THE extra council tax bill to pay for policing is to rise by £10 to £15 a year for most households despite a bid by two Tory councillors to block it. Wyre politicians Cllr Roger Berry and Cllr Peter Le Marinel said the cost was too high for hard-pressed residents. But the Lancashire Police and Crime Panel this morning backed the recommendation of police commissioner Clive Grunshaw for a 7.1 per cent rise adding £10 to the annual bill of a Band A terraced houses and £15 for a Band D family home. He said he was following government guidance over the increase from April 1 to pay for 153 extra officers but branded the system of financing policing ‘flawed, unfair and unjust’ and disadvantaged counties like Lancashire with smaller homes.
TWO coronavirus victims have spoken out about catching the infection and how fast it spreads within the family. Pendle residents Sarah Bradshaw and Janet Philbrook Parkinson experienced first-hand how quickly Covid-19 after being infected over the Christmas period. They have reminded people how important it is to remain vigilant and follow the national regulations. Mrs Bradshaw, 33, a marketing manager who lives in Higham, experienced the first signs of the virus on Christmas Eve. She said: “My eyes were aching, so much so that I had to turn the lights off. I thought it was just a bit of a headache and didn t really think much more of it.
Let s Do It for Pendle campaign PENDLE Council has received £90,000 to encourage those most at risk from the coronavirus to have the vaccine. It is one of 60 councils and voluntary organisations in England to receive a share of the £23.73m government funding. A community champions scheme will now be developed to ensure that accurate health information reaches people of all ages and backgrounds across Pendle, including Barnoldswick and Earby. The council will work with a number of organisations including Building Bridges Pendle; charities; schools and colleges and faith groups. Barnoldswick Councillor David Whipp, deputy leader of Pendle Council, said: “The vaccination will save lives so it’s vitally important we bust the myths around it .