LOSS OF CARD ACCOUNT WOULD BE NAIL IN THE COFFIN FOR LOCAL POST OFFICES - THURSO

There appears to be a great deal of speculation that the government have already made up their mind about Post Office Card Account, and it appears as though it may be bad news. However, any announcement may not take place until after Glenrothes by-election on Thursday, because Labour believes that this would be a gift to the SNP.

Most political commentators are seeing the by-election as a litmus test of Gordon Brown's recent political popularity, and he is seeing it as key to his continued renewal and revival.

According to the Daily Telegraph the NFSPO says that losing the Government contract could threaten as many as 700 out of 1,120 Post Offices in Scotland. All the opposition parties have been campaigning on post office closures in Glenrothes.

Mervyn Jones, a postmaster in the Scottish Borders who is the national president of the federation, said: "I believe the bad news could be being deliberately held back because of the Glenrothes by-election."

The Government insists that the contract is being handled on a purely commercial basis and insists that politics will not influence the announcement

Commenting on rumours that the Post Office has already lost its contract to run the Post Office Card Account (POCA) but that the Government is delaying its announcement until after the Glenrothes by-election, Liberal Democrat Shadow Business Secretary, John Thurso said: "If these rumours prove to be true, this is the final nail in the coffin for local post offices. Giving the contract to anyone other than Post Office Limited themselves is a slap in the face for all the people who are fighting to save their local post office."

John Thurso went on to say: "This is a deeply cynical u-turn by the Government given its position just five years ago, when it described POCA as the ‘cornerstone' of the Post Office's new banking products.

"It is surely no coincidence that in a by-election week the decision, if indeed there has been one, has not yet been announced."

Liberal Democrat Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, Jenny Willott said: "A decision to award the POCA contract to anyone other than the Post Office will mark a dereliction of duty by the Department of Work and Pensions to serve the millions of pensioners and others who rely on pension and benefits payments to make ends meet.

"Thanks to the locality of post offices, millions of people have come to rely on the POCA as the only means of accessing their benefits because they are disabled, elderly or simply cannot afford to travel miles to the nearest bank.

"The department's most vulnerable customers will suffer if the POCA is not run by the post office."

TAXI DRIVERS GO THE DISTANCE TO IMPROVE ACADEMIC SKILLS

Hard-working Hackney Carriage drivers employed by North East Lincolnshire Council have gone the extra mile by securing an academic qualification which will boost their professional careers.

Sixteen taxi and private hire drivers employed by the council have completed a nine-week BTEC Level 2 Transporting Passengers by Taxi and Private Hire course at the Second Avenue Resource Centre in Grimsby. And a further 84 drivers have expressed an interest in taking the course, which has been supported by the council with financial help from central government’s Train To Gain programme.

Hackney Carriage driver Ray Lawrance said: “Drivers have given up their own time to complete this course to give their passengers greater piece of mind and to provide a better service across the streets of North East Lincolnshire.”

Drivers have to complete modules on health and safety, handling difficult customers, and how to transport passengers with mobility problems. Passing this qualification has been a real confidence boost for the drivers who now have the recognition that they have passed a nationally-accredited course.

“It shows there are some excellent and committed drivers working within North East Lincolnshire. We have been well supported by the local authority in realising ambitions of having an academic qualification that will increase professionalism and confidence.”

Success on the BTEC means students can then take the NVQ Level 2 in Road Passenger Vehicle Driving. Several drivers within North East Lincolnshire have now moved on to the advanced course. Topics on the 27-hour BTEC course also cover customer service, passenger safety, disability awareness, hire regulations and driving technique - with the drivers not only gaining recognition for their experience and skills, but also being able to demonstrate that they comply fully with the highest standards of customer service and key operational standards.

Councillor Steve Beasant, the council’s portfolio holder for communities and neighbourhoods, said: “Drivers have used their own initiative to take this course, which shows their commitment to passengers receiving the very best possible service.

“Passing an academic qualification not only gives drivers greater confidence that their job is a valuable and important one, but shows the council’s commitment to further education for all its employees.

“As someone who has just passed an academic qualification at Huddersfield University I fully support the idea of lifelong learning, in this case I am sure it will add power and weight to their overall knowledge.”

A YOUNG GRIMSBY ACTOR WHO WAS BROUGHT UP ON THE EAST MARSH HAS BEEN NOMINATED FOR A PRESTIGIOUS FILM AWARD.

A young Grimsby actor who was brought up on the East Marsh, and attended Shalom Youth Club has been nominated for a prestigious film award.

Tommy Turgoose who won a 2006 British Independent Film Award for best newcomer – is nominated for the best actor category in the 2008 awards.

Tommy (16), who finished his GCSEs at the Oasis Academy, Wintringham in the summer, was shortlisted for his role in Somers Town.

The British film was inspired by the regeneration of the eponymous neighbourhood in London between the Euston, Kings Cross and St Pancreas stations.

The film’s director, Shane Meadows, who also worked with Tommy on This Is England, is nominated for best director.

Tommy, who is now at college, said: “Everything I do with Shane I seem to get nominated for.
“It’s really exciting to be up for the big award. It’s the one most actors work towards.

“When you have been nominated for best actor, that’s the best it gets.

“Working with Shane was a really great experience the second time.

“When he told me I had got the part I was buzzing, I’m really glad that I got to work with him again.”

“I’m not expecting to win, I know for a fact that Michael Fassbender is going to win.”

Fassbender, who starred in The Hunger, has attracted Oscar buzz.Tommy added: “If I don’t win I would like it to be him because he’s a good mate of mine.”

Somers Town is also shortlisted in the best screenplay and best British independent film categories.

FUEL POVERTY WILL AFFECT MORE THAN 5.5 MILLION HOUSEHOLDS OVER THE COMING YEAR

I am pleased that today’s Grimsby Evening Telegraph reported on the September meeting of full council – it feels like a long time now, but the Notice of Motion that I moved and was seconded by Councillor Les Bonner is now becoming very crucial to vulnerable individuals.

During the meeting I called requested Chief Executive to write to the Prime Minister asking him to take immediate action to end the pre-payment meter tariff, and call upon him to increase the winter fuel allowance. I further requested that the only way to resolve the energy crisis in the long term is to invest in renewable energies in places such as the North Sea and to have a major investment in home insulation as outlined by the Local Government Association.

The Grimsby Evening Telegraph reported me as saying that: “Fuel poverty will affect more than 5.5-million households over the coming year, which means that those households will spend over 10 per cent of their income on energy.

“This will be especially prominent in North East Lincolnshire, where we have one of the lowest average wage counts in the UK.”

“We have families and pensioners in this area struggling to heat their homes, and if the winter is a harsh one, there will be a winter of discontent.

“The Labour Government is simply not addressing the problem and yet we see energy companies announcing record profits.”

These sentiments were shared by Councillor Malcolm Morland (Liberal Democrat, Sidney Sussex), who said: “The energy companies buy their gas from Russia and then store it in France and Germany.

“We, the consumer, have to foot the bill for these storage cost as well as inflated prices. It isn’t right and the Government should look into why energy companies can get away with this.”

The decision to raise the issue with the Labour Government was backed unanimously by council members.

BUSINESS RATES REVALUATION COULD TRIGGER REDUNDANCIES AND BANKRUPTCIES

A financial nightmare is unfolding at docks across England and Wales with the prospect of huge hikes in business rates triggering bankruptcies and redundancies.

The scale of a likely disaster first emerged at the Port of Hull; the first English Port to have received its rating demands (some weeks in advance of other Ports), where port operators have been asked to pay an extra £18.4 millions, (up from £1.6 millions pre 2005 to £20 Millions) including a shock 3 years backdated bills.

Port operators on the South Bank are now bracing themselves for staggering bills as new business rates are rolled out following the new business rate revaluations.

Traditionally, port operators have paid a rent to a landlord such as Associated British Ports, which then paid a sum to the Treasury to cover business rates.

But the Government’s Valuation Office Agency (VOA) – part of HM Revenue and Customs – has changed the system nationally so firms pay an individual rate based on the size of the premises they rent.

And in a move that has angered employers – and the launch of a campaign to have the decision overturned – they are being backdated to April 2005.

Shipping firm Cobelfret has indicated it could lead to 100 job losses at Killingholme, and as the demands are sent out, key figures have warned of the dire pitfalls should it happen. Regional MPs have also secured a meeting with Gordon Brown today to discuss a change to the law.

North East Lincolnshire Council leader, Councillor Andrew De Freitas, said: “There could be lots of jobs at stake. If these rates are backdated it will cripple some businesses.”

“We have two Liberal Democrat MPs on the Treasury Select Committee and we have sent the details to them to put pressure on.”

A website www.fairportrates.co.uk has been set up to support the case of these businesses and an on-line petition established at www.humberbusiness.com ‘Deeply damaging’ bills raise job fears - Humber Business

DON’T BELIEVE POLITICIANS BECAUSE THINGS MUST BE BAD AC/DC TOP THE CHARTS

Last week we had Gordon Brown and Mervyn King, the Bank of England’s governor, admitted that Britain was on the verge of recession: they actually used the dreaded “R” word. Then food sales were reported to have seen their biggest fall for 20 years.

Then, to prove things just can’t get any worse AC/DC are back at the top of the charts. This is apparently a bad omen for Gordon because if he looks back at his history books he will discovery; firstly it is the first time for 28 years, and secondly they always enter the charts at tough economic times.

1973: AC/DC form in Sydney, Australia.

Economy: Start of the oil crisis, which saw the price quadruple

1980: AC/DC release breakthrough album Back In Black

Economy: Inflation in UK reaches 20% and unemployment nears 2 million

1990: AC/DC score comeback with The Razor’s Edge

Economy: Recession in UK imminent

2008: AC/DC top UK album charts

Economy: Biggest world recession in decades looms

EAST MARSH CHILDREN’S CENTRE AND STRAND COMMUNITY SCHOOL SPECTACULAR FIREWORK DISPLAY

East Marsh Children’s Centre is teaming up with Strand Community School to bring you a night to remember. Strand Community School (Junior School site) will be the place to be for this a firework display extravaganza on Wednesday 5 November at 6.30 pm.

Entry is only £1 per family and there will be: fireworks, hot dogs, and whole lot of ooo’s and aaaaaarrrr’s……

Don’t be late, but remember to make sure your pets are safe before you leave home - remember fireworks can scare animals.