Letter

What a kind gesture by the Brownies

I WOULD LIKE to say a big Thank You , via The Herald, to the Markfield Brownies, for the lovely surprise of a potted Primrose on my doorstep.

It was such a kind gesture, and must have put a few smiles on a lot of faces.

In today’s climate, these acts of kindness mean so much.

Mrs Jacky Moorhouse

Brain Injury Expert Warns: Limit Screen Use in Children Under Six

AS REPORTED by Sci Tech News, Dr. Álvaro Bilbao, a leading neuropsychologist, emphasizes in his new book that children under six who frequently use mobile phone screens, tablets, or computers are more irritable and have worse attention, memory, and concentration.

Leicester Animal Aid and Mars Petcare UK team up to launch a new Pet Food Bank

ARE YOU STRUGGLING with pet food bills amidst the costof-living crisis?

At LAA, we are offering a helping hand to both cat and dog owners by opening a new pet food bank at our Centre in Huncote, with products kindly provided by Mars Petcare UK. We hope users will stay for a cuppa and a chat in a warm space, too!

Once owners have completed registration with LAA, Whiskas cat food and Pedigree dog food will be free and available for collection on Thursdays between 10am and 2pm. We will also welcome those using this service to stay for a hot drink when visiting the Centre, though we kindly request that four-legged friends stay at home.

“We know how much your pet is part of the family and we wanted to reach out and help anyone who may be struggling with their pet food bills during these challenging times. We are hoping you stay for a cuppa and chat when you visit and maybe make a few new friends,” says Keely Furborough, LAA General Manager.

“Mars Petcare is proud to support Leicester Animal Aid and the pet parents of Leicestershire as part of our mission to end pet homelessness,” commented Paolo Rigamonti, General Manager of Mars Pet Nutrition UK.

To register, pet owners can email reception@leicesteranimalaid.org. uk or call the Centre on 01455 888257 – we will need to ask a few quick questions to sign users up for the service. If participants are unable to visit the centre easily, they can nominate a relative or friend to collect the food on their behalf.

I was dismayed this afternoon when my wife told me my 6 year old son wasn’t actually mine. She then said I need to pay more attention at school pick up.

He recommends that parents strictly ration or avoid screen time for young children, as excessive use of devices like iPhones and iPads can increase the risk of psychological and behavioral issues, including attention deficit disorder, depression, and addiction problems.

The book is titled Understanding Your Child’s Brain, and is available from Amazon at a price of £16.99.

Borough Councillor

Andy Furlong’s

WITH SOME SADNESS, I put pen to paper to scribble my final column for the Markfield Herald. On the floor beside my desk, I’ve laid out copies of all my monthly ‘Updates’ from September 2019.

And now the end is near SO, THAT’S just about it. You won’t be seeing my name on the ballot paper next month.

Health and family circumstances prompted a move away from Leicestershire last year. I’ve kept up with my casework and correspondence over the last few months. I’ve travelled back and forth from South Wales to Hinckley for all of the most important meetings at my own expense. As promised, I will also be making some donations to local good causes from my final councillor’s allowance payment. One of the most heart-warming things people have said to me over the last four years is, “I’m not really a Labour supporter, but I’d vote for you.” This always made me smile because I’d often heard people say the same thing about Matthew Lay. In fact, it came up so frequently that our old friend Paddy Casswell was forced to create a special code for our canvass records!

Shared values

LIKE MATTHEW, I’ve been a Labour Party member my entire adult life. We’ve stuck with it through thick and thin, and the reason for this is quite straightforward. We share the same values - a belief in fairness, equality, justice, cooperation, and community solidarity.

They provide a useful reminder of how much has changed over the last four years, some things for the better and some for the worse. Moreover, it’s telling to see that quite a few things haven’t changed at all.

I’ve covered a wide range of subjects in my columns. These range from very local issues like grass cutting, grit bins and fly-tipping to big global challenges such as climate change and the war in Ukraine. COVID-19 casts a long shadow over most of 2020 and 2021. Still, when I re-read my reports from that period, I’m reminded of how brave and resilient local people were during those difficult times. I’m also reminded of the sad deaths of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the murdered MP Sir David Amess, Leicestershire Chief Constable, Simon Cole, former Borough Cllrs Jeff Chantrell and Denis Bown, and my dear old mum who passed away in January. It’s a shame that the same cannot be said of our ‘leaders’, particularly Mr Johnson and Mr Sunak – both fined for breaking the laws most citizens resolutely followed.

Successes and failures

THEN THERE are the success stories, the partial victories, and the miserable failures.

Among my favourites was defeating the ludicrous proposal to run HGVs through Markfield and Field Head late into the night and halting the plans for a clay pigeon shooting centre next door to South Charnwood School.

There was success, too, on the housing development front. We managed to see off most of the government’s ‘Build, Build, Build’ agenda, except for the Jelson Development off London Road, but at least this was scaled back from 450 to a more sustainable 282 new houses.

In Stanton Under Bardon, we successfully reduced the size and scale of the proposed Bardon 3 logistics park, securing additional concessions from the developer, including creating a small country park to act as a permanent buffer between the big sheds and the village boundary.

On the traffic front, there was less good news. Efforts to get a better deal for the long-suffering residents living alongside the A511 at Shaw Lane came to nothing, thanks to intransigence by the Conservative controlled County Council. I found this particularly frustrating since two of our local county councillors are now in the cabinet at County Hall. What’s the point of taking positions of power if you aren’t going to stand up for local people?

These values are Labour values, and that’s why we stand as Labour candidates. We’re both moving on to new things, but the business of local politics and standing up for the community continues. Matthew and I are asking people to vote for Chris Lambert and Robert Martin. These guys share our values and beliefs too. They have promised to build on what has gone before, and we know that they will stand up for people in Markfield, Stanton and Field Head.

Robert is a tireless campaigner for a better deal for children with disabilities. Chris has a wealth of experience as a senior local government officer in Leicestershire. They both know their stuff, and they’ll serve you well. Don’t be surprised if we turn up on your doorstep with one of them between now and polling day!

Over and out

A BIG THANK you goes out to Mike Wilkinson for his hard work in producing this publication.

The Herald is an essential communication channel for local news and views. Its very existence makes life much easier for local councillors. Finally, thank you to you, the readers. I’ve had some fantastic responses to my scribblings over the last few years. I trust you’ve found them both interesting and useful.

I still have business clients in Leicestershire, so don’t be surprised if you occasionally see me in the Field Head Hotel. My council email will shut down in May, but if you want to keep in touch, email me via andy@cogentcontent.co.uk or send me a friend request on Facebook. That’s Cllr Furlong over and out …

Andy Furlong

Keep in touch on 07881 922293 or email me via andy.furlong@ hinckley-bosworth.gov.uk