| Valley School pupils stood proud this week with a presentation of the highest quality to their school, parents and myself. Having spent a week
in London looking at Parliament, industry, enterprise, media and a lot more they have clearly grown in stature and confidence.
As a society we love to knock our youth, but these students give me confidence in the future. Our challenge is to give them the facilities and the
opportunities to inspire them. Sat in the crumbling hall of Valley school, it gives me great optimism that in January this building can be demolished and a new future can begin for the
school.
I can only promise that I will not stop until every community has a children’s centre and every old outdated school is demolished. For my area, only the
best is good enough and these pupils are the best.
It was a pleasure to see some of the spouses of councillors at the Remembrance Day in Worksop. They of course sought to pay their own respects, but it made
me consider the sacrifice that they make.
If you are a political widow (or widower) of a councillor spending every evening out helping the community then you are making a major contribution
yourself.
I was delighted., amongst others there, to speak to Mrs Entwistle, Mrs Davison and Mrs Coe, all looking as lovely as ever. We are all happy to
criticise politicians- myself included. But we should also thank their spouses who do not seek the limelight but still have to make sacrifices.
The chief executive was also accompanied by his spouse and that gives me the opportunity to thank him and all those public servants who work hours beyond
the call of normal duty for our area and their partners who therefore see less of them than they would wish. We have many such people in our public services and I record my appreciation of their
work.
I have been asked whether as a ‘topple tester’ I can test family gravestones deemed unsafe. The answer is yes, but I only have the topple testing equipment
until this weekend, so you will need to call today on 01909 506200. I will still be able to assist afterwards but not do a technical retest.
I strongly urge any Parish Council or church with a graveyard to discuss this matter with me, as I am finding more and more who do not fully know the law
and are carrying out a lot of unnecessary expenditure and forcing grave owners to do likewise.
I do hope our council will get their skates on and train their own staff up - these people know best and could do with some overtime. They should
immediately remove all stickers, notices and stakes for any memorial under 50cm - they should not have been tested in the first place and were officially never a risk. It will be inexcusable not to
complete this easy task this November. | 
