Question 1: Do you agree that NESTA should have increased independence from Government?

NESTA enables the government to fund projects that benefit society.

I do however think that funds distributed have been too close to the current “wind direction” of the government and a more long term approach would be best suited (2-3 parliament terms).

The Government does need to streamline its “innovation”, as Cabinet Office, NHS etc etc have innovation “hubs”, if NESTA is rolled out then wouldn’t it be competing with Big Lottery Fund etc?

If they are rolled out then I would like to see one arm be a “funding finder” to assist innovative items.

Question 2: Do you consider the Government’s proposal to be the most suitable option to allow NESTA to continue with its current work?

I am curious as to the non-transfer of gilts that NESTA has. Surely this should be transferred with the organisation as it rolls out from government.

NESTA would be better used to create innovative ideas from individuals that help local and national government, as a way to reduce costs as local authorities currently rely on private sector, hugely expensive software applications / solutions. NESTA could fund then roll out innovations across the country.

Question 3: Do you consider that the Government has explored all the options relevant to NESTA?

NESTA could bring in the Skunkworks team who could use funds to help innovators with making their reality happen. Some people have ideas, some can code programmes. The government has both in-house.

Each wind turbine will have a height (from ground to top of the blade tip) of 125 metres. Peel group’s assets include The Trafford Centre, Liverpool airport, Mersey Docks and a mineral extraction company.

Locations

339667,460106

339939,460358

340341,460559

Letter sent to Jonathan England @ Peel Energy (20/10/2011)

I’m emailing regarding the package of local community benefits you mention on your website & the planning application

• How much?
• How will monies be allocated?
• When will monies be released?
• Who will administer the scheme?

As a local resident I want to see money put to good use in the local community & economy as compensation for the use of the region’s natural resources.

This rural constituency similar to Cumbria North, creates a region that links rural towns and villages such as Pilling, Greate Eccleston, Garstang and Longridge. This natural fit for these communities will ensure a single MP addresses the concerns of this rural population

Other Names

• Preston North
• Preston Rural North
• Garstang and Lancashire North
• Lancashire Rural North

Possible alterations

Staining or Newton could be moved into Fylde Constitency

Ward List

Alston and Hothersall
Breck
Brock
Cabus
Calder
Catterall
Chipping
Derby and Thornley
Dilworth
Ellel
Elswick and Little Eccleston
Garstang
Great Eccleston
Greyfriars
Halton-with-Aughton
Hambleton and Stalmine-with-Staynall
Lower Lune Valley
Medlar-with-Wesham
Newton and Treales
Pilling
Preesall
Preston Rural East
Preston Rural North
Sharoe Green
Singleton and Greenhalgh
Staining and Weeton
Wyresdale

Total electors = 76156

Boundaries created with my Boundary Mapping Tool

Map: Crown Copyright Ordnance Survey. Content: Creative Commons BY-ND

Of all my proposals, this is by far the largest constituency in the North West, in terms of geography not population, however is similar size to one proposed by the Boundary Commission. This constituency covers the central belt of Cumbria following the A66 as it runs West to East. Having lived in Lazonby near Penrith I see the rural towns/villages (eg. Appleby, Aspatria, Keswick) as having a similar “feel” to them and therefore an MP would have to appeal to more a “protection-istic” populace, in addition to understanding the tourist appeal of the Lakes, Appleby and Silloth.

Whilst I understand that geographically this is a large constituency the demographic fit is much closer to the proposed “Copeland and Windermere” or “Workington and Keswick” and populations of all those communities should think about who they feel more “akin” to. (See my Whitehaven & Workington Constituency)

Boundaries created with my Boundary Mapping Tool

Map: Crown Copyright Ordnance Survey. Content: Creative Commons BY-ND

This boundary takes in the complete urban areas of Lancaster, Morecambe and Heysham and the villages of Middleton and Overton, but excludes Carnforth (see below). The number of electors comes in just below the quota upper limit at 80278. This proposal calls for the bringing together of two very similar urban centres under the control of Lancaster City Council.

Rational

The Boundary Commission proposals will see the Lancaster & Preston North constituency cover a huge area taking in massively disporate communities, with Pressall in the West, to Ribchester in the East and the densely populated Bulk & Hala wards of Lancaster, covering 4 council districts.

My proposals seek to unify and unite these two communities that historically have seen each other as competitors within a small locality, and maintaining two MPs within this space has been counter-productive.

This proposal does require the moving of Carnforth into the same constituency as Milnthorpe which I propose to maintain the Westmorland Constituency.

Electors of Carnforth and Silverdale should ask themselves, which people do they most associate with, those of Morecambe or those of Milnthorpe? And people of Bulk, Castle,Hala & Scotforth, to they more associate themselves with the people of Morecambe & Heysham or those of Ribchester & Goosnargh. And both groups must ask themselves which is the bigger “gap” in terms of values and who they’d want to represent them.

Wards moved North

Slyne with Hest, Bolton-le-Sands, Carnforth, Kellet, Warton, Silverdale.

Ward List

Bare
Bulk
Castle
Duke’s
Harbour
Heysham Central
Heysham North
Heysham South
John O’Gaunt
Overton
Poulton
Scotforth East
Scotforth West
Skerton East
Skerton West
Torrisholme
University
Westgate

Total electors = 80278

Boundaries created with my Boundary Mapping Tool

Map: Crown Copyright Ordnance Survey. Content: Creative Commons BY-ND

I propose to extend the constituency southward and westward, following the communication links of Kirkbrampton and Dalston, taking in wards neighbouring the Solway Firth. However to accommodate these wards there is a requirement to drop 3 wards out of the 2011 proposals, namely Hayton, Brampton and Irthing, which will be moved into the Hexham constituency. This does however make Hexham 1395 over quota, but this increase can be accommodated with neighbouring districts. Originally I had designed Hayton to be included in Carlisle and Lyne be moved to Hexham, however for better transport links I reversed this.

• Hayton – 1703
• Brampton – 3586
• Irthing – 1642

Total to Hexham – 6,931
2011 Boundary Commission total for Hexham= 74937
My version for Hexham = 81,868
Hexham over quota by 1,395

Ward List

Belah
Belle Vue
Botcherby
Burgh
Castle
Currock
Dalston
Denton Holme
Great Corby and Geltsdale
Harraby
Longtown & Rockcliffe
Lyne
Marsh
Morton
St Aidans
Stanwix Rural
Stanwix Urban
Upperby
Wampool
Wetheral
Yewdale
Total electors = 79588

 Boundaries created with my Boundary Mapping Tool

Map: Crown Copyright Ordnance Survey. Content: Creative Commons BY-ND

Based on the 2010 boundary for Barrow in Furness (with 2011 population data) gives a constituency population of just 68942, well short of the electoral quota.To the North East of the constituency lays Consiton lake, with a sparse population, therefore to ensure that electoral quota is met the boundary needs to move either North to include Millom or East to include Grange-over-Sands. I propose to extend the boundary northward to include the populaces of Millom and Broughton-in-Furness which are more closely aligned to Barrow than that of Grange over Sands, in addition this maintains the strong communication links of the A595 & train line and keeps much of the urban centres together.

Ward List

Barrow Island
Bootle
Broughton
Cartmel and Grange West
Central
Dalton North
Dalton South
Haverigg
Hawcoat
Hindpool
Holborn Hill
Holker
Low Furness
Mid Furness
Millom Without
Newbarns
Newtown
Ormsgill
Parkside
Risedale
Roosecote
Ulverston Central
Ulverston East
Ulverston North
Ulverston South
Ulverston Town
Ulverston West
Walney North
Walney South

Total electorate = 80181

Boundaries created with my Boundary Mapping Tool

Map: Crown Copyright Ordnance Survey. Content: Creative Commons BY-ND

The 1st draft put forward by the Boundary Commission sees Preston gaining Sharoe Green & Greyfriars wards and loosing Fishwick wards (Lea ward is already included in the Fylde boundary).

Both of these solutions “add up” but I propose moving Sharoe Green and Greyfriars northward to prevent a knock-on effect to Lancaster as the proposed changes would mean the urbanised areas of Lancaster would vote with the more rural wards of Pressall & Ribchester.

Whilst obviously that Sharoe Green & Greyfriars geographically are obviously more suited to Preston, the electorate totals just do not add up for the neighbouring constituencies, and given that these wards generally vote Conservative and that Fishwick & Lea return different councillors that this balance in electorate would be more favourable.

Inclusion of wards to the Preston “core” wards:-

• Lea & Fishwick = 77660
• Sharoe Green & Greyfriars = 79733

Ward list

Ashton
Brookfield
Cadley
College
Deepdale
Fishwick
Garrison
Ingol
Larches
Lea
Moor Park
Ribbleton
Riversway
St George’s
St Matthew’s
Town Centre
Tulketh
University

Total number of electors = 77660

 Boundaries created with my Boundary Mapping Tool

Map: Crown Copyright Ordnance Survey. Content: Creative Commons BY-ND

My proposals see

• merging of Workington constituency into Whitehaven and Workington Constituency
• merging of Morecambe and Lancaster into Lancaster and Morecambe Constituency

Current 2010 Boundaries	Commission Proposals	My Proposals

Proposed Constituencies

• Barrow in Furness Constituency
• Carlisle Constituency
• Cumbria North Constituency
• Westmorland Constituency
• Whitehaven & Workington Constituency
• Blackpool North Constituency
• Blackpool South Constituency
• Fylde Constituency
• Lancaster & Morecambe Constituency
• Lancashire North Constituency
• Preston Constituency
• Ribble Valley Constituency

Downloads

• Proposals as spreadsheet

Maps & Map Images : Crown Copyright: Ordnance Survey

Proposals: CC (UK), BY-SA

She got up at 5am, and headed to Manchester for the operation. She arrived, was gowned up and prepared for the operation. (On a side note the junior doctor made a mess of the back of her hand inserting the cannula). After waiting in bed for an hour another doctor came and told her that she would not be having the operation. Apparently the anesthetist refused to do the operation because my grand mother has had a stroke and therefore because the operation was a risk they would not proceed, and that this “should have been seen in notes”. So she dressed and headed back to Preston, no apology, no negotiation.

But the indifference in the NHS extends well beyond this, appointments at GP surgeries are at the whim of receptionists, dental waiting lists lost because of a computer error, discipline and appearance of staff.

All this goes well beyond Labour / Conservative, Left or Right but the absence of some basis compassion and pride in what people do. The NHS is in for some tough times ahead as the Health and Social Care Bill will further bureaucratise it. Localism works, only if residents and patients become involved and informed and feel their voice actually counts, so I guess the indifference is just as much on the patient side as the clinician side.