Outrageous Private Members Bill result

There is not much more to say on this than what a sorry shameful day in British Politics. To even suggest, let alone try and make law, that politicians - who are paid with taxpayers money - should not be financially accountable to the electorate is truly disgraceful.

Catching Up

Thought I'd better write a few lines to round off the week! It has been Breastfeeding Awareness Week across the UK - so you can imagine that Real Baby Milk has been busy. The picture above was taken at the Falmouth Breastfeeding Support Group who celebrated their 10th birthday! We reckon about 1,000 women have been supported by this group which is a fantastic achievement. I delivered new posters to the Maternity Ward at Treliske and there was a really great little write up about our project in the business section of the local press. More press about all the events to come next week.

BFAW saw events taking place all over the county and we took the lead for handling press and promoting the events. Here in North Cornwall the policy I helped the council to write was launched and all Leisure Centres are now "breastfeeding friendly". I have got to write a round-up of all activity but I am feeling really pleased - almost every area of the county were championing the cause and hits to the website reflect this.

Otherwise I had the first full council on Monday, it was good to get the measure of the new faces (10 in total) and to see what form the council will take now. We now have a party political Chair & Vice Chair, which I believe is one of the first times (Independent majority remember!).

Tomorrow night is the sorting out of chairs/vice chairs of committees so we will see what transpires. I believe that I am going to be on Community Services, Overview & Scrutiny and Regeneration. I sat on Regen all last year and just loved it - we have also managed to get the meeting time changed from the afternoon to the evening so that we can enable working councillors to get on it too. I am looking forward to sitting on Community Services and Overview & Scrutiny as they are areas of the council where I feel we can have serious influence.

I am off to London on Wednesday for meetings on Thursday so am trying to tie everything up before then, I am going up by train as per usual so can get a whole lot of work done! Bliss.

Filling in forms

It has been a week of filling in forms, I have almost felt as though I am drowning in paperwork! First there were all the forms for council - the declaration of interests, the new parking permit, the personal details, the bank details, the expenses I hadn't claimed at the end of the last financial year (smacked hand) ... and many more bits and pieces of paper. I am sure that the environmental impact of elected members is considerable ... not to mention the strain on my postman's back. He was perhaps the only person I know who wasn't happy I got elected ... oh, him and the Tory of course!

But those bits of paper were minimal in comparison with the now completed Big Lottery application form for Real Baby Milk. Six months of hard work amounted to half a kilo of paperwork (1.1lbs for those who are still savouring the ruling over our imperial system). It all got posted off on Friday and whilst I am aware that the Big Lottery is apparently squeezed for money due to the Olympics I am sure that we have submitted a strong and detailed bid. That said, I am now trying to forget about it, as we won't get a decision for four months and concentrate on all the other forms I still have to fill in!

Mini-summer is over

The rain has been coming for the last couple of days and I am a bit fed up of it now, we had been so spoilt with the lovely weather that we had all the way through April.

The wrangling over committees and chairmanships has begun, there has even been a whisper of me as group leader, but we'll wait and see what comes of that! It is difficult as the majority opposition - especially when we are opposing a majority of independents (go figure!) - to try and shape the council, but we do have a manifesto to deliver and that is the aim now, to try and shape things to better meet the mandate we have been elected under.

I am panicking at the moment with the funding bid deadline looming (14th), but we have hopefully got some good press coming this week so that should help in time for Breastfeeding Awareness week (13th-19th May).

Right now it's time to get the boys ready for playgroup, so I'll have to sign out for now.

Winning and Losing

Well, the good news is that I won my campaign, polling the top vote in my three members ward (pic making acceptance speech at count). As a group we managed to pretty much maintain our number (14) on North Cornwall but the Tories disappointingly have increased theirs from 3 to 6 ... whilst this is not of great impact the press releases that will surely follow will boast of 100% increases.

As regular readers will know I have been campaigning all over Cornwall during these local elections and the news from across the districts is more unsettling. We lost Carrick to no overall control - losing 11 seats in total (ouch) leaving us with 18 seats and the Tories with 19.

Restormel was slightly better - results seeing us lose 3 seats overall but again to no overall control ... the Tories there only increased their number by 1 so no significant resurgence of the vote there.

Caradon (South-East Cornwall) saw us take control (hurray) and Kerrier District Council saw us increase our number ... so the picture is not entirely bleak down here.

These results, although some slightly painful, actually give us an insight into what we are facing for future elections and an opportunity to re-group, reflect and re-energise. No bad thing in my opinion.

New Statesman Blog

Can be found here - got the link wrong earlier!

Marathon Session

Stomping shoes on for the last big push ... I have various places to be out over the rest of the day delivering last literature through doors - just hope I don't encounter any angry second home owners like yesterday ... more on that after the election! Up early tomorrow for Good mornings in one of our target wards so had better get a reasonably early night - although nerves may well put paid to that!

Just in case I don't manage to blog later, I'd like to wish everyone standing for the Lib Dems across the country the very best of luck for tomorrow.

ps. Have written an election blog for the New Statesman which should be appearing sometime later today .. it'll be found here and gives an overview of the Cornish Liberal Democrat campaign.

Blackberry respite

I have been the owner of a Blackberry since last December - a christmas present my husband now bitterly regrets!

It has completely changed the way that I do things and has allowed me to be much less worried about being away from my desk(s) as I can pick up my emails anywhere ... the drawback is that there is no peace and I have to admit to having developed a bit of an obsession for the flashing red light that signals the emails arriving.

For all of you who share this problem, there is some hope in this article in The Guardian today which lists all the blackspots ... just please don't show my husband!

Real Baby Milk launches in Scotland today!

I am so excited! My projects first step outside of Cornwall is happening as I type this, Real Baby Milk - Inverclyde is press launching!

Unfortunately due to elections I can't be there but 1000 copies of the guide and the website are being launched today!

I really hope it is as successful up there as it has been down here ... apparently other areas of Scotland are already thinking about getting in touch!