Dundee West End Liberal Democrat Councillor Fraser Macpherson today (Thursday 1st February) welcomed the launch of a new family support network for the West End, starting tomorrow at Blackness Library.
A commemorative woodland, part of Rochdale's 150th celebrations was started by schoolchildren and other dignitaries today on land near Watergrove Reservoir in Wardle. The event was hugely successful and featured dozens of children from St James Primary School, Wardle with United Utilities, the Pennine Edge Forest Team, Senior Council Officers and Councillors including the Mayor Councillor Jean Hornby, the Leader of the Council Alan Taylor and other Councillors Wera Hobhouse and Robin Parker.
Rochdale MP - Paul Rowen has welcomed an idea from Greater Manchester Colleague - Andrew Stunell MP that could relieve some of the police pressure on Prime Minister Tony Blair and help Greater Manchester. With the Cash for Honour's saga continuing and the pressure from police immense - Mr Stunell, the Lib Dem Shadow Minister asked the Prime Minister if he wanted to send some of the investigating police to Greater Manchester. Greater Manchester Police are suffering from a funding crisis that has directly led to 216 police being cut from our streets. That includes 30 from Rochdale since 2004.
Leader of Rochdale Council - Councillor Alan Taylor has called for 'common sense' and 'sensitivity' when implementing the Council's new 'Smoke Free Policy' on 'any building that is wholly owned, leased or operated and occupied by Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council including the grounds' This was agreed at a meeting of the Council's Cabinet.
Like Rochdale, huge areas in Britain are suffering from health cuts. Labour Ministers are standing on picket lines like Hazel Blears and Ivan Lewis and there are protests across Britain. One story that delighted Rochdale Liberal Democrats was the story of campaigner and President to the Party President - Mr Stan Hardy. Stan, 86 confronted the Secretary of State for Health Patricia Hewitt in an demo against cuts in London. We'll let his local party tell the story.
The future site of the new Joint Faith School in Heywood will now be up to the people of Heywood after the Council's Cabinet decided to remove any preference of the site. The amendment by Councillor Irene Davidson, the Portfolio Holder for Children, Schools and Families opened up the debate on where this school should be. The was a change from the original proposals which recommended that Heywood Community High School was the 'Council's preferred option for the school'
