freedom now london bangla 020710

8/9/2019 Freedom Now London Bangla 020710

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02 - 08 July 2010 04

Town halls have been informed that council league tables have beenformally scrapped by the new Government.Communities and Local Government Secretary Eric Pickles wrote tocouncil leaders informing them he had called an end toComprehensive Area Assessments (CAA).Acting on a coalition pledge to remove the "bureaucratic levers of the  past", he has instructed the local government watchdogs to end thecontroversial reporting process.

The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG)said independent research suggested it would save councils on average£1.8 million each. It is also expected to save the Audit Commission£10 million a year.In place of the inspections regime, Mr Pickles wants increasedtransparency by authorities to ensure that standards are maintained as"armchair auditors" hold council chiefs to account.The CAA was conducted by the Audit Commission in co-ordinationwith Ofsted, the Care Quality Commission, HM Inspectorate of Probation, HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and HM Inspectorate of Prisons. The DCLG said that the watchdogs' powers to conductinspections at their own discretion, in particular in cases of failingauthorities, would not be affected.Mr Pickles said: "Today I have instructed town hall watchdogs to stoptying the hands of council workers with unnecessary red tape and paperwork. "It is much more important for the public to know whattheir councils are doing than having thousands of hush-hush, unseen papers being sent back and forth between Whitehall bureaucrats andthe town hall. We are already pushing power as far away fromWhitehall as we can and calling on councils to throw open their booksto create much more cost effective and efficient local public services."

Council leaguetables scrapped

The government's proposals toreduce local government fundingwill "hammer the poor", shadowcommunities and local governmentsecretary John Denham has warned.Opening a Commons debate on 29June 2010, Mr Denham said someof the poorest areas would see their spending cut by the highestamounts.Communities Secretary Eric Pickleswas absent from the chamber attending a cabinet meeting inBradford, but Mr Denham said hewas "disappointed" Mr Pickles "hasnot bothered to turn up to thisdebate".He added: "The truth is of coursethat he is too scared to be here. Tooscared to explain the series of  blunders he has already made over these cuts."Former local government secretary

Mr Denham said Salford loses"twice as much" as its more affluentneighbouring authority Trafford.In London, Newham "the sixthmost deprived borough in thecountry" loses £4.6m but Richmondloses less than £1m, he told MPs.But Communities and LocalGovernment Minister Grant Shappsrejected the opposition's chargesand accused Labour of leaving thecoalition a "toxic legacy of debt"under their "scorched earth policy".He said: "We need to tighten our  belts and it's right to expect localauthorities to play their part in that process."The change in government offeredthe chance to decentralise power and put local people "back in thedriving seat", he said.

Local governmentcuts will 'hammer'poorer areas

The eminent Indian musicianAashish Khan will play anexclusive concert at theBharatiya Vidya Bhavan inWest Kensington, London, onFriday July 9 at 7pm.Aashish Khan is among the tophandful of India’s greatestliving sarode players and is arecipient of Government of India's highest honour in  performing arts, the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award. He will

only play one concert inLondon and will be supported by several other internationallyrenowned artists on the tabla,sarangi and sitar.This rare opportunity to see theGrammy award nominatedartist has been organised bySarah Wraight from HarbertonRoad in Archway, Camden, toraise funds and awareness for agrass-roots charity whichsupports women and childrenaffected by sexual exploitation,forced prostitution andtrafficking in India.The charity, called Guria, has  been close to Sarah’s heartsince she returned from sixweeks volunteering inVaranasi, India, last summer.

“It was a life-changingexperience”, she said. “I got toknow everyone who wasinvolved with the charity, andsaw first-hand the amazingwork that they do.”Sarah, who works for aconsultancy in the charitysector, spent time working ateducation centres in India thatwere set up by Guria. Thecharity also provides food,shelter, medical help and legaladvice to the women andchildren they support.“As soon as I returned toEngland, I knew I had to do

whatever I could to help”,Sarah said. “As little as £5 will pay for a child’s attendance toGuria’s education centres for one month, but more thananything I hope the concert willhelp to raise awareness of thecause, which doesn’t get muchattention.”Tickets are £15 each, availableon 0207 381 3086 with 100%of the profits going to Guria.For more information visit thecharity’s website atwww.guria-uk.org or contactsarahwraight@guria-uk.org

Freedom Now! Aashish Khan to playone-off charity concertin London on July 9th

C O M M U N I T Y N E W S

Flight

 Ahmed Tours & Travels Ltd  Hajj 2010

275 High Road Leyton, London, E10 5QN

T: 020 7078 7399 T: 020 8532 8855www.ahmedtours.com sale@ahmedtours.com

limited

seats

 Departure 10 NOV 2010 Arrival 6 DEC 2010

 Flight Yes

 Hajj visa Yes

 Hajj draft Yes

 Aziziyah  Normal standard hotel

 Makkah hotel 5* Safwah Towers

 Madinah hotel  5* Movenpick Madinah

 Full transport  As arranged by Hajj Ministry

 Ziyarat  Both Makkah and Madinah

 Food  Full board 

[no food in Muzdhalifah]Qurbani Yes

 Mina  European tents with mattress

and pillow

Guidance Yes

 Pre Hajj seminar Yes

 Additional items  Du’a book and Hajj DVD