Ann Garner

It’s been a week of political year endings – party Spring Conference, our last full Council meeting at Bury Town Hall and LAP (local area partnership) meeting for Prestwich.  With improving weather, we can continue to get our messages out to residents that we’re worth voting for.   From now on we need to set out our stall and develop the confidence of our residents – that their continued support is important.

This weekend is about seeing residents about planning application concerns and supporting them to make their voices heard by the Planning Officers and Planning Committee.  Its about getting our community Focus leaflets out as we’re writing the next and contacting residents who have raised concerns and asked me to find information such as why they have been placed on a particular housing waiting list band or how to complain about an issue they are unhappy with.  So, sunshine – please, please stay with us – we’ve a lot to do!

PS The wine is being enjoyed a week early and has been sent for Mother’s Day!

After work, I headed over to Bury’s Town Hall for our Youth Cabinet – where Youth Parliament members and representatives from schools and clubs across our 6-towns get together.  It’s a meeting jointly chaired by a young person and Councillor – of all the meetings I attend, this is usually the most vibrant.  However, how our young people have the patience for the slow wheels of organisations to respond to change is beyond me – personally I am constantly frustrated!   

The meeting starts at 5pm – so our young people can arrive from school, meet each other and eat (a finger buffet is provided).  Tonight I had to head off to our Councillor Surgery back in Sedgley, just before their meeting ended …. but at least I was able to stay until AOB!

An item of interest is Bury’s first  Broadband TV Channel – where residents can up-load film clips of places of interest and things to do or advertise their school or organisation.  Unlike U-tube, this site is vetted to ensure that the content is okay.  People who also join the site can rate up-loads and comment on them.  It looks great – and will be much better then the text-heavy Council Web-site, in delivering information!

Leafleting in the rain yesterday, an elderly resident beckoned me inside her home ‘I’ve not seen you for ages ….’  She was bothered about a health questionnaire and wondered if her replies were suitable.  We talked about it and she shared stories about her life.  She’s a retired music teacher and I was very fortunate to be asked if I’d like to listen to her play her baby-grand. I wonder who I’ll meet, next time?

The massive earthquake hitting this morning is yet another disaster for the world to help deal with. The concerns for a possible tsunami to follow, fills me and millions of others, with dread for further potential horrors.  With Haiti struggling to recover from its disaster and now this, leading charities and the UN will be overstretched to cope. 

I had a really super day exploring this re-vamped and extended museum. It’s a shame that the old building needed a refurbishment, I loved it as it was. The new exhibition space and improved story of the history of working people is well thought out and engaging. The building isn’t quite finished and the loos are far too high - they don’t tell you that Beveridge was a Liberal but all in all – I look forward to taking my students!