Blog 30th July 2010
Parliament wrapped up for recess this week and marked the end of a hectic few weeks. Ive been out and about in the constituency as ever and there has also been a great deal of activity in Parliament.
Today I visited a special project called Retrofit for the Future 2050, Nottingham Community Housing Association (NCHA) is fitting out a property to the year 2050 standards which includes many solutions with are currently prohibitively expensive and some which aren't even on the market yet. And it is estimated that these solutions will bring massive savings in carbon emissions and heating bills. I met the Petersmiths who live there and chatted to them about the project which is a really exciting and innovative experiment.
At the end of the Parliamentary year, I think its worth reflecting on what weve managed to achieve as a Government. Locally, of my biggest priorities has always been to create jobs in Sherwood and to support local industry. Ive been campaigning to preserve jobs at the Rolls Royce plant in Hucknall which was facing the possibility of having to buy in parts from overseas rather than manufacturing them locally at the factory. As well as meeting with management and unions at the site, Ive spoken with Vince Cable, the Minister responsible for business and he fully supports the campaign. I will do everything in my power to keep those jobs here.
The campaigns to improve Dukeries College and Joseph Whitaker School under the Building Schools for the Future Programme took a disappointing knock but I will continue to lobby Michael Gove, Minister for Education and the County Council to make the improvements which are so badly needed and deserved.
Nationally, in just 10 short weeks, we have covered a great deal of ground. Im particularly pleased with the work that has been done to protect our pensioners as the Government has made good on a number of key campaign pledges like restoring the link to earning for the state pension to make sure that the pathetic 75p increases made under Labour are never seen again and allowing people to choose whether or not they retire at 65.
Overhauling the benefits system has also been a huge achievement: reforming housing benefits to restore fairness and responsibility and bringing in our Work Programme to make sure that we can get those on benefits back in to work as soon as possible. We have also lifted almost a million of the lowest paid in this country out of tax altogether.
Some of the changes which I think will most benefit Sherwood are the changes the Government has made to give more power back to local people. The previous Government wasted millions of pounds on quangos and unelected, unaccountable agencies without proper consultation, completely failing to represent the views of local people. Weve given local councils new powers which will make a real difference, like allowing them to resist unwanted garden grabbing and reducing ring fencing around funding so that local councils can put money where local people need it.
My surgeries will start again in Hucknall on Saturday 11th and Friday 24th September in Ollerton and if you'd like to make an appointment, please give my constituency office a ring on 0115 968 1186.
Have an enjoyable summer !!!
