The destruction of Bedfordshire Music Service

by Ian Posted on March 6, 2011

Back in November, Central Bedfordshire Council announced plans to cut funding to the Bedfordshire Music Service. Bedfordshire Music is the principal provider of instrumental education and musical enrichment opportunities in the county of Bedfordshire.

Their Overview and Scrutiny Committee met on 23rd November 2010 and recommended that any decision about the service should be deferred until after the Henley Review had published its report – due in February 2011.

On 7th December 2010, the Executive Committee met and it was reported at the time that the committee had accepted the the recommendations of the Scrutiny Committee. The main recommendations were:
• to await the report of the Henley Review, which was expected in early January, before making any decisions about funding for the Music Service, and
• to disaggregate the Service – i.e. to split it up between Bedford Borough (which is currently not proposing any cuts) and Central Bedfordshire.

After looking at the minutes of that meeting, http://www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/modgov/mgConvert2PDF.aspx?ID=3370&T=1, there is no mention of waiting for the Henley Review, only the disaggregation.

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My Tweets for the week 2011-02-27

by Ian Posted on February 27, 2011
  • BBC News – Broadband speed mapped for BBC Look East research http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-12430744 – I measured mine at 10.2Mbps #
  • Fowarded The Spoon Theory today. Came across this a while back http://bit.ly/cFcl0l #spoonie #
  • Email from Amazon.co.uk, my Raymond E. Feist "A Kingdom Besieged" order is due 4th March. Sadly Ray will not be touring UK this year. #
  • Yahoo are discontinuing MyBlogLog in May. Joined in Feb 07, but not been active there for a couple of years. Still follow some like @scanman #
  • Just been tidying up my blog to remove the MyBlogLog add-ins and register a new Gravatar http://bit.ly/16RUic #
  • Looks like the facebook app for twitter had disappeared. Just re-added it, lets see if my feeds add now. #
  • Looks like Twitter's having a few problems this morning – Twitter Status http://t.co/EAiaPXu via @twitter #
  • Just back from the Brownie/Girl Guide Thinking Day Service at the Methodist Church in Dunstable. #

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My Tweets for the week 2011-02-20

by Ian Posted on February 20, 2011
  • Looking in the garden, only the top of the non squirrel-proof nut feeder is still hanging up. I guess its broken, I'll look for it later. #
  • Off now to @StablesMK to see @EmilySmithmusic and @JamieMcclennan in about an hour. Got front row seats and looking forward to it. #
  • Back from @EmilySmithmusic @StablesMK Brilliant show as we expected. Lots of tracks from the new album Traiveller's Joy. #
  • Fixing a laptop for a work colleague. Virus or malware, not sure yet. Running Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware in safe mode. That'll find it. #

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My Tweets for the week 2011-02-13

by Ian Posted on February 13, 2011
  • Just reading an aikido blog that I came across from an article on Aikido Journal, AikiThoughts http://bit.ly/hFRmEf lots of good posts. #
  • Only a few more days until we see @TheUkes @StablesMK on Saturday night #
  • Nikkyo and Focus: http://t.co/Bm1s11g #
  • Wow, someone must be talking about me, my ears are glowing; I'd give Rudolph's nose a run for its money. #
  • Just back from a great evening watching @TheUkes @StablesMK, front row. Back in Black still cracks me up – not the same as AC/DC at Wembley. #
  • Two trips to @StablesMK this week. Back to see @EmilySmithmusic and @JamieMcclennan on Wednesday evening. #
  • Do I miss queuing at the post office with mot and insurance to get my tax disc? No, I don't think so. Online is so much easier. #
  • Hmm, my tweets aren't making it to my Facebook page, nothing in last 5 days. Grr. #

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My Tweets for the week 2011-02-06

by Ian Posted on February 6, 2011
  • Weird, just sorting out my son's tooth for the tooth fairy tonight and realised it has split in half. Never seen that before. #
  • I guess in Winnie the Pooh terms, today is 'A Blustery Day' #
  • Zenith Staybright going door to door in our no cold calling zone offering quotes for doors and windows. Hmm, what's the point of the zone? #
  • Following Friday's winds which ripped off the felt on my shed roof, I've just re-felted it. Still windy out there; it was a bit of a fight. #

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Gingerbread

by Ian Posted on January 31, 2011

Just got Mum’s gingerbread recipe. Will have to make some soon, I’ll add some photos then (providing I don’t eat it all first).

Need – 12” x 8” x 2 ½” deep straight-sided tin, which needs to be well greased and lined with greased paper.
–    Large mixing bowl.

1lb. S.R. Flour
4 teasp. Ground ginger (recipe says 6 teasp. but found this makes it too hot)
4 teasp. baking powder
1 teasp. bicarbonate of soda
1 teasp. salt
8oz. dark brown sugar
6 oz. butter
¾ lb. golden syrup
½ pint milk
1 egg.

Sieve all dry ingredients together.
Warm butter, sugar and syrup in small saucepan, until just melted, do not over-heat. Add this to dry ingredients.
Use same saucepan – warm milk and beaten egg. Add to other ingredients.  Mix thoroughly (I use rotary whisk once initially mixed, this gives extra air bubbles to mixture).
Pour into greased and lined tin and bake in slow oven (Gas Mark 3) middle shelf, for about 1 ¼ hours, or until centre is firm to touch.

Enjoy with my complements. It’s always too sticky in the middle (hee, hee).

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