Don’t forget to fill in our survey about the county council

Hertfordshire County Council has just started its budget consultation
process with residents for next years spending priorities. As part of
this consultation residents are being asked if they want spending to
stay the same or decrease. Residents cannot say ‘spend more’.

Chris White, Liberal Democrat Opposition Leader, says: ‘This
consultation is flawed. We all know times are tough but there are some
budgets that can be slashed, for example the self publicity budget,
for the sake of improved services. Everyone knows Hertfordshire’s
roads and pavements are a mess but residents can’t say in this survey
they want more spent on them.’

The Tory-run council also suggests as part of its survey that the
council may start charging for some services, which will disadvantage
low and middle income earners whilst the well off and those on
benefits will see no real change.

Chris adds: ‘I would suggest that residents who wish their voice to
be heard on all the possible options visit our survey
http://herts.libdems.org/surveys/1/ which allows all views to be
expressed.’

Commentary: Remembrance Sunday

Three remarkable things happened yesterday.

It was clear that the crowd at the war memorial in St Albans was larger than usual – larger in fact than most of us can remember. The same apparently was true in Whitehall.

The crowd spontaneously instituted a new tradition – it applauded those wearing service uniforms and the British Legion as they passed by on parade. Unprecedented and moving.

The second remarkable event was planned: for the first time the religious service was multi-faith – a Rabbi read scripture and an Imam recited verses from the Quran.

This serves to remind us that decent people everywhere deplore war and those that seek war.

The third might not have been noticed by everyone and was again spontaneous. The French market was in full swing yesterday morning alongside the farmers’ market. The lighting required a powerful generator which was located near the war memorial. This was switched off during the two minutes’ silence.

This is perhaps a reminder – should we need it – that we were not alone when we stood up to aggressors. And a reminder in particular that – despite what tabloids and comedians might say when seeking a cheap sneer or cheap laugh – that the French were our allies.

Commentary: Lest we forget

Let us remember why wars can happen. Defend civil liberties at all times.

‘First they came for the communists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a communist;
Then they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist;
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a trade unionist;
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew;
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak out for me.’

Pastor Martin Niemöller (1892–1984)

Follow this link:

http://www.alde.eu/en/campaigns/civil-liberties

Incompetent Boris shuts 6 tube lines

The breathtaking incompetence of Tory Mayor of London Boris Johnson is in evidence again this weekend, with no fewer than SIX tube lines shut or partially shut

Chris White comments: ‘When the economy is on its knees because of Boris’s friends in the City, the last thing we need is for tourists to be given a hard time on the tube.’

Herts Highways: BROKEN PROMISES

This is the first of a column which will appear weekly from now on. It is simply a list of broken promises – cases where Herts Highways (the highways bit of the Tory controlled county council) have promised something to elected members or to the public and then have gone back on their word. I suspect the list will be added to. I hope, however, that it will be reduced to nothing and I am meeting the Chief Executive on Monday to try and arrange just that.

BROKEN PROMISE 1:

Lemsford Road: resurfacing was repeatedly promised and I even checked the text of a letter I sent to local residents confirming that it would be done two years ago. Last year I was given further reassurances but am now told that it is on hold awaiting the end of building works.

BROKEN PROMISE 2:

I was assured that there would be additional markings on Holywell Hill to warn motorists of the pelican crossing – something which is not so obvious among all the usual street clutter. I have been told that ‘safety officers have decided’ that they are not needed.

BROKEN PROMISE 3:

Years ago I was promised that the various faded and illegible signs in Cecil Road would be replaced by new ones. Year after year this simple task is not done or even started.

BROKEN PROMISE 4:

I was given cast iron assurances that the failure to ensure that the pedestrian lights on the High Street were in sync with the Peahen lights would be rectified. That was more than two years ago.

BROKEN PROMISE 5:

I was told that the pavements in St John’s Court would be replaced. Nothing happened until over a year after I had passed this promise on to residents. The situation today is that still only a tiny fraction has been done.

Swine flu update: note from District Council

As of Friday 6 November 2009

The Council continues to assess the position on a regular basis.

For the first time in the second wave, the East of England region has seen a significant increase in flu activity and now is the region with the second highest rate for antiviral collection in the country.

There are now two hotspot areas in the region (Cambridgeshire and Peterborough) where numbers of people showing flu-like symptoms has risen above the regional and national average.

Hertfordshire figures are still relatively low in comparison. The number of antivirals collected last week ranged between 100 and 240 each day.

The vaccination programme has begun in Hertfordshire with acute trusts vaccinating their front line staff and patients.

A great deal of work has been going on behind the scenes to prepare for this programme and the PCT now has more than 320 clinicians who have received full training on administering swine flu vaccines. This group of staff will work alongside other staff such as district nurses, to ensure that all patients in the priority groups receive their vaccination as soon as practically possible.

There is a range of useful information available on the Department of Health and NHS Choices websites, including:

Swine flu vaccination, what you need to know – a public leaflet to explain who is in the priority groups for the vaccination and why it is important they have the jab.

Swine flu campaign resources – including downloads of the new respiratory and hand hygiene campaign materials.

County Council bullies have been checking up on YOU

Not content with bullying innocent motorists (see yesterday’s story) we now learn that the Tory County Council has been doing a traffic survey in local car parks. So far, so what?

But here’s the difference.

They have not only been finding out where people come from when they park their car (reasonable enough if you are going to do forward planning) but they have also been RECORDING CAR REGISTRATION PLATES.

This is not necessary. BUT IT IS INTRUSIVE.

But that’s what your bullying county council does.

Bedford, Alexandra and Inkerman Roads: Chris fights County Council and Police bullies

Yet again Herts Highways has managed to mess up what should have been a good news story – the fixing of the pavements in Bedford Road.

They did leaflet Bedford Road (I reproduced their letter) but FAILED to leaflet the neighbouring streets – even though everyone knows that in close terraces like these people will always be forced to park in a neighbouring street.

They also FAILED to tell the District Council even though it is the district council which runs parking.

Result? One perfectly innocent driver did not know what was being planned – and there were no notices up to warn him. So your lovely County Council got the police to tow his car away – giving him a bill of £150 as well as huge anxiety.

 I am fighting to get this man compensation for his loss.

 SHAME ON THE COUNTY COUNCIL AND THE POLICE FOR THEIR BULLY BOY TACTICS.

Shocking report into Herts County Council’s children’s services

 At the beginning of October Tory-run Hertfordshire County Council had
a suprise OFSTED inspection. These inspections were started in the
light of the horrific death of Baby Peter. The report lists areas
which the Council is good at, those it needs to improve and those that
require urgent action.

In total there are 5 areas that were meeting minimum standards, 7 that
required improvements and 2 which require urgent action – both in the
most serious areas. OFSTED found that the call centre was handling
calls and having assistants signing off reported cases of abuse rather
than trained social work managers – a practice we have criticised the
council for in the past. The other was that cases dating back as far
as March 2009 had not had proper case reviews.

Chris White, Liberal Democrat Opposition Leader said: ‘The county
announced this report in very glowing terms, only briefly mentioning
the serious defects in the system and praising the areas that had been
highlighted as meeting basic standards. It did not mention that of the
14 bullet points nearly two thirds were areas they have to improve on
to keep our children safe.’

Sal Brinton, Liberal Democrat Prospective MP for Watford said:
‘Members of the public calling the call centre to report possible
child abuse have been given a substandard service. They are not being
given the respect and care that they deserve when they have been
making that very hard call to report suspected abuse. This has been
rightly critisised by OFSTED and has failed every child in
Hertfordshire.’

Link to report: http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/oxcare_providers/la_download/(id)/5516/(as)/UAV/uav_2009_919.pdf

Statement on off-street parking adjudication by St Albans City and District Council

Following a decision by the Parking Adjudicator granting an appeal against a specific Penalty Charge Notice issued on the Council’s behalf, the Head of Legal Services, Mike Lovelady, has concluded an initial review. 

He has found that: 

·        the Adjudicator’s ruling related to a specific Penalty Charge Notice. It also referred to the Off Street Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) 2008; 

·        this TRO which authorises the Council to collect off-street parking fees has been made in accordance with the statutory procedure and is therefore validly made; 

·        Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) that have been issued under the TRO in relation to off-street parking in St Albans are unenforceable because of out of date terminology used in the TRO;  

·        the 2009 Off Street Traffic Regulation Order, while advertised publicly, was not formally completed in March 2009.  

 

Daniel Goodwin, Chief Executive of St Albans City and District Council, said: “I apologise to our residents that these technical errors have been made. While these are technical issues, it is important that we get things right. We have taken immediate steps this week to implement a new legally effective order for 2009. Other councils have also been challenged in similar circumstances on technical issues and have made amendments to their arrangements. 

“In the meantime, we will not be enforcing outstanding Penalty Charge Notices issued in relation to off-street parking contraventions.  

“In addition, we will not be issuing further PCNs for off-street parking contraventions until the new TRO comes into effect on Thursday 5th November. 

Daniel Goodwin concluded: “I have today asked the Council’s Chief Finance Officer, Colm O’Callaghan to conduct a wider review into what has happened in this case and into our parking procedures generally. His findings will be reviewed by the Car Parking Working Party at its next meeting in December – a forum open to the public – which has the power to recommend amendments to our procedures. I would expect us to consult formally on any wider changes needed by the end of the year” 

“We apologise for any inconvenience this may have caused residents and visitors to St Albans.”