Melinda Messenger, who is Mum of the Year, was down here in London this week promoting the success of Surestart and Children's Centres. We now have them across this area and they are building on the success of our first centre at Langold. They undoubtedly make a big difference to parents and especially the young children who use them. I wish we had had them here years ago as they boost school performance, parenting skills and improve our communities. Well done to the staff running our Children's Centres and lets see you go from strength to strength.

I noted with some amusement a letter from a Mr S Brown of Shepherds Avenue attacking me over Tesco in last weeks paper. There is no S Brown living on this street and the letter is a forgery. I think an election must be looming!

With the help of the Worksop Guardian I have forwarded many similar letters to the Serious Fraud Office who are still investigating the rip off of ex-miners and where I expect to see arrests and charges this year. I have a simple message to whoever this sad individual is, who must take great pleasure in making up letters using fake names and addresses: Get a life!

I was shocked to see the Council sending in bailiffs to obtain Council Tax for a flood victim who was forced to live in a caravan. I can think of nothing so callous and monstrous as this council action. I raised this principle with the Council at the time of the flooding with them and I provided the evidence that they need not levy Council Tax and I also raised it with Government to confirm this was the case. To subject this family, who I have supported throughout, to this distress is beyond the pale. The Council were eventually forced backed down this month.

The use of bailiffs by the Council for car parking tickets, issued against people who are parking outside their own home, shows the mindset that afflicts the top of the Council. Who was it who said they know the price of everything, but the value of nothing....

I have had a brilliant suggestion made to me by Tom Baines this week - use empty shops in the town centre to display artwork from local artists. Rather than bleak empty windows, using good art displays which will help bring some colour to the town centre and aid current businesses. The idea has been used very successfully in Sweden where Tom first saw it. Now we have two Town Centre Managers, I'm sure this could be easily organised?