David Miliband faces questions over his use of £2,000-an-hour RAF jets after it was revealed he has travelled on the Queen’s Flight – military aircraft usually reserved for the Royal Family’s use – at least 16 times in the past year.

Cabinet Office rules say Ministers should use the planes only when no scheduled service is available.
The planes Mr Miliband used are based at RAF Northolt in West London and are part of 32 (The Royal) Squadron, which provides transport for the Queen, members of her family and senior military officers.
Eleven senior Royals are allowed to use the special flights – the Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh, the Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall, the Duke of York, the Earl and Countess of Wessex, the Princess Royal, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and the Duke of Kent.
The Foreign Office was unable to say how much Mr Miliband’s journeys had cost the taxpayer.
However, the Royal Household accounts revealed that the hourly rate for use of the four-engined BAe 146, which Mr Miliband used five times, is £2,342. BA Business Class flights from London to Paris start at £319.

Mr Miliband’s travel arrangements were posted on the Foreign Office website in response to a Freedom of Information inquiry by a member of the public. The code says: ‘Non-scheduled flights may be authorised when a scheduled service is not available, or when it is essential to travel by air, but the requirements of official or parliamentary business or security considerations preclude the journey being made by a scheduled service.’
At the time, the Tories had accused Labour of using the Queen’s Flight as a ‘private taxi service’.
Since becoming Foreign Secretary in June last year, Mr Miliband has used the Queen’s aircraft for trips to 13 European destinations.

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Beaches extend throughout the entire world. Choosing a place for your family vacation may seem daunting at first. The beaches available differ extremely from one side of the country to the next. For example you have beaches in Juneau, Alaska that are primarily made of rock. If you visit anywhere in Florida you’re going to find white sandy beaches. Below are a few of the top beaches your family might want to visit.

Beach Vacation Destination: Hawaii

Maui is number one on the list. Maui has a wide spread of beach and plenty of hotels to choose from. If your hobbies include golf you might want to check out the Kapalua Resort. Guests at this hotel receive lower golf rates than non-guests; this is just one of the perks. The actual hotel at Kapalua Resort is name Kapalua Bay Hotel. The resort also includes Kapalua villas and the Ritz- Carlton Kapalua. If golf is not your passion you might look towards the Napili Kai Beach Resort, which is one bay over from Kapalua Resort. This resort is a low-rise family oriented place offering comfortable beachfront condos. One of family oriented programs is the complimentary children’s program for those ages 6 to 12.

The island of Molokai is mostly uninhabited by tourists, making there beaches prime areas to spend some quiet time with your family. To reach this island you have to take a ferry or fly by plane from Honolulu. The island is ideal for those who like the outdoors with some adventure attached.

Beach Vacation Destination: Florida

Leaving the islands of Hawaii we have beaches in the United States worth visiting. The beaches of Florida is number two on our list. Deciding just where to go in Florida is the difficult; you have the Keys, Palm Beach, Orlando, and the Gulf of Mexico. Key West is a spot to hit if your heading down the keys, with the rich culture and diversity you won’t be bored. There are plenty of hotels, restaurants, and beaches to sun on. A popular place in Palm Beach Florida is the Breakers Hotel with ½ mile of sandy beach, a spa, and golf course. There is also a separate pool for the kids, a family entertainment center, and of course a kid’s program. Moving a little further north and inland is Orlando. While it may seem strange that Orlando would have beaches, they do, like the Loews Hard Rock Hotel. This hotel offers miles of white sandy beach and amusement rides including a 240-foot slide.

Beach Vacation Destination: California

Heading back west we have the beaches of sunny California. One such resort is the Hotel Del Coronado. This hotel offers many different facilities for families, including kayak, surfing, and tennis lessons.

Whether your family decides to head over the Pacific for a gorgeous spot on the Hawaiian Islands or some place a little closer to home you won’t have trouble finding the perfect beach resort. Even if your search takes you to a little known vacation spot for the perfect beach you will enjoy your family’s beach vacation. Check out www.aragloco.com for more destinations.

A Gloucestershire man has been arrested after dialling 999 to complain about being overcharged by a taxi driver.

The 23-year-old then made a second call claiming he would set himself on fire and police cars, an ambulance and fire crew went to his Mickleton home.

The man has been fined £80 for wasting police time with the calls, which officers said was “deeply frustrating”.

Source

(Storey from crewe.vitalfootball)
We were asked a whole host of questions and the answers were printed in the September edition of the magazine (out now). Due to space our complete (or indeed correct) answers didn’t make it to print so we’ve decided to give you the chance to see the answers in full right here (at the bottom of the article). The questions were asked well over a month ago however and opinions have since changed.

It was interesting to note other fans’ views. For instance, only Bristol Rovers and Yeovil in League One ‘admired’ Nicky Maynard, whilst Anthony Elding is despised by Hereford. Falkirk’s terrace favourite is a certain Micheal Higdon (who’d have thought it?). More interestingly however is the fact Damian Spencer is the one player the Cheltenham fan(s) would happily drive to his next club. Well, at least the taxi was arranged for that proposed transfer in January.

Read the full storey here

Hackney Carriage and private hire drivers across Cheltenham are signing up to complete a National Vocational Qualification in Road Passenger Vehicle Driving (RPVD) in conjunction with Herefordshire College of Technology. Based on a new initiative by the government to set standards for taxi drivers, Cheltenham drivers will complete a fully comprehensive assessment, whilst at work, to prove that they are safe and efficient at their jobs. Under the Train to Gain scheme Herefordshire College of Technology are offering the chance to complete the course with full funding* whilst it is available.

This comes at a time when Cheltenham Borough Council is driving new projects forward to make Cheltenham a safer place to live.

Trevor Gladding, the council’s community safety and licensing manager, is supporting the scheme believing it will enhance the already high standards of the taxi profession that many of us use every day: “The scheme will assist the general public in feeling more secure when travelling in a taxi and will be particularly helpful with the drivers who are involved in the night time economy.”

Councillor Andrew McKinlay, cabinet member for sport and safety said: ”I would urge Cheltenham’s licensed drivers to take advantage of this excellent opportunity, which is voluntary and can be fully funded. The qualification will demonstrate the skills and experience of our drivers. It will also ensure that people have an enjoyable journey and reach their destinations safely.”

With over 160 drivers already on board Sara Thompson, from Herefordshire College of Technology, believes that other drivers will follow suit as awareness is raised in the town. She says: “This can only be seen as a very positive step towards the safety of the general public and any drivers wishing to sign up can contact me directly to discuss the NVQ further.”

*if learners meet the Train to Gain eligibility criteria

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