Log, September 2004

Here’s a quick summary of news, events and casework for September 2004 (some re-ordering to do; some photos to be loaded)

28th -  Tony Blair's conference speech;  Let me set out for you what a future Labour third term can do for Britain's hard-working families: 1. Help for first time buyers, in a low interest-rate economy; 2. 300,000 modern apprenticeships and free skills training; 3. Every parent to have a choice of a good specialist school for their child; tough measures on disruptive pupils; 4. Cardiac and cancer deaths down and more choice for patients; 5. Flexible, affordable childcare from 3 - 14; 6. Help more into work, and the money saved invested in pensions; 7. An extra £1 billion in science to keep Britain as a world leader; 8. Drug dealers' assets confiscated and criminal addicts in treatment; 9. ID cards and tougher asylum controls to keep our borders secure; 10. Fairness at work: four weeks paid holiday plus paid bank holidays for all.

28th -  Conference for City Council's managers;

24th -  NCT's plans to continually renew their bus fleet include new buses for the red route (44/45) in April 2005; the average age of the bus was 13 years in 1995, the average age is now 5 years and by next year, no bus will be over 13 years old; NCT's service levels have been maintained at 99.8% over the summer period, the best summer performance for many years (this can be attributed to continued recruitment activity and continued reductions in sickness absence);

26th -  Memorial service for Brian Clough held in the Old Market Square;  Mapperley Councillor, Mo Munir speaks on behalf of the City Council;

30th -  Labour wins the Hartlepool by-election;

21st -  Executive Board; celebrate further improvements in the Council's performance; vote for a new investment package for the Galleries of Justice;

21st -  support Nottingham University Labour Club at their Freshers' Fayre;

19th -  The Big Wheel's "Big Day Out"; attend a stall at the arts festival which sets out Nottingham's vision for transport; talk to members of the public about the next stages of the Local Transport Plan; comedy paparazzi capture the day in pictures;

15th - NCT launch "easyrider anytime" smartcard ticket;

14th -  Tony Blair makes a renewed commitment on Climate Change; and calls for a new Green Industrial Revolution;

13th -  Attend Voluntary Sector meeting on improving the voluntary sector infrastructure through the Govt's "Change Up" programme;

16th - 17th - Presud Conference in Den Haag; the Peer Review for European SUstainable Development involves 9 European cities checking each other for progress in good governance, delivering improvements in an integrated and sustainable way, and check 6 aspects of environmental policy;  I call for group to join Tony Blair's call for action on climate change;

11th -  The Council House is open to the public as part of World Heritage Day; host 30 or so visitors to the Council Chamber;

20th -  Council flag over The Council House lowered to half-mast after the news that Brian Clough has died; books of condolence started; "The people of Nottingham are so grateful for what you did for us and our city is so proud of your achievements";

21st -  Mapperley and Sherwood Area Committee; £14,000 of Estate Improvement schemes announced - including new fencing and gating on Pearmain Drive, handrails on steps by Pippin Close and on Woodlane Gardens, and fencing behind the low evens on Warton Avenue;

21st -  NET Development Board hear that patronage on the new tram system continues to grow, with previous week being the best yet; typically 23,000 passenger trips each working day;

10th -  Attend Dudley Andrew's funeral;   

10th -  SIGOMA meeting in Leicester; CIPFA are to publish figures on how much Local Income Tax has to be raised to replace Council Tax (straight replacement without equalisation).  The figures show the South-West, where much of the protest has started, is not helped by the Lib Dem's proposal on Local Income Tax.  Meanwhile, The big issue is the re-evaluation of Council Tax, due in 2007.  Simply, the Council tax set in 1991, helps the South East and the South West, and with a re-evaluation, there will be a £1.8 billion shift from those regions to the rest of the country with re-evaluation.  A fairer Council tax for the whole country will therefore be controversial. 

9th -  Voluntary Sector give a briefing on the progress they're making in Nottingham;

9th -  Nottingham Development Enterprise discuss plans for the new Old Market Square and opportunities to develop business using new Sustainable Technologies;

7th -  Visit to Nottingham by Caroline Flint, Home Office Minister, to discuss Nottingham's progress on tackling street prostitution;

6th -  Full Council; agree a reduced Council tax to comply with the Government's cap; the Tories call for a bigger decrease such that owners of a Band H property might just be able to afford a decent bottle of champagne;

6th -  Launch of Link 1 and 2 services; improved bus services serving Queens Drive and Racecourse park and ride sites, but with extra stops and an extension to Boots; Transport Minister Tony McNulty performs the opening and we take the opportunity to show other improvements including the Maid Marian Way;     

6th -  frequency of NET tram service is increased;

5th -  International conference on Traffic and Transport Psychology; attend reception;

5th - Nottingham Green Festival; hold stall; send info on chats with 40 people for consideration elsewhere;  over 400 people visit on charity stall who provide advice on alternative energies;

4th -  General Clean-Up campaign served The Wells Road, the estates north of the Kildare Road estate and the Pearmain Drive estate;

1st -  100 day Clean-Up campaign finishes; the public have welcomed the initiative which resulted in a 3% improvement in the cleansing score; 3,000 extra special collections of bulky waste; 83 abandoned vehicles removed; an extra 400 fridges recycled; 234 graffiti sites cleared up; 60 litter Fixed Penalty Notices served; 2 individuals prosecuted for dog fouling;

(Last updated - 2004-10-26)

8th -  Meet the "Promoting Sustainable Development Group" of the East Midlands Regional Assembly, at the School for the Built Environment, Nottingham University; tour the "Eco House" and see other demonstrations of alternative technologies; receive a copy of the new "Sustainable Developer's Guide", produced by the County Council on behalf of all Notts. councils;