Previous stories: 16 - 30 November 2006
Next stories: 1 - 15 January 2007

GIVE THE DUKES AN EVENING IN PARIS
22/12/06: The Dukes theatre production team is on look out for an original Evening in Paris perfume bottle from the 1940s to use in its new production of Home Fires.

The signature cobalt blue bottles of perfume are produced by French cosmetic company Bourjois and although still available, the modern bottles are quite different to the ones that would have been enjoyed by many women in the 1940s and 50s.

Home Fires by Lesley Anne Rose is a new family drama partly set during the Second World War in Lancaster.

If you can help please call Stage Management at the Dukes on 01524 598505 or alternatively email: stagemanagement@dukes-lancaster.org.

HOME INFORMATION PACK TRIALS
22/12/06: Government legislation passed earlier this year has ruled that from 1 June 2007 all home owners in England and Wales wishing to put their property on the market will need to provide a Home Information Pack (HIP) for potential buyers. These packs will contain an Energy Performance Certificate, detailing how energy efficient the property is, conveyancing search results and legal documents relating to the property.

Six Government funded area trials are currently in process in Bath, Cambridge, Huddersfield, Newcastle, Northamton, Southamton – but have yet to be extended to Lancashire.

The limited nature of these trials has meant that scant information is currently available and most of us are unfamiliar with HIPs and the changes they will make to the processes of selling and buying a house. In addition, there are likely to be some hiccups in the system until the local industry is geared up to meeting the new requirements.

The Property Search Group (PSG), a local conveyancing search provider based in Lancaster, tell us: "We have teamed up with a selection of local estate agents to offer HIPs on a trial basis and keep the local community fully in updated about the latest HIP developments. We plan to extend these trials with other estate agents and are committed to pooling forces with local businesses to benefit the community."

PSG are also holding two large conferences in February 2007 to update the local community about any HIPs Developments and to enhance the services that individuals in the property industry can offer.
"These promise to be landmark events in the property calendar which could vastly improve services on offer to home buyers in Lancaster."

CONGRATULATIONS: IT'S A CLIMATE ACTION GROUP!
21/12/06: Lancastrians concerned about climate change are celebrating the birth of a new local action group this Solstice.

The Lancaster Climate Action group aims to tackle climate chaos by developing different kind of actions mostly in Lancaster. A member of the group told us: "We want to inform and establish a dialogue with other people or groups about what climate chaos is, what its causes are and what we can do to stop it."

The group's first event was to hold an information stall outsite the Thomas Cook travel shop to help raise public awareness of the issues raised by air traffic pollution and its massive contribution to ozone depletion with the inevitably grave consequences involved.

The group's first meeting of 2007 will be on 9 January 7pm in the Basement, the room under Single Step Wholefoods Coop and the Whale Tail Cafe at 78a Penny Street, Lancaster. You can find out more about the group at their website at www.lancasterclimate.org.uk.

LABOUR HOLD SKERTON WEST
15/12/06: High winds, far from tropical temperatures and torrential rain may have been partly to blame for a very low turnout of 17.5% at yesterday's Skerton West by-election for Lancaster City Council.

BNP candidate Chris Hill had little or no support in evidence and apparently attended the count alone. Recent scandals involving the BNP, including the arrests in October of two prominent North Lancashire BNP members for possession of explosives and armaments, and the bringing of benefit fraud charges against BNP councillors in Yorkshire may have contributed to the growing levels of disillusionment among the BNP's original supporters.
Skerton resident Karen Leytham won by a very comfortable majority with almost 60% of the votes, holding the seat for Labour.

EASY TIGER!
15/12/06: The ‘Easy Tiger’ scheme to promote sensible drinking in Lancaster city centre has been extended over the Christmas period thanks to an extra £2000 funding from the Lancaster District Safety Partnership.
Organised by the police and Lancaster University Students Union (LUSU), the aim is to attempt to make customers drink more soft drinks as a safer alternative, and to become more aware of their drinking limits.
The campaign helped produce a 54% reduction in alcohol related assaults and a 29% reduction in criminal damage in Lancaster city centre when compared to the same time last year.

Jan Brown, a crime prevention officer from Lancaster police station who helped set up the project said, “The scheme has proved a great success so far. The feedback we have had from all parties has been excellent and we are delighted to be able to extend Easy Tiger into Christmas to help ensure Lancaster remains a safe place to enjoy a night out.
“Members of Lancaster’s PubWatch scheme have been a great support and they have commented that customers appear to have been ordering pints of water more than usual.’’
Councillor Eileen Blamire, Chair of the Lancaster District Community Safety Partnership, said: "This is an excellent scheme which has as many benefits for health as it does for the safety of our community. The Partnership is extremely happy to be able to support such a scheme".

As part of the campaign 10,000 sensible drinking cards were distributed throughout 42 licensed premises in Lancaster city centre and nine college bars at Lancaster University.
More than 7,000 bottles of ‘Easy Tiger’ branded water have now been given to licensed premises.
The scheme was part funded by the Lancashire Partnership Against Crime (LANPAC). For more details contact Jan Brown on 01524 596696.

READERS UNITED! LOCALS LAUNCH VIRTUAL LIBRARY
14/12/06: Readersunited.com was created by two friends who wanted to get hold of a book, but didn't want to pay the full asking price for it. As they chatted, they realised that they were the owners of loads of books that were just sitting looking pretty on their shelves at home.

Out of that germ of an idea, came www.readersunited.com. The idea of the site is a virtual library where users can get a second hand book for free, and all they have to do is post a book which they've finished with to someone else. For each book that a user posts to someone else, they get credits which allows them to ask another user to post a book to them. The only cost is the postage.

The site is new and as such is still trying to gain enough new users to gain sufficient momentum. Lots of new members are signing up, and hopefully the number of books being offering will continue to grow. The founders are running the site on a not for profit basis. There are no advertisements or charges to use the site. The only revenue that the site makes is when users transfer from Readersunited.com to Amazon to buy a book. Amazon pay a small fee to the site, and at no cost to the customer. There are no dot.com millionaires here.

The site is open for books of any kind, but founder Ian Porter from Lancaster believes that swapping text books may prove the most useful feature. "At the end of a course, I was often left with lots of books that I no longer required. This way I can get rid of them, but replace them with books I actually want to read. Readersunited.com is a brilliant way to recycle books. The books can have an extended shelf
life, not an extended life on a shelf."

FLAX: IT'S THE WRITE TIME
14/12/06: New prose is wanted from Lancastrian and Cumbrian writers for Flax003, the next prose anthology from Flax Books. Please send no more than 1200 words (these can be an extract of a novel, a collection of short shorts, or a complete short story) between the 4th January and 23rd February to Flax.

Full submissions guidelines can be found on www.litfest.org. Please read these before you send anything.

Square Cuts, Flax001, is available as a free download from the same website, if you’d like to get a feel of what we have published in the past.

Flax Books is committed to the professional development of the writers it publishes and offers a bespoke service to support the needs of each individual writer.
Phone 01524 62166 for more information.

CYCLING FAMILY WANTED
14/12/06: Lancaster City Council's Celebrate Cycling team are still looking for a local cycling family to feature in the local press (and on their website). Ideally a family that has taken up cycling in the last year or so and is happy to have their photo and words printed. If you want to put yourself forward please call 01524 582392 or email celebratingcycling@lancaster.gov.uk.
For up to the minute news and information on local cycling matters visit www.celebratingcycling.org - or subscribe to their excellent e-newsletter about local cycling developments by emailing celebratingcycling@lancaster.gov.uk with the word 'subscribe' in the subject line.

LANCASTER: TACKLING DOMESTIC ABUSE CONSULTATION
14/12/06: On average two women a week are killed by a current or former male partner in the UK and over 15,000 incidents of domestic violence were recorded by Lancaster Police last year.
Lancaster Community Safety Partnership would like to hear your views on its new strategy for tackling domestic violence.
The draft Lancaster District Strategy to reduce Domestic Abuse is now available for public consultation and can be viewed on the council website.
The report makes interesting reading, building on the experience of service users as well as service providers and, unlike many multi-agency initiatives in rcent times, it doesn't just come up with pc sounding goals and themes, but also gets to grips with the real-world aspects of support and prevention.
The strategy contains a three year action plan which holds a range of activities such as; developing ways of sharing information, publicity campaigns to raise awareness and improving the provision of specialist domestic violence courts, adding a clause to council tenancy agreement stating that domestic abuse can result in eviction and developing services more accessible to ethnic minority citizens.
The strategy is available on the Lancaster City Council website under ‘Community Safety’ at www.lancaster.gov.uk/communitysafety.
Please send your comments by January 15, 2007, to Michelle Emery, St Leonards House, St Leonardgate, Lancaster LA1 1NN or email: memery@lancaster.gov.uk

HIGHFIELD REGENERATION CONSULTATION
14/12/06: Saddened by the dilapidation of the tennis courts and the state of the small patch of adjoining woodland, frequented by vagrants and fly-tippers, some nearby residents to Highfield at the junction of Quernmore and Derwent roads, have formed a steering group to try and renovate and revitalise the area.
Following a series of meetings the group of 17 people, mostly local residents, have commissioned a design for the site containing the preferred options, which they now wish to submit to the community for its comments.
Read more about the plan and take part in the consultation...

THE DUO: BACK AND CELEBRATING AFTER 8 MONTHS!

13/12/06: Popular local act The Duo will be presenting a special show in the Gregson Centre hall (Moor Lane, Lancaster) on Saturday 23 December 2006. Entitled “After The Radio” it is a special celebratory concert.

The Duo comprises Dave Emptage and Tony Cooke and this is their first performance in 8 months. In May of this year Dave got married (to Anna) and Tony started treatment for throat cancer, so this concert has been planned as a “celebration of life and love”.

Tony had three operations to his throat during the spring / summer and then underwent the “unspeakable misery” - as he put it - of radiotherapy. The radiotherapy lasted a month, but the side-effects continued for months after and are still evident. However, although still quite tired, he can now sing and play the guitar again and is eager to return to public performance. He said “God Bless the NHS! The concert is a celebration of my continuing life and an expression of thanks to the NHS staff for making it possible. It is also, of course, dedicated to our wives, Anna and Strawberry”. Doors will be open at 8.00pm and the concert will start at 8.30pm. The cost is a mere £5.

The Duo has released the following details:
" As usual we will be playing our acoustic guitars - occasionally abetted by the use of effects pedals - and singing harmonies. We will be doing two sets, each set will last about an hour and comprise folk, pop and rock songs and tunes. The concert will feature the songs that are most requested at Duo gigs, as well as our favourites from the repertoire. We will also perform four “new” songs we have never before sung in public.

There will be other surprises. Dave commented “This is a complete show and not just another ‘bit of music in the pub’. We will also be using some specially-created soundscapes, props and lighting effects so anyone intending to come to this concert is advised to be here for the start of the show so they can be certain of getting a seat and seeing the whole event”.

2007 is already starting to look like a busy year. The Duo has gigs booked in four local pubs in the first couple of months and is also thinking about repeating “After The Radio" in some village halls in the spring. “We have also been invited to play some gigs in Kent in September, culminating in a show in Ellen Terry’s Barn Theatre at Smallhythe Place (Tenterden) as part of a National Trust folk and beer festival” said Dave. “We don’t know whether we can do all these yet, but it does sound like a whole bunch of fun doesn’t it?”

The Duo is also appearing at The Golden Lion, Moor Lane, Lancaster on New Year’s Eve. Tickets for this cost £6 and include a buffet and a free drink at midnight. Tel: (01524) 842198 for tickets.

20MPH SPEED LIMITS CALLED FOR AROUND LANCASTER & MORECAMBE SCHOOLS
13/12/06: Lancaster Councillors have called on the County Council to urgently review road safety around schools. Labour Councillor Jim Blakely proposed that traffic-calming measures should be urgently reviewed around all schools in the district and where possible 20mph limits and permanent traffic-calming measures be introduced. The Majority of councillors supported the motion at full Council, which, if implemented by the County Council will bring Lancaster and Morecambe in line with Scotland.

Councillor Jim Blakely said: "We’ve moved this motion due to the lack of progress in making roads around schools safer in Lancaster and Morecambe. This lack of progress has been highlighted in the recent accidents which have left children injured in the last few weeks."

"With the extended schools agenda, schools are now open longer hours which means children are travelling to and from school outside the hours when crossing patrol officers are working. Vehicles need to slow down near schools."

"Some County council’s have been very forward thinking and have seen the benefits of safer routes to schools and traffic calming measures around schools, however, here in Lancaster and Morecambe road safety is not improving."

Labour Councillor Robert Smith who seconded the motion said: "30mph is too fast for vehicles travelling past schools, this reduction in speed which will make a huge difference to children's safety."

"Lancashire has the worse road casualties and deaths numbers in the North West, I hope the County Council takes note that we value children's safety and we demand something to be done quickly."

"It is good to have something happening about this since we began campaigning in October."

County Councillor Liz Scott has praised the councillors for raising for raising this important issue. She said: "I fully support Councillors Blakely and Smith in their campaign. This is a sensible, reasonable request and I will ensure it is followed up at the County Council."

A Green Party amendment calling for a 20mph speed limit in residential areas throughout the district was defeated.

LANCASTER FILM IN NEWSNIGHT SHORTLIST
13/12/06: Three Lancastrians have made a 2-minute film about people's misperceptions of 'life on the dole' which has been shortlisted for a BBC Newsnight competition called "Oh My Newsnight".

One of the film-makers, Matt Wootton says: "Please take a minute to look at this new indie documentary challenging the Government's attitude to people on Job Seeker's Allowance.
"It's called "DOLE" and in 2 minutes explodes the myth that people on the dole are "scroungers", and debunks the government's aggressive and illiberal attacks on "fraudsters". The film was shot in Lancaster.

There are 13 easy to watch two-minute films and you can vote for your favourite film..! The winner will be shown on air on Newsnight's Geek Week 2.0 in January.
Click here to view the shortlisted films at the BBC Newsnight site.

CHRISTMAS SHELTER APPEAL 2006
13/12/06: The Christmas Shelter at St. Thomas' Church in Lancaster is vital for those people who are without homes and families during the festive period. Many different kinds of people use the shelter and their circumstance and
situation differs with every individual. The shelter will offer support to people with disabilities, people from different cultures and the shelter shall also cater for a wide range of ages.

John Hindle of Lancaster and District Homeless Action tells us: "Our aim is to ensure nobody is hungry or without shelter this Christmas. We need volunteers to help run the 24 hour shelter which provides hot meals and company. We also require donations of essentials such as sleeping bags,
bedding, tea, coffee, sugar, food and clothing. Fundraising is also a priority to help fund the shelter and continue to provide support and advise to anyone with housing difficulties in 2007. The shelter will be open from noon 24 December to noon on the 29 December."

Some quotes from the Christmas team running the shelter are - 'Christmas has become so commercialised that it's good to realise , not everyone can celebrate it as we can with our families and it's important to give some cheer to those who desire it most' - Ceri Owens - Christmas Shelter
Co-Ordinator.
'Being from another country myself. I can relate with how the homeless people feel this Christmas as I share an element of Isolation and unfamiliarity with the area. I feel positive in being involved in a project which involves homeless people' - Ikina Mikhailana - Christmas Shelter
Administrator.
'The Christmas Shelter provides facilities for the people who need it most this winter' - John Hindle - Christmas Shelter Worker.

Please contact 01524 842008 - If you can help or have goods to donate or would like more information about the Christmas Appeal. You can also visit www.ldhas.org.uk.

NB: A 'Raise the Roof' fundraising night will be taking place at Korners Bar (in the Farmers Arms, Lancaster) on Friday 22 December - Admission is just £5 and there will be live comedy, bands, MCs and 'the usual fine and dandy splattering of proppa bangin dance music' - oh yes! All proceeds to Lancaster Homeless Action and the Christmas Shelter. Enjoy!

Morecambe: In Morecambe Sefton Road United Reformed Church is inviting people who are alone or homeless to share Christmas, food and friendship on Christmas Day from 12 noon onwards.

WESTERN BYPASS NOT DEAD YET?
6/12/06 by John Freeman:
Despite claiming their proposed Northern Heysham-M6 Link is the only solution to local traffic problems, its seems the County Council still has the plans for the Western Bypass up its sleeve as an alternative.

In a written answer to a question from Morecambe Labour MP Geraldine Smith, who opposes the M6 Link proposal, (See http://tinyurl.com/yx3pha), Gillian Merron, Parliamentary Under-Secretary at the Department for Transport revealed the County Council has offered two "lower cost alternatives to the Heysham M6 link".

"Lancashire County Council's Major Scheme Business Case for the Heysham to M6 Link, submitted in July 2005, included details of the Western Route as the Next Best Option and online improvements to the existing highway network as the Lower Cost Option," Merron offered in a written reply published yesterday in the Parliamentary record, Hansard. "Department for Transport officials have requested additional information from the Council clarifying the work carried out on alternative options.

It would appear that despite all the claims or "Northern or Nothing" from officials, the County Council does in fact have other ideas it thinks might solve Lancaster's traffic problems, even if the Western Bypass has been dismissed on many occasions by residents along its route and environmental grounds. Perhaps one of them could be investing in a Park and Ride scheme, which critics of the M6 Link proposal have said should not be dependent on the building of the £137 million road through Torrisholme and Skerton.

THE RELIEF OF MORECAMBE!
5/12/06: Visitors to Morecambe can finally uncross their legs (assuming they've got 20p) as the new toilets on Morecambe seafront are now open to the public. The clocktower toilets have been built in to the existing building, with two accessible / baby changing units, three toilets and one urinal.

All the cubicles can be accessed directly from the outside of the building, with individual wash basins in each unit.
The toilets have been built by Danfo Ltd, and are similar to ones already in use in Blackpool and Southport.

There is a charge of 20p for the use of the toilets. Lancaster City Council has put £150,000 into new toilets for Morecambe seafront and town centre, with a £15,000 contribution from Poulton Neighbourhood management.

A new building is currently being built to house toilets at the Arndale Centre, in Market Street car park, thankfully. It is expected to be finished by December 22.
All the new toilets will be given an improved maintenance and cleaning regime.

Coun Jon Barry, cabinet member with responsibility for City Council (Direct) Services, said: “I’m delighted that these toilets are finally open. If Morecambe is to flourish as a high-quality tourist attraction then we need high-quality toilets. I look forward to spending my first 20p at the Clock Tower!”

LANCASHIRE YOUTH ARTS AUDIT
5/12/06: A campaign is being launched to find out what young people in Lancashire want from the arts. The Lancashire Youth Arts Audit aims to find out which arts activities young people currently take part in and which other activities they would like to be made available to them.

The results of the audit will be used to inform and shape youth arts provision in the future. The audit will take in everything that young people might view as creative or expressive, from music, DJ-ing, dance, fashion, video, painting and drama to web design, photography and poetry.

A questionnaire for young people has been designed which asks about their current arts activities, what they think of local provision, what's important to them about taking part in arts and what they'd be most likely to attend. It also asks what gets in the way of arts activity, such as difficulties with transport, or cost, and how best to let people know about local opportunities.

The questionnaire is available online at www.lancsycs.org and throughout youth organisations in Lancashire until March 2007. All completed questionnaires will be entered into a prize draw to win one of two iPods.

PUBLIC SMOKING BAN EFFECTIVE FROM 1 JULY 2007
5/12/06: The date for the introduction of the smoking ban in all indoor public places and workplaces has been confirmed.

From 1st July 2007 all indoor public places and workplaces will be smoke free. Lancaster City Council have joined the government in hailing the ban as a major step towards improving the health of the people of Lancaster and England as a whole.

Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt said: "This is a triumph for public health and a huge step forward for health protection. Thousands of people's lives will be saved and the health of thousands more protected. Smokefree legislation will protect everyone from the harm of secondhand smoke when working, socialising and relaxing and will provide a more supportive environment for smokers who wish to give up.

"The scientific and medical evidence is clear - secondhand smoke kills, causing a range of serious medical conditions including lung cancer, heart disease, and sudden infant death syndrome "SIDS" in children. This legislation will help to prevent the unnecessary deaths caused every year from secondhand smoke, and recognises that there is absolutely no safe level of exposure.

"Never has a health issue created such debate in Parliament, across government, through the business and the voluntary sectors, and amongst the general public. And the more it has been debated, the more people have responded and pushed the limits to ensure that enclosed public places and workplaces in England will become wholly smokefree.

"Where countries have gone smokefree the impact on the health of staff has been immediate and positive. And the experience of going smokefree in Ireland, Scotland, New York and elsewhere has been good for business.

"I would like to thank business groups, the leisure and hospitality industries and the many health organisations that have been involved for their support, which has helped to make this legislation a reality.

"It has been an incredible journey, but we still have a lot of work to do to support businesses to be ready for the implementation of the new laws."

The Health Secretary also launched a new Smokefree England campaign which will help the country's 3.7 million businesses including nearly 200,000 pubs, bars, restaurants and other leisure outlets prepare for the implementation of the legislation.

Free briefing session for businesses
To assist and encourage local businesses to go smoke free, even before the prohibition takes effect, Lancaster City Council has organised a free briefing session at Lancaster House Hotel on the evening of 15 January 2007. Further details see www.lancaster.gov.uk/smokefree or ring Environmental health on 01524 582731.

It's likely that many people will want to quit smoking during 2007 and that the Stop Smoking Service will have a rush of enquiries. To take advantage of this free service anyone interested in quitting should contact 'Stop Smoking' on 01524 845145.

COUNCIL HONOURED: GREEN CHAMPIONS
4/12/06: Lancaster City Council in partnership with Birse Coastal has been awarded the title of ‘Green Champions’ at the 2006 National Green Apple Awards for Environmental Best Practice.
The award was made for work undertaken on the ‘Morecambe Coastal Works Phases 6 & 7’. This DEFRA funded £13m project commenced in March 2006 and is due for completion in autumn 2007. The works are being delivered under a partnering arrangement between Birse Coastal, Lancaster City Council, designers Faber Maunsell and key supply chain partners including P& L Barton and Bardon Aggregates. Coast protection elements of the works have been designed by Lancaster City Council in conjunction with Shoreline Management Partnership. The scheme includes:
* Placing some 300,000 tonnes of rock armour protection to the existing sea wall to protect the coastline and properties from damage during severe storm events
* Constructing two rock breakwaters
* Reconstructing the existing promenade
* Placing 110,000 tonnes of sand and cobbles to replenish the beach and enhance the effectiveness of the existing coastal defences

The natural environment of Morecambe Bay is highly valued with many regulatory designations for its protection from development damage, including:
* Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)
* Special Protection Area (SPA)
* RAMSAR Convention
* Special Area of Conservation (SAC)
The environmentally sensitive nature of the area necessitated construction works being designed in sympathy with these requirements. As a result of the extensive environmental management measures implemented on site, in consultation with Natural England, the project has delivered many achievements:
Minimising disturbance to local wildlife - Works have been targeted to minimise disturbance of wintering waterfowl, breeding waders and migratory birds covered by the Special Protection Area.
A new estuarine wetland reserve has been created as part of the scheme making this one of the largest coastal realignment schemes in Europe, providing an improved habitat for breeding waders, making a major contribution towards national targets for coastal saltmarsh creation.
Mitigation habitat creation works - A unique aspect of this scheme involved the recreation of a glacially formed cobble skear (a marine habitat - a mixture of cobbles, mud, and silt). It is the first time a skear of this kind has been successfully translocated in the UK.
Senior Environment Consultant, Colin Scott, is monitoring this work for Lancaster. Full details can be seen at the following link: www.abpmer.net/morecambe.
Dr David Bellamy made the award of ‘Green Champions’ at a ceremony in the Tower of London on November 3 2006. Collecting the award on behalf of the team were Ron Eckersley (Engineering Manager, Lancaster City Council), Coun Janice Hanson (Portfolio holder for coastal works, Lancaster City Council) and Ged Wright (site manager for Birse Coastal).
The team’s award-winning paper will be published in ‘Green Heroes’, the international work of reference on environmental best practice that enables thousands around the world to learn and benefit from the achievements of the winners. Lancaster City Councillor Janice Hanson said: "Not only has this coastal defence project provided protection from risk of flooding for many homes in Morecambe, it has also created beautiful new sandy beaches, and all while minimising disturbance to bird life in the protected habitat of Morecambe Bay.
"I'm very pleased that everyone's hard work has been recognised with this national Green Apple award for environmental best practice."

COUNCIL ARTS GRANT FUNDS LOCAL PROJECTS
4/12/06: Lancaster City Council has contributed £3,000 of funding from the Community Festival / Project Grant for six large-scale projects to take place in the district.
The small grants of £500 each, are directed at groups who wish to organise arts projects and support the arts in Lancaster, Morecambe and Heysham and the rural areas of the district.
the Arts Development team at the City Council have assisted and advised applicants, some of which have attracted other funding totalling £122,362.

‘Viva Mexico’ is an exciting International Creative Arts Project, and will promote an understanding of Mexican Art and Culture within the rural communities of Lancashire and the North West of England. At the heart of the project is a six-week residency at Green Close Studios, in Melling (Lune Valley), for Tiburcio and Israel Soteno, Mexican ceramic artists who specialise in making complex clay sculptures termed Arboles de la vida (‘trees of life’).
* ‘Spotlight’ is a three-year project that is funded to promote grass-roots writing for live performance in North Lancashire. Lancaster Spotlight has been in continuos operation since December 1995. Held at the Yorkshire House pub, Lancaster in a cabaret style format, Spotlight offers the development of live performance and participation through a variety of artforms.
* ‘ABOLISHED’ is an arts-centred approach to marking the Bicentenary of the Abolition of the Slave Trade. Artists Lubaina Himid and Sue Flowers will be commissioned to create installations at the Judges’ Lodgings and Maritime Museum reflecting their research and creative responses to Lancaster’s largely hidden history of involvement with the slave trade and its legacies.
* ‘This Big’ is a dance and film project set in Morecambe, Lancashire. Local artist collective, ‘This Big,’ comprising Jenny McCabe and Vicky Van Mechelen, will work with the general public on Morecambe’s promenade over a period of a few months to devise, rehearse and perform a series of dances to camera.

The project will be punctuated by several large-scale events, including live music with a local tea dance band, a mass waltz on the prom, local dance groups involved in outdoor performances, outdoor screenings of early footage from the project and screenings/installations at local venues.
* ‘From Cooler Woodlands’ project group wish to commission Matt Turley, a Lancaster-based artist/designer, to create a unique piece of furniture to be displayed in the exhibition and interpreted via talks and demonstrations. Once the exhibition ends the piece will be exhibited by the Museum Service. After the exhibition tour, the work will be displayed in museum spaces in Lancaster with the opportunity to tour to other locations.
* ‘Dignity of Difference,’ a commemoration of Holocaust Memorial Day will include a candlelight commemoration in the gardens by the Town Hall. Young people from high schools in the district and local artists will be designing specific work for performance in the evening to celebrate survival and the importance of the Dignity of Difference.

SKERTON WARD BY-ELECTION
1/12/06: Skerton residents go to the polls on 14 December to elect a new City Councillor, following the death of the previous incumbent, Cllr Jean Jones (Labour). The candidates are as follows: John Airey (Conservative), Norman Gardner (Independent), Christopher Hill (BNP) and Karen Leytham (Labour).

CLLR STONE LEAVING
1/12/06: Lancaster City Councillor Alex Stone will cease to be a city councillor from the publication of the new Register of Electors today. He has represented the University Ward as a Liberal Democrat councillor since the last district elections in 2003.
Councillor Stone has moved out of the district recently and, as inclusion on the Register of Electors for this district was his only qualification, this lapses on the annual publication of the new Register.

Councillor Stone has been a member of the Lancaster City Council Cabinet since his election with specific responsibility for Information and Customer Services, Revenues and Benefits, Property and Democratic Services.
He previously stood for MP for Morecambe and Lunesdale, losing to Geraldine Smith in the 2005 parliamentary election. His campaign slogan was: “Morecambe, a great place to live and work!”

The Council will formally declare the vacancy today, however as this occurs less than six months before the full city council elections next year (May 3, 2007), a by-election will not be held to fill the vacancy, in accordance with Section 89 (3) of the Local Government Act 1972.
The Cabinet vacancy will be considered by full Council at its meeting next week. (Wednesday December 6).

CYCLISTS: STEER CLEAR
1/12/06: Morecambe husband Mike Burrell is begging cyclists to dismount within the town’s shopping centre after his wife Kathleen (52) was run over by a cyclist. Kathleen is still bedridden following the accident which happened close to the Marsdin Building Society on Saturday, September 30 and injured her so seriously that she was rushed to hospital for emergency surgery on a broken hip. Medical staff reported that the impact could very likely have killed an older person or a child.

The officer in charge of the case PC Matt Harmer backed Mr Burrell’s call saying: “This was a serious incident and it could have been even worse. “We have had a number of complaints about cycling in the town centre from members of our Police and Communities Together (PACT) panel and we will be stepping up patrols around the area and hand out fines to anyone found cycling in pedestrian-only areas.’’

L*A*W*M* XMAS WEEKENDER AT THE YORKIE

2/12/06: DIY music promoters LAWM (Little Argument With Myself) are pulling out the stops with a full on weekend of live bands at the Yorkshire House, Lancaster next Friday 8 and Saturday 9 December.
Friday night is brought to you by LAWM and local music journalist Lauren Holden in order to mark the first birthday of her music column 'The Session' in The Visitor newspaper. They tell us: "We would like very much for you to come on Friday wearing yellow shoes - the wearer of the best pair will receive lots of prizes....!
Friday night is electro indie night, with french headliners The Clerks who you may have already heard on Steve Lamacq’s radio show... Not bad at all. (You can watch the video to it at www.lawm.co.uk). supported by Modernaire (Manchester), The Three Ages of Elvis (Lancaster) and One Chip Potato and the Transcendental Watermusicians (Lancaster - read a VL review).
Saturday night 9 December and the beat goes on, opening with a solo set from Quiet Jones (frontman of Lancaster band The Gokarnas) followed by local heroes The Wisemen. The superb Nancy Elizabeth Cunliffe (Manchester) will be doing some rather fabulous stuff to your little ears next and the night will culminate at the top of the bill with London headliners The Memory Band whose current members include the vocal talents of Nancy Wallace and Stephen Cracknell, perhaps best known for his work with Badly Drawn Boy; as well as members of Hot Chip and Simian. Their new album ‘Apron Strings’ is out now on Peacefrog Records. The album is an important British contribution to the nu/neo/alt.folk genre and TMB will be the perfect way to finish off LAWM’s first year.
Tickets are only £4 for each night and you can get them in advance for the Friday night from
www.wegottickets.com/event/13292 and for Saturday night from www.wegottickets.com/event/12980.

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