New bill will let councils close lap dancing clubs near schools

Lap dancing clubs may be closed if they are located too near “inappropriate” sites such as schools, under transitional powers contained in the policing and crime bill published yesterday.

The legislation will also require sex workers who are repeatedly caught soliciting to attend compulsory rehabilitation classes, but will remove the “stigmatising” term common prostitute 184 years after it was put on the statute book by the Vagrancy Act 1824.

The Home Office minister Vernon Coaker confirmed the Guardian’s disclosure that a government plan to introduce direct elections for police authorities had been dropped.

He also acknowledged that the bill’s most controversial proposal, to criminalise men who pay for sex with exploited women, will prove legally fraught and will require the courts to clarify it. Read more…

The new guide to boiler insurance is ready! Take a look…

Staffordshire hero plumber voted for!

FOR Graham Stubbs the essence of a good community is civility and neighbourliness.

The popular plumber, below, has shown that there is more that is magnetic about him than his personality.

For when neighbour Kathleen Roberts, who has nominated Graham for an Our Heroes award, locked herself out of her home she knew where to turn.

Mr Stubbs, of Beswick Close, Cheadle, said: “I put a big magnet into a net bag you put the washing tablets in, and I put it on the end of a piece of fishing rod and then lowered it through the letter box and dragged the key up.”

It was just one way in which the 64-year-old lends a hand to his neighbours. Read more…

For fast reliable local plumbers call A* Plumbers on 0845 838 4697 for an immediate response. All the info you could want to know on Worcester boilers and Ariston boilers (as well as every other registered UK manufacturer) at Boiler Insurance and Repairs.co.uk

Cheap alcohol and happy hour ban to reduce crime?

Wine drinkers will be hit hardest by a proposal to ban cut-price alcohol promotions in supermarkets and off-licences, according to government-commissioned research published yesterday.

The Sheffield University study says a ban on discounts of more than 30%, such as “three for the price of two” offers, would affect wine consumption most, but have little effect on cheaper alcohol, such as lager and beers, selling for less than 30p a unit.

The research also shows that targeting price increases at cheaper types of alcohol, particularly in bars and pubs where at-risk groups such as younger people do most of their drinking, would have an impact without unduly penalising moderate drinkers. Read more…

What do we think of the happy hour ban? It sucks.

For information on boiler insurance and boiler repairs in your area, check out Boiler Insurance and Repairs.co.uk.

Boris Johnson’s London Vision

The London vision is still lacking, but Johnson has transformed the way the mayor is judged. And he has higher ambitions yet.

Boris Johnson has been mayor of London for six months: long enough to judge what kind of political leader he is becoming – and what his ambitions are. It is also sufficient time to discern longer-term trends within the Labour party as it picks itself up after last May’s grim local election results.

The first thing to note about the Johnson style is how different it is from his predecessor’s. Ken Livingstone operated a tightly knit mayor’s office and a quasi-Thatcherite economic policy, while his Conservative successor has a cabinet-style administration that has shifted its focus towards quality-of-life issues. Ken’s clique spoke only with its master’s voice, while those in Boris’s have their own identities. Read more…

For information on your local council check out Booct.co.uk, and to get the latest news on boiler insurance and emergency plumbers click now!

Boiler and heating grants for the over-60s – The new budget 2008

Pensioners who had been hoping for big increase in winter fuel payments were disappointed by yesterday’s pre-budget report, although there was other significant help for the over-60s.

Alistair Darling’s most eye-catching announcement was the news that all those in receipt of the state pension would get a Christmas bonus of £60 – the first increase for years. The one-off payment will also go to those on disability allowance, and others on similar benefits.

For those struggling with gas and electricity bills that have doubled in recent years, the chancellor resisted the temptation to increase winter fuel payments from their current level of £250 per pensioner household – £400 if one or more resident is aged over 80.

Instead he said he was giving an extra £100m to the Warm Front programme, which targets poorer households with grants to deliver energy efficiency measures, including new boilers and cavity wall and loft insulation. Around £50m of the agency’s existing allocation will also to be spent a year sooner than planned. Read more…

More information on boiler grants, technology and boiler insurance here!

A Local Plumbers Recommendation

We’ve had a mail from Joe Daniels, recommending A* local Plumbers, they appear to cover the Greater London and Hertfordshire area at the moment, but this is going to be expanded. Get in touch now on 0845 838 4647! Alternatively you can find them on this boiler insurance website.

Any other recommendations, give us a shout!!

Funny local council letter extracts

O dear...

Check out the now legendary council letters extracts, absolute genius! Here are a couple for you…

“Will you please send someone to mend the garden path. My wife tripped and fell on it yesterday and now she is pregnant.”

“This is to let you know that our lavatory seat is broken and we can’t get BBC2.”

Wow. More here…

Hello and Welcome to Local Community Services UK!

Welcome to the first post from the Local Community Services UK Blog, thanks for reading! We’ll be working to bring you the latest local UK news and services for all over the UK, with regular updates, video and more.

Have you got a problem locally, with your community or local council, or you want to talk about issues that effect you and those around you?  Well do get in touch and we’ll be happy to feature your thoughts.

Are you pleased with a particular local service or business and you want to tell the world? We love to hear positive stories about things that are going on in your area!

To kick things off, here is a pretty handy video from Google, explaining how to find local business information using their Google Maps tool.

Check out the following sponsors of Local Community Services UK

www.uk-boiler-insurance-and-repairs.co.uk, your one-stop site for tech specs on all UK CORGI boilers, boiler information and regulations, advice on boiler insurance and more.

www.booct.co.uk, excellent UK local listings site, with information on pubs, plumbers, recruitment agencies and more.

Your source for the latest Green and Eco lifestyle news and interviews.

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