June 30th, 2009 by Aldridge Brownhills Liberal Democrats Comment?
Walsall’s Highway Maintenance Strategy 2009/2012 has been designed to direct and inform in detail service users and those involved in service delivery about the way in which Walsall Council intends to maintain its highway network over the next three years. Particular emphasis has been placed upon service delivery improvements and how strategic intentions will be realised through the asset management process strategically, tactically and operationally.
Walsall council hope you will take this opportunity to participate in this consultation exercise for Walsall’s draft Highway Maintenance Strategy 2009-12 and provide them with your feedback so that they can prepare the final document for formal publication.
June 25th, 2009 by Aldridge Brownhills Liberal Democrats Comment?
The number of people killed on UK roads has reached a record low, according to government statistics.
There were 2,538 people killed on Britain’s roads in 2008, which is the lowest annual total since records began in 1926. That is 14% down on the 2007 figure of 2,943.
This is quite an achievement considering the number of cars and drivers on the roads are at an all time high.
Of course, this doesn’t mean we can become complacent and not try to keep looking to reduce the numbers further.
June 19th, 2009 by Aldridge Brownhills Liberal Democrats Comment?
There may be some good news for all those of you who have asked me in recent months what progress was being made with regard to the opening of a new railway station in Aldridge.
Train operators are calling for widespread expansion of the rail network in England, with 14 extra lines and about 40 new stations - including ones at Aldridge & Brownhills! - proposed.
The Association of Train Operating Companies said there was a need for expansion to cope with rising demand. It said the expansion, which would cost £500m and possibly reuse lines closed under the 1960s Beeching cuts, could serve more than 1m extra passengers. It says the new stations could be operational within five to 10 years.
Any decision on whether any of the plans get the go-ahead would be taken by local and regional government, Network Rail and the Department for Transport. Atoc argues infrastructure from some of the old lines closed in the 1960s could be refurbished to form part of the new network. Freight lines could also be adapted to serve commercial routes, it said.
Centro and the Regional Rail Forum have put draft prposals out for public consultation with a deadline of 11th September being set for comments:
June 19th, 2009 by Aldridge Brownhills Liberal Democrats 2 Comments
I’m saddened, if not surprised, that Alan Sheath of UKIP should have answered my letter in the Walsall Observer in the way he chose. I had entitled my letter “sad day for democracy” and it represented my own personal reflection on the council & euro election vote that had resulted in BNP being elected.
Turnout in Walsall was low, with over 69% not voting - anyone who believes in democracy cannot be anything but alarmed at such a low turnout.
Me not mentioning the party of which I am a member was because it was not relevant, it certainly was not because I’m ashamed of being a Liberal Democrat or was seeking to hide the fact. I have lived for 36 years with insults and snide comments about being a Liberal, but it’s never stopped me from trying to help people with their problems if I can. Recently I’ve
found it strange how the Liberal Democrats are described with contempt as “an insignificant minor party” one day but then suddenly during the expenses outrage we become “one of the corrupt main establishment parties”!
UKIP call Lib Dems traitors simply for daring to argue that we are better placed to reform the EU from within, to make it more democratic. Many supporting UKIP in the Euro elections are unaware that it will not mean we leave the EU - it needs a general election and a vote in Parliament for a referendum to give voters this chance.
Liberal Democrats believe we should have a real vote on Europe - whether we should be in Europe or out. In early 2008 the Lib Dems were blocked from having a vote on this in Parliament, with the Conservatives proposing a limited referendum on the Lisbon Treaty and the Government saying no to any referendum at all! I would have thought UKIP would have supported our stance of offering the voter a choice - this is democracy!
We want that real referendum because if Britain is to stride forward confidently into the 21st century and tackle global issues like climate change and terrorism, we need to decide once and for all whether our future lies within the European Union, or outside it.
Perhaps the only thing Lib Dems are in agreement with UKIP on is let’s not delay - put the question to the voters. Whilst UKIP, and other anti EU groups, would seek to get voters to vote NO, I would be seeking to have a rational debate and persuade voters to vote for continued membership of the EU. This is REAL democracy!
June 8th, 2009 by Aldridge Brownhills Liberal Democrats Comment?
The weekend saw the 65th anniversary of D-Day, in September we will be commemorating the 70th anniversary of the start of world War II. Millions fought, and many millions died, to defeat the Nazis plans for a “New Order”, which involved the persecution of sections of the population.
I’m sure those fighting for our freedoms never imagined that after all their sacrifices we would be in a position within living memory where their sons / daughters or grandchildren would vote for a party whose beliefs are based on the Nazis! Was their sacrifice in vain? But with the BNP winning this is exactly what has happened.
It saddens me that so many voters have an irrational hatred of sections of the community, and have allowed themselves to be exploited by a group of white supremacists to enable Nick Griffin and Andrew Brons to gain seats. Even more despairing is the many who claim they know nothing about the BNP policies but voted for them out of anger with the three main parties!
However those who did not vote are equally as culpable for this situation, as it allowed the BNP to win seats whilst attracting fewer votes! I’m sick of people saying they are angry / fed up with politicians and that is why they don’t vote or decide to vote UKIP / BNP.
The complete lack of understanding of how politics influences every aspect of our daily lives, the ignorance of the fight our forefathers had to get the right to vote and the importance that it is “our duty” to preserve this right is staggering. I believe we owe it to those who have given their lives to win these rights, to ensure all our children learn about the struggles at school.
May 15th, 2009 by Aldridge Brownhills Liberal Democrats Comment?
I’m disgusted everyone seems happy to heap praise on the Telegraph for itscoverage of MPs expenses. I am still waiting for someone to ask the Telegraph some serious questions about their actions over the release of the MP expense data:
1. How can they take a moral high stand when they’ve paid a “mole”, who’s sole interest is in getting money by abusing their position? I know they are drip feedding the data out in order to sell more newspapers and coverthe costs of paying the “mole”!!
2. If their desire was to seek to expose those who have abused the system why have they released the information in the way they have - aiming to hit Labour MPs first when it appears many more Tory Mps expenses are more questionable?
3. Yesterday Andrew Mackay resigned as Cameron’s aide. This was not because the Telegraph had revealed his expenses query involving on excess of £170,000 (maybe upto £280,000). On question time it was stated the Telegraph had 24 plus journalists looking at the expenses data - how did they miss Andrew Mackay?
4. Today there is no mention on their website of Andrew MacKay? Why have they “ignored” his resignation and the sums involved deciding instead to again concentrate on trying to hit Labour MPs. Can they now be honest and publish everything - all the facts in total - so we can see who has fiddled the most whether they be Labour, tory, Lib Dem or whoever!
May 12th, 2009 by Aldridge Brownhills Liberal Democrats Comment?
I’m as annoyed about MPs “abusing” expenses as anyone, but I feel the Speaker is right when he called the police in to investigate the leak of the details.
The person who gave the information to the Telegraph was acting out of a similar greed to that MPs have shown because he sold it for £100,000 (or whatever it was). They were not acting ethically out of a desire to ensure that some facts that were being kept secret from us were published.
The expense details were due to be published in July, when everyone could see who were the worst culprits at taking advantage of the system were. We would have had the top 20 MPs listed, irrespective of which party they belonged.
The person who has sold the information has however allowed the Telegraph to manipulate the publication to put their spin on it - hitting at Labour for 4 days which was then picked up by every paper and news channel. This lead to opinion polls over the weekend showing a dramatic drop in Labour support, before then giving us details of Tory abuses. By that time so many people were so angry that they will not look closely at the Tory MPs abuses which appear to me to be far worse.
No one, particularly me as a supporter of the Lib Dems who have pushed for several years for full accountability and a revamp of the expenses system, is in any doubt that the system has been “abused” for 30 years by some MPs of all persuasions. The way it has been released and reported however has distorted the actual position to favour / benefit the Tories (and more disturbingly the BNP).
May 8th, 2009 by Aldridge Brownhills Liberal Democrats 1 Comment
You may have seen Major Phil Packer on TV in the last couple of weeks. He has just completed his latest epic task task - the London Marathon. Here is his personal message that can be found on his website:
“On the 19th February 2008 I was injured in Iraq and am now a paraplegic. I am determined to raise £1 million for Help for Heroes with support from others. I will attempt to walk the Flora London Marathon over two weeks from the 26th April and until then, I have laid down the gauntlet to try any sport or attend any event that YOU think would help reach this target.
Donating through this site is simple, fast and totally secure. Help for Heroes will receive your money faster and, if you are a UK taxpayer, an extra 28% in tax will be added to your gift at no cost to you. Thank you for your support, Phil Packer
I would urge you to visit www.philpacker.com for more information on how you can help Phil. We all owe a huge debt to men and women who serve in our armed services and, like Phil, are injured as a result. His actions though speak louder than any words I can write here!
May 8th, 2009 by Aldridge Brownhills Liberal Democrats 2 Comments
Why does the BBC persist in giving Kelvin MacKenzie airtime to promote his disgusting and for me personally offensive views?
What medical expertise does he possess that entitles him to criticise the action taken under the guidance of the Chief Medical officer, and then to try to belittle the GP on BBC Breakfast this morning.
Does he not realise that it is due to the prompt actions taken to isolate those identified as having swine flu that the impact of swine flu have been minimal. He ignores the deaths that have resulted in Mexico, when he spouts on about how it has all been blown out of proportion. I’m sure his views would ease the grief of the relatives of those that have died.
Is Kelvin willing to test his theory tested by being injected with the swine flu and permitted to go freely amongst his family and friends with no tamiflu? Maybe this will show him how stupid and irresponsible he is.
In my opinion after the lies he printed about the Hillsborough disaster when editor of The Sun, for which he refuses to apologise and persists in expressing, he should not be permitted to ever comment on anything again.
