Malcolm Robinson

Sign up folks it only take a minute! http://www.fairfueluk.com/

:lol:

I thought the NCC one was bad............ http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2025760/Fury-taxpayer-gold-card-cover-Ministers-blame-head-Civil-Service-blocking-exposure-abuse.html

Hester could probably buy Fulham with his annual bonus......for presiding over a bank which reported a £3.6 billion loss last year and a £1.1 billion loss this year. Could be worse could be called Fred!

For Brian and Vic who probably haven't seen this. The guy has every luvvie coming out now to call him a racist. Funny how people just pick out the bits they want to hear! http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-14513517

Tuesday 6th Sept 2011 6-30 – 8-30pm Venue: Salvation Army AGENDA 1. Welcome and introductions . 2. Apologies. 3. Minutes of the meeting held on Tuesday 14th June 2011. 4. Matters arising. 5. Police update. 6. Trish Coonan (NCDN) presenting for UK Online, on behalf of the Bedlingtonshire Development Trust. 7. THI update. 8. SNRG (radio group) update 9. Bedlingtonshire Development Trust update. 10. Any other business. 11. Date and time of next meeting. MONDAY 28th Nov 2011 6.30pm, Salvation Army, Hartford Road.

Minutes of the meeting held on Tuesday 14th June 2011 at the Salvation Army, Hartford Road, Bedlington. Present: Brian Oliver - Chair Malcolm Robinson – Vice Chair Margaret Oliver – Secretary County Cllr Pegg Town Cllr Aynsley Help Hub Terriers FC Northumbria Police Salvation Army Friends of Gallagher Park Leading Link 19 Residents 1. Welcome and Introductions o The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting and added that he thought it was appropriate at this point to update those present what had happened since our last meeting with regards to the running of this Forum. He went on to assure everyone that we still had the validity to continue and it would not reduce our standing with NCC or any other organisation. Everyone then introduced themselves to the meeting. 2. Apologies o Eight apologies were received. 3. Minutes of meeting held on Tuesday 29th March 2011 o These were confirmed as a true record by Val Tyler and George Webster. 4. Matters arising o The Chair had been informed that there was a new planning application, for the Elliott Garage site which shall effectively double the number of Care Home beds which had previously been approved. Concerns were raised by the members present to the impact this new development may have to the Town. o Extension to the Conservation Area in Bedlington has now been adopted. Some discussion took place between members concerning the effects this shall have on individual people who will be affected by this decision. 5. Police Update o Total crime figures for Bedlington showed that there were 15 offences less than last year. o Over the last 28 days period there has been 23 fewer offences (11% down). o Detection rate for all crime is 41.1%, slight reduction to last year. o Youth ASB (Anti Social Behaviour) 26 fewer (32% down). o Non Youth ASB 22 fewer which is a decrease of 32% compared to last year's figures. o Dwelling Burglaries, 5 fewer than last year figures, (50% down), but 3 more over this same 28 day period. o Burglary Other Than Dwelling, 6 fewer than last year (60% down) but 5 fewer over the last 28 days period. o Violence Against Person, 12 fewer than last year and 17 fewer over the last 28 days which is encouraging as this included the Bank Holiday and the holiday for the Royal wedding. o Criminal Damage, 7 fewer for the same period as last year however there has been an increase in damage to motor vehicles which mostly relates to the Stakeford area. o Operation Mohawk is now in place to tackle this emerging crime. 6. Leading Link (St Benet Biscop) o Lyn Horton and Natalie Smith came along to explain that they have set up a new social enterprise company which will be based in the new building, at present under construction at the entrance to St Bennets opposite the Ridge Farm. This building will have full community access and will be called the "Lodge”. Lyn explained they will work with other Bedlington groups, community groups and business groups, to make that happen. Some links were made with other groups and information required by Leading Links was also exchanged. If anyone wishes to view the building plans they can contact Lyn or Natalie (see web link below) and they will be more than pleased to arrange a meeting with you. More information on their website at www.leadinglink.co.uk 7. Friends of Gallagher Park update o A new committee is now in place and includes 3 young cyclists who also use the park. It was decided to keep the meetings as an open format so that members of the public could come forward and approach them with their views or concern. A working group has been set up so that they will be able to move forward in the right direction. A questionnaire is to be sent around all schools in the area and the public to get feedback which will assist them with the way forward. A comment from a BMX track user was "This is the start of something to look forward to in Bedlington”. Elected officer are: Chair………….Val Tyler. Vice Chair…….George Webster. Secretary……..Peter Angus. Treasurer………Keith Dalton. 8. Bedlingtonshire Development Trust update o The three people for the Portrait Bench which will be located in Gallagher Park close to the football pitches are; Dr Brown; Mary Weightman; Sir Daniel Gooch, as well as the Bedlington Terrier being featured somewhere in the artwork. o Funding has been obtained from Bernicia to help with our architectural services and planning permission but a lot more funding money has still to be found before we can progress further with the regeneration of the property acquired. After initially rejecting our application, following a personal presentation to the Heritage Lottery Fund by Malcolm, they decided to change their minds and stated that they will now welcome our application but a lot more work is still to be done if we do take this route. More funding applications will be submitted in the future. Further meetings are to take place with NCC senior project officer with regards to the building the Development Trust is hoping to regenerate into community usage. o We now have a NVQ qualified Mentor. o Completed procurement and commissioning training modules through NESEP. o We attended a VCS Alliance meeting and took part in the CVS Alliance meeting as well as attending an employability and training delivery seminar. o After a productive meeting with a Newcastle IT company we hope to get several refurbished computer systems which come complete with operating system and ready to plug in and play. This will help us address the digital deprivation figures in our area. As we have been successful in getting a small grant we can now hold some 'Silver Surfer' training sessions which is for people unfamiliar with computers and the use of the internet, this will be very basic instructions and nothing to be frightened of! Also available is an online course which shows how to get more out of your internet and email. Anyone interested please give Malcolm details. There were 6 people who gave their names straight away. We hope this will result in us supplying (free) the refurbished computer to our members who wish to join the internet age! o Spoken to and offered assistance to, Bedlington Community Soccer Club, to help with funding application forms. o The Development Trust now has up to date policies and procedures documents, all 15 of them! o We have registered an interest in Earth Balance as we believe the current situation there is far removed from the original ethos of that site! The 'Mission Statement' which is adopted in the constitution of the Development Trust is: ''The Trust will seek to be at the centre of regeneration of the community providing and encouraging practical, deliverable and economically viable projects that make significant contributions to the improvement in the quality of life for Bedlingtonshire residents. It shall promote, maintain, encourage and advance the prosperity and social welfare of its inhabitants of Bedlington town and surrounding areas.'' 9. Any Other Business o The Chair thanked Malcolm for his time and very hard work which he has applied to gain funding money for the Forum. Fingers crossed that we will ultimately be successful with the Hadrian Trust as we have made it through to the second round. o Question: What is happening with the Community Centre? Answer: It was explained that there was some legal issues regarding land to the rear of the . premises but the centre had been transferred to the Town Council o John Garbutt of Bedlington Terrier Football Club informed the meeting that players and managers were flying to America, in one week's time, all expenses paid by Lord Bedlington who has invited them out there to play football with American teams. The club are looking to the future and how they can progress for the benefit of the club but have no idea yet as to what plans there are as discussions will take place once they are out there. o Question: Tesco? Larry Roberts reported that he had been in touch with the London HQ and was informed that the building plans are still on the books. o Question: Hartford Road? Russell Hogg reported that the reinstatement of the road surfaces following Northumbrian Waters upgrade is of a very poor standard. BKO is to investigate further. *Information received since the meeting…the road surface on Hartford Road is under review and appears to be only temporary. Date & Time of next meeting: Tuesday 6th September 2011 6.30pm Venue: Salvation Army, Hartford Road, Bedlington.

Not sure they need it Merlin.......... http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-news/todays-news/2011/08/10/taxpayers-foot-120-000-annual-bill-for-northumberland-councillors-pensions-61634-29208130/

It would seem we are seeing a backlash to the criminal behaviour of late with the authorities cracking down on wrong doers. About time when some people think it's all right to take what doesn't belong to them, ride rough shod over the laws of the land, force people out of their livelihoods, squander their ill-gotten gains in a feast of self-ingratiation and generally believe they can get away with it. Right that's enough of the bankers these looters now………. Funny how we even get class divides in criminality with one law applied to the rich and quite another to the poor. It would be funny if it wasn't so pathetic. So to help the SFS at the Met, if anyone knows the whereabouts of the following could they let them know as they seem to have misplaced their addresses!

Well it is Sunday! Our father, who art in prison, my mum knows not his name, thy Riots come, read it in the Sun, in Birmingham, as it is in London. Give us this day our Welfare bread & forgive us our looting, as we're happy to loot those who defend stuff against us, lead us not into employment but deliver us free housing, for thine is the Tellies, the Burberry & the Barcardi, forever and ever… Innit.

Roger , 85, married Jenny, a lovely 25 year old . .. Since her new husband is so old, Jenny decides that after their wedding she and Roger should have separate bedrooms, because she is concerned that her new but aged husband may over-exert himself if they spend the entire night together. After the wedding festivities Jenny prepares herself for bed and the expected knock on the door. Sure enough the knock comes, the door opens and there is Roger her 85 year old groom, ready for action. They unite as one. All goes well, Roger takes leave of his bride, and she prepares to go to sleep. After a few minutes, Jenny hears another knock on her bedroom door, and it's Roger, Again he is ready for more 'action'. Somewhat surprised, Jenny consents for more coupling. When the newlyweds are done, Roger kisses his bride, bids her a fond good night and leaves. She is set to go to sleep again, but, aha, you guessed it -Roger is back again, rapping on the door and is as fresh as a 25 - year - old, ready for more action'. And, once more they enjoy each other. But as Roger gets set to leave again, his young bride says to him, 'I am thoroughly impressed that at your age you can perform so well and so often. I have been with guys less than a third of your age who were only good once. You are truly a great lover, Roger.' Roger, somewhat embarrassed, turns to Jenny and says: 'You mean I was here already?' The moral of the story: Don't be afraid of getting old, Alzheimer's has its advantages.

It is a bit paradoxical that GGG's favourite economic pin up Gal has taken over the reins at the IMF at the same time her last position in the French government would have probably become untenable. She has overseen a debt spiral in France which can only be imagined at. Even her ardent supporter Sarko is calling for an investigation into how things have become so bad. (There isn't really much that is as distasteful as someone responsible calling for heads to roll as long as it isn't his!) Having made France insolvent she can now do the same to the rest of the world! Interestingly the IMF have released a document, well slipped it under the door really, about what the big multinationals gaining huge cash mountains through ZIRP and QEs are doing with their ill-gotten gains, that were meant to be spent on investment and hiring', as opposed to shareholders and bonuses. They are now using this cash pile to 'invest' in treasuries as a safe haven, that's why their yields are going down when they should be going up to reflect risk, and other quite risky investments which the IMF are warning against. Maybe if everyone read this stuff or it was written for easy reading then we might see bankers hanging off every lamp post in the capital! As it is until we see real banking reform we are stuck making bankers into billionaires while we scratch around to pay living costs going through the roof because of inflation. What is happening is immoral if not illegal and yes let's reintroduce the death penalty!

''U.K. House Prices Fall to 19-Month Low as Loan Restrictions Deter Buyers.''

Unveiling of the portrait bench...........

Unveiling of the portrait bench...........

Sept 10th..............

I thought it was where foxy sat while he waited for a lap dance!

Well Merve has come out and cut the forecast for economic growth in the UK and warned that inflation could hit 5% in the autumn. No !*!@# Sherlock, look at the utilities bills dropping through doors and see where they are going. The BoE have now cut their UK growth forecast from 2% this year to 1.4%. Even the 2% wasn't enough to start repaying all the debt piles we are building up so any cut is even worse news. Having allowed the politicians to magically alter the inflation figures and start using CPI instead of RPI even that has been a short lived breathing space. Merve also states that the outlook for the world economy has deteriorated and he sees particular demand problems emanating from the Euro area. Is there anyone left in the country, apart from MPC members, who couldn't have come out with that gem months ago? If these are the BoE forecasts and cutting edge economic policies then we should be questioning the competence of the people involved!

Why Parents Drink………. A father passing by his son's bedroom was astonished to see that his bed was nicely made and everything was picked up. Then he saw an envelope, propped up prominently on the pillow that was addressed to……. 'Dad.' With the worst premonition he opened the envelope with trembling hands and read the letter. Dear Dad: It is with great regret and sorrow that I'm writing you. I had to elope with my new girlfriend because I wanted to avoid a scene with Mom and you. I have been finding real passion with Stacy and she is so nice. But I knew you would not approve of her because of all her piercing, tattoos, tight motorcycle clothes and the fact that she is much older than I am. But it's not only the passion...Dad she's pregnant. Stacy said that we will be very happy. She owns a trailer in the woods and has a stack of firewood for the whole winter. We share a dream of having many more children. Stacy has opened my eyes to the fact that marijuana doesn't really hurt anyone. We'll be growing it for ourselves and trading it with the other people that live nearby for cocaine and ecstasy. In the meantime we will pray that science will find a cure for AIDS so Stacy can get better. She deserves it. Don't worry Dad. I'm 15 and I know how to take care of myself. Someday I'm sure that we will be back to visit so that you can get to know your grandchildren. Love, Your Son John PS. Dad, none of the above is true. I'm over at Tommy's house. I Just wanted to remind you that there are worse things in life than a Report card that's in my centre desk drawer. I love you.

Like the BoE the ECB is blatantly dancing with strings attached to its political masters. Remember these institutions are supposed to be independent of political interference, their only role to set fiscal policy using the dry auspices of sovereign economics. Trichet has now said because Spain and Italy are willing to ramp up their austerity packages he has instructed the ECB to buy their bonds, a complete reversal of his position only a couple of weeks ago. Looking at the lessons somebody within that institution should have learnt with respect to the same policy regarding Greece, Portugal and Ireland we can clearly see it hasn't worked, so why should it work now? Admittedly the bond rates of Spain and Italy have gone somewhat south (5.35%) but just as Greek bonds did when the ECB intervened, 10ys rates went from 13% to 7.8% at the start of the 'shock and awe' package but are now 15.5%, I expect in the next week or two to see these bonds above the 6% rate they were at last week. Will that be deemed a failure? The ECB must be sitting on quite large losses with its bond purchases however the way its accounts are finalised they are actually reported as profits????? I wonder if the same accountants might like to prepare my tax returns! What is happening is that, like the BoE, the ECB are socialising losses onto tax payers whilst paying banks to take toxic bonds off their hands, in other words using tax payer's money to pay private banking bonuses! These people need to be lined up against a wall and pretty dammed quickly.

I agree with your post keith and especially.......... It does not have to cost a fortune to cosmetically clean the place up and instill a sense of pride of their environment into the People who live and work in Bedlington Stn, and, for that matter, the Top End/Market Place. Sticking my neck out a bit and doing a bit of Devil's advocacy, doesn't the higher level of payments for a hot food license mean proprietors are already paying towards cleaning up? Maybe it could be increased a little but if it does cover cleaning then it should be ring fenced for that and not disappear into the general pot of NCC.

About 1 week ago Trichet said the ECB wouldn't be buying Italian or Spanish bonds, well as has been the case for the last 3 years what the guy says and does are two completely different things, the ECB will be buying those bonds to try and stop them heading into the realms of the other PIGs'. I still think Italy will be the trigger it's just too big for Germany to swallow and I would be surprised if France didn't come under some pressure now. The UK is avoiding the worst effects at the moment because it hasn't been under the microscope, when it does I doubt sterling will be seen as the safe haven it's purported to be. I found Vince the Cable's comments at the weekend pure fantasy! We are still borrowing money to pay day to day expenses and until we start to live within our means we are as vulnerable as anywhere else. We are about to kiss all that QE money a lot of western governments have spent propping up banking goodbye, that's mismanagement on a grand scale! In the UK that's £200 billion and they are talking about adding another £50 billion. It hasn't worked and the way it is being rolled out it can never work satisfactorily. It has been used to protect Government bond ratings and banking sectors at the expense of tax payers and savers. If we had taken the bust 3 years ago, and some people were arguing 10 years ago things were getting out of hand, we would probably be coming out of recession about now. The way this crisis has been handled we could very well see a depression. What we don't need is to get back to the position which has put us into this mess, what is needed is a complete change to the way we run our economy, if not society! The Yanks are in a bigger mess but this time China has told them to sort themselves out, last time they bailed them out now they need to protect those investments because they have probably used them to buy protected commodity lines of supply. Hedge funds are now buying put options; there is only one way this is going.

Could very well be a case of assume the position!

prefer fage neds tomtom......... No mistaking what you mean about the state of Bedlington though, and that goes for the Station and the Top End.