Boundless Communications - roll out imminent!!

we get coverage for Boundless in the Longridge News as the interest from our leaflet drop in Grimsargh and nearby Brabiner Lane continues to flow into the office!!

rural broadband

Well it's been a while since I rambled on here and it's about time I used this space to promote a new business that should help keep the wolf from the door and provide a much needed service in rural Lancashire to start with and then maybe the rest of the Country as we go!!

Boundless Communications has been set up in The Old Station at Longridge by a bunch of us with differing skills but a common interest: to make some money and to improve the lives of a significant number of people currently disenfranchised by lack of proper broadband - download and upload.

Government bangs on about the power of the digital age to help the economy recover and deliver services - fine if you're sitting on the top of a fibre lit exchange but not much good in the middle of Chipping nor even in Grimsargh, only 4 or so miles away from an unbundled, apparently well served, exchange.

We have come up with a proven system that can deliver speeds hitherto the stuff of fantasy for some people - without the need for them to move to the middle of a big town or city!! And at affordable prices in line with existing "upto" providers!!

Help us to help you by visiting www.boundlesscomms.com/iwant and complete the survey. If you can see Longridge Fell from where you live we might be able to help you before the end of January 2011!!

My valedictory report to the Town Meeting May 12th 2010

Mayors Report to Town Council – May 2010

It is some time since an annual report such as this was done and although it lengthens the meeting somewhat it is surely right to  report to the community on the activity of the council and to councillors on the activity as mayor on your behalf.

On a corporate note I believe the main achievements of the Town Council this year have been physical ones.

Principally – we, with the assistance of our professional advisors and with the guidance of Richard Kirkby of LCC Community Design Team, started the work on the redevelopment of the Old Station.  Redundant from its original purpose since the Beeching cuts the Old Station had been home to a number of organisations and those with longer memories and more intimate knowledge of the history could elaborate on who they were. However it was obvious that something needed to be done. Here was a building in the heart of the community, in desperate need of use, with which would come maintenance and increased social and economic benefit. 

The scheme nears completion now and whilst it would have been personally very rewarding to have taken possession from the contractor on my watch it is not to be. I’m delighted that another early champion of the project and an advocate of proactive local government will be in office to carry out the formalities sometime shortly and I know, Jim that you are as proud as I am of this significant achievement. Close on half a million pounds has come to Longridge for this project – about eight times our annual precept – which I reckon is pretty good leverage in anyone’s book!

The new Old Station will be a focus for business, the local community and visitors alike and a number of the actions identified in the new Economic Strategy for Longridge will be delivered as a result of LSEC having a suitable base from which to operate.  The Town Council will lead on many of the actions in the new economic strategy which will be ratified, all being well, at the RVBC Planning Committee in July.

In order to make way for the redevelopment the Town Council had to cede occupation and the Clerk relocated to a pokey, cold and inaccessible office at Stonebridge. It was an occupation of necessity but it was cheap and available and Shona survived despite a break in and the coldest winter for ages!

We managed to secure funding, by working with RVBC which needed additional space, to create an office in the foyer of the civic and Shona, in significant contrast to the Stonebridge office now occupies a spacious, warm and perhaps most significantly, accessible office in the heart of civic life here.

The council has supported a significant number of causes financially over the year. We stood by Field Day Committee when the evening’s trouble after their extremely successful day threatened future events with uber contol and I’d like to think we helped ensure an appropriate level of action was taken. We wish Field Day well for this and future years and I can’t help thinking that maybe the Town Council should be parading too?

We parade well in Longridge and our band ensures that we do so in fine style. Civic Sunday and Remembrance Sunday make me swell with pride and I’m not ashamed to admit that leading the civic party on both occasions made me well up!! The snow lying all around ensured that carols by the crib this year was very memorable – the soprano cornet’s snowball hit on the mayor ensured that the evening was not without fun too!!

On a personal note I have been proud to be mayor and represent the Town Council on numerous occasions this year. I was counting until my new blackberry somehow deleted my past appointments but I had got to 55 engagements by New Years Day and I’ve not been idle since then either. I don’t propose to run through them all but I would mention:

·         2 one hundredth birthdays at Pleasington Court

·         2 shop openings – a sign of vibrancy in our market despite the national scene.

·         The poppy appeal and Remembrancetide

·         Supporting the High School Taste company which is now through to the Lancs finals of the Young Enterprise Competition.

 I haven’t asked Jim to deputise for me often this year but the big one I did ask for help on was the judging of the Fancy Dress for the Boxing Day Pram Race. And the reason was that Katherine, my mother and I took part which precluded me from judging obviously.  I single out this event for special mention because it illustrates all that is positive about the Longridge Community. We English in particular have a remarkable capacity for self deprecation and negativity (and the ability to self mock is of course important) but we have spirit and generosity in spades in Longridge and I was overwhelmed that day, not just by having to drink both mine and much of my mother’s beer in 13 pubs, but also the wonderful atmosphere.  The collective effort was massive and a significant amount was raised for charity as well as hard core Christmas hangovers being chased away by activity too.

I supported Ribble Valley Crossroads and OJs Care as my two main charities this year. In addition I promised Cllr Stuart Carefoot a donation for managing to stay wake whilst riding a motorbike for 24 hours last summer on Civic Sunday week end.  I have not yet divvied up the money because there is still some to collect and account for but it would be remiss of me to mention fundraising and not mention Pam Cliff and Margaret Brown for running market coffee mornings on my behalf. With their teams this dynamic duo epitomise Longridge endeavour and  I’m grateful – thank you. Thanks also to Jackie Eccles for her coffee morning support too.

This leads me nicely onto 2 other characters without whom The Longridge Partnership, LSEC and Town Council, amongst others, would have been weaker in the last few years. Even prior to their announcement they were to leave Longridge for self imposed exile in Freckleton I had sought permission from fellow councillors to recognise Val and Derek’s their contribution to public life in Longridge at this meeting. Both were entitled to mayoral office prior to me but felt unable to take up office.  However neither has  ducked any other responsibility and in fact both have more often than not stepped upto the plate to shoulder a burden. I am honoured to ask you two to step up to receive a mark of the Council’s thanks for everything you have done for our community.

Hilda joins Val and Derek on the list of retirees from council. Hilda’s long residence in Longridge has been marked by community service and much has already been said about that. Hilda recently joined her new husband Tony in Yorkshire and I know both Yorkshire and Tony are doing well in the circumstances.

So three vacancies arise on council. Three opportunities for service to the community; Three opportunities to have your say every fortnight; three opportunities to influence change. We don’t do party politics on this council and if the new marriage in Westminster wanted to take lessons in joint working we would be a good model. Look out for the notices about how to apply for council and we look forward to recruiting to fulfil our number.

And finally – more thanks….. to the usual but nonetheless guilty as charged suspects. To the community of Longridge; To my fellow councillors in Longridge; to a mentor or two from superior councils – you know who you are; to the number one clerk in Lancashire and of course to my long suffering wife Katherine – thanks.

May we Sow for Posterity.  

Garden Of Remembrance opening

Saturday 24th October
Remembrancetide has started in Longridge.

A punchy little ceremony with 2 prayers, a wreath laying and the exhortation with a few hardy souls gathered around the War Memorial in the drizzle has kicked off the annual commemoration of the fallen in service.

Dig deep folks and let's get a record collection in Longridge - we need a little over £1 per head of population to beat last year's record.

Lancashire Miscarriage Support Group

Friday 23rd October
When Jim Rogerson asked me to attend the Con Club on Friday night to judge a fancy dress competition I didn't really know what to expect - which sounds pretty dumb really seeing as how it couldn't be much more self expanatory could it?

What I really meant was that I didn't know what the cause was and I'm so glad I was given the opportunity to attend. Lancashire Miscarriage Support Group does what it says on the tin but it is a new group and as yet unconstituted. We were able to offer some help and guidance in respect of all that formal stuff that often daunts volunteers who are really on interested in the work and not the bureaucracy and I wish the group all the very best for the future and reiterate our offer of help.

Child Protection issues prevent me from posting a pic of the youngsters in their fancy dress and instead I have included a photo of a brilliantly decorated cake that was being raffled. The detail and quality was superb and the photo doesn't really do it justice.

After quite a challenge Jim and I picked out a little Pumpkin in the juniors and a very scary witch from Oswaldtwistle as our winners for the fancy dress and we completed our duties by drawing what felt like a hundred raffle tickets - prizes galore.

Look out for more from organiser Ruth ....this is an organisation going places.

 

Longridge Cadets -Official Launch

Wednesday 21st October

Its official - the Longridge Cadets are now the real thing! Hon Colonel Lady Shuttleworth got a proper little shock to walk into the hall at St Cecilia's to meet the Mayor of Longridge only to find it was me - a friend and admirer already! Admirer because not only does she manage to wear fatigues and boots with typical grace but also because it is another job she does with style and aplomb in Lancashire.

Enough of the fawning!! Lieutenant Kelly has gathered a sufficient number of cadets in Longridge to warrant the formation of our own company and we were gathered to make the whole thing official. The Commandant Col Hilary Williams also made the special trip out to Longridge to be part of the proceedings accompanied by other senoir officers based at Fulwood. Many thanks to all.

Part of the launch was to present the company with a Standard that had not been used for a few decades. I am being deliberately vague about the language because there are technical expressions regarding Standards when they are not in use and particularly at this time of year I don't want to offend veterans. The thing to note is our cadets have a very smart Standard which will get an outing on Remembrance Sunday - well done to all involved with getting it back into use.

I hope that youngsters from all the schools in Longridge and elsewhere will get stuck in to this interesting, challenging and fulfilling hobby.    

CADET FUNDAY SUNDAY

Sunday 18th October 2009  

Last Years Mayor Hilda in paintball heist - NOT....4 out of 10 Mrs M??? She will be blaming it on the iffy weather that wasn't forecast but descended casting a damp gloom over what should have been a celebration of all things Army and cadettery (I know there is no such word but you know exactly what I mean!) on St Cecilia's field on Sunday.

We also played a version of table top football except that we were the players strapped to ropes running across the pitch...lots of fun when the man next to you weighs 4 stone and could be sprung about the arena like a swingball....I never did catch his name but he stayed on his feet despite my best endeavours!

Sadly not many people tipped up because of the weather but that meant that Hilda and I got to enjoy a compo ration breakfast - great if you like beans!

Watch out for an entry later on about the official inauguration of the Longridge Cadets on Wednesday this week. The good and the great and I will be there!!