Anyone Got The Name Of A Good Luggage Loss Adjuster?

Losing something can lead to tears, particularly if it is something with sentimental value, so I’m wondering what George Osborne lost in his luggage on his New Year trip to Klosters, for a sking holiday.

Read this and fell about laughing, particularly as so many thousands were put under much more stress in the week before Christmas, at airports across the country.
More importantly a lot more people will be losing something much more important than their luggage in the months to come, their jobs.

The Sound Of Music Is a Joy To Hear

Is the sound of music to become the sound of silence in our primary schools and beyond?
Like everything else, there are cuts, with cuts in the arts never seen before, even under the Thatcher Governments, the loss of music inside primary schools is about to hit home, unless of course you can afford to pay the Peripatetic teacher who provides the lessons.
Whilst I'm of an age where other than a weekly sing along with my class teacher, no instruments to speak of, except one drum, (I was never chosen to play it), a pair of cymbals and several triangles, there were no other instruments in the school, except for the piano in the school hall and heaven help you if you ever went anywhere near it.
When our children had an opportunity they took it, we made sure they took it and today all four are still involved with music, playing instruments and/or singing to a reasonably good standard.
It's not that I'm arty in any way, but I've see the joy that music can bring in to ones life, me as someone who watches and listens and our off-spring pleasure in playing and singing it. Our children are now striving to provide the same to their children, already our oldest grandchild has a ukulele to train on.

So is it to be the last post for the provision of music in schools? I for one hope not.

An Emergency About To Emerge - Update 30th December Part II

Well at last it does seem as though he's stirring, even if it is a tad late.

The real question is what is he about to do with around 740 flu cases in ITU out of 3,500 beds nationally, that's about a fifth of critical care beds taken up by flu cases?
I know I keep on about David Cameron not coming out to do something about the impending problem in our hospitals, but is he being quiet on purpose as Andrew Lansley is from the far right wing of the party. Could it be a case of sink or swim A.L., you're on your own on this one?

Some Council Contractors Really Are Sh**e At Customer Service. Why?

Over the past three weeks I have been fed up sorting out problems that residents in Brandwood have had with the Councils building and gas contractors.
Now I know it has been cold and there probably has been an increase in the number of calls made to the call centre, yet there can be no excuse for some of the cases I've dealt with.
1. Woman informed that gas contractor would call again, as he needed to order parts to sort out blow-air heating problem in Tilshead Close. The lady phoned me some eighteen day later in desperation, as calls to the centre didn't amount to much, Morrisons the gas contractor hadn't got back in touch with her and she had a very cold house, eventually sorted after two days of phone calls.
2. Older couple in Bicknell Croft, boiler failed early November, numerous phone calls by resident fitter turns up and informs resident that part had to be ordered. After sixteen days and numerous phone calls from me, contractors fitter turns up, says the fault is what the original fitter had previously said, lights the pilot light, says they need a part to be ordered and leaves, (Does this sound familiar). I get really annoyed make more phone calls and told that the part and fitter would be at the address next morning, they don't turn up, so have to make a phone call in the afternoon and job is sorted, or at least I thought so, on 17th December, boiler breaks down AGAIN, resident makes phone calls, numerous promises and appointments are broken, so she phones me on 20th December. I am made promises and assurances, eventually a NEW BOILER is fitted as a Christmas present on 24th December.
3. A registered disabled person living in Druids Heath, is left by the gas contractor without any heating whatsoever as they had to order spare parts, with no promise of when the parts were to arrive after several days, she's told to phone me. I end up having to chase the problem and I will admit within hours this is sorted, but is this the result of having to deal with me, I don't know.
4. 23rd December, I get a desperate phone call from older residents in a tower block, they had to phone in a water leak around 3:30pm and promised that someone would be out within two hours. no one turns up so they contact me, I spend thirty minutes trying to get someone at the call centre to answer my call, a totally unacceptable length of time, make the report and ask that someone from the out of hours duty team contacts me. An hour later I get a phone call from a Mossvale operative, these are the high pressure water mains team for tower block systems, this was not a leak from their system, all it needed was a plumber, who eventually turns up hours late about four hours late after being called in by the out of hours electricians who had turned up hours earlier to check the electrics in the older tenants flats. Eventually the Housing duty officer phones me after I had sorted out the contractors over the phone. What a shambles.
5. Bicknell Croft again, foul water pipe leak, after numerous phone calls starting early in December, someone originally from the buildings contractor turns up very late one evening, is a little snotty with the resident, recognises its not a job for him and brings in the experts for sewer pipe. These contractors turn up late evening on Wednesday and promise to be back the Thursday morning, no one turns up, hence another call from a disgruntled resident for me to sort out this afternoon.
6. This one takes the biscuit, honestly it really does. A council resident living in a terrace block, along Brandwood Park Road has a water leak, phones it in and the building contractors plumber turns up, sees a water leak, says can't do this now and turns off the water supply. Not only does he turn it off to the house but all of the other in the block, with no knowledge to the other residents of what he was going to do whatsoever, with a promise that he would return tomorrow. You've guessed it, he didn't turn up nor did anyone else till forty eight hours later. In the mean time the other residents attempted to get thing moving, only to be told by Birmingham Council Call centre that they could not talk to the upset owner occupiers as they weren't tenants, the same was said when they tried to contact the contractor direct. The repair took less than an hour. Some contractor, some plumber, some call centre, some procedure eh!
Then this evening I read about the poor mother in Quinton who also went through similar problems, on the BBC website, yet again senior council officers have been chasing around to ensure the repair gets done. They shouldn't have to!!!!!!!!
Being a councillor is a 24/7 job, I don't mind it being those hours. I've been out to residents that have had a tree fall on their house. I've been to residents that have had a drunk driver as a guest in their front room, yes and these were on a Christmas Eve and in the early hours of a Christmas Day, its part of the job and helping people as you've some knowledge takes some worry away from them, as someone else is taking charge.
Taking on housing repair cases like those I've mentioned shouldn't be me, or any of the officers I chase up, the contractor if doing the job right wouldn't get complaints from me nor would senior officers need to ensure my jobs are sorted, they should all be doing their job and doing it correctly.
If these are my cases which are not being dealt with properly, how many others are there in the system to be dealt with, where promises have been made, not kept, worse still forgotten about?

An Emergency About To Emerge - Update 30th December 2010

Don't say I didn't warn you, it's already started in Walsall, when The Manor Hospital struggled for extra space to put up beds for patients.
Will someone please wake up David Cameron and Andrew Lansley and tell them about what their actions are having and will have on OUR NHS.

An Englishmans Castle

With unemployment set to reach a tad under three million next year, the worse figure for seventeen years and that too was under a Tory Government, it's no wonder that house prices will fall. Predictions are that the average house will drop by 10% and no wonder when mortgage companies are asking too high a deposit for first time buyers, with it trebling over the past decade to an astonishing £28,770.

Deja vu Or What!!!!

Unemployment rising. Government cuts public spending and industry leaders are concerned that the economy may just not do what the Government wants it to do. Sounds familiar?

Well the evidence is now quite clear, Cameron and Osbourne are Margaret Thatchers children after all.
The National Archives have just released documents relating to Margaret Thatchers tenur as Prime Minister in 1980, releasing them for public knowledge using the thirty year rule.
So now we have it. Ed was right all along.

More Centurians In Coming Decades

Well it’s official, there’s a very strong possibility that I could live to be 100, or at least a fifth of us could.

To be perfectly honest the chances of me doing it are slim, I abuse my body, I love bacon and egg fry-ups, smoked a pipe until earlier this year, only gave it up because I could no longer get my brand, love a tipple of the hard stuff and being honest don’t do a great deal of exercise, other than leafleting.
So no Government should worry too much about having to pay my pension. Now as for my better half, well that’s another matter, they had better take out a mortgage to pay her pension.

Americans Are More For A Coffee Party Than A Tea Party

The darling or the right in the US, Sarah Palin, isn’t getting any popular in fact her rating has dropped from 67% to now only 49%, So what was to have been a crowning come the primaries late next year, isn’t on. Popularity is one matter, potential leadership is another, whilst I don’t like the woman, Mike Huckerbee former Governor of where Bill Clinton comes from, Arkansas or better still Mitt Romney another Governor this time from Massachusetts would make a better leaders of the Republican Party.
I’m still backing Barrack Obhama to come out of all this smelling of roses, hence being re-elected, for a second term.

Welcome Home - In Style

I just love this, it's so entertaining, look out for 'the boys are back in town'.

An Emergency About To Emerge - UPDATE 29th Dec 2010

The perfect storm, not my words, but that of today's Daily Mail, on the flu pandemic and its impact on hospitals up and down the land.
When will David Cameron intervene and ensure that matters are handled properly?
Already there is back tracking over immunisation of under five year olds, but it's too late for this winter. And they just said Labour was stirring it up, just being political, when in fact Labour was right all along, as we are about the impending disaster in hospitals.

It's All Tactics And Strategy Dear Boy - Has Ed Got It Right?

I’m not certain about AV, I just don’t see the full benefits to me as a Labour Party member and activist, unlike almost every Lib-Dem member does. Because of this, I haven’t signed up to either of the two camps for the coming referendum, actually sitting on the fence.

I admit that I’m annoyed that the whole AV debate has become a victim of pork-belly politics, with new constituencies, and basically political gerrymandering, all part of the new Tory revolution to remain in power at all costs.
Similar practices were undertaken by Republicans a while ago and eventually backfired on them and I’m predicting the same for the Tories if they insist on doing it this time around.
The devil in me says that I should go for AV as the vast majority of the opposition are right wing Tories inside and out of Parliament. If the Tory right wing were to be beaten, how long would they wait before challenging David Cameron?
Would a Yes vote for AV ever prevent a Tory landslide ever happening again, like in 1983? Most probably.
Would it necessary mean that all future Parliaments are hung? Not really.
Could AV present Labour with a victory? Possibly.
What is most likely is that Labour would probably have to court the left wing of the Lib-Dems to form a government, so opposing AV for opposing sake isn’t on, as we should at least in part and principle, recognise the need for change. Hence has Ed Miliband seen the light and is this the reason why he is in favour of AV. Me thinks so and in doing will build bridges between groupings within both parties for the future, tactics and strategy dear boy, tactics and strategy.
All that needs to happen is to convince the electorate either way before May’s referendum.

Was Mervyn King Right About Cameron & Osbourne's Experience?

They've only been in power for a few months and already unemployment next year is predicted to reach a 17 year high, with another 200,000 souls losing their job and all due to the political dogma of The Tories, ably supported by the Lib-Dems.
I will admit that I only have a basic understanding of macro economics, having studied a module of economics a good number of years ago. However even I can see sectoral economics would suggest that 'balancing the books' is a good economic policy in our economy, unless they wanted to cause mass unemployment and suffering.
Regrettably the Government don't see it that way, so hands up those who elected it.

2-1 With One To Play In Sydney

We keep the little wooden urn and England do it by an innings and 157 runs.
Well done lads.
Now its off to Sydney to finish them off once and for all.

Haggis Expedition Anyone?

Already the Scots are ticking off the days on the calendars and not just those days to hogmanay, they're doing it as this Friday sees the first day of the month long season for catching the Haggis. That rarely spoken of animal in civilised society, that roams the hills and glens north of the border, which for just one month, the month of January is feasted on by Scotsmen and women the world over.
Recent press articles have been saying that there could be a serious shortage this year, as the heavy snows last February interrupted the breeding season, so it will be shortage and high prices.
Anyone up to going on an expedition with me, to get a few in Aviemore, to see what we can bring back and sell on?

Briton Participates in Death Penalty

I'm appalled to read that Briton exports the drug used to execute prisoners in the USA,  if this is true, then something needs to be done to ban the selling of this drug abroad. The only company that produces and exports this substance is Archimedes Pharma UK whose headquarters is in Reading.
Capital punishment was outlawed in this country and rightly so, in my lifetime, so I don't wish to be part of a civilised society that on the one hand cherishes life, whilst on the other participates in executions. Pass this knowledge on.

It's Our NHS Mr Lansley, Not Yours

Hands up all of those who voted for increased waiting times, whether they be in Accident and Emergency or for a hospital bed, because your doctor thinks you may have cancer. Is that no one?
Right, so Andrew Lansley, to Secretary Of State for Health, that's right, the person who won't advertise that those at greatest risk should have the flu jab, hence critical care beds are getting blocked, so operations can't take place. Well the same man is coming under the magnifying glass again, this time because he is asking for too high a saving in the NHS budget, his dictate of wanting £20 billion is almost impossible unless something gives and the gives will be longer waits for hospital beds, shorter stays in hospital or cuts in front line staff.
So what is it to be? Hands up then.
Or will David Cameron step in, like he did over flu jabs, or is that, didn't step in over flu jabs. Time will tell.

Day Three Was As Bad For The Ozzies

3-17, what a superb effort.
It's almost in the bag, which will mean that England will be  2-1 up with one to play and the little wooden urn is ours.

Australia 98 v England 444-5 Day Two

What's worse than losing?

Losing badly

An Emergency About To Emerge - UPDATE 27th Dec 2010

I said it would begin to happen, that hospitals would postpone operations as critical care beds wouldn't be available because the flu epidemic had taken hold, now all we have to wait for now are the bed queues in casualty departments for me to hit the bulls eye.
It isn't too late for David Cameron to step in and get things motoring, but is he man enough? Andrew Lansley seems to just ignore everything as he knows best, but does he?

National Strategic Assets And A Golden Share

The more I look at how this country is managed by politicians of all colours and persuasions, the more I'm inclined to the idea that where there are strategic hubs, such as airports, power stations, gas terminals, water supply, telecoms and the like, parts of our nation, which we all take for granted, but which are vital for the day to day management of our nation, the more a "Golden Share Holder" position becomes clearer.
I'm not for nationalisation or re-nationalisation of businesses, but I do believe that we should have a major say, when the need arises in to how matters should be undertaken in emergencies, hence, the golden share option.
Just before Christmas the Government offered help and assistance to BAA the Spanish owners of Heathrow Airport, to have that offer refused, yet tens of thousands of travellers were to miss out on their plans, London looked ridiculous, as after four days we still hadn't/couldn't clear four inches of snow. In such circumstances, better still earlier, we as a nation, through the Government's Golden Share, should have stepped in and cleared the snow, then charged the Spanish company to full cost of doing it.. Similarly with the sale of much of our strategic infrastructure, the new owners need to be aware, we welcome them as owners, that they have responsibilities which they should hold and act on, otherwise we may step in and take over the organisation or even pass it on to another organisation that will do the bidding of the nation.
This isn't to frighten the new investors, but to encourage them and ensure that our nation remains safe and away from harm, no matter who owns the strategic infrastructure.

Don't Cut Off My Electricity, Or Else

The prime purpose of a business is to provide/create money for the sole benefit of its shareholders, simple. Otherwise why have a business?

Now however we read in today's newspaper that the energy regulator OFGEM has warned electricity companies that they will apply heavy fines to these companies if due to lack of maintenance/investment on the network there is a loss of power to the customer.

Following the privatisation of the national grid, numerous investors gained a quick profit through selling shares and it didn't matter who bought the shares, hence, most of the network is now in the ownership of foreign businesses, who are waking up to the fact that they need to invest around £30billion to update the whole network over the next few years. So what are these companies doing? You've got it, selling them off at a knock down price and again the new buyers to date have been foreign businesses again.

To be perfectly honest all I want, is to ensure that the supply to my house, the house of vulnerable residents and to hospitals is not interrupted, it's not a lot to ask for, is it?

Don't Save It, Spend It

Some economists are predicting that there are only nine days left for all of us to sort out the economy. I say all of us, because we need to buy, buy and buy like there is no tomorrow, to save a number of shops from going bust, which if we fail could in turn cause the collapse of a number of manufacturers of goods possibly as high a one thousand businesses, that provide items in the after Christmas Sales.
The British Retail Consortium said that retailers will need to see a growth of 5% to survive and already they are 5% down because of the weather and purchasers being a little cautious as they don't know what the future holds for them.
In addition there is the VAT increase due to kick in on 4th January, which is going to drag down the economy and possibly lead us to another recession, unlike any of us have seen in our lifetime.

An Emergency About To Emerge - UPDATE 26th Dec 2010

As previously predicted by me early last week, the Swine flu epidemic is getting worse, with now 1 in 7 critical care beds having flu cases, from 1-10 earlier in the week. The Secretary of State for Health, Andrew Lansley will surely get the message, but by then it will most probably be too late to achieve anything.
Cutting a small advertising budget on flu inoculation awareness, in 2009/10 the Dept of Health spent £177,573 on Flu awareness, was in my opinion a stupid act, knowing that the second stage of the swine flu could be more critical, as many experts had previously stated, including The Royal College of General Practitioners.
Mark my words, David Cameron will pick this problem up when like all of the others he has taken over, when it's too late. Something should be done about this crisis today, tomorrow at the very latest.

Bob - A - Job Week Is Almost Back

The Scout Association, which once carried out each year the "Bob A Job" week, where by each member of the organisation was asked to carry out jobs, no matter how difficult they were for an old fashioned bob (5 pence), is intending to resurrect the week, but this time linking it in with local businesses.
Having spent in my younger days, many an hour doing jobs, varied from cleaning someones front step, to cleaning inside and out an Armstrong Siddeley limousine, which took a whole day, just for a bob, pulled a face, gave a scouts half salute, said thank you and went on my way.
What was recognised as real scouting event, saw young members in their uniform, walking around the community, something rarely seen today. When was it the last time you saw a member of the Scouts walking around your community in full uniform?
I welcome this initiative, bring it on, I have loads of jobs that need doing.

Only One Record Broken At The MCG - And It Wasn't Attendance!!!!!!

I predicted records would be broken in today's match at the MCG, expecting that the attendance record of 90,800 would have been broken, which it wasn't as the fickle Ozzies were leaving the ground, after watching the worst collapse of an Ozzie team to England EVER, with a collapse of all out for 98. Attendance reached 84,345, just before the collapse and went down spiralling, just like their team.
England have a lead of 59 on the first day with all wickets standing, 157 - 0.

It's One All and Everything To Play For

Records will be broken today at the MCG, the very first will be the attendance for the first day of a test match, where the crowds are anticipated to exceed 90,800 the current world record for a test match and its a total sell out.
The weather is expected to be more English than Australian, if you know what I mean, so there will be movement of the ball.
Go for it Barmy Army, cheer on for our team against the Ozzies.

It's Chriiiiiiistmas

Merry Christmas one and all.
Most of the presents are open, waiting to see the grandchildren, feasting and it will be feasting to come.

My Christmas Gift For You All

I think that we all want love, joy and peace in our lives. Of course, wanting them is easy, but obtaining them is a lot harder. In fact, I believe we would all like those qualities of character in our daily lives.
Have a peaceful and joyous Christmas, remember what Christmas is all about, giving more than receiving, love those close to you and forgive those who have upset you over the past year.
Let peace, love and joy reign throughout the world, if only for a minute.
That’s my Christmas gift and wish to all of you.

The Christmas Story

And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)
And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.

And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) to be taxed with Mary, his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid: And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it, wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.
And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called Jesus, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb

Santa Claus

Santa Claus is a jolly man with red robes having a long white beard. The name of Santa Claus is Nicholas, born around 2000 years ago to wealthy parents in a small village in the country of Myra, today part of modern day Turkey. Nicholas' s parents died while he was a young boy. Nicholas went to his village priest and told of his desire to help the poor, he wanted to become a priest, but the priest knew Nicholas lacked the education necessary to become a priest. At this time the local Bishop of the church passed away and the authorities were guided by a heavenly messenger to choose the first person named Nicholas to walk through the doors of church and Nicholas had his miracle and was named the youngest bishop of the church ever on record. St. Nicholas became the champion of children and the needy; he was legendary for his kindness and generosity. And his story grew as the years passed.

Rudolph The Red Nose Reindeer

Rudolph, the only reindeer in the world with a big shiny red nose. Everybody used to tease and make fun of this poor creature and call him 'Rudolph, the red-nosed reindeer', which embarrassed him greatly. Even his mother, father and sister were mortified by his presence near them, which deepened Rudolph's embarrassment and depression. He immersed himself in self-pity and felt quite lonely. However, on one Christmas eve, when Santa got his sleigh ready for his annual trip around the world with his team of eight handsomest and huskiest reindeers including Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, and Vixen and the entire reindeer community assembled there to cheer them, the mist and fog engulfed the earth.

Santa was wondering how he could distribute his toys now and how to find chimneys. Suddenly, his eyes fell on the glowing bright red nose of Rudolph and found a solution for his problem. He requested Rudolph to lead his sleigh, which he gladly did and was harnessed instantly. Rudolph guided Santa safely to every chimney that night despite all the rain, fog, snow and sleet. This brave act made Rudolph the most famous and beloved of all the reindeers and a great hero too.

Housing Emergency And Who Cares?

I’m sitting in my favourite chair, seething. After taking an emergency call from residents, shortly after 6:00pm, all of them pensioners to do with a tower block, that has had a serious flood late this afternoon. The residents informed me they had phoned the problem in between 3:30 and 4:00pm, and were still waiting for some one, now it'll be  “The Emergency Duty Officer” to call on them and help sort out the seven floors that are flood damaged, with water leaking through electrics, down walls and all just before Christmas.

Having spent over 25 minutes on the phone myself to the call centre, which in itself is totally unacceptable, imagine if I was on PAYG it would have cost me a fortune. After speaking to the supervisor at the call centre I asked if the officer would call me or the residents, we’re both still waiting.
Just sent an email of to the senior management team of Housing, from The Strategic Director Downwards, I wonder when one of them will contact me or will it be the out of hours officer first?
Time now is 8:05pm

Is This The Height of His Hypocrisy ? - It Wasn't My Fault Honest Guv

Now the fault of Vince Cable opening his mouth on "How big a man he is, that he can use the nuclear option when he chooses" wasn't his fault, but that of the media. Really?

Now as someone who holds advice centres, in fact five a month and have since first being elected a councillor in 1995, I've always held a minimum of five a month. These are places of work, not chat rooms, yes you have to be polite, you ask what the residents wants from you, you listen to their case and offer whatever you can, never make promises and certainly don't engage in chit-chat, there is someone else waiting outside for help.

Anyway bigging it up to impress, particularly as they are young attractive women, doesn't help, even if they are recording everything said, you just don't do it.

So who's at fault again Vince, you or the media?

An Emergency About To Emerge - UPDATE 23rd Dec 2010

This is a follow-up from my blog yesterday on An Emergency About To Emerge.
Today the Department of Health has flatly refused to fund an advertising campaign to get those at risk, inoculated against swine flu.
Total false economy, the more intensive care beds taken up by flu victims the worse the situation will become, operations will not go ahead, delays in hospital admissions and long long queues in casualty as beds won't be available
So Dave get sorting this one out before it becomes a real crisis, after all you did spoil thousands of voters Christmas holiday plans by sitting on your hands all week.

A Lovely Christmas Present With Mortgage Interest Rates To Rise 7.5%

Oh what a lovely Christmas present we have had today, from some of the experts on The Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee, the experts who set the bank interest rates.
Today some of those experts have said they expect interest rates in the New Year to rise to around 5%, that will mean those with mortgages will be charged around 7.5% or more, that's another £220 or so more each month on the average mortgage.
Add all of that to the number of jobs being lost in the public sector and in particular Birmingham, then there is the forcasted downturn in GDP which is forcasted at 0.2% well down on George Osbourne's original prediction in June, the increase in VAT hitting in immediately after Christmas and to top everything off, we're all in this together. Well I'm not in it!!!!!!!!
I doubt if David Cameron and most of his cabinet are in it either, after all nearly all of them are millionaires and certainly won't be hit with cuts in benefits, loss of a job or even worrying about a sizable increase in mortgage rates.

Who'll Get This Job Then????

Fancy a new job, then one is going at the newly formed Greater Birmingham Local Enterprise Partnership, they are looking to fill the post of Chairman, once this one is filled, I suppose they will then be looking for a CEO and then more managers of differing degrees of responsibility.
Newly formed organisations, speaking from my own experience, all start off with lean cut management and within a very short period, grow arms and legs, becoming bureaucratic  monsters in no time at all. It seems that you now days judge the importance of a person by the numbers that work for them, which is ludicrous.
I sincerely hope that the Greater Birmingham LEP does work out and hope that it doesn't become anything like AWM, who at one time was one of the largest land holders in the West Midlands, rather than a training and regeneration super body.

Failing Birmingham Children Services - Axes 900 Jobs

Having had some experience in management I fully understand that standing still for any organisation is tantamount to going backwards and going very fast backwards. There should always be a feeling amongst everyone within the organisation that we are all pulling in the same direction, that there is leadership and leadership of a good quality and all will be well for everyone, customer (or clients) the work team and those who look over use.

However there is always the exception to the rule as in Birmingham’s Children’s Services, where over 900 staff are facing the axe, some in management some social workers and those who are called “back-room staff”. Back-room staff, I ask you, these are some of the most important cogs in the wheel, typing up reports, filing away ACCURATELY case files and ensuring that those who need to be, are at case conferences when required, not beforehand and certainly not afterwards.
You may well believe I’m ranting on, however, let us not forget that Birmingham has a dire shortage of Social Workers in the field of Child Protection, that Birmingham was found wanting and the service was described by OFSTED as inadequate (page four) and that we now have a Government appointed person watching over the whole service.
With the number of children known to the service who have died in the past few years, it is a shame that what is being proposed is just a penny pinching activity just to save £62 million in this departments budget.
Now tell me I’m just ranting.

An Emergency About To Emerge

The NHS is moving head-long straight in to an emergency situation with the high number of swine flu critical cases needing intensive care, with the number of cases standing at over 300 as I write this piece.

During last years outbreak the maximum number of cases using intensive care beds was at 180, but the current figure is growing each and every day and we are yet to see the peak.
Flu vaccination rates so far this autumn, has been well down on previous years and many doctors are blaming the Government for failure to spend money on marketing vaccine uptake and awareness amongst the general public.
Professor Steve Field  an expert in General Practice told an audience this week that “'It was ill-advised not to have the public awareness campaign on seasonal flu jab uptake that we usually have, because we knew that the public and health-care professionals were likely to become complacent after last year's swine flu pandemic wasn't the serious attack on the country that we thought it could be”.
The BMA has also written to ministers to urge them to reverse their decision and stave off a looming flu crisis. There is clearly a crisis brewing and it’s only going to get worse, do you have confidence that the Government know what they are doing?

Local(ish) Pharmacists Open Over The Christmas Period

I sincerely hope that you and your family will have no need to visit them, but just in case, here is a list of pharmacists who will be open at sometime over the festive period.
There are others throughout the city as well, click here for all pharmacists
Christmas Day Opening
Local
Sure Health Ltd,
130 Haslucks Green Road,
Solihull,
tel. 0121 744 1471,
Opening time 1pm-3pm
A little further afield
Stag Pharmacy,
230 Stoney Lane,
Balsall Heath, B12 8AN, 
tel. 0121 442 2418,
Opening time 10am-10pm

Boxing Day (Sunday)OpeningLocalish
Sainsburys Pharmacy,
545 Stratford Road,
Shirley,
tel. 0121 744 5943,
Opening Time 10am- 4pm

Asterwell Pharmacy,
275 Longmore Road,
Solihull,
tel. 0121 744 1642
Opening Time 6pm-8pm

Bank Holiday Monday Opening
Sainsburys Pharmacy,
545 Stratford Road,
Shirley,
tel. 0121 744 5943
Opening Time  9am-6pm

Asterwell Pharmacy,
275 Longmore Road,
Solihull,
tel. 0121 744 1642
Opening Time 6pm-8pm



Bank Holiday Tuesday Opening
Greet Pharmacy,
228 Warwick Road,
Sparkhill, B11 2NB,
tel. 0121 772 0233

Stag Pharmacy,
230 Stoney Lane,
Balsall Heath,  B12 8AN, 
tel. 0121 442 2418.
Opening time 10am-10pm

The Beautiful Game

Now I don’t normally go on about football on this blog, because it is one of those subjects that is engraved on your heart and no matter what others may think, your team is YOUR TEAM, through good and bad they are still your team, managers may come and go, boards may come and go, owner may do the same, but your team is the one constant in your life.

In more recent times big money has come to Premiership Football, but one thing that rattles me is the number of quality players being signed up by a handful of clubs and within weeks of signing these illustrious players, we then find them out on loan to another club. The FA, better still UEFA must do something to stop this illegitimate practice to save the beautiful game. Otherwise it won’t allow clubs without infinite funding, any chance whatsoever of buying class players, as the price will be far too high unless a billionaire is paying the bill.

No One Is Going On Holiday, So There

Well if I'm not going away to have a sunny Christmas neither is anyone else, so there.

Fuel Poverty And The Cold Kill's Older People

This week, a week when we see the thermometer drop to show temperatures at -10 degrees the Coalition Government announced heating grants for low income families, pensioners, and the disabled have been suspended. Labour's 'Warm Front' scheme, which I will admit has some flaws, but has enabled families to get grants of up to £6,000 to install new heating and insulate their homes.

In addition, further savings for the Coalition Government, will be made through
 Up to £300 a week being withdrawn from people with care needs by 2015.
 Labour’s Independent living fund supports people to live in their own homes while receiving the care and support they need.
 Recent snow and ice has brought home to everyone the need for Birmingham’s homes to be adequately heated, which will be stopped.

It is a false economy to cut funding which aims to bring down vulnerable people's heating costs in the long term by switching to more modern heating systems and improving insulation.
As Christmas nears, I’m having serious concerns about the impact of Government cuts to the most vulnerable residents of Brandwood and for the same individuals in Christmas’s to come.

These Are Not Normal Circumstances

Snow, Snow and even more Snow. That seems to be what we have in store over the next few days, so I've decided to give as much detail as I can to those of you who will need to leave the house in the days to come, either to shop or visit friends and family.

• What the Met Office is saying Here
• What Travel West Midlands is saying Here
• What is happening with Chiltern Railways Here
• What is happening with Virgin Trains Here
• Most importantly what is happening with road gritting Here
• The latest on Motorways and main highways Here

For those of us staying at home, well can we PLEASE ensure that the pensioner in our road has had a visit, that they need for nothing from the shop, that they are warm and in good health. Many of us under normal circumstances, apart from bidding the time of day have little contact with neighbours, but this isn't normal circumstances.

Lunar Eclipse On A Winter Solstice

A total lunar eclipse is set to take place early tomorrow morning, for those of you up and about around 6:30 am what you will initially see is a deep red glow, as the earth moves in to the path of the sun, The lunar eclipse will be over about a couple of hours and is the first to happen on a winter solstice in nearly four hundred years.

Have a good one.