Richard Baum

I spent the weekend working on a motion for Council which I will be proposing on Wednesday, to do with the Post Office closure programme. We oppose the programme, which sees 2,500 more Post Offices close across the country, including another five in Bury I was typing away with one hand (my left one, as us left-handers tend to do…) whilst holding a gigantic Post Office publication in the other, which lists in staggering detail every fact and fancy about the closing Post Offices. So I will be speaking in support of the motion to stop the closures on Wednesday night, and if the mood takes me I shall read from the giant book.

This speech presents me with a problem because I have a cough, and as a result I can’t string more than two sentences together without collapsing into a heavy-breathing, spluttering wreck. This is doubly unfortunate because I absolutely love the sound of my own voice, and the thought of giving up an opportunity to hear it for eight or nine minutes depresses me greatly.

However, I will soldier on hoping that Mother Nature is a Liberal Democrat, and will cure what ails me. Her and Vick’s Vaporub, which I heard from a world renowned medical expert (my Dad) yesterday can be used as a cough-repellent if placed on the tongue and swallowed.

Also this week I will get to talk to a real life Australian person, when my oldest friend returns from his new home in Melbourne with his Antipodean girlfriend in tow. By “oldest friend” I mean longest standing friend. His age is, like mine, 27. Anyway, quite what the girlfriend will make of Bury town centre as opposed to the palm trees and tanned bodies of Oz is beyond me. But we do have the World Famous Market, whereas all they have is the set of Neighbours and a beach.

The weekend just gone saw a bit of leafleting in Besses in the rain, which was deeply unpleasant. It’s not a ward I am overly familiar with, and whereas in my home patch I can trudge, head-down, in the downpours, on unfamiliar ground I have to keep looking up to make sure I don’t walk into some street furniture. So I got a bit damp.

Us Lib Dems also had some festive frolics on Saturday night, when my Mum (who is our campaigner and candidate in Besses ward) had a birthday party cum housewarming. I shan’t reveal her age, but at least she now has a suitably warmed house. And more leftover food than I ever thought possible.

So anyway, that’s my immediate past and immediate future. And remember, the Council meeting on Wednesday night is open to the public, so just come along. You can even ask a question to the Leader and Cabinet, although this is probably the last time you’ll be allowed to do that. Of which more tomorrow…

Rick