Damian Green MP – Proof We Live in a Police State

This weeks’ arrest of Conservative Shadow Immigration Minister Damian Green MP has allowed the true totalitarian colours of both the government and state machine to become all too apparent.

The real area of concern to a good many of us who are politically involved is that if you use information sourced from government departments to embarrass the government itself, then you are to be treated as a common criminal.  What is completely wrong and unacceptable about Mr. Green’s arrest is that he endeavoured to tell the truth about Home Office incompetence.  The blatant abuse of powers intended to deal with terrorists or would be terrorists against a democratically elected Member of Parliament shows that the government is not minded to allow itself to be criticised.  This is something which one has come to expect from states such as Zimbabwe, and it is alarming to see these methods in use in this country to say the least.

Perhaps even more depressing is the arrogant “I know nothing and will apologise for nothing” attitude to the Green affair adopted by Home Secretary Jacqui Smith.  The more I see of Ms. Smith, the more I feel Daily Mail columnist Richard Littlejohn got it right when he nicknamed her “Jackboots Jacqui.”  Both Gordon Brown and Jacqui Smith ought to feel thoroughly ashamed of themselves for allowing the state security apparatus to undermine freedom of speech and expression by permitting the arrest of an opposition spokesman who did nothing wrong other than tell the public the truth about the government’s continued failure to properly manage our country’s borders.

Visit To Hoopoe Children’s Club

On the afternoon of Saturday, 29th November I visited the Hoopoe Children’s Club, which is based at Williams Hall Community Centre.  The Hoopoe Club is run by Shahida Ahmed and Yvonne Tennant, and provides children of primary school age from Southfield with a facility to learn about art and crafts.  I firmly believe in this kind of community-based activity provison for local children, as it is an excellent way for them to augment and enhance their learning.  The Hoopoe Club is run voluntarily, although it does receive support from external funding agencies.  I was very impressed with the work Shahida and Yvonne are doing with local children, and would recommend the Hoopoe club to local parents.   The Hoopoe Club is open between noon  and 3pm on Saturdays at Williams Hall, Barkerhouse Road.

Highway Repairs Requested

I went out for a walk around Southfield on the morning of Saturday, 29th November.  I set out with my camera, as I find the best way of making a point to the authorities is to photograph the issue and email the images to the relevant department.  I had already noted a number of worn-out areas of street in need of repair.  These are:

Smith Street at the Junction of Bracewell Street (Opposite no 20 Smith Street)

Pine Street at the junction with Barkerhouse Road

Whitehall Street at the junction with Earl Street

Athol Street at the junction with Pine Street

All of these have the tarmac worn away to expose the cobblestones beneath.  These have all been reported to the County Council’s Highways Department for scheduling for both inspection and repair.

NTC Planning Committee Meeting

Nelson Town Council’s Planning Committee met on 26th November to consider the latest planning applications for building works in Nelson. 

The first is a house extension on Reedyford Road, which we felt we didn’t need to make any obervations on.  The second application is one which will see the former St. Mary’s church become a centre for traditional building skills and crafts. 

St. Mary’s has lain semi-derelict since 1989, and is a major landmark in our town.  We stated that we felt the project was one we’d like to support, as the building will be converted and restored to its former glory.  All of the stained glass windows which were removed for safe keeping will be returned, restored and protected from the elements and the vagaries of local vandals.  We believe the scheme is fully in keeping with both the building itself and the surrounding area, and will bring people into Nelson from outside the town.

Councillors suggested that minor modifications be made to the type of material proposed for the on-site car park, as we didn’t feel it was completely in keeping with the building itself.   We have recommended that the planning authority approve the proposals so that work can begin on bringing one of Nelson’s architectural gems back to life.

Town Council Brainstorming Session

Last night, members of Nelson Town Council’s Community Services and Finance and General Purposes Committees met to consider projects and events which councillors felt would benefit both our town and its residents.

A whole range of ideas were put into the ring, from the improvement in public conveniences in the town centre, a community gardening project to help get local children actively involved and interested in horticulture, taking over the Lancashire Day celebrations from the Borough Council, a Kite Festival, a Balloon Festival, increasing the frequency of street cleaning, Christmas Illuminations, hanging baskets for the town centre, a project to deter the ever increasing amount of junk mail coming through the doors of our senior citizens, assistance for residents to provide off-street parking in certain areas of the town and new waste bins to separate recyclable waste from non recyclable waste.

The session was very interesting and worthwhile from my point of view, as it enabled everyone to make their ideas known to fellow councillors and we certainly have a solid base from which to begin considering what we’d like to see happen in Nelson to make the town a better place for everyone to live and work in.