Tonight was a chance to get up to speed with curriculum development, the school’s self assessment processes and new policies. Governors at this sub-group were joined by other governors, teachers and parents for the annual meeting of the governing body with parents. I am always proud of parents who are able to juggle their own hectic lives in order to get back into school to find out what’s up and coming and discuss their concerns, too. Afterwards I was shown photos of the very first family bike-ride, last Sunday, (which I had hoped to attend but was in Plymouth doing end of uni year, ‘please pick up my stuff from my digs, but I’ll be staying on and not coming home, …. yet’). The bike ride attracted over fifty families – and is so important. If parents aren’t confident to take their children out on their bikes after school-based cycle safety classes – why do the classes? Clearly this was a fabulous event and needs nurturing and supporting.

Monday evening was a Lib Dem Bury Exec meeting – it was the first time I’d seen our Chair Nissa after becoming a Mum, too. She’s great and is really focused on us politically, too. It was good to see everybody and catch up too!

Tuesday – a chain of late afternoon meetings – firstly with our LAP Manger Carran to explore grant applications for community-based funding and touch base with her – then an Action Group of Social Housing Residents with the Police and local Cllrs (I was the Cllr rep) - we were talking about getting involved with the big lunch …and then a quick coffee with an amazing Council Officer to catch up with developments in our council ward, Sedgley. By 7pm I was at our Cllr surgery where a resident had asked me to find out about council tax banding – it’s a very unfair system … it was good to talk with her. I had hoped that my evening meal would have been ready for me …. after 23 yrs., of marriage, apparently he’s still developing his culinary skill base …..

Tonight was the campaign group working to prevent Goals Soccer from being allowed to build in green space – our local park at a rental charge and lease – I still believe firmly that parks are not free building plots for councils to either dispose of or make huge sums of money from by restricting people’s free use of them!

Tomorrow – Safer Stronger Confident Communities – Council Scrutiny Commission – I’ve circulated its agenda for my colleagues consideration – it looks like a ling evening to me – the scrutiny of the Council’s new and first Alley Gating Policy needs a meeting – not to be one of many agenda items – we need to be actively reviewing it and getting alley gating projects held up by a lack of a policy into action!

Daytime, I work in a college. Today was a special preparation for university conference. I was delighted that all of my tutor group were in and actively engaged with exploring possibilities for their futures. We’ve also started their UCAS (university) application process (a very complex on-line form that will drive them bonkers before they finish it). Many of them have amazing plans for the future but so many are overwhelmed by the diversity of choices too – one student was focused on nursing but is now toying with occupational therapy or social work. Another is now focused on the police – another on something to do with ophthalmics, another medicine. We were talking about putting together their personal statements to sell themselves to their chosen university courses – one young man was explaining about a building in Malaysia with so much interest and passion for the structure and building materials as well as how the building fits with the landscape – I hope he gets to work on amazing great designs. I’d love to be able to give up work and have the opportunity to study full-time again - but you need to settle down and pay the bills sometime!

I spent a precious few hours at a local primary school, where I am on their governing body, the other day. It’s a welcoming place, where staff work exceptionally hard to enable the children to do really well. They also work hard to develop good relationships with their parents to encourage them to work together. The place is bright, welcoming and the younger children were well behaved and actively learning, using electronic write boards for their after-dinner phonics lessons. Older ones were having a fun-style sports afternoon with parents invited. It’s worrying to see schools where staff and children are doing well on tight budgets in very outdated buildings. I just wish I had a million or so to fund the re-build that they’d benefit from. What’s also a huge problem is that as access for physically disabled people is so poor, children end up being taken to another school – away from their friends. There is only a proportion of lower school that’s disabled friendly. Why do I mention this? There is one particularly cute little tot in the reception class ……with a walking frame …. the other children are really supportive of her …. it will be a great shame if she has to go and resettle into another school .. for all of the children.

never tasted so good. Back from Bury’s count to meet hubby on the doorstep, returning from Stockport’s. What sad hobbies we have!

Just returned from being interviewed by North West Tonight’s team about the good things about the concert and the problems, too. The concert has taken a week to prepare for and as well as the three evening events and daytime sound checks. It’s impact has been quite intrusive on the surrounding area. Positive and negative comments and views of residents:
~ “Bruce’s security staff are very good natured” and there are lot of them sitting around at the top of most roads especially at the St Margaret’s end of the park – but fewer (we’ve just seen none) around Scholes/Kings Rd
~ both Police and Security staff failed to stop a large number of fans from dismantling barriers and spilling into Meade Hill Rd late last night – residents phoned me to report being very upset and frightened as well as going out with buckets of hot water and bleach where people had urinated on their drives this morning
~ neighbouring streets and the woodland outside the park has never been so clean and tidy due to concert clean-ups
~ burger bar being stationed opposite homes on Thursday night – very annoying!
~ lots of comments by fans such as: “enjoy their music, have sat in my garden to listen to the concert for free”
~ Hartley Avenue and neighbouring roads – are parked up – the promised security to prevent this as well as cones – are sadly missing!
~ emptying 135 c Oasis signed buses at the bus stops before the junction of Bury Old Rd/Sheepfoot Lane has meant that thousands of people have been milling around noisily both before and after the concert. Residents had been told that all buses would be emptied directly into the park
~ as so many people love Oasis and fans are generally good natured, local residents have been generally supportive
~ elderly and vulnerable residents have been frightened of both the volume of people, urination of fans in their drives, kicked flower beds, urination on their cars and hated the noise as its not music they like
:S ~ mixed messages from closing the school and loud music given by the concert arrangements ie its okay to bunk off school for a concert and its okay for our local community to have loud music?

If the concert was 30% smaller, in numbers of available tickets as well as over the weekend only it would have less of a negative impact on the area. Concerts of this size are too big for a densely populated area with limited public transport and parking availability, to cope with.

I’ve already had emails from cross and frustrated residents about noise levels, lack of access to their own homes. Tonight, the curfew finish time for the gig was supposed to be 11pm not later and sound levels unacceptable. Residents also were restricted in their ability to move freely in the area. We had been assured that this would not be the case.

The park may be huge but the complexity and density of the residential area surrounding it does not marry with such huge events. Concert visitors were allowed to drink alcohol on the streets outside the park, too.

I’d be not doing my job as a local councillor, if I do not make a lot of noise about issues created for our residents today.

There were loads of football flags and supporters shirts on washing lines where we delivered our ‘Don’t forget to vote today’ early this morning. Now its time for final phone knock-up to get folk to the poles! Then its over to Bury to scrutinise the opening of ballot boxes and vote counts - which will be sorted adn counted Sunday evening.

I’m really sorry Oasis Concert fans – but if it’s as loud as this at my house ¾ of a mile away – it’s far too loud for your delicate ears – I feel so very, very sorry for elderly, frail and vulnerable residents who are putting up with the noise right now!

Oasis are performing in Heaton Park on Thursday 4th, Saturday 6th and Sunday 7th 2009.

The event management team are distributing an info leaflet to nearby residents this weekend, but no doubt the concerts will affect everyone in Prestwich.

Prestwich is going to be VERY BUSY on the days of the concert - so please be prepared! Don’t hesitate to get in touch if you need any information or help.