02 MAST CAMPAIGN GETS MP'S BACKING
26/2/05: Local MP Geraldine Smith is backing Skerton residents campaigning against phone masts erected without planning permission on Slyne Road, asking o2 to look at a more appropriate site. She has helped distribute campaign literature and posters for the campaigners, who want mobile phone giant 02 to move the masts away from local housing and two local primary schools. Geraldine visited the site with the local planning inspector on Wednesday, who will now rule on whether the mast can remain in its current location on the basis of "visual impact.
"The jury is still out on mobile phones," Geraldine told Virtual-Lancaster. "But there are such a lot of families with children living in the area and that has sparked concern. I can understand that's why people don't like the phone mast where it is." The government recently advised that young children should not use mobile phones, although they still consider that phone masts do not pose a proven health risk.
At a recent meeting, O2 told residents they themselves were unhappy with the siting of the mast on land owned by Kitchen Design so close to adjacent properties. They claim they were forced into erecting where they had because the City Council had refused them planning permission for phone masts disguised as flag poles. (In their original application -- see this PDF document on the Council web site, 02 gave no indication the flag poles would be phone masts!)
Residents are furious that neither local residents, schools or councillors were consulted about the plans. In fact, 02's claims they had sent out letters advising of their plans at a recent meeting were shot down in flames when the schools denied receiving any letters - and it seems letters supposedly sent to local councillors had been sent to the wrong councillors!

ACTION URGED ON SUDAN 1 FOOD SCARE
26/5/02: Lancaster City Council's Environmental Health Service are asking all caterers and smaller retailers to check their stores and shelves to ensure that affected products are removed from sale. Despite widespread coverage in the national media, Environmental Health staff have found that the majority of catering establishments contacted to date were unaware or thought it did not apply to them or assumed that it only related to Worcester sauce.
A full list of affected products, which is being updated regularly, can be viewed on the Food Standards Agency website at www.food.gov.uk and the Council is urging food proprietors to cross check against the list on a daily basis. To date 419 products including soups, sauces, ready meals, pate, crisps, relishes, salad dressings, pizzas, gravy granules, and drinks such as tomato juice have been identified.

MORECAMBE PLANS GET COUNCIL BACKING
26/2/05: Plans to regenerate Morecambe's West End were backed by Lancaster councillors on Tuesday -- but they've dropped controversial proposals to build on the Battery area and the promenade. After public consultation the areas were earmarked as open spaces.
It's hoped work will now begin in April.
"The plan has a lot of support from key agencies," says Coun Abbott Bryning, "and will, if agreed, see work start on reviving the West End and making it a better place to live.
"With the renewal of the West End happening at the same time as the refurbishment of the Midland Hotel, we are on track with our plans to see Morecambe become a prime location to live, work and play."
The plans do not have the universal support of West End residents, with claims that the Council have made no audit of the local population statistics and have built a flawed strategy on guesswork, which in fact will drive away the young semi-professional families they hoped to attract. Read their views here

SAFETY PARTNERSHIP SEEKS DRAFT STRATEGY VIEWS
26/1/05: Lancaster District Community Safety Partnership has now published its new draft strategy for 2005-2008 and want to hear your views.
Every three years, the CSP, made up of the district and county councils, the police and fire services, probation, health and other local bodies ask the local residents for their opinions and experiences of crime. These views help shape a new strategy aimed at reducing local crime and, in turn, the fear of it.
The strategy, which sets out the aims of the partnership for the next three years, highlights the areas of crime needing urgent attention and the crime preventing projects to be allocated funding is now available for residents to view and the CSP are keen to hear your views.
The draft strategy is open to public consultation for twos week from Monday, 28 February and can be found in the Community Safety Partnership's pages of Lancaster City Council's website: www.lancaster.gov.uk. A hard copy is also available by contacting Lancaster City Council's Community Safety Officer, Michelle Emery on 01524 582059.

ON YOUR BIKES!
26/2/05: Dynamo, Lancaster's & District Cycle Campaign has organised a ride to Carnnforth this Sunday (27 February -- if the roads aren't icy) then to Capernwray and Over Kellet. Anyone with a roadworthy cycle, a puncture repair kit and a waterproof is welcome.
It's about seven miles along the canal towpath to Carnforth, and then another 12 or so hillier miles back to Lancaster the long way. There aren't any likely cafes en route, I'm afraid, so please bring some food to keep you going. The group can stop for a coffee at the Eagle and Child pub in Over Kellet if they fancy it.
Meet at 10.30 p.m. on the Skerton end of the Millennium Bridge. More info: tel 01524 63641.

BROUGHT TO BOOK!
26/2/05: Lancaster's Spotlight Club is offering a free bookmaking workshop for writers this weekend, taking place on Sunday at the Gregson, Lancaster. This workshop will focus on book structures and technical issues of bookmaking. Emphasis will be on the process of developing ideas for individually designed books, pamphlets and chap-cards.
The day also offers writers the opportunity to make a variety of formats using simple fold-down techniques and traditional binding methods to produce small handmade examples.
Materials and handouts will be provided but writers are asked to bring samples of material you might want to incorporate into books. If you have any queries please contact Tracey: the-snug@lockley-mansell.wanadoo.co.uk

PUBLIC EXHIBITIONS FOR CARNFORTH REGENERATION PLAN
26/2/05, dated revised 1/3/05: A public consultation of Carnforth's Urban Design Uplift will include a series of events, exhibitions and a presentation by lead consultants Austin-Smith:Lord in the town next week.
Carnforth is the focus of a comprehensive regeneration project funded through the Market Towns Initiative. Austin-Smith: Lord were appointed in November 2004, as lead consultants responsible for co-ordinating a masterplan for the town which looks at traffic problems, tourism potential, residential development and leisure facilities in Carnforth, and aims to improve the environment for residents, business and visitors.
Members of the public can take part and contribute to the regeneration of the town, by offering comments on the draft proposals at a series of organised events taking place in Carnforth next week. These will allow residents an opportunity to gain a greater understanding of the proposed plans and to express their views and opinions that will then be taken into account during the production of the final masterplan.
Events will be taking place as follows:
+ Tuesday, 1 March, CARP Office from 10.00am onwards - Exhibition
+Wednesday 2 March Carnforth Regeneration Plan Exhibition 10.00am - 5.00pm Carnforth Station
Wednesday 2 March Presentation by Austin Smith: Lord 6pm Carnforth Station.
Thursday 3 March Carnforth Regeneration Plan Exhibition 10.00am - 5.00pm CARP Office, Council Buildings, Market Street, Carnforth.

SINGALONG CANNED?
26/5/05: The Pier Hotel in Morecambe has been told by Lancaster City Council it needs a licence to host the Old Time Music Hall weekly singalong for pensioners has been ordered to halt the event or face a £20,000 fine. Licensee of The Pier, Janet Kirk, told the BBC: "A £20,000 fine is too much," describing the threat as "too heavy handed".

NEW HIV/AIDS FEARS
26/5/05: On the day that provisional HIV/AIDS figures for 2004 were published, health officials stressed the need for people to take responsibility for their sexual health and avoid "risk behaviour".
"We're seeing year-on-year increases in HIV infection," says Professor Qutub Syed, Director, Health Protection Agency North West, "which would appear to indicate that many people are disregarding the safer sex message.

PLAYGROUND PROGRESS
26/5/05: Three projects to give play areas in Lancaster a facelift are making good progress, helped by grants from the Lancaster Single Regeneration Budget (SRB) programme. New play equipment is being installed at playgrounds in Mount Avenue and Derby Road and a field at the Ramparts is to be fitted with new five-a-side football goal posts.

GOGGLE EYED!
26/5/05: One in seven people in Lancashire and Cumbria have named the television as the household electrical item they could least do without, in a poll to explore people's dependence and attitudes on electricity. The survey comes ahead of a tour of the North West by a Department of Trade and Industry educational vehicle to promote understanding of renewable energy. More info: www.dti.gov.uk/renewables

LOCAL FREIGHT TRANSPORT REPORT
25/2/05: The next meeting of the campaign against the Northern Bypass will be at the Vale of Lune Rugby Club, Powder House Lane, Lancaster (just off Torrisholme Road) on 7.30 - 9.00pm, Tuesday 8 March.
Virtual-Lancaster has identified four main issues arising from the debate: Congestion; Freight Transport; Regeneration; and Environmental Impact. A series of updateable reports on each of these issues is in preparation (your contributions are welcome!).
The second of these, on Freight Transport and the Link to Heysham Port, appears today on the website.
Read it here.

PROTEST AT YOUR PERIL!
26/5/05: Not enough laws to deal with protestors? Yeah right, how about:
-- 1986 Public Order Act
-- 1992 Trade Union Act
-- 1994 Criminal Justice and Public Order Act
-- 1997 Protection from Harrassment Act
-- 2000 Terrorism Act
-- 2001 Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act
-- 2001 Criminal Justice and Police Act
-- 2003 Anti-Social Behaviour Act
-- 2004 Civil Contingencies Act
Coming Soon: Serious and Organised Crime Act, and some more anti-terrorism powers. That'll stop those pesky Torrisholme residents complaining about the Northern Bypass. How dare they cause "another blow for motorists" (the Lancaster Guardian's take on the groundswell of rising opposition to a road plan that will do very little to ease Lancaster's congestion problems. Do they have share in Tarmac or something?)

MAKING POVERTY HISTORY BY MAKING THE G8 HONEST
23/2/05, updated 26/2/05: About 100 people gathered in Lancaster Methodist Church on Wednesday, Lancaster on 23/2/05 to mark the launch a local coalition of groups and individuals in support of the Make Poverty History Campaign. The Campaign aims to exert influence on the G7 and G8 Summits - meetings of the world's richest and most powerful nations: the USA, Japan, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Russia, and the UK. The EU nations are also a focus for the campaign to encourage these governments to make radical moves toward the eradication of the current glaringly unjust global trade system and toward provision of sufficient and effective aid.
The current third world debt burden is so great that it suffocates any chance of recovery.
There will be a public meeting on Monday 14 March in Lancaster Town Hall's Banqueting Suite to discuss issues raised by the G8 summit which will take place in the UK this year.
The meeting will discuss the role of the G8, how it affects our lives, what are people doing about it and how you can get involved in campaigns voicing concern at the actions of these nations.
The evening will conclude with a film and light refreshments. Donations welcome.
The meeting which starts at 7.30pm is children-friendly and accessible to those with disabilities. For further information, contact cre8@lancasteraction.co.uk or call 07875 272 176
You can get the campaign news and find out how to get involved at www.virtual-lancaster.net/g8/mph.htm
See http://www.makepovertyhistory.co.uk
See http://www.jubileedebtcampaign.org.uk

LOCAL MEDIA HACKER BRINGS YOU ACCESS TO
'CRAZY RULERS' AUTHOR
23/2/05: RINF.com is a locally-based news and information website. Jon Ronson is a writer and documentary film maker. His book, 'Them: Adventures With Extremists', was a UK bestseller. His three part Channel 4 series 'The Crazy Rulers of the World' was broadcast on Channel 4 throughout Nov 2004. This week you have the opportunity to interview Jon by posting questions for him on the RINF website. The answers will be published next week.
See www.rinf.com/articles/jon-ronson.html

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