Kent County Council's Trading Standards Service has launched a 'Buy with Confidence' good trader scheme.The scheme provides consumers with a list of reliable local businesses that have proved their commitment to trading fairly.
111 out of 394 bodies providing NHS care are failing to tackle infection control properly, including 44 of the 172 hospital trusts, the Healthcare Commission's annual report reveals. The general picture in the annual health check of England's trusts is, however, one of improvement. But regional divides persist, with the north performing better than the south. Trusts were rated on two principal categories: quality of services and how they had managed their finances. You can find out how your local healthcare providers are doing by clicking here, or you can download a directory of performance ratings for all NHS Trusts in PDF form by clicking here.
Open warfare has broken out between leading Conservatives over the government's decision to set up a new Unitary Council covering the Mid and South Bedfordshire District Council areas (as well as one for Bedford Borough).
The Liberal Democrats have slammed the County Council's decision to carry on with its ever more expensive judicial review of the government's decision to abolish it and set up two new "Unitary Councils", one covering Bedford Borough and the other covering Mid and South Bedfordshire.
Councillor Jean Ashworth launched a campaign to, "Save Our post Offices" by moving a notice of motion at the recent full council meeting. The motion demanded that, 'This council call on the Government to stop their proposed branch closure programme, stop removing government business from Post Offices and remove restrictions on Royal Mail to open up further business opportunities for the network' - a response to the Government's plans to close 2,500 Post Offices across Britain.
Chelmsford Lib Dem candidate Stephen Robinson has been busy in the media in the last week. On Thursday he appeared on ITV's "Anglia Late Edition", covering a range of political topics, and on Tuesday on BBC Essex's lunchtime programme (and in the local press) he paid tribute to Sir Menzies Campbell.