The Electoral Commission Notice

"THERE'S already been quite a lot of interest in the government's proposal to hold a referendum throughout the UK on the voting system we use to elect Members of Parliament. This is due to take place on 5 May next year, when there will also be local government elections in some parts of England. Now is the time for your readers to make sure they have filled in and returned the annual canvass forms they will have received through the post, to make sure they are on the electoral register. You can even request a postal vote now, so that no matter where you'll be on polling day, you won't miss your chance to have your say. Our website has lots of information about the annual canvass and forthcoming elections and referendums." Yours faithfully, Peter Wardle, Chief Executive, The Electoral Commission.

Axing of BSF is ‘major blow’ to city’s construction industry

THE SCRAPPING of Wave 6 of Liverpool’s Building Schools for the Future programme will cost the city 350 apprenticeships within the construction industry.  A report submitted to the city council’s employment and skills select committee yesterday reveals that the decision to abandon the £350 million schools rebuilding scheme means plans to create the apprenticeships within the construction and sub-contractor supply chain will no longer go ahead.  The report says that the loss of the apprenticeships, which would have given employment opportunities to hundreds of young people throughout the city, is part of a wider impact the loss of BSF is having on Liverpool’s construction industry.

An estimated 1,000 full time equivalent construction jobs which would have been created in the design, construction and maintenance of the schools have been lost. More than 300 full time equivalent posts to deliver the scheme, through the creation of a Local Education Partnership (LEP) will also now not happen.  And it is estimated that, with much of the construction work undertaken on a short term and long term basis, up to 13,000 job opportunities could be lost, 25% of which could have been taken up by local individuals and businesses.

Cabinet member for employment and skills, Councillor Nick Small, said:- “These figures show what a major blow scrapping the Building Schools for the Future programme is to employment in this city, particularly in the construction sector.  With The Liverpool Apprentice initiative we are trying to ensure that apprenticeships continue to be created, but decisions such as this make it more difficult for young people, in particular, to get into employment.”

Chair of the Employment and Skills Select Committee, Councillor James Noakes, said:- “This report clearly show the impact that cuts will have on cities such as Liverpool. While the cuts are made to public sector spending it is also those who work in the private sector who will be affected.  It is particularly worrying that young people who were looking to go into the construction industry will have their opportunities limited. Not only will it affect them personally but in years to come the industry could be facing a skills shortage if there are not enough apprentices recruited now.”

Council officials estimate that every £1 that would have been spent on the scheme would have been worth £2.84 to the local economy in terms of construction.  In addition to the £350 million capital cost of the scheme, a further £50 million of ICT investment and £10.5 million of cleaning and maintenance management contracts will also be lost - bringing the total amount of finance lost to £410.5 million.

Older People’s nurse in line for top accolade

A Community Nurse has made it to the final of a national competition to find the most innovative ways of promoting health and independence amongst older people.

Diane Singleton, Lead Nurse for Older People for NHS Liverpool Community Health, has been shortlisted for the prestigious Nursing Times Award for the Innovation in your Speciality category.  Diane was chosen for her work in setting up the multi-award winning Liveability Service in South Liverpool.  She created the innovative scheme in order to promote the health and quality of life of older people, so that they could live healthy, more active and independent lives for longer.  The service’s success is in reducing isolation and ill health, reducing the need for costly NHS and social care interventions.

Now Diane is keeping her fingers crossed that she will clinch the title at a glittering awards ceremony at London’s Park Lane Hilton Hotel on 3 November 2010.

Diane said:- “The standard of the competition is extremely high, so I am over the moon that I have reached the final. But the real reward is in seeing the benefits that we give to our clients, who often quite literally find a new lease of life when they start to access our service.

We have a two-pronged approach to service delivery. The first prong includes the many activities we provide within the Sunflower Centre in Woolton, such as tai chi, dancing, chair based exercises and our daily gym fit sessions in our own gym specifically tailored for older people. The second includes our holistic home assessments where a member of the team will visit an older person at home.”

The assessment involves routine health screening, consisting of blood pressure check, height, weight, BMI and medication review.  Checks are also made on whether the older person is receiving all the benefits they are entitled to, have smoke detectors fitted, and are safe from environmental risks within the home which could lead to falls and accidents.  The service also provides a 6-week Active Ageing Programme. Once registered, older people can attend seminars and hear up-to-date information from health professionals and colleagues from other services dealing with older people.

Working in partnership with local schools, this is an accredited intergenerational programme which involves young people in its delivery. By bringing together young and old, the scheme encourages younger people to better understand older people’s needs and vice versa.

Harvey Winter, 77, from Woolton, has been a regular at the Sunflower Centre for over a year.  He says:- “My wife started attending the Sunflower Centre before I did and convinced me to go along to see if the fitness classes would help me with my arthritis.  I loved it – I come away from my circuit class feeling elated and it really benefits my legs. I’d urge anyone over the age of 50 to go along and see what’s on offer – it just might change your life.”

Bernie Cuthel, Managing Director of Liverpool Community Health said:- “We are very proud of Diane and all that she achieved and are delighted that her work has been recognised at such a prestigious level.”