…….….not only has Mansfield’s very own Golden Girl, Rebecca Adlington,  got two Golds at the Olympics, breaking records as though they were chipped plates, but Team GB are in THIRD PLACE in the medal tally so far.

I am always ‘banging on’ about being proud to be British, but, oh my, this week has topped it all!!!

Further to my post on Think Tank Tosh, would politicians please note that this Olympics success story is not confined to the South; we northerners are doing our bit.

……..as I said, it’s my birthday and two lads have just knocked at my door to ask if I need my car cleaning. Do I? They are still in one piece even though I almost pounced on them with gratitude! When I bought my car, I swore I would clean it every Sunday. You know the saying…the road to Hell is paved with good intentions. 

My car was in need of a good clean, so how fortuitous that these two young lads should turn up, full of enterprise and with bucket and sponges at the ready.

Cory and his mate, James, have done a terrific job and ‘Butch’ looks showroom clean. What a birthday gift, even if I did have to pay them! Well worth it!!!!!!

….”Nice work if you can get it”

Britain’s Olympic squad will be outnumbered two to one in Beijing by politicians, civil servants and BBC staff whose trips to China will cost the public almost £7 million, (according to the Telegraph)How obscene is that, when we have people living in poverty in this country? How ever high the cost of living rises there will always be some free-loaders who will milk the system.

Don Foster, the Liberal Democrat spokesman on culture, media and sport, said: “I’m simply staggered by the amount of money being spent by public bodies sending their staff to the Games for questionable reasons and benefits.

“The Olympics are always an incredible spectacle but that does not give people the right to waste taxpayers’ money.  Anyone who does use public funds to go on this type of trip must be held to account and made to justify exactly what they managed to achieve during their attendance in Beijing.”  Hear Hear!

……..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.”

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!

….you probably didn’t notice my absence!

The majority of Lib Dem Councillor websites have been ‘down’ since Thursday, due to a problem at the server end of the line. I have had so much to tell you, but it seems to have become lost in the mire of my brain. This heat is very exhausting; drains the power from my circuitry!!!

I do though, have news about the street signs in the Leeming Ward. We ordered the signs some months ago and at last they are putting in an appearance. They have been paid for by your three Leeming Councillors from our ward allowance. There are more signs being replaced and these new ones are made of a strong plastic, making them less prone to vandalism and theft.

…………….Councils get new ’snooping’ powers

Homeowners must let council officials into their homes to check for - among more than a 1000 ‘offences’ - dancing bears, eco-unfriendly refrigerators or weapons of mass destruction. The list includes 430 new powers of entry brought in by Home Office ministers last week, prompting criticism from a number of different organisations including the Conservative Party.

As a member of the Liberal Democrat Party, I too think this is a step too far and am left wondering what will be the next madness perpertrated by this Labour Government.

My house deeds state that I have permission to keep pigs in my garden, but do I? No, of course not.

……..Liberal Democrats in Mansfield have welcomed the launch of the Liberal Democrats’ vision for Britain by Party Leader Nick Clegg MP. Called ‘Make it Happen’, the paper will be debated at the party’s conference in Bournemouth in September.

In ‘Make it Happen’ the Liberal Democrats say:

• They will cut taxes for ordinary families
• If your local hospital can’t see you on time, they will pay for treatment elsewhere
• They will switch taxes from people to pollution - so it pays to go green
• To improve standards in education, they will fund extra help for those who need it most
• They will put Britain at the heart of Europe to make us a force for good in the world
• They will stop ID cards so we can keep control of our privacy
• They will change the voting system so everyone’s voice counts
• They will bring communities together with local people in charge
• They will give communities a say in how offenders pay for their crimes

No resident of Mansfield has escaped the rising cost of food and fuel. The credit crunch is biting hard and local people are feeling the pinch.

Nick Clegg has set out how we Liberal Democrats can help ordinary people through cutting the taxes of those on low and middle incomes. Thousands of people in Mansfield would benefit from this.

I am delighted to be able to back ‘Make it Happen’. It sets out how the Liberal Democrats will run Britain.

If you would like to join the Liberal Democrats, please see the column on the left of page or call me, for details.

….Peafield Park has been successful in its bid for the prestigious Green Flag. All the hard work and dedication by Friends of Peafield Park and local Councillors has paid off and we intend to celebrate!!!!! We missed out last year, but with the guidance of Kathryn, MDC’s Parks Development Officer, we managed it at our second attempt.

The Green Flag for parks is the equivalent of the Blue Flag awarded to beaches which  reach a level of excellence in their category. We are all so thrilled to have done it, but we have to keep up the good work - 2009 is just around the corner!