Whatever lies ahead in the New Year, we face challenging times, that said, I wish you and yours all the best for 2012.
Geoff
Saturday 31 December 2011
Friday 30 December 2011
Holy Roads at Christmas
The leader of the council drives a 4x4, nothing wrong with that. The model concerned is particularly well suited to driving across irregular surfaces: grass, gravel, snow, sand, mud ruts and pot holes. In his other role as leader of the Labour group in the Local Government Association he is often heard talking about the poor state of the UK's roads and the need to improve matters.
It has recently struck me that when he is driving his 4x4 around the roads of Wakefield, he is insulated and does not truly experience teeth jarred by potholes that many people face on a day to day basis as they go about their lives. Winter traditionally makes the situation worse and whilst the coalition has brought forward additional funds to improve road surfaces and Wakefield has benefited, there is more to do.
Time to get on and fill a few holes?
It has recently struck me that when he is driving his 4x4 around the roads of Wakefield, he is insulated and does not truly experience teeth jarred by potholes that many people face on a day to day basis as they go about their lives. Winter traditionally makes the situation worse and whilst the coalition has brought forward additional funds to improve road surfaces and Wakefield has benefited, there is more to do.
Time to get on and fill a few holes?
UPDATED 4 Local MPs, Balls, Trickett, Creagh and Cooper form a united front on Mid Yorks Hospital Trust
As we approach the end of 2011 and face the new year, there is a growing degree of nervousness in the behaviour of our local MPs. All at some point have talked about the benefits that will flow from Mid Yorks Hospital Trust's PFI programme but now it seems that we are in for a very difficult time. This will be made even more challenging by the board's own strategy; their inability to deliver their five year plan; capacity, critical care and failing A&E provision; reluctance of mid-grade A&E doctors to apply for posts; funding issues and the way that the Labour government's approach to PFIs meant that key aspects of service that should have been maintained were deleted as buildings were demolished.
The MPs have now started to question the Hospital Trust's approach and expressed concerns about what we now have. They talk about promises made and broken and the fight ahead to find resolution. Prior to the public meeting in November I was one of a number calling on the Trust board's directors to sort things out or stand down. What I learned at that meeting has not changed my view about the Trust Directors but has strengthened my belief that our MPs have been making promises about what would be delivered, either aware that the promises could not be kept or naively not checking that what was to be offered would fit the district's needs. These people are highly paid, elected public servants, who because of their Labour credentials, feel that they are safe from any criticism in this part of West Yorkshire and that the public simply believe all that they say.
In the light of the healthcare fiasco that is developing I think that both the area's MPs and the Mid Yorkshire Trust Directors need to consider their positions and get this sorted or prepare to face the consequences.
UPDATE:
Key Trust Directors replaced. New CEO appointed to resolve matters, original problems still to sort and a big annual bill for the local taxpayer until 2040. Over £1Billion in interest and fees for a facility not capable for stated needs. MPs still acting shocked and hoping people will not join the dots.
The MPs have now started to question the Hospital Trust's approach and expressed concerns about what we now have. They talk about promises made and broken and the fight ahead to find resolution. Prior to the public meeting in November I was one of a number calling on the Trust board's directors to sort things out or stand down. What I learned at that meeting has not changed my view about the Trust Directors but has strengthened my belief that our MPs have been making promises about what would be delivered, either aware that the promises could not be kept or naively not checking that what was to be offered would fit the district's needs. These people are highly paid, elected public servants, who because of their Labour credentials, feel that they are safe from any criticism in this part of West Yorkshire and that the public simply believe all that they say.
In the light of the healthcare fiasco that is developing I think that both the area's MPs and the Mid Yorkshire Trust Directors need to consider their positions and get this sorted or prepare to face the consequences.
UPDATE:
Key Trust Directors replaced. New CEO appointed to resolve matters, original problems still to sort and a big annual bill for the local taxpayer until 2040. Over £1Billion in interest and fees for a facility not capable for stated needs. MPs still acting shocked and hoping people will not join the dots.
Monday 26 December 2011
Boxing Day and a bit of a walk.
On boxing day in 1132 a group of monks from Ripon walked the four and a half miles to the location of what became Fountains Abbey starting a tradition. Today a group of several hundred gathered in the Cellarium at the Abbey for a Carol Concert and service. Beautiful day.
Sunday 25 December 2011
Its Official Military Wives top charts....
Great news, with over half a million sales the Military Wives Choir have topped the BBC 2011 Christmas charts, selling more than the next 12 combined.
Well done to all that have played a part in achieving this.
Well done to all that have played a part in achieving this.
Saturday 24 December 2011
Take care at Christmas...
As I have already said, I hope that you have a great Christmas, I hope that all goes well and that you and yours stay well and safe. If you need hospital assistance at Pontefract Hospital their opening hours are 8am to 10pm as Mr Young recently discovered when he arrived at 6.45am having had a fall on ice.
Take care folks and try to stick with Mid Yorks Trusts opening hours or you will be helped to a location at least ten miles away to Pinderfields or probably more, when they cannot cope.
As George Dixon used to say.....Mind how you go!
Take care folks and try to stick with Mid Yorks Trusts opening hours or you will be helped to a location at least ten miles away to Pinderfields or probably more, when they cannot cope.
As George Dixon used to say.....Mind how you go!
Friday 23 December 2011
Merry Christmas one and all
Seasons Greetings to you and your kin.
Firstly thanks to all who have already sent festive cards and emails. As in previous years, instead of sending cards I will be making charitable donations this year. I realise that there are lots of groups both national and local who would value contributions, but if you are still considering making donations yourself, please have a look at:
Yorkshire Air Ambulance
or:
Starlight (granting wishes for children with major or terminal illnesses)
or
Bone Cancer Research Trust:
Each giving people life chances that they may otherwise not have.
I hope that you and yours have a happy and enjoyable Christmas,and when you need to check Santa's progress have a look here: or if you have youngster who want to play some Christmas online games visit:
In any case I hope you have a great Christmas all the best both now and for the new year.
Geoff
Firstly thanks to all who have already sent festive cards and emails. As in previous years, instead of sending cards I will be making charitable donations this year. I realise that there are lots of groups both national and local who would value contributions, but if you are still considering making donations yourself, please have a look at:
Yorkshire Air Ambulance
or:
Starlight (granting wishes for children with major or terminal illnesses)
or
Bone Cancer Research Trust:
Each giving people life chances that they may otherwise not have.
I hope that you and yours have a happy and enjoyable Christmas,and when you need to check Santa's progress have a look here: or if you have youngster who want to play some Christmas online games visit:
In any case I hope you have a great Christmas all the best both now and for the new year.
Geoff
MP hopes record hospital payout won't reduce service....
In a quote in the latest edition of the local newspaper, talking about the cash strapped Mid Yorks Hospital Trust, our MP referred to a record payment of nearly £4.5 million pounds awarded linked to a tribunal claim and hopes that it will not impact on service. This sort of comment shows a degree of naivety which is stunning from an ex Treasury Minister and Junior Health Service Minister, especially when we consider the funding problem that she seems to have gifted the Health Trust. Thanks to her efforts, Mid Yorks Hospital Trust have to meet an annual bill of £36 million for the PFI that she drove through for Pinderfields and Pontefract Hospitals.
No effect? Some hope!
No effect? Some hope!
Mid Yorkshire Hospital Trust Mismanagement?
Almost £4.5 Million payout, Trust Management unaware of malpractice and has to take responsibility for record tribunal payout. "Lessons to be learned"
Tuesday 13 December 2011
All that glistens........
All that glistens is not gold
I agree completely with Mr Ayre in his letter in the Pontefract and Castleford Express, about broken pledges being a key part in the grim situation that we now face at Pontefract A&E. Mid Yorks Hospital Trust talks of reviewing A&E and health care provision at Pontefract next year, meanwhile, they have allocated their A&E doctors to Pinderfields and Dewsbury during the hours of darkness "while they are trying to recruit replacements for the 9 mid-grade staff vacancies". The Directors make the case that in the current circumstances the admissions at Pontefract do not warrant it being open during the night, but the numbers have only dropped since the old PGI and Emergency A&E were demolished and critical cases sent elsewhere
Yorkshire Ambulance will no longer take emergencies to Pontefract and patients face a long journeyto other hospitals that do have life support , critical care, cardiac units and the backup facilities that were deleted by the big thinkers who put together the Trust's plan for the new Pontefract Hospital PFI. This effectively means that the facility has become a "state of the art" minor injuries, outpatient and day care unit. Mid Yorks Trust would not allow the word General to go in front of Hospital because it clearly is not, and was never intended to be.
The other less savoury part of this is that whilst Pinderfields, with its pre-war nissen huts, desperately needed a complete rebuild, it would have been better to use some of the £36 million that will be spent each year for the next 30 years paying Consort for the new hospitals (yes that is £1.09 billion pounds) to upgrade and modernise the core facilities at Pontefract that Balfour Beatty have just finished demolishing. With a fully functioning hospital we would have had a better chance of attracting doctors and our current plight could have been avoided. The Directors of Mid Yorks Trust ultimately took the decisions that put us in this position but don't forget that, apparently, the pledges were made to our MP when she was Junior Health Minister and the PFI plan and the bid was supported by her when she was Treasury Minister. She endorsed the PFI plans for Pontefract and sat by whilst the services were deleted before the plan was submitted. Presumably she and the MP for Hemsworth got the pledges and promises in writing, perhaps they could publish them so we all can see the promises that have been broken.
Meanwhile are we as Conservatives lobbying Government and Health Ministers? Absolutely! This fiasco over the last 10 years in deleting and eroding a capable hospital and replacing it with what we now have, and the Trust's inability to attract staff are nothing short of ridiculous.
UPDATE November 2013
I agree completely with Mr Ayre in his letter in the Pontefract and Castleford Express, about broken pledges being a key part in the grim situation that we now face at Pontefract A&E. Mid Yorks Hospital Trust talks of reviewing A&E and health care provision at Pontefract next year, meanwhile, they have allocated their A&E doctors to Pinderfields and Dewsbury during the hours of darkness "while they are trying to recruit replacements for the 9 mid-grade staff vacancies". The Directors make the case that in the current circumstances the admissions at Pontefract do not warrant it being open during the night, but the numbers have only dropped since the old PGI and Emergency A&E were demolished and critical cases sent elsewhere
Yorkshire Ambulance will no longer take emergencies to Pontefract and patients face a long journeyto other hospitals that do have life support , critical care, cardiac units and the backup facilities that were deleted by the big thinkers who put together the Trust's plan for the new Pontefract Hospital PFI. This effectively means that the facility has become a "state of the art" minor injuries, outpatient and day care unit. Mid Yorks Trust would not allow the word General to go in front of Hospital because it clearly is not, and was never intended to be.
The other less savoury part of this is that whilst Pinderfields, with its pre-war nissen huts, desperately needed a complete rebuild, it would have been better to use some of the £36 million that will be spent each year for the next 30 years paying Consort for the new hospitals (yes that is £1.09 billion pounds) to upgrade and modernise the core facilities at Pontefract that Balfour Beatty have just finished demolishing. With a fully functioning hospital we would have had a better chance of attracting doctors and our current plight could have been avoided. The Directors of Mid Yorks Trust ultimately took the decisions that put us in this position but don't forget that, apparently, the pledges were made to our MP when she was Junior Health Minister and the PFI plan and the bid was supported by her when she was Treasury Minister. She endorsed the PFI plans for Pontefract and sat by whilst the services were deleted before the plan was submitted. Presumably she and the MP for Hemsworth got the pledges and promises in writing, perhaps they could publish them so we all can see the promises that have been broken.
Meanwhile are we as Conservatives lobbying Government and Health Ministers? Absolutely! This fiasco over the last 10 years in deleting and eroding a capable hospital and replacing it with what we now have, and the Trust's inability to attract staff are nothing short of ridiculous.
UPDATE November 2013
Wednesday 7 December 2011
Military Wives Choir for Christmas number 1? Go for it..
Like many I have been following the Choir series where choir master Gareth Malone has been working with groups to set up choirs within communities and was hugely impressed by the Military Wives Choir whose ultimate performance was at the Albert Hall on Saturday 12th November. Traditionally at this time of year some naff performer from one of the talent programmes pops in a Christmas number 1.
This year we may be able to see something different and much better. Lets give them some backing.
Pre Order At Amazon Now http://tiny.cc/pdfom
The official video for Paul Mealor's Wherever You Are by Military Wives with Gareth Malone.
Help the Military Wives raise money for two wonderful charities who work tirelessly to support the armed forces and their families. Buy the single and make this Christmas No 1 to make a difference to these wonderful people both at home and abroad.
This year we may be able to see something different and much better. Lets give them some backing.
Pre Order At Amazon Now http://tiny.cc/pdfom
The official video for Paul Mealor's Wherever You Are by Military Wives with Gareth Malone.
Help the Military Wives raise money for two wonderful charities who work tirelessly to support the armed forces and their families. Buy the single and make this Christmas No 1 to make a difference to these wonderful people both at home and abroad.
Tuesday 22 November 2011
Pomfret Woodland Nursery
During the former Labour Government's spending spree, WMDC got a government grant to set up and support a number of children's centres that have effectively been providing nursery, daycare and early year services alongside registered nurseries, daycare and child minder services. The government grant like many Labour Government schemes allowed the setting up but stopped after two years with councils expected to pick up the tab through the general rates. Most local authorities made other arrangements, Wakefield however funded the difference between the costs and the income from the rates. Pomfret Nursery along with two other council operated centres was in jeopardy as Wakefield needed to use what was unallocated money on other projects and services.
We were advised that the council had been looking for an organisation to take this service on, had no success.
The three South Ward Councillors were given an initial briefing in November and we asked some simple questions. "What is the shortfall?" "How much is that per child?" "Has anybody asked the parents what they think about offering them the chance to operate the centre or make a payment to bridge the gap?"
It would seem not. WMDC appeared to have given little thought to finding a way forward and seemed to want to drop this like a hot potato rather than finding a way for the centre to continue.
UPDATED
Pleased to say sanity broke out and following discussions involving the Leader of the Council, the CEO and local councillors a lifeline was thrown, our MP took a part, the parents and key staff came forward with a request to operate the nursery themselves.
If the closure had gone through parents would have has to find alternative provision for 64 children and the jobs of the 12 centre staff would have be in jeopardy.
After a long hard slog the parents with support have been able to make a successful bid to operate the nursery as a not for profit organisation and are going from strength to strength.
We were advised that the council had been looking for an organisation to take this service on, had no success.
The three South Ward Councillors were given an initial briefing in November and we asked some simple questions. "What is the shortfall?" "How much is that per child?" "Has anybody asked the parents what they think about offering them the chance to operate the centre or make a payment to bridge the gap?"
It would seem not. WMDC appeared to have given little thought to finding a way forward and seemed to want to drop this like a hot potato rather than finding a way for the centre to continue.
UPDATED
Pleased to say sanity broke out and following discussions involving the Leader of the Council, the CEO and local councillors a lifeline was thrown, our MP took a part, the parents and key staff came forward with a request to operate the nursery themselves.
If the closure had gone through parents would have has to find alternative provision for 64 children and the jobs of the 12 centre staff would have be in jeopardy.
After a long hard slog the parents with support have been able to make a successful bid to operate the nursery as a not for profit organisation and are going from strength to strength.
Monday 21 November 2011
Official - Christmas breaks out in Pontefract
Christmas breaks out in the US immediately after Thanksgiving. In Pontefract we officially accepted the season of goodwill to all this evening and ahead of the United States, with the push of a giant plunger Pontefracts Christmas Tree and lights sprang to life with a brilliant crowd, biggest in recent years (just like our remembrance ceremony on the 11th.
6.30 this evening, found Walsh with three other Pontefract Councillors up on stage with the bright yellow police padlock (lock your sheds) and a group of youngsters from the audience gathered round the plunger.
Great night, childrens rides, market stalls including a fund raising stand by the local Lions, where I sampled my first mince pie and a very welcome mulled wine "special recipe" (Thank you George Morgan, it was grand).
There were seaside donkey rides and several dogs dressed as Santa's little helpers.
The St Giles tombola drew quite a crowd and raised money for Pontefract Parish Church (thanks to all who donated some cracking gifts).
Well Merry Christmas to you and yours and God Bless us every one!
Updated 21.37
6.30 this evening, found Walsh with three other Pontefract Councillors up on stage with the bright yellow police padlock (lock your sheds) and a group of youngsters from the audience gathered round the plunger.
Great night, childrens rides, market stalls including a fund raising stand by the local Lions, where I sampled my first mince pie and a very welcome mulled wine "special recipe" (Thank you George Morgan, it was grand).
There were seaside donkey rides and several dogs dressed as Santa's little helpers.
The St Giles tombola drew quite a crowd and raised money for Pontefract Parish Church (thanks to all who donated some cracking gifts).
Well Merry Christmas to you and yours and God Bless us every one!
Updated 21.37
A Weekend off
This last weekend started with a short notice TENS hearing of 4 applications for Temporary Event Notices in Committee Room A in County Hall, started at 2.30 and resolved 3 could and one could not proceed.
All that said sounds like three interesting live events leading up to Christmas.
Friday evening out for a bite and a phone call on the way back means a trip to what once was a quiet pleasant part of Pontefract, nice houses, good people bringing up young families, a number of folk who have been there since the houses were built. The issue is a 20 yard ginnel linking one estate with another which is regularly invaded by a small group of young people who unlike the many are bent on generating a living hell for the people who live around the alley. Things would be much worse but for the efforts of the local Neighbourhood Watch Co-ordinator and members of the Neighbourhood Policing team. On Friday night things were kicking off and I went up to give moral support and look at some ways forward.
Quiet and pleasant it has been and it will be again.
Saturday morning was a chance to visit the Market and have Coffee and a piece of cake with about a hundred other people in St Giles Church, Fun on Saturday evening in Chequerfield "Real Corkers" an evening of books and wine at St Marys Centre, followed by some more aggro.
Sunday night at Wakefield Cathedral experiencing the Yorkshire Philharmonic's Messiah and a stunning night for all so a bit of culture then back for more aggro.
How time passes when you are having fun...
All that said sounds like three interesting live events leading up to Christmas.
Friday evening out for a bite and a phone call on the way back means a trip to what once was a quiet pleasant part of Pontefract, nice houses, good people bringing up young families, a number of folk who have been there since the houses were built. The issue is a 20 yard ginnel linking one estate with another which is regularly invaded by a small group of young people who unlike the many are bent on generating a living hell for the people who live around the alley. Things would be much worse but for the efforts of the local Neighbourhood Watch Co-ordinator and members of the Neighbourhood Policing team. On Friday night things were kicking off and I went up to give moral support and look at some ways forward.
Quiet and pleasant it has been and it will be again.
Saturday morning was a chance to visit the Market and have Coffee and a piece of cake with about a hundred other people in St Giles Church, Fun on Saturday evening in Chequerfield "Real Corkers" an evening of books and wine at St Marys Centre, followed by some more aggro.
Sunday night at Wakefield Cathedral experiencing the Yorkshire Philharmonic's Messiah and a stunning night for all so a bit of culture then back for more aggro.
How time passes when you are having fun...
The Trust's view
They think they are giving us what they always planned to give, so with no intensive care beds in Pontefract, clinically it is safer at Wakefield or Dewsbury, we end up with predominantly out patient activity and a minor injuries unit.
My view, our MP knew this from the start of the PFI process, she simply did not tell us, she let it go ahead instead of winning funds to refurbish what we had and has mislead us throughout. She is blaming Government cuts and her nose keeps growing!
My view, our MP knew this from the start of the PFI process, she simply did not tell us, she let it go ahead instead of winning funds to refurbish what we had and has mislead us throughout. She is blaming Government cuts and her nose keeps growing!
Tuesday 15 November 2011
Pontefract A&E Mid Yorks Hospitals Trust agree Public Meeting
Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust have issued the following:
Public Meeting
We’d like to let you know about a public meeting that we are holding to explain in more detail about the decision to temporarily close Pontefract A&E overnight for patient safety reasons due to a shortage of emergency doctors.
It will also be a chance to ask any questions.
Where and when:
Pontefract Town Hall
Assembly Room
Thursday 24 November at 6pm
The difficult decision to temporarily close Pontefract Hospital A&E overnight (from 10pm to 8am) from 1 November was made by the Trust Board (on 20 October) for patient safety reasons as there are currently not enough emergency doctors to safely staff all three Emergency Departments in Mid Yorkshire overnight.
Yours faithfully,
Andrew Barton
Communications Officer
The Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust
Trust HQ and Education Centre
Pinderfields Hospital
Aberford Road
Wakefield
WF1 4DG
Tel: 01924 543637
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Our MP has sent out an email suggesting that as many people as possible attend.
I have heard from a number that say they want to hold her to account for her part in this fiasco.
I guess the problem for many is that she is not usually around on Thursdays but I hope that she can make an exception in this case.
See you there?
Public Meeting
We’d like to let you know about a public meeting that we are holding to explain in more detail about the decision to temporarily close Pontefract A&E overnight for patient safety reasons due to a shortage of emergency doctors.
It will also be a chance to ask any questions.
Where and when:
Pontefract Town Hall
Assembly Room
Thursday 24 November at 6pm
The difficult decision to temporarily close Pontefract Hospital A&E overnight (from 10pm to 8am) from 1 November was made by the Trust Board (on 20 October) for patient safety reasons as there are currently not enough emergency doctors to safely staff all three Emergency Departments in Mid Yorkshire overnight.
Yours faithfully,
Andrew Barton
Communications Officer
The Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust
Trust HQ and Education Centre
Pinderfields Hospital
Aberford Road
Wakefield
WF1 4DG
Tel: 01924 543637
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Our MP has sent out an email suggesting that as many people as possible attend.
I have heard from a number that say they want to hold her to account for her part in this fiasco.
I guess the problem for many is that she is not usually around on Thursdays but I hope that she can make an exception in this case.
See you there?
Monday 14 November 2011
Sunday 11.00am
Remembrance Sunday in Pontefract, the gathering has increased each year and this was the biggest in recent years. A chance for many to pay respect and for thoughts of loved ones and for those who put themselves in danger for us. After the act of remembrance at the War Memorial the service in St Giles was thought provoking, certainly for me.
On the walls in St Giles are memorial plaques for the casualties of the First World War (the "War to end all Wars") and in many cases for the next generation who went of to fight in the Second War (not so many of those who survived are left now to tell the tale but each and every one amazing in their own way.
Now we see a new generation who put themselves in harms way, the scale of casualties much less but every one a sad loss nonetheless and we can and should remember the acts of routine bravery displayed by people from our community.
Lest we forget is just as real now as it was 93 years ago!
On the walls in St Giles are memorial plaques for the casualties of the First World War (the "War to end all Wars") and in many cases for the next generation who went of to fight in the Second War (not so many of those who survived are left now to tell the tale but each and every one amazing in their own way.
Now we see a new generation who put themselves in harms way, the scale of casualties much less but every one a sad loss nonetheless and we can and should remember the acts of routine bravery displayed by people from our community.
Lest we forget is just as real now as it was 93 years ago!
Friday 11 November 2011
Lest we forget
On this day of 93 years ago the war to end all wars came to an end. Since then in almost every year our armed forces have been serving to protect our society. Our young people serve around the world and especially in Afghanistan where a growing number are paying the ultimate price with their lives. Many more return broken shadows of their former selves.
It is right to acknowledge their sacrifice and commitment.
Wear your poppy with pride.
Visit Help for Heroes
And for those who remember on Sunday you may hear part of this, some may question the sentiment,but for many it still rings true.
For the Fallen
They went with songs to the battle, they were young,
Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted,
They fell with their faces to the foe.
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old;
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.
They mingle not with laughing comrades again;
They sit no more at familiar tables of home;
They have no lot in our labour of the day-time;
They sleep beyond England's foam.
But where our desires are and our hopes profound,
Felt as a well-spring that is hidden from sight,
To the innermost heart of their own land they are known
As the stars are known to the Night;
As the stars that shall be bright when we are dust,
Moving in marches upon the heavenly plain,
As the stars that are starry in the time of our darkness,
To the end, to the end, they remain.
Laurence Binyon September 1914
Like many I will be attending the Concert with Music for Armistice day at St Giles in Pontefract this evening and at the Cenotaph in Pontefract on Sunday morning and as a guest at the Barracks on Sunday afternoon.
There will also be a ceremonial signing of a covenant between Wakefield and the Yorkshire Regiment at Wakefield Town Hall on Sunday after the ceremony at the Cenotaph outside County Hall.
It is right to acknowledge their sacrifice and commitment.
Wear your poppy with pride.
Visit Help for Heroes
And for those who remember on Sunday you may hear part of this, some may question the sentiment,but for many it still rings true.
For the Fallen
They went with songs to the battle, they were young,
Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted,
They fell with their faces to the foe.
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old;
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.
They mingle not with laughing comrades again;
They sit no more at familiar tables of home;
They have no lot in our labour of the day-time;
They sleep beyond England's foam.
But where our desires are and our hopes profound,
Felt as a well-spring that is hidden from sight,
To the innermost heart of their own land they are known
As the stars are known to the Night;
As the stars that shall be bright when we are dust,
Moving in marches upon the heavenly plain,
As the stars that are starry in the time of our darkness,
To the end, to the end, they remain.
Laurence Binyon September 1914
Like many I will be attending the Concert with Music for Armistice day at St Giles in Pontefract this evening and at the Cenotaph in Pontefract on Sunday morning and as a guest at the Barracks on Sunday afternoon.
There will also be a ceremonial signing of a covenant between Wakefield and the Yorkshire Regiment at Wakefield Town Hall on Sunday after the ceremony at the Cenotaph outside County Hall.
Monday 31 October 2011
Our A&E Postcode Lottery
Since its inception, the Directors of the Mid Yorkshire Hospital Trust with the aid of our MP, the then Junior Health Minister, have fought to balance a budget, have centralised and decentralised, have "consulted", re-organised, re-configured and latterly wiped away clinical and emergency services before demolishing the buildings that made up Pontefract General Infirmary. They have entered into a 30 year term multi million pound PFI to give us the new "Pontefract Hospital" which is a third of the size of the old Infirmary. The majority of beds and services are now in Wakefield or Dewsbury and with all its coffee shops, newsagents, high ceilings and gates what we are left with is an airport departure lounge with the capabilities of an outpatient clinic.
From the 1st of November, less than 12 months after the grand opening, we are faced with "temporary" night time closures of the emergency A&E department robbing us of a vital resource and putting extra pressure on other hospitals within the trust and beyond. The residents of the five towns on the eastern side of the district, travellers on the East Coast main line railway, the M62 and A1, people from West and North Yorkshire who have, in the past, depended on Pontefract facilities are now in a post code lottery through the hours of darkness. So don't be ill, take care, do not be involved in a serious accident, or you will have to be taken to Wakefield, Dewsbury, Leeds or even Doncaster as the clock ticks through your golden hour for survival. This is just not good enough.
To the directors of the Trust who state that they cannot attract doctors to their shiny new facility, please ensure that this temporary closure is overturned at the earliest opportunity. If, as Directors you are tempted to go for a full closure and transition to a first aid clinic as some people have suggested,then, after everything else that you have done, it might be better if you sit down and write out your resignations now.
The people of this district deserve better.
Geoff Walsh
From the 1st of November, less than 12 months after the grand opening, we are faced with "temporary" night time closures of the emergency A&E department robbing us of a vital resource and putting extra pressure on other hospitals within the trust and beyond. The residents of the five towns on the eastern side of the district, travellers on the East Coast main line railway, the M62 and A1, people from West and North Yorkshire who have, in the past, depended on Pontefract facilities are now in a post code lottery through the hours of darkness. So don't be ill, take care, do not be involved in a serious accident, or you will have to be taken to Wakefield, Dewsbury, Leeds or even Doncaster as the clock ticks through your golden hour for survival. This is just not good enough.
To the directors of the Trust who state that they cannot attract doctors to their shiny new facility, please ensure that this temporary closure is overturned at the earliest opportunity. If, as Directors you are tempted to go for a full closure and transition to a first aid clinic as some people have suggested,then, after everything else that you have done, it might be better if you sit down and write out your resignations now.
The people of this district deserve better.
Geoff Walsh
Tuesday 18 October 2011
Community day of action at Chequerfield and Willow Park
Pontefract today, a sunny day with showers.
An observant person would have spotted Walsh with a team of youngsters from Cobblers Lane School, a community police person dressed like a weetabix/padlock (you really do need to lock your outbuildings)other members of the neighbourhood policing team. A team from the West Yorkshire Fire Service, Council grounds maintenance teams, Wakefield District Housing, Friends of Pease Field, members of the public, Countryside Rangers, Council Officers and a variety of members of the media at Pease Field this morning. This was part of a wider programme of action that included activity across Chequerfield.
We planted plants and bushes, we litter picked, the youngsters had specific lessons that were fun and we put a marker down that we want to see our community as a safer, cleaner and greener place to live.
As part of the process there were other elements going on, anti-social behaviour hot spots being worked on to make them less easy for those up to no good. A community garden to be started adjacent to Holy Family Car Park, paths and rights of way cleared. Community pay back to be invoked with people under community pay back orders doing positive things for the people of the district.
Felt really worthwhile, old and young getting stuck in with gusto. Interestingly the media observed but missed the opportunity to plant a single tree or pick up a piece of litter.
This will not be a one off and is not before time.
An observant person would have spotted Walsh with a team of youngsters from Cobblers Lane School, a community police person dressed like a weetabix/padlock (you really do need to lock your outbuildings)other members of the neighbourhood policing team. A team from the West Yorkshire Fire Service, Council grounds maintenance teams, Wakefield District Housing, Friends of Pease Field, members of the public, Countryside Rangers, Council Officers and a variety of members of the media at Pease Field this morning. This was part of a wider programme of action that included activity across Chequerfield.
We planted plants and bushes, we litter picked, the youngsters had specific lessons that were fun and we put a marker down that we want to see our community as a safer, cleaner and greener place to live.
As part of the process there were other elements going on, anti-social behaviour hot spots being worked on to make them less easy for those up to no good. A community garden to be started adjacent to Holy Family Car Park, paths and rights of way cleared. Community pay back to be invoked with people under community pay back orders doing positive things for the people of the district.
Felt really worthwhile, old and young getting stuck in with gusto. Interestingly the media observed but missed the opportunity to plant a single tree or pick up a piece of litter.
This will not be a one off and is not before time.
Saturday 15 October 2011
And another one bites the dust..
Just seen a press release about the closure of the Hornsea Centre by WMDC using the same political spin as our MP. She cites "government cuts" as the reason for closures at our local A&E at Pontefract Hospital rather than a combination of cuts implemented by her own government and the PFI that she drove through. This has given the health trust a big modern building, few services, fewer beds and a huge ongoing financial problem, with little means to make it work. In the case of the Hornsea Centre, the Director of Family Services appears to have been trying to write it out of her personal script and kingdom for the last 5 years and the Portfolio Holder and Labour Cabinet are now also talking "government cuts".
From its opening in 1937, the Hornsea Centre has been a much loved resource which gave many school children from Wakefield their first chance to see the sea. Over the years that they have controlled the centre, Wakefield Council have bled it dry of resources to the point where the £1.5m cost of upgrading is such that they cannot even get a buyer to take it as a going concern. My bet is that with land cleared it will be sold off for housing or some such.
Looks like there is a general clearing of the decks using "Government Cuts" as an excuse to avoid admitting to poor judgement, overspending, under resourcing of key services such as highway repairs across the district or diversion of funding to pet projects by the Labour Cabinet of the Council.
35 years of Labour control coming home to roost and affecting the people of Wakefield, Pontefract and the rest of the Five Towns.
From its opening in 1937, the Hornsea Centre has been a much loved resource which gave many school children from Wakefield their first chance to see the sea. Over the years that they have controlled the centre, Wakefield Council have bled it dry of resources to the point where the £1.5m cost of upgrading is such that they cannot even get a buyer to take it as a going concern. My bet is that with land cleared it will be sold off for housing or some such.
Looks like there is a general clearing of the decks using "Government Cuts" as an excuse to avoid admitting to poor judgement, overspending, under resourcing of key services such as highway repairs across the district or diversion of funding to pet projects by the Labour Cabinet of the Council.
35 years of Labour control coming home to roost and affecting the people of Wakefield, Pontefract and the rest of the Five Towns.
Thursday 13 October 2011
Yvette Cooper a Hypocrite? She made pledges for votes and the A&E is to close.
Standing at the entrance to the Hospital, the former Labour Junior Health Minister who drove the legislation setting up of Mid Yorks Hospital Trust that provided a Chairman's post to her predecessor and a directorship to a former local Labour Councillor, our MP supported a review that effectively closed the existing Pontefract General Infirmary and replaced it with a modern, smaller less capable facility. She made promise after promise about what it could do and as a Treasury Minister supported a series of PFIs Pontefract's included that put the NHS deeper and deeper in debt and brought about potential privatisation of services by the backdoor.
Now she cites government cuts on the BBC for a closure under a load of debt arising from the actions of her Labour administration.....and the people of Pontefract and the Five Towns are asked to trust her and join in her campaign?
Get Nick Pickles view here
Say no to Cooper but vote to keep our 24/7 Emergency A&E.
Now she cites government cuts on the BBC for a closure under a load of debt arising from the actions of her Labour administration.....and the people of Pontefract and the Five Towns are asked to trust her and join in her campaign?
Get Nick Pickles view here
Say no to Cooper but vote to keep our 24/7 Emergency A&E.
Your help is needed! ......Save our A&E
This has been on the cards ever since our MP pushed the PFI through and offered an electoral promise in 2005 that our new hospital would be safe in her hands.
Now our emergency A&E is scheduled to cease night-time cover from the 1st November as part of MYH Trusts planned deletion of services in Pontefract and bleed off of services to Pinderfields and Dewsbury Hospital.
Please sign the Pontefract & Castleford Express petition to keep the A&E open here
Now our emergency A&E is scheduled to cease night-time cover from the 1st November as part of MYH Trusts planned deletion of services in Pontefract and bleed off of services to Pinderfields and Dewsbury Hospital.
Please sign the Pontefract & Castleford Express petition to keep the A&E open here
Thursday 26 May 2011
Labour still maxing out the nations credit card..
In the run up to the local elections Labour Shadow Cabinet members and MPs pledged up to £12 Billion in expenditure in the 4 week local election campaign, promises that they knew they cannot keep and with no indications where the money would come from. Sadly it is clear that some still value the empty words and promises that Milliband Balls and Co. throw around. Easy when you are playing with other peoples money.
To find out more go here
To find out more go here
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
