Teenage Muggings

Figures obtained by  using the Freedom of Information Act show that around 1,200 teenagers in Bury and Greater Manchester were mugged for their iPods or other personal equipment last year.  Across the whole country a third of all muggings were on 11-16 year olds.  I am afraid that this may only be the tip of the iceberg as many of these crimes will go unreported.  The fact that we had to use the Freedom of Information Act to obtain these figures suggests that the Government either isn’t tackling the problem or doesn’t want us to know the extent of the problem.  I have today written to the press to highlight this issue following a meeting I had with some teenagers yesterday in Whitefield.

Dinner with friends

I think my dinner invitations are going to dry up if I continue to write about the conversations that took place during them but last night’s ‘hot topic’ was of course the issue of the congestion charges.  My dinner host took great delight in relaying the lead story in last night’s Manchester Evening News about the  meeting at Bury Town Hall on Friday afternoon to which all the participants drove and when interviewed gave their reasons why.   

Off to a 90th birthday party this afternoon after going to meet with residents in Ainsworth and Bradley Fold with our Radcliffe North candidate, Stuart Penketh.

Next Whitefield and Unsworth Area Board Meeting

Details of the next Whitefield and Unsworth Area Board meeting have been reported on the Ask Bury website.  Included at this meeting is a report from Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive about what will be happening when the metrolink is closed for refurbishing for 6 months from May.  The Highways Department are currently starting work on widening the A56 in Whitefield to create a quality bus corridor and have assured me that this work will be finished by the time the metrolink closes - not that I am sceptical or anything but we shall have to wait and see what happens – I am not looking forward to May. 

Former Whitefield Town Hall Update

I met with the Leader of Bury Council this week to discuss the issues of the former Whitefield Town Hall which was today reported in the Prestwich and Whitefield Guide.  A further meeting with Officers of the Council and local Councillors is to take place in the middle of February.  I am determined that the developers and the Council’s planning department will be able to reach a decision that fits in with the wishes of local residents and restores this site to its former glory.

More misery for drivers on Bury New Road!

Bury New Road is impossible to drive down at the best of times and now we are going to be charged for the privilege of sitting in long queues of traffic trying to get to work in the morning, home in the evening or to get on to the motorway.  There is no suitable public transport system in place and in fact First buses wrote to me only last week informing me that they are cutting yet another of their bus services.  This charge will only force cars on to the already busy Bury Old Road and increase the ‘rat runs’ down Nursery Road through on to Rectory Lane.   

Bury’s Holocaust Memorial Service

I ha’ve just returned from the Holocaust Memorial Service which this year’s theme was entitled ‘The Dignity of Difference’.  The Chief Rabbi, Sir Jonathan Sacks’ very poignant words in the programme read ‘May the memory of the victims of the Holocaust become our immune system against hate.  May we stand together, fighting prejudice together.’ 

The service, as always, was well organised and was a credit to the organising committee.   Pupils from 10 of Bury’s secondary schools were the main participants and all spoke eloquently - Heather Cooper and Hannah Bielawska sang and pupils from St Monica’s RC High School danced to the music of ‘Remembrance’ from the film Schindler’s List.

The most moving part of the service to me was when some of the names of the 1.5 million children who died were read out.  

Tonight’s multi faith service was one everyone should attend – we must never forget.

Good morning Danielle – it’s 5.45am!

Why is it that when you know you have to be up early you end up waking up even earlier than necessary – anyway catching the train down to London today for a Candidates’ Induction Day at Conservative Party HQ.  Then straight back to the Elizabethan Suite at the Town Hall tonight for Bury’s Holocaust Remembrance Service.

My web designer, David, rang me last night to say that my new website is ready to ‘go live’ next week so I am looking forward to that – and oh yes the title of this post has no relevance to its content other than my daughter Danielle was most upset reading through my blogs to see that her brother is mentioned by name more than once and she is just mentioned as ‘my daughter’.  So sibling rivalry is alive and kicking in the Wiseman household – thanks to Danielle (there you are that is 3 mentions now – just waiting for your sister Amelia to complain about her lack of references next)!

An afternoon with David Lidington MP

I have just returned from an afternoon with David Lidington, MP for Aylesbury and Shadow Northern Ireland Secretary.  We started off at Heathlands Village in Prestwich where we met with Dr Simon Jenkins, Vice President, for a tour of the Home and met with residents and staff and I must thank Simon for his time taken this afternoon to show us round.  We then went on to King David High School to meet with over 60 Year 11, 12 and sixth form pupils for a talk by David and a Q&A session.  The questions were very challenging including ones of Sinn Fein, the Middle East crisis, Conservative policies and are we going to win the next election!  Thanks must go to the staff and Head Teacher for gathering everyone together and of course to all the pupils who came along.  David spent about 15 minutes after school talking to some of the pupils - I hope they didn’t miss their bus home.  Then off to Piccadilly Station where I decided to ’show off’ my knowledge of Manchester and take a short cut only to find the road was closed – oh well not everything can go according to plan!

GMPA launch DVD on door step crime awareness

The Greater Manchester Police Authority (GMPA), the governing body for Greater Manchester Police, has launched a DVD to raise awareness of, and encourage people to report, doorstep criminals, bogus callers and rogue traders.  The DVD is a new resource designed to support a campaign that the GMP has been running in partnership with Crime and Disorder Reduction partner agencies for the past three years.   Directed and produced by media studies students from Salford University and presented by Radio Manchester’s Allan Beswick, the DVD is aimed at organisations including Age Concern, Health and Social care groups, Fire Services, Community Safety Teams and Homewatch to help get the key messages about doorstep crime across to older people who are the main victims of this particular crime.  GMP statistics show that the victim most at risk is a white female aged between 82 and 86 years old.  The most common method for attempting a doorstep crime was for the bogus caller to say they were from ‘The Water Board’.  This accounted for over a quarter of all recorded offences. 

I have brought a copy of this into the Nicky Alliance Day Centre to show to our members – it lasts about 20 minutes – and is very informative.  One of our members only last month was the victim of such a bogus caller – it is worrying how easily this can happen.  

A copy of the DVD is available from Lesley Allen on 0161 793 3886 or can be viewed on the GMPA website.

No Respect in Bury

The Government has today announced the new ‘Respect Zones’ which are being established as part of their latest ‘attempt’ to get tough on anti social behaviour, however Bury will not receive any funding under this initiative.  It is also disappointing that as part of this plan, launched just over a year ago,  the Government promised 24,000 PCSO’s but in November abandoned this pledge.  In Bury South there is currently a dispersal order in place in parts of Whitefield, Unsworth and Prestwich which by its very nature brings in more policing but this is only a short term measure for what is unfortunately a long term problem.