Rick's St Mary's Diary

Tonight is the first meeting of Youth Cabinet for the municipal year, where issues to do with the provision of youth services are discussed. As one of Bury's younger Councillors (and, credit to Bury Council, there are a fair few of us to choose from), I hope to be able to give views on the issues that might be a bit more in touch with the young people of the Borough than is typically the case from local Councillors.

I had my hair cut today specially for the meeting - it is always good to look one's best. During the obligatory barber's-chair chit-chat, we got talking about the barber's sick brother-in-law, and how he is in all sorts of trouble at the local NHS hospital. Apparently he is very concerned about ward cleanliness, and the food is often served late and luke-warm by harassed nurses who are overworked to the point of madness. I told him about our NHS SOS campaign which aims to put more power over the NHS into the hands of local communities, stop the cuts and cut the waste that are eroding public confidence and having a detrimental impact on services.

I always find talking to barbers slightly intimidating - they are perched over you with sharp cutting implements and could inflict serious harm at a moment's notice. Thankfully the depressing talk about NHS crises didn't give him undue reason to stab me, and I think I may have recruited another supporter. Hooray.

Rick