Previous stories: 1 - 15 June 2007
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GLASSON FESTIVAL 2007
29/6/07 The 4th Glasson Festival 2007 kicks off today (Friday 29 June) til Sunday with an amazing line-up of musicians, activities and sessions, craft stalls, displays, children's entertainment and heaven knows what all else with workshops in everything from juggling to samba to labyrinth-making! There will be pillow-bashing and sponge-throwing at some poor so-and-so in the stocks - You can find out all about everything at www.glassonfestival.org.uk. A weekend ticket for the performance sessions in the Village Hall is £30 or £10 a session (£6 on Sunday) and there's also tons and tons of free stuff and sessions in all the local pubs and all around the village and the dock. There’s camping and it’s always a really friendly, open atmosphere, so get yourself down there!

KITE FESTIVAL COMES TO MORECAMBE

29/6/07: Sunday 8 July sees the fabulous Catch the Wind Kite Festival, now in its 5th year, return to Morecambe, from 12 noon onwards – an event which attracted 10,000 visitors to the resort last year! And they weren’t disappointed – at least I wasn’t. This great fun day out is one of Morecambe's best summer event, IMHO, featuring brilliant live music and the crazy antics of street performers.
But the main attraction as always will be the spectacular displays of all types of kites on the town's Promenade and beach, which attracts thousands from across the North West to fly their kites and to watch, from skilled flying teams and amazing, one-off kites in incredible designs, to kiddies hanging onto their first little flier. The festival gets bigger and better every year and adults and children alike can join in the fun, as well as taking part in workshops on making paper aeroplanes, kites and lots more. Stalls will sell food from all over the world and I will be there with my flying hippy kite (it doesn’t do much except get high…), while my housemate swears blind he has finally perfected his axle stunt and is onto the yoyo …. Enjoy! Info tel 01524 831997.
Oh, and the Morecambe Jazz festival will be happening too on Saturday 7th and Sunday 8th at Happy Mount park from noon til 9pm.

TRUTH GOES MARCHING ON
29/6/07: On Monday 25 June the March of the Abolitionists came to Lancaster, commemorating the bicentennial anniversary of the Abolition of Slavery with a march to the UK ports that featured in the slave trade. London has already apologised for its role in the slave trade, Bristolians are arguing about it and the March organisers have invited Lancaster to apologise too.
However after an internal discussion it has been decided that the matter would not be put to the meeting of the full council on Wed 20 June because there was not majority support for the idea of giving an apology. Cllr Chris Coates said "I am bitterly disappointed that many members of the council feel that it is somehow not appropriate to apologise for the City’s involvement in the slave trade. Giving an apology is the very least we should be doing."
According to the March website (www.lifelineexpedition.co.uk) “the major reconciliation issue between Europe and Africa, was that of the legacy of the Trans-Atlantic slave trade”. (A thought that may give some comfort to Royal Dutch Shell Oil who in recent years have been accused of sponsoring genocide in Nigeria and who face almost daily guerrilla action there.)
However the projection that the City of Lancaster is basically the descendent of rich, white, slave trading merchants fails to recognise its true heritage. Over 70% of today’s Lancashire residents are descended from migrants, mainly Irish, European and Asian, who moved in post-Abolition to fill the factories and mills. And today, throughout the city can be heard a multiplicity of languages and many of us bear a more recent legacy of violent oppression through race, nationality, religion, gender, class or plain economic or physical vulnerability.
There’s another, unspoken, argument that goes, “a formulaic apology would cost nothing, it might be essentially meaningless to us but it might bring some recognition to those who’ve suffered greatly as a result of their ancestors having been enslaved.”
However it cannot be that reinforcing a fantasy of ‘us’ Lancastrians as graciously powerful, reformed ex-slavers versus ‘them’ as dependent victims, brings any real comfort to anyone, except perhaps, companies like Royal Dutch Shell Oil. It’s crucial to learn from the past. It’s not good to get caught up in role-playing it. (Plus, it almost makes me grind my teeth to think that, 200 years from now, my descendents might find themselves considering whether they should apologise for ‘my’ invasion of Afghanistan and Iraq.)
Anyway, that’s not the main issue. As Cllr Coates added, “Slavery is not just something that happened a long time ago. The buying and selling of human beings is still going on. We need to acknowledge the impact of slavery from 200yrs ago and we also need to recognise that we have an on-going responsibility to end modern instances of slavery such as human trafficking."
The main issue is this: UK immigration and employment laws collude to deprive some groups of vulnerable people of basic rights and create opportunities for human traffickers to abuse them, while unfair global trading practices, political corruption and increasing environmental instability maintain the flow of desperate and vulnerable people into this trap. In a country where the divide between rich and poor is steadily increasing, the potential for abuse needs to be checked.  (S)

CENTROS MILLER
29/6/07: The City Council is still accepting your comments and objections to the Centros Miller planning proposal as yet another shop in Lancaster, Jessops, plans to close, predicting a loss of trade when the main city centre moves away from their Cheapside premises to the proposed Canalside shopping development. So here’s a plan. Given that the current town centre cannot thrive in competition with the new one across the one-way system, we face the prospect of an abandoned inner city in decay and dereliction. So instead, let the council give these premises away, as they fall empty, to projects that seek to further positive environmental, social and co-operative objectives. Let Market Square become an organic allotment and the old Co-op building, once Woollies has fled, can be a swapshop where you can exchange the jeans you’ve become too slim to wear for a pump and dynamo for your bike. Let there be afternoon tea dances in what used to be Marks and Spencers, windmill-installation workshops in the old Wilkinsons and direct action training for G8 disrupters in Marketgate Square.
What else could be planned for a derelict area surrounded by gridlocked traffic?
But if you think it would make more sense to have a sensible development from the start, that contributes to the city rather than sucking the life out of it, then take another look at the green plan, at http://www.lancastergreenparty.org.uk/canal-corridor/ and send in your comments to the council. Info on how to do that is at www.itsourcity.org. 

NUFFIELD THEATRE PIECES SEEK YOUR HELP
The Nuffield Theatre on campus has two projects running that seek people’s help:
Memories
Performance Artist Simon Bowes is seeking people to interview for a new theatre piece called Fare-well, based on the Nuffield, revealing the venue’s history and its links with university life and the local community. Although better known now for contemporary theatre and performance art the venue has, in the past, also been used by amateur dramatic groups, for local schools’ performances, and for music gigs. Whilst Theatre has its official historians – artists and academics – Simon is keen to interview local people who are willing to share their experiences and memories of The Nuffield and you are invited to contact him by emailing simon_bowes@hotmail.co.uk or by ringing The Nuffield Theatre on 01524 594160.
The performance will be on 15 September 2007 and will use spoken text, audio-visual documentation and discussion, inviting you to consider performance as a way of leaving, of going elsewhere, of saying fare-well.
Pregnancy
The Nuffield Theatre is also looking for pregnant women who would like to work together with Belgian artist Leentje Van de Cruys on a project exploring pregnancy, birth and motherhood.
Over 5 sessions, you will have the opportunity to share your experiences with other mums-to-be, and transform them into a collage of text, simple movement and music, which will be shown in Lancaster in early September. It doesn’t matter if you don’t have experience of theatre or performance.
If you’re interested, come and meet them at The Gregson Centre, Moor Lane, Lancaster at 1.30pm on Sunday 8 July.
For more information, contact:- Alice Booth (Nuffield Projects Officer), tel: 01524 592994 or email: alice@nuffieldtheatre.com.

LITTERERS PROSECUTED....
27/6/07: Lancaster City Council has successfully prosecuted two people for littering.
Mr R was found guilty on 20 May 2007. He has been fined £150 and ordered to pay £50 costs.
In August 2006, Ms F was given a fixed penalty notice for throwing litter. She refused to pay and was taken to court. Pleading guilty by post she was fined £75 and ordered to pay £25 costs.
Cllr June Ashworth, cabinet member with responsibility for City Council (Direct) Services with a special interest in enforcement said: “This clearly shows that the council will take enforcement action against those members of the community that show a disregard for the environment and quality of life within their neighbourhoods.
“We hope that by publicising offenders' names and details in this way (you can find them in full on the City Council's website), it will deter others from following suit.”
Since last year council staff as well as Police Community Support Officers have had the power to issue £75 on the spot fines to anyone dropping litter, including cigarette ends and chewing gum.
But you don’t have to be seen by a member of staff to get a Fixed Penalty Notice – evidence from any member of the public who witnesses someone dropping litter could lead to that person being fined.
One case involved someone throwing a cigarette packet out of a car window in Scale Hall, Lancaster. They received a fine for their trouble, thanks to a diligent member of the public.
The quick-thinking witness spotted someone launching a cigarette packet out of a car window, and picked it up off the ground and wrote the registration number of the car on it. He kept the packet, and handed it in to council staff, together with a bus ticket from a bus that he’d just got off, which had the time and date on it.
The DVLA led enforcement officers to the owner of the car, who was then issued with a Fixed Penalty Notice, which has now been paid.
Anyone who witnesses someone littering should contact the customer service centre on 01524 582491.

...NO BUTTS
27/6/07: The Health Act 2006 comes into force this Sunday, making it an offence to smoke in workplaces and enclosed public places. Failure to comply could result in a fixed penalty fine for the offender and also for the person responsible for the management of the premises. So more people will find themselves having to go out on to the street for a smoke. But remember, dropping cigarette butts in the street is now liable to the £75 on the spot fine.
To help smokers dispose of their cigarette butts safely, Lancaster City Council is again giving away free cigarette butt pouches or ‘Stubbi’ pocket ashtrays, as part of its ongoing 'Putting Litter in its Place' campaign.
The cigarette stub holders and pouches are portable and pocket sized and allow gum and cigarette butts to be stored until they can be dropped into a bin rather than dropped in the street. Made of fire resistant plastic, the airtight design means that smoke odours are locked inside, and it can be emptied when full and reused again and again.
For any ex-smokers thinking of taking to chewing gum instead, the council is also giving away free gum wrap papers. Amazing.
Cllr June Ashworth said: “Cigarette ends are litter and once people have thrown their cigarette ends down on the pavement or out of their car window somebody has to go and clean them up. The stubbis are freely and widely available so we hope that smokers make use of them otherwise they could end up paying a £75 fine.”
The council has also recently installed 120 new bins with special stubplates and ashtrays in the towns centres of Lancaster, Morecambe and Carnforth, and Morecambe promenade has also had stub plates fitted to bins.
The pocket ashtrays and gum wrap papers will be available free from all council buildings including the Morecambe and Lancaster Town Hall receptions, the Tourist Information Centres, housing offices and Poulton and West End Neighbourhood management offices and Salt Ayre Sports Centre while stocks last.
If you would like help to quit contact the NHS Stop Smoking Service on 01524 845145.

THE LIFE OF BRIAN 'BOB' MOFFAT

27/6/07: Lancaster music lovers and regulars of his John O'Gaunt Jazz sessions are mourning the death of Brian (“Bob”) Moffatt from heart failure on 14 June aged 73.
Jazz pianist Brian Moffatt, (known to many as Bob, and to most of his fellow musicians as Moff) was a leading light of the local jazz scene for over 50 years. For nearly 20 years he played every Monday night at the John O’ Gaunt, delighting audiences of all ages with his swinging, up-tempo performances.
Born on 4 May 1934 in Lancaster, Brian was the only child of Gladys and Redvers Moffatt. He attended Dallas Road School, and later studied at the Storey Institute and Harris College in Preston. He took up the accordian at the age of 11 and as a teenager supplemented the family income by playing in dance bands, including the magnificently titled Mrs Beamer’s Accordion Band.
He soon mastered the piano as well, and began a jazz trio with old schoolfriend Pete Deeley on tea-chest bass, and George Niven on drums. Later he created a Modern Jazz style quartet which included lifelong musical colleague Malcolm Hall (now better known as a bassist) on vibraphone.
Moff also played occasional trombone in jazz sessions at Lancaster’s Moorlands pub, and was a regular pianist at The Chieftan in Morecambe, entertaining crowds of holidaymakers during the summer seasons of the 1950s and 60s.
More recent versions of the Bob Moffatt Quartet also featured drummers Peter Eddowes and Phil Gibson, and guitarist Mark Townson, whilst two decades of John O’ Gaunt sessions hosted guest performances by countless other players.
In addition to his extensive musical activities, Brian was a Chartered Engineer, and member of the Institutes of Mechanical and Plant Engineering. He served his apprenticeship at Storeys and later worked for Castrol, before setting up Moffatt Lubrication Services, which he ran until 2004.
He had three much-loved daughters - Alison and Lindsay, from his first marriage to Brenda; and Kate, the daughter of his second wife Babs. He and Babs were married in 1974 and shared great happiness throughout their life together. Brian Moffatt was a warm, witty, intelligent and charming man, loved by everyone who knew him and whose lives he enriched so much. His John O’Gaunt residency brought many people into contact with live jazz who may not otherwise have encountered it.
Newcomers would be thrilled to find a band of mature musicians kicking out tunes with formidable energy, and it was especially heartening to watch young people gradually drawn into rapt attention.
Brian revelled in such support, knocking out blistering solos with fingers flying. He was also capable of great subtlety and sensitivity, including occasional heartfelt vocal performances.
The end of the night always brought a rousing version of “Jumping with Symphony Sid” followed by his characteristic Duke Ellingtonian sign off: “You’re very kind, you’re very gentle, we love you madly.” He was still playing weekly at the time of his sudden and unexpected death from heart failure on14th June.
Brian is survived by his wife Babs and his daughters. He will be greatly missed, but his influence will live on in the playing of all those he inspired with his vigorous musical personality.
His funeral took place at Lancaster Priory on Friday 22 June. Fellow musicians played in his honour at the service, and the mourners then celebrated his life with an extended musical session at a packed John O' Gaunt, with performances by many of the musicians who had played with him over the years.
Sue Parish
Photo courtesy of George Coupe

CITY COUNCIL KILLS NORTHERN LINK ROUTE
23/6/07: A heated debate at Wednesday's meeting of the new Lancaster City Council led to a landmark decision as council voted against the proposed Northern Heysham-M6 link route.
Green councillors put forward a motion that the council no longer supported the Northern link proposal as a solution to the city's traffic problems. MBIs then proposed an amendment to add that a comprehensive alternative package of measures to deal with these problems also needed to be identified and implemented as a matter of urgency. The Greens accepted this and it replaced theirs as the main motion.
Then the Conservatives proposed another amendment to say that the district needed a Heysham-M6 link. This led to some considerable debate, which needs no repetition, and was passed in a vote split very much along party lines, with the unholy alliance of Labour and Conservatives voting for the link, with the Greens and some MBIs and Independents against.
Then Green Chris Coates proposed a further amendment, seconded by MBI Evelyn Archer clarifying that, OK, the council thought that the district needed an M6 link road (unavoidable as it had just voted on it), but that it was opposed to the Northern route and that a comprehensive alternative package of measures to deal with these problems also needed to be identified and implemented as a matter of urgency. Which was, eventually, carried, despite Green Cllr Barry's abstention (and you can be sure that all other parties will forever be reminding us that Cllr Coates proposed a motion apparently supporting a link road that he will forever be opposing).
As a result the City Council is to notify the County council that it no longer supports the Northern Route project and that it will not be appearing at the Public Enquiry nor submitting any evidence, leaving the County Council isolated in its promotion of the scheme on which they have spent a massive wedge of their annual budgets for the last two years while trying to force it through.
New leader of the council, Roger Mace (Conservative) lost no time in issuing a press release attacking the Green Party, giving rise to a pang of nostalgia as we recall that that's exactly what his Labour predecessor always used to do too.
A tribute moment.
So, we don't have the doctor's certificate yet but we can, with confidence, say that the Northern Route proposal for a Heysham M6 link road is now on its deathbed.
County Council Leader Hazel Harding attacked the city council’s decision and pointed out that some of the opposition for the Northern route came from parties hoping to revive support for a Western route, but that there was no such proposal on any table. She warned that this would leave no Heysham link road at all.
And Lancaster police have issued a press release noting that they have been catching people doing speeds of up to 120mph on the bit of the link road already built, between Heysham and White Lund. Speeding is apparently a real problem on this lovely bit of straight and little-used road, perfect, in fact, for people test-driving new and second-hand cars from the dealers on White Lund, to see how they perform up to the ton mark and beyond. It’s difficult to square this up with the argument that Heysham desperately needs a new link road for all its traffic. But with around £200million of taxpayers’ money up for grabs and the prospect of a ribbon development right across what is currently protected green belt, there will always be a lobby for it.
David Gate, chair of Transport Solutions for Lancaster & Morecambe said; "We are glad that Lancaster City Council has caught up with the views of the people in the district,”
"This move will have a dramatic effect on plans for the scheme and the Government’s decision on funding.
“We should all now sit down and produce an integrated transport solution for the benefit of the district as a whole.”

CITY ACADEMY NOT WANTED HERE
24/6/07: Over 350 people attended a Public Meeting about the City Academy and school closures on Monday night.
Labour Cllr Jim Blakely, who organised and chaired the meeting, said: "I think a clear message went back to the County Council that the people of Lancaster don't like the idea of a City Academy and I hope the they listen."
"It's obvious from the vote, that people want this whole process slowed down; people want meaningful consultation and to have their voices heard."
County Cllr Alan Whittaker has said that consultation has started and he would welcome people's comments on the proposal.
And the Lancashire Local Meeting on Tuesday supported Lib Dem Cllr. Stuart Langhorn's recommendation that the committee reject the proposal for a City Academy for Lancaster as detrimental to the education of local children. "Most educational authorities are moving away from split site schools and yet Lancashire County Council are saying that this would be a good thing for this area." During questioning a County Council representative revealed that only when the three schools proposed for closure (Hornby, Central and Skerton) were assessed together did they meet the Government's criteria for a city academy; individually they do not.
The recommendation also requested the establishment of a working group to look at the issue of secondary education in the district, the group will be made up of local councillors, parents, teachers and governors. 'This will allow a proper debate on the very real problems this district faces. No one can deny there are falling numbers at some secondary schools - but an Academy is not the answer. I believe we can come up with a better solution.' said Cllr. Langhorn.
'Local people have clearly spoken on this idea. The challenge is for County to listen - they must drop the proposal for an Academy for Lancaster now. If the County Council cabinet press on regardless of the local opinion we will find ourselves in uncharted waters. The very committee they set up to listen to and work with local people cannot be ignored. I would go as far as to say it would be the final nail in the coffin of the County Council if they were to ignore the will of the local committee.'

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