Philip J Milton - Comments

14 -Jul-08: Government Proposals to Change the Way Councils Work	“I am concerned by proposals by the Government to scrap vital protection for local taxpayers from wasteful town halls and ‘jobs for the boys’ corruption. Councillors have a valued role to play in holding town halls to account, and act as champions of the local community. Yet I am concerned that the Labour Party wants to push through partisan laws that will allow them to bribe their voters, bring back jobs for the boys and slip in back-door state funding. But rather than these highly controversial changes, if Ministers were genuine about local democracy, they would hand back the powers that unelected regional assemblies and Whitehall quangos have seized from local communities. Unfortunately Labour are moving ahead with a barrage of new quangos which will take even more powers away from local communities. Only Conservatives will give these powers back to local people where they belong.”
02-Jul-08: North Devon Small Businesses	Following publication of proposals for the EU’s ‘Small Business Act’, I feel that the ‘Act’ will put pressure on the European Commission to ease the burden of red tape on North Devon’s small businesses and enable them to get on with growing their businesses. The European Commission is right to realise that new laws place a disproportionate burden on small businesses and this latest initiative must bring about a change in the EU’s thinking. I am especially pleased that the Commission will look at late payments as many small businesses are driven to bankruptcy by larger companies who do not pay on time and it is high-time that the legislation supported them. Small businesses in North Devon are crying out for a European Union that is on their side, rather than on their backs; it’s about time it delivered and allowed local enterprise to get on with the job. Small businesses are the backbone of North Devon’s economy and, in these turbulent times for our economy, we should do all we can to encourage entrepreneurs to expand.”
30-Jun-08: The Economy	“I was interested to read our MP’s update on the economic slump and its impact upon North Devon last week. Respectfully but actually we are not doing very well at all and figures released recently for the number of working age households with no-one in full time work shocked me. North Devon is the tenth worst Constituency in the whole of the country and the worst in the South West. Indeed, the statistics have worsened in the last decade so what has been going on all these years? North Devon is a great place to live and work - I should know. However, we have to raise our game and improve the opportunities for those who live in North Devon, especially as one of our key industries, tourism, is being impacted by the dramatically increased cost of living upon visitors (and ourselves) and Gordon Brown’s higher taxes forced upon us all. Come the General Election, I hope that my practical experience in business and indeed of creating real jobs in the Constituency will be something which I can put to excellent use to increase opportunities for North Devonians who will then be able to improve their own prospects. Despite the excellent infrastructure projects already in the pipeline, there will be many wondering why North Devon has slipped back in the economic statistics over the last decade although rest assured, with a Conservative Council, Conservative MP and a Conservative Government you are assured that I shall do my utmost to raise North Devon’s profile and our attraction for increased job opportunities.”
23-Jun-08: House Taxes	“As concerns grow about the state of the housing market, worrying new figures have revealed how family homes across the country are being hit by punitive rates of stamp duty imposed by Gordon Brown. The average detached home is now being forced to pay 3% stamp duty, and has seen its stamp duty bill rise by almost £9,000 under Labour. Gordon Brown has hiked taxes on family homes across North Devon year on year. Labour have increased the burden of stamp duty by stealth, punishing people who have invested in and improved their homes. I fear even more stealth taxes are on the way in the form of new bedroom taxes to extend your home and a sinister, intrusive council tax revaluation. At a time when the housing market is so fragile, we need practical measures to help people move home – such as abolishing the red tape of Home Information Packs and cutting stamp duty for first-time buyers who are suffering the most.”
20-Jun-08: Life Education Classroom	“I recently took advantage of the opportunity to attend one of the lessons at West Down Primary School this week as I wanted to experience first-hand the invaluable service provided by the mobile Life Education Classroom. The project was seeded by the Rotary Club of Barnstaple but joined by many Rotary clubs across Northern Devon. It continues to be supported by members of the various clubs who attend to the administration, fund raise and provide towing to transport the mobile classroom from one school to the next. All of this help is provided without any cost whatsoever to the charity. The Classroom has visited many schools and several on more than one occasion. The mission in schools is to help children make healthy choices by contributing to life skills and health education programmes, educating children about the effects and risks associated with the use of all drugs including alcohol and tobacco and promoting the benefits of a balanced diet and exercise and working with and supporting parents, carers, teachers and others in the community in communicating healthy lifestyle messages effectively. Steve Finlay is an excellent educator and his skill not only of communicating his subject with enthusiasm and interest to the children but the special technique of remembering each child’s name by the end of the short session is admirable! The practical aids to communicating quite simple but very effective messages to the youngsters makes this a ‘must’ for all the children in Northern Devon of primary school age.”
16-Jun-08: BT Telephone Boxes	“I was disturbed to see the significant schedule of Telephone Boxes listed for closure. Whilst naturally the majority now has mobile telephony and as a result, these Boxes see much less use than was the case, I did wonder if there is opportunity for amalgamating Telephone Box facilities with Post Offices in some rural areas both to reduce costs but also to help justify the ongoing existence of those Post Offices themselves. The West Down Post Office is an excellent example of what could be achieved – a telephone service within the Post Office’s foyer, open all hours and removing need for a separate infrastructure. Perhaps the Post Office and BT could talk together to see if these two services could join-up again!”
June 2008 (Various): Post Office Closures	“It has been good to see the Liberal Democrats and Conservatives working together to try to Campaign to stop the ruthless closure of Post Offices in our area. I welcome such joined-up thinking. I implore everyone to take action to protect against these closures. Removal of Post Offices would not simply be a removal of postal services but the ripping-out of the heart of many communities. I have been in regular liaison with Councillor Pat Barker on the matter of the proposed closure of West Down Post Office – made even more personal to me by the fact that I plan to move to the parish soon! We have gone as far as calling a meeting outside West Down Post Office to add to the growing anger at the proposed closure of this valuable local amenity. The West Down Post Office epitomises all that is good about a community shop. It is a busy and imperative local amenity.”
10-Jun-08: South West Water’s Profits	“After having learnt of the 18% increase in the profits of South West Water, those who pay the highest water bills in the whole Country are obviously angry. Some of the increases this year have been as much as three times the rate of inflation and that is unacceptable regardless of whatever capital improvements in the water and waste systems need to be funded. Of course, with such a coastline we have to suffer significantly greater expenses for capital improvements to the sewerage system and discharge into the sea and we also have to pay for all of those tourists where not all of the water is consumed on a meter. Why should those living in areas with significant coastlines have to pay for the extra costs they face to reduce the pollution, as well as paying national taxes to cover the costs of those who suffered floods?”
9-Jun-2008: Voluntary Action	“I welcome these new proposals to help boost local charities and community groups across North Devon, by cutting red tape, encouraging more charitable giving and helping social enterprise to provide local services. On a more personal note we shall also soon be seeking volunteers to assist with the running of Doves Christian Centre, soon to be moving to its new location in St Peter’s Churchyard, Barnstaple. The social challenges we face today are every bit as serious as the economic challenges Britain faced in 1979. The big dividing line in British politics today is about the role of the state. Gordon Brown believes in top-down state control; Conservatives believe in bottom-up social responsibility.”
3-Jun-2008: Temporary Workers	“The Government’s deal with big business representatives and Trade Unions to guarantee temporary workers equal pay and employment conditions after just twelve weeks of employment is bad for local businesses and bad for temporary workers. I am strongly in favour of protecting the rights of temporary workers, however many temporary workers choose not to be full-time employees because they enjoy the flexibility that temporary work gives. In North Devon, for example, there is a high demand for seasonal temporary workers to attend beach car parks or work at seasonal caravanning sites, for example. Often these are people working whilst travelling, on holiday from university or college or even just helping out where needed to cover staffing shortfalls. Often, they do not want to be tied-down and that is why these jobs are appealing. This move by the Government threatens this flexibility and unless it is very careful, it will drive people away from seeking temporary work just at the time when the economy greatly needs the flexibility that temporary workers offer. It also risks making temporary workers an unaffordable option for many businesses, who will often employ them to cover staffing shortfalls or seasonal demand for a short period of time. The Government has already stifled businesses with never ending regulation and now, just as the economy might appear to be on the precipice of freefall, the only solution it can offer is more regulation and less flexibility!”
2-Jun-08: Marriage in Modern Britain	“I have serious concerns for the breakdown of society structure and the problems we are all facing as a result of families and relationships dissolving, demonstrating a dreadful statistic of breakdown and much worse than other developed societies. I believe that if committed relationships are better for those within them and certainly for the raising of children and for society and the benefit system generally, then greater incentives should be given to enable people to fulfil their dreams in this way. Whilst a tax incentive might be relatively small, the principle that our society really does encourage and welcomes committed relationships is imperative. It is not discriminating against those who find themselves in unfortunate circumstances and for whom safety net provision needs to be made but stable relationships are better for everyone. Labour’s treatment of fathers as “optional extras” is exacerbating difficulties for women and children and that whilst the aim has been to be non-judgemental to mothers and children in separated families, in reality the effect has been to legitimise irresponsible fathers”.
2-Jun-08: Car Taxes	“At a time when families are feeling the pinch of the rising cost of living – because of higher fuel prices, energy bills and council tax – the Government should scrap its plans for a big increase in road tax on family cars. This is yet another slap in the face for hard-working families from Labour, on top of the 10p income tax hikes. Conservatives have consistently opposed these measures. The Government must execute a sharp U-turn. Any change in road tax should focus only on the most polluting vehicles, and be offset by equivalent reductions in family taxes. All Gordon Brown is interested in is finding new ways to push up his notorious stealth taxes even further.”
27-May-08: Alcohol Misuse	“There’s nothing wrong with adults having a good night out, but under-age and binge drinking fuels crime and anti-social behaviour. Labour Ministers talk endlessly about cracking down on alcohol-related violence, but new official figures which have revealed a soaring number of hospital admissions due to alcohol misuse, and the effect of alcohol in pushing up crime and disorder, expose Gordon Brown’s complacency and the knock-on effect on the NHS.The Labour Government’s failure to enforce the law sends totally the wrong message about under-age drinking. We need greater social responsibility, more powers for local communities over licensing, and an end to some parents turning a blind eye to their children’s drinking.”
26-May-08: Households out of Full Time Work	“Conservatives research reveals that there are nearly 5 million households in the UK where no one works full time, that equates to nearly 11 million people. “These figures show the true picture of the failure of welfare reform under Gordon Brown. It is unbelievable that this Government thinks it has achieved full employment when a quarter of households have no one in full time work. Here in the South West the number of people who are not in full time employment has increased by almost 100,000 in the last ten years. I was shocked to note that in North Devon we are joint TENTH worst in the Country with 44 percent of working age households with no one in full time work. This is much worse than I suspected. Wherever and whenever possible a Conservative Government would do all it can to attract and encourage new employers to our beautiful North Devon and perhaps with my business-backed experience this could also be something of great value.”
19-May-08: Post Office Closures	“North Devon faces a second wave of post office cuts. A further 1 in 4 post offices could close down, on top of existing plans to close 2,500. In 1999 there were 18,374 post offices, however it is estimated that by the end of 2008 there will be just 11,700. In North Devon the proposed cuts to be discussed at the Local Public Consultation on 20 May include Bishops Tawton, Goodleigh, Portland Street, Ilfracombe, Lynmouth, Barbrook and Combe Martin. I am very concerned about Gordon Brown’s plans for a second wave of post office cuts. Our postal service faces death by a thousand cuts – thanks to Gordon Brown. I am deeply disturbed by this and it appears that all the petitioning so far has been brushed off.”
15-May-08: Flooding in Forches	“Recently I reviewed the regular problem which seems to arise particularly in Gould Road when a significant amount of water drains from the field between it and Forches Avenue. It is evident that there are problems whenever anything other than a slight shower falls and the road drains appear to be blocked. There appears to be no drain to catch water from the field itself so a significant quantity of water can gather and then flood over the pavement, down over the gardens and into the properties below.”
13-May-08: Abortion Debate	“Be assured that if I was in Parliament, I should be voting to support the twenty week campaign for abortion. I do believe that the way in which our Country has deteriorated to an “abortion on demand” mentality is not helpful, either for it or indeed for the women involvedlet alone the aborted foetuses. The availability of condoms and “morning after pill” in schools is also something that causes me great alarm, especially as these can be dispensed without the parents’ knowledge or approval, yet when it comes to a small sticking plaster, parental consent has to be received! Somewhere, the moral fabric of our Country has taken a turn for the worse!”
08-May-08:Reclassification of cannabis to a Class B drug	“I should like to note my support for the Prime Minister’s decision to reclassify cannabis as a Class B drug. As far as I am concerned, downgrading the drug to Class C in 2004 was a terrible mistake. Cannabis plants are increasingly cultivated at home nationwide and include high levels of active ingredients which encourage addiction. More and more people are becoming addictedsome even saying that it is now as addictive as speed (also a Class B drug). By reclassifying cannabis to a Class B drug, it will carry more sever penalties for both possession and supplying; increased prison sentences and fines which will hopefully act as a stronger deterrent. It is an important message to portray that ‘even’ cannabis is dangerous.”
02-May-08: Local Elections	“Well! They say a week in politics is a long time but what a tremendous result achieved at the Local and the London Elections! Not only do we have the first Conservative London Mayor but we have taken control in crucial areas including Bury and North Tyneside. On the share of the vote, it would suggest in a General Election that Conservatives would take power in Westminster with a majority approaching 140 seats. The Local Election results change the political landscape. We Conservatives must now prepare ourselves for Government as a certainty and not a hope because people want a change and people want to vote for the Conservative option as a better management of our Country.”
30-Apr-08: Respite and Day Care	“I have been most surprised to learn that Shaw Health Care has not been provided with an obligation to make a day care and respite care facility available at the homes in Devon which make such provision at the moment. I appreciate that over the next four years things could change but this uncertainty is unwelcome and unhelpful. I shall be most interested to learn what provisions are being made at this stage to ensure that the imperative requirement of these two important aspects of care will indeed be funded and demanded.”
29-Apr-08: Grangemouth Strike	“Surely, it must be an illegal strike to take action to protect Pension benefits for people who are not employees at this stage? Employees should be quite entitled to protect their own contracts of employment and pension benefits but taking action to protect those who do not even work for the Firm seems inequitable and inappropriate.”
28-Apr-08: Family Doctor Surgeries Across North Devon Face Closure	“I have voiced my opposition to Whitehall plans to replace local GPs’ surgeries with impersonal super-surgeries known as ‘polyclinics’. It has been estimated that across Devon, three GP surgeries could be shut under Labour’s plans. Polyclinics are little different from a small hospital, and nothing like the independent, local GP practice with just a few doctors that patients know and trust. Labour Ministers are planning to end the era of local GP surgeries in almost every area. This will mean that patients will have to travel further to receive treatment, which will particularly disadvantage the elderly and families with small children. “We already knew that the Labour Government is planning to close thousands of local Post Offices. Now I fear that local GP surgeries are in their sights.”
22-Apr-08: The Strand – Consultation Update	“Following an excellent two-day exhibition on The Strand, The Strand Residents and Traders’ Association of North Devon (“STRAND”) we are pleased to announce that we received some helpful and interesting comments from member of the Public. We remain open to any further ideas and certainly, it seems that people are talking about the area and the possibility of a branding for this part of The Strand and THAT’S GOOD!"
18-Apr-08: Abolition of Vivisection	“Having had quite a close involvement with the investment world through the Huntingdon Life Sciences affair, I believe I am better informed than many Candidates on the whole issue of the necessity for animal testing. In that regard, I am all in favour of removing the sentiment from the subject matter and putting cures for human beings at the forefront of necessary investigation. Of course, within that there is no room for cruelty or unnecessary experimentation although sadly, the litigious society in which we live obscenely demands an even greater extent of testing to ensure all products are safe before the consumer uses them”.
18-Apr-08: Bus Passes	“I have been approached by a constituent regarding the difficulty faced by people in North Devon who are unable to travel until outside of peak times. I can appreciate the need for this particular ruling but it does mean that trips to Exeter, Plymouth and Taunton are ruled out, for all intents and purposes. This is because the respective services are either too late or do not exist at all to enable our 60 year olds to visit these places. Those in South Devon enjoy this opportunity whereas the time limit seems to isolate us”.
14-Apr-08: Cancer Service Move	“I was very pleased indeed to see that the proposals to move the specialist cancer service from Exeter to Plymouth are being “re-examined” by health chiefs. It was right to exert some pressure on the apparent decision which had been taken and I am very pleased that for North Devon residents that the unit is likely to stay where it is and under the excellent service and care team there”.
01-Apr-08: Post Office Closures	“I am concerned that since 1997 nearly 5,000 Post Offices have closed. To date more than 300 Post Offices have already been closed across Devon and Cornwall over the last five years and there are fears that rural communities will be decimated even more by the removal of local Post Offices. Rural Post Offices are the lifeblood of their communities and they are much more than just a place to buy stamps and post lettersthey are a vital service, providing important social and economic benefits to isolated communities across the country. The Government needs to understand that the real value of a Post Office cannot be measured simply by figures on a balance sheet and recognise that the benefits to the community spread far beyond the Post Office itself.”
25-Mar-08: Hike in Council Tax Bills	“Under Gordon Brown, Council tax has been turned into the ultimate stealth taxwith North Devon’s taxpayers left to foot a £39,213,000 bill imposed from Whitehall. People are paying more and getting less. Whitehall must stop imposing unfunded burdens and regulations on town halls. But people power is also needed to control Council tax. Conservatives will give local residents the power to veto high Council tax rises through local referendums. We will place local taxpayers back in control of town hall finances.”
25-Mar-08: Chulmleigh College	“I think that the more publicity that can be given to the lack of investment at Chulmleigh Community College, the better and indeed, the fact that the Authorities have neglected to prioritise necessary works there. When I visited, I was most impressed at what the school and the children are achieving and the results are greatdespite the conditions being endured in some parts of the property. I think it is a testament to their capability to achieve so much, with some of the buildings in the condition they area. My message to the pupils, staff and parents is ‘Keep up the good work’.”
25-Mar-08: MPs Salaries	“Whilst it may be a naive hope, I believe we all owe ourselves a duty of endeavouring to ensure that our democracy is placed on a higher and more respected pedestal than the one to which we have all allowed it to fall. We are all guilty! There are some tremendous problems in our Society at the moment and some people are trying very hard to tackle these but many are failing to engage. We cannot always rely upon “someone else” to resolve the problems we see and each of us must do our little bit to try to bring back integrity and respect into the systemless of “me” and more about “others”. Rest assured, I am prepared to raise my head above the parapet by standing as a Parliamentary Candidate and hopefully being in Parliament!”
20-Mar-08: Café Nero	“I am concerned about the proliferation of coffee shops in Barnstaple’s High Street. I believe there are too many. However, I understand that there are constraints upon the Planning Department’s capacity to reject use which satisfies the existing consent. In this regard, I believe it is imperative that the Class 1 use of this important retail property is preserved and that no change of use is provided to create a mixture of Class 1 and Class 3 use, for example.”
14-Mar-08: Blue Bags	“North Devon District Council has increased the cost of “blue bags” used by businesses to dispose of waste to £1.85 per bag. Members of the public may not realise that businesses have to pay to dispose of their ordinary rubbish (business rates are simply a tax and do not pay for local services). I have noticed that many businesses place blue bags ready for collection which are certainly not full. Not only does this cost businesses dearly but it adds to the waste which needs to be dumped by the Local Authority. If we all try to keep alert and do our bit for the environment, I am confident that there are money-saving ideas which can be grasped as well. With the costs of operating any business escalating dramatically, savings made are often better than increased sales.”
13-Mar-08: Shelterbox	“I was pleased to be part of a recent fact-finding trip to see the tremendous work being undertaken by Shelterbox. So far, Shelterbox has helped over half a million people following disasters in the different corners of the globe. Its capacity to respond immediately when disasters strike provides basic necessities to recipient familiesincluding a purpose-constructed tent. The Barnstaple Club has already sponsored several Shelterboxes itself, each one costing £490. The Charity has one of the lowest base costs to its operation, ensuring that 90% of funds go straight in to helping recipient families.”
06-Mar-08: Recycling Contract	“I was very pleased indeed to see that the District Auditor has concluded that there are no grounds for a more rigorous review of the issue and that a preliminary examination of the Council’s figures have not revealed any serious or significant problems. I am very pleased indeed that our MP’s request to the Auditor to scrutinise the Council’s figures following the decision to bring recycling in-house has done nothing other than vindicated the proposals and decision. I cannot help but feel this is very good news indeed for North Devon.”
26-Feb-08: Youth Club	“I attended a well-supported Coffee Morning in Chulmleigh on Saturday and one issue which was raised was the possible inadequacy of activities for youngsters in the Town. Having been a Youth Leader myself and being involved in my local church for almost 30 years, I do have some understanding of the needs and problems which face communities when considering the provision of activities for youngsters (particularly for those over the age of 13). I wonder if there is any opportunity for a collective “attack” on the issue which could bring together some of the excellent facilities which Chulmleigh has available and perhaps encouraging more volunteers to offer to run some regulated clubs to which the youngsters would be welcome. I shall be very happy to become involved”.
25-Feb-08: Chainsaw Massacre on Urban Trees	“Local street trees face a growing threat of being cut down due to fears over possible compensation claims and breaches of health and safety rules. North Devon Council’s tree officers do a good job in difficult circumstances. Yet the Government’s own recent report shows how Whitehall is failing to stop the spread both of the ‘compensation culture’ and the heavy-handed application of health and safety rules. Trees are vital to the greening of North Devon’s environment and improving quality of life. But alarm bells are ringing. Our roads and cherished leafy suburbs increasingly face the threat of a chainsaw massacre under Labour”.
18-Feb-08: Dominance of Supermarkets	“I have added my concerns regarding out-of-town retail developments following the recent announcement that the Competition Commission have given a green light to build thousands more stores, ruling that no major changes should take place in the grocery market. The weakening of the rules threatens to undermine the vitality of town centres, hit small retailers, and worsen the problem of ‘ghost town Britain’. Such out-of-town development is unlikely to be environmentally sustainable. It would be awful if such unique and attractive towns as we have in North Devon become blighted by such wholesale development”.
18-Feb-08: Under Age Binge Drinking	“Under-age drinking harms young people and fuels youth crime and anti-social behaviour. Labour Ministers talk endlessly about cracking down on alcohol-related violence, but figures recently released expose the Government’s complacency. I appreciate how difficult it is for the police here in North Devon tackling the issue but unless the laws against under-age drinking are properly enforced the situation will only escalate. There are already laws and sanctions in place but by failing to enforce the law sends totally the wrong message about under-age drinking and is adding to public concern about yob behaviour and crime. We also need greater social responsibility and an end to some parents turning a blind eye to their children’s drinking. Increasing social responsibility is at the heart of David Cameron’s plans to make Britain safer and stronger”.
14-Feb-08: Children in Benefit Households	“The Conservatives have recently released figures showing that 20% of children are growing up in households claiming out of work benefits. Although this is a national problem with major difficulties in places like central Manchester, we are also greatly affected here in North Devon. Indeed, there are areas within the Constituency where the percentage is much above the average and the proposed closure of the Ilfracombe Job Centre will surely only make matters worse for the most depressed areas there”.
11-Feb-08: Sixteen New Casinos	“I was disturbed to note that Prime Minister Gordon Brown has decided to authorise sixteen new casinos across the Country including two here in the South West. There are already enough ways for people to gamble and become addicted to it and as ever, it is the vulnerable in society who are the biggest losers. Already, inadequate research has been undertaken on the negative impact upon individuals who become addicted to gambling and indeed their families, work and businesses. I see this development as a very bad one for the Country”.
08-Feb-08: Lottery Funding	“I have today learned of Conservative proposals for some major reforms that will transform the National Lottery and provide lots more money for arts, sports, heritage and charities. A Conservative Government would restore its independence from Government and politicians and maximise returns to the original good causes. These reforms could release an additional £182m per year which in turn could mean that our local charitable organisations, who have suffered due to lack of funding in recent years, could benefit. The Freedom Centre which is run by the Freedom Trust (a Church-based charity that works with the homeless of North Devon) has already this week been awarded £443,164 over five years from the Big Lottery Fund. Let us hope that many more similar organisations based in North Devon can also benefit from extra Lottery money becoming available and not being used for government infrastructure projects instead”.
01-Feb-08: North Devon College	“It is excellent news that the £75 million grant has been awarded to the College. I wish the project all success! Obviously, there are several matters which need serious consideration and planning to ensure not only that the College has an excellent facility but that issues such as parking and access in the Town are addressed robustly and at an early stage. Otherwise, well done to all of those involved in the process”!
31-Jan-08: Viewpoint	“On Saturday 26 January 2008 I participated in the above event which was organised excellently by Mr John Kemp. Accompanying Philip on the ‘Panel’ were the Rt. Rev. Robert Evens (Bishop of Crediton), Deborah Myhill (Head of School, St Luke’s Campus, Exeter University) and Dr Peter Bull (General Practioner). The ‘question and answer’ evening was supported enthusiastically with a great many interesting questions put forward and I hope, some good quality answers! I am always more than happy to participate in events such as this and would welcome any other similar invitations.”
24-Jan-08: Ilfracombe Job Centre Closure	“I was disappointed to learn of the closure of Ilfracombe’s Job Centre. To remove the job opportunity of the unemployed in Ilfracombe, an area which encompasses some of the poorest in the whole country, seems bizarre. To force those seeking work to travel to Barnstaple seems inappropriate. I do hope that the opportunity of facilities being available in Ilfracombe Town Council premises will go some way to replacing the facility which will be lost, perhaps creating more connection between job seeking and the Benefit system and opportunities available to those in need”.
23-Jan-08: Café Nero and Costa Coffee, Barnstaple	“I have added my protest to the Café Nero and Costa Coffee applications not because I have a restaurant establishment but because I think it is bad for Barnstaple, its High Street and existing similar businesses there. Is it not a great shame that these two ventures could not be encouraged to take properties on the Strand which shall be far cheaper for them and help to create the “café culture” we are keen to create”.
22-Jan-08: Forches Cross Primary School, Barnstaple	“Just a short note to congratulate you and your team for the excellent Ofsted report. I appreciate some of the difficulties which you all faced over the last few years and consequently, the improvement is excellent. Do keep up the good workif I can help in any particular way in my political line, please do not hesitate to contact me”.
16-Jan-08: Northcott Theatre, Exeter	“I am writing to add my dismay at the decision to cut funding to the Northcott Theatre from 2009. I understand that there are many difficult funding decisions to make. However 12 months notice of 100% withdrawal of a quarter of the Northcott’s budget when local people have paid directly or indirectly £2 million of their money is simply not the way to build trust with local people and organisations”.
16-Jan-08: Housing Needs	“I have an idea which I believe could create phenomenal opportunities to provide more social housing and does not include building new properties. The solution is simple. Local Authorities accept some form of short-term tenancy with private landlords. The Local Authority is responsible for the upkeep of the property in terms of capital costs and for the tenants themselves. They would have the tenancy agreement with the underlying tenant and it would be their responsibility to collect the rent from that individual or of course to redirect the Housing Benefit. The Council has efficient and knowledgeable staff who would know exactly how to deal with tenants both in “ordinary” circumstances but indeed in any difficult ones and has far better access to the Courts for any breach of contractas it has already with non-payers of Council Tax”.
15-Jan-08: Oesophageal Cancer Unit Closure, Exeter	“Following pressure from myself and a few others, I am very pleased to report that we have some success. The Royal Devon & Exeter NHS Foundation Trust shares our concerns now, regarding Devon Primary Care Trust’s proposals to relocate the service to Plymouth. I have had assurance that no decision over the future of the service has or will be taken until the PCT has listened properly to a range of views”.
15-Jan-08: Northern Rock	“We have witnessed the first run on a bank for 140 years. The long-term cost of this in terms of international standing and consumer confidence cannot be under-stated. Wholly inadequate public statements when the problems materialised exacerbated the difficulty, in the end creating an even worse position for the Country and the Banks need to raise funds. Had instant guarantees perhaps for the first £50,000 of individual deposits been created (just a marginal increase in the previous deposit holders’ protection scheme) then there would have been no queues because few would have been worried. This disgraceful leadership almost caused contagion affecting Alliance & Leicester, Bradford & Bingley and certain others as rumours spread.”
20-Dec-07: Stock Lending	“As someone involved in the personal financial advisory and discretionary fund management sector, for a long time I have thought that the habit of “stock lending” and effective short-selling of substantial tranchés of quoted companies’ stock is very unhealthy. I appreciate that the industry suggests that the capacity to borrow stock adds to an orderly market but in just such difficult times as those experienced by Northern Rock Plc, a wholly disorderly market can be created where the fortunes of a particular company are held by a small handful of hedge funds which have borrowed stock and sold short, with the objective of buying-in at a subsequent point and at a lower price hence generating a profit. I do believe that there is great merit in considering a Conservative initiative to limit the proportion of a company’s shares which can be lent, to cover any short-term settlement difficulties only and restricting power of short-sellers to create a more orderly market.”
18-Dec-07: Education Policy	“I have received the latest policy statement from Mr David Cameron. I believe the majority of it demonstrates commonsense and the need to build on the solid work in place now but to recognise that we need to improve educational standards across the country. It seems quite obvious that if a child cannot read or write properly then he will find difficulty with all of his subjects and indeed throughout the rest of his life. Bureaucracy and a target-led agenda are also stifling opportunity for professionals to do what they believe is best to achieve goals for education in our Society.”
13-Dec-07: Barnstaple’s Strand	“I am very pleased to see the immediate works undertaken by Devon County Council on the Strand. This has been efficient and very tidy! The principle of commitment to enhancing the whole area for amenity benefit let alone for traders there is great. I have been very pleased to be part of the process which has accelerated attention to necessary works and now the barrier between river and town has been removed. Let us look forward to further progress there!”
11-Dec-07: Do You Want A Referendum on the Current EU Constitutional Treaty?	“As I could have predicted, 96% of those present at the East Anstey poll voted calling for a Referendum. I wonder why Gordon Brown is so against fulfilling the Labour Party’s commitment to a Referendum and more importantly here in the South West, it is interesting to note that both Liberal Democrat leadership contenders believe a Referendum is unnecessary and that we should just endorse the Treaty! I wonder if our own Liberal Democrat MPs support their Party’s line of dismissing calls for a Referendum despite the vast majority wanting this opportunity (and inevitably, to vote “No” to the Treaty!). The Conservative Party is at the forefront of calls for this imperative Referendum to avoid being drawn more into and being more dominated by a federal Europe, as both Labour and Liberal Democrat Parties want.”
10-Dec-07: Oesophageal Cancer Unit Closure	“I was alarmed to learn of the proposals to move the specialist Exeter Unit which treats Oesophageal Cancer from Exeter to Plymouth. Provisional decisions appear to have been taken in July yet subsequent to those, the matter has been placed for “consultation”. For people in North Devon, the closure would make the whole issue of travel, etc, even worse, this despite the tremendous gains being secured through the innovative keyhole surgery demonstrated by Mr Richard Berrisford and his team.”
06-Dec-07: Unitary Status Rejected	“I was pleased to note that Exeter City Council’s proposal for a unitary status has been rejected. I hope that the review over the next year will prove that it is not in the best interests of the various stake-holders to split Exeter from the rest of the County”
03-Dec-07: Campaign Fund	“I am very pleased to announce that we have opened my Campaign Fund! I believe I can win the seat in North Devon. As the first truly local candidate for about sixty years and with roots and interests throughout the constituency, I am looking forward to becoming the Member of Parliament for North Devon and to form part of David Cameron’s Conservative Government at the next General Election. However, I cannot do it all on my own! Whilst I am dedicating as much time, hard work and resources to the challenge as possible, I do need support in so many different ways and one of the crucial ones is to raise funds to ensure we can present the message to the electorate. If you can support the cause, please forward a cheque payable to “North Devon Conservative Association” but if you are unable to help now, that is no problem at all. Thank you!”
29-Nov-07: Braunton School Prize Giving	“It was a privilege to be able to present the prizes at the recent celebration. I tried to purposefully ensure that my few minutes’ words would give the youngsters some words of wisdom for their futures in front of them. Whilst I appreciate that there were congratulations to the youngsters and indeed the teaching, administrative and governor team behind them, I do want to add my own accolade to all of the hard work demonstrated in the exceptional achievements gained at the School.”
28-Nov-07: North Devon Promotion	“I am very pleased to add my endorsement and encouragement of the campaign for everyone to promote the concept of “North Devon”. Certainly, I shall be doing all I can to connect with the branding to help promote business and civic pride in our area. We have so much going for us in North Devon and I am in total agreement with anything which can help promote our area to increase business, employment and opportunities as a result. I am very proud of my home area and all that we have to offer.”
26-Nov-07: New Barnstaple Bridge	“Certain new roads add dramatically to car use but in this instance, the amount of energy which will be saved and the amount of pollution averted because people will not be sitting in traffic jams cannot be understated. We all need to be encouraged to make fewer journeys and for our public transport trips to be dependable, efficient and comfortable. That is something on which everyone of us can work on for the benefit of each otherand the planet!”
21-Nov-07: Labour Policies	“There are no holes in Conservative financial promises. Indeed, people generally are very worried that after all these billions of pounds extra which have been thrown at the state sector the value is not being felt and when salaries are increased so dramatically it is not only a cost for now but it is a cost for every year hereafter and pensions which are related to those salaries all funded by the tax payer. This country has been enjoying low rates of interest because that has been the international scene on the back of worldwide low inflation rates. That said, why have our rates been higher than those enjoyed on the continent and in the US .... is Gordon to blame?”
21-Nov-07: Dangerous Georgeham Roads	“Last week, there was an accident. A mother who walks the road regularly, trying to be green and encouraging her children to walk to school, had a very near miss. A van hurtling down the road from Georgeham only saw the little party at the last moment and swerved onto the other side of the road, sadly colliding with another mother who was driving her children to school. It is appreciated that Devon County Council will note that there is a substantial potential cost involved in creating a formal footpath. What if that cost is a tragedy involving those who are trying to do their bit for the environment as well as having healthier children by taking a little more exercise?”
31-Oct-07: Crime Figures	“A congratulatory message to the Chief Inspector and his team (Devon & Cornwall Constabulary) for the excellent crime figures announced recently. A little more legislation to diminish the amount of paperwork and “political correctness” would make their jobs much easier too!”
30-Oct-07: Hedgehogs	“Badgers eat hedgehogs as well as eating many of the same foods as hedgehogs. We rarely see hedgehogs these days but there are far too many badgers around. As with raptors, we need to recognise that we have a man created environment and some management might be necessary to preserve the delicate balance; dare I even suggest adding the domestic cat to this list.”
18-Oct-07: Barnstaple Parking	"People will be pleased to hear that at a meeting of Barnstaple Town Centre Management, the Police confirmed that persistent offenders of inappropriate parking of vehicles, will have action taken against them under the Road Traffic Acts and whilst they cannot patrol the streets all day, if anyone has any problems with regular offenders then they should contact them for action to be considered. It is good that the problems caused have been tackled following direct presentation and debate and I am happy to have been of some help in this quarter for the benefit and safety of us all.”
18-Oct-07: Two Moors Festival	“It was my pleasure to present prizes to the four Young Musician winners on 17 October. I have been very pleased to see the evolution and development of the competition and hope that in subsequent years, there will be greater participation in the competition from pupils of the schools in North Devon. Indeed, I have contacts with the seven secondary schools in the North Devon Constituency and shall look forward to offering opportunities to them and their most enthusiastic musicians to become more involved in the Festival”.
18-Oct-07: Regional Water Bills	“For a long time, the residents of the south west have complained about the fact that they are obliged not only to pay for all the water we use but also that consumed by our visitors (and the inevitable waste water as a result). I suppose we could say that the Region benefits from the influx of tourists which we welcome with open arms, so that is not so bad. However, we object to having to pay for all of the infrastructure costs to tidy up the waste water facilities to protect our coastline, a valuable amenity to everybody in the country and part of the reason why visitors love to come to our area. We have to arrange for clean beaches for all of our visitors to enjoy too and yet merrily, they contribute nothing to all of these substantial costs”.
17-Oct-07: New Tax Proposals	“The Conservative Party will be reminding the population that under Labour the levels of tax taken from ordinary, hard-working people are at the highest they have been since the early 1980s and that the poorest in society pay the highest proportion of their income in tax. It is not just income tax but Council Tax and tax on everything they spend including their insurance policies, airport duty and lottery tax. It might be simplistic but Conservatives believe that people should keep more of their own money rather than having it grabbed back from them by a totally inefficient State Sector which, as history proves, is never as good at using our money as we are ourselves!”
15-Oct-07: Conservative Conference	“Gordon’s faux pas about the possibility of an Election proved a tremendous rallying call to Conservatives at Conference, creating one of the best events for many years. He then appeared to dislike the polls and chose not to go to the Country and instead Alistair Darling has made a poor attempt at replicating some of our tax announcements (instead, adversely affecting many small businesses into the bargain which will find much bigger CGT problems when they sell-up after 5/4/08)”.
12-Oct-07: Post Office Services	“I am absolutely against closures of rural Post Offices and Conservatives have been at the forefront of petitions to Government to stop the disruption of our local communities through the wanton closure of these invaluable amenities. Voting Conservative at the next General Election will be the only way of stopping the closure programme”.
08-Oct-07: General Election	“I offer my congratulations to Mr Mark Cann on his selection as the Labour candidate to fight the next general election. More than anything, I think it is important for people to turn-out and vote at general elections. Whilst naturally in North Devon I shall hope that they wish to vote for me in what is a crucial marginal seat for David Cameron’s Conservative Party, it is better for you to turn out at all than not to vote”.
24-Sep-07: Postal Service Sunday Collections	"In view of the problems facing the Post Office and its staff at present, on an economic basis there can be little justification for maintaining the Sunday collection service. The staff and infrastructure cost for undertaking the service is not warranted by the actual mail collected and each of us will need to be a little more efficient and make sure we hit the Saturday collection to ensure delivery of our post first thing Monday morning. This has to be one of the things that can go to make sure that we continue to enjoy the excellent service from our postmen for the rest of the week and a communication system which remains the envy of the whole world".
21-Sep-07: Chulmleigh School	"We cannot promise we can force action but I can promise a number of things. Already, the plight of the School will feature on a constituency-wide newspaper which will be going out to homes in a few weeks. If I was in political power responsible for decisions for the school then I would be embarrassed at the state of the School and I think greater publicity will prove beneficial. There is nothing to lose anyway. Hopefully, in due time we can see a "new" Chulmleigh School as a flagshipnot only for North Devon but as a flagship project for the present Government!"
13-Sep-07: Pensions / Property	"Mr Brown has presided over boom and bust strategies afflicting pensions and sadly, there is going to be a bust in the residential property market despite his promises in his 1997 budget speech where he said he would take action to avoid excessive increases. The average house has risen almost three-fold since. The bankruptcy rate is rocketing and the new Chancellor is warning people on consumer debt although probably it is too latethe warnings should have been issued years ago".
13-Sep-07: Braunton Traffic Campaign	"I have lived in the area all of my life and in Georgeham since 1966. I feel quite qualified to comment on the traffic problems! It is important to note that for me, politics means being interested in the community, considering the problems and trying to do something about them. However, as I am middle-aged and have held no elected political position in my life, I hope to bring plenty of practical and business experience to what I have to offer"..
13-Aug-07: Great South West Walk	"I took part to complete the latest part of the Walk, from Lynmouth to Ilfracombe. This must be the most strenuous of all of the sections, covering the most spectacular North Devon coastline covering rugged cliffs and deep valleys. Together with the team we helped to raise money for ‘Wooden Spoon’ and were very pleased to add to the growing pot the overall walk has raised".
10-Aug-07: British Passports and Visas Zimbabwe	“I believe pressure should be brought to bear to avoid the indignity suffered by those seeking what should be a very simple process. I do understand the principles behind the requirements. The principle is to achieve two thingsthe first being to ensure that Zimbabweans do not come into this country if there is no obvious means of support for them The second reason would be to avoid illegal immigration. However, the tremendous indignity forced upon British subjects in being able to arrange for their grandchildren to come to this country is intolerable. Why can we not provide facilities here in the UK to satisfy the needs imposed upon those seeking visas!”
06-Aug-07: Braunton Traffic	“I am very pleased to confirm that I am organising a campaign about the traffic in Braunton. More than anything, all I am simply trying to do is to secure publicity which will embarrass Devon County Council into taking some action to do something to alleviate the traffic issues that we suffer in Braunton. The Journal is going to be publicising the campaign on 23rd August and it will be a joint Journal/Conservative campaign. I think it is a wonderful opportunity of proving that Conservatives do work hard in North Devon”
06-Aug-07: Exeter split from DCC	“Despite being the Conservative Prospective Member of Parliament for North Devon, I support wholeheartedly Brian Greenslade’s judicial review of the proposal to split Exeter from the rest of Devon County Council. The anticipated £25 million that the split would cost would never be recouped nor the interest on that expense. If Devon County Council has £25 million to waste then I can think of plenty of things upon which it can spend the money to the benefit of all inhabitants of Devon County Council’s area”.
01-Aug-07: Personal Comment	“I am very pleased to be a candidate and I am enjoying working hard endeavouring to promote Conservative and my goals and objectives in the Constituency. My website attests to some of the activities I have been undertaking recentlythank goodness I was and am local because I do not know how any non-resident Candidate can do the amount of work necessary unless they move to the Constituency!”
01-Aug-07: Bus Services North Molton and East Anstey	“I was contacted recently in relation to withdrawal of a commuter service between Barnstaple and North Molton. I do appreciate financial viability needs but in terms of the potentially excessive competition between the main routes in North Devon, withdrawal of such a valuable service was most unfortunate. Is there any opportunity of encouraging a special service to be made available on a Saturday? Is there any opportunity of a detour of another service that could cater for the Community’s needs?”
30-Jul-07: CARE Devon	“I was privileged to have a guided tour around the “CARE Devon” project. “Care in the community” has created uncertainties and some funding difficulties for the venture. Whilst some of the residents have been at the Centre since it was established in 1966, there are vacancies now and whilst the wonderful countryside location and amenities are very attractive to many, it can make disabled residents feel isolated as it is difficult to join in with mainstream society as a result. I believe a wholesale withdrawal of the type of care the Centre provides is wrongfor some residents the opportunities presented would not be the same as those which could be provided in a town and it would be a great shame if the Centre had to close as a result. It offers special facilities to those in needs and there are vacancies at present so if you have a friend or relative who you believe could benefit from what is available then by all means call and see things for yourself.”
30-Jul-07: British Telecom	“I think BT has made a grave mistake. It is quite simplehad BT increased its prices (probably something it would say it could not do because of the regulatory pressure) it could have offered customers who chose to pay by Direct Debit a discount on their bills. Then, people would not feel they are paying more by not paying by Direct Debit and there would have been an incentive to them to pay by this method. In real terms, I can understand the growing extra costs of a manual process in bill payment. I know how much bank charges are and the costs incurred in checking and chasing outstanding bills so it all makes sense. However, the implementation of this programme has been handled very badly indeed.”
23-Jul-07: North Devon Road Deaths	“My heart goes out to the friends and families of those who were killed in the tragic accident last week. When we were reminded recently by the Government Office South West that the Department of Transport will only consider a change to the Link Road on the basis of a build-up of “congestion”, it does make me wonder how much each death is “worth” in that statistical analysis. I am fully behind the Chamber of Commerce’s endeavour to see dramatic improvements to the Road, both for the benefit of North Devon and to save more lives”.
23-Jul-07: North Devon Show, Barnstaple	“Whilst I am disappointed the Show is not progressing (something I have attended for many years and for which 2007 was to be our first opportunity to have stands and further sponsorship), my compassion must be reserved for all those very hard-working volunteers who have so much work to do in co-ordinating the Show. I do not envy the work which will be required in refunding fees, etc but let us try to see if 2008 will be a Show to remember. It has my full support”.
23-Jul-07: Flood Plains	“My heart goes out to all of those who have suffered from the recent flooding problems by so many parts of the country. The Government has been found wanting in terms of its spending cuts on flood defences over the last ten years and whilst the responses from local authorities and the forces have been admirable, really we should not have faced such problems, despite the unprecedented amounts of water. Mr Gordon Brown’s announcement of planning to build even more houses on known flood plains appears to be ill timed and insensitive”.
23-Jul-07: Crime Statistics	“The police officers in Devon & Cornwall Constabulary are working hard, but are being held back by Whitehall red tape that prevents them from patrolling the streets and catching criminals. This is why we want to see a stronger emphasis on neighbourhood policing and a greater say for local people on how police forces are run. The Government needs to do more to tackle the scourge of drugs – which fuels all other crime, ruins communities and destroys lives. Violent crime is also compounded by the crisis in our prisons. With offenders being released early or escaping jail completely, criminals are not deterred from committing violent crime, nor do they receive proper rehabilitation.”
18-Jul-07: Visit To The Freedom Trust	“I was most impressed to see the facilities available through the “Freedom Trust” in Howard Avenue, Barnstaple. A tremendous work is being undertaken for the homeless in North Devon and the drop-in centre is filling a great need. As knowledge of the drop-in centre, lunches, etc, for the homeless grows, then there will be less of a problem with begging and inevitably, petty crime will drop and there should be less shoplifting in the knowledge of this welcome initiative. I hope that the local people in North Devon will be inspired to assist with donations and in becoming friends of the Trust, too where there is a direct benefit of improving the lives of those most in need locally as well as improving our own capital town too”.
18-Jul-07: CAP (Christians Against Poverty)	“I met Mr Jeremy Westcott of CAP who is providing a much needed debt counselling service to those in financial despair. Sadly, there is a growing problem in the country for those who are finding they have fallen into the despair of excessive debt and he provides a free service to those who need help. I commend this invaluable initiative and am very happy to provide my moral and practical support”.