Author: James Anderson, FRSA, CMgr MCMI

My wife noticed as I sat down in my recliner that I had a pen and a clean sheet of paper in hand. “Are you making a to-do list?” she asked. “Why? There’s only one thing on your list.” True enough. Read more here: Click Here

From Monday January 19 to Wednesday January 21, all library buildings will be closed to customers; online services, including eLibrary platforms, will be unavailable; and phone renewals via the Customer Service Centre will be suspended. A report from Russell Allen, the county council’s head of service for libraries, heritage & adult learning, said the current IT system had been in place for 30 years. It added: “Major system changes require ‘downtime’ periods to enable the safe and secure transfer of data, and robust testing to ensure updated systems are working as expected. “It is standard practice in the libraries sector…

Officers told homeowners in the area to beware as a letter was posted through doors17:57, 20 Sep 2025Updated 16:12, 05 Nov 2025Police have told people in an area of L8 to be aware of car thefts(Image: Liverpool Echo)Merseyside Police has issued a warning to car owners in one area of the city. The force has posted a note to houses in the L8 area. A note shared with the ECHO, from someone who lives in the Dingle area, showed a letter urging people to be vigilant after a spate of reported car thefts.It said: “Car owners beware. This area has…

The Roebuck Inn, on Lewes Road, Laughton, an establishment dating back to the 15th century, has applied to convert its function room into a farm shop. The proposal outlines that the room, previously used for events, would be transformed into “a more commercially usable space, [a] farm shop.” An application explained the pub’s struggle to make its function room financially viable due to low attendance, despite numerous attempts with “themed nights.” The pub says its function room is underutilised (Image: Google) They said: “The change of use to a farm shop will create more employment in the area, supplying locally…

Doha, Qatar: Various parts of the country is witnessing rain of varying intensity, stated Qatar Meteorology Department.  In response to the weather department’s warning of sudden strong wind, thunder and showers, the Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation, Kahramaa, through social media has also shared essential safety tips to help residents and citizens avoid electrical hazards during rainy conditions.  Kahramaa advised community members to stay indoors as much as possible and avoid open areas.  It also emphasised the importance of unplugging any electrical appliances that comes into contact with water and refrain from handling them.  Meanwhile the weather department also…

New British nuclear power facilities like Hinkley Point C, above, and Sizewell C will require space to store waste (Picture: EDF Energy/AFP) Here’s a puzzle for you. Imagine you have enough ‘stuff’ to fill St Paul’s Cathedral to the brim five times over. This stuff is toxic to life on Earth. And it’s going to stay toxic for centuries. Where are you going to put it? It’s a question that has vexed experts ever since the world was yanked into the atomic age by US physicist J Robert Oppenheimer around 80 years ago. At first, it was military nuclear tests,…

The housing association property, owned by Places for People has been left for a year without flooring.Claire Wood will have been in South Bristol Rehabilitation unit run by Sirona Health and Care for two years on June 1.A disabled woman desperate to be discharged from hospital has suffered further delays after a company made mistakes installing new flooring at her home. SCS has apologised and the job has since been completed by a self-employed fitter.Claire Wood, who uses a wheelchair and registered blind, has been in hospital for two years longer than necessary because of a lack of suitable housing.…

Colin Revell discovered a love for art 30 years ago and currently spends his spare time painting scenes from around the city.  The 55-year-old’s work has featured at Art Fair East and the Royal Norfolk Show, and last year, he appeared on Sky Arts’ Landscape Artist of the Year.  A painting of New York submitted to the judges (Image: Colin Revell) The watercolour enthusiast from Norwich has now been nominated for the British Art Prize 2025, landing a spot in the final 50 out of nearly 3,000 people who entered across the country.  “I never enter competitions, but I wanted to…

  With UK households currently paying around 6.29p per kWh for gas and 26.35p per kWh for electricity, small losses in thermal efficiency can translate into hundreds of pounds a year in wasted energy, particularly in poorly performing homes.    Specialists are warning that a commonly overlooked roof issue could be quietly driving up heating demand and household energy bills.    While a well-maintained pitched roof should last 40-60 years and flat roofs around 20-30 years, experts say moss, algae and organic debris are significantly reducing roof lifespan and undermining insulation performance.    Often dismissed as cosmetic, moss acts like…

A man who stole a bike from outside Waitrose, in Hove, has been banned from scores of shops across Sussex. Nathan Lee, 48, stole the £450 bike belonging to Hove actress Petra Massey from outside the store, in Nevill Road, on Sunday 10 August. The next day he stole sweets worth more than £200 in two raids on the Co-op, in Southwick Square, Southwick. He also repeatedly targeted Sainsbury’s, at Lyons Farm, Worthing, stealing several hundred pounds of meat, drink and other goods. Sussex Police said: “A prolific shop thief has been banned from entering major retailers across Sussex after…