Upper Norwood Library

The Upper Norwood Library continues to face an uncertain future with possible cuts, privatisation or even closure on the cards. We would ask all those who care about the future of our Library to attend the AGM.

Croydon Council in a clear breach of Croydon and Lambeth’s Joint Agreement have, for the second year running, nominated four Cabinet councillors from the far south of the borough to serve on the Joint Library Committee. This is a blatant breach in that the Agreement is clear that at least two nominated councillors m each borough must be from the Upper Norwood area.

Given the cabinet members' wide range of commitments, how plausible is it that these councillors will have the slightest interest, local knowledge or time for the Upper Norwood Library? Croydon's behaviour is yet another insult to the people of Crystal Palace and an affront to local democracy.

Next Thursday the future of our library service will be discussed at the Annual General Meeting of the Library Committee. The meeting is being held at the Library (39-41 Westow Hill, SE19).

Make sure your voice is heard by attending this crucial AGM and don't forget to tell your family, friends and neighbours.


http://www.britaine.co.uk/web/120AC20419D740/the-world-of-nick-venedi

Nick Venedi

BBC and women

Last nights question time was a repeat of many other BBC programmes where there is a panel expressing opinions. We had a panel that was made up of more men than women. I find this ridiculous given that the majority of the population happen to be women? Has the BBC heard of proportionality?

Nick Venedi

TUC, Women's jobs will suffer

The TUC has expressed concerns that the level of female unemployment will increase beyond the current 23-year high as the government's public sector jobs cuts begin to bite.

With the proportion of women employed in the public sector having risen three times the rate of men in the past decade, women are especially vulnerable to job losses in sectors such as local government, education and the criminal justice system.

Meanwhile, the TUC said that equal pay law and business goodwill had failed to break the glass ceiling for women, following the publication of a report on the gender pay gap by the Chartered Management Institute.

TUC on women's unemployment @

http://www.tuc.org.uk/economy/tuc-19982-f0.cfm

TUC on Bank of England announcement

TUC on Bank of England announcement


http://www.tuc.org.uk/economy/tuc-19910-f0.cfm

Sally Bercow

I know I was critical about Sally Bercow and her involvment with big brother but she raised 100k for her charity by entering the 'show' so it could be argued that she did well...

Nick Venedi

Cyprus and NATO

Astonishing how two NATO countries have not been able to resolve the conflict they have and by doing so allowing part of Cyprus territory to remain under occupation.

Sally Bercow is out

As predicted previously on this splendid blog Sally Bercow has been the first to be voted out from the big brother household. It would appear that the public wanted to punish the speaker of the commons by sending his wife back to him. Good that she has, however, raised 100k for charities she should be congratulated for that...

Nick Venedi

Get Sally Bercow out

Not that I watch big brother on channel 5 but I have managed to see two repeats on the odd night and judging by what I have seen the non celebrities in the house are definitely not worth watching. But saying that I feel that the 5 people who watch the 'show' (is it a show?) should vote Sally out so that she can go back to her husband and continue arguing about the meaning of life and why the house of commons should be painted grey? Or whatever..

Nick Venedi

Tulisa Contostavlos

Excellent documentary with Tulisa on Tuesday night showing the plight of young carers who take time to look after sick relatives who depend on them. She presented the programme with dignity and also knowledge which comes from being in the same situation herself when she was younger. I hope we will see more of Tulisa in the near future and not just on the x factor. She is great!

Nick Venedi

Hug it forward movement

A charity worth getting involved with

David Beckham

Its official D Beckham was photographed from the back displaying a bare patch on top of his head meaning he is getting bald. It will be amazing to see how he looks like if he loses all his hair! On the other hand, who cares?

Nick Venedi

Sign online pensions petition

Most union members in a pension scheme will be detrimentally affected by the Government's change to a worse measure for increasing pensions when in payment each year.


For some, this change represents a 15% reduction in their benefits. Please sign up to this e-petition to seek to spark a Parliamentary debate. 100,000 signatures are needed for this purpose – at the point of sending this email there were 10,655 signatures so please forward this email on and encourage others to sign the petition as well.

http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/1535

Nick Venedi

Tellyland on Monday, by Nick Venedi

Good telly on tonight Monday is perhaps the only night where British tv is reasonably good with the soaps on and a few good documentaries. Coronation street is my fav followed by dirty sexy things and then Pineapple studios. Stay in and relax and forget about Tony Blairs obsession with himself...

Nick Venedi

X Factor 2011

Really like the fact that Gary Barlow is on the panel this year and also like Tulisa Contostavlos who is fresh and interesting. Lets hope the participants will do their best to impress.

Nick Venedi

Is X factor any good?

Well ex factor to me signifies the beginning of the end of summer and the start of the pre Xmas season. Meaning it starts now and finishes in time for Xmas number one etc.

The programme has been criticised a lot for being too panel orientated and that is true to a large extent but on the other hand it gives people who have some talent the opportunity to exhibit their talents and for us to become armchair critics, so on balance its interesting for providing low quality fun?

Benefit changes to save money

DWP figures revealing that only one in 14 people assessed for the new incapacity benefit will be entitled to claim the payout in the long term showed the changes were designed to save money not help the disabled, the TUC said in response.
The TUC has heard from disabled people all around the UK who feel that the tests have been unfair and ineffective, and was interested to learn that 39 per cent of appeals against the initial judgements were successful.
Further information @
http://www.tuc.org.uk/economy/tuc-19851-f0.cfm

Pensions petition

Union members are encouraged to sign the online petition which can be found on the government site as shown below

http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/1535

Nick Venedi

Evictions

I see very little point with evicting those who have been found to be guilty of criminal acts during the riots. These people are thugs but evicting them will not help society, it will simply mean that other councils will have to rehouse them? So how does that resolve a problem? Thought that Cameron was into hugging a hoodie?

Nick Venedi

Diane Abbott

Don't care what anyone says about Diane Abbott and her school preferences the fact is that on the worst day of the riots she put her self out there and did her best to try and calm people down in Hackney, she deserves full respect for that.

Nick Venedi

BBC panels

It is appalling to see that the BBC constantly fails to have women appear on telly programmes. Last nights question time had 6 people on the panel and only one was a woman? Why do we constantly fail with this?

nick venedi