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"A Real Rebellion in Wyre Forest" was how the Rev. Martin Smyth Ulster Unionist MP for Belfast South couched his congratulations to me after Health Concern’s stunning results in the local elections. Several other MPs offered their congratulations and we are now described as "A real force to be reckoned with". I am so grateful to everybody who turned out to show their support for Health Concern and its aim of obtaining an increase in services at our hospital particularly for emergencies. Your support demonstrated your confidence that your Councillors will also take on all the responsibilities necessary to form an administration and to provide leadership for the Council.

This vote of confidence for Health Concern has come at exactly the right time when the facts we have known so long about the disastrous changes in local health care are at last being recognised. This is a real boost to our battle and means that all your elected representatives will redouble our efforts on your behalf.

I was pleased to attend the unveiling of the bust of Stanley Baldwin at Stourport Library by the current Earl Baldwin. The brief speeches rekindled my interested in this most famous of local people. I was pleased to learn that a recent scholarly biography restores his reputation as one of our great Prime Ministers.

Councillor Steve Roberts’ funeral service was a memorable occasion with moving tributes to this honest, polite and sincere local politician who loved the theatre, food and drink, and had an impish sense of humour that was never unkind. A memorial is to be set up at Stourminster School of which he was a Governor and supporter.

The Police Reform Bill that originated in the House of Lords has had its Second Reading in the Commons. This was passed despite worries from Opposition Benches that I share about the increased powers it will give to the Home Secretary and powers of arrest that are proposed for Community Support Officers.

World Asthma Day publicised the facts that one in five children has been diagnosed with asthma at some point and one in eight is currently being treated for asthma symptoms. The National Asthma Campaign’s concern is that there is no National Service Framework for children with asthma and even though power has been devolved to Primary Care Trusts, their priorities may well be dictated by the Government’s insistence on attacking the conditions that are already covered by National Service Frameworks to the exclusion of, for example, childhood asthma.

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