The self proclaimed "Easy Council" tag will no doubt come back time and time and time again to haunt Barnet. I note the Tory cabinet has decided to cut grants to some voluntary groups. In the scheme of things (think Icelandic Banks), the amounts are small. But to the groups deprived of the income it can mean the difference between survival and going under.
Cllr Heather Kidd, Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate for Ludlow, has taken up the cause of the Shropshire country pub in the face of mounting evidence that many are about to 'call time' for good.
Remember the MPs' expenses scandal of duck houses, moats and mattresses? The public outrage has diminished since our MPs disappeared on their summer holidays. But MPs who do not wish to derail the gravy train hope that time will be a good healer and the public will forget. This long wait for MPs to sort out their own scandal should be finalised as soon as possible. Sir Christopher Kelly, Chairman of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, attacked MPs for allowing themselves to scrutinise their own expenses. His first thoughts were, quiet rightly, that even if they did, it would not command full public confidence. There should be no doubt that Sir Christopher's expenses review should be accepted, in full.
  12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Thu 3rd Sep 2009
THE High Street information centre is set to open on Saturdays due to popular demand.
Leader of Rochdale Council Alan Taylor is urging local families to check whether they are entitled to claim free lunches as local children go back to school this week.
