Previous stories: 1 - 15 January 2007
Next stories: 1 - 15 February 2007

MPS: THEY WORK FOR YOU
31/1/07: Or do they? Only yesterday Morecambe's MP Geraldine Smith in Parliament congratulated the Government on 'the improvements on the west coast main line between Lancaster and London. They have made journeys much better." (Read it here) This despite the furore locally regarding government plans to cut direct rail services through to the South-East, forcing travellers to change at Birmingham - meaning that many disabled, elderly or young passengers will no longer be able to manage the journey (Read more about this here). And all this for prices so extortionate that you could actually buy a roadworthy car for the cost of a ticket.
However she also managed to get the Secretary of Trade and Industry to admit that although no-one has any idea currently what the role of the NW Vision Board is, the North West Regional Development Agency is still planning to grant it £50,000 funding for its 2007 running costs. Don't forget that you can receive free email alerts on your MPs' questions and answers in Parliament from www.theyworkforyou.com.

ROAD CAMPAIGNERS SLAM COUNCIL 'GREENWASH'
30/1/07: Lancashire County Council's announcement of plans to tackle climate change has given rise to astonishment among anti-bypass campaigners this week. In Lancaster and Morecambe the residents are faced with Lancashire County Council's number one transport priority - the building of a destructive and polluting Heysham M6 Link road - for which the Council granted planning approval just two days after the publication of the ominous Stern Review.
The County Council announced a major campaign to tackle climate change; it has outlined far-reaching and long-term proposals to tackle rising temperatures caused by carbon emissions and pollution. Such a threat needs bold action, the Council says; a budget of £1.8 million is promised.

“The present budget for this road is £137 million pounds; that puts the Council's £1.8 million environmental initiative in its true context,” said David Gate, Chair of Transport Solutions for Lancaster and Morecambe (TSLM), the area's transport campaign group, who favour sustainable transport measures. “The Council approved its own scheme to build this destructive road just two days after the publication of the ominous Stern Review. TSLM drew the planning committee’s attention to the important report during a presentation that we made to them, but for the committee it was business as usual: they just ignored the Stern Review's grave warning and voted to build the road.”

The County Council's own calculations show that the 4-lane HGV route would generate a massive 24,000 tonnes of additional carbon dioxide every year. The road is also set to destroy 173 acres of farmland in the Green Belt, together with veteran trees and ancient hedgerows. The Council is even prepared to bulldoze the road through its own Lancaster and Morecambe College campus, destroying its sports fields and jeopardising its very existence.

“This looks like a cosmetic green makeover to us,” says Mr Gate. “The dual carriageway's purpose is to attract more heavy goods traffic into our district to use Heysham ferry port. Our population has to endure this nightmare, without the road getting to grips with the in town traffic congestion. Just imagine: they plan to spend £137 million and not solve the area's traffic problems. Even the County Council admits that this is not a relief road. That’s why we are issuing a challenge to County Councillors not to posture and to really take matters seriously.”

TSLM have written to every County Councillor challenging them to drop the road plan as hopelessly outdated, inappropriate and destructive, and to use the money to improve public transport and sustainable measures for the benefit of the environment and the community as a whole.
LCC's PR on its green proposals
TSLM's sustainable transport proposals

COUNTY COUNCIL TO AXE MORE SCHOOL BUS ROUTES.
30/1/07: Following their trumpeted unveiling of plans for the 'greening' of Lancashire, Lancashire County Council is swiftly back to business as usual, proposing to axe two bus routes serving Central Lancaster High School.
This follows the increase in bus fares announced by the County Council in July last year - an increase that came as a nasty surprise to many parents struggling to meet payments. Liberal Democrat Cllr Stuart Langhorne, a teacher and longtime campaigner for the school bus services, expressed disgust that so soon after these increases the County Council are proposing to axe the very bus routes that they said the increases would help to save.
"The people of Lancaster are now facing increased bus fares and still facing the loss of of bus services. This cannot be right."
The Lancashire Local Committee is being asked for its views on the proposal at its Skerton meeting today. (Lancashire Local is a Lancashire County Council vehicle for consultation with local partners and communities.)
The committee was told that one of the reasons for the services failing to meet the County's subsidy criteria is that there is a lack of competition between bus companies in the Lancaster District. A similar service may cost £10,000 more in Lancaster compared to Preston. It is an example of where the County needs to address its subsidy criteria - a universal policy across the County is clearly detrimental to the Lancaster area.

OLYMPICS THREATEN FUNDING TO LOCAL GROUPS
30/1/07: The Government is short of a least £900m for the 2012 Olympics and ministers are fighting over how the Olympics should be funded.
The Chancellor, Gordon Brown, wants the National Lottery to provide the money. If this happens the Big Lottery Fund, Sport England, the Arts Council and the Heritage Lottery Fund will all lose large amounts of money, much of which would otherwise go to the local voluntary and community sector.
A petition opposing the move can be signed online at http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/Defend-funding/.
The National Association for Voluntary and Community Action (NAVCA) is asking Voluntary and community organisations and concerned individuals around the country to do all, or at least one, of the following:
1. Write a letter to Gordon Brown, Chancellor of the Exchequer, at the following address telling him that the Government should fund the Olympics without depriving the National Lottery distributors of the funds needed to support local voluntary and community sector activities.
Rt Hon Gordon Brown MP
Chancellor of the Exchequer
HM Treasury
1 Horse Guards Road
LONDON
SW1A 2HQ
2. Write to Tessa Jowell, Secretary of State at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport at the following address asking her not to take money away from the National Lottery distributors in order the support the Olympics.
Rt Hon Tessa Jowell MP
Secretary of State
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
2-4 Cockspur Street
LONDON
SW1Y 5DH
3. Please copy any letters you write to Ed Miliband, the Third Sector Minister in the Office of the Third Sector, and to Dawn Primarolo, the Paymaster General at the Treasury, who leads on the VCS for the Treasury.

4. Perhaps most importantly, write to your own local MP or MPs telling them why National Lottery funds are so important for the people served by voluntary organisations and community groups in your area. Please put the emphasis on the services, opportunities and activities which local people will lose as a result of a dramatic reduction in National Lottery funding.

Kevin Curley, Chief Executive of NAVCA said," I would not ask you to take these actions if I did not believe that there was a chance of influencing Government policy. If we can save £900m for the voluntary and community sector the effort will be well worthwhile but we will only succeed if the relevant Ministers Gordon Brown, Tessa Jowell, Ed Miliband and Dawn Primarolo receive heavy post bags."

THE 9/11 TRUTH CAMPAIGN:
TWIN TOWERS HERO TO SPEAK IN LANCASTER
26/1/07: When I first heard about this I thought ‘Oh right, another crazy bunch of boring conspiracy theorists’. But recently I saw the film, and I’m still in shock. All the radio transmissions made by the firemen in the World Trade centre on the day of the 9/11 disaster are kept on tape – and they repeatedly talk about the big explosions happening inexplicably throughout the building - not just around the seat of the plane impact. Their rescue effort was seriously hampered by the one on the ground floor. A lot of film was taken of the towers throughout the day, and you can see the sequence of explosions happening down the corners of the buildings in textbook demolition style just prior to the collapse, which explain why the buildings collapsed – and why they collapsed neatly straight down. It also explains why a third building on the World Trade Centre site, WTC7, collapsed on the day despite having no plane crash into it. I was less surprised to hear that of the 20 or so so-called Islamic terrorists named and blamed for the attacks in the folowing weeks, at lease half have been located since and are still alive, well, and completely innocent of any involvement.
As for the plane that crashed into the Pentagon – where is it? There wasn’t a single part of that plane found. Nothing. Never before in the history of human aviation has a plane crashed – and then completely de-materialised.
So what happened?
William Rodriguez, the last man out of the Twin Towers saved 15 people single handedly - and as Rodriguez was the only person at the site with the master key to the North Tower stairwells, he bravely led firefighters up the stairwell, unlocking doors as they ascended, thereby aiding in the successful evacuation of unknown hundreds of those who survived. Rodriguez, at great risk to his own life, re-entered the Towers three times after the first, North Tower impact at about 8.46am, and is believed to be the last person to exit the North Tower alive, surviving the building’s collapse by diving beneath a fire truck. After receiving medical attention at the WTC site for his injuries, Rodriguez spent the rest of 9/11 aiding as a volunteer in the rescue work and at dawn the following morning was back at Ground Zero continuing his heroic efforts. The White House honoured him 5 times for bravery, and he was a key figure in getting the ball rolling for the 9/11 Commission. But the commission heard his evidence in secret and ignored it. Since the Commission’s report, William Rodriguez has spoken out against the whitewash. He believes that 9/11 was an inside job, orchestrated to justify a bogus war on terror and assaults on our civil liberties. And he has amassed surprisingly sound further evidence to support that belief. He is a remarkable person and a remarkable speaker and you can hear him in person on Thursday 8 February at 7pm in The Hugh Pollard Lecture Theatre, St Martins College, Lancaster. The event is free and you can find out more about all this at:
www.rinf.com/columnists/news/william-rodriguez-last-man-out-uk-tour
www.911truth.org (The US 9/11 Truth Campaign site)
www.nineeleven.co.uk (The UK 9/11 Truth Campaign site)
George Monbiot - they're all crazy - or worse..

LANCASTER CC: HALF TERM ACTIVITIES
26/1/07: Lancaster City Council are offering a variety of sports and arts activities for children aged between 3 and 16 years old from Monday 12 - Friday 16 February. Please book early as places fill up very quickly for these popular activities.
New activities on offer include Multi Skills, a test of your co-ordination, movement and balance. The Soccer School combines a coaching session with Blackburn Rovers at the indoor centre and a tour of their Premiership ground. Two match tickets will be available for one of the lucky participants during the day. Or fancy the outdoors? Try kayaking on Lake Windermere at Tower Wood Outdoor Education Centre. There is something for everyone with the varied courses on offer.
Mums and dads are welcome in the FREE Family Early Learning Arts and Crafts sessions with the Jungle Jewellery, Jungle Glove Puppets and Jungle Masks workshops. These sessions are specifically for the 4-7 year olds in conjunction with the Adult College. Alternatively why not try to design and create your own Fantastic Picture Frames for 8-16 year olds at the Adult College.
Other favourite activities include archery, fencing, skiing or for the more adventurous try the Stunt / Film School, indoor climbing / abseiling and the NEW self defence / Tae Kwon Do course at Regent Park Studios.
For those looking for something different why not go golfing, mountain biking – New Venue, horse riding, trampoling and tumbling or try the New Treasure Hunt at Happy Mount Park. Salt Ayre Sports Centre host the Football Fever, Multi Sports and the enjoyable Wet and Dry Day. Alternatively Inflatable Fun, Water Polo and Floats, Games and Relays courses are available at Heysham Swimming Pool or Distance Swim at Hornby Swimming Pool.
All sessions are in a fun and safe environment by experienced coaches with full day and half day activities available. Equipment is provided for all courses and transport is on offer for some of the sessions – see the activity programme information booklet (online at www.lancaster.gov.uk/leisureinfo).
You can pay for your place(s) on the programme ONLY at Salt Ayre Sports Centre Monday to Friday from 10.00am to 4.00pm, or contact the Booking and Information Line on (01524) 842493.

GOVT BROKE OWN RULES ON ROAD PLAN
25/1/07: In a week when MP Geraldine Smith asked an uncomfortable Parliamentary question about alternative options to the Heysham M6 Link, a report by a leading transport expert has raised serious issues for the Government, and has clear implications for the controversial Northern route plans, at present being considered by Government Ministers as a possible case for a public inquiry.
Dr. Denvil Coombe found that the Government had approved plans for the controversial Hastings Link road against their own guidance and without fully considering alternatives (see report)
This has prompted national environmental campaign organisations to write to the Secretary of State for Transport Douglas Alexander to request a meeting, demanding that the Hastings scheme, and others including the Heysham M6 Link, be reconsidered.
Government policy on the appraisal of road building schemes is clear. “The appraisal must include a detailed assessment of the scheme against alternative options that would, as far as possible, broadly meet the same objectives. Any major scheme for which the appraisal of alternative options is considered inadequate, or where the Department considers alternative options to be preferable, will not be accepted for funding.”
David Gate, Chair of Transport Solutions for Lancaster and Morecambe (TSLM) the local campaign group said “MP Geraldine Smith has asked in Parliament whether all of the options to the Northern route have been listed in the County Council’s case for the road (see questions 1 and 2). The only non-road building option they could come up with was a 14 year old study. We believe that the County Council simply made a dash to grab funding for the Northern route without a full consideration of alternatives.”
“The County Council has failed to do enough work on alternatives to building the damaging and underperforming Northern route, and at this time of unprecedented concern about climate change, it is logical, wise, and necessary to fully investigate alternatives. The Hastings case highlights the need for the Government to be serious about curbing environmental damage, and they can help our district by setting up a much needed public inquiry and refuse Government funding for the ill conceived Northern route plan.”

CLIMATE CHANGE: IT'S THE NEW ROCK & ROLL!
25/1/07: Local climate activists who have been campaigning for years for environmentally sustainable development - in the face of opposition and scepticism from local politicians and businesses are being vindicated in spades as Lancashire County Council this week announced the launch of a campaign for a greener and more sustainable Lancashire.
Initiatives will include developing a Lancashire version of the much-publicised national carbon offsetting schemes, which enable individuals and businesses to ‘offset’ their CO2 emissions by ploughing money back into landscape restoration and renewable energy projects.
Neighbourhoods and local communities will be encouraged to play their part with actions such as installing mini-wind turbines and solar panels on community buildings, supported by the Lancashire Local committees which will be given small climate change funds which they can use to lever in external money for local projects.
And the county council will bring partners on board – local councils, businesses, the voluntary sector and individuals – to make Lancashire among Britain's cleanest and greenest counties.
There are also plans for a climate change summit in Lancashire, so that the best in national and international thinking from agencies at the forefront of combating climate change can be brought together.
County Councillor Tony Martin, Cabinet member for sustainable development, said: "We must show that we intend to really put our own house in order, particularly in key areas such as transport, our own vehicle fleet and waste management, as well as initiating a host of measures throughout the county."
The government’s recent Stern Review, the most comprehensive review carried out on the economics of climate change to date, described the task of reducing global warming as urgent and added: “Delaying action, even by a decade or two, will take us into dangerous territory.”
Councillor Harding said: “We appreciate that our action has to be swift. Only last week, roads were closed, services ground to a halt and people were injured when gale force winds battered our county – and these weather-related problems are happening more often.
“A report from the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has just shown that carbon levels took a sharp increase in 2006”
In the north west, records over the past few decades show that sea levels, rainfall and temperatures have risen, and rivers are more likely to flood.
In Lancashire, roads in the Ribble Valley had to be stabilised last summer with granite dust to prevent ‘bleeding’ of carriageway surfaces in the heat, and last July Network Rail imposed speed restrictions of 20mph on trains travelling between Adlington and Chorley because of worries about rail lines buckling in the strong sunshine.
Peter Madden, Chief Executive of Forum for the Future, who was previously Head of Policy at the Environment Agency, Ministerial Adviser at Defra and DETR, and Director of Green Alliance, said: "The County Council's decision to play a leading role in responding to climate change is really welcome. Forum for the Future believes that climate change should not just be viewed as a risk. Managed properly, it also represents an opportunity to shape our communities for the better, improve quality of life and bring social, economic and environmental benefits for everyone."
Whilst welcoming the initiatives, local climate action groups point to a tendency on the part of local and regional government and the NWRDA to simply channel funding into consultancies, reviews and reports which mop up vast amounts of public money and give the appearance of activity while making little appreciable difference in real terms.
Developments certainly appear hopeful but the past record of councils and businesses making the resources available to embrace change and clean up their acts voluntarily is not good enough to prevent climate chaos. A statutory commitment is likely to be the only way, in the form of legislation which will affect us all.  

LANCASTER CLIMATE ACTION GROUP
25/1/07: Lancaster Climate Action (LCA) will be running a stall in Lancaster Town Centre this Saturday 27 January with lots of helpful info for everyone on how we can all begin to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) emmissions we are responsible for (our 'carbon footprint') and make the world a safer place for the future.
They are especially calling on people to kick the habit and to reduce the number of flights they take and offering information on the climate impact of flying, and alternative holidays and travel options.
People will also be able to sign a pledge to not fly at all in the coming year and LCA are aiming to collect 100 flight pledges from Lancaster people - which they will present to the City Council with the challenge to match the CO2 savings. There are 2 levels of pledge:
Gold Pledge
You undertake not to take any flights, except in an emergency, this year.
Silver Pledge
You undertake to take not more than two return short-haul flights, or one return long-haul flight, except in emergency, this year.
(You can also pledge by email to info@lancasterclimate.org.uk).
LCA is especially trying to target frequent, casual, short distance, short break, leisure flights - flights that are only possible because they are cheap and which are disproportionately polluting because most of the fuel
is used getting to cruising height and then almost immediately landing.
Says Lona McCarthy: "At this time when the reality of climate change is hitting home, we must all seriously think about how we each personally can reduce our carbon dioxide emissions. Deciding not to take that cheap flight but holidaying closer to home is one of the easiest and most effective steps we can take."
Flying produces ten times more carbon dioxide per mile than travelling by train and five times more than travelling by car. What's more the CO2 released high up in the atmosphere has a far more damaging effect than that released on the ground. The number of flights from UK airports is set to grow to a staggering 3billion by 2010. If this happens this will outweigh any savings made from insulation homes or energy efficiency.
People interested in finding out more or joining the group can contact them on 01524 383012 or info@lancasterclimate.org.uk, or check their website, www.lancasterclimate.org.uk
You can calculate your own carbon footprint as well as that for particular journeys at www.co2balance.com.
Another helpful (and entertaining) Guardian article on how to do this is at http://tinyurl.com/2m4tf8.

UNITARY AUTHORITY - WORKING TOGETHER
25/1/07: Lancaster City Council is pressing ahead with its bid to become a unitary authority despite some problems at County Council level. County Council leader Hazel Harding reacted angrily when office changes at Lancaster Town Hall led to the County Council's District Partnership Officer losing her desk there at short notice and having to be found accommodation elsewhere.
Cllr Harding said: "We have staff working with all the district councils in Lancashire to ensure the councils work very closely together for local people. They coordinate our work and ensure important information is shared.
"This arrangement has worked excellently in the last few years, but now the powers that be in Lancaster have effectively pulled the plug. I am absolutely astonished.
"I can only think that they believe that such efforts by the county council to work in partnership damages their bid for unitary status.
"The fact is that Lancashire County Council provides the vast majority of council services in Lancaster, not the City Council. The investment we make to the area is massive and we can be seen in the libraries, museums, highways, care homes, schools – almost everywhere you turn. The excellent quality of our services have helped make us a ‘four-star’ authority."
The Audit Commission inspected both councils in 2006. The way that Lancaster City Council is run and the delivery of services was assessed as 'fair' (on the scale excellent/ good/ fair/ weak/ poor). The County Council received a more positive report, with its service being rated as 4-star and improving well.
The thought of our Social Services, Education, Highways and much, much more being transferred to the same authority that does such a great job of running council tax and housing benefit that a large proportion of their clients still take in all paperwork by hand and demand a receipt for it - for when it gets lost in the system - may well give rise to concerns.
However independent research (commissioned by the City Council) suggests that local people would benefit from more services under a unitary Lancaster City Council (as opposed to the current two tier system of a County and City Council).
Currently Lancashire County Council receives most of the Council Tax collected in this district, together with government grants and other monies. Research by local government finance experts Rita Hale Associates, reveals some £2.4 million of that money is not spent here, but instead spent on services provided in other parts of Lancashire.
Unveiling the findings, on the eve of the deadline for councils to submit their proposals for unitary status to Government, Lancaster City Council has pledged that should its bid for unitary status be accepted by the Government, this money would be ploughed back into extra services that local people want.
Responding to Cllr Harding, Lancaster City Council's Chief Executive Mark Cullinan said: "Lancaster City Council, as has been well-publicised over a long period of time, is creating new face-to-face customer service centres in Lancaster and Morecambe Town Halls.
"We already have the space to accommodate this in Morecambe Town Hall, because the County Council have decided to move their engineering staff to Caton. However, we still needed to make appropriate space at Lancaster Town Hall. So, we have moved out nine of our own Legal Services staff, in addition to the two County Council employees.
"It is disappointing that this council's need to reconfigure its office accommodation, in order to continue to improve its services to its customers, has been politicised in this way."

LANCASTER COHOUSING SCHEME UPDATE
21/1/07: To find out what's happening with the Lancaster Cohousing project, ask questions and have an opportunity to meet some of the members come along to the next public meeting on Saturday 3February, 1.15pm (for a 1.30 start) - 3pm at the Gregson Centre, Moor Lane, Lancaster. (NB: crèche facilities are available but must be reserved in advance – email info@lancastercohousing.org.uk.)
The project group chose Ecoarc as their preferred architects – they are very excited about cohousing and have lots of experience of cutting edge eco design.
At present the project has 19 full member households who've invested £5000 each to secure their option on purchasing a home. There will be homes for at least 24 households if we get our preferred site so applications are being welcomed on an ongoing basis. The current full members are signing pre sale agreements on 3 Feb, and they are hoping to make progress with the purchase of their preferred site (a canalside site in Lancaster City
Centre) soon. More at www.lancastercohousing.org.uk.

FANCY BEING A COUNCILLOR?
25/1/07: Lancaster City Council has produced a leaflet to answer all the frequently asked questions about being a councillor and to encourage local people to stand in May’s local council elections. The easy to read leaflet entitled ‘We need you ….to stand as a local councillor’ describes everything from how to stand for election to the training and support you can expect to receive. It gives potential councillors a background of what would be expected of them if they were elected in terms of time commitment, attending meetings, ward work and experience and a brief overview of the work undertaken by Lancaster City Council and how the democratic structure works.
The next city council elections wil be held on Thursday, May 3 2007 when all 60 councillor places are up for re-election.
The council will be holding an open evening for potential candidates at 5.30pm on Wednesday 21 March at Lancaster Town Hall when details of the election process will be explained and nomination papers will be available. Existing councillors will be present to offer advice and guidance to anyone interested in standing in the district election and you can always contact your current ward councillor to discuss your interest - details can be found on the council’s website or you can phone the council on 01524 582000. To assist with the arrangements please let the Elections Office know in advance if you wish to attend, by phoning 582905 or email elections@lancaster.gov.uk.
A quick and entirely unrepresentative straw poll suggested that what what seemed to put many otherwise responsible and capable people off the idea is the loss of their current career, with no guarantee of security and their perception of political infighting, the time and energy it would waste and the personal damage it might do.
Some people felt that it was more efficient to have an impact on political decisions from outside the council - however important exceptions to this are highlighted in the cases where powerful commercial interests were involved, which more often than not seem to have the ability to weld the majority parties on the council together to gradually wear down any amount of local opposition.
Copies of the leaflet are available from Lancaster and Morecambe Town Halls or can be downloaded from the council’s website – www.lancaster.gov.uk
There are also elections on 3 May to all 30 parish and town councils in the district. For those of us who are not C of E and are thus wrongfooted by the concept of 'parishes', these are just geographical areas responsible for the most local of services, representing the voice of the parish electorate and striving to improve the quality of life within the parish.
The timetable for election is the same as for a city council election and nominations packs and advice on the process will be available at the open evening on March 21. Any questions about individual parishes should be directed to the relevant parish clerk – contact details can be found on the city council’s website, www.lancaster.gov.uk.

COUNCILLOR IN LOSING BATTLE FOR LANDMARK TREES
21/1/07: Unless the council Planning Committee acts to save them, two landmark cherry trees at the corner of the old Kingsway bus depot site will get the chop to make room for a new tower block.
Cllr John Whitelegg (Green Party, Bulk Ward) has requested that a tree preservation order be put on these trees because the plans for a new tower block on this site leave no room for the trees. however council officers have rejected the request which will also be considered by the Planning Committee on 22 January. A further rejection will mean that they can be removed at any time by the developer.
Cllr Whitelegg said:"I am appalled by the decision not to protect these trees and appalled that the Council has not consulted local residents. These cherry trees are a marvellous sight when in flower and are a much loved and long established part of the scenery in this polluted and drab part of Lancaster. They should be protected and nurtured and should be part of any development that goes ahead on this site"
Update 23/1/07: Planning committee meeting in Morecambe Town hall on Monday 22 January accepted an officer recommendation not to protect the Kingsway cherry trees with a Tree Protection Order (TPO). This decision was supported by labour, conservative and liberal democrat councillors with only Greens and Independent councillors wanting to see the trees protected.

ST MARTIN'S COLLEGE AWARDED UNIVERSITY STATUS
21/1/07: Lancaster will soon be a 2-university city as St Martin's College has announced the official award of university status by the Privy Council. It will become the University of Cumbria from 1 August 2007. As part of the new university, the College will amalgamate with Cumbria Institute of the Arts in Carlisle and the Cumbrian campuses of the University of Central Lancashire on the same date. The university's logo was also unveiled at the event.
The announcement was made by the Venerable Peter Ballard, Acting Chair of St Martin's Governing Body at a press conference held at the Carlisle Campus of St Martin's College. Prof Chris Carr (Vice Chancellor Designate of the University of Cumbria and current Principal of St Martin's College) and Euan Cartwright (Chair of the University for Cumbria Shadow Board) were also in attendance.
Peter Ballard said,
"There are many people who have put a great deal of effort into making sure the dream of university title became a reality and I'd like to thank them all for their considerable hard work and dedication."

St Martin's College applied for university title soon after receiving Taught Degree Award Powers (TDAP) in July 2006. Following a period of in-depth scrutiny carried out by the Quality Assurance Agency, the College was informed it had been successful in its application for TDAP in July 2006. It meant that the College would be able to award its own degrees from August 2007. Currently, the College's degrees were accredited by Lancaster University. Today's announcement means that the University of Cumbria will have the power to award its own degrees.
Prof Chris Carr said:
"Gaining university title is a tremendous achievement and something I am personally very proud to be involved in. The University of Cumbria will carry on the excellent work done by all the institutions involved in the amalgamation and be a new university that the whole region can be proud of."
For more information about the new university, visit www.university4cumbria.co.uk.

LANGHORN TO STAND FOR LIB DEMS
21/1/07: Stuart Langhorn has been selected as the Liberal Democrats’ candidate for the new Parliamentary Constituency of Lancaster and Fleetwood. In 2005 Stuart almost doubled the Lib Dem share of the vote in the old constituency of Lancaster and Wyre – increasing the Lib Dem vote to over 8500. He is determined to do even better this time.
Stuart is a teacher at Morecambe High School and lives locally in Brookhouse. He is a local councillor – serving on Lancaster City Council and Caton with Littledale Parish council. He is Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and group leader on Lancaster City Council. Stuart is known for his active campaigning on a number of education issues locally – including fair school bus fares, championing the young people’s voice in the council, supporting local arts projects and the need for rural libraries.
He tells us: “In the North West of England people are turning to the Liberal Democrats as the party of the future. We have a clear message on a fairer, greener and safer Britain. We aim to make Lancaster and Fleetwood a three way fight in the next election; and build on the success we have already had locally.”
Contact for further details: Stuart Langhorn Lib Dem PPC Lancaster and Fleetwood 01524 770957 or 07919 927467

LANCASTRIANS TO MARCH AGAINST TRIDENT
21/1/07: A national No Trident / Troops Home Now demonstration has been called by CND and Stop the War Coalition for 24 February 2007 in London. "The man who told us he went to war to destroy weapons of mass destruction in Iraq (there were none), at a cost of over 650,000 lives, now says he wants to spend around £50 billion on weapons of mass destruction with the potential to slaughter 40 million people."
For Lancastrians wishing to attend, a coach will be going from Lancaster to London on Feb 24th. Time: 6:30 am
Pick-up point: Dalton Square. Tickets: Must be bought in advance. For more information on cost and to buy a ticket ring: 07919587485. Please book early so that a sufficient number of coaches can be arranged in advance.
Another planning meeting will be held on Wednesday 24 January at the Gregson at 7.30pm . All are welcome. (The upstairs room at the Gregson does not serve any drinks).
For further information see: http://www.stopwar.org.uk/_Current/Trident.htm
and http://www.cnduk.org/pages/24feb.pdf

LUNE FICTION
21/1/07: Check out Lune Fiction, an E-zine which represents the finest in flash fiction, gaudy literature & blitz stories. "Indeed, the mag's main purpose is to further the cause of flash fiction, as the manacles of excess within conventional literature must be destroyed."
Each issue is a collection of blitz stories and the mag is nine to fourteen pages long, just enough to keep your brain highly entertained but not overloaded. A new issue appears whenever there is enough decent material.
See www.lunefiction.com.

BIKE TRAINING
21/1/07: In early Spring Pedal Power will be launching the 2007 training programme. This will include details of:
Maintenance and Cycling Skills courses for adults & families (with Pedal Power)
Bike Buddy
1-2-1 training (with our newly qualified instructors)
Workplace Training Scheme
However if you can’t wait that long Pedal Power are planning to run 3 courses (leftover from last year) in January / February:
Maintenance Basic
Maintenance Intro
Cycling Skills (probably Level 2)
These courses will run to suit the majority of would be customers (e.g. weekend, day or evening).
If you are interested please call Pedal Power on 01524 65328 or email your details to celebratingcycling@lancaster.gov.uk stating course / time preference.

SPOTLIGHT AT THE YOHO
18/1/07: Tomorrow night (19th) sees the first Spotlight Club of 2007 at Lancaster's Yorkshire House, with a cracking line up of music, poetry and performance on the cards as well as the usual "Open Mic" session which kicks off the evening, offering anyone the chance to get up and perform for their five minutes of fame.
Eliza Mood is a Lecturer in English Language and Creative Writing at St. Martin ’s College. She’ll be reading from her debut novel Giving Up Architecture, the story of Clem, a man struggling to re-establish his identity after serving in the Ambulance Corps as a conscientious objector during the Second World War. Garstang poet Norman Hadley says he once stumbled on the word  eclectic  in  his dictionary and thought it a good basis for a writing style. Norman’s poems hop from tragic to comic to sentimental weird  in  the flick of a metaphor, aspiring to the pigeonhole marked un-pigeon-hole-able. This month, he will talk about  hidden   portals  in Northern pubs, attempt to paint a classical ‘Madonna and Child’ with words and underline his geek credentials with a paean to a Midlands roundabout. Mark Ellis made his Spotlight debut at November’s Open Mic slam and was imediately booked to appear this month. ‘I have 19th January tattooed onto my left buttock... a happy coincidence!’ Mark is a comic... ‘a bit like the Beano. There is very little evidence of showbiz in my family although my great grandfather did 'stand up' once... and was immediately shot dead. Unfortunately, he was taking  cover in  a shellhole on the Western Front at the time.’ Daniel Savage also made his comedy debut at the Spotlight's Open Mic slam. ‘Most people just know me as 'Sav' or 'The Sav Man'. I'm 18 years old originally from Manchester but am at Lancaster Uni. My favourite meal is sausage, beans and mash and I can dance like no-one else can.’ The evening's music acts are Chris Watkins, who has been writing and playing live for the last 10 years. For a very long time he was standing at the front in Mob Curious and will be joined tonight by former fellow band member Nick Camm.
‘As long as the last song I wrote is the best one ever then I'll be happy," says Chris. "And it still feels like it so far. It has been a bit of a wierd year, but it’s time to get on and I have new material on the boil. If you have a hushed spotlight I would like to stand in it. Available for slots and supports anywhere I can drive to from Lancaster. I hope you enjoy the songs.’ The Wisemen will round off the evening, a band that have been playing together since 1999, during which time they gone from an acoustic duo to an electric four-piece and are now playing as an acoustic trio. They have played all over the UK, done radio shows, have had 1000's of hits on various internet sites, and have released several eps and mini-albums. Their current release is on Manchester's Timbreland Recording label, a compilation called Furthest Branches From  the Trunk  features  10 excellent and complimentary artists and is available to order from all good record shops. And HMV. Musically, they are genre-spanners (some just say spanners!) but given that their instruments include bouzouki, banjo, mandolin, fiddle etc, there is more than a hint of folk, with a sprinkling of blues, country, bluegrass, Django-style jazz, 60's psychedelia and contemporary lyrics. Despite the sometimes serious topics of the songs, their live shows are actually good fun, and highlight their often irreverent humour.  For more info, see www.timbreland.co.uk
Compered by John Freeman the literary parade kicks off at 8.30pm at the Yorkshire House, Parliament St. Lancaster, with Open Mic from 8.45 - 9.15pm. Admission: £3/£2 (Conc.), web link: www.spotlightlancaster.co.uk

COUNCIL TAX - 3.9% RISE
17/1/07: A Council Tax rise of 3.9% will be recommended to Lancaster City Council at its meeting on 7 February, the lowest increase from the City Council for eight years.
"I'm very pleased that for the third successive year I have been able to propose a lower increase in Council Tax," says Council Leader Ian Barker. "Today’s proposal is the lowest rise from the City Council for eight years. For the third successive year we have kept the Council Tax rise below 5% - something that has not been achieved before. Over my four year tenure, the average increase has been reduced to almost half that of the previous administration.
"There are no proposals for any major cuts in services. In fact, there will be improvements in a number of areas.
The environment is one key area for improvement, Barker outlines. "We've already decided to continue to improve our waste and recycling service," he explains. "In the next two years we will roll out three stream waste collection to the rest of the district and we will start a new kerbside collection of plastic waste. This will cost an extra £289,000 in 2007/08 and £656,000 in 2008/09 and is only possible because we have made comparable efficiency savings in City Contract Services.
"In our capital programme we're also taking steps to make the Council more environmentally friendly," he adss. I've proposed a £100,000 five year “spend to save” programme of energy efficiency.
"The idea is to reduce green house gas emissions while cutting the cost to the tax payer. Proposals for improving the Council’s energy efficiency that have a payback time of less than five years will be introduced.
“The second major theme of the budget is housing. I hope to be able to make further proposals to Cabinet in February for dealing with homelessness. However, we have already reinstated a programme to help elderly people to stay in their own homes by carrying our small improvements. Often this can make a difference between people having to go into sheltered accommodation or care and being able to retain their independence.”
“There is still more work to be done on this budget", says Barker, "and I will be making further proposals In February. However, this budget already combines the lowest Council Tax rise for eight years, an improvement in services and a further strengthening of the Council’s finances.”

MIDLAND OPENING DELAYED
17/1/07: The official opening of Morecambe's Midland Hotel has been delayed and is now unlikely to be before 2008.
The Morecambe Visitor reports that its owners, developers Urban Splash, have also confirmed they are to run the hotel themselves after attempts to find an operator failed.
Bill Maynard, Urban Splash's director of development, made the announcement on Monday at the annual general meeting of the Friends of the Winter Gardens.
Commenting on the delay, Morecambe Councillor Ron Sands, the cabinet member for tourism, confessed that he was not really surprised. He said “
"I’ve seen at first hand the immensely impressive work that has already been achieved inside the Midland," he said. "It's difficult to overestimate the exceptional challenge that Urban Splash faces.
"In a way, the delay is evidence that the company will not compromise on standards, or take short cuts to achieve some theoretical deadline.  This is no ordinary hotel – it is a work of art of international importance in the world of art deco. Every tiny detail has to be spot on”.
 Councillor Sands added that he still believed that Morecambe would enjoy a record summer in 2007.  He said,
"The ninety-nine thousand tons of soft golden sand that has been placed on the central beaches will establish the resort as the first choice for countless families seeking the best beach experience in the North of England," he feels. "And in 2008 the completion of the Midland project will be the icing on the cake”.

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