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18 Clitheroe Advertiser & Times, Thursday, May 24th, 2007


© A FORMER Mayor of Clitheroe who is facing a benefit fraud charge has made a brief appearance at Preston Crown Court, John McGowan (54), of Ribble Way, Clitheroe, a


former Labour councillor on Ribble Valley Borough Council representing the Edisford and Low Moor Ward, is accused of failing to promptly notify a change of circumstances that affected his entitlement to disability living allowance. It is alleged that he


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was claiming the benefit between 2001 and 2006. The Department of Works and Pensions are alleging an overpayment of around £13,000. The matter had been listed for a plea and case


management hearing on May 16th, but in the event, no charge was put to him. Defence barrister Mr Tim Ashmole asked for further time to consider the papers. McGowan was remanded on unconditional bail to June 4th.


Clitheroe 422324 (Editorial), 422323 (Advertising), Burnley 422331 (Classified)


garet, Mr Major and, of course, Teflon Tony. Everyone now knows th a t we are to get


ALTHOUGH I can remember Harold Wilson as Prime Minister quite clearly it does take a little remembering that most people who will be coming to vote for the first time at the next election will only remember three PMs - the blessed Mar-


a new PM as from June 27th, just a few weeks away. I t does strike me as being somewhat


odd that we are about to gain a new Pre­ mier without any democratic vote of the nation taking place. I t is likely to be Gor­ don Brown, but there is an outside chance th a t someone else could sneak in. But YOU and me do not get a say. “But it happened before”, I hear you


cry, and so it did with John Major in recent times. The im p o r tan t thing to remember is that Tony Blair said that he intended to remain a t the helm for a full term, and it was with that in mind that we voted at the last general election. I have just come back from my duties


for the Council of Europe observing elec­ tions in Armenia. It is an emerging democ­ racy nestling amongst other countries where democracy either clings on by its fingernails, doesn’t really exist, or isn’t quite like we know it. But imagine my difficulty when being


asked when the next election in Britain was going to be now: “Mr Blair - he go, no?” Telling them that the British people may have to wait nearly three years before they have to go to the polls was hard to explain. I have observed elections in a few strug­


gling democracies in my time, including Ukraine and Serbia, and we tend to think th a t we have nothing to learn. Yes, we have a lot to teach these other countries about free and fair elections, not cheating at either the counts or at the polling sta­ tions, not bribing voters or officials, giving equal opportunities to all parties during the elections, not forcing people to vote in any particular way. But you have to have elections for all


that to happen - and we aren’t having one soon. Big changes will happen in the UK in a


lots o mh & mam hks, dbban dbg & ess me« mm the m u humus stmuon


f ear eras expert gmbbmg adioe ubi dewnstraths o BASSETS i n NRAOE PUNT OUT AM1H1ES TOR THE CHUBS.


n mam


few weeks. The whole strategy and policies of running the UK will change and we won’ t be asked about i t . Surely this is wrong. We live in a parliamentary democ­ racy, but a t a time when the leader is all, then surely we have a right to have our say. We didn’t vote for Gordon, and we were told th a t we were to have Tony for the duration. Just remember that the rest of the world


does take an interest in what goes on in the UK. They know of our democratic tradi­ tions and they have heard of Tony Blair, the Queen, Manchester United, David Beckham, the BBC, and the Pound. They know something of our history and they believe th a t we are a stable democracy which can teach them things-and we can. But I believe we damage that reputa­


ALL M1RACLE-GR0 SPECIAL OFFERS ARE FOR


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tion by not being more attentive to our norms, our word, and our commitments. We need to be more vigilant about guard­ ing our rights and our democratic rules. Postal vote scandals, cash for peerages, u- turns on a referendum for the European constitution and replacing one Premier with another without a vote is all rather digging away at the foundations of what makes our country great. We should all act to shore up our democ­


racy. Politicians should not promise more than thej' can deliver, we shouldn’t waste taxpayers’ money - and we shouldn’t spin or lie. Behaving properly isn’t just for us - it is also for the voters of fledgling democ­ racies who look to us to help them. Some of them know that there is a better way, and they believe we have it. L e t ’s not throw it away and regret i t afterwards. Let’s preserve and strengthen it for us, but also for millions of people who are denied what we have, and look to us to help.


*


To read Ribble Valley MP Nigel Evans’ regular column online visit:


www.clitheroeadvertiser.co.uk


New book casts a different view


A SURVEY of Clitheroe Castle in 1602 estimated that it would cost £81 for repairs. Compare th a t with the


£80,000 spend currently under way on th e Keep and the £3.2m. needed for the restora­ tion of the museum, Keep area and buildings - and even 400 years ago, it must have been a snip! Author and historian Paul


Adams has recently completed a new and very timely guide to Clitheroe Castle as it embarks on major renovation. “Whereas previous guides


have concentrated on the histo­ ry of the site, this new guide


actually attempts to produce an interpretative account of the physical remains of the medieval stronghold. “This is something that has


never before been attempted for the whole site,” claims the author who grew up in the Rib­ ble Valley and is now looking for a publisher in a bid to con­ tribute towards the interpreta­ tion of the site. He adds: “Previous attempts


have not only limited them­ selves to the remains of the Keep, but have, in most cases misinterpreted the structure”. Mr Adams’ view is certainly


one which may cause contro­ versy among local historians.


Heavyweight debate is a winner!


“THIS house believes that modern socie­ ty is in serious decline” was the heavy­ weight topic for debate a t the monthly meeting of Clitheroe U3A (University of the Third Age). Dr Bob Lawson proposed the motion. His presentation contained a mass of


chilling statistics covering the NHS, crime and education, which carefully plotted the sharp decline in both the quality of our lives and our unfortunate place a t the bot­ tom of the UNESCO league table for the state of our youth. Retired headteacher and Clitheroe U3A chairman Mr Mike Howseman then made an optimistic and lively rebuttal of the motion, basing his case on the huge improvements in com­ munications and the better quality of life enjoyed by older people as they retire. After some discussion the result as fol­


lows: For the Motion - 43; Against the Motion - 31; Abstained — 13.


Clitheroe U3A has been established for


10 years and has around 200 members. It meets on the second Tuesday of each


month at the Trinity Methodist Church Hall, off Parson Lane, Clitheroe, at 2-30 p.m. For more information contact Anne Bulpin on 01200 443015.


9 PROMINENT Conservative MP and bestsell ing author Ann Wid- decombe will be guest speaker a t a special meeting of Clitheroe U3A on Thursday, Octo­ ber 25th. The event will


be held a t the M y t to n Fold Hotel at Langho.


Monthly Meeting of the


Burnley Branch Parkinson's Disease Society


7.30pm Y/ednesday 30th May


Temple Street Resource Centre.Burnley.


The Speaker Dr Breen will be giving an update on Parkinson’s.


ALL WELCOME


For information please ring: 0 1 2 8 2 7 1 24 4 1 or 0 1 2 8 2 4 3 2 8 0 2


Clitheroe 422324 (Editorial), 422323 (Advertising), Burnley 422331 (Classified)


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Clitheroe Advertiser & Times, Thursday, May 24th, 2007 1 9


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