“How was Cuba?” everyone is asking me, after my holiday there last Christmas. But I seem to be struggling to answer – or to know where to start.  After all, where else is the first person you meet called Vladimir, is everyone paid the same wage, and can you still see so much left-wing propaganda – or art – like ‘The Revolution is Irreversible’? Some of you might know the lure of the Caribbean… Especially as an escape from grey and cold...

Across the country, trading standards services are preparing for next year’s budget cuts – wondering how to spread ever-thinner resources, and what will be the impact on consumers. Some of the answers are greater risk assessment and prioritisation of activities, but staff and projects will also be lost in this austerity drive. Take Somerset, a service that expects cuts of £230,000 out of its £1.2m budget. “The lower end of our risk...

When the day came it wasn’t all bad news – but the devil will be very much in the detail, which will become apparent over the following weeks and months. Superfast broadband is to be piloted in four rural areas, and Sure Start funding is secure in cash terms. And pensioners will benefit from the continuation of free bus passes, eye tests and prescription charge, as well as Winter Fuel Payments and cold weather premiums – which will...

It’s easy to check the location and specifications of a house, but how can you assess an area’s community spirit – not just if the neighbours are friendly, but if people will get involved in David Cameron’s Big Society by helping deliver public services, setting up social enterprises, and tackling local issues? The Times – September 2010 I wanted to find somewhere like this when searching for a house in Oxford recently. So when my prospective...

Today’s technological age is creating opportunities for all of us – whether households, businesses or service providers.  But if you live in a rural area, you and your community are increasingly missing out. Here’s our roundup on rural broadband – its provision, impact and the government’s response. Rural Services Network – March 2010 Internet usage Internet usage in the UK has grown by over 500% during the last decade. There were 8m...

The big freeze is prompting councils to prioritise services. Take roads – the essential way most of us get about, whether by car or bus. Most councils have what is called a ‘precautionary network’, that they commit themselves to salting, and details of which they publish (grit is only used when supplies of salt are low). But what proportion of the local road network this covers varies hugely. Ruural Services Network – January 2010...