Veronica Goddard

Whenever the grass mowing teams arrive to mow the grass verges in Leeming Ward, they seem to pay litttle heed to the litter including beer and pop cans, plastic bottles and the like. They ride their mowing machines over the whole lot and leave sharp shards of metal and plastic around on the play areas with, apparently, little thought for children who might play there.

The following story picked up from The Mirror by way of the LGA website tells a vastly different story.

‘PLASTIC FLOWERS BANNED FROM GRAVEYARD  - A council has banned plastic flowers from a graveyard on health and safety grounds. Keynsham Town Council officials say it could be dangerous if they get caught in lawnmowers and spray bits of plastic around.’

What happened to the ‘happy medium’? Why is there no middle ground?

….to think that whilst in hospital you may be sharing your space with pests. I never kill any living creature - I catch any home invaders and put them outdoors. I really quite like spiders, especially those that are known as September spiders. However, the thought of being ill, possibly confined to a hospital bed and having creepy-crawlies at close quarters, being unable to remove them to the garden, makes even my skin crawl.

According to reports this is happening and Sandra Gidley, Lib Dem spokesman for Health,  commenting on figures released today that reveal there have been 20,000 incidents of pest infestation in NHS hospitals in the past two years, said: “People will be revolted by this news and need to know that vermin control is stopping the spread of disease.”

………………a story in the Telegraph tells of the massive increases in the revenue from speeding fines.
‘Revenue from speeding tickets has quadrupled over a decade, coinciding with increases in the value of fines, the number of cameras and the number of tickets issued.  Home Office figures reveal that 1.8 million tickets are being issued each year, compared to only 713,000 issued in 1997.  £104.6 million was collected in revenue in 2006 compared to £28.5 million a decade earlier.’

Also the fines from illegal parking are swelling the coffers of local government. I parked in Derby the other day and didn’t see the parking meter because it was painted black and set against a dark background. Of course, I got back to my car after 20 minutes and had a PCN stuck to my windscreen. I dutifully paid my fine; I didn’t really have a leg to stand on, but I have sent a letter to Derby City Council  suggesting that had the parking meter been painted black and yellow, I would have noticed it and paid to park. A cynic might believe that it was intentionally placed in a difficult to see position…… what do you think?

I have never before had a PCN  - I clearly see the sense in paying £1 as opposed to £50 (or £25 if paid within 14 days)I just wish I could have clearly seen the meter.

……………..King’s Lynn and West Norfolk District Council has spent £450 on a scheme to provide 39 local takeaways and restaurants with new four-holed salt shakers which have been proved to reduce salt intake.

A far cheaper solution would be a circle of tinfoil in the lid, with only 4 holes in it! Change it daily in the interests of health and Bob’s your father’s brother! £450 available to spend on more vital schemes.
 

………………….By perseverance, the snail reached the Ark.

My school motto was ‘Persevere’ and the stubborn nature of my childhood has evolved into perseverance and a will to succeed. 

We Libdems have learned a lot about perseverance over the years; we don’t give up easily. If you would like to join us, there are a number of ways to do so: you can contact me by way of the details at right of site or click on ‘Join the Liberal Democrat Party’ at left of site.

……..for the chop. Thanks to Jill Usher and me, your local councillors, a joint meeting of the Highways, Housing and Street Cleansing departments of MDC inspected the whole estate to assess the requirements regarding weed spraying and/or removal.

All areas of the estate are the responsibility of one of these three departments - after consulting with various documents and maps, the decision will be made as to where responsibility lies. Once this is established, the weeds will be dealt with.

The path to the rear of Trusley Walk has already been cleared; I put in a request for the weeds to be chopped, as the residents of numbers 14-17 trusley Walk and 26-32 Litton Road must have a free exit from the rear of their properties, in the interests of safety.

……..we British are renowned for our sense of fair play and the proposed price rises by ‘British’ Gas are far from fair. 

On 30 July, commenting on the British Gas decision to raise gas prices by 35% and electricity prices by 9%, Liberal Democrat Leader, Nick Clegg said:

“For many families, and particularly for the elderly and the vulnerable, this will be a devastating price rise.

“The announcement may have been made in a hot spell in July, but when winter comes round thousands will be forced to choose between heating their homes and cooking their meals.

“British Gas has thousands of customers paying fixed rates, but when those terms expire they will be hit with staggeringly high bills.

“Instead of fighting over who should be sitting in Number 10, ministers need to be dealing with the real issues that are causing real problems for people across the country.

“Energy companies are benefiting from a £9bn windfall yet continue to hike up their prices on the Government’s watch. This is unacceptable.”

Monday 14th,  0900 Meet with KP Fencing ref the erection of fencing at Charlesworth Court

                          1000 Playscheme Meeting

                          1415 Meeting of Discipline Panel of which I am a member, at Manor School

Tuesday 15th, 0915 Further meeting at Manor School

                          1225 Mansfield in Bloom at Peafield Park

                          1600  Select Commission 1

Wednesday & Thursday - Council Offices closed

Thursday 17th 1800 Police Surgery at Litton Road 

Monday 21st,   1000 Hosting  Friends of Greenwood Forum at Ludborough Walk

                          1700 Planning Committee

Tuesday 22nd 1030 Meeting with Mrs Joashi for changeover of Chairman of Navi Saheli

                           1215 Personal Development  Interview

Wednesday 23rd & Thursday 24th,  Holiday 

Friday 25th    1800 Meeting of Navi Saheli

Sunday, 27th,  1700 Walk Talk march

Monday 28th  1000 Friends of Peafield Park meeting

                          1400 Playscheme meeting

Tuesday 29th, 1200 Navi Saheli Luncheon Club

                          1700 Liberal Democrat Group meeting

                          1800 Full Council Meeting

Wednesday 30th, William Kaye Hall Inspection

Thursday 31st- Holiday

In addition I have been dealing with the new street signs and constituents problems, which I am unable to document here on the grounds of confidentiality.

I have also been making waves about the amount of weeds around the ward and trying to get some action to spray them.

blah, blah, blah….just a test page. Normal service is resumed…..Hooray! Support your local LibDem Councillor

..………..by a gritty young woman who survived the London bombings on 7th July, 2005. Gill Hicks lost both legs in the blast and for some time looked as though she wouldn’t live through the trauma.

The idea behind the walk is to encourage thoughts for our fellow men and is about engaging  with people, regardless of race, creed or colour, talking to people you might otherwise never meet or talk to.  She and her supporters are walking the walk and stopping off along the way to take refreshments with ordinary townsfolk, chatting en route with anyone who cares enough to join the walk for a time, whether for 10 minutes, an hour or for the whole of the walk. I joined at the Civic Centre, where Councillor Christine Smith and I put together a Mansfield District Council posy of roses, picked by Christine from the Civic Centre rose bed and wrapped in the silver foil from my pack of mints! We walked to the Stanhope Centre on Bridge Street and after speeches by Mayor, Tony Egginton and Gill, we went outside to launch balloons with our hopes and aspirations written on attached cards. My admiration for Gill knows no bounds. What a lady!