Published 6th December 1995. Mapperley ward issues Unemployment
Oct. '95 figures are 647; 16.3%. 15th highest district ward in the county; down 1% in a month though the seasonally adjusted figure are slightly up.
Job creation as a theme was completely missing from the budget.
Beechwood
A new manager, Andy Bosworth, has been appointed.
Mapperley Crescent
I've met residents to discuss pedestrian safety at the zebra crossing.
Mapperley Hospital
I've obtained a copy of "Mind over Matter", a study of the country's threatened mental asylums by Save Britain's Heritage.
The study shows how asylums have been converted ..
Ebers Grove
It appears that if someone wants to build a house two inches away from your house, it not a planning consideration if a window doesn't face it; and it doesn't defy building regulations either.
Woodborough Road / Mapperley Road
The junction improvement has started.
Blyth Street
Problems associated with hostel has calmed down recently.
Hazelwood Estate
The roads are scheduled for finishing between January and April of next year.
Elliott Durham
The school came bottom of the truancy league tables in the County and so received unwelcome attention.
The school suffered on exam results as well - yet value-added analysis, showing how results are dependent on the class, poverty, ethnic minority etc. - showed the school gave last year's pupils a better deal than the year before, even though the results were worse.
Cases
150 in 1995.
Nottinghamshire County issues Thanks to all those who campaigned for public services in the last month.
We put the Government on the back foot and have been seen in the front line defending public services and jobs.
Thanks to those who marched, leafletted, wrote letters, displayed posters, attended meetings.
You can take pride in your achievement, even though we haven't won all we wanted.
The Settlement
The Govt. have awarded a 3.3% increase in the grant (matching inflation) and Council tax is set to rise about 4%, just above inflation.
…
£22 million
It's a bit early to say what the cut will actually be, though the earliest estimates are £22 million.
There will still be a cut because the reserves will have gone.
The Weekend of Discontent
There were there three marches in Notts on consecutive days; a general rally, a heads and governors march and a F.A.C.E. march.
The heads and governors march was to be solemn. Cllr. Alan Chewings brought a megaphone and was told he couldn't use it. Since I'd brought my bag, it was stuffed away, out of sight - and I had to carry it.
The march to Kenneth Clarke's office made national news and typified the pressure that was brought on the Chancellor. His surgeries were extended to deal with the protesting schools.
On the down side, the posters were poor and the under-representation of social services and leisure services - serving the most disadvantaged - in the protests is a concern.
"Opening the books"
The County's decision to publish the impact of £50 million cuts was the key to the success of the campaign.
The booklet was well laid out. I can understand though, why people were reluctant to make suggestions for where cuts should fall.
French example
Of course, the whole approach has contrasted very starkly with how the French Left have fought public expenditure cuts!
District Council settlements
The limit for spending for each district in Notts was increased by 0.5%; except for Rushcliffe which got 10.5%.
Robin Hood Line
The service to Mansfield started on the 20th November and usage is higher than predicted.
Magistrates Court
This also opened on 20th November.
Ashforth St. Shooting
John Heppell placed an early day motion highlighting how the Metropolitan Police had allowed a known gunman to come into the country, and commit more than one shooting without being charged, before he's finally apprehended by the Notts. Police who persist in getting him charged and convicted.
I'll be asking a question at full Council when further details become known.
The original incident caused friction between the then leaders of the City Council and Carlton Police. Nationally
Roy Hattersley
The education conference Roy spoke at was disappointing. As the day progressed it degenerated into a tirade against the changes in education and a straight call for everything to be reversed.
The wilderness years
It's strange that Roy is now treated with such respect by the Left.
A new BBC series showing on Saturday evenings contained many scenes from Birmingham in the early eighties where the then Left worked to change the Labour Party against Roy's wishes.
New Shadow Cabinet
Peter Hain has just been appointed as a whip. Graham Allen is now part of the transport team with a special responsibility for roads. John Heppell has a new campaigning responsibility.
Budget
Labour's budget response is right to emphasise the burden of personal taxation low and middle income families carry. We need to focus attention on higher taxes for the better off and the corporate sector, including a windfall tax.
If the corporate sector wasn't so lightly taxed, we could equip schools properly, rather than depend on supermarket's bonus schemes.
Lady Di
Di's revelations merely confirmed what the press had published in exclusives over the years; yet the Press Council hinted they could not longer protect her privacy. No such thing was said when Charles goes on telly.
The most wealthy family in the country, our representatives in the world, cannot practically help the next Queen, who suffers first from post natal depression, and then bulemia.
It's time to move to a republic, as part of a shake up of the constitution. But I fear the revelations will merely enable the Royal family to carry on.
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