Sue was at Licensing yesterday. A heavy programme including two applications for massage parlour licenses. Both had been visited by inspectors and found beds and scantily clad women plus bouncers and heavy security. One didnt turn up and the other was turned down. The applicant said she would appeal. This is the big question, do we grant licenses in order to keep it off the streets or would that be colluding in prostitution and all the things that go with it such as human trafficking and abuse of women. If we close all the massage parlours would that force more girls out onto the streets which are more dangerous and drug addiction is rife. Your thought would be welcome.
Keith spent all day at the NEC with the National Children's Agency at a seminar on listening to children. This included work on "Hear by Right" and the young people who organised it did a fantastic job. Well done!
Afterwards Keith went to a board meeting of South West Birmingham Community Association. Until recently the chairman was Sir Richard Knowles. He revelled in a persona of being an irascible old bugger, a role he played to perfection, but he was obviously a formidable political operator in his day and a larger than life character who leaves the political landscape a less colourful place.
