million, which is amazing when so many families are struggling to cope with rising costs, unemployment and job uncertainty.

This has cheered me up after a depressing week reading the horrific details of the extreme cruelty meted out by a mother and her boyfriend to a tragic little toddler Baby P, and the stabbing of 2 small boys by their mother, who lived alone.

Today I attended a Conference Hope 4 Marriage in Bedford organised by the Bedford Community Family Trust who aim to build strong relationships for a better community and prevent relationship breakdown by supporting couples and families.

In recent years it has been fashionable to criticise the institution of marriage but research shows that married couples are far more likely to stay together than unmarried couples. Unmarried parents are 4-5 times more likely to break up. By a child's 5th birthday, 8% of UK married parents have split up compared to 52% of cohabitees, and 25% of those who marry after the birth (Kiernan 1999) Also 92% of 15 year olds want to settle down and marry one day (Sex Under Sixteen, Family Education Trust Research Report 2000).

Having been married and divorced after my husband's desertion when my children were still young I know only too well how hard it is to bring up young children alone. It costs the State a fortune to support lone parents and we must provide more financial support to help families stay together and provide a stable environment in which children can thrive, be happy and develop their full potential.

CHILDREN IN NEED

2008-11-14T14:38:00.001-08:00

Tonight Terry Wogan has raised £11.4 million for BBC Children in Need with a long TV Spectacular, including songs from the musicals performed by the cast of EastEnders.
Terry expects to beat last year's TV total of £19 million, and the 2007 total of £37million raised across the UK. This year ASDA staff across the UK have raised an astonishing £2 million. BBC East has raised large sums in previous years and expects to raise more than £1 million in the Region this year.

I am an Employment Tribunal Member and today I dealt with an unfair dismissal case. At lunchtime I went to Bedford Town Hall canteen where the diners were entertained by songs from 2 pensioners and children from Castle Lower School in Bedford - all in aid of Children in Need. Tonight I donated some money through to the Appeal via the Internet.

After reading the tragic case of Baby P and the 2 small babies murdered in Manchester, we are constantly reminded how important it is to help the 4 million children living in poverty in the UK, and other vulnerable children who are abused and neglected and need our support. Have you made your donation yet?

STOP PRESS!

The total raised for BBC Children in Need has gone up to £13,750,000 and is rising.
What are you waiting for?