Unwanted mergers are the current worry. We have objected here and elsewhere in West Mercia about the merger of our police force with the rest of the forces in the West Midlands. 
Sometime ago I asked the Home Secretary, then Charles Clarke, for the evidence that forces were most effective if they had over 4000 officers. I received an uninformative reply and so as far as we know there is no evidence to demand force strengths greater than the 2400 of West Mercia which has enabled it to achieve acknowledged high standards of performance and efficiency. During Home Office Questions two weeks ago the new Home Secretary, John Reid, offered a tinge of hope implying that he had yet to make his decision and I have written to him since then impressing upon him the degree of local resistance to the merger.

The expected merger of the three Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) in the county has been rubber stamped by the Health Secretary despite strong objections from all parts of the county including the County Council Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee. 
I mentioned two weeks ago that inexplicably some small PCTs in other parts of the country in Labour held constituencies had been preserved. 
I understand that the two smallest of these are coterminous with their unitary authorities so I believe that will be the Government's excuse for disregarding its own recommendation for the minimum size of a viable PCT. How sad our objections, that size was not crucial if partnership arrangement between PCTs already existed, were disregarded.

I have just returned from a Parliamentary Health Select Committee visit to the USA to look at health care systems there as the Committee's current inquiry is into work force planning in the NHS. 
It is puzzling to say the least to be told by the Health Secretary that redundancies being made, for example in North Staffordshire, were inevitable as they had taken on more staff than they could actually afford. 

The initial lesson for me from the USA was that although health care there is second to none for those who can afford it, at the other end of the financial scale there are huge gaps. 
Thank goodness for our NHS which, despite its shortcomings is so valuable we must protect it with all our strength.

It is heartening to know that Lottery awards for non-profit making organisations that make such valuable contributions to our communities have been made easier to obtain. 
In Wyre Forest recently Age Concern, Cookley Cricket Club and Clows Top Victory Hall have gained amounts up to £5000. We hear criticisms of the way Lottery money is used but these grants appear to me to be highly appropriate use of these funds. Schools, society treasurers and fund-raisers can explore these possibilities by contacting 'Awards For All' at 0845 275 0000 or www.lotterygoodcauses.org.uk .