Previous stories: 1 - 15 November 2007

MAYORAL ELECTIONS NEXT MONTH
29/11/07: Next month's Council meeting on Wednesday 5 December at Morecambe Town Hall will include elections for a new Mayor (we'd just like to say that Helen Helme has done a brilliant job this year, including getting donation boxes for Animal Care into local supermarkets).
Also on the agenda is a review of local Licensing Policy, considering the role Council now has in the licensing of premises; the council meeting timetable for 2008; proposals to keep regeneration staff; and a motion to make parking in the district free on Remembrance Sunday. Councillors Karen Leytham and Rob Smith have proposed the council adopt an ongoing policy of free parking within the district on Remembrance
Sunday. "We should not expect the public to pay, to pay their respects," urges their motion.
Making car parking free across the district on Remembrance Sunday would reduce income by approximately £4,000 based on this year's figures, so an alternative suggestion is to make free of charge just those car parks closest to where services take place,
which would reduce income by approximately £2,000.

CARNIVAL OF CULTURE PLANNED
29/11/07: A group of Lancaster residents have started to organise a Carnival of Culture - a specific event in February 2008 but also an ongoing platform that brings people together who share the love of our city, its community and cultural life and who also oppose developments such as Centros Miller's that threaten to destroy just these things.
Their first meeting will take place on 10 December, 7.30pm, upstairs in the Gregson on Moor Lane.
"Lancaster is a vibrant and diverse place," said a spokesperson, "and developments like Centros Miller's threaten to destroy the vibrancy of Lancaster City life. We want to protect and strengthen our diverse and lively culture, communities and local economy."
Lancaster's last organised carnival was way back in 1993.
Web Link: carnivalofculture.wordpress.com
E-mail: carnivalofculture -at- googlemail -dot- com
Telephone: 01524-383012

TSLM TO BROWN: BIN THE BYPASS
29/11/07: In the week that Prime Minister Gordon Brown showed his green credentials, pledging to reduce the UK’s greenhouse gases by 60%, or even 80%, by 2050, local campaigning transport group Transport Solutions for Lancaster and Morecambe called on the Prime Minister to scrap a road scheme which is more polluting than all approved local road schemes put together.
TSLM is not giving up on its ongoing campaign to stop Lancashire County Council building a new £160 million lorry route from the M6, across designated Green belt, to the ferry port of Heysham. It is estimated the controversial road is set to produce 23,500 tons of extra CO2 in its first year of operation alone (according to the linked PDF document), which means the bypass would generate more greenhouse gasses than all of the other approved UK local road schemes put together.
"Following a stark message from the United Nations on the threat of global warming, and Gordon Brown’s pledge to reduce emissions, TSLM has written to Gordon Brown alerting him to the down side of building this monster road, and pointing him along the path towards sustainable transport choices and the need to reduce road travel," said David Gate, chair of the group. "We think that stopping massive spending on destructive road schemes in favour of less environmentally damaging alternatives is a no brainer. The PM knows this, and has pledged a massive reduction in greenhouse gases by 2050. But we know that he has to contend with local councillors and powerful pro road transport lobby, who have no intention of reigning themselves in.
"Plans to build speculative roads on Green belt countryside, to attract heavy goods traffic, are both outdated and obscene. Gordon Brown has the opportunity to send out a clear message to grass roots politicians that our environment comes first, road building is the last resort."

£50 MILLION, FOUR COMPETITORS - BUT ONLY ONE WINNER! 29/11/07: The Sustrans' Connect Project, a nationwide project in adi of supporting cycling, is one of four projects shortlisted for the £50 million Peoples' Lottery award. Other contenders for the money are the Eden Project, Black Country and Sherwood Forest. The outcome of the bid will be determined by a TV audience.
Sustrans' bid is made up of 79 projects nationally, including Lancashire and Lancaster and Morecambe projects. A vote for Sustrans will be a vote for Cycling and help secure money for cycling nationally.
Online voting began this week. To vote, visit www.thepeoples50million.org.uk or www.thepeoples50million.org.uk/projects/connect2

LANTERN MAKING WORKSHOPS
28/11/07: Children are being invited to make their own paper lanterns for the West End of Morecambe's spectacular Christmas Lantern Festival.
Free workshops will run at the Hothouse, Devonshire Road, Morecambe (home of More Music) on the 8th and 9th December, with artist Graham Lowe from the Adult College.
The workshops are free, and are open to children aged 8 and above, who must be accompanied by an adult.
The sessions are from 11.00am to 4.00pm. Participants should bring their own lunch; a creche will be provided for younger children.
To book your place call More Music on 01524 831997.
The workshops are part of a programme of workshops with children from local schools, parents, the over-55s and students at Beaumont College.
The lanterns will be used in the West End's spectacular Christmas Lantern Festival on Wednesday 12 December.

WHAT HAVE THE ROMANS EVER DONE FOR US?
28/11/07: Lancaster's City Museum will be staging an exhibition entitled ‘The Romans’ in January, which will coincide with the return of a unique Roman tombstone to the City, found during building work in November 2005.
The return may prove a good opportunity to raise public awareness of the City’s heritage, recently discussed by the Council's Assets Task Group.
The meeting, which heard from representatives of the Lancaster Archaeological and Historical Society, Lancaster Civic Society and Lancashire County Museums, noted that while the city's Roman bath house had been excavated in 1973, little has been done to publicise the historical significance of Vicarage Fields and other areas that were part of Roman Lancaster.
The tombstone, which has undergone painstaking preservation work, depicts a Treveran cavalryman of the ala I Augusta on a rearing horse who has just beheaded a cowering Briton and is brandishing his trophy (rather awkwardly) in his sword hand. (Beheading war victims was accepted Roman practice, but this depiction of a man on horseback seems to be unique).
The Assets meeting also heard concerns regarding the condition of some of the City's historic buildings owned by the Council. Comments were made regarding the state of repair and decoration of the City Museum which did not provide a good impression to visitors.

NATIONAL RECOGNITION FOR ANTI SMOKING CAMPAIGN
28/11/0: A local campaign to encourage smokers to kick the habit has gained some national recognition.
Smoke Free Lancaster District was runner up in the ‘Best Local Partnership Activity’ at an awards ceremony to mark the launch of No Smoking Day, which will take place on 12 March 2008.
It followed two successful events held last March to promote the then upcoming smoking ban. On No Smoking Day 2007 staff from Lancaster City Council set up a stall in Lancaster Market Square. They were joined by representatives from Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service and GASP (Group Against Smoking in Public).
The stall was a great success, with GASP in particular providing a wealth of information on the dangers of smoking. They also gave smokers a look into their future with innovative age progression software. The software takes the smokers photo and shows them what they will look like in 10/20/30 years time. It then shows them an image of how they would look in a similar period of time if they stopped smoking.
Bay Radio broadcast live from the stall with numerous smoking related features throughout the day. The day also saw the No Smoking Day mascot ‘Big Cig’ parading round the streets of Lancaster handing out information on quitting smoking and the new legislation.
The following day in the Arndale, Morecambe was as equally successful with Macmillan Cancer Care advising the public on the drastic effects smoking can have. Both days led to referrals to the Stop Smoking Service.
In July, the new smoke free legislation came into force and businesses across the district have reacted well to the new laws, but there has been an increase in cigarette litter. Now, Lancaster City Council has launched a campaign targeting irresponsible smokers who drop their butts on our streets.
The campaign features a competition with the chance to win an 8 GB or a 16 GB i-Pod Touch. All contestants have to do is text (no charges apart from normal network charge) BUTTS and the answer to a simple question to 81066 for a chance to win.
The question is "How much is the fine for dropping cigarette litter on the street?"
• The theme for No Smoking Day 2008, Wednesday 12 March, is Take the Challenge. The day will all be about encouraging people to challenge each other to stop smoking.

DO WE NEED NUCLEAR?
28/11/07: A meeting to discuss future energy sources for the UK will take place in Arnside early next month.
Presented by Dr Stuart Parkinson of Scientists for Global Responsibility , the debate titled 'Should we opt for new nuclear power?' has been organised by Arnside Discussion Group, comes just as Prime Minister Gordon Brown has reiterated the government's support for nuclear power stations and British Energy's announcement that it is looking to build four nuclear power plants at its existing sites in the south of England (Sizewell in Suffolk, Dungeness in Kent, Hinkley Point in Somerset and Bradwell in Essex).
Although British Energy has previously denied any current plans for a third reactor at Heysham, it appears the company is looking at options to invest in its current sites rather than create new locations for its nuclear program.
Stuart Parkinson, who gained his PHD at Lancaster University,  co-author of a book on the Kyoto Protocol, lead editor of both the acclaimed SGR report Soldiers in the Laboratory and SGR’s series of ethical careers publications, and has authored many scientific papers.
The debate will take place on Monday 3 December at the Methodist Church Hall, Chapel Lane , Arnside starting at 7.30pm. All welcome.  Non-members £1 (including tea and biscuits).  For more information telephone 762420.
Trains from Lancaster to Arnside depart 18:53, arrive 19:12; Arnside to Lancaster depart 22.26, arrive 22.49

MEASLES CASES RISE
28/11/07: The Health Protection Agency is urging parents to immunise their children with two doses of MMR vaccine after figures show that the number of confirmed cases of measles in England and Wales has already surpassed the total for the whole of 2006.
Statistics show that up to 31 October 2007 there were 768 confirmed cases of measles in England and Wales compared to 756 during the whole of 2006. The majority of the confirmed cases were reported in London, where 307 cases were recorded, but East of England with 155 confirmed cases and Yorkshire and Humberside with 87 also saw significant increases.
 In the North West region so far this year, there have been 384 notifications of measles by GPs and others, but just 20 have been confirmed by laboratory testing. 17 of the 20 confirmed cases were in Greater Manchester.
“Unfortunately the measles virus knows no boundaries," commented Dr. Rosemary McCann, HPA North West’s Immunisation lead. "We have communities in the North West with close links to some of the affected areas in London and with the ease of inter-city travel, what affects the capital today could hit us tomorrow. In a sense, it’s surprising that we haven’t seen more confirmed measles than we have.”
“Whilst the number of confirmed cases in this region has been comparatively small, we can’t be too complacent about the figures. It is vitally important for all children to have two doses of MMR vaccine before reaching school age to ensure they have lifelong protection against these three potentially serious illnesses,” Dr. McCann said.
“Measles is a serious illness that in rare cases can kill or cause serious complications such as meningitis or encephalitis. MMR is a safe and proven vaccine and I would advise all parents to ensure that their children have the lifelong protection it affords.”
 Measles is an acute viral infection. It is rare in the UK, but is most common in the 1-4 year old age group in children who have not yet been immunised.
More information:
• www.hpa.org.uk/infections/topics_az/measles/menu.htm or www.mmrthefacts.nhs.uk

ARE YOU THE COMPOSER OF THE YEAR?
28/11/07: YOUNG composers could win the career boost of a lifetime by entering the fourth Lancashire Young Composer of the Year Competition.
The Christopher Brooks Memorial Prize is awarded annually by the Lancashire Sinfonietta to a promising young composer in the North West region.
The winner, and other applicants, will be given a place on the orchestra’s mentoring scheme which provides aspiring young musicians with unique opportunities to develop their talent through a network of support, advice and information.
The 2008 winner will become "Young Composer in Residence" for the season April 2008 to March 2009.
“This competition has already unearthed three enormously talented composers and set them on the road to success," commented Fiona Sinclair, General Manager of Lancashire Sinfonietta. "Our first winner never dreamed of becoming a professional composer, but has been bombarded with commissions and film work since!
“Our mentoring scheme offers invaluable training and contacts and we're thrilled to have supported some stunning new talent.”
Established in 2005 in memory of one of the Sinfonietta’s founders, Christopher Brooks, the CBMP aims to encourage young composers in the North West to develop their skills in writing for chamber orchestra.
First Prize is a £1,000 commission for a new orchestral work to be performed at the opening of the Lancashire Sinfonietta’s 13th Concert Season in the summer 2008.
Previous winners include two 16-year old students from Burnley & Chorley, and a young composer from Birkenhead. Winners worked closely with top musicians including Lyn Fletcher, Leader of the Hallé and Director of the Lancashire Sinfonietta, in preparation for the premiere of their winning works.
To enter, composers provide 3 examples of their work and write a submission saying why the opportunity would change their life. Contact Fiona Sinclair for details on 0161 432 7925 or visit the website www.bluefroguk.com

CHARITY SPOOKS!
28/11/07: The Cystic Fibrosis Trust is inviting would-be ghost hunters to spend the night in Morecambe's Winter Gardens Theatre, in the hopes of catching a glimpse of some of some of its famous spectral inhabitants.
The event will take place on 1 February 2008 and has been organised to help raise vital funds for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust.
Built in 1897, ghosts sightings at the theatre, perhaps one of the most haunted venues in the country, include a grumpy old man who asks visitors to move along, a young Victorian lady who sits in one of the boxes patiently waiting for the next show -- and the stage manager who leaves the smell of cigar smoke lingering in the foyer are to name but a few.
Although the massive auditorium, considered to be one of the largest in the world, is currently closed, work is proceeding apace to restore the Theatre, which saw performance by the likes of Laurel and Hardy and many other top names in its heyday, to its former glory.
To take part in the fundraiser, participants must raise a minimum of £100 in sponsorship money. Money raised by participants will go towards gene therapy research, which hopes to stop Cystic Fibrosis, the UK's most common, life-threatening inherited disease from claiming so many young lives.
If you would like to take part or for more information please contact Regional Fundraising Manager for the North West, Bev Burnham-Jones on 0845 859 1029 or email bburnham-jones@cftrust.org.uk.

I declare this hotel re-opened: Lady Mayor Helen Helme opens the refurbished and very much improved 28-room Penny Street Bridge Hotel on Penny Street, Lancaster this week.

Thwaites' Brewery chose Lancashire Day, the 27th November, for the opening of their new flagship hotel and bar, the Penny Street Bridge, and it was a proper grand do. The Mayor, Helen Helme, cut red ribbons, a town crier rang his bell and oyezed, and the famous Thwaites shire horses stood around looking gorgeous.
The new 28-bed hotel, which is on the site of the old Farmers' Arms, also played host to Paul Howarth, Thwaites' retail director, who gave his speech in the rather lovely courtyard at the rear of the building, before introducing managers Mike and Sue and their team of staff.
Speeches and photos over, we all piled back inside for Champagne and canapes (very nice too - although corned beef hash cocktail snacks were new to us unsophisticated V-L staff. We thought about stashing some in our pockets for later...)
The architect and builders really have done a decent job on this old building which has been restored with its place in history in mind. Perksy's last memory of the building is as a very different kind of venue, last new year! Check out the lounges and bedrooms as well as the bar!
Sue and Mike were previously managers of the Fern Hurst in Blackburn, and have been chosen to run the Penny Street Bridge because of their wealth of experience. virtual-lancaster wishes them luck and happiness! Read Jane Sunderland and Graham Pinfield's review of the new facillities...

UNFIT FOR PURPOSE?

26/11/07: Morecambe residents are up in arms over the state of a local postbox – and are even more annoyed that their many complaints to the Post Office continue to be ignored.
On Sunday, Stanley and Westminster Road residents staged a photo call to highlight the poor state of their local postbox, which is clearly in a poor state of repair.

The post box on the corner of Stanley and Westminster Road, Morecambe: in need of repair

POST BOX FACTS • Red post boxes were first introduced into the UK in 1852 • They are painted red to improve visibility • The Royal Mail operates around 85,000 post boxes across England alone

"Some older residents are now afraid to use the box because it looks so derelict with its rusty square hole where the information panel would normally be," says local councillor Ron Sands, who adds that the Post Office has ignored complaints about its condition for many years.
Locals are urging the Post Office to make repairs in time for Christmas so they can feel safe using it to post their greeting cards.
"We're not complaining about our postal delivery staff - they are terrific, and have tried so often to make their managers attend to this long outstanding matter," says Ron. "We just want bosses at the Post Office will stop ignoring us."
The Post Office reportedly prioritises postbox repairs to those damaged which contain mail, so it is a mystery why this Morecambe box on the corner of Stanley and Westminster Road has yet to be repaired. (The Royal Mail's own guidelines on post box repairs indicate letter boxes should be painted every three years, but "local circumstances may require some boxes to be painted more frequently (eg locations – such as coastal sites – where abnormal levels of deterioration occur)."
It would apparently costs the Royal Mail about £50 to repaint the damaged post box, based on news reports to repairs of post boxes in Norwich after they were vandalised last month. Vandalism of post boxes is a common and costly problem for the Post Office but in the case of the Morecambe box the only vandalism evident is the company's own.

LIGHT FOR LIFE
22/11/07: Take time this Christmas to remember someone you love, cherish the memory of someone who has died or enjoy a family celebration with CancerCare’s Light for Life.
CancerCare’s annual Light for Life celebration is on Saturday 1st December. At Lancaster Baptist Church at 5pm there will be an informal Carol Service and celebration of life. The gathering will then be led to Dalton Square by a piper for the lights switch on and a short service.
To dedicate a light to your special someone on one of the Light for Life trees please visit www.light4life.org.uk or fill in a form, available from CancerCare, Slynedales, Slyne Road, Lancaster LA2 6ST. Tel: 01524 381820

SCOUTS XMAS POST
22/11/07: Lonsdale District Scouts are doing their Xmas post service now. Their area extends from Milnethorpe down to Forton and east to Caton and Leck, and points in between. The service is for Xmas cards only and stamps cost a mere 17p. You can buy them in the following shops in Lancaster: Millets, BHS, Ultimate Outdoors, Aldcliffe Stores, Fairfield Stores, Fox & Medcalfe Chemist, CJ Papers newsagents, and, in the market, J Wilson's butchers and John's Picture Place. You have to use the special scouts postboxes at the above locations. Last posting date is 13 December and all cards are guaranteed delivery by Xmas Eve.

SCHOOLS BULLIED?
23/11/07: Lancaster headteachers and parents have drawn attention to bias in Lancashire County Council's 'consultation' on proposals to merge three local schools - which would see the closure of Hornby and Skerton High Schools and pupils transferred to Central Lancaster High. They have a point. This reporter was presented with an LCC consultation questionnaire in town at the weekend. Quoting loosely the form offered two options to choose from.
Option 1: Merge the three schools, enabling massive resources to be concentrated on each child, resulting in them becoming super-achieving geniuses who will save the world.
Option 2: Leave the schools separate, alone and isolated, in the dark, where they will have to write with their fingers in mud, and will be attacked and destroyed by werewolves and plague.
The consultation report also praised Central Lancaster for coming top in last year's value added league tables for Lancashire - forgetting to mention that Skerton came top this year..
Previous efforts by the County Council to have the schools merged into a City Academy failed as no-one was interested in sponsoring one, except Lancaster & Morecambe College, whose offer was not taken up as they failed to pass the crank millionaire test.
A further meeting is scheduled at Lancaster Town Hall on Thursday November 29 at 5.30pm, when the potential closure of Hornby High will be discussed. Views from the consultation will be presented to Lancashire County Council Cabinet on January 21, when they will then decide to go ahead with the plan.

HERE'S SOME LOVELY TREES
(JUST PLEASE DON'T ASK US TO CAR POOL)
22/11/07: A local car dealership is dabbling a toe into conservation with the help of Lancaster City Council.
Pye Motors, of Ovangle Road Morecambe, have agreed to purchase and plant 52 trees in the district. To coincide with National Tree Week, November 23 - December 3, 42 broad leafed woodland trees will be planted in Ryelands Park. The programme will see many of the trees in Ryelands Park that have been removed due to disease and old age replaced. The donated trees will be cared for by the council.
A further 10 trees will be planted in schools across the district. A liaison officer is working with local schools to decide where the trees should be planted.
The 52 trees, one for each week of the year, are intended to compensate for a portion of the company's somewhat vast carbon footprint. Pye is Ford's biggest UK motor dealership. 52 trees approximately offset the equivalent of running (nearly) three small cars - if you don't count maintainance on both cars and trees, and the considerable carbon costs of actually making and scrapping the cars.
Clearly the impact this donation will have on the dealership's carbon footprint is negligible, but it will be a very welcome improvement to Ryelands Park.
Diplomatic as ever, Coun Jon Barry, cabinet member with responsibility for City Council (Direct) Services, said: “I am delighted that we will be planting more trees in Ryelands Park and in local schools. A town without trees is a town without a soul and I am delighted that this initiative will improve the environmental and spiritual nourishment of the district.”
The City Council is offering a Travel Plan Seminar next week to help businesses reap the benefits of a healthier workforce and become more environmentally friendly.
"Perhaps you have parking or access problems at your site, would like to reduce the cost of travel or show your commitment to improving the district's air quality and noise pollution levels."
To find out how a travel plan could benefit your organisation, Lancaster City Council has arranged a half-day seminar offering advice and information on how to get started.
Speakers at the event include representatives from Lancaster City Council, Lancashire County Council, North Lancaster Primary Care Trust (PCT) and Lancashire Business Environment Association.
Coun Eileen Blamire, cabinet member with responsibility for travel plans and planning policy said: “Across the country, organisations from schools to hospitals to factories are developing travel plans tailor-made to suit their needs.
"The seminar is a great opportunity for local businesses to find out how they too can reap the benefits, show respect for the environment and in turn improve their corporate image."
The seminar is free of charge and takes place on Wednesday, 28th November at Lancaster and Morecambe College, Morecambe, Lancaster from 10am until 1pm. Light lunch provided.
For more information and to book a place contact Rachel Scott on 01524 582392 or send an email to travelplans@lancaster.gov.uk.

CHILD BENEFIT DATA SECURITY BREACH WARNING
21/11/07: Two computer discs  holding the personal details of all families in the UK with a child  under 16 have gone missing. The Child Benefit data on them includes the name, address, date of  birth, National Insurance number and, where relevant, bank details of  25 million people. People are being advised to moniter their bank accounts closely, for the forseeable future, and report any unauthorised transactions immediately to their banks.
The Conservatives have described the incident as a "catastrophic" failure.  The head of Revenue and Customs has resigned. The Chancellor has blamed mistakes by junior officials at Revenue and Customs, who he said ignored security procedures when they sent information to the National Audit Office (NAO).
An incredible lapse of data security but who is to blame, and was this an accident waiting to happen? There have been several data losses by government departments in recent months, by various departments including the Inland Revenue, as reported by BBC Watchdog on Monday night.
Meanwhile a Guardian poll revealed this week that nearly two-thirds of family doctors are poised to boycott the government's scheme to put the medical records of 50 million NHS patients on a national electronic database.
They found 59% of GPs in England are unwilling to upload any record without the patient's specific consent.
Three-quarters of family doctors said medical records would become less secure when they are put on a database that will eventually be used by NHS and social services staff throughout England.
Half thought the records would be vulnerable to hackers and unauthorised access by officials outside the NHS. A quarter feared bribery or blackmail of people with access to the records and 21% suspected that social services staff would not adhere to the confidentiality rules.
Patients are advised that if they don't want the medical records held by their GP uploaded onto the national database they have the right to opt out, by informing their GP. Read more at:
www.guardian.co.uk:80/society/2007/nov/20/nhs.health

LANCASTER WATER SUPPLY HIT BY DAMAGED MAIN
21/11/07, updated 1330: Lancaster residents were asked to help reduce water demand until repairs on a damaged main due to "third party damage" on Winchester Avenue were completed last night (Tuesday).
A local builder damaged the mains while doing work on an extension and repairs were not completed until 5.30am Wednesday.
Local councillors and health service providers were informed Lancaster's mains would be switched off for some time overnight until repairs were complete to prevent too much loss of water, and some parts of Lancaster, Morecambe and Heysham were temporarily without supply. Water bowsers were provided in some areas.
Because of the nature of the major repairs, sediment usually in the bottom of mains pipes has been stirred up which means some homes and businesses may experience some discoloration of water.
Local supplier United Utilities say this is unlikely to cause harm to anyone drinking it, but if your water is discoloured you are advised not to wash clothes in it.
Despite recent rain, local reseRvoirs are apparently quite low. Water was fed into the area from other locations to try and limit loss of supply.
• If you have discovered a water problem in your area, contact United Utilities on 0845 746 2200, so that they can carry out further investigations. Offices are open between 8.00am and 8.00pm Monday to Friday, 8.00am to 6.00pm on Saturday, and 8.00am to noon on Sunday. The company also have an emergency service 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
• For information on problems with local water supply, visit this page on the United Utilities web site

BOLLARDS TO YOU

19/11/07: The City Council has finally acted against car drivers who have been using the corner of St. George's Quay and Damside Street as a makeshift car park, often blocking the pavement in the process.
Now, after months of complaints from passers by and local businesses, John Foster of Lancashire County Engineers has confirmed to local councillor Jon Barry, who acted on the complaints, that bollards are to be placed on the corner to prevent vehicles parking around the corner leading into Damside Street, which at times obscured sight lines for other car users and potentially could cause an accident.
The City Council has long wanted to prevent parking on the corner but according to County staff, identifying who owned the land was one reason for a delay to something being done. Police have on occasion removed vehicles from the location because of bad parking that obstructed the pavement.
One local business has suggested that the area could be used as a secure cycle area.

SCIENCE PARK PLANS SCUPPER SUPERMARKET SCHEME
18/11/07: The Outline Application for Bailrigg Science Park was removed from the agenda of Monday's meeting of Lancaster City Council's Planning and Highways Regulatory Committee, reports Subtext.
Objections have been recorded from environmental organisations and local residents, who have articular concerns about traffic and also the increased danger of flooding that would be caused by the development.
Earlier in the year the Highways Agency took out a 'Holding Direction' on the planning application, blocking it from consideration by the Planning Committee due to their concerns over the effects of increased traffic. The Agency argued that traffic at peak times would overload the crossroads at Hala Road in Scotforth and in Galgate - and even tail back onto the M6.
The Agency lifted their holding direction a few days earlier in order to allow discussion at Monday's meeting. But pressure from them and from Lancashire County Council has resulted in stringent new conditions being placed on the development, including the stipulations that no more than 72 extra vehicles should approach from the South in peak periods, and that the project would have to fund road revisions in Galgate to ease traffic flow. But in addition the Agency insisted that, until the worst fears about its effect on traffic flow - especially at Junction 33 of the M6 - could be allayed, the park should be limited to 11,000 square metres of floor space.
The proposed final floor area of the park had already been reduced in August from 38,910 to 34,720 sq.m, in order to try to pacify the Agency, so the further reduction to 11,000 sq.m clearly represents a serious blow to the ambitions envisaged for the park. In the revised application even the first of the three phases of the development was going to be 15,000sq.m. This has raised concerns that the NWDA, a core funding partner in the scheme, may have got cold feet and be considering backing away from the scheme, resulting in the application being withdrawn.
If the park proposal is still alive, the papers for Monday's meeting contain a message which should make the University think seriously about whether it is such a good idea to site it adjacent to the University, rather than on a brownfield site in the city as many others have proposed.
On page 35 of the planning committee briefing papers it is reported that "County Highways have clearly stated that the Science Park development, should it be granted permission, would put the Hala and Galgate crossroads at over-capacity.
"This means that any further major development at the University, or other significant proposals in the South Lancaster locality, would need to prove they would have a positive or neutral impact on the level of traffic to be supported by Highways."
The clear implications of this are that if the science park, even in the severely reduced form required by the Highways Agency, were to go ahead on the proposed site, this would be the last major development in this area for some time to come - and would put an end to any proposals for a supermarket at Lawson's Bridge in Scotforth.

LIB DEMS: NO MORE NEW ROADS
18/11/07: Local Green Party councillor John Whitelegg has welcomed the comments of Lib Dem Shadow Transport Secretary, Susan Kramer MP on a national Public Accounts Committee report on road building which revealed that 36 completed road schemes ran 40% over budget.
She said: “This is a damning report. Given that many of these schemes are highly controversial it is inexcusable that there is so little control over costs.
“There should be an immediate moratorium on major road schemes on environmental grounds. However, it sounds as if the whole system is badly flawed.”
Cllr Whitelegg, who gave evidence at the public inquiry opposing the northern bypass, said, “It’s very gratifying to see other political parties adopt Green Party policy on transport.  It remains to be seen if Lancaster’s Liberal Democrats agree with their colleagues nationally and I invite them to write to the Planning Inspectorate and the Minister of Transport telling them that they were wrong on the bypass and they now oppose it”.
However Cllr Stuart Langhorn, leader of the Lib Dem group on the City Council council, declined to comment.

HOMELESS ACTION XMAS SHELTER APPEAL

18/11/07: This year Lancaster Homeless Action (LDHA) will celebrate its 21st Christmas Night Shelter at St Thomas’ Church, Lancaster and they need your help and support more than ever before.
The shelter will be open from noon 24 December (Christmas Eve) through to noon 29 December offering a 24 hour service: food, shelter and a safe space for homeless people to celebrate Christmas this year. It is the only one of its kind in this area, and LDHA hope that you will join them in believing that nobody deserves to be cold or hungry this Christmas.
Last year around two dozen homeless people were using the shelter every night, and you can read reports about that and the previous years on the LDHA website.
LDHA need your help to make Xmas special for their clients. They need donations of time (from volunteers), goods (especially socks, we are told - and I was particularly taken with the account of the daily 'sock amnesty' in the report), and food (tea, coffee & sugar are also especially welcome)… and of course cash! Visit their website and you can sign up with friends to give some valuable time: washing up, assisting in the kitchen, mentoring or just having a chat with clients – they really, really need committed volunteers to sign up.
This pre-Christmas period is the crucial time for fundraising as more than 30% of their annual funding is raised now, from public donations, through a series of promotions and fundraising events and street/ supermarket collections.
It is also a time in the year when people are more receptive to issues of social exclusion and social injustice; and so LDHA campaigns and advocates throught the media on behalf of the homeless and those in housing poverty for better provision of services and to provide the wider public with a more informed understanding of homeless issues and the entitlement of those living on the margins.
People interested and willing to contribute or volunteer can contact Alistair Short (Christmas Night Shelter Coordinator) at the following address/ email/ telephone number.
Lancaster & District Homeless Action, Edward Street, Lancaster, LA1 1QH.
Registered Charity No. 1093016
Telephone: 01524 842008, Fax: 01524 847724
admin@ldhas.org.uk
www.ldhas.org.uk

BUREAUCRACY GONE MAD?
16/11/07: Local MP Ben Wallace challenged the government on increasing bureaucracy levels this week after learning one local farmer was having to attend a course on how to put a trailer on the back of his Land Rover.
Speaking in the House of Commons yesterday during a Business of the House debate, Ben Wallace revealed local farmer John Collinson, who has farmed for 40 years, is now having to attend a course on how to put a trailer on the back of a Land Rover and another course on how to drive cattle from one side of his yard to another.
"Such bureaucracy imposes an unnecessary burden on a struggling industry," commented Mr Wallace, "and I hope that the Government will give priority to a debate on it.
Responding for the government Harriet Harman said she would bring the information the attention of the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. "Let me add, however, that one of the most important causes of increased record-keeping among farmers is the importance of public health and disease prevention, and we must ensure above all that that continues."

News stories: 1 - 15 January 2008