LOOKING back on some of the stories the Gazette has reported through the years...

November 1997

SELECTED staff at Berkeley Technology Centre were offered incentives to leave in a wider cost-cutting programme by the company.

The series of voluntary severance was being introduced across the board, with staff reductions already taking place at Gloucester, Bedminster Down in Bristol and Hinkley Point to reduce the workforce by 3,500.

In total, 540 workers out of 1,600 staff in the whole division would be shed, with a spokesman saying no area would be exempt, but that staff at the Berkeley labs would actually increase from 650 to 900 through redeployment of workers.

Although posts would be increasing, new jobs would not as the boost represents staff throughout the division who have relocated.

November 2007

NORTHAVON MP Steve Webb was briefly banned from social networking website Facebook when administrators thought he was a “fake”.

The 42-year-old was struck off the site for failing to give a “genuine first and last name in his profile”.

The administrators told the Liberal Democrat MP that their decision was final and his account was not to be reactivated.

But only three days later, they made a dramatic U-turn.

The move came after former Facebook contacts of Mr Webb started a campaign page and sent emails to the organisation.

Facebook friend and Dodington Parish Cllr Paul Hulbert said: “The website has seen its silly mistake and eventually come to its senses.”

Mr Webb was one of the first MPs to join Facebook as a method to make contacts with constituents.