Dave's Knowsley diary

Saturday 24th September 2005 - At the National Association of Local Councils conference and dinner in Eastbourne on Saturday Halewood Town Council was again recognised by its peers.

As well as being shortlisted for Council of the Year and Website of the Year, we were commended for our Annual Town Council Report and Town Manager John Green was nominated as Runner Up in the Clerk of the Year awards.

Myself and Cllr Tommy Fearns ensured John had friends on hand to help him celebrate, into the wee small hours!!

Friday 23rd September 2005 - Barely time to draw breath after the Party Conference in Blackpool and its off to Eastbourne for the National Association of Local Council's conference this weekend!!

Halewood Town Council has been nominated for several awards again this year and watch this space to see if we are successsful, details to come on Sunday!!

Wednesday 21st September 2005 - This year's North West Conference delegates' reception was again sponsored by the North West Development Agency and ITV Granada and being held on the eve of ITV's 50th birthday celebrations was a great evening and a fantastic way to celebrate both ITV's success and the Lib Dems success in the region this year.

I was delighted as North West Chair to welcome Mark Hunter MP for Cheadle, Cllr Mike Storey Leader of Liverpool City Council and Susan Woodward, Managing Director of ITV Granada to speak to delegates at the reception.

Monday 19th Septemeber 2005 - I was delighted as Chair of the North West Region to join Party President Simon Hughes MP and Lord Tom McNally of Blackpool, Lib Dem Leader in the House of Lords, during the official opening of our Autumn Conference in the Winter Gardens on Monday by the Mayor of Blackpool.

We have been lobbying the Federal Conference Committee for a number of years to get Blackpool and the North West back on the agenda for our annual conferences and are delighted to be in Blackpool this week. Our hosts are working hard to ensure we have a memorable and enjoyable week in the great Lancashire seasisde town and it is much appreciated.

As you can see from the picture above Tom is very proud of his Blackpool roots, even wearing a replice 1953 Blackpool football shirt for the occasion!!

Sunday 18th September 2005 - It looks like the final nails in the coffin of Merseytram are being lined up as Sefton and Knowsley make it clear they are not prepared to fund the scheme trough an increase in the Transport Levy which would mean an increase in Council Tax.

Read my thoughts on this subject tomorrow in my latest column on www.aboutknowsley.com!!

Saturday 17th September 2005 - A busy week ahead started with a busy day on Saturday! The day started with a brief visit to the Mayor of Prescot's Charity Recod Fair at Prescot Leisure Centre where there was a good turnout. The event raised £285 for the Mayor's charity fund.

Then a quick trip to Whiston to deliver some more by-elecction leaflets before heading to Blackpool to prepare for the Party Conference, setting up the North west exhibition stand and a meeting of the English Party Executive where we were joined by Charles Kennedy MP to give us an insight into the Leader's thoughts for the theme of the coming week.

Back home in time for pizza before heading back to Blackpool in the morning!!

Tuesday 13th September 2005 - The impact of Hurricane Katrina is starting to be felt in Halewood and across the UK as threats of more fuel blockades leads to petrol rationing and soaring prices.

I visited my local garage Sunday to be told I could only have £10 worth of fuel as other local garages closed their doors. It is a sensible precaution to take to make sure everyone can at least get some fuel, while long queues started to build around the country.

It will be interesting to see how the Government react to this latest looming crisis......................

Saturday 10th September 2005 - North West Lib Dem MEP Saj Karim visited Whiston South today to give our by-election campaign a boost.

Saj met candidate Yvonne Southern and supporters at Whiston station before helping with some canvassing of local residents on a a nearby estate.

Tuesday 6th September 2005 - A new web site dedicated to news, views and information for Knowsley residents went live yesterday and is sure to be a winner with local people.

I suppose I shoiuld declare an interest here as the Editor very kindly asked me to contribute to the site and I have agreed to write a fortnightly column called "The Opposite View" to air some of my thoughts on topical local matters!!

No doubt my column will generate some interesting responses but hey that's democarcy and there is nothing wrong with some healthy debate!!! Just keep it clean!!

Visit the site at www.aboutknowsley.com

Sunday 4th September 2005 - The Cheadle blisters have barely healed and it's back out on the campiagn trail today working in Whiston South where there is a by-election on Sept 22nd for the vacant Knowsley Council seat.

We have a terrific candidate in Yvonne Southern and are confident we can pull off victory this time after Yvonne lost out last year by only 130 votes.

Saturday 3rd September 2005 - I was delighted and honoured to be asked in my capacity as Regional Chair to open the new offices of North West MEP Saj Karim in Nelson on Saturday. I was joined by Tim Farron MP, Westmoreland & Lonsdale, Lord Tony Greaves and many local Pendle Councillors, activists and campaigners to celebrate the opening of Saj's new premises which will be a beacon for Liberal Democracy in East Lancashire.