On this page you will find odd bits of information that do not fall into any category but are linked to from another area o our site.

Independents Day
Evening Mail Headlines 2nd Mail
We would first like to thank all those that voted Anti Academy on Thursday.
Independent Candidates standing against the Academy took Key Labour and Conservative seats in the Borough Council Elections on Thursday night.
 4 out of 6 of OSANFS Candidates won seats in key wards where the Academy plan threatens most.
The strongest message was evident in Hawcoat where Jack Richardson crawled to get in in third place by ONE VOTE (720) and that was after four recounts !!! It seems as though his popularity with the people of Barrow has seriously taken a kicking! Maybe he should now stand down....after all is that not what Jack asked OSANFS if we lost at the elections?
Clearly the fact that Mike Stephenson was 142 clear with 922 and Jack Richardson crawling in in third place and with Bill Joughin being knocked down to 4th by a 20 year old mum, must show this town has had enough of councillors not taking peoples views seriously and ridiculing them in Chambers as Bill Joughin did over the Arthur Street issue and as Jack has done with the Academy.

In Parkside we now have three sitting councillors against the Academy Jim Jefferson and Lisa Hammond along with Don McCavish (Lib Dem) all three were miles ahead of the nearest Pro Academy Conservative and Labour candidates.
In Newbarns, Phil Sollaway OSANFS Candidate sits against the Academy.

All OSANFA Independent Candidates elected will act totally independent on any other issue put to them but will stand together with others against the Academy issue.

What now..... the fight goes on.. It is now time to hold your Councillors to their word. The Conservatives have said they will represent your views on the Academy..So ask them what they will do and how they will represent your views if their policy is for the Academy how they can represent your views ??? Write to them pressure them into making a statement.

First Place Choice Denied by Carlisle Council ...
The Cumberland News of 7 March reports that hundreds of parents have been foiled in their attempt to keep their children out of the town’s two academies that will open this September.
More than 250 families have been denied their first choice school with many also denied their second and third choices. The rejected schools are St Aidan’s, North Cumbria Technology College and Morton schools that all still have plenty of spare places but no takers. These are the schools that will be handed over to millionaire sponsors to become academies.
What has come as a shock to many Carlisle parents is that even living in the catchment areas of other schools has not been enough to get their children in and so avoid the academies.