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ANIMAL ATTRACTION!
28/11/02: The Animals and Friends plays the Dome on Thursday 12 December, comprising two of the original band members, John Steel and Dave Rowberry. They're joined by original Argent and Kinks bass player, Jim Rodford, Johnnie 'Guitar' Williamson of Titanic and Creedence Clearwater Revival and Pete Barton formerly with the Swinging Blue Jeans and Mindbenders.
The Animals was the second British band to top the American charts in the 1960s with the now legendary album House of the Rising Sun. They achieved over 20 global top ten hit records, many of which gained number One slot. Tickets priced at £10 adults and £8 concessions are available from the Box Office on 01524 582803.

• The Animals Official Web Site: Go

MORE FIRE STRIKES IF DEAL NOT AGREED
28/11/02: As the Firefighters' current eight-day strike ends this weekend and the government continues to insist there is no more money on the table, we await with interest the explanation for the well-deserved 17 per cent pay deal that has apparently been agreed for low-paid health service workers...
Informal contact and communication has been maintained throughout the strike between the Fire Brigades Union, the Fire Service Employers and Government. Constructive help has been forthcoming from both the General Secretary and Deputy General Secretary of the TUC to find a way forward.
The Government has admitted their modernisation agenda will mean massive cuts to the UK Fire Service. Speaking in the Commons earlier this week the Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott said 20 per cent of the UK Fire Service will be retiring in the next four years which could lead to natural wastage, paving the way for cuts.
The next strikes are currently planned to run from 0900 hours Wednesday 4 December to 0900 hours Thursday 12th December (8 days); and 0900 hours Monday 16th December to 0900 hours Tuesday 24th December (8 days). Lancaster and Morecambe are being covered by just two Green Goddesses during the strikes.

• More about the FBU Pay Campaign: Go
• Fire Safety Web Site and also here

LETTER FROM THE SUDAN
28/11/02: Our thanks to Allan Sayers, who make writing our weekly e-newsletter each week more than worthwhile. "Just thought you may be interested in someone who is probably your most remote reader," he writes. "I was born and schooled in Lancaster and currently have a home with my family in Hornby.
"I have been in the oil exploration business for 31 years and currently am on assignment in the war torn Sud (largest swamp in the world) area of southern Sudan. The news letter is an ideal method for me to keep abreast of local news and issues. Keep up the good work."
Thanks Allan - we do have a couple of readers in Australia but I don't think we have anyone else in a war zone right now. Unless someone's reading this in Iraq?

SPEND YOUR LAST PENNY!
27/11/02: Several City Council properties are up for sale next week -- including Brock Street public toilets. Despite the high rise in local property prices recently the top guide price for the sale of the property is just £50,000.
Another council property at 27 Castle Hill is being advertised at a top guide price of £55,000 and Alexandra Hall in King Street, also on sale by the auctioneers, has a recommended sale price of £225,000.
The sale of the toilets was agreed six months ago but leaves Lancaster with little 24 hour toilet provision. Lancaster's back alleys and the side of the bus station are regularly used by drinkers leaving pubs after closing time in the absence of public facillities.
Virtual-Lancaster has learnt that the replacement of the Brock Street toilets was in the capital programme that the Morecambe Bay Independents inherited from the Labour Party when they came to power. "When they cut back the capital programme they managed to earmark the residual money to refurbishment of one of the toilets in Morecambe," Coun Ian Barker told Virtual-Lancaster. "I managed to get a promise that Brock Street would be replaced the following year. However this has now been cut."
The decision not to replace Brock Street came on the recommendation of the Toilet Task group six months ago, chaired by Debbie Lee, which had the unenviable task of visiting and assessing every public toilet in the district. Roger Sherlock was the Labour representative.
"When the toilet task group report came back to Community Services, I proposed that there should be an additional toilet in Lancaster Town Centre to make up for the closure," says Green councillor Jon Barry. "We were all assured that it was too expensive to refurbish Brock Street. This was accepted by the committee and by cabinet. With this change, the report was accepted unanimously by all members, including all Labour representatives.
"When the report went to cabinet, the Green member, Gina Dowding, was the only one to disagree with the recommendations."
It seems that the money saved from the closure is to be earmarked for toilet replacement although precisely how this is to be achieved and monitored is not yet clear.
It's not all bad news for those of us caught short. The council does plan to replace the temporary toilet block on Bulk Street, for example. However the fact remains that there are very few 24 hour toilet facilities within the main shopping/ nightclub, pub/ commercial area of Lancaster. People willhave to rely on access to those in the Market and the Arndale.
"I don't think this at all satisfactory," says Ian Barker. "Apparently, given the amount of money spent in Morecambe on refurbishing toilets the attitude of the MBI is that we've all got strong bladders on this side of the river!"

• The toilets, 27 Castle Hill and Alexandra Hall were auctioned by Roy Pugh Auctioneers at the Atlantic Suite, Terminal 2, Manchester Airport on 4 December. See our subsequent story on the auction

• The Council's Toilet Task Group review of our local facilities spawned the best Council double-entendre of the year. Our moles report that one councillor revealed that "The only people who use the toilets at Heysham are the fishermen when they go in to wash their tackle..."

AN ACTION PLAN FOR MORECAMBE
27/1102: A major plan to boost Morecambe's future has been unveiled this week which aims to reinvigorate the troubled resort and attract million of pounds of investment.
The Morecambe Action Plan is the result of key partners coming together to improve the prospects for the town led by Geraldine Smith MP, Lancaster City Council Leader Coun Patricia Heath, the Council's Cabinet member for Regeneration Coun James Airey, Coun Coun Brian Johnson for Lancashire County Council, Roger Owen of Morrisons and representatives of the North West Development Agency. Together they have overseen a leading firm of regeneration consultants in the production of an ambitious plan which, they believe, offers a new approach and some radical action to help Morecambe achieve its vision of being recognised as a vital and vibrant coastal resort with a sustainable economy and stable resident community.
The partnership is advocating an approach where the public sector will need to lead and encourage change but where that change will be delivered by the private sector operating in a way that will deliver lasting quality for residents and visitors alike.
It's felt that previous approaches have concentrated on individual problems, key buildings, without recognising that all the different parts of the resort depend on each other and that a problem in one area can be a problem for the whole resort.
The Morecambe Action Plan proposes to deliver positive change on all the key problems rather than focusing on some areas at the expense of others. So, the plan will aim to tackle at the same time:

• The key development site in the central promenade area alongside the redevelopment of landmark buildings such as the Midland and the Victoria Pavilion
• The revitalisation of the existing town centre
• The stabilisation of the West End through radical clearance and redevelopment
• The marketing and image of the town.

The plan is ambitious but the partnership believes that ambition is needed and that our sights should be set high if we are going to achieve real change. A strong base exists for us to build on including:

• The nationally recognised TERN project which has changed the promenade
• The previous redevelopment around the old station site which has resulted in a core of facilities including the multi screen cinema, bowling alley and arts and entertainment venues
• The ambitious investment by Morrisons in developing the former Frontierland site into a destination shopping venue
• The Neighbourhood Management Initiative in Poulton that is pioneering new and innovative ways of delivering public services to meet local needs.

This strong base coupled with an ambitious plan will give the town something to aim for - a town that gives residents a quality of life that can be envied and visitors an experience that demands a repeat visit.
"Morecambe deserves to have an ambitious plan to reviatlise its fortunes," Geraldine Smith told the Morecambe Visitor.
A final draft of the Plan will be posted on the Council's website next week and there will also be a number of public meetings to discuss the proposals
Following the consultation the next stage will be to finalise the Plan and seek the endorsement of key bodies as a precursor to funding bids.

• The Morecambe Visitor is taking a major part in the consultation process and this week's edition (27/11/02) includes a response form and extensive information on the plan

GREENS BACK CO-OP PLAN
27/11/02: After council leader Tricia Heath publicly rejected plans for "big box" retail development at a recent meeting (news story here), Green councillors have proposed a motion to the full council meeting of Lancaster City Council on development in the vital canal corridor part of Lancaster. If passed, the motion will give backing to the MusicianÕs Co-op plans for improvements to their premises (see below) and their wishes to remain in their current location.
Lancaster City Council recently published a Development Brief for the area bordered by Moor Lane, the Canal and St Leonard Gate. This includes the site of the former brewery, the two theatres, the musicians co-op, and the site of cleared terraced housing that is currently used for car parking.
The site has attracted interest from Cheleverton/Carillion, the developers of the adjacent Comet, Curries and Halfords 'big-box' retail units and from a local residents group Real Planning for Lancaster.
"It's vital that the Council creates the right development on the canal corridor," commented Cllr Jon Barry. "This is a wonderful opportunity to create a mix of housing, small businesses and green space that the city can be proud of. It's also an opportunity to recognise the cultural importance to our city of organisations such as the MusicianÕs co-op and to allow the co-op to flourish and expand."

• Read the Motion in Full: Go Non java link: Go
• The Full Council meeting is to take place on 11 December

WHEELIE WELL DONE!
28/11/02: Congratulations! That's Lancaster City Council's messages to the 7,200 households in Hest Bank, Carnforth, Bolton-le-Sands, Slyne, Warton, Silverdale and Yealand for their tremendous efforts during the first month of the council's pilot waste and recycling scheme. (And we bet no-one fell into a bin like Emmerdale's Viv Hope, either).
Local households have responded well to the changes following the introduction of wheeled bin and recycling boxes. In just four weeks they have diverted 350 tonnes of waste from landfill -- the equivalent to the weight of 63 African elephants!

This waste consisted of 200 tonnes of compostable garden waste and 150 tonnes of dry recyclables (glass, cans, paper, textiles and cardboard). For each tonne of paper we recycle it saves 15 average sized tree, as well as their surrounding habitat and wildlife.
Prior to the new kerbside collection scheme, many households would not have taken the time to segregate their waste or may not have had access to the bring sites at supermarkets etc, so this new collection method allows households to recycle their rubbish in the comfort of their own home.
The City Council says it has been encouraged by the support of households participating in the scheme and would like to thank them for their support during this period of change.
"We appreciate there has been a lot of upheaval for householders and there have been a few teething problems," said a spokesperson. "All the public comments have been keenly welcomed and refuse operatives are pleased with efforts of all parties to make it as smooth a transition as possible."
As the scheme progresses the Council will carry out further customer satisfaction surveys to assist in the scheme development.

• If you want more information please call 0800 092 9705. The council would also like to encourage households in the rest of the district to continue their recycling efforts. For more information on your nearest recycling site please call the freephone number.

CHELVERTON TELL US WHAT WE WANT
26/11/02: Chelverton, the property developer interested in Lancaster's canal corridor site, outlined their thoughts last week for a supermarket and road for the Kingsway and canal corridor sites in Lancaster.
Representatives Alan Mitchell and Simon Morgan told the meeting that they felt it was not relevant to consult the public at this stage about their plans, considered the opinions of Real Planning for Lancaster's recent public consultation to be irrelevant, and that they were not going to follow the council's own development brief for the site which calls for the creation of an Arts Quarter.
They may make a formal planning application in Summer 2003 if their own consultation plans proceed to plan.
Chelverton's visit was at the invitation of Hilton Dawson M.P. to a meeting of an invited group of local business representatives (the Dukes, The Grand Theatre, Dance Incorporated), organisations (Real Planning for Lancaster, Homeless Action, the Musician's Co-op) and councillors after turning down invitations to talk to a public meeting.
Their plans for a supermarket on the Kingsway site are financially driven, and all other parts of their plans for the canal corridor site would be related to this.
This development will not include any large department stores, but may include "big box" retail units like the units on North Road housing Currys, Comet and Halfords that were built by Chelverton (but are no longer owned by them). They are undertaking transport and retail surveys with a view to formulating an outline planning application next summer.
Currently Carillion / Chelverton own The Crown Inn, the Nether Lune Works oppostie Gladstone Terrace, Falcon and Earnshaws and have "options to buy" on the Mitchells Brewery site, the Spiritualist Church and the Sowerby familly's garage and land.
Alistair Kirkbride explained that the public consultation which was being carried out by the Real Planning for Lancaster group had not received a single request or mention for another supermarket. "People are calling loud and clear for green space near to the town centre, quality affordable housing, recreation spaces for people of all ages, small business units and the development of the cultural quarter.
"People want the development to be something to be proud of and which attracts people, businesses, investment and attention to Lancaster - how will another supermarket achieve this? Getting this vision right from the outset is the key to good planning, whereas tying on these things as extras later seems like tokenism."
Simon Morgan, Chelverton's representative, pointed out that their view was that there is no point meeting the public at this stage in the planning process. They claim that the public will be consulted once they have the drafts of some plans to discuss with them, though those plans will be based around a supermarket and a road.
This was met with some disbelief by the meeting, and Phoebe Rates (from the Grand Theatre) pointed out that the public has justifiable concerns that should be addressed, even if that is only to explain to the public what they had explained to the meeting.
Simon Morgan suggested that their proposals would probably not be in tune with the Council's development brief for the site.
Tricia Heath stated at a public meeting on 12 November that the council would not consider as serious proposals that do not follow the brief.
"We have a good development brief for this site," says Alistair Kirkbride, "yet there is only one developer in the frame who have stated that they are ignoring the brief. I have yet to hear an answer as to why other developers who have more expertise in this type of development, which is wanted by the council and supported by the public, have not been approached. How do we find the answers to these fundamental questions?"
There will be a public meeting about the development at St Thomas's Church on 12 December.

• Read more about CR Chelverton's diabolical plans for central Lancaster

GREEN GATHERING
25/11/02: A number of local musicians will be performing at the Green Christmas Fair on Saturday 30 November at the Friends Meeting House in Lancaster. These include guitarists and singers Pat Simmonds, Kate Howden, Jonathan Hirst and Pete Button together with Alan Noel playing bagpipes and John Cantor on the trumpet. Loads of stalls, tasty food and guest appearance from Father Christmas. Open 10.00 - 4.00.

LEAVE LIFE IN YOUR SOLES FOR 3RD WORLD
25/11/02: Shoe recycling is the latest part of Lancaster City Council's drive to help the environment and stop rubbish being dumped in tips.
Old shoes could help people from the Third World and Eastern Europe and people across the district are being asked to take their old shoes to one of 15 new shoe-recycling bank. The shoe banks have been introduced by the City Council's Recycling Team, which has joined forces with a European Recycling Firm.

"Around 260 million pairs of shoes are bought every year across the UK, explains Ruth Edwards, Recycling Officer at the City Council. "We believe most of them end up in landfill sites. Shoes are things people don't know what to do with when they no longer need them. This provides the perfect answer."

Most of the shoes collected from the banks will be taken to developing countries where people don't have access to new shoes.
"This is a great opportunity to clear out all those old shoes lurking at the bottom of the cupboard," Ruth added. "They will be put to good use rather than wastefully being dumped. All we ask is that shoes are given to us in pairs and they are put securely in plastic bags so they stay together."
The European Recycling Company will collect the shoes from the recycling banks, which take them to a sorting centre in the UK.

HOW YOUR CO-OP COULD BE!
25/11/02: Members of Lancaster Musicians Co-operative have put forward ambitious plans for their vision of the Co-op's future, which they hope, will ensure its survival and improve the facilities for the hundreds of local musicians who pass through its doors.
The plan involves submitting a planning application which details numerous improvements in the facilities, including purpose-built rehearsal and recording rooms, a café and a shop to cater for local musicians needs. A 300 capacity venue, designed to fill a niche in Lancaster's entertainment is also being proposed.
The venue has been designed to complement existing nightspots such as the Gregson, the Yorkshire House and the Sugarhouse -- providing live music -- but the Co-op aims to cater for up and coming circuit bands which would be too big for the Gregson or Yorky but would only half fill the Sugarhouse. It would also provide new Lancaster bands with an opportunity to play in front of a larger than normal audience.
The existing facilities, although very practical and ingenious in their use of soundproofing, do require major improvements. ItÕs hoped that a regeneration of the Co-op would provide modern standard, purpose built areas, meeting all current recommendations on soundproofing and customer comfort.
The City Council has stated that there is no plan at present to sell off the building used by the Musician's Co-op, and hopefully the cabinet would consider any request for a lease, which would allow the group to bid for outside funding. The current licence of occupation prevents the Co-op from applying for grant or lottery funding.
Lancaster Musician's Co-op is a non-profit making organisation dedicated to providing musical services at affordable rates for all.
Formed in 1985 by seven former university students the venue is now entirely self-financing, opening seven days a week. More than 50 bands a week travel from as far afield as Manchester and Cumbria to use the facilities.
As Ian Dicken, one of the Co-opÕs members, points out, with no advertising budget or external funding, this has been achieved entirely through word of mouth.
Bands have travelled from London to use the studio facilities and the BBC has recorded band sessions there, including CDs for string quartets through to punk trios.
Some notable names got their earliest breaks thanks to the co-op. Top producer Paul Tipler, who now works with everyone from Stereolab to Idlewild, cut his musical teeth at the co-op, while members of bands including James, Travis and 3 Colours Red [note, fan link] all started out at Lodge Street. Then, of course, there, are the homegrown talents of Lancaster bands like The Milltown Brothers and Angelica. Both went on from shaky early practice sessions and demos recorded at the co-op to secure record contracts and festival appearances.
If the Co-op is granted planning permission and the council agrees to renegotiate the terms of occupation then the future of the Co-op looks bright. Many would see this as the CouncilÕs golden opportunity to show the residents of Lancaster their commitment to the District Local Plan Development Brief.

• The planning application will be submitted on Tuesday 26 November 2002.