Visit to West Yorkshire Joint Services

I visited West Yorkshire Joint Services and saw the wide range of activities they cover, all in the same building, appropriately refered to as the Tardis. These include tracking down niche tobacco products, which are very harmful to health and contraband and counterfeit tobacco and alcohol. They have a display of these products to help put the message across of the health hazard they pose. They also carry out awareness raising sessions in schools, to counter alcohol misuse. Their Financial Capability project which addresses financial illiteracy, has been delivered to 20,000 young people in schools and also to community groups.

I took the opportunity to observe Consumer Direct, which is very efficient, answering calls within 20 seconds and conclude most queries during the call. They pass the rest to Trading Standards, another service which covers a number of aspects which I was unaware of. Other statutory services include the Public Analyst, which is self-funding, Weights and Measures and Testing; West Yorkshire Archives and West Yorkshire Archaeological Advisory Services. They also carry out community engagement work such as the excellent My Place – Al Hikmah Project which I supported during the summer.

I now have a good understanding of the wide range of work they do, a lot of which is self-funded and subsidises some of the statutory services. The cost of Trading Standards for example, is I understand, one of the lowest in the country. The services they provide, certainly deliver good value and I hope the West Yorkshire Council Leaders understand this when budgets are considered.

Toy Library Launch

It was great to visit Staincliffe and Healey Surestart Children’s Centre to launch their toy library. I think this is a marvellous idea. It allows children to take home and enjoy playing with the kind of toys that for most children are not available. Play is important for children because it is through play that children learn and develop all kinds of skills. It very important for parents to participate in play as this facilitates progress in speech, language and communication skills which need to develop while children are very young. These social skills are essential to facilitate the child’s learning throughout life. It is also a very enjoyable experience for both children and parents. I am rediscovering this, as I now have three young grandchildren and it is a great pleasure playing with them. I think it is mutual. It’s a great pleasure to read to them too!

Thornhill Lanterns

I participated in the Thornhill Lanterns festival tonight. The sight of the  procession of flickering lanterns, moving up the road into Overthorpe Park, was a moving experience. The gathering together in the park  and the dancing and fireworks, was a joyeous community experience. The post event refreshments in Trojans Sports and Community Centre, was an enjoyable way to round off the evening. It was great to see a neighbourhood working together to bring all this about.
Well done Thornhill!

Full Council

I faced a deputation from the Voluntary Sector seeeking ways to continue funding for Voluntary Action Kirklees who provide infrastructure support for the Voluntary Sector. My response was from the legal perspective. Earlier this year, notice was given of the change from a grant to a commisioning contract, A tender document was issued and bids received but then following the June budget, the decision was made to withdraw the commission in the face of economic uncertainties. The position now is, if we were to give funding to any one bidder, we would have to give the same amount to the other bidders or face legal challenge. This is something we cannot afford to do and it would not make sense to do so anyway. However we are still engaging with VAK and are on good terms with them. We are considering how best to involve the Voluntary Sector in strategic planning so they can make a contribution which is deemed appropriate.

I hope the Voultary Sector realise that the massive budget reduction of close to £90m over the next 4 years, is the reason we were forced to make the decision to withdraw the commission. They need to take their protest to central government!

Also at Full Council, I seconded the motion in opposition to the Dewsbury Courts' closure. I think it is important that Kirklees Council should clearly state its opposition and put it on record.

There are a numerous reasons to keep the courts in Dewsbury. Moving court cases to Huddersfield would damage local justice, particularly with respect to domestic violence cases as Dewsbury’s attrition rate is said to be the best in the country.The increased distance of the court would increase the workload of already over-stretched police teams. Transporting prisoners would create logistical problems and increased costs. Local justice would be less prominent and our community could lose faith in the judicial system if attendance at court fails. The Probation Service have serious concerns that the change could  increase re-offending. There would be increased costs for offenders, solicitors, CPS in terms of travel and time and also there is the very important issue of the potential further demise of the Dewsbury town centre.

I think that the proposal will not improve the effectiveness of local courts and is an attempt to save money by cutting services though in reality, it is unlikely that any savings will be achieved. A good debate took place in the chamber, with all speakers opposing the closures and the motion was carried unanimously.

  

Candidate Selection 2011 local election

I was delighted to be re-selected as Batley West Ward Labour Party candidate for the May 2011 local council election. I had hoped that the work I have done during the last three and a half years would be enough to do the trick but it was a relief to be re-selected at this evening's meeting. Fortunately all the comrades supported me and I was re-selected unaimously, which was good news for me. I am now optimistic that the Branch will be up for a sustained campaign to uphold our majority and keep a strong grip on Batley West Ward for the Labour Party.  

Torchlight Procession

The parish of St Mary of the Angels, Batley, hold their annual Torchlight Procession on the first Monday in October and it is always an awe-inspiring occasion. This was the first for Father Patrick Mungovin as parish priest and perhaps he felt as privileged as I did to participate in this marvellous spiritually uplifting occasion.

Myself, our MP Mike Wood and the Mayor of Kirklees were not only acknowledged by Bishop Arthur when he began the service, we also had the privilege of leading the procession just behind the bishop and sitting on the front row in church for benediction.

Seeing the long winding procession of torches, hearing the Lourdes Hymn echoing out in the night and saying the rosary, is incredibly moving and makes me realise how lucky I am to be a Catholic in Batley. It was as always, tremendously spiritually uplifting for me and allows me to really feel like a pilgrim. I think it is a great act of witness of faith and also a marvellous community event.  Not only were we uplifted by the prayers and hymns, we also enjoyed the refreshments and socialising in St Mary's Parochial Hall afterwards.

A lot of hard work goes into organising this marvellous event, so to Annette, the Torchlight Committee and everyone else who made it possible, I would like to say thank you and well done for all your good work .

Well done and God Bless to all who participated, young and old and lets keep coming back each year in greater numbers. This is one of Batley's greatest treasures and we must cherish it!