Archive for category: News

Mr Worthing is Jack in the country, but Ernest in town, where he is wooing the delectable Gwendolen. His best friend Algy is a rake and womaniser, who on learning that Jack has an excessively pretty ward called Cecily, sets out on a bunburying adventure to win her hand. Meanwhile, Cecily has already decided that she wants to marry Ernest. None of this will happen if the formidable Lady Bracknell gets her way. Confused? You should be.

The Importance of Being Earnest is a witty comedy of mistaken identity, liberally sprinkled with quips and one liners from Oscar Wilde’s famously acid pen.

What is does bunburying involve? who gets handbagged? Come and find out for yourself

ESBC has issued a document containing proposed modifications to the local plan. This is in response to the report from the inspector who conducted the public inquiry into the draft plan from January to November 2005.

The report from the inspector was 485 pages and contained 397 recommendations which ESBC have chosen to adopt in their entirety.

These proposed modifications contain changes to the development boundary at Bromley House and the rear of Richard Clarke School.

All related documents are available on line at http://www.eaststaffsbc.gov.uk or can be consulted in Burton and Uttoxeter libraries.

The following letter has been sent to the Strategic Health Authority:

Dear Sirs

Re-organisation of the Ambulance Service

The Parish Council opposes the proposed merger of the Staffordshire Ambulance Trust with adjoining trusts for a number of reasons:

{*]Fundamentally the Council believes that ‘service level’ is clearly correlated to ‘saved lives’; that this proposal will reduce the service level; and therefore its implementation will cost lives. This is in direct contradiction with the banner of a ‘Patient-Led Health Service’.

[*}The Council believes that the rationale of cost saving is illusory and any potential gains will be swallowed up by the costs of implementing the merger. The medium term integration costs for equipment, information technology and communications alone will have major capital and operational budget implications, wiping out any potential savings while also disrupting service delivery during the transition period.

{*]The Council believes that the current high performance level delivered by Staffordshire will drop. Had other Trusts wished to adopt the “best practice” already used in our area, they have had ample opportunity to do so. One inevitable consequence of this merger will be to draw resources from a high-performing area until it too becomes mediocre. Another is that the merger will inevitably lead to the break-up of the successful Staffordshire team. This, coupled with the published track record of the other areas, will lead to the collapse of the current high service level in Staffordshire.

[*}The Council believes that in the longer term there will be a migration towards the creation of fewer larger call centres. This we believe would be a dangerous option that makes the overall service not only less resilient in the face of terrorist threats, but, more significantly loses the local knowledge so vital in the delivery of a service where seconds wasted mean lives lost.

{*]Together with other rural Councils, this parish is proud to support a team of volunteer Community First Responders who are equipped to save lives by offering a broad range of interventions that even ambulance crews in adjoining areas are not allowed to provide. Any degradation to the service that First Responders are allowed to deliver will result in lives lost and de-motivation of the community-funded teams who provide cost-effective and vital response to emergencies beyond the immediate reach of the full-time ambulance service.

[*}The Council believes one immediate area of concern to be the drugs policy of the merged body – particularly as it affects the First Responder groups. We believe that it is highly likely that this will be more restrictive than the current Staffordshire policy with a consequential detrimental effect on service delivery leading to unnecessary loss of life.

In summary we do not believe any of the stated benefits of these proposals will be delivered in practice. Furthermore, the changes themselves will result in loss of lives in Staffordshire that could otherwise have been saved.

Yours sincerely

For Crime Prevention Advice or a Home Security check please contact Emma or Simon at Neighbourhood Watch on 01785 23598. Some top tips for home security include:

{*]With the nights drawing in, draw the curtains when it goes dark to prevent potential intruders from viewing inside your property
[*}Burglars prefer to operate where they won’t be seen, so consider fitting low dusk-to-dawn lighting around the outside of your home; it’s cheap to run and can make thieves feel more vulnerable. Use 9watt lighting to the front of the house and 11 or 1 Swatt at the side and rear.
{*]Check your doors and windows to make sure burglars can’t get in when they are closed and locked. Consider fitting window locks and mortise locks for doors.
[*}If you feel vulnerable, don’t answer the door to uninvited callers.
{*]If you don’t arrive home until after dark, consider using timer switches for lights and TV or radio to make your home look as if someone is home
[*}Stay safe when out and about in dark nights avoid unlit back streets or aiiey ways. Do not walk down the street with a brightly lit mobile phone that may attract would be robbers.
[*]Consider purchasing a personal attack alarm to carry on your person, this will act as reassurance for yourself and will scare off anyone who approaches you. You can purchase personal attack alarms from your local DIY shops for a small price.