US CONGRESS APPROVES $700 Billion BAILOUT

Albuquerque Balloon Festival







So the US Congress finally blinked and averted a world economic crisis by backing the Bush $700 Bn.rescue package for US Banks. On Monday the US Congress rebelled against the plan due to partisan squabbling between Republicans and Democrats - in marked contrast to the UK where David Cameron and Conservative MPs cooperated with the Labour Government over the UK banking crisis.

Tonight my brother Martin, who lives in the US, sent me these photographs of the Albuquerque Balloon Festival - the largest in the world. This seems appropriate after a week in which the amazing shenanigans of US politicians with their 'heads in the clouds' came close to causing the collapse of the world economy.

The credit crunch will bite us all hard. There was a ray of hope tonight when UK petrol prices fell 5 pence to 105 p per litre - but probably not for long, hence the long queues at petrol stations!

LOCAL DEMOCRACY WEEK 2008

Next week sees the start of the run up to 2008 Local Democracy Week, encouraging young people to engage in local politics. Throughout next week I will be involved in an Internet based dialogue with young people in 9 schools across Bedford.

Make sure you visit my Blog regularly next week to find out what I am doing to engage with the young people of Bedford Borough.........

CANCER RESEARCH UK RELAY FOR LIFE

My daughter Sarah is a lawyer, Head of Litigation at a District Council and a busy working mother with 2 young children, Emma aged 6 and Thomas, 3. Nevertheless Sarah somehow finds the time to do voluntary work for Emma's school and has just raised over £2,500 with 7 work colleagues for Cancer Research by doing a 24 hour Night Walk. Sarah is 4th from the left in the Team photograph above.

Sarah wanted to do this walk in memory of her aunt Vivien and a close friend Jean who both died of breast cancer at the end of 2007. I am so proud of Sarah, who sent me this email:

"It was a very moving day, especially the candle of hope ceremony, where over 400 candles were lit with special messages to loved ones. I wrote a message in memory of Vivien and Jean"

McMillan Cancer Support
Congratulations to Pat Johnstone for raising £1,500 at her annual McMillan Cancer Support Coffee Morning in Wilstead village on 26 September - a fantastic result due to the tireless efforts of Pat and her team of supporters. Pat had her leg broken in several places in a car accident last year, resulting in several operations and her success in raising a lot of money yet again is due to her indomitable courage.

APSE ANNUAL SERVICE AWARD 2008
Bedfordshire County Council runs a joint partnership with MacMillan Cancer Support, called The MacMillan Welfar Rights Services. This partnership has just won a National Award, The Association for Public Service Excellence (APSE)Annual Service for the best public-voluntary partnership in the country at an awards ceremony in Nottingham.

The partnership was set up in January 2007 and has helped 700 people across Bedfordshire.

Welcome to my blog

Hi! My name is Lynne Faulkner and I represent the 5,500 residents of Wilstead and Elstow (birthplace of John Bunyan, author of Pilgrim’s Progress) near Bedford, on Bedfordshire County Council and Bedford Borough Council.

I have 25 years’ experience of local government politics, having served 12 years on North Hertfordshire District Council, including two years as Chairman and Vice Chairman of Council. After a short break to concentrate on my career as an International Human resource Manager, in May 2002 I was elected to Bedford Borough Council where I am Chair of Corporate and Resource Policy Committee and represent the Council on the East of England Regional Assembly.

In May 2005 I was elected as a County Councillor and I am now Vice Chairman of the County Council, Vice Chairman of Children’s Services Overview & Scrutiny Committee and Chairman of the Redundancy Panel.

Active in local village organisations, I am Chairman of Elstow Abbey Trustees, Patron of Wilstead Players, Vice Chair of Elstow Lower School Governors and also conduct regular help and advice surgeries for residents.

However, this is the 21st Century and like my local MP Nadine Dorries, I have decided to launch my own blog to communicate more easily with my constituents.

I plan to use this blog to offer my thoughts and ideas on local and national politics and to update you on my work as your local Councillor.

Join me on my 21st Century blogging journey.