FAIRBAIRN Private Bank has announced its strongest opening quarter for new business since the financial crisis began in 2008.

The bank says it has been led by several new multi-million pound client mandates and widened access to the business’s discretionary investment management services, through the inclusion of a new range of collective investment funds.

Greg Horton, managing director of Fairbairn Private Bank, said: ‘New business levels are certainly growing at a pace.

‘While one must always be careful about reading too much into short-term indicators, it is reassuring to see such vibrant new business levels continuing following the very strong growth in our headline earnings in 2011.

‘Further evidence of this growth lies in an ongoing year-on-year comparison around the level of assets on our award-winning integrated banking and investment platform, Focus.

‘These had showed an impressive year-on-year increase in the opening quarter of 2011, but they are up again by over 17 per cent year-on-year in the opening quarter of 2012.’

Total assets held on Focus, according to Mr Horton, have grown by over a third since the financial crisis commenced and now approach £1.75bn.

In addition to the consistent drive towards richer functionality and greater flexibility, Mr Horton also credits the business’s strong performance to his team.

Mr Horton said: ‘Throughout these difficult times the team have maintained their integrity and passion and never wavered from their commitment to do what is right for the client.

‘As wealth managers our clients require us to deliver attractive risk-adjusted returns over the long term and our highly experienced private banking team work closely with our clients and professional intermediaries to deliver just that.

‘As bankers our clients require us to provide a secure home in which they can place their wealth – with no toxic assets or sovereign debt issues on our balance sheet, and a very strong parent company who can also boast the same, we can also deliver that requirement.’

It is certainly proving a winning formula as Mr Horton confirms that so far this year 87 per cent of new accounts opened resulted from client referrals.

He explained: ‘Being represented in five different geographic locations certainly presents its challenges in demanding times, but equally it provides a robust and stable platform for our clients and offers the business greater diversification of earnings.

‘For example in 2010 our UK operation posted the strongest total business growth rates, whereas in 2011 Jersey and Isle of Man took their place at the head of the field. It is particularly pleasing to see that while all these locations feature strongly in the opening quarter of 2012, that in line with this diversification, it is now the contribution from our South African colleagues that shows the most significant increase in this year’s opening quarter.

‘With our latest office in the Middle East having just opened in Dubai, we are looking forward to its growing contribution as the year unfolds and in support of the new Basel III regulations, we will be looking to deliver greater capital efficiencies later this year. This, together with the recent launch of our exciting range of wealth management solutions, will see us even more strongly positioned for growth as we enter 2013.’

While Mr Horton is not marking the end of the current long, drawn out financial crisis across the developed world, from the evidence of Fairbairn Private Bank’s own operations he is clearly feeling confident, and comments that he, together with his team, can look forward to an exciting future. He reiterates that it is the passion, commitment and, most of all, the integrity of his team that will continue to define their business operations.

This announcement from Fairbairn Private Bank follows a number of awards that the business has already achieved this year, including a top ranking within the UK’s Best Companies Accreditation and for the eighth consecutive year, a placing within the top 100 ranking of The Sunday Times Best Small Companies to Work For.

CONCERNS about the scale and impact of a plan to build 68 flats at Summerhill Quarry, in Douglas, were raised at a planning inquiry into the application.

The inquiry was led by independent planning inspector Ruth MacKenzie, who will produce a report for the Council of Ministers.

Holden Properties Ltd has applied (11/01091/B) to build 68 two-bedroom flats, including 15 affordable units and parking.

Mark Savage, of Savage & Chadwick Architects, said the development would create a positive back drop to the Douglas promenades conservation area.

But objectors at the inquiry – residents in nearby properties in Summerhill Grove, Summerhill Place, and Strathallan Crescent – as well as representatives of land owners at the top of the cliff, raised their fears.

One of their main concerns was the stability of the rock face, and the impact of development on it. And they were concerned a detailed plan for how the cliff would be stabilised had not yet been completed.

A report by Geo-Projects, on behalf of Holden Properties, states further detailed investigation was needed to assess the cliff. Measures to stabilise it could include rockbolting, removing loose and overhanging blocks, and meshing.

Mr Savage said the cliff’s stability was not an issue to be taken lightly.

Only 2,920 sq/m of open space is provided for; the requirement is 4,352 sq/m.

Mr Savage said: ‘We can’t physically provide any more on site otherwise we would have done. We think this is fair and reasonable.’ He said the firm was willing to pay a commuted sum in relation to the shortfall.

Parking provision falls below the two spaces per flat normally required by nine spaces. Ian Ladbrooke of traffic consultants Sanderson Associates said 11 motorcycle and 11 bicycle spaces would also be provided, and the development was in reasonable walking distance of existing bus routes.

Residents were concerned there would be extra traffic at the junction from Summer Hill on to Douglas promenades, particularly in the morning rush hour. Wendy Leece, of Summerhill Place, criticised the transport assessment for not taking into account the impact of Bemahague secondary school, due to open in Onchan in September.

Mr Ladbrooke said the junction’s capacity was acceptable.

Policy states 25 per cent of new-build flats should be affordable housing. Mr Savage said the firm was happy to pay a commuted sum to the Department of Social Care in relation to the shortfall.

Dr Richard Selman, of the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture, asked for planning conditions about protected species on the cliff – peregrine falcons and lizards – as well as bats, if they are found. An offer was made to install nesting boxes for the falcons and remove a roof terrace.

67: The future’s bright...

More phone woes. It all started so innocently, a call from our friendly telecoms provider. ‘We’ve noticed you’re self-employed, have you considered our attractive business packages?’ Well no, actually, I’ve been too busy rustling up dinners for a dozen or so starving skiers and running them to and from the slopes twice a day for the last 5 months, but dangle the prospect of a smart new live-box (the last one is only months old) and I’m hooked. The clincher is the inclusive free calls to the UK; the Boss has unaccountable urges to actually speak with our offspring every blue moon and consequently has learnt to absent herself from the chalet when the tell-tale ‘facture orange’ clunks onto the mat. But I’ve been caught before; will this actually cost me any more, I warily ask? No sir, you’ll be in exactly the same position, just electronically sign here.... There’s one born every minute.

All is quiet for a couple of weeks then things start to happen; I migrate seamlessly to a smart compte-pro on the provider’s website and waste a couple of hours playing with the new bells and whistles. Then day 2, I can’t log in and the nightmare starts; long frustrating hours in automated queues before some technocrat relents and resets my password for me. A week later he calls back, just a courtesy call, is everything OK? Well it’s not actually, I’m glad you’ve called, the card payment machine’s playing up and I have rather a lot of payments to put through. Well Sir, that would be because you can’t actually use a card machine with your new contract, and the line it uses has been terminated. WHAT!? Well that’s not actually a word for word transcription but you get the flavour. Mr Technician hastily decides this is a matter for Sales and bails out..

The next week or so is purgatory laced with classic French farce. I have a number of help-lines to chose from; each produces a menu of options. Chose the wrong option and you’re referred to their website and the call is terminated. Hampton Court has nothing on this maze but with practice I learn a route through and can actually queue for assistance; this is best done sitting on the toilet or making meringues (not both together) with the phone on handsfree. When eventually connected, language remains a barrier. Bitter experience has taught me to prefix each exchange: ‘Excuse me, I don’t speak good French, could you please speak slowly?’ but I may as well save my breath – I must be pronouncing it too well thus belying the words. One frustrating exchange ended with the man at the other end referring me in desperation to their English Language Service; progress you would think, but nothing of the sort; when we eventually hooked up her English was worse than my French (no easy task) and in any case she was unable to help – I needed to speak to Sales!! Expletive deleted.....

Finally I start to get to the nub of the problem; the contract I have unwittingly signed up to makes no provision for card machines (so not much use to your average trader then). So why given that you have full access to my phone history was I sold the package? Well Sir, she tells me with disarming frankness, we have out-sourced commercial sales and have had a few complaints recently... You don’t say. The problem is, your old tariff no longer exists and can’t be reinstated and if we start again it may be 3 weeks before you have an internet connection.... A full and frank exchange of views and I’m moved up to manager level. A deal is brokered where I get a new all-singing/dancing service INCLUDING a line for the card-machine at the rate I was previously paying. A happy ending, I think, and trot off to tell the Boss how her man has triumphed against adversity. So what about the TV? she asks - I should add she has never watched French TV in her life, but as she has rightly pointed out, TV access was included in our cancelled contract and Orange did stump up half the cost of our satellite dish. Back through the maze and could you possibly tack TV access onto that deal? Well no, that’s not possible Sir and suddenly no-one’s returning calls and I’m back in that nightmare...

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HEALTH Minister David Anderson says he is concerned that statistics on breast cancer cases could be misused to ‘reignite unjustified fears’ about the island’s breast care services.

He questioned the motives of Douglas East MHK Brenda Cannell in asking a House of Keys question about the numbers of breast cancer cases received in the 12 months to April this year and how many of these had resulted in mastectomy or breast reconstruction on or off-island.

In his written reply, he said: ‘I do wonder what value you expect to derive from these statistics because a diagnosis of breast cancer can result in a wide range of clinical outcomes.

‘I would be very concerned at any attempt to misuse these statistics to reignite unjustified fears about breast surgery services which were raised in the minds of the Manx public last year.’

The minister was referring to the row over the appointment of a new breast care surgeon that dominated the news this year.

When the Department of Health announced it would be advertising for the permanent post of a general surgeon with an interest in breast care, critics, led in the Keys by Mrs Cannell, argued this would undermine the breast care service. Campaigners set up the Isle of Man Breast Cancer Action Group.

Minister Anderson accused Mrs Cannell of hijacking the issue as a ‘political football’ ahead of the general election.

He insists that following the appointment of Millie Bello to the post as of February 1 together with the introduction of a sentinel node biopsy service and a planned breast reconstruction service in the island, the breast care service has been significantly enhanced.

In his written reply, he said that as predicted, the number of new breast cancers diagnosed in the island had fallen from a temporary peak of 93 patients recorded in 2010, following the introduction of the breast call and recall screening programme, to the current level of 63.

He said this is a similar number to those detected prior to the introduction of screening.

Mr Anderson added: ‘We do anticipate a slow year on year increase in the number of breast cancer diagnoses in line with the general trend in the rest of Europe and have configured our breast service to deal with this expected trend.’

He said of the 63 recorded cases, 18 patients has so far undergone a mastectomy.

Of these 18, three had received breast reconstruction on-island, all of these since March 1 this year. Statistics for off-island reconstruction are not readily available. He said some patients attending UK trusts for surgery may well have undergone delayed reconstruction, and been diagnosed some considerable time ago.

I HOPE my old friend and fellow songster Mr Geoff Corkish MHK (he forces me to sing while nobody can force him not to) is keeping abreast of the latest on global warming as political member of the Department of Economic Development with responsibility for tourism.

It appears that the good old days of the Manx visiting industry, when it was a disastrous summer season if we didn’t have at least half-a-million happy holidaymakers arriving from May to September for their statutory fortnights, are on their way back.

The British Isles are predicted to be sunnily sub-tropical by 2050 and it will be too hot to package it down to British-occupied Spain.

A new UK Government report on climate change says: ‘Hotter summers and warmer year-round temperatures may make the UK more attractive for foreign and domestic holidaymakers.’

Now it’s clear that Mr Corkish will not be in office to see these things happen in 40 years’ time, no more than I will still be doing a column in the Examiner, for the same money let me add. But we can consider what’s going to happen...

In Douglas the town council will have to find out what it’s done with all its hundreds of beach deckchairs. We will have to build new fleets of rowing boats for hire. And if anybody has any donkeys with beach skills they should let the authorities know now.

As for the horse trams, there will be no chance any more of the corporation trying to flog them off to the government.

Unfortunately, however, the Isle of Man’s summer tourist industry of the mid-21st century will enforce some unwelcome changes.

All those empty apartments on Douglas seafront will have to be demolished to make way for new boarding houses. I regret to say that the TT will have to be dumped; we can’t have all those bikes and bikers cluttering up the place for two weeks in June.

We will also have to expand Ronaldsway Airport to make way to the super-jets of 2050. This will mean demolishing Castletown and Castle Rushen. As for the Steam Packet Company it will have to face up to buying a new boat or two.

But let us pause for a moment and think things through even more thoroughly on the downside. There will be the likes of Spaniards and Italians and Turks wanting to get away from the searing heat that’s coming to where they now live. They will seek to have second homes in more temperate climes as history reverses itself back into the 20th century.

They will be building villas with swimming pools all the way up the lower slopes of Snaefell. They will insist on good Manx restaurants having to serve them the foreign muck they insist on eating. They will insist on not even trying to speak Manx, the language of their host country. In fact they will be in sufficient numbers to wipe out Manx language and history and culture.

The history of the Isle of Man will be turned back a hundred years. We will be back in the tempestuous days of the New Residents.

Bring back Fo Halloo I say.

• A READER has asked, anonymously, if the Bishop of Sodor and Man, is on Faith Book. Er, you mean the Bible?

• MY regular and also anonymous contributor in Laxey sends me a page from a copy of the Examiner saying: ‘It always strikes me as defeatism for the Samaritans to advertise in the same column as funeral directors.’

A CHARITY is to donate a potentially life-saving defibrillator to every island high school and football club.

Craig’s Heartstrong Foundation was prompted to make the generous £31,500 donation following the high profile cases of Bolton midfielder Fabrice Muamba, 24, who collapsed with a heart attack during an FA Cup quarter final against Tottenham last month and the tragic death of Italian player Piermario Morosini, 25, who suffered a fatal cardiac arrest during a Serie B game on April 14.

An order was placed on Friday for 35 Zoll AED Plus defibrillators, at a cost of £900 each.

They are expected to be delivered early next week and during the next couple of weeks they will be donated to each of the island’s 26 football clubs and every high school. One will also be donated to the Isle of Man Football Association for use at the Bowl in Douglas.

The charity’s chairman Paul Healey, 34, said: ‘These defibrillators will undoubtedly save lives. Each week in the UK 12 young people die from an undiagnosed heart condition. As a charity we hear this sort of thing week in, week out but the collapse of Muamba and the death of the Italian footballer has brought it to the forefront of everyone’s mind.’

Craig’s Heartstrong Foundation was set up following the death of talented young Manx footballer Craig Lunt from an undiagnosed heart defect in April 2005 at the age of just 25.

It funds two heart screening sessions a year for island residents aged between 14 and 35 to detect any abnormalities and prevent Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS).

Paul, who was Craig Lunt’s best friend, said: ‘These machines are high tech and easy to use. You don’t have to be qualified to use them. The defibrillators actually talk you through the process so anyone with the slightest bit of knowledge will be able to use them.

‘We’ve already saved lives with the screening sessions we’ve organised on the island and we want to make sure that every football club and every high school has at least the possibility of saving someone’s life.’

And Paul said the charity was not stopping with football clubs and was considering future further donations of defibrillators to the island’s rugby and cricket clubs and the Cycling Association.

Individuals and groups around the island hold fundraising events for Craig’s Heartstrong Foundation, but the charity’s main fundraiser is its annual sportsmen’s dinner, the next one of which will be held at the Palace Hotel in Douglas on May 11, when the guest speaker will be Anfield legend Phil Thompson, with tickets priced at £50, which are available from Paul on 460918.

The next heart screening sessions will be at the Sefton Hotel in Douglas on November 24 and 25. You can book a screening closer to the time via {http://www.craigsheartstrongfoundation.co.uk|www.craigsheartstrongfoundation.co.uk}.

Fabrice Muamba has made a miraculous recovery since he collapsed on the pitch on March 17.

COMPLETED with a customised call sign M-HHHH and VIP interior this Airbus 318 is the latest corporate jet – and one of the largest and most expensive – to go on the Manx aircraft register.

It touched down at Ronaldsway for a few hours last week for paperwork to be completed before heading off again to its new home in Moscow.

The brand new aircraft was manufactured in Hamburg from where its wealthy owner took delivery of it on Thursday. That same day it landed in the island as the 472nd plane to join the Manx aircraft register.

Director of civil aviation at the Aircraft Register Hartley Elder said: ‘It’s much bigger than the average aircraft on the Manx register.

‘To resolve taxation issues, the aircraft had to fly outside the EU and then back in. The first place it landed was the Isle of Man [which is treated as being in the EU for VAT purposes].

‘It was on the ground at Ronaldsway for a few hours before it took off again for Moscow.’

Mr Elder said the client would have paid extra for the customised call sign M-HHHH.

It is estimated that the Airbus, complete with its VIP interior, would cost in excess of £100 million to purchase.

The Airbus is a medium-range jet airliner that can carry 132 passengers, but in line with registry rules will not be allowed to operate commercially.

Appleby in the island was involved with the latest addition to the Manx register as corporate service provider for the new owner.

THE Steam Packet Company’s return Liverpool sailing will go ahead as scheduled this afternoon (Wednesday).

The fastcraft Manannan is due to leave Douglas at 3pm and will return from Liverpool at 7.15pm.

The Steam Packet had warned of possible disruption/cancellation to the sailing due to the weather forecast.

Today’s return Heysham sailing was cancelled.

The Manannan is covering passenger and car services while the Ben-my-Chree is in dry dock for its biennial statutory overhaul.

Tomorrow’s Manx Independent previews the biggest game in Manx football for six years as the Isle of Man prepares to take on Jersey in the FA Inter-League Cup final.

We have the latest twists in the ongoing row following the sacking of two MHKs from the Department of Education and Children.

Plus we reveal the latest big name band lined up to play at the Villa Marina.

The Manx Independent is in shops first thing tomorrow morning.

A PRISON protest which involved a small group of inmates refusing to return to their cells at Jurby jail has ended peacefully.

The protest, which began at midday, was peaceful and involved fewer than 20 inmates. It is believed to have been over the smoking ban at the prison.

But at 6pm a spokesman said the matter had been resolved ‘without force’ and the prison was operating as normal again.

Home Affairs Minister Juan Watterson MHK said: ‘I would like to commend the Governor (Alison Gomme) and her staff for their professionalism in handling this incident.’

Last year, an official report by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons Nick Hardwick said the prison had ‘lost control’ of the smoking ban situation.

‘Many prisoners appeared to be intensively and creatively engaged in circumventing the smoking ban,’ Mr Hardwick said.

After the report was published in October 2011, the DHA said the smoking ban would stay with a renewed focus on robust enforcement.

APPLEBY Appleby (Isle of Man) LLC has announced the appointment of Mark Holligon as partner in its litigation and insolvency practice.

Mark Holligon brings to Appleby more than 15 years of professional experience in the legal profession.

His expertise spans the contentious and non-contentious arenas, both onshore and offshore, a broad spectrum of mutual funds work together with all aspects of insolvency and restructuring, both corporate and personal.

He joins Appleby from Isle of Man firm, Gough Advocates where he was a director and Isle of Man qualified Advocate in the litigation team.

Mark is not only a Manx advocate but also an English solicitor and Cayman Islands attorney-at-law (all non-practising). He is an overseas member of the Insolvency Lawyers Association, an Associate Member of R3 and an Honorary Member of the Chancery Bar Association.

Sean Dowling, managing partner of Appleby in the Isle of Man said: ‘We are delighted to welcome someone of Mark’s calibre and expertise to our litigation practice.

‘Our litigation and insolvency team is one of the most highly regarded on and off the island, a position that will be further strengthened by Mark’s arrival.

‘We are consistently ranked in the top tier of Chambers, PLC Which Lawyer, IFLR 1000 and Legal 500 legal directories and Mark’s introduction to the team will reinforce our commitment to providing a first class service to our clients.’

Mark Holligon said ‘I am excited to be joining the team. Appleby has an excellent reputation both in the Isle of Man and globally and I am looking forward to helping build on this.’

Mark Holligon has been involved in many of the largest cross-border insolvencies of the past decade.

He began his career in England, qualifying in the City of London in 1995 and gaining experience with two further leading UK firms before moving to Walkers in the Cayman Islands in 2003 and on to the Isle of Man in 2008. In his role as partner at Appleby, Mark will utilise his cross border expertise by working together with Appleby’s global network to provide a seamless service to both local and international clients.

Christopher Cope, Isle of Man Practice Group head and litigation and insolvency partner said: ‘Mark is a welcome addition to our practice.

‘He brings with him a wealth of experience in dispute resolution, insolvency and restructuring to our team which is dedicated to delivering the highest standards of service to our clients in the Isle of Man and worldwide. I am looking forward to working with him.’

ISLE of Man Friends of the Earth has submitted a response showing its opposition to the government’s radical plans to reform the planning system.

The environmental group’s submission is part of a public consultation on the draft planning policy, which ends on Friday next week.

Government’s draft policy sets out how development will take place in future. At its heart is a greater presumption in favour of development, in an attempt to stimulate economic growth.

FoE believes protection of the natural environment ‘does not have anything like sufficient prominence’ and that not enough weight has been given to social and environmental sustainability.

In its submission, it said: ‘The effect of including the presumption in favour is that it might sway decision makers towards giving less weight to adverse social and environmental consequences if they believe it to be their duty to find in favour of the presumptive position.

‘There is a danger the whole initiative, based as it is on questionable premises, is all about simply making it easy for the island’s countryside to be developed.’

FoE believes planning policy should consider adverse impacts on biodiversity, and that applications should be required to show use of low carbon or carbon neutral design and materials.

A MHK raised concerns about old motorhomes being left abandoned in residential streets for months on end – and claimed it was lucky nobody was hurt when one such vehicle actually blew up.

David Quirk (Onchan) raised the issue of motorhomes with Infrastructure Minister David Cretney MHK and asked him: ‘Would he not be concerned, as I am, with only last year in this particular area of Onchan, in Belgravia Road, where one of these motorhomes actually blew up and ripped the side out of the vehicle?

‘Lucky enough nobody was injured at the time, but it is in a park. Would the minister not look at any regulations he does have? Some of these are parked there up to six months, for three months and are just left lying there. Nobody even looks after them.

‘Can I ask the Minister, before we have a death, could we look at something there to remove these vehicles which sometimes are not taxed, and when they are found out, they are taxed? The police chase them up, but they are still left lying there.’

Mr Cretney said his department didn’t have a specific policy on old motorhomes in poor condition left around housing estates.

But he said there was clear legislation to allow for the removal of any unroadworthy or untaxed vehicles – not just motorhomes – that are left on the public highway.

Unroadworthy vehicles left on housing estates and other areas that are not adopted highway can still be removed by the abandoned vehicles officer, he added.

Mr Cretney said his department was currently considering introducing roadworthiness test checks for older vehicles, between 10 and 15 years old, which he said might help to reduce the numbers of vehicles that are not well maintained. Any proposal would be subject to consultation, he said.

The minister said his department had recently completed a consultation exercise to clarify and extend the dimensions of goods vehicles that cannot be permitted to park overnight in residential areas, and these regulations would be submitted to the June sitting of Tynwald. ‘We are on the case, we are doing what we can,’ he said.

There are 853 motorhomes taxed in the island, MHKs heard.

THE Island’s first CAMRA beer festival last week would doubtless have found favour with the first UK CAMRA festival’s Best Beer award winner.

Manxman Timothy Atkinson, a former King William’s College pupil, was chief brewer with T.D. Ridley’s at Hartford End in Essex, when he won the award at the CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale) festival at Crystal Palace, London, back in the 1970s.

Related article: {http://www.iomtoday.co.im/news/isle-of-man-news/real-ales-have-drinkers-approval-photo-slideshow-1-4453742|Real ales have drinkers’ approval}.

Mr Atkinson died five years ago, but his widow Angela said her husband would have been pleased to see the success of CAMRA’s first island festival.

‘He won the award at the very first one they did at Crystal Palace,’ she said. ‘The brewery had been going for over 100 years after being established by the owner’s grandfather, but the owner didn’t know a lot about brewing, so someone recommended Timothy to him.

‘We moved there in 1968 from Burton on Trent, where Timothy had served an apprenticeship with Bass [Brewery].’

Mrs Atkinson said the award was made after drinkers at the beer festival voted for their favourite tipple and his topped the poll.

Though she no longer has the certificate he received, Mrs Atkinson said she did still have a gold medal he had been presented with in 1983 from the International Brewing, Bottling and Allied Trades Exhibition at the NEC in Birmingham.

‘He was proud of that one because it was a mark of approval by the public as well as his peers,’ Mrs Atkinson said.

Ridley’s brewery was bought by Greene King in 2005, but the Ridley family has since started brewing again.

Commenting on the recent beer festival at the Masonic Hall in Douglas, Mrs Atkinson said: ‘I’m not really a beer drinker myself. Timothy would certainly have gone down there to see who he knew and he would have been very interested.’

Bad weather has delayed the arrival of the Manx Independent into shops.

It is hoped that, once the Steam Packet sailing is able to dock, the Indy will be in shops soon after – hopefully from 11am.

In today’s Indy we talk to the RNLI man who is demanding the thieves who stole £600 from the charity hand it back.

We report on the aftermath of a court case in which a police constable who was driving the car which hit and killed a Manx student in Sheffield is cleared of causing his death.

We have the latest twists in the row over Zac Hall and John Houghton’s failure to support Education Minister Peter Karran.

Find out why one MHK is concerned about exploding motorhomes.

And as the island goes to the polls today in local authority elections, one commissioner is accused of breaking privacy rules.

In sport, we look ahead to the big match on Saturday as the Isle of Man footballers prepare to take on Jersey in the FA Inter-League Cup Final. Plus, Saturday also sees top level action in rugby as Douglas go head to head with Vagas in the BSM Manx Cup Final.

South News pays a trip to the new permanent base for Ballasalla Community Partnership.

Read about the new focal point planned for Ramsey in North News.

West News reveals why Infrastructure Minister David Cretney is being called on to stop a development in Peel.

A REPORT which is critical of government’s information systems division (ISD) will be carefully reviewed by the Department of Economic Development.

Economic Development Minister John Shimmin MHK said a ‘considered public response’ would be produced for the June sitting of Tynwald, when a debate is scheduled to be held on its recommendations.

The Public Accounts Committee report, laid before Tynwald this month, contained concerns raised by government departments and recommendations for change, including that ISD should be less reliant on outsourcing.

In a ‘preliminary response’ to the report, Mr Shimmin said: ‘The report, which looks at the wide range of information technology services provided by ISD to all government departments at both a strategic and operational level, recognises the positive work carried out by ISD, as well as making a number of recommendations and identifying areas for improvement.

‘At a time when government needs to be particularly focused on value for money and service delivery, it is essential that reviews of this nature are undertaken to ensure effectiveness and productivity of public services.’

A COMMUNITY has come together to raise money for charity in memory of mother of two Sue Liggins, who passed away in January.

Sue, aged 39, of Lakeside Road, worked at Governor’s Hill Stores in Douglas for more than 14 years and has been described by her manager Ernie Russell as ‘irreplaceable’.

The staff and customers were shocked when Sue died in her sleep. In January she had an operation and after being discharged from hospital she later died at home. The operation was not connected to Sue’s death.

Miss Liggins, leaves behind her two sons Jake, 13, and Alex, 12 and her partner of 20 years Sean Cade. The couple met when they were both pupils at Ballakermeen High School in Douglas.

Her partner Sean described Sue as a very family oriented person who loved being surrounding by the children in her family. He said: ‘She was always with kids, she loved looking after her nieces and nephews. She was brilliant and she was very straight with people. We have always done some kind of fundraising, I think it is fantastic how much is raised. We are hoping we can do something every year.’

Following her death her family wanted to raise money for local charity Wish Upon a Dream that was close to Sue’s heart. The charity was chosen because it has a personal link to Sue, her disabled nephew Cole Liggins was granted two wishes by the charity.

Shocked customers came into the shop crying following the sad news of Sue’s death. A collection box in her name was put in the store that raised £700 and the owner of Governor’s Hill Stores, Ernie Russell, has since doubled that amount. The total raised in memory of the shop worker is £1,400. Money was also raised for the charity after her family requested donations in lieu of flowers at her funeral.

Sue, who would sort out everyone’s troubles, was the eldest of six children and was born on her grandparents’ farm, Ballig Farm in Onchan. She was delivered by her grandmother after being born early.

Colleague and friend Nina Corlett, said she was not surprised how much money had been raised.

‘She was just so kind, she was really lovely,’ she said. ‘Sue was marvellous with staff and the customers. It does not surprise me how much was raised because people did like her and she was popular.

‘If someone could not come into the shop, she would bring what they wanted around to them. We were the A team.’

Sue was due to take over running the shop after she had recovered from her operation. Mr Russell said: ‘She is still missed a lot by everyone.’

A TIGHT deadline to install new baggage screening equipment at the airport will be met – because it has to be met, MHKs were told.

Tynwald last month voted to spend just under £3 million on a new baggage handling and screening facility after hearing there was no viable alternative, as new stringent measures on airport security introduced by the European Commission meant that the existing X-ray equipment could no longer be used from September 1.

Failing to comply with the new standards would mean that Ronaldsway would lose its domestic airport status and no hold bags would be allowed onto aircraft.

In the House of Keys this week, Infrastructure Minister David Cretney MHK was asked whether the new equipment would be installed by the date specified by the UK Department of Transport.

The minister explained that work had begun on schedule on April 2 and the intention was that the project would be operational for September of this year.

Mr Cretney told the Keys: ‘This is a very tight timescale, but we believe we can meet it, because we must.

‘The design and construction team are fully focused on this objective.’

Leonard Singer MLC asked the minister if he was aware of an EU Regulation from October last year, which, he said, permitted the extension of the use of ‘standard one’ equipment as currently used at Ronalsdway until January 1, 2014.

He said the department could well have sought this extension, then put in ‘standard three’ X-rays nine months earlier than required, and that would have saved having to spend money in the interim on ‘standard two’ equipment.

Mr Singer suggested that Mr Cretney’s department may have ‘needlessly cost the taxpayer several hundred thousand pounds by rushing the installation of standard two equipment by pushing it through [Tynwald]’.

The minister said he was sure the department was aware of the EU regulation but added he wanted to check before replying to ensure that he did not give an answer that was less than factual. Mr Cretney said the clear message was the deadline must be met.

FLAG-waving pupils at Manor Park School give a Manx welcome truly fit for a Prince.

Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, braved unseasonably torrential rain during their visit to the island yesterday (Thursday) as part of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee tour to mark the 60th anniversary of Her Majesty’s accession.

In the morning, the Prince of Wales and Camilla visited the National Sports Centre, where they watched young people taking part in an outdoor cycle race, before meeting World Champion cyclist Peter Kennaugh and members of the Team Royal London 360 Isle of Man Cycling Club.

Their Royal Highnesses then headed to Peel, where they saw the replica Viking longship ‘Vital Spark’ and officially launched the redevelopment of the Isle of Man Food Park.

A sitting commissioner in Andreas has lost her seat by two votes.

Ann McDonald polled 222 votes in the six-way battle for five seats. She missed out on retaining her seat by just two votes. Aileen Fraser is the new face, with 285 votes. Dorothy Sayle topped the poll with 416, followed by Norman Morrey on 355, while Richard Martin polled 259. Eric Howe scraped in on 224.

Braddan saw seven candidates competing for five seats. Peter Halsall topped the poll with 358, followed by John Quaye on 317, Margaret Hodge, 295, Andrew Jessop, 262, and Colin Slinn on 239. The two to lose out were both defending board members, Ray Corkill on 213 and Juan Cottier on 211.

Result in Laxey (five seats): Peter Kinnish, 264, Sue Jones, 239, Andrew Moore, 226, Ros Bate, 182, Jeffrey James, 175, were all elected. The unsuccessful candidate was Glen Gilmore Pearce-White with 98.

The following five were elected in Lezayre: Arthur Derek Radcliffe, 281, Andrew Paul Brew, 267, Henrietta Louise Reeve, 265, Andrew Karl Brew, 248, Viven Quane, 222. Fiona Robinson, with 188, missed out,

Six were battling for five seats in Malew. The following five were elected: Barbara Ann Brereton, 357, Bob Pilling, 352, Gareth Kelly, 308, Brenda Crellin 299, Eddie Power, 275. Mary Louise Corlett, with 161, was the candidate who missed out.

Port St Mary had 11 candidates seeking nine seats.

The following were elected: Mark Patrick O’Meara, 422, Richard Ashcroft, 319, Christopher Kinley, 315, Helen Anne Kinvig, 283, Robbie Cooil, 242, Bernadette McCabe, 241, Rebecca Sinfield, 221, Alex Merchant, 215, Alan Grace, 196. The unsuccessful candidates were Edward Marian Cerowski with 155 and Gillian Margaret Manning with 132.

In Michael, a total of 495 people voted in the parish, a turnout out of 37.8 per cent. Eight candidates were vying for seven seats.

Peter Hayes topped the poll with 322 votes, followed by John Philip Barron and Brian Corlett, each on 267 votes, with Dave Goldsmith on 258, Stephen Hamer on 224, Caroline Jane Clague on 189 and Janet Gaynor Bailey on 184.

Carrie Ann Diehl was the unsuccessful candidate, with 171 votes.

They will serve until May 2016.