|
'No Seatbelt?
No Excuse' says local Euro MP
LOCAL Euro MP and Chair of
the European Parliament's Transport Committee Brian Simpson has
highlighted the importance of wearing a seatbelt, after a European
seatbelt enforcement operation identified nearly 100,000 drivers and
passengers for not buckling up.
Mr Simpson said:- "This report shows that not wearing a
seatbelt is still a serious problem across Europe.
Perhaps most disturbingly, the operation found 3,538 children were
not wearing a seatbelt or other safety restraints. This is
completely unacceptable, not to mention illegal.
It is the responsibility of adults to ensure that any children are
always safely restrained when travelling, and by wearing a seatbelt
themselves adults can help ensure that children learn to do the
same."
Experts suggest that a child under the age of 4 is 10 times more
likely to be killed in a car crash if they are unrestrained.
Research has also found that crash fatalities have been reduced by
over 20% as a result of increased seatbelt wearing, prompted by
national legislation and increased enforcement.
Mr Simpson said:- "The facts speak for themselves. Seatbelts
save lives and it is essential that drivers and passengers comply
with UK law by wearing a seatbelt at all times."
Forum welcomes
Heseltine Review, but questions the Government's 'crude'
business support plans...
RESPONDING to Michael
Heseltine's review today, the Forum's senior policy adviser Alex
Jackman said:- "Lord Heseltine's review presents the case for
long-term structural change to the way the country as a whole does
business, including the part Government plays in its interactions
with industry. With the way the world economy is heading it's right
to be looking at root and branch change of UK Plc. The review also
suggests a distinct change of national direction by handing the
reins of power back to local and regional institutions. We agree
that cities and regions are better placed to know their own
strengths and weaknesses better than a London-centric government.
For the nation's economy to be successfully rebalanced with more of
a focus on private sector growth, all regions of the UK must be
cultivated and given equal help, not just the south east. There's
also clear instruction to expand the role of Local Enterprise
Partnerships (LEPs) as organisations to help facilitate small
business growth regionally. Many will see this as a return to the
Regional Development Agencies model, and while we cautiously welcome
some aspects of these proposals it is important to remember that
business support is out there and any new initiative should not be
duplicating what's already provided by the private sector.
Worryingly, Lord Heseltine seems to be mapping out a system, the
foundations of which are based on the chambers of commerce. He even
proposes legislating to give the chambers 'basic statutory
functions' – we question how this could ever be independent from
government. We do not want to see the type of cronyism from the 80s
that Lord Heseltine himself will remember when it comes to business
support. It also seems to us that Lord Heseltine is seriously
floating the idea of compulsory membership of the chambers. While
the research included in the review suggests that businesses which
use business support services are more likely to still be trading
after three years than those that don't, we would not support
forcing firms to take membership. We need a platform providing
better access to all relevant business support bodies, giving
existing small businesses and those of tomorrow real choice - it
does not follow that Government can justify interfering in a private
marketplace in such a crude manner." |
 |
Consultation
over new transport policy
CONSULTATION meetings are
being held over a proposed new policy for people who get Council
transport to social care services in Liverpool. At the moment,
social care assessments assume that everybody who travels to support
services, eg:- a day centre, needs transport to get there. This is
regardless of whether or not they are able to use public transport
or have access to a mobility vehicle.
Under the new plan, transport will only be provided where an
individual is deemed eligible following an assessment, and after
public transport, concessionary passes, motability vehicle and
Disability Living Allowance (mobility component) have been
considered and deemed inappropriate.
It will bring the City Council into line with many other
neighbouring and comparable local authorities who have done, or are
doing, the same thing.
Letters have gone out to all of the existing 800 services users
informing them about the meetings, which are at the following
locations:-
► Thursday, 1 November 2012, from 10.30am
to 12pm, or from 1pm to 2.30pm, at Parthenon Day
Centre, on Falklands Approach, L11 5BS
► Monday, 5 November 2012, from 5.30pm
to 7pm at Millennium House, Victoria Street,
L1 6JQ
► Tuesday, 6 November 2012, from 10.30am
to 12pm at Lime Court Day Centre, Upper
Baker Street, L6 1NE
Assistant Mayor and Cabinet member for adult social care, Councillor
Roz Gladden, said:- "This is about making sure that we
consider everyone's individual circumstances rather than simply
imposing a universal service on them.
We know that service users can benefit massively by making their own
way to and from services as it gives them a huge sense of
independence.
We fully appreciate that any suggestion of a change to the current
system will inevitably cause some concern among some services users
and their carers. That is why we are anxious to make sure they
understand what we are proposing. We will not be withdrawing the
service unless they are able to use an alternative form of transport
and this is about making sure that we target resources at those
people who actually need it."
Places are limited at each meeting and those affected are asked to
book a place by contacting the Liverpool Cares team by
email
or calling:- 0151 233 2819 or 0151 233 4640. The complete version of the
proposed policy can also be found
online.
Liverpool tops
North West contingent of British zombie fanatics
THE North West is home to
one of the largest contingents of zombie enthusiasts in the UK,
according to a recently released heatmap by:-
ombieinvasion.co.uk.
Not only does the North West house some of the most fanatical
followers of the undead, Liverpool is one of the most concentrated
cities, with over double the number of zombie experts on Merseyside
than neighbouring Manchester.
The Zombie Invasion heatmap pinpoints the biggest fans of those
spooky subhumans and is the only way for people to keep track of the
growing 'zombulation', with zombies fast becoming a
part of popular culture.
Zombies took to the streets in Liverpool back in May as part of a
game labelled '2.8 Hours Later' played across an
inner-city Liverpool backdrop where local zombie fans are chased by
a cast of zombies in search of 'Resistance HQ', the
last safe place in the City.
The huge success of this has seen the zombie theme become the most
popular over the Halloween season, with thousands of local zombie
fans converging on Facebook, not only to discuss 2.8 Hours Later,
but the niche in general.
As a City itself Liverpool has always taken pop culture to its heart
and the fascination of zombies and a potential apocalypse has proven
to be light-hearted entertainment and fun for all the family.
|
