Sunday, 10 June 2007
musings on shopping.
Yesterday Sue and I went for our usual Saturday visit to Northfield. Sue went into Dorothy Perkins while I waited outside. I refuse to go in because the same thing always happens. I get bored waiting for Sue to decide she doesn't want anything and usually go off into a bit of a reverie or daydream, not really aware of my surroundings. All of a sudden I come to and I always find myself staring at the women's underwear whilst nubile young ladies look at me like the local pervert. Does this happen to other men or is it just me?
Saturday, 9 June 2007
Catch up
Time to catch up I think.
Wednesday was my first meeting with other Scrutiny chairs at a meeting of the Co-ordinating committee. This is the committee that looks at the work the various committees are undertaking and makes sure there is no duplication of effort and also suggests work that should be undertaken.
I took the opportunity to pop down New Street to the Blood Donation Centre and give up half an armful. I had to take a break since last October as our trip to India in November meant I could not donate for 6 months after my return as India is a Malaria risk country. If anyone wants do do something to help others please think about blood donation, it requires little time or effort and you get free biscuits as well.
On Thursday I took a Ward day to catch up on casework. Housing queries make up most of the work with ASB not far behind. We had some travellers move onto the Egghill estate on Sunday but were gone by Wednesday. Unfortunately they only moved onto Cofton Park. It's the piles of rubbish they leave behind that costs us money to move, especially if they are involved in tar-maccing. I would not recommend anyone to use their services, if their price seems cheap there is a reason for that, they do a cheap job and you have no recourse against them. I believe they will move off quite quickly. There are a lot of jobs in Worcestershire coming up and they will want to move down there.
Thursday evening saw me at a meeting of the South Birmingham Young Homeless Project who do a lot of good work with young people who are in danger of becoming homeless or are homeless. Like all organisations they spend a lot of their time chasing funding but I was recently able to help out with their lease with BCC.
Straight from there to another meeting at Longbridge Technology Park with the Development Consultation Group. This is made up of local residents and organisations who have been advising on issues for some years. There is always a robust exchange of views and some diverse opinion at these meetings and this was no exception. This was the first meeting held in the new Innovation Building. The first of many to be built on the site, it already has some occupants and more moving in.
On Friday we had to drive down to Somerset to complete formalities and arrangements for the funeral next week. First we drove to Bridgewater to clear out the room in the residential home where Sylvia had lived for the last 3 years. Sydenham House is an excellent home with dedicated staff who work extremely hard for the oldsters in their care and we are grateful to them for the care they give. On then to Taunton to register the death. I was waiting for Sue to park the car and got chatting to a lady who turned out to be a Councillor, luckily a Conservative one. She was telling us that they had recently lost control over the issue of stock transfer. The Labour Party campaigned against it locally whilst knowing full well that if the County Council gets it's wish for the county to become a Unitary Authority local control of housing will be lost anyway. And people say the Lib-Dems are devious.
We then had to pick up Sue's brother, drive to Bridgewater to the funeral directors and the solicitors. We dropped Mike off back at Taunton and hit the M5 northwards. Luckily and clear journey back, dropped in to see some friends on the way and settled for fish and chips at about 9pm. A long day.
Today we are trying to catch up with gardening and housework. Tomorrow we are going to an engagement party and then off to the Civic Service at St Martins with the Lord Mayor.
Wednesday was my first meeting with other Scrutiny chairs at a meeting of the Co-ordinating committee. This is the committee that looks at the work the various committees are undertaking and makes sure there is no duplication of effort and also suggests work that should be undertaken.
I took the opportunity to pop down New Street to the Blood Donation Centre and give up half an armful. I had to take a break since last October as our trip to India in November meant I could not donate for 6 months after my return as India is a Malaria risk country. If anyone wants do do something to help others please think about blood donation, it requires little time or effort and you get free biscuits as well.
On Thursday I took a Ward day to catch up on casework. Housing queries make up most of the work with ASB not far behind. We had some travellers move onto the Egghill estate on Sunday but were gone by Wednesday. Unfortunately they only moved onto Cofton Park. It's the piles of rubbish they leave behind that costs us money to move, especially if they are involved in tar-maccing. I would not recommend anyone to use their services, if their price seems cheap there is a reason for that, they do a cheap job and you have no recourse against them. I believe they will move off quite quickly. There are a lot of jobs in Worcestershire coming up and they will want to move down there.
Thursday evening saw me at a meeting of the South Birmingham Young Homeless Project who do a lot of good work with young people who are in danger of becoming homeless or are homeless. Like all organisations they spend a lot of their time chasing funding but I was recently able to help out with their lease with BCC.
Straight from there to another meeting at Longbridge Technology Park with the Development Consultation Group. This is made up of local residents and organisations who have been advising on issues for some years. There is always a robust exchange of views and some diverse opinion at these meetings and this was no exception. This was the first meeting held in the new Innovation Building. The first of many to be built on the site, it already has some occupants and more moving in.
On Friday we had to drive down to Somerset to complete formalities and arrangements for the funeral next week. First we drove to Bridgewater to clear out the room in the residential home where Sylvia had lived for the last 3 years. Sydenham House is an excellent home with dedicated staff who work extremely hard for the oldsters in their care and we are grateful to them for the care they give. On then to Taunton to register the death. I was waiting for Sue to park the car and got chatting to a lady who turned out to be a Councillor, luckily a Conservative one. She was telling us that they had recently lost control over the issue of stock transfer. The Labour Party campaigned against it locally whilst knowing full well that if the County Council gets it's wish for the county to become a Unitary Authority local control of housing will be lost anyway. And people say the Lib-Dems are devious.
We then had to pick up Sue's brother, drive to Bridgewater to the funeral directors and the solicitors. We dropped Mike off back at Taunton and hit the M5 northwards. Luckily and clear journey back, dropped in to see some friends on the way and settled for fish and chips at about 9pm. A long day.
Today we are trying to catch up with gardening and housework. Tomorrow we are going to an engagement party and then off to the Civic Service at St Martins with the Lord Mayor.
Wednesday, 6 June 2007
Sad news
Sad news yesterday, Sue's Mom died suddenly following a heart attack. She was aged 87 and living in a home in Bridgewater, Somerset. She felt unwell and a doctor sent her to hospital where it happened. She was very frail and for the last couple of years had been quite looking forward to the end. Her faith saw her expect to be reunited with Sue's dad Stan. Sylvie had made all the arrangements for her funeral so besides going down on Friday to collect Death Certificates for the Funeral Directors it was a matter of phoning relatives and friends with the news.
The Council meeting was a long drawn-out but rather lanquid affair. The chamber was very warm and the opposition quite feeble. Even Sir Albert cleared off half way through and they got even worse.
I got in with a question about a leaflet put out by Labour in Weoley Castle accusing the Conservative councillors of spending money on clearing litter, fly-tipping and grafitti. This got quite a laugh and the Labour councillor for Weoley interrupted which left me with an open goal.I duly smashed the ball home but refrained from pulling my shirt over my head and running around the chamber.
I'm sorry if I do not sound too broken up about my Mother-in-law but she was a very difficult woman and even her own family said this was a release for her. She was very frail with several ailments and she really was looking forward to the end.
The Council meeting was a long drawn-out but rather lanquid affair. The chamber was very warm and the opposition quite feeble. Even Sir Albert cleared off half way through and they got even worse.
I got in with a question about a leaflet put out by Labour in Weoley Castle accusing the Conservative councillors of spending money on clearing litter, fly-tipping and grafitti. This got quite a laugh and the Labour councillor for Weoley interrupted which left me with an open goal.I duly smashed the ball home but refrained from pulling my shirt over my head and running around the chamber.
I'm sorry if I do not sound too broken up about my Mother-in-law but she was a very difficult woman and even her own family said this was a release for her. She was very frail with several ailments and she really was looking forward to the end.
Tuesday, 5 June 2007
Monday, 4 June 2007
Tea in the sun
We attended a garden party yesterday afternoon at the Copperfield Hotel in Selly Oak for a fund-raiser for the branch. A very pleasant event with old and new friends enjoying an excellent spread and some good conversation. Not all about politics but with Nigel Dawkins there then it would be the main subject. It was a beautiful afternoon, I always say the sun shines on the righteous but Sue always counters with "the devil looks after his own". I've no idea what she means.
Off to group meeting tonight. A large group of us usually end up in the Green Man in Harborne so if anyone is skulking around outside trying to get a photo please come in. There are sometime up to 20 of us there, councillors and party members. We will gladly buy you a half and pose for a photo.
Off to group meeting tonight. A large group of us usually end up in the Green Man in Harborne so if anyone is skulking around outside trying to get a photo please come in. There are sometime up to 20 of us there, councillors and party members. We will gladly buy you a half and pose for a photo.
Sunday, 3 June 2007
Welcome Lord Mayor
On Saturday we welcomed the Lord Mayor of Birmingham, Councillor Randal Brew OBE and the Lady Mayoress Mrs Sandra Brew to the re-opening of the Reaside Community Centre on Frankley.
This hall had suffered some neglect over the years and we were asked to join the committee in order to get some things done. For instance a leaky roof had caused part of the ceiling in the foyer to collapse. This ruined the carpet and exposed some asbestos. It was the first thing people saw as they entered the hall and put them right off.
We managed to get the repairs sorted and found funding for a new carpet and a replacement kitchen. Sue dragooned all kinds of people in to clean and paint the place.
On the day we had arranged to borrow a load of Hydrangeas in pots to hide some grotty looking spots but due to a mix-up at Cofton Park Nursery they had not arrived. Sue and I got there early, put them in the backs of our cars and took them over. These plants and some bunting made the old place look really good.
We invited quite a few organisations to set up in the main hall and did a table top sale in the other. There were dog-training demonstrations, basketball training and bike coding, courtesy of Steven Trefor-Jones who has probably coded 90% of the bikes on Frankley.
Richard Burden MP and Councillor Steve Bedser put in an appearance and members of the New Frankley in Birmingham Parish Council turned out in support. Yes, on Frankley we have the only Parish Council in Birmingham and we work closely with them to improve things for the local residents. More on that another time.
As Lord Mayor Randal Brew is excellent. He is so relaxed and he and Sandra appear to really enjoy their roles. I knew Mike Sharpe would be a hard act to follow but Randal has fitted into his duties so smoothly. I think we are lucky in our recent choices of Lord Mayor.
This hall had suffered some neglect over the years and we were asked to join the committee in order to get some things done. For instance a leaky roof had caused part of the ceiling in the foyer to collapse. This ruined the carpet and exposed some asbestos. It was the first thing people saw as they entered the hall and put them right off.
We managed to get the repairs sorted and found funding for a new carpet and a replacement kitchen. Sue dragooned all kinds of people in to clean and paint the place.
On the day we had arranged to borrow a load of Hydrangeas in pots to hide some grotty looking spots but due to a mix-up at Cofton Park Nursery they had not arrived. Sue and I got there early, put them in the backs of our cars and took them over. These plants and some bunting made the old place look really good.
We invited quite a few organisations to set up in the main hall and did a table top sale in the other. There were dog-training demonstrations, basketball training and bike coding, courtesy of Steven Trefor-Jones who has probably coded 90% of the bikes on Frankley.
Richard Burden MP and Councillor Steve Bedser put in an appearance and members of the New Frankley in Birmingham Parish Council turned out in support. Yes, on Frankley we have the only Parish Council in Birmingham and we work closely with them to improve things for the local residents. More on that another time.
As Lord Mayor Randal Brew is excellent. He is so relaxed and he and Sandra appear to really enjoy their roles. I knew Mike Sharpe would be a hard act to follow but Randal has fitted into his duties so smoothly. I think we are lucky in our recent choices of Lord Mayor.
A funeral in Kings Lynn
We've had a few eventful days.
Thursday saw us driving to Kings Lynn where our Son Alan lives with his wife Karen. He is a Sergeant in the RAF, Karen is a Housing Officer in Kings Lynn. Her father died suddenly last week aged 72. Although he had had heart problems in recent years an operation had sorted it out and he seemed in good form. One day he took a nap in his chair and just didn't wake up.
The service took place at the local crematorium and the sheer numbers of people attending was amazing. The chapel seats 200 but it was standing room only. Gordon lived in a very small village and was active in a great number of the local clubs and societies, he could never turn down a plea for help and held positions in all of them. Usually he was the secretary, a position involving most of the work but little glory.
The service was also attended by Henry Billingham MP, Lord Leicester, another lord and a Lady Angela, quite a turn-out for an ordinary man whose occupation was a painter & decorator. He had a side-line in supplying waiting staff for functions for the great halls in Norfolk and got to know a lot of the big-wigs over the years and obviously made an impression.
Thursday saw us driving to Kings Lynn where our Son Alan lives with his wife Karen. He is a Sergeant in the RAF, Karen is a Housing Officer in Kings Lynn. Her father died suddenly last week aged 72. Although he had had heart problems in recent years an operation had sorted it out and he seemed in good form. One day he took a nap in his chair and just didn't wake up.
The service took place at the local crematorium and the sheer numbers of people attending was amazing. The chapel seats 200 but it was standing room only. Gordon lived in a very small village and was active in a great number of the local clubs and societies, he could never turn down a plea for help and held positions in all of them. Usually he was the secretary, a position involving most of the work but little glory.
The service was also attended by Henry Billingham MP, Lord Leicester, another lord and a Lady Angela, quite a turn-out for an ordinary man whose occupation was a painter & decorator. He had a side-line in supplying waiting staff for functions for the great halls in Norfolk and got to know a lot of the big-wigs over the years and obviously made an impression.
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