Here’s a quick summary of news, events and casework for October 2007
30th – daytime drive around the ward, looking for streetscene faults;
26th – nighttime drive around the ward, looking for streetscene faults;
26th – John Heppell MP joins protestors concerned about closure of Carrington Post Office;
24th – opening of GameCity computer arts festival;
20th – Councillors Cafe in the old Market Square; part of Local Democracy week;
18th – Mapperley Councillors Cafe, Local Democracy week;
15th – full Council - and Nottingham Tories manage to vote against even improvements to Sherwood Forest funded by the lottery;
13th – Glenis Willmott MEP hosts Annual Regional European Forum at GMB, Mapperley;
12th – awards to teams with Resources Dept. of City Council for improvement & innovation;
11th – meet delegation from Yunnan, China;
10th – receive presentation on Science City; Bio-City continuing to grow strongly;
9th – Comprehensive Spending Review;
8th – launch of mental awareness week, which this year has a Robin Hood theme;
6th – canvassing in Netherfield with neighbouring MP Vernon Coaker;
4th – 6th – Goose Fair; opened by co-Councillor Lord Mayor Mo Munir;
... and the blog published for October 2007
I would like to buy a cake, please
Tue 30th Oct 2007
A day for checking out how things are. My local secondary school was on good form. Had a walk around during lesson 1 and it’s pleasing to see calm & focussed classrooms.
I shared some pigeon French with a year 7 French class - - Bonjour! - Ca va? - Je voudrais acheter un gâteau s’il vous plait!
Yep, I really did go into a French cake shop once and ask. Hey, what else would you do in a cake shop? Things fell apart when the assistant replied ‘certainly sir, which one?’ Still the phrase is more useful than "le singe est dans l'arbre".
After school, a 2 hour drive around Mapperley ward with my co-Councillor (and 2 students in journalism) to look for street scene issues to report. It’s hard to be scientific about these things from such tours, but the number of instances of potholes to be filled, graffiti to be removed & other repairs to be done does seem to be down on previous trips. (2/3rds of a side of A4 today compared to 3 pages of A4 previously is not exactly scientific.) Instances of abandoned cars seem well down (none actually, at the moment). Some concerns that the Council might not be clearing the fallen leaves fast enough.
And the role brings perks. One of the journalism students has Maltese roots and says that I should call on her parents (if I ever visit for a holiday there) for the best octopus stew on the island.
GameCity
Fri 26th Oct 2007
Nottingham has developed a reputation for games and games software. Following on the success of Games Workshop, a significant amount of the games software produced by Britainis written in Nottingham & Derby (around 20%) and Britain supplies one-third of the world market.
On Wednesday, the second GameCity festival was opened. The festival highlights the work of the graphic artists in the industry and is going strong, thanks to Nottingham Trent Universityand some particularly able members of their staff.
I've heard some claims about games now being bigger than the world of music & the movies, but I'm not sure.
The festival also has an exhibition tent in the Old Market Square hosts some of the latest games, including those with a five button guitar that allows passing members of the public to pretend that they're a rock guitarist. Yeah, I know, an air guitar is cheaper.
The square was alive again today as the French / European market is on too. Last Saturday, we also had a stall for Local Democracy week, to push registration and pick up casework in different ways.
As for the festival, I had to speak at the dinner the City Council hosted for games artists and members of the creative industries sector to thank them for their work.
Concerned I might have to tell a funny story, I asked the waiters whether they thought the "wide-mouthed frog" joke might be suitable - and they'd never heard of it. Acclaimed by French & Saunders as the funniest ever joke, I explained how the joke ran and worked (rather than tell it - it is a bit testing on the mouth to do the full gag).
It's a shame the joke isn't more widely known. So instead I settled for all those famous jokes about programming in the cobol language we knew in the nineteen-eighties - oh yes.
made in Italy
Fri 19th Oct 2007
Good news for schools in Nottingham as the education authority’s results sees it rise up the league tables by 10 places. Except of course, we don’t believe in league tables. Better instead to gauge the new list against an understanding of deprivation.
The news was broken to me as I was calling on voters on election day in a South Derbyshireby-election, yesterday evening.
The BNP were knocking up as well, working from an unmarked Fiat van, dawdling in the middle of the road as the passenger visited selected houses. I was rather struck by the van having been made in Italy.
It was 20 years ago yesterday
Tue 16th Oct 2007
It was 20 years ago yesterday since I went on my first commercial flight. How do I know? Well cos the flight took off as a storm was hitting the south of England. The famous hurricane-strength storm.
As the Monarch flight to the Greek island of Kos taxied to take off from Gatwick in the evening, the pilot in a dry, matter of fact manner explained that it would be a bit rough until we got out as far as Brussels. He was not wrong. At times the plane seemed to just drop.
Kos though was warm enough. A few days in and I'd got into a routine of walking down the beach in the morning to a local shop for grapes, greek yoghurt and a British newspaper; and reading the paper's front page as I paddled back.
I remember the Monday edition cos it explained the impact of the storm.
The Tuesday edition explained how there'd been a slump in the value of shares. Now known as Black Monday.
Normally, this wouldn't have concerned me, but my Gran had given me some money and I'd invested it in ethical shares. The kind of shares that was only reported in the Saturday's Guardian. And every Saturday, for 9 months, the shares value had just kept climbing. When they'd grown in value by a third in such a short time, I told my partner that I'd had no idea that capitalism was so easy. And yes, the one-third increase had been wiped out in the one day.
Sussex from the air was a sight as we returned at the end of the week - floods and uprooted trees.
It was a dramatic week. It even became the focus of the penultimate episode of "Our Friends in the North".
Interesting that unlike Black Wednesday (step forward Norman Lamont and David Cameron), commentators have called Black Monday a "black swan" event because the reasons for the event have been hard to define. (Although I'd probably venture the values of shares going up almost every week out of all proportion to the actual growth of the economy.)
Breaking news
Tue 16th Oct 2007
News of the Lib Dem leader resigning broke during a full meeting of Nottingham City Council. And the Council Leader had the pleasure of breaking the news to Nottingham Lib Dems via the text on his phone. The Lib Dem deputy's face went off-colour - going orange, I think, rather than green.
The meeting was most remarkable for an emotional speech from one of our Councillors whose son has just completed a tour of duty in Afghanistan. We were formally passing on the freedom of the city to the new Mercian regiment - they parade through the city proper on December 4th - when our colleague explained the tensions associated with news breaking of a fatality in Afghanistan and the wait by the phone whilst the army arranged to contact relatives. It seems modern comms not only allows faster spread of sad news, but also an even faster spread of the worry.
Otherwise, the Council expressed its backing for the investment in a new Visitors Centre for Sherwood Forest. 250,000 new trees, a network of paths & cycleways (connecting the forest to the city) and a spectacular modern art tree that doubles as a 100 foot high viewing gallery. And still the miseries that the Nottingham Tories are couldn't bring themselves to join in with support.
We also received petitions against the closure of 3 of the city's local post offices. A 1000 strong petition for saving Carrington Post Office, on the border of Mapperley ward was received, with 350 of the signatures from residents of Mapperley ward. Usefully, the petition gave a short space for comment against each name and some took the opportunity to explain the value of the local service offered and the challenge of using already busy post offices elsewhere.
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England's win against France in the rugby union world cup semi-final was compelling because it was so close and surprising because England were under so much pressure in the second half. The papers rather lazily jumped to a celebration of Jonny Wilkinson, but the TV commentators had explained that his kicking for goal or position had not been the best. But today the papers caught up and gave proper attention to the tap tackle by Worsley that had broken up a run and an overlap that had seemed certain to lead to a decisive French try. It ought to become as famous a sporting moment as Bobby Moore's 1970 tackle on Jairzinho.
Britain and Europe - better together
Sat 13th Oct 2007
Glenis Willmott MEP held her annual meeting for party members from the East Midlands today at the GMB in Mapperley ward.
Her report included her working on improving health & safety.
The Reform Treaty was discussed. It's much shorter than the original Constitution that was proposed (and rejected in referendums in France and Holland). (The Reform Treaty has a number of institutional changes, such as a permanent EU president, a foreign minister, a reduced number of commissioners, and even a clause on withdrawal from the EU.)
The treaty is geared to making the European Union work better now there are 27 members; each of whom would carry continue to a veto on progress (including Malta) if there was no change. Far more emphasis on intergovernmental co-operation than a federal vision for Europe. More say for the European Parliament.
27 countries - it's quite startling to look at the map of Europe and see how small a minority the non-members countries now are. It's certainly moved on from the days in the seventies when we used to argue the European Union wasn't Europe cos there were only 9 members.
Clearly Britain's influence would be diminished if we were not to agree the latest treaty, and Gordon Brown goes to the negotiations this week to affirm the lines which Britain will not concede (exemptions from the treaty's provisions on European police and judicial integration, a charter of fundamental rights, and foreign policy-making).
But the sense is that those against the latest Treaty are actually against continued membership. I wonder what it would be like to pull out now? So much of our commerce is based upon Britain being in the EU, not least in the most affluent London & the South-East.
It's not that Britain couldn't make its way outside of the EU. It would just be so much harder.
Sometimes there are calls for our ambition for Europe to be more visionary. But membership is largely based on practical considerations for commerce, well-being & the environment. Carrying the challenges of more regulation to protect the environment is easier if European countries are doing it together.
Hard then to think of a vision or strap-line that compels (the EU officially offers "united in diversity"), for such a practical consideration. Britain and Europe can do great things outside of the EU. It's just easier to do great things together.
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Having had a Nobel Prize winner in the role of the President in the West Wing, we now have former Vice-President Al Gore voted as the next Nobel Peace Prize winner. (The voting papers were checked for chads but it didn't take too long for the 5 votes in question to be verified as unanimous.)
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The Women's FA Cup Final is coming to Nottingham again.
Control
Fri 12th Oct 2007
Finally saw the movie on Ian Curtis, the lead singer of Joy Division, tonight. Very special to me for a number of reasons.
I saw Joy Division twice, including their last concert at High Hall in Birmingham.
And the film was shot in Nottingham and parts of it even in my ward.
"Control" has some great scenes and lines (see the trailer). The movie is a must. The story of the build up to success is compelling and exciting (even though other critics have said things like "there is little sense of fun or elation in the band's success"). Seeing Curtis' dance develop through the film was a joy and the 'live' music is re-created wonderfully.
But the film feels too long cos it struggles with personal side & the break-up with his wife. It's not badly acted - but I think badly directed or edited. (One apparent key phone call is very difficult to make out.)
Ian Curtis' daughter writes "My main criticism of the film is that it doesn't go far enough to convey my father's mental health problems: his depression and mood swings are simply not addressed". The judgements made & things said during the break-up with his wife may well have been as incoherent & confusing as the film suggests, but the presentation makes it hard to make sense of. I found myself filling the gaps with recollections of movies & documentaries on Manchester & Tony Wilson.
Many people remember where they were when they heard of Elvis Presley's death. It was the same for me with Ian Curtis, although it took a week for me and my room-mate to realise who the Buzzcocks had been referring to during a Radio 1 gig. The culture then was so anti-celebrity. We just enjoyed the music and seeing the bands. 1979-1982 was such a great time to be at university in a big city like Birmingham. As well as the punk & alternative from London & Manchester, the West Midlands was producing two-tone.
Another critic writes - "Then of course there is his epilepsy: and Control boldly shows Curtis succumbing to a spectacular epileptic episode at the climax of one gig and having to be dragged off stage by mates and crew, who had no idea what to do." I can so relate to this sense of having no idea - I felt it a year later when a lad who shared our house explained how he had had his first epileptic fit during the Easter break.
As for the locations, well I knew the film was being shot in Nottingham and had idly entertained the idea of showing up as an extra for the recreation of the concerts even though I know I'd be 25 years too old. But I didn't know about the scenes being shot at the former Mapperley hospital in my ward.
So, the movie is a must. And a key lesson always in this digital age that nevertheless manages to be dominated by the values of "X-factor", is that we have to find ways of encouraging the genuine talent cos they make the ground-breaking music and create the monumental events that truly enrich our culture.
Awards Fri 12th Oct 2007
Today we presented awards to members of, and teams within, the Resources Department of the City Council who'd "gone the extra mile".
The teams that won were the Energy team, the Green Travel to Work team and the Emergency Planning team.
For "Innovation", the Green Travel to Work team have introduced a new smart card for council employees which can be used on the local buses, but have done the key thing of getting it supported by the Tax Office.
For "Value for Money", the energy team have driven the reduction in electricity and water consumed by the Council, with a recent focus on metering. Council buildings are now getting energy ratings (shown in a format similar to that found on fridges for sale) and have now purchased power stabilisers to draw only a steady 220V off the grid.
The Government's Comprehensive Spending Review (announced on Tuesday) places a lot of emphasis on local government finding efficiency savings to meet the growing demands to be met by local councils. The significant growth in resources comes as part of a process of mainstreaming many of the specialist grants provided for existing projects and services.
Whilst calculations are made to determine the full impact, what is undeniable is the government's determination for schools and the health service. Significant real growth, masked only by the media saying Labour and the Tories are the same. Well the difference goes beyond the clear division over whether a further £2,000m should be released to relieve the payers of Inheritance tax. Tory spending plans for public services at the last General Election were significantly below Labour's - £35bn over 4 years.
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My co-Councillor Mo Munir hosted a visit on Thursday from the Normal University of Yunnan, a Chinese province of 44 million people neighbouring Vietnam. The Chinese university is keen to explore linking up with Nottingham Trent University, in a way successfully pioneered by Nottingham University (who have a campus in the city of Ningbo, which is south of Shanghai).
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Wednesday, we received an update on the progress of Nottingham as a Science City. And it's going well. Bio-City continues to expand at a rate that suggests it will need more labs built nearby soon. A science park is being built next to Nottingham University to a green design and preparations are being made for a new type of business park - MediCity - to be built next to Nottingham's largest hospital - the QMC. All this on top of the Midlands winning the bid for the National Energy Technologies Institute.
White lighting
Sat 6th Oct 2007
Confirmation that there's to be no General Election in 2007 allows time to catch up on the blog.
We'd even missed the rugby this afternoon to canvass in a marginal seat (although the MP did keep nipping off to the car to hear the latest score).
The returns were fine although it was on a street that had a new £4.5m primary school and some traffic changes that made the street less appealing to through traffic.
The school had also been represented at the opening of Goose Fair this week. It's always a great day and this Thursday was the 713th year of the Fair. There was a Showman's dinner in the evening and the guest speaker was King Charles II.
Thursday also saw the announcement of a street lighting PFI deal for Nottingham meaning replacement of most of the city's street lighting stock. We'd asked for more to allow lighting that was both white - allowing the eye to see more at night than with the monochrome sodium orange lights - and more energy efficient - modern bulbs losing as little at 4% of energy to heat than the existing bulbs that lose around 17%.
This week also saw the inquiry into Nottingham's proposal for a Workplace Parking Levy. Given our need to find 25% of the costs for extending the tram, the proposal, requiring firms to hold a licence for workplace parking, and to pay an annual fee per space if they have more than 10 spaces is the only scheme possible to fund a major scheme to relieve congestion on the routes in from the west and south-west. (Finding it via Council tax would require a 12% increase.) The scheme is right for Nottingham because of the relatively large number of workplace parking spaces in the city, and the consequent focus on travel planning and encouragement for modal shift also helps tackle congestion. Revenue from the scheme will also help our new workplaces & social bus networks (now branded "Link" services) and help the re-development of the Midland railway station.
(Last updated – 2007-10-31)
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