GRANTY'S INFERNO: Here's to 2019 - the year of transparency

According to the eggheads at Cambridge, 'transparency' means: "A situation in which business and financial activities are done in an open way without secrets so that people can trust that they are fair and honest." 

Let's take Brexit (please ...) which has now taught every single one of us that transparency vanished.

On BBC4 tomorrow a new series, American History's Biggest Fibs, will explore the fake news legacy long before Donald Trump thought Transparency was an airline.

The 2020 vision from Wirral Borough Council laid down by the outgoing leader Phil Davies still promises much.

Politicians - national and local - owe it to the people who put them in office to serve them and commiunities to the best of their ability.

Now Kingdom, the council's sub-contracted environmental by-law enforcers, come tagged with the baggage word 'controversial.' 

Why have Kingdom been dropped by other councils?

To quote one fellow comment columnist and a fan of Laurel of Hardy, it seems like its been 'one FINE mess' after another.

Having read the on-line responses to our local democracy reporter's story this week, I can foresee ructions ahead in implementing the new dog banning rules.

It is in the duty of our politicians to ensure Kingdom are totally transparent in their actions from their litter squads to canine control crews.

Common sense on all sides must lead the way.

Councillor Davies aims for an 'open, transparent and accountable council.' 

One where we can 'lead happy, healthy aspirational lives.' 

Let's hope the Pennisular does not become one of the most stressful places to live and work.

We demand transparency in every walk of life otherwise what we are left with will lead to a blurred 2020 vision.

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ARISE Birkenhead - at last some positive news for this maligned part of Wirral.

The Globe's atmospheric photo gallery captures a radiant inspirational couple - Meghan and her 'Plus One' (as one BBC commentator put it) during their uplifting visit to outstanding local charity organisations and our stunning new war memorial.

There was also a bonus for various Birkenhead buildings.

Our royal family believe the world away from the Palace smells of paint because everywhere they visit gets a glossy make-over.

Markle the sparkle is welcome back any time.

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HOLOCAUST Memorial Day takes place on Sunday, January 27 and I will mark it by going to the pictures to see an anniversary screening of the Stephen Spielberg masterpiece Schindler's List.

It is 25 years since it was released. Now Picturehouse at Fact in Liverpool will be showing this classic.

The black and white film remains extra special for me because in the early '90s I was invited to the Yad Vashem Holocaust Centre in Israel.

I saw a tree bearing the name Oskar Schindler in the Avenue of the Righteous Among the Nations.

In 1993, I attended the movie premiere in London and realised just why this one-time Nazi Party member was honoured for having saved 1,200 jews from death in the concentration camps.

Now I always remember Oskar's lament which he took with him to his grave: "I could have done more ..."

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FAREWELL dear Dianne Oxberry.

Sadly she became shocking, heart-breaking headline news.

Her death from cancer at 51 hit us all because we felt we knew her.

Dianne's skills as a weather presenter endeared her not just to colleagues at the BBC but to thousands of viewers who sent in moving e-mail and text messages. A wonderful comfort to her husband and two children.

I first came across down-to-earth Dianne when I was a judge on the Royal Television Society North West Awards panel.

Dianne's 'on location' film featured her trying out Blackpool's new roller coaster a accompanied by gales of child-like laughter.

I can still see her smile lighting up the screen making an ordinary report seem magical by simply being herself.

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FUR enough ...

Paul McCartney loves animated creatures.

The ex-Beatle has worked with Rupert Bear and has also drawn his own cartoon - Wirral the Squirrel.

But on Monday we will see another of his creations, thanks to a rock and roll rodent who is a little-known part of Wings history.

Macca's 56-minute film The Bruce McMouse Show is being screened for one night only across the world - including the Everyman venue in Liverpool's Met Quarter.

It features unseen footage from four of Paul's 1972 concerts in Europe interspersed with scenes of a family of mice living underneath the stage.

And there is a nostalgic Wirral connection – one of the mouse voices is from Wallasey-born comedy legend Deryck Guyler.

Mice one, Macca.

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And finally

DÉJÀ VU ... while desperately trying to avoid Brexit right up to yesterday’s meaningful vote, I watched a 1986 Top of the Pops archive episode on BBC4.

I had to switch off as soon as I heard the lyrics from this number one hit: "There's no one to blame, will things ever be the same - it's The Final Countdown." 

Sung by a Swedish group called ... Europe.

Peter Grant