AIA support CSS report on utilities paying for patchwork roads

THE Asphalt Industry Alliance (AIA) supports the announcement made by the CSS on 21 May 2009 on the launch of their report which states that utility companies should be made to pay towards the £70 million bill local authorities face for additional road maintenance costs following deterioration following roads being dug up.  The report states that reinstatement of utility trenching causes visual and structural damage which shortens the life of roads and adds to greatly to long-term costs.  The AIA announced results last month of their ALARM Survey (Annual Local Authority Road Maintenance) Survey which highlighted that highways departments across England, London and Wales have to cope with the intrusion of nearly two million deep trenches into roads for utility and other service provision works, which not only reduce the lifespan of the road but often lead to surface defects such as potholes. The survey also stated that that the number of potholes in England has increased by 32 per cent over the previous year, and that that the amount of investment now needed to bring the condition of the country's roads up to scratch has reached £8.5 billion.  Mike Linley Chairman of the AIA said:- "Maintenance surrounding utility openings is an additional financial burden that should not have to be borne by local authority highways maintenance funds, which are already under severe stress. Our survey showed that there is currently a 13 year maintenance backlog therefore any additional funding made available could alleviate some of the pressures our highways departments are under."  The ALARM Survey 2009 report is downloadable from:- asphaltuk.org.

ATTEMPTED ROBBERY - LLOYDS TSB BANK, PRESOCT ROAD, OLD SWAN

MERSEYSIDE Police are now appealing for witnesses to an attempted robbery outside the Lloyds TSB bank in Prescot Road, Old Swan, on Saturday, 23 May 2009.  At 11.45am a 35 year old local man was outside the Lloyds TSB bank in Prescot Road when another man approached him from behind and restrained him.  A member of the public intervened and chased the offender into Sunbeam Road where he escaped empty-handed in a Saab car.  The offender is described as white, 5ft 10in tall, of athletic build with dark hair and was wearing a blue kagool with the hood pulled around his face.   The victim was taken to hospital where he was treated for a neck injury. He has since been discharged.  Detective Inspector Dominic Harrison said:- "We are eager to speak to the man who intervened in this incident as he could have vital information for the investigation. This attack happened on a very busy road and I would urge anyone who saw anything or who has any information to call police on:- 0151 777 4811 or Crimestoppers on:- 0800 555 111."

Trust welcomes new Non-executive Director to the Board

SOUTHPORT & Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust is pleased to welcome a new face to its Trust Board. Jane Daly has joined the Trust as a Non-executive Director for a period of four years.  As a Hospital Trust providing comprehensive acute care to the 240,000 or so population of Sefton and West Lancashire, we are obliged by law to have a Trust Board which includes a Chair and five Non-executive Directors. Mrs Daly joins the Board following the end of Miss Christine Aitken's second term of office. She was appointed in accordance with the Commission for Public Appointments' Code of Practice.  Mrs Daly has recently taken early retirement as the Group Editor of Trinity Mirror Merseyside where she held editorial responsibility for three series of weekly newspapers, Mediamix (which includes the Southport Visiter, Ormskirk Advertiser, Skelmersdale Advertiser, Formby Times, Crosby Herald, Bootle Times, and Maghull Star), the Wirral News Group and Liverpool Weekly News Group. She has had 25 years experience as a local newspaper editor in Sefton, the past eight years as editor of the Southport Visiter and Midweek Visiter. She was the first woman chairman of the Guild of British Newspaper Editors (now Society of Editors) NW region in 1994 and in the same year was the recipient of the Greenslade Bursary Award which saw her represent the UK to address the annual conference of the International Society of Weekly Newspaper Editors of America and Canada.  A director of Sefton Education Business Partnership since its inception, Mrs Daly has also been keenly interested in the training and development of journalists and has served as a university accreditation panel member for the National Council for the Training of Journalists.  A former magistrate, Mrs Daly is an active Soroptimist having held office locally and regionally. She has recently relinquished the chair of the Southport Ambassador Awards group, a position she had held for three years.  She lives in Thornton with her husband John and their two sons Jonathan and Alexander.  Commenting on the new appointment, Sir Ron Watson, Chair of the Trust said:- "I very much welcome Jane Daly as our new Non-executive Member. She has a huge amount of knowledge of our area and many contacts with a whole variety of interested parties and will bring considerable added value to the Board"  All Non-executive appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process. However, in accordance with the original Nolan recommendations, there is a requirement for appointee's political activity (if any) to be made public:- Mrs Daly has not declared any. Similarly, details of any other Ministerial appointments held are to be declared, but again Mrs Daly does not hold any. The appointment brings with it a remuneration of £6,096.