I enjoyed helping the ‘Friends of King George Vth Gardens’ with their bulb planting project on Sunday. Although it was a ‘crisp’ day we achieved a lot working together. It was great to see some of the younger residents getting involved.

The Mayfield school choir will be singing at the switch-on of the Christmas Lights in St. Annes Square tomorrow, 29th, at 2.30 pm.  Please go along and support the children!

Friends of King George V Park are holding a mammoth bulb planting session this Sunday (30^th) from 10am.  Anyone interested in improving the park through this planting programme is welcome to join in – just bring a spade. The bulbs have been donated by Fylde Borough Council. Liberal Democrats Karen and Howard Henshaw have been very supportive of this project.  The ‘Friends of King George V Playing Fields’ are to be congratulated - this is a fine example of the local community working together.

Once grant aid and Lottery Funding is acquired this will be a Park to be proud of.

Fellow Councillor Howard Henshaw and I have been busy distributing information to local businesses about the forthcoming Breakfast Seminar on Business and Climate Change. We hope it will be well supported.The seminar, organised by Lancashire Business Environment Association is designed to raise awareness about climate change and provide a information about grants and free resource efficiency advice. The meeting which is being held at INENCO on St Andrew’s Rd North on Wednesday 3^rd December.For further information contact Zohra Ali on 01254 669059 or Lynda Taylor at Lancashire Business Environment Association, 01254 669002

I have just heard that Neil Trafford, Libdem. Councillor for Didsbury West in Manchester, has died as a result of a car crash on the M6 over the weekend. It is a great tragedy that such a young and talented person has been taken from us. Neil, just 33 years old, was a first class campaigner and had made a significant contribution to the party, especially in the North West. My thoughts are with Neil’s family, friends and colleagues at this sad time.

See Vince Cable’s analysis of the Pre-Budget Report

http://www.libdems.org.uk/home/pre-budget-report-darlings-%C2%A35bn-tax-hike-will-hit-low-earners-and-business-cable-70543034;show

This seminar is aimed at raising awareness of climate change issues for local businesses. As well as enjoying a free breakfast participants can hear about:

• opportunities in addressing resource efficiency

• how to access advice to cut costs whilst improving environmental performance

• a new grant for investing in renewable energy generation technologies on site

The event is taking place at Inenco Petros House, St Andrews Rd North on 3rd December starting at 8am and lasting until 10.30am. Further details from Fylde BC or from Cllr. Tony Ford on cllr.tford@fylde.gov.uk

Action Day in Preston West,  

As well as a leaflet delivery, we knocked on almost 300 doors on Saturday dropping off and collecting  surveys in the area. From the responses we have gleaned information about local issues and genuine concerns that residents have.  Councillors and prospective councillors will be taking on the issues raised and will use the information to target future campaigns. It was clear from what the residents said that they think the Liberal Democrats will work hard on their behalf. 

 Despite the chill wind  it proved to be a very productive day. It provided a useful blueprint for Action Days in other wards and  further days are planned.

 Fylde Liberal Democrats have demanded that all three train companies serving the area abandon their plans to impose a 6%  increase in the price of regulated fares, season tickets and saver tickets. The increase in ticket prices not regulated by the government is to be an even steeper at 7%.  The announcement of the inflation-busting fares hike on 21st November annoys me. In a  recession, the Government needs to treat rail passengers in the same way as motorists who have previously had petrol duty frozen. Train passengers living in Fylde  are being hit for six by all three train companies since Virgin trains too have adopted for simlar increases.  “At a time when people are struggling with the recession, this train company is adding to people’s difficulties and is stinging passengers for more cash.  The government should  step in and use the power they have over regulated fares to impose a freeze on ticket prices for a year. This could be paid for from within the Government’s road-widening budget. Just as the Government stepped in to freeze fuel duty for motorists because of the recession, they should change their mind and stop these price increases going ahead. ail passengers will rightly feel that they are being taken for a ride by Northern Rail, Trans Pennine and Virgin Trains. They have every right to feel angry with this price hike and with the Government for letting it happen.  This increase is even more irritating when one considers that local people travelling on the Fylde Coast line only have one train an hour and no service at all on Sundays.   The Government has agreed that the ticket price increases can come into effect on 2nd Janury 2009.

Congratulations to Lytham St. Anne’s Twinning Association in securing grant funding in preparation for June 2009 when it celebrates the 25th Anniversary of the signing of the Charter with Werne in Germany.

 The grant totalling £250, comes from St Anne’s Town Council Community Awards budget and provides a useful boost to the association’s funds as it begins making bookings for a range of activities to entertain and accommodate its German visitors in June.  Several Town Councillors have been eager to see the Twinning Association get back on its feet after its premature demise two years ago.   The newly revamped group have developed a programme of activities and social events in the run up to June and new members are joining all the time. A number of previous members have also come forward offering ideas and suggestions for future events.  The next event is a Cheese and Wine evening on Tuesday 25^th November at Lytham Assembly Rooms 7.30pm. Guests will have the chance to watch a short video featuring Werne and Lytham St Anne’s and the opportunity to sample Lancashire Cheese accompanied by German wine. The Associations next event is to be a Jazz night on Saturday 7th February featuring   Harry Colledge & his seven piece Jazz band.  Organisers have chosen Fylde Rugby Club as the venue as it offers such good entertainment facilities.  Tickets for both events are available from Cllr. Tony Ford 713885 or cllr.tford@fylde.gov.uk

Fylde Borough Council is re-launching its yellow bag textile recycling scheme in time for Christmas ! The scheme, which supports the North West Air Ambulance, was launched in 2007 and proved very popular with an impressive 30 tonnes of textiles collected at kerbside.  The Council is appealing for unwanted clothing, shoes and household textiles from residents across Fylde, to help raise much needed funds for the life saving charity. Over the next 6 weeks Fylde residents will be supplied with information leaflets and dedicated collection sacks.  Clean, dry clothing, shoes and household textiles can be placed in the sack provided, or residents can use their own bin liners or reuse carrier bags.  Bags are then tied and left alongside the green box on collection day. Good quality items which can be reused are sold to second-hand clothing traders in the UK and worldwide.  ‘End of life’ garments are recycled into industrial wipers and cloths, mattress filling, insulation and new fibres.  By recycling your unwanted garments, vital funds will be raised to help sustain the life-saving work of the North West Air Ambulance. 

By using the convenient new scheme residents will be able to support this worthwhile local charity and boost recycling rates.  The Council has a challenging recycling target of 44% for this year.

I don’t know, I go away for a few days and all hell breaks loose!  First, FBC are re-opening the pool, then they might not be.  Kirkham is supposedly saved, then it might not be, then it might be.  Council Leader Coombes  is resigning as leader of the council, then he isn’t, then we’re not sure.

What a muddle ! What a state to be in, especially when inspectors are casting a very close and detailed ‘eye’ on the council.

Congratulations to Lib Dem run Caradon District Council in Cornwall. Last week at the Health and Social Care conference organised by the LGA Lib Dem Group, we heard how, by working in partnership with a leading local employer, the local Health Service, the Town Council and County Council, the District Council created a Active Workplace scheme. This included things like a range of outside activities that employees can take part in, a 24 hours a day fitness suite (or a gym!) at the factory, encouraging more employees to walk to work, advice on quitting smoking and healthy eating. The employer has now set aside some land for employees to have allotments to grow their own food. It has led to an increase in staff fitness, a reduction in staff sickness levels and far lower levels of staff turnover. So it is good news for both employee and employer.

Three Liberal Democrats joined a party of school children from a St Anne’s school to undertake a well-supported litter pick and beach tidy up led by Dunes Project Officer Anne Heslop from the Lancashire Wildlife Trust.  The working party was being used as part of the process of protecting, stabilising and increasing the dunes which are a part of the Fylde’s sea defences. 

As councillor for Ashton Ward it was an opportunity for me to ‘get involved ‘ on a practical level and it was great being joined by local activists Anne Fielding and Annette Ford.

Suitably clad in high visibility jackets and carrying stylish litter pickers, the group, including fourteen young pupils St Anne’s College set off enthusiastically from the North Beach Car Park towards the Pier clutching black bags and protective gloves.   

Commenting on the involvement of St. Anne’s College, Curriculum Leader Annette Ford said “This was a wonderful opportunity for the pupils to engage in a community activity which not only links with many aspects of the school’s curriculum, but helps the children to gain a better appreciation of their environment.” The twenty-strong party came upon a significant number of unexpected objects including car body panels, a dead fox and many burnt-out fireworks. However it was plastic material in its various forms, much of it carried in by the tide which  formed the bulk of the 15 black sacks of rubbish which were collected in just over an hour.  

Local residents, still battling against the nuisance caused by wind-blown sand, should be heartened that future plans for the Dunes, laid out by the Dunes Project Officer, include stabilisation measures and planting of the Dunes in an attempt to reduce the problem.   I am very pleased these young people were willing to get involved and help protect the environment. It is wonderful that they are being taught about the sand dunes and their importance as our sea defence and as a wildlife habitat whilst doing their bit to clean up.  Anyone else wanting to join in such a clean up can contact me through this site.

Les Dawson’s statue is drawing visitors which must be good for the shops and outlets that depend on tourists for their takings especially at this time of the year. Whilst there were a small number of objectors I think the scale, position and size of the statue blends in well in the sunken garden. 

I’d like to thank Lib Dem member Anne Fielding who joined a group of Volunteers on St Annes’ beach on a rare sunny day last week to tackle an environmental project.  Led by Dunes Officer Anne Heslop from Lancashire Wildlife Trust, the group were cutting down Sea Buckthorn to allow the orchids to flourish on the Site of Special Scientific Interest  (SSSI).  Equipment was provided by the Lancs Wildlife Trust.  The Dunes Officer is planning more activities for volunteers. If you are interested please contact Anne Fielding  711123 or myself 713885.

I supported the ‘Party in The Garden’  organised by the Friends of St Anne’s Library and was delighted to learn that they have raised in excess of £500.   The ‘Party’  has also helped to raise awareness of the Reading Garden which I hope to be able to support in  more practical way as the project progresses.  I am really pleased that the views of the library’s youngest users are being sought. I am sure when completed we will have a Garden to be proud of.  

I was lucky enough to meet Vince Cable MP Liberal Democrat Treasurer spokeman last  Saturday. He proved yet again that his warnings of problems within the banking structure would cause  difficulties for the economy.  Whilst firmly laying the blame for the economic down turn at Gordon Brown’s door  he made very clear that the country could adopt several strageies which would help protect the British econonmy from some of the worst aspects of the resession. He advocated cuts in interests rates and,  whilst acknowledging that these would hurt some people with investments and savings,  it would protect jobs and the economy in the longer term.  He was strong in his view that tax-cuts, coupled with changes to the tax banding and tax thresholds would help to put more money into the pockets of those households where the difficulties were more acute.