Labour fail the NHS

At an event in Bretby on Friday 21st August I got talking to a group of people who worked for the NHS. What struck me was not only their contempt for New Labour but also their Old politics and the way they felt that Labour treated the NHS.
Interestingly recently there have been attacks by Labour, attempting to misrepresent the Conservatives NHS policies. I think to cover up their massive failures.

In fact the last few days have seen a concerted media campaign to discredit our Party and our policies on the NHS. The fact that so many people who work for the NHS attended this event proves the lie in their words.

Let us remind ourselves what the Conservatives will do better:
We pledge to:
• End labour’s plans to close A and E and maternity Services in our hospitals
• Bring to an end labour’s programme of closing Doctors surgeries in order to replace them with centralised and non local polyclinics
• Accelerate measures to reduce drastically MSRA in our hospitals
• Within 5 years of taking office DOUBLE the number of single hospital rooms
• Make sure ALL patients have equal access to clinically approved life saving drugs –ending the disgrace of patients in Britain being refused free access to the life saving drugs available everywhere else in Europe
• End government meddling in the People’s Health Service – diverting the £Billions wasted on bureaucratic interference to the care of patients”.
The people’s taxes will continue to support a free at source NHS – the Conservatives however will make sure that patients needs are put first in all aspects of health care. At the next election the choice is clear: Labour‘s centralised, target led and over bureaucratic approach.....closing local facilities
OR David CAMERON’S practical vision of a patient first ‘People’s Health Service’

Brown’s Binge, Bonus and Borrow Economy

In Etwall on Sunday 16th August I attended a Conservative event where the main topic of conversation was the state of the economy and what Gordon Brown had done to it.

It’s time to call time on Brown’s Binge, Bonus and Borrow Economy.

Economies in Europe – notably Germany and France - are now out of recession. Their recession has been shorter and less deep because their economies were not based upon over borrowing and a government-endorsed speculative approach to banking, borrowing and our public finances.
Britain is experiencing a deeper recession due to Brown and Darling’s mismanagement and borrowings of over £1 trillion. Skilfully hidden until now, the result will be Brown’s legacy of misery.

The so called “Boom Years” were nothing more than unsustainable growth based upon government borrowing and dodgy banking with the next 3 generations picking up the bill - rather a contrast to the Golden legacy left by Ken Clarke in 1997 of falling unemployment, low inflation and low government borrowing with consistent real increased spending on front line public services.

It is becoming clearer and clearer that this Government is doing everything possible to hide the depth of Britain’s debt and refuses to come clean about the cuts in public spending that must be made because it fears the electoral consequences. Brown continues to act like the undiagnosed alcoholic: he is in complete public denial as he borrows and borrows to hide his economic failures.

Conservatives, in contrast, have made their position both crystal clear and fully transparent:
We will:
- Protect essential public services – like the NHS – and ensure that all
patients receive the best treatment possible free of charge.


- Slash waste and bureaucracy and, once we know the real level of
Brown’s borrowing, tell the public and produce a fair and open
plan that will cut Britain’s debt and bring back a savings-based
economy.”

It is vital that we end Brown’s policy of the ‘Binge, Bonus culture’ and stop banks and Financial Institutions, at risk, from paying their employees obscene bonus payments which encourage the high risk finance that led to the near collapse of our banking structure.

use Your Local

You might be interested in the UseYourLocal parcel delivery initiative which is trying to revitalise our pubs and clubs. With rural enterprise needing all the support it can get, and Post Offices threatened, this is a refreshingly straightforward way of utilising what we already have.

The website reads: "UseYourLocal Limited was founded in 2008 in conjunction with Scottish & Newcastle UK, the country's leading brewer. It is an initiative to help consumers get more from their local by:
1. Using the UK's network of 90,000 pubs and clubs as collection points for parcels sent to people by friends, family, retailers & e-tailers.
2. Better informing consumers about What's On and Who's Who down their favourite locals.
The site creators at UseYourLocal believe that local pubs & clubs can be a real force for good in our local villages, towns and cities and hope that this is just the first in a series of great ideas aimed at finding creative solutions to help breathe life back into local communities.”

I have just put in my own South Derbyshire Post Code DE15 0PT and I would be spoilt for choice as there are so many outlets handy, not least In Newton Solney where we suffer from the Post Office being closed in the last round of cuts.
Try clicking on the link at the top of the page and see how you can help bring business to our rural pubs.

The Collingwood Centre Age Concern

Friday morning I popped into the Collingwood Centre in Swadlincote. This is an excellent ‘drop in’ centre run by volunteers for Age Concern.

They were holding a joint event/Open Day with the volunteers that help run the Age Concern Charity shop on the High Street.

The place was buzzing and what was even better as the event was held in the school holidays all ages were there.

I am sure they will have raised hundreds for the charity but also, hopefully, enticed some more good people to come and be volunteers for this worthwhile cause.
Well done everyone.

Photo of the Chairman’s wife Mrs Bottomley and other Age Concern Volunteers Friday 14th August 2009

Young football fans have taken up the challenge to make South Derbyshire cleaner

I was so pleased to be joined by Chairman of the Council, Cllr Pat Murray. Pat said “TS Sports Junior Football Club were very keen to take part. It’s great to see young people who are prepared to give up their Saturday morning to make a real difference to their community.”

The team have been sponsored by family and friends. The money they raise will be donated back to the football club to buy uniforms and equipment. Meeting the organisers of the football club, the Mums and Dads was great. TS Sports Junior Football Club’s Justin Fuller, who has organised the litter pick, said “The team practice at Newhall Park and the litter pick is a great chance for us to give something back to the community.

“I hope our event encourages people to get out and use their local parks more or even organise a litter pick themselves.”

Our Council is encouraging all residents, schools and voluntary groups to get involved with the Cleaner South Derbyshire Campaign. If you spot any problems with littering, dog fouling or fly tipping, call the Summer Hotspots line on 0800 587 2349.


If you would like to organise your own litter pick, the Council can provide you with a Blitz Kit containing metal litter pickers, high visibility vests, gloves and bags. For more information, phone the Council’s Customer Services on 01283 595795 or go to

www.south-derbys.gov.uk/cleanersouthderbyshire

Small Business is being strangled

Whilst I was at the House of Commons for a launch of a crime and disorder initiative I was also able to listen to an excellent speech by Mark Prisk MP our Shadow Ministerfor Business & Enterprise.

Following on from the Federation of Small Businesses conference a little while ago Mark’s speech about red tape strangling innovation, complicated tax rules and just the mountain of rules and regulation affecting business really struck a chord with me.

Mark has been in the House sicne 2001 and as a former freelancer, he now takes a close interest in the self-employed and small businesses. He is Vice Chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Small Business Group, Chairman of the East Hertfordshire Business Forum, and Honorary Vice President of the Small Business Bureau. Mark has been proactive in Parliament fighting the red tape wrapped around small businesses.
So many of our businesses and business Leaders in South Derbyshire have been telling me about the uphill battle they face with this Government and certainly the threat of more taxes, particularly the increasing National Insurance people tax, is a deterrent to taking on more staff and a pledge we have given is that we will not introduce this increase.

Photo Heather and Mark Prisk Member of Parliament for Hertford & Stortford Shadow Minister for Business & Enterprise at the House of Commons

Hatton Carnival

I attended Hatton Carnival Saturday 18th July. I so hoped the rain would stay away they deserved good weather after last year when it threw it down but even then it was a great event.

What a relief bits of cloud and bits of blue sky. I particularly enjoyed the birds of prey. They were magnificent. Another interesting stall was the hydro-electric project that might be placed on the Mill-Stream between Tutbury and Hatton. This would be an amazing project if it can be achieved and might enhance the flow of the river further along by the wonderfully community run Thistley Meadow. It will be interesting to watch this idea grow and mature into a fully fledged scheme. The thought that both sides of the river could benefit from ‘green’ electricity is tantalising.

Well done to everyone involved in the Carnival especially, Andy, Alan and Andy, but really especially well done to all connected with the village.


This year the neighbouring retained fire officers from the Staffordshire side were in attendance this time and Heather is photographed with the fire engine.

Etwall Leisure centre official opening

I attended the official opening of our wonderful new Etwall Leisure centre on Friday 17th July. 18 long years waiting finally a reality. I am so sorry Frank Briggs the Acting Head Teacher is unwell and had to miss the event. I wish him a swift recovery.

The opening went splendidly. The place, a £7.8m venue, is wonderful and the staff great. Well done all that kept believing that it would ever be built. The Gala standard swimming pool, 6 court badminton hall and the fitness suite really are something special.
Donna Kellogg our world beating badminton competitor from Derby kindly cut the ribbon. Donna played her first representative match for England against China at the World Championships 1997 in Scotland. The best performances of her career are winning the European Women's Doubles Gold medal in 2000 with Jo Goode and in 2006 with Gail Emms. She lives the dream that so many of our South Derbyshire keen sportsmen aspire to.
Go along and register to use it, you will not be dissapointed.

Rural Action Plan

We have recently published a new document entitled "Rural Action: A Conservative Agenda for Rural Communities." It outlines the party's plans for the countryside should it win the General Election. Rural Action focuses on four fronts:
1. Respect rural people - by regulating only where self-regulation fails
2. Power to rural communities - by reversing the centralised Whitehall decision making process
3. Protect rural services - by recognising social value alongside economic and environmental value
4. Revive the rural economy - by delivering sustainable jobs by reducing barriers to business growth
You can read the document here.
I hope you enjoy reading it and want to get involved with us.

KEEP TRADE LOCAL

I was invited to the Derbyshire/Nottinghamshire Federation of Small Business Conference at Eastwood Hall on Friday 10th July 2009. This body have over 215,000 members and are the largest ‘trade’ group in the country.

Amongst the hard working team I was delighted to meet our local Branch representative who lives in Findern.

It is interesting that 95% of businesses in our area employ fewer than 200 people. They are the driving force in our economy and for innovation here in South Derbyshire.
It is hugely important that we nurture small business and lift the burden of red-tape that constricts their sustainability and growth.

I am sure that we will work closely together in future.


Shown in the photo at the event :- Heather Wheeler at the Federation of Small Business Conference ‘Keep Trade Local’ Campaign Eastwood Hall
Friday 10th July 2009.

OVERSEALS BOWLS CLUB OFFICIAL OPENING OF THE CHANGING ROOMS

I was invited along to the official opening of the changing rooms for the start of the new season at Overseals Bowls Club.

Absolutely delighted that local celebrity (former Chairman of the Parish Council) Gill Edwards MBE bowled the first bowl and gave a lovely speech.

The clubhouse and surrounds were all decked out with bunting I hope that the teams do well against local rival Coalville. A crunch/derby match to kick the season off.

Overseal is one of our villages where there is so much going on but still they have trouble with kids causing a nuisance, all such a shame when there are so many community minded people really working hard and making a difference locally.

If you are interested in trying out bowls and just want a taster session the club is open on Monday nights 6pm for ‘Chummy and Roll Up’ nights. Honestly this really does mean bowls!

I was accompanied by Cllr Charles Jones and here are a couple of action shots of play.

MY PLAN FOR CHANGE

I intend to keep you informed about my thoughts, ideas, visits and plans that affect us in South Derbyshire.

This magazine is a mixture of my Annual Report and my Plan for Recovery. We all know that the Recession is only beginning to bite and that it is important for political leaders to not just carp on about it but actually do something.

Having lived here, paid tax here and been involved in our local community here for over 20 years I care about what happens in South Derbyshire and am not prepared to sit back and take a risk on it sliding into a mess both economically and socially. Please read more about my plan for recovery, if in the next few weeks you do not get one delivered by one of my volunteers please email me if you wish to receive a paper copy.

I hope you like what your read and if you want to help be part of the Change please get in touch with me. Remember I do not receive any government/tax payer funding for my campaign or to produce this magazine or to deliver it. All this is achieved by volunteers who want to see change.


Heather

Woodville Boxing Training sessions

I visited a new idea just starting
out in Woodville on Wednesday
1st April.
Paid for out of our Crime &
Disorder funds and in
conjunction with our Leisure
Department there are now early
evening training sessions for
young people to come along to.

I watched the trained Mentors take
the young people through their paces and
was really impressed.

If the pilot project takes off it is hoped to replicate these clubs in other parts of South Derbyshire.

The young people were enjoying themselves, learning discipline and respect and of course getting fit in the process.

I will watch this with interest and hope it goes from strength to strength.

Derbyshire Conservative Conference at Ashover Village Hall 28th March 2009

A team from South Derbyshire
travelled up to Ashover, near
Matlock, for a Conference on
Conservative policies on Tourism.

We were lucky enough to have
as guest speakers Shadow
Minister for Culture, Tourism
and Leisure Jeremy Hunt MP and
of course Chief Whip Patrick McCloughlin MP.

Jeremy gave an excellent speech, showing how well he understood and had a passion for Tourism. This could not have been more relevant following on from the Tourism seminar we have recently held in our area. When the local economy is so challenged and people are interested in diversifying this was an opportunity to discuss Conservative plans for the future.

Help and advice for tourism sector

Tourism businesses in South Derbyshire were invited to attend an event to make them more aware of support available to them, held at Sharpe’s Pottery Museum, Swadlincote, on 24 March 2009.
The event follows on from the successful ‘In the pipeline’ construction products tour, held in early March, which gave over thirty local businesses the chance to network.
The ‘Tourism Business Briefing’was provided for tourism businesses or those thinking of setting up in the sector. This could be anyone from hotel owners to camping parks or food and drink suppliers.
Guests heard several presentations, including one by William Smart of East Midlands Tourism detailing the support that is available to local businesses.
Other speakers at the event discussed effective use of the Internet, how to capture UK tourists and attract overseas visitors and current issues affecting the industry.
There was also displays to view and plenty of time to ask questions.
As Leader of South Derbyshire District Council I know we are doing everything it can to help local businesses in these difficult times. Assistance including grants and advice are available to businesses through a variety of agencies – the aim is to ensure that business people are aware of everything that they could benefit from.
The event run by South Derbyshire District Council and Business Link East Midlands, is held as part of a series of sector-specific events designed to raise awareness of support available to businesses.
It was a great success with companies and businesses attending from al over the District.

Party Chairman Eric Pickles MP visits us in Swadlincote Thursday 19th March 2009

Burton Mail captured the event and their article is shown in full below
photo by Simon Deacon
Nissen hut is new base for political battle
by TIM FLETCHER
SOUTH DERBYSHIRE Tories have been boosted by a visit from Conservative Party chairman Eric Pickles MP.




Mr Pickles, who represents Brentwood and Ongar and who is Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, visited Swadlincote to officially launch the party’s new headquarters, at the Nissen hut, in Church Street.

He also discussed strategy for the party’s campaign for the Derbyshire County Council elections being held in June.

South Derbyshire District Council leader and prospective Conservative parliamentary candidate Heather Wheeler said the party was ’raring to go’ in its bid to evict the ruling Labour group from County Hall, in Matlock.

"The visit went very well and Eric had the opportunity to meet a lot of our candidates for the June elections," she said.

"He was very pleased with the progress the party are making locally and the fact that we are coming up with policies on efficiency and value for money.

"We want to build on the success of winning the district council in 2007, and we have a number of seats in our sights. We are settled into our new office now and we are all raring to go."

David Cameron email to Heather

Here is some information that David Cameron has sent to me that I want to share with you. I have attached the video to the bottom of this post.

Dear Heather,

Thank you once again for the incredible amount of support shown to Sam and I after the death of our son, Ivan - it really meant a lot to us.

I've been back to work this week, and on Friday night I gave an important speech in Birmingham about the economy. You can watch me talk about it in this video, and read the full text on our website.

I think people want to hear some straight-talking about the economy. They want to know how we all - especially politicians - got into this mess. And they are ready to hear about what we are going to have to do to get out of recession and into recovery. That's what this speech was all about.

Unfortunately, this Labour Government is keeping its head firmly and stubbornly in the sand. How can you take responsibility for bringing us out of this economic crisis, if you don't take responsibility for at least some of the decisions that got us into this crisis in the first place?

Sorry shouldn't be the hardest word - that's the easy bit. The difficult bit is actually learning the lessons from your mistakes, and taking action to make sure they don't happen again.

Britain is not somehow entitled to economic growth and prosperity. It has to be earned - by having the honesty to face up to our fundamental weaknesses, and having the courage to turn them around.

Flood defences checked out In Egginton

On this beautiful Spring morning
(13th March 2009) I visited the work
being undertaken on behalf of the
Environment Agency (EA) on flood
defences from Uttoxeter down to Burton.
The lady I met this morning was Teri-Anne Curtis and she is a Geotechnical Engineer working for Ian Farmer and Associates. With her were two skilled workmen who were drilling and depositing, carefully, core samples from the earth bund that acts as a flood defence for Egginton.

This is happening because a Flood Risk Management Strategy for the River Dove is currently being prepared by the Environment Agency. This will appraise options for the reduction of flood risk, paying particular attention to the communities of Hatton and Scropton. In order to undertake this exercise, supporting data is required. Whilst the EA have recently acquired survey and hydraulic modelling information through other studies, they do not have sufficient details regarding the structural integrity of the existing defences. Option appraisal will always consider the improvement of the existing defences and for this to be undertaken reliably they will need to establish accurately the existing condition of these defences, hence this survey work.
Our local EA Midlands Design Team Leader Mark Swain really knows his stuff and as a local is as determined as I am to make sure our villages have the appropriate flood defences. This preliminary work is essential to help build the picture of what is needed, where, why and how.
Flooding and the fear of flooding blights too many lives in South Derbyshire and I am sure that this excellent working relationship that we have with the EA will bring benefits and help protect us.

GORDON LE ROTTER

On Friday 6th March 2009
I visited Dame Catherine
Harpur’s school in Ticknall.


This excellent school was
host to a touring drama
called Gordon le Rotter which had appeared at many other schools in South Derbyshire in the week.

I was intrigued by the title of the play and I felt a little visit was called for!

In fact our Council was sponsoring the touring company to help, in an innovative way, to get the message across about waste re-cycling. It was a magical way to spend some time. The children,
aged from 4 to 11, were spellbound as the very talented actress put over the message about (not) wasting food.
The point being reduce, re-use, re-cycle.

So rest assured your Council Tax is not being spent on party political propaganda telling you how awful Gordon Brown is but is being used to tell an important message to children in a fun way about cutting waste and the importance of re-cycling any waste left over.

I was truly impressed with the way headteacher Margaret Whyte and her team run the school. Have
a look at their website for more details www.damecatherines.co.uk

Dynamic Arts Celebration

I thoroughly enjoyed my Friday
morning (27th February) at the Foyer
in Chrysanthemum Court, Newhall.
I was there to join in with the
Dynamic Arts Celebration.

The young people, who live in the
flats, have for the last twelve months
been involved with an Arts scheme run in the evenings and this was the celebration to show off the pieces they had made.

They proudly displayed their paintings, decorated glassware and an excellent DVD. It was great to hear them talk about how much they had learnt, enjoyed and grown as people over the 12 months of the scheme.

We funded the project through the Crime and Disorder partnership. There had been many incidents of anti social behaviour reported in the area and this idea came from the young people as a diversionary session that might help.

Not only did the young people get something tangible out of this but in the last 12 months there has not been a single complaint about anti social behaviour made to Trident Housing at Chrysanthemum Court.

I call that a result.

Lowest ever level of council tax increase

For the second year running, South Derbyshire District Council has set the lowest ever level of council tax increase.

Proposals for a 2.5% increase in council tax were approved at a full council meeting on Thursday 26 February 2009.

As Leader of South Derbyshire District Council this issue really matters to me.

Our Conservative Administration remain committed to keeping council tax as low as possible. We sincerely wish that it could be lower, but given the external pressures impacting on the Council’s finances, the majority group feels that a 2.5% increase is modest, prudent and balanced. This is a budget which protects the best interests of the people of South Derbyshire.

An increase of 2.5% means a council tax for South Derbyshire of £148.03 for a Band D property, an increase of £3.61 per year on the current rate.

For the second year running, this is an increase of less than one penny a day.

The District council's share of the total council tax bill in South Derbyshire is about 11%. South Derbyshire has kept the increase at 2.5%. The increase for Derbyshire County Council is 2.9%, for the Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service is 4% and the Derbyshire Police Authority has opted for an increase of 8.6%

We have approached this budget with a tight financial mindset, underpinned with finding enough money to maintain and make modest improvements in services for our community.

There will be no cuts to services. This is a value for money budget formulated within the severe constraints brought about by the acute economic downturn.

SHADOW MINISTER PRAISES SOUTH DERBYSHIRE’S APPROACH

On Wednesday (25th February 09) I had the
pleasure of welcoming Rt Hon Theresa May MP
to the first Conference about Domestic Abuse
to be held in South Derbyshire.

Our Shadow Minister for Women praised the
approach that we have taken in delivering
Domestic Abuse services in South Derbyshire.

Speaking at the Conference, Theresa said: “The multi-agency approach adopted in South Derbyshire is exactly the approach needed
elsewhere.” She also praised the district’s Sanctuary scheme which helps victims of domestic abuse to remain in their own homes.

Representatives from organisations including Action for Children, Adult Social Services, Next Steps, Trident Housing and Lemongrove, Good News Family Care and primary and secondary schools in South Derbyshire were among the scores of delegates who attended the South Derbyshire Domestic Abuse Conference at Bretby Conference Centre.

Speakers included Cathy Coe, herself a former victim of domestic abuse and founder of the Pathways project, Safeguarding Children Manager Ian Tucker and Derbyshire Domestic Abuse Development Officer Lorraine Langley.

The event was organised by the South Derbyshire Domestic Abuse Group (DAAG) with funding from Derbyshire County Council and the Safer South Derbyshire Partnership and provided delegates with a chance to consider how they personally would deal with information about cases of domestic abuse.

Presentations by those working in domestic abuse services in the area provided those attending with details of how the Police investigate domestic abuse cases and about the latest domestic abuse developments in the district including Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conferences (MARACs).

Workshop sessions discussed case studies and everyone took part in a quiz using individual buzzer units to respond to the on-screen questions.

My role as Chair of the Safer South Derbyshire Partnership gives me an opportunity to really get involved with practical ways of making our society safer. This Conference was a first and everyone involved was absolutely delighted with the way it had gone.

It is gratifying to see so many people from across the county here. In South Derbyshire we take our responsibilities very seriously and this event was an opportunity to learn from others how they cope with this extremely worrying issue.

I believe everyone has left with a better understanding of how to help the very many people who find themselves affected by this dreadful crime.

Sign up to our Honest Food Campaign

Call to change law to end misleading labelling in shops and supermarket our shoppers deserve better

I am urging residents across South Derbyshire to sign up to a new petition calling for clearer labelling on food packaging.

The “Honest Food” campaign launched by Conservatives seeks to end misleading claims and ensure compulsory ‘country of origin’ labelling. This will mean that meat products, such as bacon, sausages and ready meals, which carry a British label can only use meat that comes from animals born and bred in Britain. Conservatives are proposing a change in the law to make this compulsory.

Research into everyday products on supermarket shelves has indentified Tesco chicken dinners “produced in the UK” use chicken from Thailand; Marks and Spencer’s corned beef sandwiches emblazoned with the Union flag use meat from Brazil; and goods from the Birdseye “Great British Menu” range are made with imported meat.

The petition can be signed online at: www.honestfoodcampaign.com. The campaign has been backed by famous chefs, Hugh Fernley-Whittingstall, Clarissa Dickson Wright, Prue Leith and Anthony Worrall Thompson.

People have a right to know where their food comes from, but there is nothing in food labelling regulation to stop food from abroad that is only processed here from being labelled as British.

Conservatives would change the law to prevent unclear and misleading labelling so only meat from animals reared in Britain could carry a British label. Shoppers in South Derbyshire would see clearly where their food comes from so they can choose British food with confidence.

CALLS FOR HONEST LABELLING
The Honest Food campaign aims to:
• Empower consumers to make informed choices about the food they buy.
• End misleading packaging of non-British meat or meat products being labelled as British.
• Support British producers by allowing consumers to identify genuine British meat.
• Promote superior British produce by highlighting the advantages of British produce – especially the superior welfare standards of UK food.
• Bring honesty and integrity to meat sales to restore trust and confidence in British food and labelling in general.

Campaign website: www.honestfoodcampaign.com

There is a petition at: http://www.conservatives.com/Campaigns/Honest_Food/Petition_Item.aspx

Call for mandatory country of origin labelling. Conservatives are campaigning for an overhaul of food labelling procedures to end the unclear and misleading labelling of meat. The recent food scare over contaminated Irish pork has refocused attention on inadequate food labelling in British shops. The framework legislation from the European Commission governing general food labelling is currently being revised in Brussels but EU regulations provide for compulsory origin labelling where its absence might mislead the consumer.

Proposed new law: Conservatives are to present a Food Labelling Regulations (Amendment) Bill which will make it mandatory for retailers to display the country of origin of their meat and meat products, in line with other countries, including the United States and Australia, and will also require meat and meat products labelled as British or carrying the Union flag to be born and bred in Britain.

Endorsements: The call for country of origin food labelling is supported by animal welfare and farming organisations including Compassion in World Farming, RSPCA, National Farmers’ Union (NFU), Family Farmers’ Association, British Pig Executive (BPEX), National Sheep Association, British Poultry Council, Country Land and Business Association, Agricultural Industries Confederation, National Pig Association and the Women’s Food and Farming Union (the full text of responses are contained in the Honest Food policy brief). The Honest Food campaign has been endorsed by Hugh Fernley-Whittingstall, Clarissa Dickson Wright, Prue Leith and Anthony Worrall Thompson.

New survey shows public support clearer food labelling: A new poll commissioned by the Conservatives shows strong public support for clearer country of origin food labelling. The ICM survey found that 51 per cent believe food labelled as British indicates the meat is from an animal born and bred in Britain, when in fact this is frequently not the case. A huge majority (89 per cent) support a “born and bred” qualification for British labelling.

Current examples of poor labelling: Conservative researchers visited major supermarkets last week and found examples of unclear and misleading packaging on a range of meat products. The top five unclear or misleading products on sale were:


Tesco
Chicken dinner
'Produced in UK' but chicken is from Thailand

Marks & Spencer
Corned Beef Sandwich
Emblazoned with Union flag – labelled “Nation’s Favourites” –
but meat is from Brazil

Birdseye
Great British Menu range
Made from 'Imported Meat'

Sainsbury’s
Wafer thin roast chicken
Meat ‘From the UK or Brazil’

Ash Valley
Dinosaur Turkey Roll
Meat from either the UK, the EU or South America

Power to the people

On Tuesday 17th February I was pleased to be able to attend the launch at the Motor Museum in Coventry of a set of new important policies, which will have a major effect on us in South Derbyshire, today. We will be freed from the threat of thousands of new houses imposed from Westminster. It gives local people new powers to hold their councils to account over spending, and should lead to better value for money and lower council tax.

David Cameron outlined how a new Conservative government would return power to the people. Powers will be taken from the unelected quangos, regional assemblies and Westminster, and given to local councils. It will free local authorities from top down targets put in place by Whitehall, including the imposed housing targets in the Regional Spatial Strategies.


Caroline Spelman MP introduces the policies with David Cameron MP on the video here



Further details of the policies here

Strong local economies
• Abolishing all regional planning and housing powers exercised by regional government, returning powers and discretion back to local councils.
• Creating bottom-up incentives for house building, by allowing you to keep the increase in council tax revenues from new homes, rather than it being equalised away by Whitehall.
• Allowing councils to establish their own local enterprise partnerships to take over the economic development functions and funding of the Regional Development Agencies.
• Giving a real incentive for councils to promote local economic growth, by allowing you to keep the uplift in business rate revenues.
• Giving local authorities a new discretionary power to levy business rate discounts, allowing you to help local shops and services (for example, rural pubs, or post offices).
• Increase the freedom of your council to act in the best interests of residents, by giving councils a general power of competence.
Vibrant local democracy
• Letting councils choose their own organisational structure, such as returning to the Committee system if you wish.
• Abolishing Comprehensive Area Assessment – which looks to be just as burdensome as its predecessor, and further curtailing the number of central targets imposed on councils.
• Empowering citizens, not Whitehall, to ensure value for money by requiring more detailed information on local (and central) government expenditure to be published online.
• Continuing the work of the Lifting the Burdens Task Force to identify unnecessary burdens, and putting its recommendations into practice.
• Abolishing Labour’s new Infrastructure Planning Commission quango.
• Scrapping the Standards Board and repealing the flawed ‘pre-determination’ rules that prevent councillors from standing up for constituents’ views on local issues.
• Abandoning plans to regionalise local fire services, while providing new measures to enhance resilience in the case of a national emergency.

Gordon Brown’s target-driven, top-down government has hindered strong local economies and discouraged civic pride. We will bring councillors and their constituents closer to the levers of power. This will start to restore the trust that has been lost in our political system under Labour.
The full paper will be available on conservatives.com or can be downloaded direct:

Localism Green Paper

Five Conservative measures to help victims of the recession

We will:

Abolish income tax on savings for basic rate taxpayers and raise the pensioners' personal allowance by £2,000 to £11,490.

Get credit flowing and save jobs with a £50 billion National Loan Guarantee Scheme.

Help small businesses with cashflow by delaying VAT bills for six months.

Freeze council tax for two years by cutting wasteful Government spending.

Get companies hiring again through reducing employment costs for small businesses by cutting National Insurance, and through a tax break for new jobs.



And over the long term we will get the public finances back under control with an Office for Budget Responsibility so no Labour Government can ever bankrupt this country again.
Gordon Brown has been in charge of the Economy for 12 years. This is his recession and we are all depressed!

A NEW YEAR MESSSAGE FOR 2009

As the old year closes and we welcome in the New Year
I want to wish you all a healthy, safe and prosperous one.

No one knows what the next 12 months will bring. I am
waiting to see if Gordon Brown calls the election and like
everyone else watching what will happen with the economy.
I guess the two might be connected.

I have enjoyed posting a few snippets about my political
life, sharing with you some of the highlights, giving you an
insight into the life and day to day events that a Candidate
gets involved with.

If you would like to contact me please do by emailing me
at heather@heatherwheeler.org.uk and if you would like to help, donate or join the Conservative Party I would love to hear from you. Please remember this campaign does not receive any public funding, it is all run with the benefit of donations by kind people who want a change of Government and who support me.

Good luck in 2009 and thank you for your continued interest

Coton-in-the-Elms CofE Primary School

On Friday 24th November 2008 I had the pleasure of visiting Coton-in-the-Elms Primary School.

The Chairman of Governors Mr Bird kindly introduced me to Head Mrs Anne Clayton who spent over an hour taking me round her school.
We are rightly proud to have such a good school in our area. The Chef and kitchen have won awards for their meals and the caring staff that look after some very challenging children are a credit to all.
There is a debate in the country about how Special Needs Children should be educated. I think that choice for parents is important but the professional and caring way that staff here teach the children is an inspiration and I am sure will be used as a model for inclusive education.

There is a possibility that the strengths of the school may lead to an expansion of services for children in the area. This is something that I am sure Mrs Clayton will cope with extremely well.