Tuesday, 13 July 2010
New Education Policies - short, easy to understand videos
Teachers TV are producing a series of short 10 minutes videos explaining the implications of the new coalition education policies. For those that don't care to wade through pages of explanation - you might like to take a look at the multimedia version. http://www.teachers.tv/videos/need-to-know-coalition-plans-for-education
Monday, 12 July 2010
Alumni of yesteryear can help today's students
I just attended my first school reunion on 10 July, well strictly speaking my sixth form college reunion, since my old grammar school in Eccles was rased to the ground some years ago to make way for a housing estate.
It was big fun and will be the start of an alumni network, thanks to the foresight of the principal, Dr Savvas, who wants to create a web of people of goodwill to help young students as they move beyond teenage life into adult life and careers.
Why did it take 38 years for a principal to do that? Why did it take us 38 years to get the Reunion going? Interesting questions, but the important thing is they're happening now.
Do our local schools in Central Beds have such networks? They should.
This county-part gave birth among others to Alan Bruce, who attended Arnold School for his secondary education and later sailed in the Whitbread Round the World race and now has his own yacht boat building company. How many people do you know who can sail single handed across the Atlantic, like falling off a log? The very idea is thrilling and that Alan came from this land-locked county is astounding.
Now let's see what can be done round here.
It was big fun and will be the start of an alumni network, thanks to the foresight of the principal, Dr Savvas, who wants to create a web of people of goodwill to help young students as they move beyond teenage life into adult life and careers.
Why did it take 38 years for a principal to do that? Why did it take us 38 years to get the Reunion going? Interesting questions, but the important thing is they're happening now.
Do our local schools in Central Beds have such networks? They should.
This county-part gave birth among others to Alan Bruce, who attended Arnold School for his secondary education and later sailed in the Whitbread Round the World race and now has his own yacht boat building company. How many people do you know who can sail single handed across the Atlantic, like falling off a log? The very idea is thrilling and that Alan came from this land-locked county is astounding.
Now let's see what can be done round here.
Monday, 28 June 2010
Would you buy CBC's News Central if it weren't free?
The Guardian newspaper ran a piece this last week criticising local authority publications as being propaganda organs for the incumbent party running the local council, which also take valued revenue away from local papers.
They are quite right of course. That said, I'd feel more sympathetic to local papers if ever they were to field a reporter to attend the odd Council meeting or some Overview and Scrutiny ones. There's never been one at the press desk in my year in office, which is a pity as there have been a couple of humdingers this year.
Firstly, when we Liberal Democrats voted against the Tory proposals to freeze Councillor allowances, as we wanted to support the recommendation of the independent panel for a cut, and secondly, only last week when a number of Tories broke ranks to vote against the Council proposals on a number of proposals including proposed boundary changes.
The News Central issue was taken up by Beds on Sunday, although the CBC answers were less than fulsome, for while publication costs are now covered by News Central taking ads, overheads including staff time apparently are not.
When asked, constituents say they appreciate News Central, but that is not the way to get at the truth of how much people value it, of course. A much better test would be to make it available to buy at cost.
Would you buy CBC's News Central if it weren't free? Do share your views.
In case you missed it, here is the exchange between CBC and Beds on Sunday:
Bedfordshire on Sunday, Can I have a break down on how much News Central Costs please?
Cllr Richard Stay, Deputy Leader at Central Bedfordshire Council said: "Making sure our residents are fully informed about the services the Council provides and the way we spend their money is vitally important and News Central magazine is a convenient and very cost effective way of doing this. There was a set up cost for News Central in the first year, but this publication now carries no financial burden to the tax payer as costs are offset by advertising."
Figures:
Costs for April 2009/April 2010: £220,000
For April 2010/11: The first edition cost £14,000 but this cost is now offset by advertising and so the rest of the editions will be cost neutral.
They are quite right of course. That said, I'd feel more sympathetic to local papers if ever they were to field a reporter to attend the odd Council meeting or some Overview and Scrutiny ones. There's never been one at the press desk in my year in office, which is a pity as there have been a couple of humdingers this year.
Firstly, when we Liberal Democrats voted against the Tory proposals to freeze Councillor allowances, as we wanted to support the recommendation of the independent panel for a cut, and secondly, only last week when a number of Tories broke ranks to vote against the Council proposals on a number of proposals including proposed boundary changes.
The News Central issue was taken up by Beds on Sunday, although the CBC answers were less than fulsome, for while publication costs are now covered by News Central taking ads, overheads including staff time apparently are not.
When asked, constituents say they appreciate News Central, but that is not the way to get at the truth of how much people value it, of course. A much better test would be to make it available to buy at cost.
Would you buy CBC's News Central if it weren't free? Do share your views.
In case you missed it, here is the exchange between CBC and Beds on Sunday:
Bedfordshire on Sunday, Can I have a break down on how much News Central Costs please?
Cllr Richard Stay, Deputy Leader at Central Bedfordshire Council said: "Making sure our residents are fully informed about the services the Council provides and the way we spend their money is vitally important and News Central magazine is a convenient and very cost effective way of doing this. There was a set up cost for News Central in the first year, but this publication now carries no financial burden to the tax payer as costs are offset by advertising."
Figures:
Costs for April 2009/April 2010: £220,000
For April 2010/11: The first edition cost £14,000 but this cost is now offset by advertising and so the rest of the editions will be cost neutral.
Saturday, 26 June 2010
Enjoy our outdoor water
We do live in a lovely part of the country, with a fair smattering of outdoor water to enjoy sports such as rowing (two rowing clubs on the river Ouse at Bedford), kayaking (one club on the Ouse at Bedford), windsurfing (on the lake towards Wootton), the lido at Hitchin. And I just recently learned of a lake near Clophill where people go on a hot summer day to swim: fantastic.
Now Bedford is hosting a consultation for building around Willington lake just outside Bedford to enable use and enjoyment by a wide range of activities and people (care homes, sports groups, hotel and leisure complexes). But the one aspect I'm not convinced about is the 'science and technology park'.
Too often, this is a blueprint for the busy-ness of cars and office workers, barren wastes of buildings not used outside of Monday-Friday office hours, all taking up space that would be more 24x7 appreciated by green space fans. Visit http://www.bedford-rowing-lake.com/ to say what you think.
It's your county, your lake.
Now Bedford is hosting a consultation for building around Willington lake just outside Bedford to enable use and enjoyment by a wide range of activities and people (care homes, sports groups, hotel and leisure complexes). But the one aspect I'm not convinced about is the 'science and technology park'.
Too often, this is a blueprint for the busy-ness of cars and office workers, barren wastes of buildings not used outside of Monday-Friday office hours, all taking up space that would be more 24x7 appreciated by green space fans. Visit http://www.bedford-rowing-lake.com/ to say what you think.
It's your county, your lake.
Thank you Focus from Linda Jack
A big thank you to the kind helpers who deliver Focus leaflets for us (more always welcome!). We've recently been busy on these lovely summer nights delivering a thank you Focus from Linda Jack, another nice touch from a woman of high emotional intelligence.
Linda may not have won, but she takes the time to thank people.
Don't worry folks, Bedfordshire Mid may have got it wrong overall this time, but we can get it right next time.
Linda may not have won, but she takes the time to thank people.
Don't worry folks, Bedfordshire Mid may have got it wrong overall this time, but we can get it right next time.
Monday, 31 May 2010
CBC consult Parish Councils on CCTV
A consultation exercise is taking place with parish councils in early June 2010, in relation to Central Bedfordshire Council’s public space CCTV system.
The Council is currently reviewing its CCTV provision – the review will consider various options including out-sourcing to another provider, scaling back the current facility, monitoring all authority cameras from Dunstable, and maintaining the status quo. On completion a report will be submitted to Sustainable Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 7 September and then Executive Committee on 28 September 2010.
Should you wish to know more please contact:
Steve Barrett
Community Safety Operations Manager
Community Safety Team
Sustainable Communities
0300 300 5639
steve.barrett@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk
I'd be interested in your views.
Personally, I've never knowingly had my life enhanced by CCTV and the one time it could have been useful, security alleged that the footage had been erased (Harlington station car park, when my car door lock was broken; the grovelling letter didn't go far towards the £156 bill for lock repair).
The Council is currently reviewing its CCTV provision – the review will consider various options including out-sourcing to another provider, scaling back the current facility, monitoring all authority cameras from Dunstable, and maintaining the status quo. On completion a report will be submitted to Sustainable Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 7 September and then Executive Committee on 28 September 2010.
Should you wish to know more please contact:
Steve Barrett
Community Safety Operations Manager
Community Safety Team
Sustainable Communities
0300 300 5639
steve.barrett@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk
I'd be interested in your views.
Personally, I've never knowingly had my life enhanced by CCTV and the one time it could have been useful, security alleged that the footage had been erased (Harlington station car park, when my car door lock was broken; the grovelling letter didn't go far towards the £156 bill for lock repair).
Thursday, 6 May 2010
Bedfordshire Mid remains Blue
Here in Bedfordshire Mid we had a good turnout of voters yesterday. It's been a pleasure to work with Lib Dem PPC Linda Jack these last few months in the run up to the general election.
While we grew our Lib Dem share of vote, the Tory incumbent remains firmly seated, for now.
Candidates
Name Party Votes % +/-
Nadine Dorries Conservative 28,815 (52.5%) +5.9%
Linda Jack Liberal Democrat 13,663 (24.9%) +1.4%
David Reeves Labour 8,108 (14.8%) -7.7%
Bill Hall UK Independence Party 2,826 (5.1%) +2.4%
Malcolm Bailey Green 773 (1.4%) -1.2%
John Cooper English Democrats 712 (1.3%) +1.3%
Majority 15,152 (27.6%)
Turnout 54,897 (72.2%) +3.5%
While we grew our Lib Dem share of vote, the Tory incumbent remains firmly seated, for now.
Candidates
Name Party Votes % +/-
Nadine Dorries Conservative 28,815 (52.5%) +5.9%
Linda Jack Liberal Democrat 13,663 (24.9%) +1.4%
David Reeves Labour 8,108 (14.8%) -7.7%
Bill Hall UK Independence Party 2,826 (5.1%) +2.4%
Malcolm Bailey Green 773 (1.4%) -1.2%
John Cooper English Democrats 712 (1.3%) +1.3%
Majority 15,152 (27.6%)
Turnout 54,897 (72.2%) +3.5%
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
