Monday October 8th

Hello again. Its been ages, hasn't it. What have  I missed? The General Election that never was (yawn yawn) and precious little else....but wait a minute. Something extremel;y fishy is still going on with the money we all pay through taxes to finance the teaching of children with Special Needs in Somerset. Somerset County Council appears to be on the verge of cutting back again and putting the care of such youngsters in jeopardy once more. I invite you to read their own document which gives the game away and to get in touch with a a brave little outfit of battling parents www.action4SEN.org.uk  who have dug up the facts.

Wednesday August 1st

What a turn up. There was I last night at the 40 Commando Regimental HQ at Norton Fitzwarren when a voice squeaked my name from somewhere close to the skirting board. I looked way down and faintly recognised the mini polished pate of A.Jones Esq (four foot something in his stockinged feet)

He started bleating about the Unitary bid and I told him it was neither the time nor the place - given that we were there to wish our troops a safe tour of duty in Afghanistan (I'll be flying out to see them in action later in the year). Mr Jones always takes reinforcements. He had in tow (or perhaps it was the other way round) Cllr Jill Shortland - a substantial figure in local government by any standard.

The Little and Large of Somerset County Council looked woefully out of place. Our brave boys are off to face the Taliban....maybe a fleeting meeting with Taunton's-answer-to-Tiny-Tim is now part of the training?

Wednesday July 25th

The Government announcement today was clear and crisp. Somerset's bid to become a Unitary Authority did not meet the criteria required. It was rejected. Full stop. End of story. A triumph of common sense and a real feather in the cap for the people  of Somerset who voted in their tens of thousands to reject the foolish idea.

V is for Victory

But Winston (who had a rich sense of humour) would surely have reserved a special sign for the Chief Executive of Somerset County Council

But Winston Politics is the school of hard knocks. The County Council did not play fair by the peoploe who pay all its bills. Nobody was properly consulted. SCC even tried to find fault with the referendum organised by the five threatened district councils. Somerset cheated. And the councilloors responsible ought to be made to pay back the costs of this foolish excercise. As for Alan Jones - Chief Executive and main architect of the Unitary bid - Mogg wishes him God's speed....out of the county.

Sometimes it gets hot in the political kitchen.

Those who can't face the heat know what to do. Scarper!

PS - Many many thanks to the brave souls in County Hall who have supplied a steady stream of factual information about the excesses of the current regime. Mogg will be ever grateful.

 

Wednesday July 11th

Thanks again to my active County Hall mole who has provided another document about life among the  Council's VERY IMPORTANT PEOPLE. Of course nobody ranks higher (in his own estimation) than the Chief Executive  who is still trying to recover from the shock of a referendum which gave a massive thumbs down to his crazy plans to become Somerset's No 1 Time Lord.  And along with broken dreams of being a Unitary Boss go his hopes of enoblement........Yes the fellow actually wanted a gong!

(Personally I could never have got used  to calling him Sir Anal)

PSST.....I've just heard that Good Time Jones has summoned a meeting of the whole Council next week to discuss (wait for it) how County Council leaflets designed to sway the referendum vote never got delivered at all.  This time Jones is trying to blame the messengers....the firm he paid to deliver them. Anyone for a sour grape?

Monday June 25th

Thankyou very much indeed to the anonymous but very well informed insider at County Hall who sent me a document concerning a Very Important Person who works there. My eyes almost popped out. Surely there can be no truth in these rumours? But if there is please tell me more!

Tuesday May 8th 2007

The elections are over. No change in SedgemoorAll change in West Somerset

I think local councillors - in general - are a remarkable bunch. They're paid like amateurs (ie not at all) and yet expected to be professional the whole time. Congratulations to all the victors. Commiserations to those who didn't make it.

 

Thursday 19th April 2007

Overdue again - but better late than never. On Tuesday I secured two debates in the Commons

The first was held in Westminster Hall  and was all about Bae Systems. Click the logo to read it.

 

My other debate was held just before a big Commons argument about Gordon Brown....so I had a full house for a subject whcih affects many of us. In fact I introduced a new Bill to try and chjange Planning Law, and if you click on the box below you can read it all:

Sunday 15th April 2007

I am overcome with guilt. I have received the following e-mail from a supportive constituent:

"Dear Mr. Liddel Grainger,
As a recently arrived (Nov 2006) constituent, may I say what a pleasure it is to
be represented by someone whose views I can support. May I also say that,
although it is a drag on your time and that of your staff, a blog needs more
current content or it starts to look rather stale and unloved!
Best Regards, Tom "

Ok Tom. I take the point. I will be back at Westminster tomorrow and have TWO controversial debates scheduled for Tuesday. One of them is a hobby horse of mine - to change the law so that local councils will be obliged to tell everyone likely to be affected by planning applications. The second debate is just as important - its about Bae Systems, who own and want to shut the old ROF factory near Bridgwater (madness I think) Bae also build and equip the ancient Nimrod aircraft one of which crashed in Iraq last September killing fourteen, including a brave local man. Questions need asking. I've facing up to the Defence Minister. Watch this space!

Tuesday 13th February 2007

Oh what larks! I have seriously upset someone in County Hall. The following snotty e-mail has just arrived:

Dear Sir or Madam:

I have been made aware that the website that you administer www.liddellgrainger.org.uk contains a digital image that is derived from copyright protected material where Somerset County Council is the copyright holder. The image in question is http://www.liddellgrainger.org.uk/images/Somerset_Logo__council_and_democracy_.jpg located on the web page http://www.liddellgrainger.org.uk/local/SAYNOTOUNITARYSOMERSET.html . The original image is located at http://www.somerset.gov.uk/images/banners/council_democracy.jpg .

I have no record of any request or subsequent permission being granted for use of this material, and its use is therefore in breech of copyright. Please can you arrange to remove this copyright protected material from your website with immediate effect.

If you subsequently wish to request permission to use any copyright protected material belonging to Somerset County Council, such requests will be duly considered.

Yours Sincerely

Nick Graham

Customer Access and Communications Manager
(Access to Services)
Chief Executive’s Office
Somerset County Council

OK folks, but before I get down to the nitty gritty I spotted a significant spelling error in the text above. I presume Mr Graham means "breach" rather than "breech" of copyright. Unless, that is, the Daleks of County Hall have rewritten the lawbooks and made it illegal for men to wear trousers!

Meantime let's see what these idiots are grumbling about:  

   

It appears on Somerset County Council's website (which I help to pay for with exorbitant Council Tax) so I borrowed it for this site.  Apparently this makes this make me a cyber-criminal!  Anyway the junior Daleks at County Hall can stop worrying. I have now replaced their logo with a much sillier and more appropriate one:    

Tee Hee

 

 

Friday February 9th 2007

Brrrr! Chilly isn't it. Freezing in parts. And enough of the white stuff up on Exmoor for several snowmen. However I have a grumble to share, does our caring sharing County Council intend to allow us to slide around on the roads like motorised Torvilles and Deans? Why is the salt running low?

The answer is, as you might expect, another example of penny pinching from County Hall.

They decided to save money. Not so much "True Grit " as "No Grit". Mad.

 

Wednesday January 31st 2007

Sorry about the long gap. First came Christmas. Then followed a frantic few weeks of campaigning to try and stop the Daleks on the County Council getting their wicked way. Uggh. Last week a vote was passed (but only just) to allow them to apply for Unitary status. Whoops of joy from Dalek Towers (aka County Hall, Taunton). But it aint all over yet folks. The fight has only just begun. The spirit of Tom Baker lives in my heart. Watch out Mrs B!

Thursday December 21st

This is getting silly. I have just been told that the poor old post office computer at Brompton Ralph has crashed again. Royal Mail and BT should be ashamed of themselves.

Wednesday December 20th

An extra portion of  Whiskas for Mogg today....Brompton Ralph post office is back in action!

Thursday December 14th

Wonders will never cease. I opened the mail this morning and there - large as life and twice as lovely - was a Christmas card from my number one pin-up Cathy Bakewell (full time belle of the ball and part time leader of Somerset County Council). She signed it "from the chief Dalek" Cheeky lady!

Wednesday December 6th

I am still  puzzled  by the attack made on me by some jumped-up journo in yesterday's Daily Telegraph. The culprit's name is Andrew Gimson . He accused me of "not very valuable boneheadedness". He thought, perhaps, that I would be deeply offended. Well Mr Gimson I have news for you. Bones in the head are invaluable. Without them your face would collapse - which might, come to think of it, be an improvement. In these parts we pride ourselves on strong heads - containing solid Somerset bones.

Sunday December 3rd

At last ! Feedback. Many thanks to Ron Blundell who e-mailed me :"Found your Blog and will watch it from time to time, well done." 

Wednesday November 29th

You should have been there last night. Rarely has a local council politician come in for such a pasting. Poor Cathy Bakewell,  long-suffering Leader of Somerset County Counil. No wonder she looks so glum:

It was a debate in Parliament about her plan to "reorganise" local government in Somerset. Reorganise really means get rid of all the district councils and leave Somerset County Council in sole charge. There was bound to be a furore. And you can read all about it by clicking this link: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200607/cmhansrd/cm061128/debtext/61128-0017.htm#061128118000222

 

Monday November 27th

Extraordinary things are happening at Somerset County Council. First they start behaving like megalomaniacs and demand to be turned into a huge unitary authority......there's a Parliamentary debate about this particular lunacy tomorrow.........and now they are fitting spy cameras in the dust-bins:

Mrs Bakewell's barmy army claims they are merely checking on the way waste is handled.....but by filming "environmental vandals "(ie people who accidentally stick a glass bottle in the paper section) they are setting a dangerous new precedent. Its another wacky waste of council taxpayers money.

Friday November 24th

Great news! I've entered the Blogging generation....... Actually I don't know if its great news or not. But I am prepared to give it a whirl. My pals in the media say it's the latest craze. But it could drive me crazy writing it and (worse still) it could drive YOU crazy reading it. So regard this as an experiment. If you want me to go on Blogging let me know. If you think I should have more sense then tell me too. OR if you reckon there is something I ought to be saying then tip me the wink.

Send a message right now: CONTACT ME - and tell me if you want me to include your message in this Blog.

I can't always guarantee action, but I'll do my best. Take yesterday. Derek Beale sent me an e-mail message about the crazy goings-on at Brompton Ralph Post Office.

Apparently there was a fierce thunderstorm exactly a week ago and the all-singing, all-dancing computer system installed there (it is called Horizon incidentally) blew up. Not a funny thing to happen to a Post Office. Horizon is the system that enables pensions to be paid and banking to be done. Without it you can do no more than post a letter and buy some stamps. But the poor people at Brompton Ralph have now been without it for a whole week.

WHY?

The Royal Mail blames BT and BT blames someone else and nothing, as a result, was getting done. Well I wont be letting matters lie. This is a ludicrous situation and must be sorted quickly. The Western Daily Press (even as I speak) is highlighting the issue and I'm planning to pop in there this afternoon.

Next week  - if the authorities haven't pulled finger and fixed it - I'm taking this matter up in Parliament. There's already a serious risk of losing local Post Offices. We can't afford a thunderstorm and too much loony red tape to endanger this one.