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SEARCHING FOR SPACE!
8/5/06: Theatre group Private Ambulance are looking for a performance space for their new work, Flood.
Flood is an intimate live performance piece designed for an audience of eight people, an evolving montage of dreamt and lived images exploring concepts of home and lostness in city space. Weaving poetry and gesture through playful audience interaction it questions our notions of owning and relating to our environment. Using flood as metaphor it washes away the footprints of past journeys to begin again, to rediscover our space anew.
"Our young company, Private Ambulance, is a collaboration between two theatre artists spanning the distance between Lancaster and London," explains Chloe Layla. "We create through a process of visual poetry, metaphor and play, work that engages with contemporary issues of human/space relationships. Encompassing geography, architecture, memory and interaction, Private Ambulance articulates the unsaid through a shared visceral performance language."
Flood will be performed on 16th-18th June as part of National Architecture week and the enterprise ’06 season at The Space, London. It is also part of the MA practice as research course run by Lancaster Institute of Contemporary Arts.
"We're looking for a performance space in Lancaster for the 24th June, allowing for a one day get in before and if possible for the weekend of 10th-11th June for development before hand," says Chloe.
The group needs a space, which can facilitate small-scale performance work, which is approximately 8mx4m, with at least 4-plug sockets/or access to extensions. The ideal space will be a) able to support a temporary twine rig and b) suitable for a performance which plays with water.
Private Ambulance are open to adaptation for different spaces and would very much like to hear from any possible space owners in Lancaster or anyone interested in supporting the project in its further development.
• If you can help us out please contact Chloe Layla on 07812993002 or chloelayla@hotmail.com.

PERSONAL SERVICES FROM THE GUARDIAN
8/5/06 (thanks to Ivan O' Pinion): Apologies to the hard-working journalists at Lancaster's paid for paper, but we couldn't resist reporting some wry bemusement resulting from a scan of this week's Lancaster Guardian. In the 5 May 2006 edition there's a report headlined "Massage parlour charges", detailing some shenanigans that were going on at "Bay Babes" which confidently describes itself as "Morecambes (sic) No 1 massage parlour".
Apparently, according to the report, Don Green prosecuting stated that "Services of sexual intercourse were provided" (gasp, horror) at that esteemed massage parlour.
However, on page 18 of the same paper, in the "Personal Services" section, there's a paid advertisement for "Bay Babes! Morecambes (sic) No 1 massage parlour"!
What should we conclude about the Lancaster Guardian's editorial policy on prostitution, then, since it has been advertising the services of this particular establishment for several months?

TRUTH WILL OUT: LIBRARIES 'NOT IMPORTANT' CLAIM
05/5/06: County Councillor Chris Cheetham, the prime mover in the County Council's closure of nine Lancashire libraries, including facilities at Caton, Warton and Hest Bank, has claimed people in the county do not regard libraries, museums, culture and the arts as important services - and then tried to suppress publication of his astonishing views.
The claim was made in an e-mail to Virtual-Lancaster contributor John Freeman back in March, but Mr Cheetham then refused permission for his e-mail to be published, hiding behind the vague "confidentiality" footer that is automatically attached to all County Council e-mail.
Feeling his astonishing claims were in the public interest, Virtual-Lancaster requested copies of the e-mail under the Freedom of Information Act. The County Council's Freedom of Information officer clearly agreed with us, and has supplied copies of the e-mail.
The County closed three local libraries in Caton, Warton, Hest Bank and others in Lancashire (see earlier story) last week, and frustrated a last-minute protest by local people planning a sit-in at Caton Library by closing it two hours early.
Virtual-Lancaster contributor John Freeman wrote to all local Labour County Councillors three times after the closures were decided at a County Council meeting to set the level of council tax, in an effort to secure some explanation for their support for the library cuts, adding to protests from many local people. None of the councillors offered an explanation for following the Labour whip and voting for the closures. Instead, they forwarded all correspondence to Councilor Cheetham who finally responded on 10 March, dismissing concerns at the lack of consultation with local people over the closures, the damage to rural communities and the attack on the arts, culture and education in Lancashire.
"I am not convinced that your views represent the majority of people in Lancashire based on our surveys which show people generally do not regard services like libraries, museums, culture and the arts as important services unlike you," Councillor Cheetham, who is Cabinet Member for Adult and Community Services, wrote, trying to justify the closure of nine libraries out of 85 in Lancashire.
Councillor Cheetham said the County Council was not "happy closing libraries" but was "convinced that we have had no choice in this matter." He dismissed the alternatives proposed at the County Council meeting which agreed the closures by Conservatives and Liberal Democrats - particularly an end to the County's much vilified newspaper, Vision, which costs £465,000 to produce. (The nine libraries annual budget is £141,000).

"The figures for the registered and active borrowers as well as the costs and books issued are based on the County Council's own records," he continued, revealing the evidence used to make the closures. He made no comment on the lack of consultation with local people about the plans, which have outraged many residents, which has been widely reported in all the local press.
Responding to claims that Labour councillors ignored a 1500-strong petition protesting the closures, Cheetham simply dismissed it. "The fact is that more people signed the petitions for the libraries to remain open than actively used them."
(Since the closure was announced, Caton residents have raised some £2000 in pledges to help keep their libarry open -- a clear signal that the village does consider the facility more important than the County Council gives them credit for).
For the County Council, Cheetham revealed the cost of the library closures is purely down to economics. "As a measure of value for money the cost per book issued at Warton is in excess of £1, at Hest Bank it is over 98p and at Caton it is over 76p. The cost of Vision per household is 84p per year for comparison." (For many local people, that's still 84p which could be better spent elsewhere).
As for Lancashire County Council's statutory obligations to support libraries, Cheetham has found a way out of that.
"We are required to ensure that 85% of the residents of Lancashire live within two miles of a Library to meet the standards set by Government," he says. "Before these closures 94.5 per cent of Lancashire's population lived within two miles of a Library and after the closures 94.4 per cent live within two miles. In addition I would refer your to [Culture Minister] Mr Lammy's response to [a] question in the House of Commons on our closures when he said 'Although I regret any library closure, I do not believe that Lancashire's decision puts them in breach of their statutory duty to provide a comprehensive and efficient library service.'"
What Councillor Cheetham neglected to mention was that although the Minister had no current plans to intervene in the Council's library closures scheme, he also told the House of Commons, "I reserve my position to intervene and will watch the emerging situation closely."

Campaign continues - as does Vision
At present, there seems little hope for the libraries, although campaigners continue to battle the closures and City Council leader Ian Barker is supporting an effort to re-open the libraries, perhaps run by volunteers, as has been done elsewhere in the UK.
Under the Council's own rules, once a decision of the Council has been made an item it cannot be revisited for at least six months. "In addition, as this is a budgetary issue any attempt to reverse the decision would require compensating reductions to be made elsewhere," says Councillor Cheetham.
Alternatives such as not publishing Vision, perhaps? That seems unlikely, particularly given the way organisations such as Lancashire County Council are following government's lead and making every effort to support all policy making with extensive marketing as if they were a corporate brand.
"Despite your views and those of your contacts on Vision, which are not shared by many people in Lancashire," says Councillor Cheetham, "I am not convinced that it would be a sensible alternative to cease production of the paper."

A national disgrace
Library closures have met with protests and criticism nationally. In March 2005, a report by the House of Commons Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee which found 50% of library services were "persistently below standard" after decades of underfunding. In March, Publishing News reported that the the Conservative Party added to its criticisms of the Labour government's library policy, using World Book Day to express concern over current direction.
Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Hugo Swire, praised the Quick Reads initiative but asked the Government for more long-term literacy planning involving libraries. "It is imperative that initiatives are supported by a long-term infrastructure whereby libraries provide good quality and up to date books. It's unacceptable that library services have been allowed to slip during recent years to the extent that the services offered by half of libraries are considered less than adequate.
"Not only has the stock of books fallen by more than 20%, but the number of books issued has decreased by 36%." He added, "All Labour can do is to impose greater bureaucratic standards and centrally driven targets, rather than concentrating on the core issue at hand which is the quality and quantity of books."
"I have never, ever received what I felt to be such a rude reply to a complaint from an elected representative of Lancashire County Council in my life," says John Freeman of Councillor Cheetham's response to his letter, describing the library closures as "cultural barbarism.
"It was bad enough that not one local Labour county councillor had the good grace to address the concerns I raised in my letters of protest, " he says, "Not even my direct representative Nicki Penney. But to have received such an arrogant reply such as Councillor Cheetham's simply beggars belief.
"For him to then refuse permsission for his views to be published, forcing us to make a FOI request, simply beggars belief.
"His assertion that people do not regard services like libraries as important services flies in the face of the storm of protest following proposals to close Lancaster Museum, which led to its takeover by Lancashire County Council," John added. "All I can say is, God help that museum and others in the face of such unfettered hostility.
"The Council has a slogan, "Everyone Matters"... that simply doesn't ring true with me."

An appalling decision
Local Liberal Democrats are calling on local people to return copies of the Vision to County Hall, to show County Councillors what they think of the paper. Local Liberal Democrat councillor Stuart Langhorn has offered to deliver them to County Hall.
The Lancaster Guardian reported today (5/5/06) that Coun Stuart Langhorn, who lives in Brookhouse, had called upon County Coun Chris Cheetham - who is responsible for the decision - to visit Caton to explain his decision to villagers, and was furious their planned protest on the last day Caton Library's was open had been frustrated by early closure.
"This is typical of the way the county has behaved over this affair," he told the paper. "They have taken the decision in Preston and no one has dared come out here to talk to the village about what can be done."
"We are told that this is an excellent authority which listens to its people, but we have been saying for three months now that we don't want this library to shut. "There was no negotiation, it was absolutely appalling."

Send copies of Vision to:

Stuart Langhorn
5 Hawthorn Close
Brookhouse
Lancaster
LA2 9NR

(We would like to point out that Liberal Democrat councillors in other parts of the UK are more than happy to publish their own cou/ncil newspapers).

FIRES IN THE DARKNESS
2/5/06: Read an exclusive interview with Lancaster woman Naomi Chapple of the local charity, Stepping Stones Nigeria, by Sally Perkins Read More...

A DAMP SQUIB?
2/5/06, by John O'Gaunt: I was expecting a huge police presence and, possibly a scuffle or two, when the Lancaster Trades Union Congress road show barn stormed its way into Market square in Lancaster on Saturday for its pre May Day extravaganza. Sadly, there seemed to be only about ten souls (11, if you count a rather bored looking dog there with its owner) willing to listen.
Brian Penney beseeched the crowd (such as it was) with a series of questions from the podium that he was presumably asking of Tony Blair and practically the entire Labour Cabinet, but what he didn't seem to realize was that his microphone was set at "Who" rock concert levels and what came out was little more than a welter of feed back. I did however catch "are you incompetent", obviously aimed at Ms Hewitt and Messrs Clarke and Prescott. When I looked around they were not in the audience so I thought I would help him out by reponding "No but I'm incontinent" which got the best laugh of the day and glares from the podium.
Councillor Whitaker was amongst those present, but in what capacity I don't know because as the Labour party "whip" (I always think there's something rather kinky about whips) on Lancaster City Council, he must have found it decidedly discomforting as the Labour Government received a thorough (and thoroughly deserved) lambasting and come to think of it, he did look decidedly uncomfortable.
It was a lovely spring morning and although Market Square was thronged with shoppers, and very few of them seemed to want to become inveigled with the politics of the LATUC. When a friend of mine spotted me and sauntered over, he quietly asked me "Who are these clowns?". That, I am afraid, seemed to encapsulate the entire mood of the event.

Previous stories: April 2006