As part of my duties as Deputy Mayor I attended a performance of a road safety play this morning at Plantation School in Halewood.

The play was an excellent way of teaching young children key road safety messages in a fun and engaging way. Over 80 children sat mesmerised and totally enthralled as the play unfolded with songs and dance keeping their attention.

The play is being performed at all Knowsley primary schools over the next five weeks and will help keep our excellent road safety record in good shape while helping safeguard our children.

On their way into the hall one young boy innocently asked when seeing me stood there in my Mayoral chains “Are you Tony Blair?”

“No, I’m the Deputy Mayor of Knowsley,” I replied, in a tone to suggest I was even more important than Mr Blair!!

The innocence of youth never fails to make me smile.

Halewood Town Council has sponsored the newly formed Halewood Town FC and become the club’s first shirt sponsor in a unique deal this season.

I joined the Mayor of Halewood - Cllr Harry Birch - before the team’s home match aganst Blue Line this weekend for a photo call with Manager Paul James and Club Captain Jimmy Eves to celebrate the deal.

Despite losing tneir first game the lads have since won 5-1, 5-2 1nd 5-1 and look set for a great start to their first ever season if they can keep up that winning streak!

While we are on the subject of football I was dismayed to learn that a motion to re-introduce standing terraces at football grounds was passed.

What a ridiculous proposal and clearly out of touch with the sensitivities of all those people who have seen loved ones injured and killed at stadia where things have gone wrong in the past.

I totally agree with Liverpool Council leader Warren Bradley when he says : “I think it’s ridiculous that we’ve got people moving these motions from places like Aylesbury where they’ve no experience of this.

“More terracing is a no-no and I will do everything I can to oppose any further moves to progress this.

“Look at the footage from Hillsborough, Heysel and Ibrox and then tell me you want to get rid of seating at football matches.”

 This is the kind of stupid policy motion that plays into the hands of our politcal opponents and will be used time and time again to try and show that the Lib Dems are out of touch, while many of our serious and ambitious policy programmes are overlooked and not given the oxygen of public debate that they deserve.

It was a shame I was not able to attend conference this year as I for one would have spoken out against this lunacy and ceertainly voted against the motion.