Wheelie bins coming to Cliftonville West

A bunch of leaflets from the Council came through my letterbox in the past few days, including one about wheelie bins. It seems that Cliftonville West's turn has come for them and they shall be arriving in September/October with the new service to start in November.

Cliftonville West is a difficult case with regards to this since a lot of the properties are terraced. I understand that Eastcliff has similar problems as Ward Cllr David Green has commented in the past. I was quite happy with the blue recycling bags and black normal waste system that we have at the moment and dont really see the point in changing now.

Dane Park

An awful lot has changed at Dane Park with a new playground, a hard court and some work currently being done to the Cecil Square end of the park to open up the view. The fountain has become a giant flowerpot (above) and has recently been given a makeover.

What do you think about the look of Dane Park now? Do you have any suggestions for further improvements?

MIchael Gove and lads mags

A little moan to start the week is about the Shadow Cabinet Minister for Children, Schools and Families, Michael Gove who is to do a speech about lads mags and the "hedonism" connected with it.

"I believe we need to ask tough questions about the instant-hit hedonism celebrated by the modern men's magazines targeted at younger males. Titles such as Nuts and Zoo paint a picture of women as permanently, lasciviously, uncomplicatedly available. We should ask those who make profits out of revelling in, or encouraging, selfish irresponsibility among young men what they think they're doing."

While I see what he says, it would be nice for him to at least once in this Parliament to speak out on the issue of children in care, an issue he would have direct responsibility for were the Conservatives to win the next election. It annoys me greatly that an issue of such importance does not get any airing in public.