nigel bennett

Peninsula 2

2010-05-06T20:50:00.002+01:00

Day 25: Chelmondistan and Brantham with local Councillors. A very good and positive response yet again though afternoon canvassing does mean alot of "outs." Meet a good number who have voted already via postal votes. Still 1 in 3 undecided.
In Brantham, we meet lots of people and residents glad to see a candidate. There is a perception of no one calling but with South Suffolk so big, its easy to see why people could think that.
I must thank Trot and Paul they are great guides and know so many people. They've been at the heart of parish life in Brantham for a long time. They are constantly optimistic and a good laugh, just what a candidate needs!

Peninsula

2010-05-06T20:31:00.002+01:00

Day 24: Stutton, Shotley and Tattingstone today. The local geography of this area is fantastic with Alton Water and the estuary. Land is looking very dry by now. Learn about a very green primary school and then away canvassing with Dave Wood the local councillor. Visit an amazing redevelopment of the old workhouse. It seems ages since we did GCSE fieldwork at Alton water and this building was in a desparate state. Just occasionally you see a modern development and you think wow and this does that to me.

When there's a lack of pavements

2010-05-06T20:23:00.003+01:00

Day 22: Afternoon in Hadleigh and a good chat with the local Police sorting traffic/parking problems near the school. Local councillors know their constituents so well, its impressive. Plenty of posters up.
Layham and Raydon in the evening. A bit of dodging the traffic that doesn't seem to adhere to speed limit. Shame the Marquis is not open at the end of the canvass.

Question Time

2010-05-06T20:09:00.002+01:00

Day 21: Day is dominated by the Churches Together in Sudbury Question Time in St Peters. A near full house. Questions are all on national issues with no local ones. Topics range from Israeli - Palestinian conflict, economic recovery, and is a manifesto a contract?
Thought provoking questions especially on what politicians can do about the moral behaviour of the banks? Most questions were directly answered by all the candidates, no games between the Conservatives and UKIP this time. Interesting that if anyone was a target from those 2 parties it was me this time. Consequence of the polls?

The first day of rain on the campaign trail

2010-04-25T23:15:00.002+01:00

Day 20: Probably even less expected than the polls has been the weather. The light rain will help farmers a bit but more is needed. Anyway, no dampening of enthusiasm for the intrepid small band in Elmsett today.
Some more posters up and the lack of loyalty to the main parties is more evident. People sense something extraordinary and the result nationally will probably be the end of the "1st past the post" system. The Observer runs a brilliant piece on the political make up of the UK based on share of the vote and number of seats under the present sysytem. Each one is called either "grotesque, beyond parody or democratically abominable."
Looking at the polls, do even the Tories secretly wish we had PR?

Meeing Places

2010-04-24T20:30:00.003+01:00

Day 19: The morning in Hadleigh is a chance to meet and greet shoppers. A good reception and I also join the local Guides at an event for an impromptu photo as they try to raise funds for a trek around the Isle of Man to raise money for Save the Children.

Lunchtime brings Sudbury Market Hill and a chance to meet and greet more shoppers and some canvassing in the town centre streets. Get a few shouts from cars that sounded supportive or was that wishful thinking? Its still a unusual feeling walking around with a rosette on where you normally shop!

Today brings 2 recent former soldiers raising the issue that the army still need better kit and the difficulty injured former soldiers have with the benefits system. Its a scandal that needs to be changed quickly.

Finish the day with the article on the EADT website about the upsurge to us putting Mr Yeo at risk.

How can 3 years go so quick?

2010-04-24T20:06:00.002+01:00

Day 18: Bogged down in the nicest sense with Yr 11 school reports. How can 3 years pass so quick? It seems like only a few months ago that my tutor group were newbies to the Upper School and now in less than a month they leave or go into the Sixth Form. Its the most difficult job putting into a few sentences their successes and areas for improvement on a report when you've got to know them so well. People do not understand what goes into this career.

Join Bryn Hurren (local councillor) in Edwardstone for the hidden treasures of South Suffolk. The roads make you feel you are going round in a circle but the landscape is truely amazing on a glorious sunny evening and despite the number of shingle drives that do untold damage to the soles, its a good evening. The local pub, the White Horse, is a lovely finishing stop and some good discussion is held with the locals in the bar over a locally brewed beer.

A safer place to live.

2010-04-24T19:48:00.003+01:00

Day 17: Councillor duties must not be ignored. Chair Safer Neighbourhood Panel for Sudbury and Great Cornard where residents raise issues and the team feedback on the progress of the previous months priorities. The hot, sunny weather in the school holiday has set off some unpleasant anti social and nuisance behaviour. The Police team are excellent and explain the new powers they will use and resources for their PCSOs to use. We re-set 2 priorities on Broom St and Gaol Lane and a new one for Acton Lane. The team really do care about their community and the residents know they are working ever so hard to solve it. The public also appreciate this contact and feedback with the Police eventhough they get fustrated. I'm sure the the Officers also appreciate the thanks they get too at this meeting.

In the evening its back to Clare. Meet up with the team and have a very positive session out on the doorstep. There are alot of genuinely undecided voters. The leader debate has continued to spark interest and some real exchange of views are now taking place on the doorstep. :)

Question Time Round 1

2010-04-24T19:20:00.002+01:00

Day 16: Radio Suffolk Question Time recorded with all 4 candidates due to be aired 30th April. This is question time with first time voters in the Prospect Theatre at GCUS. A very good range of questions from job prospects, health priorities, fuel prices, higher education, "free schools" policy and expenses.
A good natured affair on the whole with just 1 exchange of hostility between Yeo and Campbell-Bannerman on Mr Yeo's expenses which was clearly pre-planned by UKIP. The audience was the 17-18 year olds, it was their questions but didn't the sitting MP and MEP play to the radio audience. As a result the feedback from the young people and staff was clear that I had been the most direct in answering the questions.

Next, Royal Hospital School, Holbrook, beautiful location and buidings and a thoughtful and lively Q & A after I spoke for a short period to introduce myself, explain why I'm a Lib Dem and what the main policies issues are. I really enjoyed it, a highlight so far, time flew by.
Good luck to Lizzie the student Lib Dem candidate there.

Balancing act

2010-04-24T19:12:00.003+01:00

Day 15: Back to work today, lovely to see tutor group and students. Lots of interesting questions from them, this is a balancing trick and a half with the campaign. An evening in Glemsford with local councillor Rex Thake. Bump into the first opponents out and about as a Tory leaflet is delivered.

7am start

2010-04-20T19:26:00.003+01:00

Day 14: Monday is a 7am opening of Jacquis cafe in North Street, Sudbury. Great breakfasts, good drinks and great staff. This is an offshoot from staff from the Waggon & Horses. I hope they have every success with their venture.

Back to work. Budget update and realisation that school budgets are being cut or frozen now! The Tories at Suffolk have reduced the size of the pot for SEN and the Government have frozen money for Sixth Form via the LSC. No account of pay award in the funding. No redundancies but other schools are.

Evening is over to help Kathy Pollard with a residents survey on 4 streets in Pinewood near the new Suffolk One Sixth form centre about the proposed parking restrictions. Great doorstep councillor work getting the views of residents whether for or against the proposals so views can be represented accurately. Lib Dem Councillors work hard for you and Kathy especially.

You're the only one to have replied

2010-04-20T19:17:00.004+01:00

Day 13: Recovering from long car journey decide time to make sure all email enquiries have been dealt with. Top of the poll is Be a voice for nature from the RSPB, with Cancer Research UK next and £97 billion on Trident third. There have been many topics and issues but alarmingly I've now had a good number of lovly thankyou's where people also say, I am the only candidate to respond to their enquiry. People can be their own judge of the other candidates.

Sunday pm is meet the residents in Washbrook and Copdock with a drop in and tea. Kathy Pollard the local councillor does a sterling job here and knows so many people. Strangely, we are called upon by several people I normally see working in Sudbury, friendly faces always welcome and enjoy the talk and chat with some former ardent Tories!

No clouds and sunburn

2010-04-17T20:36:00.003+01:00

Day 12: Anticyclone and no flying means not a cloud or vapour trail in the sky today. There is an unbelievable silence too with no Stanstead flights.
Clare and Cavendish are a great mix of old and new, big and small houses. Clare also gets first prize for best sandwich so far at the deli and cafe in the High Street. Interesting, how one farm with boards its fields can give a disproportionate feel!
The pub on the Green at Cavendish gets the prize for best pint on this tour of South Suffolk (please note probably first pint while out on doorstep but it was needed today!)
The Nick Clegg performance continues to be the first thing most on the doorstep mention. Nick has really set things alive. It is going to be an interesting 2 weeks still to go.

Street Lights outside bedroom windows

2010-04-16T18:26:00.004+01:00

Day 11: Monks Eleigh is yet another treasure of South Suffolk with its community store and varied architecture. This is the morning after the night before, when the leaders debate occured.

Nick Clegg excelled and on the doorstep he has won by a mile and even non Lib Dem voters think it. Personally, I think, Cameron looked agitated, annoyed that it wasnt going well. Brown did better than probably people thought he would do but his attempts to say we'll reform, were rightly smacked down by Nick Clegg, by pointing out "so why did your MPs vote against recall of MPs who have done wrong?"

I think a chord has been struck. For 65years we've shifted between these 2 parties, its time for change that works for you.

Photo call this pm with 2 young women, I've been helping, who have homes on a new development where they go out and come back to find street lights erected by their bedroom windows. Just a bit of common sense and an odd metre here or there and there would be no issue. The streets are not adopted yet by the council so its getting the developer to shift them before the roads adopted.

By election day

2010-04-16T17:51:00.002+01:00

Day 10: Little Waldingfield is a delight. A beautiful village close to Sudbury. The positive welcome continues but here immigration is a big issue but for some with a real anti European point of view. I wonder about the illogicality of one comment that they want no migrants here but they wish they could move to ....

Evening brings the Count for 2 by elections. We win in Great Cornard South with 41%, Cons 37% and Labour 22%. A Lib Dem gain from Con. Colin Wright will be an excellent councillor.
In Sudbury East, we lose to Independent Nicky Dixon (who will be excellent) but we get 47% which is a great performance by Oliver Forder.
That is 3 out of 4 wins in by elecctions in a month. The Tories are losing their grip.

Hold onto those balloons

2010-04-16T17:41:00.003+01:00

Day 9: Market Hill, Sudbury might have been cold from a chilling wind but a warm welcome was received from shoppers on the whole. The odd Tory made their point which was usually funny, the team gave out balloons and leaflets and some good discussions were held. Non Sudbury members of the team came away very positive.

Next the BBC Breakfast crew were up to feature a behind the scenes look at a campaign. We'd organised a visit to then highlight the issues facing small businesses and the need for more vocational training. Little Cornard was used as its got a great range of academic and highly skilled craft workshops. We even gave them some electric guitar.

PS. Not exactly sure what Labour, Tory and UKIP offered but of no consequence as not using item an email tells me today.

Affordable Housing needed

2010-04-13T23:00:00.003+01:00

Day 8 Labour should be worried. Today, lots of past Labour voters not going to vote. How could the Government and the body politic allow such disconnection. Yet, when I explained how the Lib Dems would reform politics with recalling MPs, PR and taking the big money out of politics, there was a resonance.
Join Parish councillors from Melford over their site to provide some affordable housing, problem Melford is over 3000 people so government rules do not allow exception sites outside boundary of built up area. This is crazy. We need affordable housing and labour isnt helping rural areas.

Most interesting comment of the day, goes to an elderly gentleman whose pearl of wisdom was, "what any government needs is a strong opposition." How true, how well can Parliament scrutinise the Government? And big majorities bring don't allow it.

Just when you think the piles are getting smaller!

2010-04-12T18:41:00.003+01:00

Day 7: Leaflet piles have a tendency to spread across the floor and just when I thought real progress had been made and the carpet was really visible again, along came the next one. Getting to the kitchen is becoming like one of those sport exercises you see where you have to run on tip toe.

To the campaign. Half the day was lost taking youngest daughter to hospital for some jabs, she's going to do Childrens Nursing in September and the list of vaccinations before she starts is long!

Another friendly, warm welcome day on the new estates of Sudbury and I called into school to see a few of my students busy doing coursework and revision classes in the library during the Easter Holiday. I'm sure they'll get the payback with their grades.

Byelections on Thursday in Sudbury East and Great Cornard South. Results and turnout will be interesting.

Persuading the disillusioned to vote

2010-04-11T17:57:00.002+01:00

Day 6: Do MPs realise what they have done? Today, has been one where people who need a voice feel they have no one to trust. As a new boy to this, it is shocking that people should be so disillusioned with politics. I had 3 good conversations with residents who weren't going to vote but by the end of listening to them, I had persuaded them it was their real chance to have their say. Democracy matters!
The public actually really like the idea of co-operation. Well done Vince and Nick for raising this on debt and deficit.
As one resident said today, big majorities are so dangerous.
Highlight of the day, a fellow (now retired) teacher offering to teach my classes so I could campaign more!

A long day finished with a pint of Mauldons

2010-04-11T17:50:00.003+01:00

Day 5: By elections on Thursday 15th for Sudbury East and Great Cornard South at Town/Parish level meant today was blitz day with a team leafleting in Sudbury East. This ridge of high pressure and associated sunshine has made everyone come outside and do their gardens which means some good chats while going around. What is clear is that too many residents are not used to having their Prospective Parliamentary Candidate on the doorstep! How sad is that.
Highlight of the day, was the car stopping, the window opened and a "I was Labour but voting Lib Dem came with a friendly smile."

Surprises

2010-04-10T14:59:00.002+01:00

Day4: Sometimes when you're wondering how will that get done, the phone rings and an offer of unexpected help solves it. Rare but today was one of those moments.
Momentum is building and there is a good vibe when out. Former Labour councillor admits they wont do well here to me as I helped deliver his street with our Flying Start leaflet.

Lib Dems will not allow Banks to charge its customers unfairly. Our Consumer manifesto is excellent with proposals on energy prices and water charges. The scandal of the energy you use being more expensive at the beginning and cheaper the more you use is unfair to those in fuel poverty and on low incomes.

Local development framework creates heat

2010-04-08T21:06:00.002+01:00

Day 3: Today was one mainly in the Council Chamber. Important issues on the future of the District Council and working with Mid Suffok District were discussed. The Council is not just considering shared services with MSDC but also a single Chief Executive and Senior management team. Operationally, 2 councils could act as 1 while still being separate constitutionally. The future may bring 1 Council covering both areas. Of course, Unitaries may still reappear but status quo is not an option, the finances will not allow it.

The local development framework was the issue that caused my colleague Martyn Booth to be his impassioned best. Martyn, I and others were not happy that the Regional Plan expects Babergh to put an extra 2416-3561 homes here between now and 2031, 60% were proposed to be in Sudbury and Great Cornard (1446 or 2136 in worst case scenario).
The Government has not invested in the infrastructure and the real concerns lie with the road infrastructure. Though broadband and water/drainage were also raised. We need affordable homes and internal migration will still bring people here. Yet, our main market town struggles now with traffic. Witness the nightmare that was Church St/Friars St while Cross St was closed.
Officers are going away to rewrite the questions for the consultation with the public.

On the doorstep, Newton Green confirmed the disillusionment with Labour here in South Suffolk. It was good to catch up with parents of former students and hear how they are succeeding. A good positive welcome. Though some are really fearing the overdose of media coverage in the next month!

To relax, its time for Outnumbered. Though the line who would you vote for to be PM to the little girl, gets the answer Simon Cowell. This has unnerved me!

Political Reform

2010-04-07T22:11:00.002+01:00

Day 2: So the Tories now think, recalling your MP is a good idea and Labour believe fixed terms would be the best. Lib Dems led the way on both, now they follow or do they? Why did the Tories oppose recall? Why have Labour opposed, done nothing on PR till just before an election and then dropped it again?
On political reform, they talk about it but only we can be trusted on it.

On the doorstep, another friendly and good day. More apologetic Conservatives found. Cameron should worry about this. Some didnt even know if their Conservative MP was restanding.
Won a prize too, a lady in Shimpling Street thought she would go the whole campaign without seeing anyone, day 2 of the campaign and she did. :):)

Day finished with a nice BBC problem.

Sunshine for the start

2010-04-06T21:16:00.004+01:00

Day 1 of the real campaign.
Lord Andrew Phillips opened the Bury St Edmunds office and 3 PPCs, David (Bury St Edmunds), Belinda (West Suffolk) and I joined in the short speeches and the numerous supporters by the M&S store and the Methodist Church in the centre of Bury. I think Bury St Edmunds could be an interesting result to watch.

Clear message, we've had 65 years of Labour and Tories making the same old mistakes over and over. The choice in this election is more of the same or real change with the Liberal Democrats.

With sunshine, it would be have been wrong to avoid the doorstep! I must admit, it made me feel a tad old when I met 2 former students who are now mums. Came away one proud teacher.
As for the politics, the Tories are not popular, had several "I've always voted Conservative but this time its probably Lib Dem." :)
The fair tax message is going down well.

Finally, I returned to the email correspondence. Protecting the BBC was the new big issue today. The RSPB "Voice for nature" and the POWER2010 continue to bring in the emails. Amazing how close many of these campaigns are to Lib Dem policy and beliefs.

Quiet Bank Holiday

2010-04-05T16:52:00.003+01:00

What a quiet Bank Holiday!? As everyone gone away fearing an election tomorrow?
After an hour and a bit driving lesson with youngest daughter around the mini roundabouts of Bury St Edmunds, the day has been one of delivery.
Not only were the roads quiet but hardly anyone was in their garden to chat, say hello to and do a quick canvass. For those who were, they definately don't want Labour back.
Thanks to the man busy with his car who got up, called me back after giving him a leaflet and said, " just realised, you're the guy on the leaflet, you've got my vote."
Today's sample would not be statistically reliable but the big 2 are not popular and MP expenses keep being mentioned very quickly.

1st Question Time at Sudbury Upper School

2010-04-04T21:37:00.002+01:00

Wed 31st March saw the start of the campaign minus the UKIP candidate and Tim Yeo MP. Conservative County Cllr James Finch stood in at short notice for Mr Yeo.

The 1st time voters of Sudbury Upper Sixth Form offered a range of interesting questions featuring:
1. How would you keep university open to everyone on cost grounds.
2. Were people of privilege (and leaders such as Cameron) able to relate to people in poverty?
3. Was it right to go to war in Afghanistan and what are the policies for the future on this region?
4. What are your plans for the future of the NHS?
5. Was the recent budget a disaster? What were the main problems with it?

Thanks to the Headteacher Mr Forrest for chairing the Q&A and Nigel Brown, Head of Sixth Form for organising it. The debate was polite, good mannered and the questions were on the whole fully answered. I hope the audience thought so.

Feedback from my daughter has been really positive, her friends were telling her how they would be voting the next day. I'll just :)

Suffolk Tories don't see value of Middle schools.

2010-01-30T15:14:00.004Z

I read the Cabinet papers on the Sudbury/Great Cornard School reorganisation which includes all the village primary schools and Stoke by Nayland middle school. What a predictable report.

Predictable because it denies failings in their reorganisation, it dismisses with contempt parents concerns and seems contradictory with OFSTED findings.

Dismissed are parent concerns over staff retention while middle schools are run down to closure.
Dismissed are parents beliefs that middle schools add to the pastoral care and social aspect of school.
Dismissed are parents belief their children benefit from specialist facilities Middle schools have but primary schools do not have.
Dismissed are "Good" OFSTED reports of Middle schools because they arent getting the results Suffolk want overall. Why the contradiction? Who is wrong here?

To me the biggest risk is funding. The paper suggests that the primary school building work is reliant on the sales of sites to be disposed of and so borrowing is needed.
For the secondary schools, the risk is the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) cash. They admit there will be a gap between reorganisation and getting the cash for work.

How long? All they will need? Will the Tories maintain the programme or will they hive off funds for other reasons ie cutting the deficit or those new schools their "choice" policy might bring? And the what choice might that give others?

Raising standards needs well funded, well resourced schools and quality training for staff and our children who have disadvantages need the support to raise their literacy and numeracy as early as possible in primary schools so they can access the subjects or vocational courses that our secondary schools offer.

Complete consultation on MP expenses

2010-01-07T20:21:00.002Z

Here is everyones chance to have their say on MP expenses by completing the on line consultation by IPSA on the expenses for MPs in the next Parliament. It can be found at http://mpexpensesconsultation.org.uk

Let us hope the work is done before the election is called. A good reason for an election on May 6th? Any earlier and IPSAs work will be undermined.

A test to how serious reform will be Mr Brown?

Clegg's New Year message.

2009-12-30T19:12:00.002Z

Thought I'd copy this as its interesting reading. I do believe that sometimes politicians messages do need to reach as wider audience as possible.
“I have a confession to make: 2009 tested my belief in politics to breaking point.I remember once looking round the House of Commons during another Punch and Judy session of Prime Ministers Questions.
In the real world, youth unemployment had just reached its highest level ever, our brave soldiers were facing extraordinary dangers in Afghanistan, the bankers were still gorging themselves on bonuses, and the economy was in the middle of the worst recession in generations. And what were the politicians doing? Yelling and guffawing at each other as if the world outside didn’t exist.So I don’t blame anyone for feeling a sense of despair about our clapped out political system.
You are being taken for granted by the people in charge. Big money is hollowing out politics with some rich donors not even bothering to say whether they pay full British taxes or not. And to top it all the expenses scandals exposed some MPs as spivvy property speculators and tax evaders rather than public servants. This whole set-up has to change.
That’s what 2010 should be all about. Big, permanent change for the better.
People’s faith in politics may be dented, but I still believe in our ability to learn from the mistakes of the past, and set things on a new course. 2010 must be the year we press the political reset button. But that will only happen if we do things differently. More of the same won’t produce anything new.Of course both Labour and the Conservatives have learned to parrot the language of change. But where’s the proof they mean it?
Despite all the hot air about fixing politics they have both voted against giving people the right to sack MPs who’ve seriously broken the rules. Both have refused to clean up the rotten system of party political funding. Both refuse to give you your say by introducing fair votes to the House of Commons. And both refuse to shake up the City of London, so that bankers can never again play Russian roulette with your savings.Some people say, what’s the point of voting when the same old parties always win?
I say: vote for what you believe in. If you like what the Liberal Democrats stand for, vote for it. If you want real change, not phoney change, vote for it. If you think things should be different, vote for it. At the end of the day, politics should be about what you believe. What kind of Britain do you want to live in? What kind of world do we want our children and grandchildren to grow up in? So as the countdown to the next General Election finally begins, I have a simple question for the other party leaders: what do you believe, really believe?
People don’t want leading politicians clinging on to power for its own sake, or just telling people what they want to hear. There’s got to be more to it than that. I have one belief above all others: a belief in fairness.
Under my leadership the Liberal Democrats have been working on new ideas to make Britain the fair country I believe most people want it to be. We want to raise standards in all of our schools by giving specific help to the children most in need, and by making class sizes smaller. Soon we will be publishing new ideas to turn our economy away from its over dependence on the City of London to a new, green economy where hundreds of thousands of new jobs will be created as we rebuild our transport, energy and housing infrastructure.
Above all, we are now the only party with a detailed plan to make taxes fair – removing all income tax on the first £10000 you earn, paid for by asking people at the top to pay a bit more. If we as Leaders want people to turn out to vote at all at the next General Election, we have got to show people our convictions, not just dividing lines, our beliefs, not just soundbites.
I hope in the coming months even more people will get a chance to find out what I believe in, and the beliefs of the Liberal Democrats. If enough people share our convictions, our beliefs, then 2010 really can be the beginning of something new."

Delighted at plan to get rid of unfair tuition fees

2009-12-30T13:24:00.004Z

Good news for students and for everyone who wants a fairer Britain. This week the Party's federal policy committee agreed a way to deliver one of our most important policies, the scrapping of unfair tuition fees. I must admit I was delighted to hear this.
Developed is a plan to phase out tuition fees over the course of the next six years, to ensure this vital policy is affordable even at this time of economic crisis.
Labour and the Conservatives refuse to address the issue of fees and there is a real danger that both of them would lift the cap on fees which could mean even more debt for students when they leave university. We think that is wrong and our policy will prevent it happening.
It's simply wrong to penalise people who want to make the best of themselves by saddling them with enormous mortgage-style debts from the day they graduate - especially when we know the root of the current economic crisis was too much debt. And it's clear that people from disadvantaged backgrounds are far more likely to be put off going to university if it costs them tens of thousands of pounds. In a fair society, university admissions should be based on your grades and intelligence, not the wealth of your parents. You should decide whether going to university makes sense for you - and you shouldn't have to make the decision based on your bank balance.
We were right to oppose tuition fees from day one, and have been right to continue to oppose any lifting of the cap on the limit of fees. The government has been obsessed with artificial targets for how many people should go to university, while putting barriers in their way in the shape of fees. The priority is making degrees affordable, and that means scrapping these unfair fees, including for those who study part-time. This is vital, because it tends to be older or poorer students who can't afford a full-time degree, but under current rules they have to pay up-front, while everyone else is allowed to defer their payments.
Of course, at a time of economic crisis, when the government has got the public finances into a mess, it is extremely important to be responsible about making a big financial commitment like this. Students want to be treated like grown ups; they know money doesn't grow on trees and that big spending committments like this are only affordable over time. That's why we have agreed together to lay out a financially responsible timetable to scrap fees, step by step, over the six years after the General Election.
Final year tuition fees will be the first to go. Too many people drop out, often put off by the huge costs. We'll make it easier to stay on, because no student will pay any fees to complete their degree. In 2011, we'll get help to part-time students, regulating the fees they pay (a vital step towards abolishing them). In 2012, part-time students will be able to access the same loans as full-time students. In 2013, we'll extend free tuition to second year students. In 2014, we'll extend that same free tuition to part time students. And in 2015, as the public finances are recovering, we will be able to afford to abolish all remaining fees.
Labour's recession has made it more difficult to find the money to fund our priorities BUT we remain the only party that believes fees are unfair, and the only party with a plan to get rid of them for good.

Chris Huhne MP visit to South Suffolk

2009-12-13T10:29:00.002Z

Last night, the Lib Dem Home Affairs spoksperson, Chris Huhne MP visited Sudbury for the South Suffolk Dinner and to draw the Lib Dem National Christmas Draw which South Suffolk won last year. (Pictured left to right: Parliamentary Candidate Cllr Nigel Bennett, Cllr David Grutchfield and Chris Huhne MP)

Chris Huhne made an impressive speech and took questions from the floor after dinner. The Liberal Democrats are the party of fair taxes. Why should people on the minimum wage lose earnings via income tax? Chris emphasised the point that starting to pay income tax at £10,000 would remove several million from tax and benefit the typical taxpayer by £700. At the same time, it was right that tax loopholes were closed and those with properties over £2million pounds paid a fairer share.
Chris warned people that the Tories promise to repeat their 1980s mistake. He reminded everyone that in the 1980s recession, the Tories raised taxes and cut spending and though economic output began to rise after the collapse of 1980, it took 5-6 years before unemployment started to fall. A whole generation of young people were affected. The Liberal Democrats believe training is essential and money must be spent here.
Finally, Chris talked about protecting civil liberties from the threat of further surveillance and to the Human Rights Act.
Questions were asked on pensioner poverty, does parliament benefit from young MPs or older MPs with more experience and finally on the Copenhagen talks.
Chris emphasised the need to reduce fuel poverty which means people burn cash and carbon, the need to restore the link between earnings and the state pension, the need for a balance between young and older MPs and finally the "Zero Carbon by 2050" policy paper of the Lib Dems which set out the policy framework for achieving this aim, more than any other political party.

New addition to Sudbury Heritage centre

2009-11-12T15:04:00.002Z

Remembrance Sunday saw the official opening of a new exhibit in town with the memorial to the 486th American Bomber Group that was based at Sudbury at the Chilton Airfield. 204 names are on the memorial with photos and an account of the part the American airforce played in the life of Sudbury for the 1 year between 1944 - 45, they were based here.
Congratulations to Shirley, Val and Robin for their superb work and to the Museum Trust.
The Heritage Centre in the Town Hall is well worth a visit and is also a moving experience.

Fair trade for farmers

2009-10-18T19:38:00.003+01:00

This year across Europe, the price that supermarkets pay farmers for their milk has gone down by nearly a third – but the shelf price that you and I pay for a litre of milk has hardly changed.
The farmers incomes are slashed, the consumers don’t benefit, the supermarkets pocket the difference.

We have the tragic irony of millions of consumers going to the supermarket each week, going down one aisle and buying fair trade Columbian coffee and then going down the next aisle and buying the milk to put in that fair trade coffee from an exploited British dairy farmer.

And the same exploitation happens right across our food market in every sector of farming.

Lib Dems would introduce a powerful food market regulator to enforce fair trade for British farmers because it’s wrong that farmers are going under, we need them to thrive for the future of rural communities as a whole.

10:10 campaign. Cut your CO2 by 10% by 2010

2009-09-01T15:30:00.002+01:00

Global warming is a threat to all of us but especially the poorest who will have less resources to cope with its impacts. A 10% cut by 2010 is realistic and it is an easy start compared to the 50% cut needed by 2050 which Copenhagen may deliver but many believe to keep to a 2 degree C increase, a 60-80% reduction is needed.
A 1 metre sea level rise means new flood defences for many major cities. The IPCC predicted 30-60cm rises by 2100 based on research upto 2005. The latest research takes into account the rapid changes at Greenland and speeding up of the flow and carving of its glaciers. The US Geological Survey is predicting 1.5 metres by 2100
Please support the 10:10 campaign either via the Guardian website or the link www.1010uk.org

Sudbury's Party in the Park a great success.

2009-08-24T11:04:00.012+01:00

The Town Council organised the free "Party in Belle Vue Park," it was a great family & community day. Opening with the excellent Ipswich samba band and with massive crowds the day included lots of displays and acctivities such as the climbing wall and a range of sports and then the last 4 hours included a range of local bands and for some it was their first "live" performance which made it even more impressive.
Hopefully something that will be repeated next year and each summer. Thanks town Council staff and to Babergh District Council for the use of the Park!

In Sudbury, "When you see a crowd, I see a flock."

2009-08-24T10:58:00.004+01:00

Been meaning to post this picture for sometime about the unusual addition to Siam Gardens courtesy of Sudbury in Bloom. Cynics would say they would be vandalised but weeks later they are still there. Nice innovation. Keep it up.

Creative artwork to solve a problem in Sudbury

2009-08-03T15:50:00.006+01:00

Today was the official opening of the Tesco underpass which had been a victim of graffitti and nusiance behaviour. The solution supported by Babergh and the Town Council and other agencies was an artwork project using national & local artists with 50+ youngsters. Many of those involved in the problems were also involved in creating and doing the artwork. In very few underpasses do you want to stop and admire the "architecture" and design but here is something that brings the place to life. It is also something that will hopefully stop future graffitti and problems.

I was delighted to be at the opening with Cllr Martyn Booth my Lib Dem colleague in Sudbury as he was involved in Babergh's Community Safety Partnership that helped fund the project and I'm delighted to say Babergh officers who worked very hard co-ordinating it.

South Suffolk results: Suffolk County Council

2009-06-06T16:24:00.002+01:00

June 5th was a day of mixed feelings. The results across the Babergh area showed the Conservatives on 43.7%, the Liberal Democrats on 34%, Labour on 9.3%, UKIP 3.8% and Green 1%. The turnout was 40.5%, better than expected.
We held onto our 3 seats of our hardworking councillors and came mightly close in the Stour Valley where Bryn Hurren was only 45 short of gaining the seat. We had good performances especially in Samford and Sudbury. Great Cornard was a promising performance too.
The Labour vote was awful. South Suffolk is a 2 horse race. Labour have no councillors and struggled to field candidates bringing in people from Stowmarket & Ipswich.
At a General Election there is a simple choice between Tory and Lib Dem here.

Linda Jack visit to South Suffolk.

2009-05-28T10:42:00.007+01:00

Yesterday was an eventful and intersting time meeting with Linda Jack , one of our Lib Dem candidates for the European elections and visiting Brantham, East Bergholt, Assington and Copella at Boxford/Stoke by Nayland.

It was a great opportunity to show Linda the Brantham industrial site in much need of regeneration and receiving EU money via the Haven Gateway for studies into dryport and other uses as well as successful local businesses at the Assington Farm shop/PO with their plans to expand and a tour around the Copella factory which produces excellent pressed apple drinks and both so inextricably linked to the rural economy yet both have faced planning issues.

Published and promoted by & on behalf of the Liberal Democrats, 4 Cowley Street, London, SW1P 3NB

Six to Fix for Suffolk

2009-05-17T14:32:00.003+01:00

Lib Dems have launched their campaign for Suffolk County Council and the Six to Fix for Suffolk is an excellent theme.

There is a real anger in some communities over the Middle school closure programme, many feel the consultation was disingenuous. At the same time, there is little support for schools from the Conservatives and we have seen other counties in the East overtake our GCSE performance.

The Conservative run Council has also disappointed people with the big increases in care charges for the elderly and stopping free day care.

The Conservatives also appointed a Chief Executive on £218,000. That is £30,000 more than the Prime minister! Suffolk needs a better run and more in touch council.

Finally, the environment needs to be much higher up the agenda. I still find many older Conservative councillors are climate change deniers, there is noo sense of urgency from them. The Liberal Democrats want the environment at the centre of policy. Declarations are no good unless acted upon and we will act.

Back gardens lost ??

2009-05-07T12:21:00.004+01:00

The Government allowed back gardens to be classed as brownfield land so potentially allowing housing development within them if other planning considerations were acceptable so it is no surprise that the unpopular application to build a small estate of housing in the back gardens of a number of properties on Waldingfield Road, Sudbury has got permission at Appeal.

The developer did the usual thing, got refused permission so came back with a modified plan and then another till eventhough councillors rejected it against planning officers recommendations, the changes were enough to win at the independent planning inspecorate.

The test will now be whether the owners of the gardens sell up to the developer. Without land this development cannot happen. Yet the precedent was already set in a number of other places in the town but this decision well and truely sets the potential for more applications like this.

There are some other important questions. Shouldn't property owners have the freedom to sell part of their gardens for housing? Or should there be a ban? Would a ban mean more countryside is lost if gardens cannot be built on? Aren't gardens and green space important for quality of life and design of an estate? Aren't gardens important as wildlife refuges in an urban world and don't they help deal with water runoff? Can the existing rules stop development in gardens which is unsuitable?

There are no easy answers here, as little new housing means unaffordable house prices for our young people. Some of the people opposing garden use would also oppose building on the fields around the town edge.

What would we do if a developer approached us to sell a piece of our garden? Individually we might think thats ok till we turn around and find all the other individuals think the same and then collectively we might just think what have we done?

It seems to me that some back gardens might be suitable. BUT it seems to me that the designation of brownfield land needs removing as it makes it easier for the developer. Building in gardens should be the exception not the rule.

Let us hope Waldingfield Road residents have not signed up to sell.

At the expense of democracy

2009-05-04T18:55:00.003+01:00

Today's paper has another politician this time Labour peer Baroness Uddin being accused of an expenses distortion. This is over a flat in Maidstone bought as a main residence but neighbours claim she never lives there.
When will these politicians realise that they damage the very fabric of our democracy when they make people believe they are on the take or in it for themselves. When the defence is "but it is within the rules" as some MP's have claimed yet the rules are allowing obvious misuse of public money, it is about time many had a long hard look in the mirror.
Hazel Blears in her veiled attack on Gordon Brown claims the public do not believe the government on their policy announcements, is it surprising when you see Labour ministers claiming second home allowances that do not stand up to honest scrutiny.
The sooner reform occurs the better but reform that will last the test of time and is not knee jerk and restores some faith in our democracy.

Suffolk County Council: Wasting money

2009-04-22T11:55:00.000+01:00

last night I attended the latest attempt by Conservative run Suffolk County Council to persuade people that a single unitary would be best for Suffolk. No members of the public attended!! There were 3 County Councillors, 4 District Councillors, 2 senior officers, 1 Town Councillor and the wife of a County councillor.
Otherwise, no one.
I was told that the best attendance so far is 9 !!!!
The County are wasting taxpayers money hiring venues, wasting staff time and pushing a propaganda for their preferred option. It is disgraceful. The sooner this issue of local government review is put to bed the better. The public are not interested while councils (not Babergh to their credit)concentrate on protecting what they see as best for their own power bases.

Vince Cable: The Storm

2009-04-19T19:39:00.002+01:00

This Easter holiday has been one of reading Vince Cable's account of the economic and financial crisis that faces the UK and the global economy. Securitization, amplification, special investment vehicles and figures in the trillions of $dollars. It is a remarkable, clear explanation of how the contagion spread. Of how people thought they were being clever by spreading the risk of their high risk actions and how high street banks, investment banks and the insurance industry were hit never mind the housing market and the wider economy.
There is a Facebook group called Cable so Able in appreciation of the man the Times called "A heavy weight in anyones cabinet."

BBC Panorama and care of elderly scandal

2009-04-09T22:06:00.003+01:00

Tonight's BBC Panorama was truely shocking. The lack of care, the lack of time given to vulnerable elderly people in their homes reliant on home care uncovered by this programme means politicians must act.
Minimum standards ignored. Light touch inspections failing. The commissioner/provider model failing. Companies defrauding councils of cash for payments for set hours and carers not turning up due to understaffing. The low paid, desparate staff shown. The pain inflicted on terminally ill or confused patients.
The test of a society is how it treats its elderly and vulnerable and this programme showed that in several areas of the UK, we should be ashamed. How many more areas exist like this?

What makes my blood boil is that on Tuesday, I sat listening to someone in the NHS extolling the view that competition from the market will drive up standards in health care. Well this BBC programme showed contracts given to the lowest bidder, showed examples of awful care and a national charity unable to bid to provide care to the elderly in one council area as the price was so low.

It needs sorting, it needs to be done now and Councils and Government need to remember you often get what you pay for. Would anyone want that shown tonight on their parents?

As postscript, I hope the programme team get an award that was worth the license fee alone and a true public service.

Lib Dem councillor surgery in East Bergholt

2009-04-05T19:51:00.003+01:00

Yesterday I joined some of my Lib Dem Babergh councillors who had a coffee morning and councillor surgery in East Bergholt.
2 main issues struck me. Firstly, the need for affordable housing or local needs housing for people within East Bergholt or neighbouring villages to live here. Yet residents who came said the local Parish Council had gone very quiet on the issue. Thankfully, some of the residents had been searching for suitable sites in and around the village. I was struck by how those of a right wing persuasion think that affordable housing will bring problems.
Secondly, the lack of transport integration in this country. Why can't a bus link up with the train at Manningtree station so that commuters to Ipswich, Colchester or London can use the public transport option not always use the car. In a rich economy, is integration not possible or is it because private companies dont talk to each other or the government dont demand it?
Suffolk has pretentions to be the Greenest county. Well, we need to start setting the bar higher and achieving what our European neighbours seem to do easily.

Fuel Poverty Bill fails by 11 votes

2009-03-22T16:21:00.004Z

Why would MP's not stay on Friday and vote on the Fuel Poverty Bill?
Lib Dem MP David Heath introduced a Bill that would have improved energy efficiency in existing homes, brought in social tariffs for the households vulnerable to exposure to higher fuel bills and reinforced the legal duty on the government to act to end fuel poverty.

In a time of recession, it would have helped with work. In a time of needing to reduce carbon emissions it would have boosted energy efficiency investment. It was a win,win and win Bill.

Very few Labour and even less Conservative MPs turned up. Our Conservative MP did not. I bet there wont be a newspaper column on that little omission.

Sudbury health facility update

2009-03-11T08:26:00.000Z

The PCT declared at Sudbury Town Council that they hoped to go to tender at the end of May for a preferred developer and by the summer they should have this in place. They confirmed that no Walnuttree beds would close till the new intermediate care teams and the replacement beds in residential/nursing homes were in place. They also confirmed that everything in the Secretary of State's letter on health care provision will be followed so all clinics will remain in Sudbury and then move to the new facility so that Walnuttree and St Leonards can be closed. They also reaffirmed their wish or expectation that a GP practice will be attached to that new facility.
Interestingly, they confirmed that Newmarket are keeping NHS beds in their hospital and getting a minor injuries unit. Why not Sudbury? That is exactly what we wanted?

New Hadleigh Leisure facility

2009-03-10T08:12:00.000Z

Babergh are wanting to build a new leisure and community facility next door to the existing swimming pool. This will be a £2 million investment. Yet we have hit difficulties about the land as a few people claim it is a town green whereas Babergh believe it is public open space. Unfortunately, the legals may delay this project but last night we got a clear message from the Hadleigh Town Council that they were supportive of the facility and everyone realised that this was the area where a new pool was considered (but unfortunately too expensive) so if a town green claim won then Hadleigh would lose the chance of a new swimming pool too. A market town like Hadleigh deserves quality services for its young people and older generations. So come on people get behind the bid for this new facility.

Updates on Twitter

2009-03-08T14:30:00.002Z

Babergh District Council are giving updates on Twitter. Thought I would trial it too. Definately more concise than a blog!! If you want to follow the link is on the side menu.

Councillor surgery for local issues

2009-03-07T10:04:00.002Z

Today we restart our councillor surgeries on local issues/problems. The first Saturday in every month 10.30 - Noon at Sudbury Town Hall. Any issues or council problems please call in and see one of us.

Sudbury traffic madness

2009-02-26T15:16:00.001Z

The traffic madness in Ballingdon must stop. The picture above could have been repeated 3 or 4 times while I stood there for 10minutes. Before the bollards we campaigned for were put here, these 2 lorries would have been up on the pavement to get past.
HGV's are ruining our historic core and the quality of life of residents. Never mind that this area is now an Air Quality Management Area. Come on Suffolk County Council, do something that helps the residents?
Bypass, downgrade the A131, stop the A131 being a primary lorry route, traffic lights, finalise the priority system, one way? We need a solution that reduces the problem and takes all residentrs into account.

Should North St be pedestrianised?

2009-02-26T14:13:00.004Z

Many of you may have seen the experiment on pedestrianising North St on a Sunday. Did it work? Should it be permanent? Should it happen on more days? all of the time? Did traders benefit or were they worse off? Can we afford to lose those car spaces especially on Market days with none on the Market Hill already?

Please give your views and comment.

Babergh sets 2.9% council tax rise

2009-02-26T13:54:00.000Z

Its good when you can write in a positive way about co-operation between political parties and the budget is one of them. A 2.9% increase which is below the CPI inflation rate and still puts in extra resources for the CAB, the sanctuary scheme (earlier post), affordable housing and free swimming has to be good. Some would have liked a 0% rate but the benefit of a 9 pence per week saving for a household set against the improvements to services that are needed in a recession made it a simple decision.
Though, there are some important questions raised here by the 0% promoters. Have we made the efficiencies we should have? Are we being prudent and careful? and will the recession be worse if the public sector starts cutting spending and laying people off? If councils start reducing orders then a negative multiplier effect is going to spiral.

New Siam Gardens

2009-02-26T08:28:00.001Z

The renovation of Siam Gardens in the North Street car park should be something to celebrate. A novel idea to incorporate it as part of a trail around the town telling the history of industry that made the town famous. Yet it has been beset with problems all set around not listening to residents when they were consulted or listening then seemingly going back on their word. This is not a council but an unelected quango, who have managed to get quite considerable funds from Government for different projects BUT who are difficult to call to account unless you know one of them personally. And that is wrong.
Lets hope that the issues can be resolved before the opening on the 4th April as Siam Gardens needs the residents surrounding it for this scheme to truely work.

Food for thought

2009-02-22T20:50:00.002Z

I attended a meal to raise money for the Babergh Domestic Violence and Abuse Forum the other day. Hearing Cathy Press speak on society's perceptions of abuse and how people often want to explain/rationalise why it happened and often look at what the victim may have done or how was the abuser provoked. It was extremely thought provoking.

It strengthened my belief on why it is so important that we do support Sanctuary schemes for victims in our Council budget. Something that nearly got cut out.

Students grade Sudbury

2009-02-17T18:48:00.002Z

Here is a summary of when the Sudbury Liberal Democrats surveyed 111 13-16 year olds as part of Sudbury on Show at Sudbury Upper School on Thursday 12th and in St Peters Church on Saturday 14th Feb.

The results show that the young people completing the survey were regular users of a whole range of leisure facilities in the town. 75% used Belle Vue Park, 63% Kingfisher Leisure centre while Friars Meadow, Dual use sports centres (Sudbury & Cornard) and playing fields were all used by approximately 50%. A third used sports clubs while only 8% used the skate park and the BMX.

On their suggestions for extra leisure facilities they would like to see in Sudbury 57% made no suggestion while a quarter suggested a cinema would be the main improvement.

70% thought that Belle Vue Park had everything it required. The main suggestions for improvements were a football goal, play equipment for older teenagers and a better café.

On feeling safe when out in the town, 47% said yes, all of the time while 50% said yes but only during the day while a small 3% said none of the time.
The main fear was from the night time economy and of drunken adults coming out of and going from pubs. A fifth of all students wanted to see more police patrolling or the police being more visible in the town centre at night.

The top 3 issues (from a list of 12) were:

1st Public Transport mentioned by 40%
2nd Climate Change mentioned by 34%
Joint 3rd Education & Training/University fees and war & terrorism all mentioned by 28%

The full results of the survey have already been passed to Babergh District Council who have responsibility for leisure and community safety.

Sudbury on Show

2009-02-15T11:59:00.006Z

The 14th Feb was "Sudbury on Show" in the Town Hall and St Peter's Church on the Market Hill. If you are not aware of the concept it is a chance for all community and voluntary organisations to promote their activities, to network and find new members. It is also a chance for everyone to just see the wide range of activities our community offers.
A smaller version is run at the 2 Upper schools for a morning the same week.
Everyone gets a stand and a directory of contact details is published and the event is done on a bi annual cycle run by the Town Council.
It was the brainchild of (Lord) Andrew Phillips and started in 2003 when I did my first Mayoral stint. It is superb that 6 years later we were onto the 4th event with over 100 stands.

I spent all day on the Lib Dem stand. We got an excellent response to our Poll on which site should be chosen for the Town's new health facility. Cynics in public bodies often treat consultation with contempt seeing it as a threat to their power or scared of public choices if they are given power to chose.

All I can say, is that the choice of site is difficult but the the 100+ residents who completed it took their time and we had some excellent discussions on the merits and disadvantages of a range of sites. And people appreciated the chance to have their voice. Lets be honest the PCT (Primary Care Trust) are not going to ask residents.
People see through consultation when it is a foregone conclusion but value the chance to influence a decision even if their own choice is not taken up.
People want to partake in local democracy but only if they feel they will be listened to, why bother if the decision makers have already given you the view theirminds are made up!???

The result: Church Field Road 51.5%, Walnuttree 41% and St Leonards 7.5%.

Finally there was an enormous relief that Babergh had rejected Belle Vue House and land next to the Park. Now what should happen there? Another post, another time.

Great Cornard Upper: 12 hour sports challenge 9pm to 9am!

2009-02-07T00:56:00.002Z

Our school is raising money for an upgrade to the school climbing wall in memory of Paul Dainty the much loved and respected former Head of PE and science teacher who died in 2008. Paul brought climbing and many sports to so many students in his 30 years here.

So its 1am and I've now done Tchoukball, fitness suite, basketball and footie is to come (did 5 a side after school too!) Great atmosphere and loads of kids participating from badminton to basketball and trampolining to football.

Its times like this you realise the great colleagues you work with and the great young people who are having real fun for a good cause.

I wonder what 9am will feel like? want to watch England v Italy Saturday pm, will I have the stamina?

Suffolk County Council thinks Sproughton suitable for an incinerator (energy from waste)

2009-02-07T00:17:00.004Z

Suffolk is running out of landfill, lanfill taxes are going up and more waste needs to be diverted from this stream. The real answer is recycling, waste minimisation and reuse but the more economic option for the Council seeems to be incineration. Incineration or energy from waste as they call it has a mixed and emotive record. Europe sees it as green, the UK greens and elsewhere see it as polluting. Technology has moved on but fine particulates are still emitted and resources that could be recycled are lost and ash still has to be landfilled.

Residents in Sproughton are quite rightly concerned about the close proximity to their village of this use due to potential emissions and traffic if the old sugar beet factory site was selected.
I know that Kathy Pollard is representing them well as their Lib Dem County Councillor. I just hope the Conservative administration listens carefully to residents issues and it selects wisely the site and the technology to be used.

Babergh looks at 2.9 to 3.5% council tax increase

2009-02-07T00:06:00.000Z

I've sat on the Service and Financial Planning Group working on the budget, a group of Lib Dem, Conservative and Independent councillors with officers. Alot of hard work has been put in and some difficult decisions have been made and a recommendation of a 2.9% increase is on the table. Yet several proposals from O&S for further funding of the Citizens Advice Bureau and the Sanctuary scheme for domestic violence are worthy of reconsideration. In a recession evidence shows us that both these services will need more funding due to extra demand for their services.

96 out of 98. That is bad news!

2009-01-23T08:03:00.000Z

Sudbury's much needed western relief road, a road needed to protect the historic core, to reduce congestion and volume of traffic and more importantly make our roads safer so that a real attempt to promote cycling and walking has basically been binned to the distant future. Never mind the housing growth that Sudbury will get with the Chilton Woods development and others.

Last night, at the Town Hall, Suuffolk County Council told us that:
1. the scheme came 96 out of 98 in the East of England.
2. at present road building rates, it would take nearly a century to clear those schemes!

I asked Suffolk what traffic management had been implemented and what their future plans were if the relief road is a distant hope. When the relief road was turned down before, the Labour government said that interim traffic management schemes had to be tried to show need for a bypass.

Well, in the last 4 years of the Conservatives running Suffolk, nothing has been implemented and the 1 scheme (Belle Vue junction) has been downgraded and no plans were revealed to deal with traffic in the future.

To the credit of the Sudbury Society, who organised this meeting, another will be organised to discuss interim traffic management measures.

Obama

2009-01-22T15:18:00.002Z

As one of my daughter's watched some of "Celebrity Big Brother" last night, there was a scene of 3 of the American contestants shedding a tear over the scenes of the inauguration they had been allowed to view. There was a sense of awe, of hope and for those in America's minorities, a feeling of being a full member of that society now.
I'm still in shock that it was through this programme (one I can't stand!) that the insight of what this new President means to many Americans could be revealed. My hope is that the burden of expectation does not become too much and that solving the Israel/Palestine question will finally find a just solution.

Town Hall finances

2009-01-22T14:16:00.001Z

The Town Council budget was set and a 4.9% increase was achieved. The November inflation rate is used on contracts and this was 4.8%. Yet inflation in January is already down to 3.1% The budget setting was a painful experience. The Tories had started at a 10% increase, we had got it down to 6.9% but to get to inflation could only mean cuts in services or reducing reserves.

The council tax increase was so high simply because the Town Council had agreed to part fund a new PCSO with the Police and that infamous land purchase to the rear of the Town Hall was going to hit with an extra £17000 in the budget. The Auditor was also demanding more cash in reserves. There was only one outcome services such as the Tourist Information Centre, Eden's Youth Club and reserves for a rainy day were cut by the Tories and opposed by our Lib Dem councillors.

Now these % increases seem high yet in another way the Town Council budget is a small proportion of the total bill so an increase of 3-4 pounds for each household over the year was likely or a 10-15pence per week for each houshold. It can sound rather different and satisfactory when worded like this.

Yet the Town Council needs to budget well and get under or near inflation.
The lesson here is that the Tory councillors have committed themselves to spending through the year and at the last minute realised the consequences and cut essential services which are worth paying for and are needed.

In the same week our Tory MP was saying that tourism was a possible way out of the recession, his own councillors reduce the hours of the Tourist Information Centre. Slightly ironic.

Poor financial planning.

1 day Lib Dem conference at the LSE

2009-01-19T15:10:00.001Z

Saturday was an excellent, thought provoking day at the LSE.Its focus was social mobility and raising equal opportunities for all. Nick Clegg started the conference with a very good speech (first time hearing him live!)that outlined key policies and analysis of Government and Tory weaknesses. This was then followed by break out workshops on the importance of education policy for reducing poverty, inequality and increasing opportunity. It was like going back to University with a lecture and seminar to discuss. The economists from the Centreforum think tank were superb at raising thought provoking issues and the realities of this recession on future spending priorities for any Government.
Next, came another workshop on "Who are the Poor in Britain?" This was presented by the Institute for Fiscal Studies and looked at who are the income and consumption poor. And which regions have the greatest problems. As well as the links then to policy across a range of areas.
Interesting, was the analysis of Government early success and then failure in this area and how different groups have seen their position improve and decline.
The big surprise was how non-parent adults have gone from 1 in 20 being poor to 1 in 10 since Labour came to power.
Finally, was the presentation by the Commission on Social Mobility. It had been totally independent of the Party. This presentation was headed by the Head of Barnardoes and included Vince Cable MP and Lynne Featherstone MP. It posed some excellent questions for Lib Dems to consider as well as challenges and showed how many of our policies would aid social mobility and improve opportunities for all.

End fuel poverty bill

2009-01-19T15:03:00.000Z

I am delighted that David Heath MP is taking on the End Fuel Poverty Members Bill in Parliament. Many Lib Dem councillors including myself have been encouraging David to take this on and as he has been drawn second, it should get a good amount of Parliamentary time. I just hope that our local non-Lib Dem MP's will support it and make this a reality that will benefit so many elderly and poor residents as well as help our environment.
Let us hope the Government doesn't use its big majority to block it.

Economic downturn

2009-01-16T12:23:00.000Z

More people are coming into the Town Hall to sort out benefit claims and housing issues. The rise in unemployment is starting to have its consequences. Recently, we have seen Woolworths, Fleetwoods, M&S go or announce closure while other employers have announced redundancies. Many fear that the service industries will shed more jobs in February and March and that Bank amalgamations will have a consequence too. Some are fearing for pubs and one wonders about Wetherspoons with its vast empty spaces.
Fortunately, the Town centre in Sudbury is going to see the return of Iceland for Woolworths and the Co-op will replace Sommerfield. Without these the high street would be quite different. Clearly retailers still want to be in Sudbury.
The weaker Euro might bring more tourists to the UK from Europe and more Brits may stay at home this summer. Companies like Hoseasons are reporting big increases in bookings on the local news.
Yet, its the claims of how difficult it is for successful businesses to get loans to expand and grow that is worrying. The Banks are taking along time to realise that the taxpayer bailed them out and they need to lend responsibly not conservatively. For this adds to peoples fears that their jobs may be at risk and so they reduce their spending fearing a rainy day ahead. There was clearly a waiting for the sales as companies now report more sales in the New Year but lower profits. Lets hope that these lean times do not have a big impact later on in the year.

Results of Poll

2009-01-12T21:39:00.005Z

The poll revealed the majority 77% want a mixed use development on the bus station area in Sudbury. This was my first attempt at a poll on here. The sample of respondents was vey small but an interesting outcome . When I created the poll, the recession was not in full swing so it may be some time before anyone's aspirations for this area are achieved.

A new poll will be posted soon.

Prevention is better than cure

2008-12-31T15:29:00.002Z

Did anyone else watch the BBC "on the Case" programme about eyesight? When a BBC team with an optician did a spotcheck in Aylesbury (where 9 out of 10 haven't had a eye test in the recommended last 2 years) the results were quite shocking.

And the main reason was the eye test fee costing normally £20.

I wonder what the result would be in South Suffolk? I must admit I'm guilty as the day before the programme I had my first test for too many years. Yet it was all the other checks that the optician did eg diabetes, cateracts that mean we shouldn't avoid this MOT if you will.

Government shouldnt put financial barriers in the way of preventative health care.

IMF slates VAT cut. Gordon should have listened to Vince.

2008-12-24T13:11:00.002Z

The International Monetary Fund has said the VAT cut is not seen as an incentive to spend. It does presume you have the money to spend.
Now Vince Cable and the Lib Dems did try and get this £12.5 billion Budget item overthrown. Did the Tories support us ??
Vince and the Lib Dems suggested that this money would be better spent giving a real stimulus to the hard pressed sectors of the economy eg construction by using the money to expand the green economy such as energy efficiency of homes and schools/hospitals, public transport infrastructure and building zero carbon social houses and having a win, win by creating and protecting jobs, reducing fuel bills and cutting climate change gases.
Did the Tories support this??

Public buildings need to lead the way

2008-12-24T12:59:00.002Z

Government owned buildings are some of the worst for energy efficiency and carbon emissions. This is a story which will not get much coverage.
Yet, tackling climate change needs the Government to lead the way and set the example. If individuals are to improve their homes and cut emissions by changing behaviour then we need to be confident that our Government is doing exactly the same and even more.
The worst offender, the Dept of Energy and Climate Change!! The defence is........ sorry there isn't one. The longer we take to act, the more painful it will be.
Government needs to start putting Nicholas Stern's review at the centre of everything.

Forgotten roots

2008-12-23T19:13:00.004Z

What has happened in this country when 2 amazing turnarounds occur in the same week.
Fistly, Labour threaten to charge interest on Social Fund loans given to the very poorest and often needed in an emergency. I watched an agitated Neil Kinnock on TV struggling to contain his anger and disbelief that a Labour, sorry New Labour government was considering it.
Its like a Victorian attack on the "undeserving poor."

Secondly, the war that has begun between the Police and the Conservatives who have seen themselves traditionally as the party of law and order. Clearly there is a bit of a ceasefire at present but when Boris started interferring in the Met, then unrelated, the police arrest and investigate Damien Green Tory MP and the Mail newspaper (long term Tory friend) starts running stories on the business interests of the wife of the senior police officer investigating Mr Green. Potentially, it all starts looking like a steady long term relationship heading to a messy divorce.

Interesting times lie ahead.

Should politics enter into it?

2008-12-19T19:13:00.002Z

A friend asked me why politics were involved in the Town Council?
Well till May 2007 when the Conservatives got a majority it hadn't for the 8 previous years I'd been on it.
The Mayor was shared between Labour, Conservative, Lib Dem and Independent. Issues were discussed on merit and no one opposed something just because a member from another party or none suggested it. The Chair of Committees were shared out on merit not on political logo.
Now, all Chairs and Vice Chairs are Conservative (apart from one vice chair which was an accident!), the Mayor and Deputy is always Conservative and often a block vote of 11 out of 16 occurs. Even pre meetings occur to make decisions on how to vote on issues. Sometimes you wonder whether discussion and debate is worthwhile when some councillors nod in agreement with you and then vote in a totally different direction. Even worse they tell you the trouble they would get into if they did vote with the Lib Dems.
For the record our Lib Dem councillors can vote freely, we have no pre meetings, we often vote together as we share similar views but this is a Town Council dealing with very local issues. We will support a Conservative members good idea, I just wish it was reciprocal

Sudbury Town Council and next year's council tax.

2008-12-19T12:49:00.001Z

The latest draft of next year's budget for the Town Council makes some unhappy reading. A whopping 11% increase is forecast by the Tory run council. Unfortunately, they have committed themselves to a number of new spending issues without thinking about the budget to come.
I have got in the budget (again) the funding of Eden's youth club for an extra night and I hope this isn't going to be a victim just like last year when the Tories took the funding out for it right at the last moment.
Many councillors say that youth facilities need to improve so I hope they are good to their word.
There is also the funding for the new PCSO officer part funded by the Council. This was an idea supported by all on the Council but again no one listened about the effect on the budget and what might need to be reduced or delayed for another year.
Then, of course, there is that land to the rear of the Town Hall, costing a 5 figure sum in interest, with no money set aside to do anything with it, mind you, could they afford to?
The Town Council might be a small part of your council tax bill but each year the same Tory councillors say we must not be over inflation. Well that worthy aim might be quite painful to get to this year. If only some councillors thought about whether we can afford this or how it can be paid for before they said yes lets do that.
Seeing the big picture is distinctly and sadly lacking.

Babergh Council tax increase.

2008-12-19T12:35:00.001Z

Babergh District Council's council tax is likely to increase by 2.9 - 3.5% for next year(2009-2010). The economic down turn has made it a difficult task with constant changes to interest rates affecting investment income but there will be some real service improvements as Babergh is entering the free swimming for the retired scheme set out by the Government.
On Babergh there is a healthy cross party consensus that council tax rates should be as near to the inflation rate as possible and even below it if we can but without damaging services.
Unfortunately, Babergh is only approximately 10% of your bill but being the collecting authority it often gets the blame when there are big increases.

Tory Fiasco over schools in Clare.

2008-12-18T19:34:00.004Z

Conservatives are at each others throats again, this time over schools in Clare.

The Tory run County Council has refused parents wishes and their own party policy on a new secondary school in Clare.

Yet the inepitude started earlier.

Firstly, they decided to close excellent schools such as Clare Middle and Stoke by Nayland Middle School.

The key piece of evidence that children in the 2 tier system that achieve 7 B grades at GCSE would only get 6 B's and 1 C grade in the 3 tier system! Oh and of course, it was nothing to do with money!

Next they forgot that students from Clare middle school go to both Haverhill and Sudbury Upper schools. So when they started reorganisation and the foolish decision to close Clare Middle school they did the Haverhill pyramid first and decided to do the Sudbury pyramid later, forgetting those students from Cavendish, Glemsford, Hartest that then go on to Sudbury. Where would they go?

Next by reorganising, they put alot of schools on a death sentence that makes staff recruitment and retention very difficult and will see some schools being half empty for a number of years.One has to fear what might be the educational consequence.

What we need are all local secondary schools to be well resourced and quality schools. Choice would create winners and losers and as school funding relies on student numbers, the consequences for other local schools are quite evident.
It is apparent that parents have produced an excellent document and case for a secondary school remaining in Clare. The consequence for Clare's sustainability and viability could be negative.
Finally, the move to more vocational qualifications could make it very dificult for a small rural secondary. There will be many students moving between different schools and the West Suffolk College to be on a Vocational course as no one school can provide the full range. The times in schools are changing, hopefully the new curriculum will be for the better but thats for another post, another day.

December is a quiet month!?

2008-12-16T22:55:00.002Z

December is a bizarre council month. The Town Council only has the fortnightly planning committee and Babergh managed a half an hour long Full Council today. I just wonder how many members in full time employment attended that one ? The journey to and from Hadleigh would have been longer!
Council meetings might be short on the ground but the bad weather brings concerns over trees near homes and planning issues never go away though the economic downturn is definately meaning there are fewer applications at present.

What to do with Belle Vue?

2008-12-11T14:31:00.001Z

I see that someone is calling for the Town Council to go back to Belle Vue House and be the centre of an amalgamated Sudbury, Cornard and Chilton and that the Town Hall could be used for community use.
Firstly, Chilton doesn't want it. Why would a small parish want to go in with 2 big partners. The future is partnership working as we do by employing the 2 Community Wardens.
Secondly and most importantly, the Town Council would have to purchase Belle Vue House as this building would be transferred to the new Unitary Authority.
So why did the Town Council speculatively buy that piece of land behind the Town Hall - only for new offices!
Why would they purchase Belle Vue House for "new offices" too?
As for amalgamating Sudbury and Cornard, some councillors would like the "power", the kudos, or even to be Mayor of both? But no one is talking about it because its not needed.
Everything can be done by partnership working.
They might border each other but Sudbury and Cornard are still different communities.
Bigger is not always better.
Anyway, till the new Unitary authorities for Suffolk arrive we dont know what extra responsibilities the town council/parish councils will get if any at all.

Babergh tries to limit future housing growth

2008-12-11T14:20:00.000Z

At Strategy Committee the other day we were considering demands to increase housing growth for the South Suffolk area beyond existing levels. The Government really wants this for 2021-31. EERA also want us to consider where the new houses would then go.
Martyn Booth and I argued that we should not accept this increase in growth rate. Our infrastructure in towns such as Sudbury,Cornard and Hadleigh has not been improved by County or Government in fact we had seen services lost due to centralisation. Any increase in growth would most likely go into the market towns. This would be unacceptable.
The Committee totally agreed and it was good that we had total cross party support.

If Brown is to save the world?

2008-12-11T14:13:00.000Z

Fans of the BBC2 series "Heroes" will know that to save the world Gordon Brown will have to save the cheer leader. But finding a cheer leader for this Government might be a problem for this Primeminister!

chance of a western bypass?

2008-12-10T15:32:00.000Z

The announcement that nearly 100 road schemes across the East of England are bidding for just over half a billion pounds upto 2019means that we will be lucky to get our much needed relief road.
Suffolk County Council may have put it on a list but alongside 9 other Suffolk schemes means the odds are small.
At the same time, Suffolk have struggled to do any traffic management in the town. This was a precursor to getting a bypass. BUT here is the sting in the tail. If we are unlikely to get a bypass for another 10+ years minimum then what traffic management are they going to put in to deal with the traffic growth with existing housing development or any other ones? What are your plans Conservatives at Suffolk? Do you have any? Or as your tactic of promising every market town that needed a bypass knowing full well the funding wouldn't be there so you could blame the Government for it, been found out?
Why not be honest with communities and bid for what is actually achievable rather than being disingenuous. We need some solutions to our traffic, a bypass would help us to make roads safer to promote cycling and walking but some radical, new ideas are needed in the mean time?

First the Community Hospital, next post offices, then the tax office, finally the magistrates court?

2008-12-05T15:33:00.000Z

The Government has announced the closure of South Suffolk's only tax office. So what? many would say but in a rural area the centralisation of services whether due to cost cutting (or is it efficiency gains?) or the greater use of the internet rather than face to face has a detrimental effect on an area where public transport is infrequent and poor for many.
But it isnt just tax offices, we have already lost several post offices and the threat still hangs over the use of local justice in our only Magistrate court and exactly where will some of the beds that are in Walnuttree hospital end up being?
Services in rural areas are more expensive to deliver so the pressure to centralise is obvious but the social cost and the financial cost to the customer in time off work or even the environmental cost in travelling further mean officals need to have a rethink.
Our market towns grow, our rural population grows but the services move further away. Not all are ICT gurus or even trust the security of some sites and some may even want to leave their homes and reassuringly talk to someone(!)
In a rural area like South Suffolk our market towns of Sudbury and Hadleigh need to be service centres so other visits and money is spent here. Government needs to understand rural areas better.

"No" to Chilton Quarry

2008-12-04T20:35:00.002Z

Great news that the second proposal to build a Quarry at Chilton has been refused. An appeal is due on the first application in the New Year.
When the Police oppose an application on road safety grounds then I really think that officals should listen and proposers of the scheme realise that this is a no go.
There is a little sting though that campaigners need to think about. The Chilton Woods development will need a source of aggregate etc and the soil removed from the site will need to be disposed of. Lorry movements from that are going to be a problem for Sudbury and the villages on the A134/131. There is a need to think how this will be minimised.

Christmas Lights

2008-12-01T08:36:00.000Z

Friday night saw the new Christmas lights turned on in Sudbury successfully. The layout is different to previous years, they use alot less energy and they give a better ambience. Please give your views on what you think.

Sudbury and Play equipment for all.

2008-11-28T12:57:00.000Z

The other night at the Town Council we were discussing how to use the money from Section 106 payments from small developments in town. The idea of equipment that is for exercise as well as fun was looked at, the idea coming from the Town Clerk. this is equipment that any age can use whether young or retired and would be great fun.
We have enough money for 3 sites so I suggested that we look at Tudor Green, Pinecroft Rise, First/Second Avenue. A site in each ward. It is investigate. Its not definate. There nmay be issues with the sites. But its a tremendous idea.

Hadleigh's new leisure facility

2008-11-28T12:46:00.000Z

Hadleigh so deserves a new leisure facility. The new plans are before Development Committee.
It was a real disappointment that Babergh could not truely afford a new Pool but in its £2 million investment for a complex next door to the existing Pool, Hadleigh will get something that a market town of its size deserves.
In the dark days, when everyone was talking of closure of the Pool, our Lib Dem Group kept fighting that leisure should be a priority in a town like Hadleigh. It did not make us popular with the Tories and even others at the Council.
Once 2012 is out of the way let us hope that lottery money becomes available again for new Pools and Hadleigh can get what it truely wants.

Go slow on Sudbury's western bypass

2008-11-28T12:31:00.000Z

When the Government turned down the bypass they instructed Suffolk County Council to try traffic management. If this failed to reduce congestion and traffic problems then a bypass could be revisited.
You have to ask what have Suffolk done in the last 3 to 4 years? The Cross St scheme still isn't finished, the improved Belle Vue junction is scrapped, they have scaled down any work on Melford Rd. They have limited money for minor traffic management in Sudbury and so the bypass will remain long term.
YET, the Conservative Transport Portfolio holder keeps saying they are doing their best, it wont fall off the agenda. They promise they are telling government about Sudbury's case but dont do anything on the ground to help it. If they were genuine they would be truely showing that traffic management won't work because the geography of Sudbury makes it a traffic nightmare to resolve. Our Conservative MP needs to take his fellow Suffolk Conservatives to task. They would also admit, it was their Conservative colleagues in Essex CC and Braintree DC who opposed it last time too.

Budget thoughts

2008-11-25T16:28:00.001Z

After that Budget, I know what its going to cost me but I'm unsure what I'll gain.

What worried me?
1. that the finances will not be back to normal till after 2015. 2 elections later
2. the optimistic view that growth will return in a year.
3. if this view is wrong then....
4. will VAT cuts get passed on to customers in all sectors?
5. the cut in public spending, so only 1.2% increases instead of 1.8%. If wage deals are 3year then there are going to be some real redundancies in schools, health and councils.
6. the cuts in public spending don't account for the National Insurance increases schools, hospitals will face in the future.Budgets are going to be very difficult.
7. the size of the borrowing, up to 57% of GDP.
8. the denial that Gordon and Alistair had any role in this "American caused recession!"
9. the budget admits there are significant uncertainities in the figures. More tax increases may be needed. Lets hope not.
10. if the Banks dont start lending then this stimulus is wiped out.

Finally, why wasnt it a tax cut for the low paid. The people who need it most. Some have no more to spend, some have borrowed to their limit, so how does cutting VAT help?

As for the Tories, exactly what would they have done? For a party of deregulation they have few answers.

Sudbury bus station regeneration. Hope for a cinema?

2008-11-24T12:44:00.003Z

So what should happen to this area on the edge of the town centre? Is the future, a new shopping area with possibly a much wanted cinema and some housing or is an upgraded bus station more needed? Can the 2 be put together.
What is needed is some vision. I hope that new landowners, Babergh and the County will urgently talk to each other and consult with the public on what they think.
We had a good possibility shown by the Civic Trust study. Whatever this area is vital to Sudbury's future as a Market Town. It has to be got right.

Lib Dems and Vince Cable got the economy right

2008-11-21T12:45:00.001Z

I'm always shocked that the Lib Dems never get the economic credit they deserve.
Firstly, it was Lib Dem policy for Bank of England to be independent which Gordon Brown immediately stole in 1997 eventhough it wasn't in their manifesto. An important part of low inflation. But to the present day.
Vince Cable Lib Dem Shadow Chancellor has been warning for years about a personal debt crisis and irresponsible lending. Every time, the Brown would ignore. Then Northern Rock went wrong, Vince Cable suggests nationalisation, Brown dithers, the Tories can't accept it, nothing is done till much later and the situation is worse.
It is the Lib Dems that warned about regulation failure of the financial sector but the Tories wanted less and Labour were on watch, overseeing it all.
It is the Lib Dems that call for house prices to be in the measure of inflation to stop such spirals. It is the Lib Dems that call for repossessions to be a last resort, for Councils and RSL's to be allowed to purchase new empty stock for affordable homes.
The Lib Dems call for a 4p tax cut for for the low paid and middle earners months ago now Labour think a financial stimulus is needed so tax cuts are predicted. It is the Lib Dems that call for a funded tax cut by increasing taxes on the highest earners to pay for the tax cuts to the lower paid for it is they who need it most.

People need to remember Brown and Labour presided over the UK economy ignoring warnings, failing on who was overseeing the Banks and delaying on solutions which made it worse.
Tory and Labour lead to boom and bust.

Sudbury's Belle Vue House.

2008-11-19T11:45:00.001Z

West Suffolk college have applied to turn the video store on Cornard Road into a new education facility hopefully linked to the new Suffolk University in Ipswich. If this means an access point to more further and higher education in South Suffolk, then brilliant!
Some may think what does that do to Belle Vue House, I think they would have moved anyway as Belle Vue House is not very disabled access friendly or potentially suitable for a modern ICT based education facility. There is a serious question about what Sudbury wants Belle Vue House to be used for? if the Citizens Advice Bureau also want new facilities and leave?

Belle Vue park update

2008-11-18T19:33:00.003Z

The land swap is off between Babergh District Council and McCarthy & Stone as they have sold the site by the bus station to a local company. This means that Belle Vue House cannot be sold, demolished or redeveloped unless the issue returns to the Strategy committee at the Council.

The site by the bus station could potentially give Sudbury new shops, cinema or other community facilities in the future. If this site had been lost to a McCarthy & Stone retirement flats development any new retail would have had to go to the edge of town in competition with the town centre. So lets hope the new purchaser has good ideas for the area which is vital to our town's economic vitality in the future.

As for the BMX site, apparently talks are still ongoing but I hear that Suffolk Highways may not want the second entrance onto Cornard Rd. This road would take some of the Park by the toilets(see previous post) and would really change the nature of the Park.

Post office threat averted?

2008-11-14T15:44:00.000Z

This Labour government had embarked on an attempt to get a private contractor to run the Card Account that delivers benefits and pensions. This is delivered at present by the Post Office. The threat of losing this contract to Paypoint or a major bank threatened another 3,000 post office closures. It was only a short time ago we lost 2,500 post offices and for every 1 saved another was closed.
Mant post offices support also a village shop. They rely on people coming to collect a benefit or pension and then spending money there. The social function is enormous and can be vital for a village's sustainability in planning terms. The Labour government see a several million £ loss per week as need for further privatisation. Mrs Thatcher would have been proud of New Labour in many ways. Often there is a need for innovation but some services are basic and part of the fabric of village life. Many elderly people suffer from isolation in rural areas and therefore the social function and contact is hard to value.
Thank goodness a change of mind has ocurred yesterday. The excuse the credit crunch, reality is probably not wanting more bad press and a successful lobby to halt this privatisation too far.

Poll: How should the area around the bus staion be developed?

2008-11-13T15:41:00.003Z

Here is my first attempt at a Poll. Hope people will have a go. See the right side of the page to complete it.

Fight fuel poverty and climate change

2008-11-13T15:30:00.003Z

Energy is expensive with many single elderly people (est 80%) struggling with fuel poverty. The window for fighting climate change is small. The 2 are linked. There is an urgent need for Councils and Social landlords to improve their energy efficiency whether it is insulation, boilers or new design. Government needs to help homeowners who cannot afford these works. It will help employment, it will aid the environment, it will reduce poverty. yet inertia reigns, there is no urgency.
Energy companies charge a higher rate for the first fuel you use yet it is the most essential. Why? Surely this should be the lowest rate? Low users are penalised eg your single elderly resident. It actually suggests use more and pay less.

Sudbury Town Council: "not through the tradesman entrance!"

2008-11-12T08:10:00.004Z

So last night at Full Council, they decided to employ architects to design a new toilet and office block on the land to the rear of the Town Hall. This will re-locate the advice centre,Town Clerk etc.
A town always needs good toilets but surely refurbishing Burkitts Lane would have been a cheaper option.
An interesting new comment came about from Conservative Deputy Mayor Cllr Beer, " we want the main doors open rather than people coming in through the tradesman entrance at the side of the Town Hall."
So thats what its all about! But if you are moving the staff and advice centre into new offices in the car park who is going to want to go into the Town Hall through the front door?? Is this a delusion of grandeur?

Sudbury Remembers

2008-11-11T08:33:00.003Z

Today, on the 11th November if you have a spare moment go into the Town Hall via the Tourist Information Centre to view the Living War Memorial which tells the stories of those who fell from Sudbury in both World Wars. There are some moving tributes and miraculous stories. This was my Mayoral project in 2006-07.

Ross Scott new Lib Dem President

2008-11-08T16:49:00.003Z

Congratulations to Ross Scott on becoming the new Lib Dem President by a mile. Ross is a former Suffolk County Councillor and sits in the House of Lords. She's been a good friend to South Suffolk. I'm sure Lembit Opik will be disappointed though somehow its not a surprise.

Sudbury: The need for residents parking

2008-11-07T13:45:00.004Z

The County Council need to introduce residents parking in and around the Town centre. I have residents in a number of streets (Friars St, Church St, Cross St, Queens Rd/Suffolk Rd, Gaol Lane) who struggle to park anywhere near their home. Obviously no one has a right to park outside their property but in a historic town with many houses having no off street parking and limited on street due to the narrow streets then space is at a premium. In a market town like Sudbury with not the best bus services then most shop & office workers come in by car.

Residents in Gaol Lane want to start a petition and hopefully we'll take it to the Town Council to get their support too.

Suffolk County Council say they are waiting for a report on decriminalisation so till that is ready they wont issue any permits. That seems unnecessary where there is a clear and obvious case.
Babergh is now policing the car parks and PCSO's seem to be policing the streets so why do we have to wait, they ask?

Conservatives cost you. Sudbury Town Council land saga. part 2

2008-11-07T12:51:00.003Z

This issue is like a yo yo. The Conservative dominated Town council said new offices for the Town Council were the priority with the Mayors Parlour re-established and the front doors to be open, for what when the offices are to the rear, one can only guess?
Now realising they cant use any of the Tesco Section 106 money for this as, not surprisingly, it has to be used for town regeneration. Some are thinking of going to the second priority which was new toilets eventhough they have just closed down the Burkitts Lane toilets which could have been refurbished. Why because they can use the S106 money. The Conservatives are now totally divided some want the offices, others toilets meanwhile Sudbury taxpayers have bought a piece of land just before the credit crunch which has dropped in value, has been used as staff car parking for a year and has no coherent plan for it.
Tuesday 11th council will have to give some direction. Whether the Tory majority is capable is doubtful.
The Lib Dems would want affordable housing, its what the site has permission for! Its what the Tories thought should be the 3rd choice. And we didn't need to buy the land for this to happen.