Euro MP's joke book under fire
HOUSEHOLDERS in Ashbourne planning to get stuck into spring cleaning are being
urged to think green.
Derbyshire County Council wants residents to consider whether belongings they no longer want could be given a new lease of life.
The authority points out that charities accept a range of items such as unwanted clothes,
bric-a-brac, CDs and mobile phones.
There are also several furniture re-use projects across the county, some of which collect for free.
For more information about reusing and recycling call 08456 058058 or visit
A PROPOSED book of Euro jokes by local Lib Dem MEP Bill Newton Dunn has come under fire from the Tories.
Bill Newton Dunn is asking Euro MPs from across the EU for jokes from their countries, aiming to publish the best.
But fellow East Midlands MEP Roger Helmer reckons it's no laughing matter.
The Conservative said: "With the economy in meltdown, the Euro currency under terrible strain, the EU at loggerheads over a response to the economic crisis, and constituents across the East Midlands worried about jobs and bankruptcies and home repossessions, it could be that a joke book is just the tonic we need!
"But I wonder if as an MEP, Bill should perhaps have more important concerns to keep him busy. At the end of the day, perhaps we shouldn't be too surprised. The Lib Dems always were a bit of a joke."
Mr Newton Dunn told Ashbourne News Online his project was 'harmless fun'.
"What about a little joy in life?" he said. "In the bars in the European Parliament, in queues, over meals, people tell jokes. I have fun collecting them."
Shake-up for town's taxi service
Views sought on future of town
Take the plunge without splashing out
ASHBOURNE residents and visitors are hailing an improved taxi service after a new policy came into force on April 1.
Derbyshire Dales District Council has carried out a major review of the taxi operation it licenses in a bid to create a more accessible and environmentally-friendly service.
Key improvements include vehicle emission standards, fuel types, crime and disorder implications and ways to improve the health and safety of passengers.
From now hackney carriage and private-hire vehicles that successfully apply for a licence will be marked with a new Derbyshire Dales District Council insignia on the front doors.
The new policy – which includes the findings of an independent transport survey - also encourages the use of newer vehicles, supporting the council’s policies for a greener environment.
The chairman of the council’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee, Councillor Carol Valentine, said: “Our new policy demands standards that favour the most responsible operators - those that go about their business professionally, displaying sensitivity to the needs of residents and also visitors to the Derbyshire Dales.”
Copyright Ashbourne News Online 2009
