Looks like we have been blessed with good weather for today's Heritage Walk.
Meet at The Cross for a 2.30 start.
As chair of DSJ Parish Council I've been spammed to say a few words on the history of our unique monument...
A guided tour of Priory Church is next followed by a trek round the village featuring 'Hostelries of the Past' with John Bloomfield.
By which time I'll be ready for a pint in one of our hostelries of the present...
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Saturday, August 28, 2010
ConDems dismantling NHS...
So, the Tories have let slip their secret plans to scrap the professional, much-respected NHS Direct Service.
So when you phone NHS Direct in future, you are unlikely to get a trained nurse responding, but a call centre operative instead.
It's another of Cameron's pre-election promises broken and threatens to reverse the achievements of the past few years in reducing waiting times at Accident and Emergency departments.
The Tory determination to cut the NHS is not so surprising given their record - they fought tooth and nail to prevent Labour creating a National Health Service for all in the first place - then starved it of cash and almost destroyed it in the Thatcher era.
What I find surprising is the apparent willingness of Nick Clegg and the LibDems to roll over, dump any pretence of principles, and campaign for the Tory agenda to cut public services under a thinly disguised veil of 'cutting the deficit'.
Of course we need to cut waste where it can be identified and improve services, but the ConDem Coalition has no mandate to cut the NHS itself.
So when you phone NHS Direct in future, you are unlikely to get a trained nurse responding, but a call centre operative instead.
It's another of Cameron's pre-election promises broken and threatens to reverse the achievements of the past few years in reducing waiting times at Accident and Emergency departments.
The Tory determination to cut the NHS is not so surprising given their record - they fought tooth and nail to prevent Labour creating a National Health Service for all in the first place - then starved it of cash and almost destroyed it in the Thatcher era.
What I find surprising is the apparent willingness of Nick Clegg and the LibDems to roll over, dump any pretence of principles, and campaign for the Tory agenda to cut public services under a thinly disguised veil of 'cutting the deficit'.
Of course we need to cut waste where it can be identified and improve services, but the ConDem Coalition has no mandate to cut the NHS itself.
Friday, August 13, 2010
Tories take revenge by scrapping Audit Commission...
The Tories have finally taken their revenge on the Audit Commission which played a key role in uncovering scandals such as the criminal ways of Jim 'Jailbird' Speechley in running Lincolnshire County Council - and of course illegal gerrymandering by Shirley 'homes for votes' Porter.
Staff at the Commission, told by email today that the ConDem Government was scrapping the Audit Commission, leaving no national body to step in when there's a major failing in a local council by politicians of any persuasion - whether right here in Lincolnshire, or anywhere else in the country.
Staff at the Commission, told by email today that the ConDem Government was scrapping the Audit Commission, leaving no national body to step in when there's a major failing in a local council by politicians of any persuasion - whether right here in Lincolnshire, or anywhere else in the country.
Tory says she'll fight the ConDem playground cuts...
A senior Tory on Peterborough City Council says she'll fight playground cuts announced yesterday by a Tory Government Minister.
Fifteen childrens play areas in Peterborough have already benefitted from Labour's Playbuilder programme - each getting £50,000 from the Government. But yesterday, Tory Minister Michael Gove took the decision to order Peterborough City Council - and 131 other council across the country - to stop all work.
In tonight's Peterborough Evening Telegraph, Sheila Scott, the Tory councillor responsible for childrens services in the city said the news was 'very disappointing' and went on:
“I will be doing everything I can to get the appropriate people to change their minds about this funding.
“We know these are very difficult financial times but children are our future and we need to protect that.”
I'm sure her Tory colleagues will be reminding Sheila that 'we're all in this together and children shouldn't be exempt...'
But the truth is, she's absolutely right and I wish her the best of luck in persuading the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats at Westminster to stop the daft cuts.
I hope that the first step in Sheila's campaign is to let the ET know where all the affected playgrounds in the city are located - information apparently so far denied to them.
The ET also highlight the positive difference parks built under Labour's Playbuilder scheme are already having. In Werrington, anti-social behaviour has been cut.
And in Peanut Park, Orton Goldhay, which was provided in partnership with Cross Keys Homes, who matched the Government grant, the ET reports that the community came together to design the park which is now making 'a tremendous difference' to the area’s children.
The ConDems talk about building 'the big society' but it seems to me their actions are destroying it.
Fifteen childrens play areas in Peterborough have already benefitted from Labour's Playbuilder programme - each getting £50,000 from the Government. But yesterday, Tory Minister Michael Gove took the decision to order Peterborough City Council - and 131 other council across the country - to stop all work.
In tonight's Peterborough Evening Telegraph, Sheila Scott, the Tory councillor responsible for childrens services in the city said the news was 'very disappointing' and went on:
“I will be doing everything I can to get the appropriate people to change their minds about this funding.
“We know these are very difficult financial times but children are our future and we need to protect that.”
I'm sure her Tory colleagues will be reminding Sheila that 'we're all in this together and children shouldn't be exempt...'
But the truth is, she's absolutely right and I wish her the best of luck in persuading the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats at Westminster to stop the daft cuts.
I hope that the first step in Sheila's campaign is to let the ET know where all the affected playgrounds in the city are located - information apparently so far denied to them.
The ET also highlight the positive difference parks built under Labour's Playbuilder scheme are already having. In Werrington, anti-social behaviour has been cut.
And in Peanut Park, Orton Goldhay, which was provided in partnership with Cross Keys Homes, who matched the Government grant, the ET reports that the community came together to design the park which is now making 'a tremendous difference' to the area’s children.
The ConDems talk about building 'the big society' but it seems to me their actions are destroying it.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Deepings Rafts for Heroes...
Congrats to organisers of the weekend's Deepings Raft Race for providing another great Deepings day out for thousands, helped put our community on the map, and raised a decent wodge of cash for a hugely worthy cause - Help for Heroes which supports wounded soldiers, sailors and airmen (and women) returning from fighting for our country in Afghanistan.
Why 'Every Child Matters' should be banned...
As a former county councillor, I know what a huge and positive difference the previous Government's 'Every Child Matters' programme made to transform and modernise childrens' services, not only here in Lincolnshire, but across the entire country.
But it seems the ConDems are so rattled by the success of 'Every Child Matters', that they want to ban its very name.
Isn't there something deeply worrying - and rather Stalinist - about Tory Ministers who moaned endlessly about political correctness and spin prior to the General Election, but now spending their time writing pointless edicts to ban phrases they don't like.
Isn't it even more worrying when you learn the author is Michael Gove, the man who scrapped 700 school buildings projects - and had to issue FIVE lists because he kept getting his facts wrong?
Would it be churlish of me to suggest that his time would be better spent concentrating on getting his facts right, rather than on spin and political correctness...?
But it seems the ConDems are so rattled by the success of 'Every Child Matters', that they want to ban its very name.
Isn't there something deeply worrying - and rather Stalinist - about Tory Ministers who moaned endlessly about political correctness and spin prior to the General Election, but now spending their time writing pointless edicts to ban phrases they don't like.
Isn't it even more worrying when you learn the author is Michael Gove, the man who scrapped 700 school buildings projects - and had to issue FIVE lists because he kept getting his facts wrong?
Would it be churlish of me to suggest that his time would be better spent concentrating on getting his facts right, rather than on spin and political correctness...?
Thursday, August 05, 2010
Rab C Nesbitt star's posh South Lincs pad...
The actor behind Scots layabout Rab C. Nesbitt has put his Spalding home up for sale - for close on three-quarters of a million pounds.
That should keep him in string vests for a while...
That should keep him in string vests for a while...
Friday, July 30, 2010
ConDem Cuts will damage development in our region
Good letter in the Stamford Mercury condemning the ConDem Government's dogma-driven decision to scrap the East Midlands Development Agency...
LibDem Ministers fear ConDem coalition could kill party...
The penny has finally dropped on the LibDums who sold their principles for power. Seems some of Nick Clegg's band are warning that the Liberal Democrat party could be destroyed if the public believe they are being used to front the Tory plan to slash public services under the guise of cutting the deficit.
What took them so long to realise what was plain to see from the start...?
Today's Indy splashes on the story.
What took them so long to realise what was plain to see from the start...?
Today's Indy splashes on the story.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Tory MEP suggests Con-Lab pact to stop LibDem 'zealotry'...
Right-wing Tory Euro-MP for the East Midlands Roger Helmer today suggests a Labour-Tory pact to stop the 'ideological nonsense' of 'LibDem zealots'...
Writing on Conservative Home, this morning, Helmer attacks Chris Huhne - the LibDem who is now Energy Secretary in the Coalition Government for promoting more wind-power rather than supporting a 21st century generation of nuclear power stations.
Citing the phrase 'criminally insane', Helmer believes Huhne is wrong to insist that not a penny of public money should be invested in a new generation of nuclear power to solve the impending energy crisis as the existing capacity is switched off at the end of its working life.
As a LibDem MEP in the not too distant past, pro-Euro Mr Huhne has no doubt clashed many times before with Euro-sceptic Mr Helmer who, by his own admission, 'hates' the European Union - probably more than he hates windfarms...
The fragile coalition demonstrates, modern politics makes for strange bed-fellows.
To use Helmer's description, Huhne as Energy Secretary in a Cameron Government may indeed be 'bizarre'...
But probably not quite as bizarre as Labour forming a pact with the likes of Mr Helmer...!
Writing on Conservative Home, this morning, Helmer attacks Chris Huhne - the LibDem who is now Energy Secretary in the Coalition Government for promoting more wind-power rather than supporting a 21st century generation of nuclear power stations.
Citing the phrase 'criminally insane', Helmer believes Huhne is wrong to insist that not a penny of public money should be invested in a new generation of nuclear power to solve the impending energy crisis as the existing capacity is switched off at the end of its working life.
As a LibDem MEP in the not too distant past, pro-Euro Mr Huhne has no doubt clashed many times before with Euro-sceptic Mr Helmer who, by his own admission, 'hates' the European Union - probably more than he hates windfarms...
The fragile coalition demonstrates, modern politics makes for strange bed-fellows.
To use Helmer's description, Huhne as Energy Secretary in a Cameron Government may indeed be 'bizarre'...
But probably not quite as bizarre as Labour forming a pact with the likes of Mr Helmer...!
Friday, July 23, 2010
ConDems say public should fund prison parties...
ConDem Government Minister says the public purse must pay for prison parties - and described Labour's veto of them as "daft"...
The Daily Mail splashes on the story which they say undermines the Tory claim of being the party of law and order. And they have a particularly salacious picture of the sort of thing the Tories was the public to fund...
We always knew the LibDems were soft on crime. Now it seems they are influencing their Conservative bedfellows in a less than savoury manner!
The Daily Mail splashes on the story which they say undermines the Tory claim of being the party of law and order. And they have a particularly salacious picture of the sort of thing the Tories was the public to fund...
We always knew the LibDems were soft on crime. Now it seems they are influencing their Conservative bedfellows in a less than savoury manner!
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Government cancels childrens' play equipment...
Our local paper, the Stamford Mercury, reports that the Government is refusing to hand over a grant apparently already agreed for childrens' play equipment.
I wonder if Alan Duncan, the children's MP, and a member of the ConDems, will be explaining to them that "we're all in this together"...
I wonder if Alan Duncan, the children's MP, and a member of the ConDems, will be explaining to them that "we're all in this together"...
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Will Deepings school project escape the ConDem axe...?
Hopes are high that investment to revamp Deepings School will escape the Con-Dem Government axe.
Last month, you may recall, the Con-Dem axe scrapped 719 school building projects across the country, including millions of pounds to rebuild schools here in South Lincs.
So far, the Deepings project has avoided the Con-Dems devastating cuts - which hits the building industry as well as hopes of children, teachers and parents!
The Deepings project will make a huge difference to our local school and cost just £1.5 million - small beer compared to the £55 Billion investment in schools scrapped when the Con-Dems tore up Labour's Building Schools for the Future plan to modernise secondary schools.
But after Michael Gove's gaffe-ridden flip-flop performance in being forced to release no fewer than five official lists of where his axe will fall, we'll all be on tenter-hooks until building is underway.
Last month, you may recall, the Con-Dem axe scrapped 719 school building projects across the country, including millions of pounds to rebuild schools here in South Lincs.
So far, the Deepings project has avoided the Con-Dems devastating cuts - which hits the building industry as well as hopes of children, teachers and parents!
The Deepings project will make a huge difference to our local school and cost just £1.5 million - small beer compared to the £55 Billion investment in schools scrapped when the Con-Dems tore up Labour's Building Schools for the Future plan to modernise secondary schools.
But after Michael Gove's gaffe-ridden flip-flop performance in being forced to release no fewer than five official lists of where his axe will fall, we'll all be on tenter-hooks until building is underway.
Monday, July 19, 2010
With friends like that...
Not every Conservative MP is as enthusiastic about the ConDem coalition as the leadership of both parties would like us to believe.
Here's how one Conservative MP publicises the dangers of Vince, Nick and their gang...
Here's how one Conservative MP publicises the dangers of Vince, Nick and their gang...
Monday, July 12, 2010
Jobless should seek joy in flower arranging says our MP...!
I missed this gem from the Daily Mail last month, as it was published on the first day of my holiday...but I hope you agree it is worthy of a wider audience...
An MP suggests that those thrown onto the dole should seek joy in er, flower arranging!
Not just any MP, but John Hayes, who, as well as being Conservative MP for my patch -is also now a Minister for Education in the ConDem Government.
John seems to have largely got away with what some might consider an insulting gaffe from a Minister whose Government is presiding over damaging cuts likely to throw hundreds of thousands on the dole.
One can only imagine the furore if a Labour Minister ever made such comments!
An MP suggests that those thrown onto the dole should seek joy in er, flower arranging!
Not just any MP, but John Hayes, who, as well as being Conservative MP for my patch -is also now a Minister for Education in the ConDem Government.
John seems to have largely got away with what some might consider an insulting gaffe from a Minister whose Government is presiding over damaging cuts likely to throw hundreds of thousands on the dole.
One can only imagine the furore if a Labour Minister ever made such comments!
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