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Previous stories: 1 - 15 September 2006

HOPE FOR THE MIDDLE EAST
27/9/06: The conflict in the Middle East appears bitter, cruel and endless but Israeli Sarah and Palestinian Saif are visiting Lancaster this week with an inspiring message of peace and justice - involving a lot of hard work (and, I suspect, some considerable personal risk).
They will be speaking at the Lancaster Friends Meeting House this Thursday 28 September at 7.30pm as part of the joint Israeli / Palestinian "Anarchists against the Wall" movement.
This is one of the few chances in the UK to see members of this amazing group on their European speaking tour.
Saif & Sarah will be in Lancaster to show a film and talk about their grassroots non-violent resistance to the Apartheid Wall being erected by the Israeli state. The event is free and all are welcome.
For more info about the work they are doing see www.squat.net/antiwall

LANCASTER & MORECAMBE: TOP TOURIST OFFICES
27/9/06: First Morecambe TIC won the 'TIC of the year' award from the Lancashire and Blackpool Tourist Board (again!). And now Lancaster Tourist Information Centre has scored 100% in the Customer Care category of the mystery shopper assessment.
The independent company commissioned by the North west development Agency carried out anonymous visits, made telephone calls and sent e-mails during the summer and in all these categories the staff achieved a score of 100%. The overall score for the TIC was 94% compared to an average score of 76% across the network of 72 TICs in the North West region.
Cabinet Member with responsibility for Tourism, Councillor Ron Sands commented, "Only the physical restraints of the Tourist Informtion Centre being in an old building prevented an even higher score for the Lancaster TIC and the customer care score of 100% can not be bettered. The staff are second to none."
Ron is currently battling to prevent Morecambe Tourist Office from being moved off the seafront by the Councy Council and into Morecambe Library.

CAR-FREE DAY? NOT AT ST MARTINS
25/9/06: After reading about last Friday's 'In Town Without My Car Day' promotion set up by the City Council's Celebrate Cycling Project, Robert Poole wrote to us: "I work at one of the biggest traffic generators in the district, St Martin's College, and it's as if it had never happened. Not a poster. Not an e-mail. Not a sausage. Zilch. This is the first I've heard of it. Just students with cars, staff with cars, and more cars, and cars again, all over the grass verges and surrounding streets. St Martin's likes to proclaim its green travel policy, and every year around this time has to wave its green credentials to fend off the annual howls of rage about parking from local residents who think it should be tarmacked over, so you would think it would be a natural for car-free day."
However progress is about to happen, hurrah! On behalf of St Martin's College, Darren Leedsom (who walks to work), replies, "The College has been working hard for some time on long term projects to manage parking on and around the campus, including discouraging students from bringing cars to College, promoting the use of public transport, encouraging car pooling among staff and talks delivered to students by our Community Police team at induction about parking responsibly and showing consideration to our neighbours if they park off campus. 
"Today also sees the launch of a new X1 bus service between St Martin's, Lancaster University and Lancaster Railway Station which runs every 15-20 minutes throughout the day from 8.10am, which will make even easier for staff and students to get to campus without a car.  The College and the University are subsidising the Stagecoach-run bus service with £17,500 each for the first twelve months.  The College's contribution is coming from its Green Transport Fund, which is money raised from the not-for-profit car parking charges on campus used to fund alternative transport initiatives."
The X1 timetable is included in bus timetable leaflet 130 or can be downloaded online from www.ucsm.ac.uk/location/lancaster or www.lancs.ac.uk/users/transport
We'd be interested to hear if there's any improvement to the appalling car-parking nightmare experienced by residents of the many streets near the college which are choked up throughout the day by staff and students' cars.
If anyone has switched from car to bus to get to St Martin's we'd love to hear about it.
Come on St Martins, how about a car-free day then?

(WHITE) CROSS YOUR PALM WITH SILVER
25/9/06: If you are looking for a great way to meet new people, learn and share creatively and knock out a few christmas presents hers's a great opportunity - check out the Silver Jewellery - Making - Further Techniques courses at the Adult College, White Cross.
The classes are for people with some previous experience of this craft who wish to continue to develop and refine their technical and design skills at their own pace in a friendly group setting. They are run as a workshop with teaching and support from experienced tutor Sian Peters.
Times are Thursday evenings 6.30 - 8.30 and Friday mornings 10 -12. The course runs until 8th December and you shouldn't worry if you miss the start of the courses - they're designed so that you can join late too. For further information or to enrol contact the Adult College on (01524) 60141 or 581269 or look online at www.theadultcollege.org
There are many, many other courses starting over this week and next (it's where our editor learnt all her IT skills!) so don't miss out.

FREE WRITING SURGERIES ANNOUNCED
23/9/06: Lancaster's Spotlight Club is to run more of its popular writing surgeries over coming weeks. Whether you are just starting out or have been writing for some time or if you write for performance or the page they offer an opportunity for feedback on your writing.
Funded by the Arts Council, the One-To-One Surgery with Spotlight organisers Ron Baker and Sarah Fiske will be held at The Gregson Centre, Lancaster between 11am and 1pm on: Sunday 29th October 2006; Sunday 19th November 2006; and Sunday 21st January 2007 Places are limited and must be booked in advance - to sign up for a free 20 minute writing surgery e-mail: spotlightclub@btinternet.com or phone: 01524 381642
Prior to the surgery participants will be asked to submit by e-mail or word processed on A4 1,000 words of prose or 3 poems up to approximately 40 lines in length.
"This is a unique opportunity to get confidential feedback on your work," says Ron. "Places will be allocated on a strictly first come first served basis."
Web Link: www.spotlightlancaster.co.uk

LIBRARY CRISIS DEEPENS
21/9/06: 30 per cent of library buildings in the UK are not "fit for purpose” according to a new report published this week by the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council. the lead strategic agency for museums, libraries and archives.
Lancashire County Council, which closed several libraries recently including three in the local area, was among respondents to the report Library Buildings' Survey, compiled for the MLA by accountants PKF,
The MLA says it will put pressure on local authorities to remedy the situation, calculating that £760m is required to bring the failing buildings -- representing over 1,200 libraries - up to standard. Of that figure, £130.8million was needed to address a routine maintenance backlog and £73 million would be necessary to satisfy health and safety, Disability Discrimination Act (excluding reasonable alternative provisions that may be currently in place) and other building regulation requirements.
The report notes that 24 per centof library buildings (91 per centof local authorities responded to the survey) do not meet health and safety requirements and recommends that the MLA puts the case to Government to fund a programme of building/refurbishment.
Publishing News reports that there is doubt that the report will lead to widespread change, with libraries down the list of many local authorities funding priorities.
"The report gives a clear indication that local authorities need to invest much more in their library buildings," feels MLA Head of Library Policy John Dolan. "We commissioned this report as a benchmarking tool for local authorities to assess the extent of spending they need to make in their library buildings. MLA will ensure all parties are aware of the report's recommendations. This includes sharing best practice and adopting a more sustainable approach to ensuring library buildings are fit for purpose."
The report's figures do not reflect planned investments already in train, such as the expected opening of new libraries and refurbishments, in the next few years.
"However the survey highlights serious problems that must be addressed. While acknowledging the recent and planned investment on new library buildings, local authorities have a responsibility to ensure that all libraries are fit for purpose," said Mr Dolan.
Councillor Chris White, of the Local Government Association, said: "Councils are fully committed to giving local people modern libraries that provide the services that they want. Books, reading and learning remain at the heart of the library service and councils have done an excellent job to provide a full choice of library services. Visitor numbers to libraries are on the up.
"However, funding is tight and councils are not given specific money from the government just for buildings. At a time when resources are seriously stretched in some parts in local government, councils have to take very tough decisions based on what local people want.
"We look forward to working with the MLA to ensure that good practice can be rolled out so that the needs of local people are met."
• The report can be found on the MLA website: Click Here (PDF format)

SCHOOL BUS FARES TAKE A HIKE
21/9/06: County Councillor Tony Martin was taken to task by shocked parents at a meeting organised by Councillor Paul Woodruff and Halton Parish Council, for his decision to raise the price of the county's school bus fares - in effect doubling the cost of travel to school for many of the area's children. Other families have seen the cost of getting to school treble as a result of a decision taken in an attempt to save bus routes which no longer met the County's subsidy criteria.
He claimed that the increased fares prevented the closure of over 40 school bus routes in the County (including 1 in Lancaster). Families in this district are paying more for school transport to pay for buses in other districts which didn't meet the County's subsidy level. "I have a limited budget and have to save money” said Cllr Martin. Amazingly items such as Vision magazine (and I'm sure you've all read your many copies of the last issue avidly), not to mention its subsidised restaurant, get priority in the LCC budget. Parents point out that as it's now considerably cheaper to drive children to school than to send them on buses, the school run traffic congestion is likely to get worse.

CATON COMMUNITY LIBRARY TRUST LAUNCH
21/9/06: City Councillor Stuart Langhorn writes: Earlier this year Lancashire County Council closed the library in Caton - despite a huge protest from people living in the village and the wider Lune Valley. Since then a group has been putting together a proposal to run a Community library in the village.
We intend now to establish a charitable Trust to oversee the work on setting up a community library here in Caton. The library would then be run by volunteers and, initially, make use of donated books. It is hoped that we will also be able to find someway of working with Lancashire County Council library service.
Meanwhile, Lancashire County Council have been holding a Task Group looking at the future of their libraries. Submissions to it have been made by individuals from Caton, the Parish Council and the library group. I made a hurried submission of a business plan for the Trust - which has been considered by the Task Group. They have now made their final report (on Friday 14 September) which mentions (recommendation 26) Caton's project and asks Lancashire County Council to examine it as part of its examination into how rural library services should be provided. I think that this is good news! You can read this report here.
We now intend to launch the trust at an event at the Victoria Institute on Tuesday 3 October at 7pm.
Please come along to support us!

MIAOU! NEW CATTERY OPENS
A cat can look at a king, and several cats will be taking a peek at Lancaster's Mayor at the Animal Care Open Day this coming Sunday 24 September, when she and her Deputy open Animal Care's brand new Cattery. The Open Day will run from 11am until 3pm, with the Cattery opening ceremony at about 11.30am.
Everyone is welcome, it's free and there will be plenty to do and see.
Animal Care is at Blea Tarn Kennels, Blea Tarn Road, Scotforth, Lancaster (just over the motorway bridge at the top of Hala). The carpark will be closed except for disabled access, so think on. Tel: 01524 65495 between
11am-3pm. See www.animalcare-lancaster.co.uk.

LIFE LOST IN LANCASTER CELLS
21/9/06: Last Friday 15 September Philip Legg (43) was arrested for a public order offence in Morecambe and taken to Lancaster Police Station. The following morning custody officers found him unresponsive in his cell and summoned an ambulance but Mr Legg was pronounced dead.
As is standard in such circumstances, an investigation is underway by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) into the cause of Mr Legg's death in custody.
IPCC Commissioner Nicola Williams offered her sincere condolences go to Mr Legg's family and friends and said that a post-mortem examination was inconclusive and they were now awaiting further toxicology results.
"I can confirm that Mr Legg's death was not caused by any physical injury," she added.

COUNTY PLANS TO CLOSE TOURIST OFFICE
20/9/06: In yet another brilliant scheme to support Morecambe's regeneration, the County Council have decided to improve the quality of tourist visiting the area's resources by relocating the resort's award-winning tourist office away from its current seafront location - into Morecambe Library (which will be conveniently closed on Sundays and bank Holidays - peak times for tourism). Certainly a qualification in map-reading and orienteering will be helpful for any stranger attempting to find it if the move does go ahead. The County Council haven't actually come out and said that in their opinion the resort is so dull that anyone visiting probably needs a few paperbacks to get them through but there can be no other explanation for their deciding to move this bustling office to what is, basically, a secret location.
Councillor Ron Sands, Lancaster City Council Cabinet member for Tourism, said: "The partnership between the City and County Councils to run a joint Tourist Information Centre and County Information Centre has been a long-standing and very successful one. It has won many awards and is recognised for its high standard of service. It's an example of partnership working at its best and one that the County boasted of itself when it was awarded a Charter Mark. Because it is combined with a successful Tourist Information Centre, it has a far greater footfall that any other CIC. All this would be lost if the County carry out their plans to dissolve the partnership. The irony from the County's point of view is that not a penny will be saved by the transfer of their staff to the library. Unlike other parts of the shire, the County Council owns no property that it can dispose of in Morecambe."
Councillor Barker, Leader of Lancaster City Council said: "The County will not save any money by this move since the City pays all the costs except staff salaries, but it will seriously damage the operation of the TIC. It seems to be another example of "one size fits all" policies that don't take account of local circumstances. I can understand why the County want to combine Libraries and County Information Centres in most places. If they had done this when they closed the CIC in Lancaster, I would have regarded this as a step forward. In Morecambe, however, it will be a retrograde step."
"We intend to go on selling National Express and other travel tickets from the TIC, which is where most tourists making travel enquiries will go; what sense will it make to have travel information at the Library and ticket sales at the TIC? The County need to think again about this proposal."
Councillors Barker and Sands intend to oppose the proposal when it comes to the Lancashire Local on October 3rd."

PETITION AGAINST CANAL CORRIDOR PLANS
20/9/06: Local group It's Our City, which supports community-led development in Lancaster, have launched a petition against the proposed development of the Canal Corridor North site by Centros Miller. The petition will be available to sign at the It's Our City (IOC) information stall to be held on Saturdays in Market Square over the coming months, and at future public meetings.
IOC is concerned that Lancaster City Council appears to be ignoring the many issues raised by local people regarding the effects of these plans. Indeed the City Council has voted to press ahead with this scheme, which will place over one third of the city's central retail area into private hands for the next 250 years, despite the unprecedented lack of information provided by Centros Miller regarding the impact on traffic congestion, air quality and businesses in existing city centres in Lancaster and Morecambe.
IOC have accused the Council of failing in its responsibilities to the people of Lancaster and Morecambe, by allowing this development to proceed without adequate information on the massive and far-reaching changes that it will bring to the area.
A further cause for complaint has been Centros Miller's ‘consultation' of local people regarding this scheme, which, despite its many design flaws and obvious bias has been viewed as adequate by the majority of councillors.
Asking the potential developers to carry out an unbiased consultation is a bit like asking a fox to complete a fair study of whether henhouse doors should be left open.
Sure enough, surveys of both city centre shoppers and residents clearly contained leading questions, and answers were subjected to selective misinterpretation.
Small wonder then that the Council felt able to make the decision to proceed with this development prior to even receiving the results of the consultation - its outcome was hardly in question.
Sadly, councillors have also ignored the results of the earlier consultation by Real Planning for Lancaster.
Callie Giles of IOC said, "This petition will yet again show Lancaster City Council the strength of local opposition to these plans. It is obvious that very few people in Lancaster and Morecambe think that this is a good idea. It's shocking that the Council seem to think that local people have been properly consulted about this. And even if they do think real consultation has taken place, they are ignoring the results which show that Centros Miller's scheme is not what people want!”
Emilie Secker added "People feel deeply insulted and angry that certain members of the Council seem to think that local people are not worth listening to. This attitude is disgraceful. Councillors should remember that local elections are coming up next May and that this will be a major issue.”
IOC will be holding a public meeting at the Gregson Centre on Wednesday 27 September at 7.30 pm.
Read more about the proposed Canal Corridor development

POLICE & POLITICS
18/9/06: Following on from their prosecution (many would say persecution) of the George Fox 6, the Lancashire Constabulory Special Investigations Unit has secured yet another triumph by spending thousands on the investigation and prosecution of Blackpool pensioner Mrs Frances Gavin (73) for failing to move her animal welfare information stall exactly every 20 minutes - as stipulated on her Pedlar's Licence.
On 12 September two animal welfare campaigners were found guilty of collecting money without a licence in August 2004, but given absolute discharges by Blackpool magistrates. The absolute discharges were received on the grounds that the two defendants were acting in good faith and on the basis of advice received from council officials, and that they had not intended to break the law.
However, the case has been slammed by local residents who claim that the time and money spent on this case, which could easily have been resolved informally by intervention from council officers, could have been better spent fighting more serious crime.
Frances Gavin (73) and Brian Gregory, both of Blackpool, were convicted of collecting money without a licence. Mrs Gavin was also found guilty of trading in a prohibited area, but cleared of a third charge of purporting to collect money for a charitable cause but using it for her own purposes, namely to feed her dogs. The latter charge was dismissed after magistrates rejected the evidence of investigating officer Detective Sergeant Marc Nasser.
The incident, on 14 August 2004 involved an information stall that Mrs Gavin, had held regularly in Victoria Street, Blackpool, for about eight years. On that date, Detective Sergeant Nasser and Detective Constable Simon Davison of Lancashire Constabulary Special Investigations Unit, the officers behind the infamous prosecution of six Lancaster University students (the George Fox Six) in 2005, had spent two hours watching Mrs Gavin and Mr Gregory hand out leaflets, collect signatures on petitions and receive small amounts of money in return for magazines. They then approached the stall and seized petitions, leaflets and a collecting tin containing ten pounds and thirteen pence.
Despite the innocuous nature of her activity, Mrs Gavin was later arrested by DS Nasser for charges including fraud, money laundering and going equipped for theft, and was held for questioning at Fleetwood police station on two occasions. She was eventually charged with two minor breaches of local byelaws and an offence under the Vagrancy Act 1824. The Crown Prosecution Service also refused to drop the case on grounds of ill health earlier this year after Mrs Gavin was admitted to hospital with a life-threatening illness.
The court heard how in 2000, Mrs Gavin had been advised by Blackpool Borough Council street wardens that to legitimise her stall and to collect money from members of the public in return for handing out leaflets and pamphlets, she must obtain a Pedlar's Licence. Mrs Gavin did so, and continued to hold her stall in the town centre with no interference from authorities until 2004. She was then told by council officers to get a special moveable table and to move her stall every 20 minutes, this being a condition of the pedlar's licence. However, although Mrs. Gavin did get a moveable table, the court heard how on 14 August 2004 DS Nasser and DC Davidson had observed that the stall was kept stationary for two hours. This prompted them to seize materials from the stall and subsequently arrest and question Mrs. Gavin and Mr. Gregory.
Blackpool resident Pauline Williams said, "This whole case is a complete farce and a waste of thousands of pounds of tax payers' money. Frances and Brian were doing what they had previously been allowed and advised to do by the council, and yet have been punished by having this case hang over them for more than two years. The stress has really taken its toll on Mrs. Gavin's health. These two are committed supporters of animal welfare, and have been put through hell just because they didn't move their stall every twenty minutes. They work hard to help animals in need, and for the sake of a few pounds donated by other concerned members of public this is what happens. I am angry that CID officers have wasted their time pursuing this case when other crimes, such as assault and burglary go unsolved."
On delivering their verdict, magistrates commented on the good character of the defendants and their dedication and commitment to their cause, but found them guilty of breaching the conditions of the Peddlar's Licence, and of allowing members of public to place money in their tin without taking any items in return.

COMPANIES CHALLENGED TO CARFREE COMMUTE
18/9/06:Lancaster City Council's celebrate Cycling Scheme is challenging local organisations and companies in a sustainable travel challenge on Friday 22 September.
In Town Without My Car Day is an annual event to encourage people to leave their car at home when they travel around the Lancaster District. This year they're challenging all local companies with the chance of winning prizes by encouraging their staff to leave the car at home.
The Company Challenge gives you the chance to win transport related prizes, including a free bike for your company. There are 3 categories for prizes:
Most cars left at home
Most cyclists
Most ingenious way of travelling to work
Not everyone has to cycle in - staff could walk, take the bus or train or think of a more ingenious way of travelling in, such as skateboarding, roller-blading, on a horse or even by water.
If you'd like to register your company or organisation for the Company Challenge please contact:
Email: celebratingcycling@lancaster.gov.uk
Post: B.Harding, Lancaster City Council, Palatine Hall, Dalton Square, Lancaster, LA1 1PW
Fax: 01524 582166
Website: download a registration form at www.celebratingcycling.org
There's a chance for everyone to get involved on the 22nd. Come along to Market Square from 11am - 4pm to find out what's on offer -including a cycling roadshow and the opportunity to get a free bike MOT with Doctor Bike.
Workplace Travel Survey
An annual workplace survey will be carried out to determine how people get to work.
This survey will helpthe Council understand not only how people currently get to their place of work but also what barriers exist to the use of other modes.
All questionnaires received by the end of September will be entered into a prize draw:
1st prize - £50 voucher to spend in local bike shop
2nd prize - £25 voucher to spend in local bike shop
3rd prize - 10 x T-shirts
4th prize - 25 x water bottles
Please click here to complete the survey
If you require paper copies of the survey, or if you have any questions please email or tel. 01524 582392.

IT'S OFFICIAL, LINK NO USE TO LANCASTER
18/9/06: In a remarkable document, obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, engineers and top traffic and transport managers from Lancashire County Council and Lancaster City Council had concluded, by 22nd December 2005, that the Heysham M6 Link Road was "unlikely to have a major impact (relief)” on Lancaster's ring road. This acknowledgement was made just days after Lancashire County Council submitted its planning application for the road which boasted of the benefits for Lancaster.
The document is the meeting notes of a "Highways Workshop” hosted by Lancashire County Council, to consider the traffic implications for Lancaster of the Canal Corridor North retail project. The workshop group had identified that "non car access to the site would be key to providing sustainable development". The attendees were managers and transport and traffic specialists from Lancashire County Council and Lancaster City Council, together with consultants.
"Lancashire County Council and Lancaster City Council have been promoting the benefits of the Northern route for Lancaster, but in private their top experts obviously hold different opinions,” said David Gate, chair of Transport Solutions for Lancaster and Morecambe, the local transport campaign group. "They will have difficulty in convincing the Government that the Northern route represents value for money for the district after this revelation. Just imagine, they want £120 million from the Government to build this road, and it does not bring major relief to Lancaster's traffic."
"If the Canal Corridor retail development goes ahead, with 30,000 sq metres of additional retailing space, experts predict another 10,000 car trips a day in the City Centre. There would be traffic chaos and the transport budget would have been blown on a road which, as they admit, does not do the business for Lancaster.”

MORE MONEY FOR LOCAL GROUPS
18/9/06: The Galbraith Trust is once again inviting applications from voluntary and community groups in Lancaster and District for grants from the charity. The Trust was set up in 2001 from the estate of Ian Galbraith, the former city hardware store owner. Forms and guidelines are available from the CVS (see below) and the next closing date is Friday 20th October 2006 for decisions in November.
In July, fourteen local charities shared over seven thousand pounds from the Galbraith Trust. Grants varied between £50 and £1,500 and went towards supporting the work of Cathedral Senior Citizens Group, Skerton Community Centre, Mucky Pups Pre-School and many others. Projects included running a summer programme for young people, providing play equipment, running a community arts project and purchase of life jackets.
Further information is available from the CVS at Trinity Community Centre, Middle Street, Lancaster, LA1 1JZ. Tel: 01524 555900.

HAS ANYONE SEEN MY PAL?
18/9/06: Virtual-lancaster has been contacted by Bill (Ginger) Lowe who is seeking an old army pal. "His name is Ron (Tich) Simpson, and we served together at the British Military Hospital (33 Coy RAMC) Fayid Egypt from 1954 - 1956. He came from the Lancaster Area. As this year is the 50th Anniversary of the withdrawal of British Troops from the Suez Canal Zone in 1956, it brings back memories to me. If anybody knows of him or his whereabouts, I can be contacted on 0191-584-6848 or email:
wgl70[at]yahoo.co.uk. I am also Northern Representative of the Suez Veterans Association. I hope that you can help me."