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VIEWPOINT FOR 26 MARCH 2009
FROM DR RICHARD TAYLOR
I was disappointed last week
not to have been officially informed that a party of constituents was
visiting
Westminster
to deliver a petition and meet an opposition shadow transport minister
about the contested closure of the Kidderminster Driving Test Centre.
As I only heard about this visit a few days before I was unable to
cancel engagements and so could only spend a few minutes with the party
at their meeting with the shadow minister whom I know well.
As the
driving instructors know,
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I
have written to the relevant government minister twice and
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talked
to him directly expressing the arguments against the closure of this
busy, popular test centre but, as with other local affairs,
ministers are unwilling to intervene.
-
I
have requested an Adjournment Debate on this issue but so far have
been unsuccessful in the application lottery.
_________
On happier subjects I
watched the Harriers keep their promotion challenge alive with a
convincing win over
Woking
last Saturday.
On Friday I had a
tour of some Big Lottery funded projects.
# First we went to
the School Bungalow at the
Bewdley
School
to meet trustees and the chief executive of Mentor Link, the charity
which provides volunteer mentors for young people at risk of
disaffection from school and who are facing other difficult issues in
their lives. They won nearly £350,000 of lottery funding in 2007 spread
over five years and are making plans to continue this vital service when
this source of funding ceases. They have 180 volunteers visiting five
schools in
Wyre
Forest
, three in
Worcester
and five, hopefully soon to be six, in the
Redditch
area. They help up to 200 young people each week. New volunteers are
always welcome.
# We then saw the new
Walshes Wild Play Project off
Barnfield Road
, Stourport, funded by £100,000 of a £207,000 grant under the
Children’s Play umbrella grant. I was amazed by the extent and variety
of this play area next to a local nature reserve. There is a superb BMX
track with adventure and ‘chill out’ areas for children of different
ages. It has been designed and constructed with local ownership so
hopefully will be looked after by its owners, local young people. It
will be opened at 4.30pm on 8 April. I hope to go to watch the BMX races
on the fabulous track and for the pig roast which makes my mouth water
while writing this!
# Last we visited the
Wyre Forest Nightstop and Mediation Scheme based at Connexions in
Bromsgrove Street
,
Kidderminster
which received £75,000 in 2006. This provides short-term, emergency
accommodation, with a volunteer host, and vital help for young, homeless
people. It appeared to me to be run on a shoe string and I was concerned
about future funding when the lottery money runs out.
_________
The reported
disasters at
Stafford
Hospital
have rightly caused great concern and will lead to self examination in
other NHS trusts.
-
During Health
Questions on Tuesday I drew the Secretary of State’s attention to
the importance of whistle blowers (Hansard, 24 March, column
166-168).
-
I button holed
him afterwards and he asked me why staff were afraid to blow the
whistle.
-
I told him
clearly and he promised to add his support to mine for whistle
blowers if it becomes necessary in the future.
R.T.
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Kidderminster Hospital & Health Concern 1995-2009
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