The European Commission has achieved the near-impossible - praise all round for putting wonky fruit and veg back on supermarket shelves.

Knobbly carrots will return to supermarket shelves on Wednesday

Producers, politicians and supermarkets were united in support of a decision banishing EU rules regulating the size and shape of 36 types of produce. Leading supermarkets welcomed the return of perfectly good but mis-shapen goods, from apricots and carrots to watermelons and courgettes.

For 20 years - at the request of the food industry - the EU set strict marketing standards ensuring only the finest-looking produce reaches the shops.

But to reduce red tape and bureaucracy - and make cheaper fruit and veg available as household bills rise - Eurocrats have lifted unnecessary restrictions from Wednesday. We all know that its not shape that dictates quality - it’s taste.

…opened its doors yesterday - deep joy for many, and anger and dismay for many more.

After over 20 years of free parking in what was the Co-oP car park, Morrisons have gone against history and have slapped a 2-hour limit on parking, with no return within 3 hours.

Many people who work in shops, offices, etc need to park all day and yesterday, had to park in  the all-day spaces on the High Street and roads adjacent. Members of organisations who use William Turner Hall had to park on the playing field because their meetings over-ran the 2hour limit. The vast majority of these people are not in competition with Morrisons.

I believe Morrisons have been very short-sighted in the implementation of this parking restriction; it’s not a good PR move. If the emails and personal calls I received yesterday are an indication, the feelings of local residents are running pretty high!

 …..They are an abomination according to English Heritage, who  yesterday threw its weight behind the Daily Mail’s campaign to stop the march of wheelie bins. The organisation - which manages some of Britain’s most important historic buildings - said the bins were an ‘abomination’ that blighted our streets.

Personally, I think they are far superior aesthetically than the old metal bins, rotting away with holes in them and I remember people having to wait an eternity for a replacement, when the only thing the old one was good for, was upturning over rhubarb crowns to force them into growth! The smells from the new ones are not as pungent either, as they have well-fitting lids.

……A scorching summer can be idyllic - the promise of unspoilt barbecues and trips to the seaside.

But when temperatures soar, health risks rise.

In August 2003, when temperatures hit 38C (101F) during a nine-day heatwave, the highest temperature recorded in the UK, there were 2,000 to 3,000 extra deaths in England.

 Climate change means that heatwaves are likely to become more common and this extra heat brings with it, the added risks for the elderly and those with under-lying health problems.

Check with your elderly neighbours, to see if they need any help, maybe with shopping, so they can avoid going out in the sun.

….took place last night at Bestwood Country Park and our own Barbara and Alan Eames, of Peafield Park and Hornby Plantation Friends Group, won the award for Senior Volunteers.  They are both septuagenarians and work very hard, planting and seeding native plants, weeding, picking litter, etc.

Photo shows Alan and Barbara receiving their award from Councillor Wendy Golland, vice-chair of Greenwood Partnership Board.

……..Tories plot to axe child and oap benefits (story from Mirror online)

A think-tank predicts David Cameron will scrap benefits such as child benefit and winter fuel payments, regardless of income, as part of a hard-line approach to public spending.

If this prediction is true, ‘Shame on you David Cameron’.

Are we to go back to the days of shoeless, hungry children and huge numbers of elderly dying from the cold? Perish the thought that the Tories will rule this country!

………Our ancestors wandered lost in the wilderness for 40 years because even in biblical times, men would not stop to ask for directions. (Elayne Boosler)

If you have lost your sense of direction, why not think about joining the Liberal Democrats. We know where we are going; we have an inbuilt compass that attracts us to righting the wrongs in the world.

Just click on the link to the left of this column , or simply give me a call.

….hospital patients should have access to prayers on their behalf. This issue will be discussed at the British Medical Association (BMA) annual representative meeting which begins tomorrow.

Cancer specialist Dr Bernadette Birtwhistle, of the Christian Medical Fellowship, said: “I think it is getting to the point where many of us feel we cannot talk to patients about their spiritual or religious needs or ask them about praying.”

She told the BBC news: “Christianity is being seen as something that is unhelpful. Freedom of speech is being curtailed too much and I don’t think that is always in the benefit of patients.”

Earlier this year it emerged that nurse Caroline Petrie was suspended by North Somerset NHS Trust after offering to pray for a patient, although she was later allowed to return to work.

Campaigners have complained that more staff may find themselves in trouble if their religious beliefs come into conflict with the guidelines set out in a document called Religion or Belief: A Practical Guide for the NHS.

The document states: “Members of some religions … are expected to preach and to try to convert other people. In a workplace environment this can cause many problems, as non-religious people and those from other religions or beliefs could feel harassed and intimidated by this behaviour.

“To avoid misunderstandings and complaints on this issue, it should be made clear to everyone from the first day of training and/or employment, and regularly restated, that such behaviour, notwithstanding religious beliefs, could be construed as harassment under the disciplinary and grievance procedures.”

A Department of Health spokesman said the document was a guide to encourage awareness for staff and patients.

I feel that there are some patients who surely would benefit from knowing that they are having prayers said for their well-being and the offer could be made in such a way as to be non-confrontational. A patient has the power to say ‘no thanks’ if they feel unable to accept prayer, so where’s the problem?

….have been put in place by MDC in a bid to put an end to drinking in inappropriate places, such as on residential streets. This drinking in the streets very often results in anti-social bahaviour and the intimidation of residents.

More than 700 “controlled drinking zones” have been set up by councils across England giving police sweeping powers to confiscate beer and wine from anyone enjoying a quiet afternoon tipple.

You can find out more at http://www.respect.gov.uk/members/article.aspx?id=7902

…was the venue for a school Governors’ visit yesterday,when in the company of Gail Shelton, I observed a physical activity session, comprising 3 and 4 year old youngsters. It is based at Manor Sports Complex, on Kingsley Avenue, Mansfield Woodhouse.

The Centre is an excellently run facility which provides the opportunity for children to develop locomotive skills, co-ordination, control, aiming and estimating. They also learn inter-personal skills which teach them how to respect each other and the session leaders.

Other activities available are soft play, baby yoga from 8weeks old (I know, it’s mind-blowing!), messy play with painting, sand and water.

We are extremely fortunate to have in our locality such a trail-blazing concern.  You can make bookings at sportenquiries@themanor.notts.sch.uk or by telephone 01623 425116

………Countryside campaigners fear a new road safety strategy could lead to more than a million new speed limit signs being put up across England. The Campaign to Protect Rural England bases its prediction on a statistical breakdown of the impact in each local authority area.

Its estimates for the number of signs and their cost have been reached following the Government’s decision not to impose a blanket 50 mph national speed limit but to opt instead to encourage local authorities to consider introducing lower speed limits locally, which, the CPRE says, require the installation of repeater signs about every 300 yards.

Ralph Smyth, CPRE’s Senior Transport Campaigner said: “Its piecemeal plans could require a million repeater speed limit signs that would deface the countryside and distract drivers while costing 300 million pounds.”

In its recent vision for the countryside, the CPRE set out plans for a step change in the number of people walking and cycling and in its report today it says it is particularly concerned that the Government’s strategy does nothing to improve safety on minor rural roads.

After its own research into best practice in Europe the Campaign is calling for a reduction in the national speed limit for rural single-carriageway roads to 50 miles an hour but with local councils having the discretion to keep the limit on their safest roads at 60. It also wants councils to have the power to introduce 40 mph zones on minor rural roads, based on the success of 20 mph zones in residential areas. These would not require repeater signs.

There are many roads in Leeming’s residential areas which would benefit from 20mph signs, but it is an uphill struggle to get them in place. See  the link to the left - 20 is plenty.

………Wheelie bins have led to a dramatic increase in recycling rates according to a survey by the Local Government Association. The figures from a snap poll showed that in one case a council had seen the amount of material recycled rise from four per cent to 38 per cent and in another case it went from 19 to 60 per cent.

The figures show that every council which responded to the survey had recorded a rise in its recycling rates since the introduction of kerbside wheelie bins. The LGA said there was strong evidence that people liked wheelie bins and thought they not only made it easier to throw out rubbish but also helped to reduce litter on the streets.

Richard Kemp, Deputy Chair of the Local Government Association, said: “Residents have to store their rubbish somewhere without it smelling, attracting vermin and potentially getting strewn across the street. Wheelie bins help families store their rubbish safely and they encourage people to recycle more, which helps keep council tax down.”

Isn’t that what we all want?

……….Religion will lose the battle - if you are a Christian.

A Christian registrar was demoted to receptionist because she refuses to preside over gay ‘marriages’. Theresa Davies claims she is being forced out of her job by Islington Council because of her religous objections to same-sex civil partnerships.

This woman has stood up for her beliefs; the Bible states that homosexuality is a sin, (Genesis 1:26-31) so, as her belief is so strong, she had no choice but to refuse to officiate at same sex civil ceremonies.

When a person has such a strong faith, allowances should be made. She should be allowed to preside over standard marriages and someone without religious conviction preside over the same sex unions. Not a difficult thing to arrange, surely? Followers of other religions are given the privilege of practising their faith during work hours, so why not a Christian?

….Not in UK. The Local Government Association claims that householders could save more than £600 million a year if Britain’s recycling facilities were up to scratch, as  revealed by recent figures.  Each Briton sends a staggering 19 times more refuse to landfill than the Dutch.

So all that time we spend washing and sorting our rubbish into different containers is not producing the desired effect, after all. All that extra packaging, that we don’t need, is adding to the pile of rubbish we recycle. Until superstores reduce the amount of wrapping on products, there will be no end to the circle of buying, unwrapping and recycling.

….at Mansfield Civic Centre today was well-attended and the atmosphere was charged with admiration for the Armed Servicemen to whom this Flag-raising was dedicated.A Charter was signed by Mayor Tony Egginton and members representing The Royal British Legion, Mansfield Community Voluntary Services, the Housing and Homeless department Officers of MDC and other organisations related to the Armed Forces.

A wonderful speech was given by Jason Rathbone, a veteran of the Gulf War exhorting all of us to give a genuine ‘Welcome Home’ to those who have been serving their country. 

……..Royal bank of Scotland is set to announce a massive pay deal worth up to £9.6M for its new chairman . It will be linked to performance, with long-term incentives, but even so, it is a huge pay deal and one which is totally out of sync with the views of the general public. 

The remuneration deal was agreed on Friday by RBS chairman Sir Philip Hampton and its leading shareholders.

One of the groups represented was UK Financial Investments, which manages the 70% stake in RBS held by taxpayers.

I would far rather my money was used to help people get on the housing ladder, instead of lining the pockets of one individual.

…..I go outdoors every evening at dusk, to catch a glimpse of our resident bat. Faster than any bird, so agile as it flits about and such a joy to watch, catching a late meal of insects as night falls. 

However, street lights are a threat to bats, a new study reports. Scientists have found that, as bats travel to feeding grounds, they avoid hedgerows illuminated by streetlights and the report advocates switching off street lights at night if we want bats to survive.
 

Not when you spend it wrapped in cotton wool.

I admit, my parents would have gone wild if they knew I had been climbing the rock face that holds up the graveyard at St Mary’s Church.

Now, whenever I pass by I wonder how on earth I did it! I was about 12 years old and the climb must be about 30 feet, with a far from soft landing on to tarmac. But I did it and am none the worse for it, so to read about today’s children, to whom adventure is barred, I feel sorry for them.

There is such a ‘claims’ mentality that every teacher and his brother is keeping children from experiencing an adrenalin rush not associated with getting to level 7 on their computer games!

Children are being made to wear goggles before handling Blu Tack and forbidden to run in the playground as a health and safety culture sweeps through school. A survey of nearly 600 teachers and classroom assistants revealed nearly half believe health and safety regulations are holding children back at school. Don’t you find that sad?

…….Love, friendship and respect do not unite people as much as a common hatred for something.

People of the United Kingdom have united in a common hatred - the greed of some politicians with regard to their expenses claims. Those who have, by their inappropriate misuse of the claims rules, made fools of tax-payers will no doubt feel taxpayers’ wrath at the next General Election.

This will be just desserts for those who have made ludicrous claims for  items such as an Ikea plastic  bag, pork pies, horse manure and a magic mop. If all tax-payers were given a magic mop we would clean up Parliament once and for all.

It’s small wonder that some MPs have so little grasp of the true Cost of Living; it has so little bearing on their lives because they make us responsible for their living costs!

…The old adages have come into use through centuries of experience. This story from today’s Times illustrates very well the need to spread your investments around a number of financial institutions.

“British charities that lost millions in the collapse of Icelandic banks last year have had their hopes of compensation dashed.

The Treasury ruled out a bailout for charities that lost about £120 million of deposits they had placed in high interest-bearing accounts offered by Iceland’s biggest banks.

It would set an “unrealistic precedent” to treat charities, including Cats Protection and the children’s hospice Naomi House, differently from other creditors of the Icelandic banks, the Treasury said.”

In times of recession such as these, the charities suffer a loss of donations as people draw in their expenditure, so they suffer a double loss as their investments go ‘pear-shaped’.

For further details follow this linkhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/bsp/hi/mpexpenses/html/397.stm

…..School-leavers will face a tough time as they look for employment. The figures are the worst for 15 years according to a story in the Times today and these figures are set to balloon further over the summer as students leaving school and university struggle to find work.

As a school governor I see all too well the struggle of youngsters to find work. School-leavers will feel the loss of self-esteem that rejection brings when so many are contesting the few job vacancies which are available.

The national unemployment numbers are growing daily amidst the closure of firms who are fighting to stay in business during these days of recession; although the government are saying that the climb out of the downturn is looking positive for 2010, this is a long time for people to be in the dole queue.

…….Even in death, the EU limits our freedom to choose how we are dispatched. Anyone choosing to wear their wedding dress, or the football strip of their favourite team or favourite outfit will be banned from doing so - because of pollution fears.

Grieving families who  hope to fulfill the final wishes of their loved ones will now have the added distress of having to deny the deceased their wish of being cremated in the outfit of their choice. Adding insult to injury, the family will be forced to purchase a shroud of natural fibres, costing approximately £60. And there will be no room in the coffin for personal mementoes, either. 

Perhaps more people will choose burial, rather than cremation, so that they can wear what they choose on their last journey. Until the EU issue a directive outlawing that.

Compared to the mass pollution by some big businesses, I suppose the cremation of a few  bodies per week is an easy target for the EU! Far easier to bring in a directive on cremations, isn’t it?

……not in my garden. There has been a lot in the press about ‘hearing the hum’ (science stuff, beyond me). Well, I am definitely hearing the hum. Bees, red-tailed, white-tailed and others that I can’t identify, are enjoying a smorgisbord of nectar from the shrubs in my small garden.

My hebe bushes are full of fat-legged bees of all description and I took many pictures, but my photographic skills (I blame it on the camera) are not quite up to the job as the bees flit adroitly from one bloom to another. I got as close as I dared, but sadly could only capture one particularly slow-moving example, its legs weighed down by pollen.

I also have a wasp gathering nesting material from the screening around the garden. I just hope it isn’t building its nest in my loft!

…….In a great number of areas of life we follow where the US leads, but the idea of ditching texbooks and learning from the internet fills me with horror.

In California, Arnold Scwharzenegger is advocating getting rid of  “antiquated and heavy” textbooks in favour of approved online learning materials, arguing it will save money and help students keep pace with progress.

A quick scout around online nostalgia forums shows that for many former British pupils the educational books that weighed down their bags in their teenage years still bring back fond memories - taking an old used book and covering it with wallpaper was a rite of passage to the senior school pupil.

Books are the backbone of learning and provide vast enjoyment in quiet hours. This phasing out of books puts me in mind of the Ray Bradbury book, Fahrenheit 451. This is a favourite of mine, but I want the concept to remain within the pages of the book! Science fiction very often evolves into science fact, but this is one scenario I would hate to see become fact.

…..’Weeks of revelations over MPs’ expenses have blown the lid off everything that’s wrong with the secretive and unaccountable way politics is done in this country. Now with all eyes on Westminster we have a once in a generation chance to overhaul our politics, from giving people the chance to sack badly behaved MPs, to changing our unfair voting system, to ending the influence of dodgy donors.

We need to make these changes as soon as we can. That’s why I’ve set out a 100 day plan to transform our political system, with no MP going home for their summer holidays until that’s done.

But even more important: politicians need to be straight with people about how to get the country back to work, improve people’s lives, and help families make ends meet. Last week in the European elections record numbers of voters didn’t bother voting at all and almost a million turned out for the BNP. Mainstream politicians have a big job on their hands to win people back.’

Nick Clegg is making a stand for honesty in Parliament- Click on the ‘100 day plan’ link above to see a bigger poster.

………I think having land and not ruining it is the most beautiful art that anyone could ever want to own.

Isn’t that a wonderful sentiment? In these days when a lot of owners of scraps of land want to sell it for house-building, that sentiment is unusual.

I know from experience how easy it is to forget the Earth and to sell to the highest bidder, so I am not casting stones at those who do it; I am one of them.

I just think it a fine altruistic thought, although I guess if you are a millionaire it must be easier to turn down the developer when he comes knocking at your door! 

When I moved into my house, there were green fields all around; now they are built upon - shame, but people need homes so it is a necessary evil.

……This story from the Local Government Association highlights the cost of throwing away unnecessary packaging, a cost which they propose should be put on retailers and manufacturers to help save shoppers money, say council leaders.

At a major conference on the future of waste, town hall chiefs on 9th June said that councils are paying an estimated £100m to get rid of packaging and producers should be picking up more of this cost. Councils say that making retailers and manufacturers pick up the bill for disposing of unnecessary wrapping would give them a real incentive to cut back and help save shoppers money at the tills.

Town halls fear that a new government strategy on packaging, expected to be published this week, will not go far enough in setting tough targets for retailers and manufacturers to tackle problem packaging. As well as tougher recycling targets on the producers of packaging, councils want to see retailers commit to using more recycled material in their packaging and to improving labeling on which packaging can be recycled.

…..can take many forms and make inroads into our privacy. For example, I went into a local supermarket’s pharmacy to make a purchase; this item I requested is not ‘prescription only’ but I was asked what other medications I am taking. I told the young assistant that this product was recommended by my GP and as such I should not be quizzed on my prescribed medication. I could understand if I had been asking for a controlled substance, but all I wanted was an ‘over the counter’ remedy! I told the young woman that my GP is the person in whom I put my trust, so I would take my custom elsewhere. The Pharmacist and his assistant smirked as I left the store.

I then went to my local chemist, requested the item and apart from being asked if I had used it before, she had no problem selling it to me. What is it that makes some shop assistants want to know the details of my health? Is it all about control?

My health is the concern of me and my GP and not for open discussion with a shop assistant. Next time - oh no, there won’t be a next time! They’ve lost my trade to a small local shop.

…….thanks to your local councillors. We have paid for a number of signs around Leeming from our annual Ward Allowance, but the one for Eden Low has been a very long time in coming. After numerous messages to MDC engineering deprartment, it is now in situ, sadly already covered in graffiti.

The replaced signs are: Trusley Walk, Torksey Walk, New Mill Lane, Dingley Close and Blakeney Court  to name but a few. If the nameplate on your street is in bad condition, give me a call and I shall see if it’s a worthy candidate for replacement.

……..The  former Tory Prime Minister, Mrs Thatcher, was about to be discharged after receiving treatment for a broken arm, which happened when she lost her footing at her London home.

However, at the last minute doctors at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital decided to keep her in overnight as a precaution, according to her office.

A spokeswoman said: “She tripped over at home this morning and has broken a bone in her upper arm.

“The hospital’s decided, just to be sure, to keep her in for observation.

“It’s a simple fracture, but bearing in mind who she is, that she’s 83 and the shock to the system, it’s just belt and braces.

I take exception to the phrase in bold lettering above. By all means keep her in hospital because of her age or infirmity, but why should she be kept under observation because of who she is? Is not any person living in this Great Britain entitled to the best care?

Or am I naive in expecting someone such as my elderly mother-in-law to receive care equal to that of Mrs Thatcher?

…is as busy as Heathrow. There are goldfinches, sparrows, collared doves, blackbirds (adults and juveniles) all vying for position on the various trays and seed feeders. It is costing me a small fortune to keep them all fed, but it’s a genuine delight to see them all.

A chaffinch has now joined the fray. The goldfinches have got their ‘pageboy buttons’ and gold trim on their tail feathers, but have not yet matured enough to have their red cheeks. I count myself very lucky to have such a view from my office/kitchen window, but it is quite a distraction!

….has been launched and if you want to enter details can be found at:

www.mansfield.gov.uk/bestkeptgarden

As I walk around the Leeming Ward I see some fantastic gardens, with blooms exotic and home-grown. It would be nice if one of them won the competition, so if you have a splendid garden, why not enter? Even the smallest garden can earn the title of Best Kept Garden.

……..The fact that a nursery has had to close after a female worker was arrested on suspicion of distributing indecent images of children makes a mockery of the Criminal Records Bureau’s checks on those people who have charge of children.

I am presuming that this woman was checked and cleared to work with that most precious of things - our children.

The piece of paper awarded to carers of children  is valued enormously by legitimate people who have a genuine desire to do the best for our vulnerable youngsters. I have a CRB certificate, as have all the members of Peafield Playscheme and I feel honoured to have that paper, which tells parents that I have an unblemished past and am considered a safe person with whom to leave their children.

The arrest of this woman possibly sends out a message that the CRB certificate is worthless, but I hope that she is a one-off and that the rest of us with CRB ‘passes’ will not be tarred with the same brush.

The six o’cclock news has just spoken of her being charged for sexual abuse and child pornography. So sad for the children involved and their parents.

……..Every home could be forced to use slop buckets under government plans to cut waste, by banning councils from dumping food scraps in landfill. Almost one in four councils has already introduced separate food waste collections and there is pressure from the European Union for more.  

I remember as a child, accompanying my Grandmother as she went around a circuit of regulars to collect food scraps to augment the diets of the pigs she bred. These scraps were boiled to a pulp in an old copper and fed to the pigs, who squealed with delight to be fed such fine swill.

I imagine residents will squeal with horror if they have to store weeks’ worth of rotting food until it is collected by council operatives. And then what? Where will the councils tip this mountain of germ-laden food scraps? How will it be re-cycled, if it is not taken to landfill?

Maybe it will be composted and sold back to us….so we pay our Council Tax to have it taken away and then we buy it back - sorted!….

…….gift packages. Sue Wills, treasurer of Peafield Community Association suggested at the last meeting that members might like to send gifts to members of 4 Mercian Regiment, currently serving in Afghanistan. A unamimous vote in favour was given to the motion and Sue has been busily packing parcels for the boys.

This is a wonderfully thoughtful act and one which I am sure will be gratefully received.

At last year’s Playscheme Carnival, the TA soldiers were a massive help in putting up tents and carrying tables and chairs to be set up around the park. Sending parcels of goodies goes some way to repaying their hard work. I wish them the best of luck, safety and enjoyment of their parcels.

‘This is an extraordinary moment in British politics.

Political and economic crises mean that great changes are possible - and I want Liberal Democrats to seize the opportunity ahead.

In many ways, we have had a very successful few weeks since we won the House of Commons vote on the Gurkhas.

In the last week, with your help and support, we have:

• Beaten Labour into third place in the local elections (with a record high vote share of 28%)
• Won almost three times as many council seats as Labour (484 Liberal Democrat councillors to Labour’s 178)
• Added Bristol to the list of major cities run by Liberal Democrats that includes Cardiff, Liverpool, Newcastle, Sheffield and Edinburgh
• Won five of the six county seats in Burnley from Labour (the BNP won the sixth)
• Gained an extra MEP (and more or less maintained our vote share)
• Elected Liberal Democrat MEPs in every part of England and Scotland, whilst narrowly failing to win a seat in Wales

I am very grateful to our candidates, their campaign teams and helpers and our members for your support.

At Prime Minister’s Questions last week I said “Labour is finished”. Most voters agreed with that assessment this week.

At the same time, the Conservatives have failed to offer a real alternative to Labour’s political and economic failures.

Of course, I will continue asking for your help to continue building the Liberal Democrats as the only credible progressive force in British politics. We are the only party that can stand up for equal opportunities, for civil liberties, for our environment and for fairness.

It’s clearer than ever that we are different from the old “establishment” parties and we have the energy, ideas and leadership to change this country for good.

Thank you again for your help in making it possible.

With best wishes,

Leader of the Liberal Democrats

…….More than six out of ten people providing unpaid care for someone who is ill, frail or disabled have not had a break for more than a year and a third of them have not taken time off since they started caring. Research issued today to mark the start of Carers Week, has found that almost three-quarters of those surveyed say they have reached breaking point.

The organisers of Carers Week say the results show the strain of caring is causing such extreme levels of stress and depression that carers are suffering breakdowns and, in some cases, have even attempted suicide. Meanwhile a national charity is calling for greater recognition of the importance of regular respite breaks for the UK’s six million carers.

More than 40 per cent of those taking part in the survey cited frustration with bureaucracy as the greatest cause of their problems, particularly complex procedures for welfare benefits, healthcare and social services which were actually intended to support them. Other factors pushing carers towards breaking point were deterioration in the health of the person being cared for, lack of sleep and financial worries. Asked about what would or did help them carers said practical support was most important with having someone to talk to as a close second.

…….great news! I know there will be a lot of residents pleased by this action.

A Press release from MDC advises that every community in Mansfield will have its own dedicated Neighbourhood Warden from 1 July, following a major revamp of the service by Mansfield District Council. 

Previously just 10 of the 19 wards in the district had their own warden, with the remainder covered by a mobile service operating out of the Civic Centre.  When the new arrangements come into force, the 16 wardens will each be allocated their own patch, mainly based on ward or neighbourhood boundaries. 

The move is intended to make the wardens better known by local residents, to develop trust and to provide a constant, reassuring presence.  To accommodate the wider coverage, shift patterns for the wardens have been altered so that more are on duty when incidents of anti-social behaviour are at their peak, typically between 5pm and 9pm. 

There will be wardens on duty six days per week, Monday to Saturday from 9am to 10pm. Exact working patterns will be dictated by intelligence on when and where anti-social behaviour is most prevalent.

…….If you have any ideas for small projects to benefit the Leeming Ward, your District Councillors Jill, Phil and I  have a small allowance to put towards such projects. Give one of us a call or send me an e-mail. You can find our details by clicking on the link to the left: ‘Meet the Team’.

We are keen to spend our Ward Allowance on things that YOU want.

….Beware of little expenses. A small leak will sink a great ship.

I am sure I need not expand on this quote!

… to all the Mansfield candidates elected to Notts County Council. The Independent Forum received the overall vote in 6 of the 9 Mansfield seats they contested, which is a terrific result for them. In Mansfield North Labour incumbents, Joyce Bosnjak and Parry Tsimbiridis held their seats, going against the general swing to the Independent Forum. In Warsop, John Allin also held the seat for Labour.

The workload will increase for them and I hope that the local council will not suffer as a consequence, but they are all conscientious and committed so I expect that they will juggle their respective roles accordingly.

I am a little concerned that the projects in motion prior to the election will now be side-lined as a result of the change in the ruling party at NCC, but only time will tell. Of course, it would have been far preferable for NCC to be in the control of the Liberal Democrats, but  this was not to be.

…….in Mansfield North Division, closely followed by the two UKIP candidates. I didn’t come in last but I was only kept off bottom place by my Lib Dem running mate. Not a good day for the Liberal Democrats in Mansfield - to say the least.

Thank you to those who did vote for me.

All results in Mansfield are:

North Mansfield
Mick Barton (Ind Forum) 1,033
Joyce Bosnjak (Lab) 1,758 - ELECTED, held
Veronica Goddard (Lib Dem) 756
Andrea Hamilton (UKIP) 1,335
David Hamilton (UKIP) 1,328
Marc Hollingworth (Lib Dem) 651
David Smith (Ind Forum) 764
Drew Stafford (Cons) 1,007
Parry Tsimbiridis (Lab) 1,494 - ELECTED, held
Janet Ward (Cons) 908

East Mansfield
Peter Cooke (Lib Dem) 879
Bob Cross (Ind Forum) 1,891 - ELECTED, gain from Lab
Helen Holt* (Lab) 1,629
Brian Marshall (Cons) 1,558
Muriel Ragis (Cons) 1,262
Chris Winterton* (Lab) 1,423
Martin Wright (Ind Forum) 1,883 - ELECTED, gain Lab

South Mansfield
Tom Appleby (Ind Forum 2,043 - ELECTED, gain from Labour
Adrian Bacon (Lib Dem) 698
Nick Bennett (Cons) 1,791
Diane Bilgrami (Eng Democrats) 487
Krystina Ellis (Lib Dem) 610
Stephen Garner (Ind Forum) 1,960 - ELECTED, gain from Labour
David Harrison (Lab) 1,187
Albert Haynes* (Lab) 1,259
Philip Smith (Cons) 1,483

West Mansfield
Vic Bobo (Ind Forum) 1,675 - ELECTED, gain from Labour
John Carter (Lab) 1,511
Anna Ellis (Lib Dem) 653
Mark Fretwell (Cons) 889
Paul Henshaw (Lab) 1,520
Fraser McFarland (Cons) 716
Nicholas Spencer (Lib Dem) 631
June Stendall (Ind Forum) 2,034 - ELECTED, gain from Labour

……has been announced by Notts County Council and I have requested that a bus shelter be installed at the stop between Buttermere Court and Windermere Close, on New Mill Lane.

I have been told that an investigation will be carried out to assess whether it would be practicable to install a shelter in this position. The road is quite narrow at this point and whilst a shelter would be ideal, there may not be space available to accommodate a shelter. I shall keep you informed of developments.

……features in today’s issue of the Telegraph, which highlights his expenses claims. You can read more at

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/mps-expenses/5424425/Labour-MP-Alan-Meale-spends-more-than-13000-on-gardening-including-gates-storage-building.html  (copyright of Telegraph Media Group Limited 2009)

Where will it all end? Hopefully with a General Election which will allow the voters to dismiss the Government.

   ARE  YOU?…..

….and so do lots of other creatures in the natural world, but a human Mother has been branded ‘too stupid’ to keep her child.
She is going to the European Court of Human Rights to fight a decision by Nottingham City Council to have her daughter adopted because she’s not considered intelligent enough to look after her.

How is intelligence measured? Surely if a mother loves her child and can provide for the basic needs of that child, it is preferable to keep the child with its mother. We have had an awful lot of adverse news lately about the poor mothering skills of some parents, who may or may not be of high intelligence; if intelligence is to be the yardstick by which parents are measured there will be a great number of children going into care!
Maybe Social Services are not confident of their ability to ensure a child is safe with a parent of ‘low intelligence’. Does this point to a lack of intelligence on their part?

……..I want a microchip in my  bin or a move to Windsor!  This sounds like a great scheme and would definitely reap rewards for recyclers and local authorities.

Ticking all the right boxes this scheme will allow householders to claim money off Marks & Spencer underwear, Subway sandwiches or a cappuccino from Coffee Republic in the first scheme in Britain to reward people for recycling. Residents with microchips installed in their bins will earn points towards money-off vouchers according to the amount they recycle. Under the Windsor and Maidenhead council pilot scheme, people will be able to track their points online and then claim their rewards in participating local shops.

….is made up of 4 countries - England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Right? Right! So this latest decision by the FAs of the four countries makes a mockery of the whole ‘GB’ thing.

It appears that only English players will be available to play for the GB football team at the 2012 Olympics which means brilliant young footballers from other parts of the UK will not get the chance to go for gold.

The decision was made by football associations worried that Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland might lose the chance to win the World Cup on their own. What tosh!

I love my football and believe that if Great Britain is to field a team for the 2012 Olympics, then that team should include players from all four nations. We football watchers must agree that there are some fantastic young players from all the nations of the UK and to exclude some of them will lessen our chances of winning anything. We should draw our squad from the strongest possible talent. Like I said ‘TOSH!’

….and you can access it by clicking on the following link. http://extranet.iceberginternet.co.uk/greenwood/httpdocs/map_friends.php

It has a map of  all the parks and green spaces that are in partnership with Notts Greenwood Community Forest and info on the guide walks. There are numerous ways to enjoy the wonderful greenery in our region and as you walk the various nature trails and parks you can commune with nature and get fit at the same time. You could join a Friends Group and help with the planting of trees or helping to keep sites free of litter. The picture  shows me leading a group of Friends of Greenwood members around Whinney Hill Woodland.