I had a bit of a chortle a few weeks back when the Macc Express were biggin' up Graham Evans as the Councillor on Facebook.
I couldn't be bothered to tell them that not only was I on there first, but I had more friends.
I'm now devastated to find out that Graham has overtaken me on the friends count.
Whatever shall I do?
Still...I don't think he's been on the Macclesfield Forum yet, so I'm definitely winning there.
Friday, 29 August 2008
Listening to "The One", and thinking about the Weston Playing fields
"Fathers must take more responsibility to provide love and guidance to their Children"The words above, uttered by Barack Obama, summed up for me everything that is right and wrong about what we perceive to be the problems in society today.
There is definitely a problem that some families do not provide the correct environment in which to raise a child. It is true to say that some do not understand that their responsibility stretches far beyond conception. I completely believe that there's only so much that the state can do about this. I also believe that the more the state tries to do, the less some parents do. Cameron said a while back:
"I don't think responsibility is something we can impose on people. It's within us all, and the more you try and do things for people, the less responsible they become."However it's all too easy to blame it on the parents - and specifically the Fathers. One of the defining moments when growing up is the day that you realise your parents have never been on a training course, and they don't know the answer to everything. Some pick it up better than others, and what the state should do is support them in their learning in different ways.
This isn't the same as doing it for them - which is the current trend in central government. Teach a man to fish, and all that.
Christine Davies, Minister of the Calvary Church on the Weston made a very good point when we were discussing the Weston playing fields yesterday. She stressed that we need to create a space that encourages families to use it together. Not just somewhere the kids can go after school, but somewhere where families can convene on a Saturday morning and enjoy being with each other.
I've no doubt that she's right about that. What I'm not too sure about is how we go about it.
Thursday, 28 August 2008
Checking the Flowerpot Junction for Lines
It's getting a bit daft now. All I'm after is a few white lines on the road, where they were supposed to be in the first place, and it almost seems an impossibility.
Work on the junction was completed in February, but we didn't get our right turn lane.
So I chase up Highways in April to find out what went wrong. They promised me lines in two to three months. I thought that seemed a bit slow considering they were supposed to be done in February, but understood the reasoning that they wanted to ensure any plans were safe.
When I checked at the end of June I was told it would now be early August. Now I'm being told it will be the end of August / beginning of September - but will definitely be done at the same time as the lines outside the College.
Last night I'm driving down Park Lane and I see the chappie painting lines outside the college. So I hop out the car to see if he's doing the flowerpot after.
Surprise, surprise, he doesn't know a thing about it.
If this goes on for much longer then I'll be up there with a tin of gloss....
Work on the junction was completed in February, but we didn't get our right turn lane.
So I chase up Highways in April to find out what went wrong. They promised me lines in two to three months. I thought that seemed a bit slow considering they were supposed to be done in February, but understood the reasoning that they wanted to ensure any plans were safe.
When I checked at the end of June I was told it would now be early August. Now I'm being told it will be the end of August / beginning of September - but will definitely be done at the same time as the lines outside the College.
Last night I'm driving down Park Lane and I see the chappie painting lines outside the college. So I hop out the car to see if he's doing the flowerpot after.
Surprise, surprise, he doesn't know a thing about it.
If this goes on for much longer then I'll be up there with a tin of gloss....
Wednesday, 27 August 2008
Being Happy
They said we had no culture, but what did they know?
Now the truth is out....Macclesfield is the 5th most cheerful place to live in the uk according to the BBC: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7584321.stm
But then we knew that anyway, didn't we?!
Now the truth is out....Macclesfield is the 5th most cheerful place to live in the uk according to the BBC: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7584321.stm
But then we knew that anyway, didn't we?!
Tuesday, 26 August 2008
Watching kids TV
Due to having my niece up for the weekend I've been spending slightly longer than normal in front of the TV.
This was then followed by a trip to see "Lazytown Live" in Manchester.
If you've not seen Lazytown, then all you need to know is that it mainly consist of Venga boys style irritatingly infectious europop like this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=moBnvpvL47Q
Regrettably, I still can't get that song out of my head.
As kids TV goes it's not that bad. I do worry that a lot of TV is baseless, and Lazytown tries terribly hard to get good messages across. The hero of the show is a sports enthusiast and the kids are always doing good in a desperate attempt to ensure Lazytown is never lazy.
This was then followed by a trip to see "Lazytown Live" in Manchester.
If you've not seen Lazytown, then all you need to know is that it mainly consist of Venga boys style irritatingly infectious europop like this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=moBnvpvL47Q
Regrettably, I still can't get that song out of my head.
As kids TV goes it's not that bad. I do worry that a lot of TV is baseless, and Lazytown tries terribly hard to get good messages across. The hero of the show is a sports enthusiast and the kids are always doing good in a desperate attempt to ensure Lazytown is never lazy.
Monday, 25 August 2008
Eating curry for Charity
Honestly, this is the best thing ever.
The Lajawaab Restaurant in Macclesfield, which I can highly recommend, is holding a curry night on Wednesday in aid of the East Cheshire Hospice.
We're having what they call a 5 course meal (and I would call a three course meal, because coffee and rice don't really count) - and 75% of the meal price will be donated to the Hospice.
Guilt free food. Fantastic.
This is definitely the most fun sedentary way to support the Hospice. If you're feeling a bit more active, then don't forget to register for the midnight walk:
http://eastcheshirehospice.org.uk/ech/page.php?26
The Lajawaab Restaurant in Macclesfield, which I can highly recommend, is holding a curry night on Wednesday in aid of the East Cheshire Hospice.
We're having what they call a 5 course meal (and I would call a three course meal, because coffee and rice don't really count) - and 75% of the meal price will be donated to the Hospice.
Guilt free food. Fantastic.
This is definitely the most fun sedentary way to support the Hospice. If you're feeling a bit more active, then don't forget to register for the midnight walk:
http://eastcheshirehospice.org.uk/ech/page.php?26
Wednesday, 20 August 2008
Attending openings (again)
Today I attended the opening of Crewe Connexions "The Hub".
It was foolish of me to assume that this would be a quiet, drab affair. I was greeted by the rhythmic sounds of some of Crewe's finest musicians - so loudly in fact that I couldn't manage to tell the reception party who I was.
There were a couple of other Cheshire East Councillors and Officers present, by not as many as I had expected. This only adds weight to the argument that the council doesn't take Children seriously - which is a shame because it's complete rubbish. The Hub itself is a testament to the work put in by the Councillors and Officers of the previous authority - and sends a strong message as to the level of committment we must have to maintain the status quo, let alone make improvements to childrens services.
I met a lot of interesting people and learnt about some fascinating projects. These ranged from football in Poland and residential weekends to counselling and support for those with substance abuse problems. The latter I found particularly moving.
And I had an imprint of my hand taken which I'm told will be displayed on the wall. I was rather worried that this was part of the national ID card scheme and a cheeky way to get my fingerprints...
It was foolish of me to assume that this would be a quiet, drab affair. I was greeted by the rhythmic sounds of some of Crewe's finest musicians - so loudly in fact that I couldn't manage to tell the reception party who I was.
There were a couple of other Cheshire East Councillors and Officers present, by not as many as I had expected. This only adds weight to the argument that the council doesn't take Children seriously - which is a shame because it's complete rubbish. The Hub itself is a testament to the work put in by the Councillors and Officers of the previous authority - and sends a strong message as to the level of committment we must have to maintain the status quo, let alone make improvements to childrens services.
I met a lot of interesting people and learnt about some fascinating projects. These ranged from football in Poland and residential weekends to counselling and support for those with substance abuse problems. The latter I found particularly moving.
And I had an imprint of my hand taken which I'm told will be displayed on the wall. I was rather worried that this was part of the national ID card scheme and a cheeky way to get my fingerprints...
Monday, 18 August 2008
Thinking about the Funday
All pretty typical stuff.
The British organise an outdoor event. Thousands arrive. Rain starts. Rain doesn't stop.
A few weeks back I went to see Jools Holland at Arley Hall. It rained then as well, although not quite as much as it did on Saturday.
But what's really typical is that it didn't dampen anyone's enthusiasm. Once you're wet, you're wet - if you see what I mean - and you can get on with having fun.
I was devastated to hear the news that this may be the last year for the event. Considering the size and scale of the organisation, it doesn't cause much impact on the surrounding area. It's an event that Macclesfield, and Cheshire, should be proud of.
For that reason I'll be doing everything I can in the new Cheshire East Council to ensure that this event, and similar ones in neighboring boroughs, continue uninterrupted.
The British organise an outdoor event. Thousands arrive. Rain starts. Rain doesn't stop.
A few weeks back I went to see Jools Holland at Arley Hall. It rained then as well, although not quite as much as it did on Saturday.
But what's really typical is that it didn't dampen anyone's enthusiasm. Once you're wet, you're wet - if you see what I mean - and you can get on with having fun.
I was devastated to hear the news that this may be the last year for the event. Considering the size and scale of the organisation, it doesn't cause much impact on the surrounding area. It's an event that Macclesfield, and Cheshire, should be proud of.
For that reason I'll be doing everything I can in the new Cheshire East Council to ensure that this event, and similar ones in neighboring boroughs, continue uninterrupted.
Sunday, 17 August 2008
Accident near Kings School
Quite a bad accident near Kings school last night (Saturday) around midnight.
Not sure what happened, but surprised given that it's such a short stretch of road.
Not sure what happened, but surprised given that it's such a short stretch of road.
Saturday, 16 August 2008
Worrying about parking - part 2
The recent decriminalization of parking in Macclesfield (which sounds counter-intuitive as it has lead to more tickets) as angered some as they feel it's no longer possible to pop into the shops in town.
These people are the minority - the majority that I have spoken to are pleased with the new system. They are pleased that whilst they always parked where they should they saw a small number of lazy, inconsiderate people breaking the rules. Rules that are not put in place to make life difficult, but to keep traffic flowing and make life easier for all.
They are also pleased that there are now more places you can stop if you want to pop into the shops. Short term bays, many of which are free, which used to be full of people parking all day are now available for what they were designed for.
So in the next few years, the outlook for parking in Macclesfield is good.
But what about the medium and long term? I have been digesting the plans for the new town centre and was immediately concerned about the amount of parking available. The new development will be built over three existing car parks and the plans I was sent didn't show a significant number of car spaces. Fortunately, I have been told this was because I wasn't sent plans for all the levels of the car park. I will look forward to ensuring that we end up with more spaces in the new development - because if we want more shops to encourage more visitors, then we certainly need more space.
Cost is another thing that bothers me greatly. I have got confirmation from MBC that the new car park will be run by a private operator. This immediately struck fear into my heart as I thought of a NCP wannabe taking hold of Macclesfield Town centre and bleeding us dry with exorbitant charges. Fortunately again, I have been told I will be proved wrong. The contract and charges will be set the council (which by that point will by Cheshire East, and not MBC) - so we have a chance to do this right.
We should consider this carefully, and if we are serious about competing with the Trafford Centre, where parking is free, then we must offer similar prices.
Short term parking must be free.
There is not much argument in Macclesfield for getting people out of their cars and onto public transport. This is a very rural area and the population is greatly dispersed. It is not possible to have buses to serve every road of every ward - and those that do cannot offer fast, frequent services.
We must not provide a disincentive for visiting our new town centre. Even a small charge will keep people away, so lets have no charge at all.
But my last worry is the biggest of the lot. When you consider that we are building this huge project over three of the car parks in Macclesfield (which are often well used when you visit them) - where are we going to park whilst the development is taking place?
These people are the minority - the majority that I have spoken to are pleased with the new system. They are pleased that whilst they always parked where they should they saw a small number of lazy, inconsiderate people breaking the rules. Rules that are not put in place to make life difficult, but to keep traffic flowing and make life easier for all.
They are also pleased that there are now more places you can stop if you want to pop into the shops. Short term bays, many of which are free, which used to be full of people parking all day are now available for what they were designed for.
So in the next few years, the outlook for parking in Macclesfield is good.
But what about the medium and long term? I have been digesting the plans for the new town centre and was immediately concerned about the amount of parking available. The new development will be built over three existing car parks and the plans I was sent didn't show a significant number of car spaces. Fortunately, I have been told this was because I wasn't sent plans for all the levels of the car park. I will look forward to ensuring that we end up with more spaces in the new development - because if we want more shops to encourage more visitors, then we certainly need more space.
Cost is another thing that bothers me greatly. I have got confirmation from MBC that the new car park will be run by a private operator. This immediately struck fear into my heart as I thought of a NCP wannabe taking hold of Macclesfield Town centre and bleeding us dry with exorbitant charges. Fortunately again, I have been told I will be proved wrong. The contract and charges will be set the council (which by that point will by Cheshire East, and not MBC) - so we have a chance to do this right.
We should consider this carefully, and if we are serious about competing with the Trafford Centre, where parking is free, then we must offer similar prices.
Short term parking must be free.
There is not much argument in Macclesfield for getting people out of their cars and onto public transport. This is a very rural area and the population is greatly dispersed. It is not possible to have buses to serve every road of every ward - and those that do cannot offer fast, frequent services.
We must not provide a disincentive for visiting our new town centre. Even a small charge will keep people away, so lets have no charge at all.
But my last worry is the biggest of the lot. When you consider that we are building this huge project over three of the car parks in Macclesfield (which are often well used when you visit them) - where are we going to park whilst the development is taking place?
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