Formby mum selected to represent Labour Party in Harington Ward at May's local elections

A Formby and Labour Party campaigner has been selected by members in the town to stand in Harington Ward at May's local elections.

 

Married mum of three Nina Killen has been chosen by Labour members in Formby to represent the party.

 

Nina, who is a parishioner of Holy Trinity, has been an active campaigner opposing the Tory-Lib Dem government cuts here in Formby and throughout Sefton.

 

After studying Law at the University of Manchester, Nina completed a Postgraduate Diploma in print journalism at the University of Central Lancashire before then working on newspapers which have included the Manchester Evening News, Lancashire Evening Telegraph, the Daily Star, Sunday Express, New magazine and she is now a part-time features sub-editor on the Daily Express in Preston.

 

She is also a breastfeeding support worker and volunteer for BreastStart, Sefton's breastfeeding support service, a doula (childbirth supporter) and she is training to become an antenatal teacher.

 

Nina said she is delighted to have been chosen by members in Formby to stand in her home town and said fighting for the interests of the people of this community was her main aim.

 

Nina said: "I am honoured to have been selected to stand in Harington Ward for the Labour Party.

 

"I care passionately about Formby, a town where I live and where my husband and I have chosen to bring up our three young children. I have the same concerns as many local residents - road safety for our children, green open spaces, dog mess and litter, plus protecting the public services that a community relies on, such as libraries, the police and social care.

 

"I am already a very active member of this community through the Labour Party, as well as through my involvement in Sefton Council's Area Parent Forum, Steering Group and the newly-formed Maternity Services Liaison Committee.

 

"I have been heavily involved in the campaign opposing the Conservative-Liberal Democrat government cuts in Sefton and I am the parent rep for my local children's centre, Freshfield, which I am involved in campaigning to save.

 

"It would be an honour for me to work on behalf of the people of Harington and help fight for their concerns and objectives and tackle the issues that are important to them."

Formby Labour Action Team slam town's Tories who voted against much needed investment in local park

Formby's Labour Councillor Catie Page and Labour Action Team leader Peter Maguire have slammed the town's Conservative Councillors who jeopardised the much-needed refurbishment of a town park and very nearly allowed thousands of pounds to slip out of Formby.

 

Cllr Page and Peter Maguire both attended last week's area committee in which three of the town's Tory councillors, Denise Dutton, David McIvor and Barry Griffiths, all voted against plans to refurbish Barkfield Lane playground - despite assurances from council officers that the funding would almost certainly be spent elsewhere of the project was not agreed.

 

Cllr Page, who voted in favour of refurbishing the Barkfield Lane park, said the work was long overdue.

 

Cllr Page said: "Lots of time and effort went in to looking into what both users and residents wanted for the park. Then in collaboration with officers of the council and the councillors of Formby a plan had been devised and funding found to add to and make the most of £5,000 which had become available from the 106 fund (a developer's premium).

 

"It was agreed that the redesign of the playground would breathe new life into an otherwise tired children's facility, which is the only one in the area. This work will be an asset to this community and will be an active area where children can play in safety.

 

"So I was shocked and disappointed that Conservative councillors Griffiths, McIvor and Dutton voted to oppose the redevelopment of Barkfield Playground, despite being informed by council officers that the money could be spent elsewhere in Sefton if the scheme was not approved.

 

"Over the time there has been a mantra from many of our Conservative councillors in Formby that funding 'should be used for a different project'. Yet, there has at no time been any inkling of even an idea of an alternative way to spend the 106 fund money from them.

 

"Cllr Dutton's objection and voting against the spending of £1,000 of Harington's fund to help the project will result in cost cutting on the children's playground and will reduce the development, which is a great shame. However, the Barkfield Plaground is going ahead, despite the best efforts of the Conservatives on Formby Area Committee."

 

Formby Labour Action Team's Peter Maguire said he was disappointed by the three Tories' failure to back the Formby scheme.

 

Peter said: "It’s disappointing to see the Conservatives in Formby vote against these plans. The funding was earmarked to improve a park that was in desperate need of refurbishment. 

 

"I think it was only fair that this area of Formby have a high quality children’s play area seeing as the parks in Duke Street and Alt Road have been renovated in recent years. 

 

"But the worst part about this was that if these plans had been rejected the majority of the funding would not have been put back into the Formby Area Committee fund, it would more than likely be spent in another area of Sefton. Which would have been a loss of much needed funding right here."

I must apologise for the lack of posts over the past couple of months. I will try in the future to keep blogging regularly!

Bin collection disruptions in Sefton on November 30th

Sefton Council have just posted this article on their website regarding the disruptions to bin collection services in response to the strikes.

Disruption to waste collection services on 30 November 2011

Waste collection services will be affected by the national industrial action scheduled to occur on Wednesday 30 November 2011.

Recycling collection service

The recycling collection service (green box for cans/glass, blue bag for paper, and green caddy for food waste) will continue to operate in all areas as normal on Wednesday 30 November 2011.

Wheelie bin service

All households that are scheduled to have their grey or green wheelie-bin emptied on Wednesday 30 November will notreceive a collection service on that day.

Grey wheelie bin service

Scheduled collection day	Collection
Wednesday 30 November 2011	No collection (see below)
Thursday 1 December 2011	Normal collection service
Friday 2 December 2011	Normal collection service

Instructions for residents due a grey wheelie-bin collection on Wednesday 30 November 2011

Please place your grey wheelie-bin out for collection by 6.30am on Thursday 1 December 2011. Leave the bin out on Thursday and, if necessary, on Friday until collected.

Arrangements are being made to carry out these collections on Thursday and Friday to ensure that all grey bins due to be collected on the above dates are emptied by 4.30pm Friday 2 December 2011.

Green wheelie bin service

Scheduled collection day	Collection
Wednesday 30 November 2011	No collection
Thursday 1 December 2011	No collection
Friday 2 December 2011	No collection

The resource that provides this service will be used to collect grey bins that were due to be collected on Wednesday 30 November 2011. Therefore there will be no green wheelie bin collections on these dates.

The next collection of green wheelie-bins for residents due a green wheelie bin collection on the above dates will be in the New Year when the alternating pattern of collections resumes, please refer to your collection calendar or theRefuse collection schedule. We trust that residents will understand why, given the disruption caused by the strike, grey wheelie-bin collections have been given priority. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.

The wheelie bin collection service will operate as scheduled from Tuesday 6 December 2011 onwards, please refer to your collection calendar or the Refuse collection schedule.

Clear refuse sack collection service

Scheduled collection day	Collection
Wednesday 30 November 2011	No collection (see below)
Thursday 1 December 2011	Normal collection service
Friday 2 December 2011	Normal collection service

Instructions for residents due a clear refuse sack collection on Wednesday 30 November 2011

Please place your clear refuse sacks out for collection by 6.30am on Thursday 1 December 2011. Leave the sacks out on Thursday and, if necessary, on Friday until collected.

Arrangements are being made to carry out these collections on Thursday and Friday to ensure that all clear refuse sacks due to be collected on the above dates are emptied by 4.30pm Friday 2 December 2011.

Bill Esterson's Westminster Diary- 29/11/11

THE chancellor is setting out his autumn statement and his plans for the economy.

According to the Government’s own figures, the Government will borrow £100bn more over the next five years than it predicted when the coalition was formed last year.

The reason for this massive increase in borrowing is that growth has ground to a halt.

In the early part of 2010, while Labour was still in power, the economy was growing as a result of measures which Labour took in government such as a temporary cut in VAT.

The growth started to slow down when the new Government was formed.

Consumer and business confidence both collapsed the moment that the chancellor, George Osborne claimed that the country was facing bankruptcy.

The chancellor should accept that in both his comments in May 2010 and in the policies which he introduced he has made the economic conditions in the UK worse, all of which led to higher unemployment and increased pressure on families.

He set out a plan in May 2010 to cut the deficit faster than any other country and faster than at any time in history.

Unfortunately, the speed of the cuts and the doom and gloom, which the Government spread when they were elected mean that the deficit has actually grown as a result of the cuts, not shrunk.

History shows us that the deficit can be cut but only if the economy grows.

The government needs a Plan B, which helps business to create jobs and which helps the economy to grow.

Otherwise, the deficit will continue to grow and more people will lose their jobs and quite possibly their homes too.

This is a really worrying time for families, struggling with higher food prices and gas bills and worried about their jobs and their children’s futures.

That’s why Labour has set out a clear five-point plan for jobs, to help struggling families and support small businesses:

A £2bn tax on bank bonuses to fund 100,000 jobs for young people – which they would be required to take up – and build 25,000 more affordable homes.

Bringing forward long-term investment projects schools, roads and transport – to get people back to work and strengthen our economy for the future.

Reversing January's damaging VAT rise now for a temporary period – a £450 boost for a couple with children – immediate help for our high streets and for struggling families and pensioners.

A one year cut in VAT to 5% on home improvements, repairs and maintenance – to help homeowners and small businesses.

A one-year national insurance tax break for every small firm which takes on extra workers – helping small businesses to grow and create jobs.

Christmas Lights Switch On

What a brilliant turnout at the switch on of the Christmas lights in Formby village last Thursday (24th November). I extend my gratitude to the local businesses of Formby who donated to the fund despite the current gloom and doom in the economy, I would also like to thank the Christmas lights committee and in particular Sue Dare and Peter Dunne for giving up countless hours to make it all happen. Sadly Sue and Peter will be stepping down from the campaign, but thankfully Pat Wordley of Woodward's wine bar will be taking over and I have every confidence that she will ensure the continuation of this excellent event.

Council Cutbacks

Disappointing news in this weeks Formby Times(1st November) that Sefton Libraries will no longer offer free internet to residents except for the elderly who will still be able to use these facilities free of charge. The idea is that users will get the first half hour free but will then have to pay for any extra time they spend on the web. Sadly this is the reality we face with £20.5million having to be saved in the next financial year.

 What makes this especially unfair is that some Councils have to make deeper cuts in expenditure than others, as Leader of the Council Peter Dowd said earlier this year Sefton had to make cuts equivalent to £160 per person whilst Dorset for example only had to make cuts worth £2 per head. I fear that many people within the Borough will lose a vital service that has been available for years, this is incredibly crucial as latest reports suggest that 30 percent of households do not have any form of internet access.

Only £4.1 million worth of cuts have been made so I wouldn’t be surprised if over the coming months and years we see further cutbacks to an already under funded service. We as the rate payers should make our voices heard and stand up to this sham Tory led government who are making the local authority cutback frontline services whilst in their heartlands in the South Councils have experienced relatively little change to their budgets.