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Andrew Bingham's Blog

Welcome to my blog. Please feel free to email any comments or suggestion that you may have on the blog to hpca@tory.org

I hope that it will give you an insight into my work as the Parliamentary Candidate for High Peak, and also as Councillor for the Chapel West Ward. Also I hope to use it to give you a slightly light hearted look at politics and local Govt. when amusing incidents occur, as they tend to do in life.  

LETTER FROM THE MP

I have received a letter from the local MP regarding funding. I am very disappointed in it. In his apparent haste to try and score political points he has got facts wrong and been very selective in his remarks. I will post my reply on this site tomorrow.

FUNDING

Amidst stories regarding the tax status of Lord Ashcroft I have placed a statement on the websiite regarding the funding arrangements for my campaign here in High Peak

CANVAS CANVAS CANVAS

Our relentless canvassing conitnues apace. We have teams of people out daily now as we get closer to the election. In Gloosp, Buxton and all the smaller villages we have people knocking on the doors of High Peak residents asking their opinions listening to their views. Politicians have a lot of trust to regain - I think the best way to do that is by knocking on doors and meeting people face to face. If you are reading this and havent been visited, please drop me a line - we would be delighted to call. There are almost 40,000 doors in the High Peak. To speak on every door for 5 minutes, 8 hours a day, seven days a week would take over a year to get to every house - almost an impossible task. However there aren't many streets in the High peak now that I havent canvassed at some time or another.

LOWEST COUNCIL TAX INCREASE FOR YEARS

At tonights meeting of High Peak Borough Council we agreed the Council Tax increase for 2010/11 at 1.5% which is well below inflation and the lowest increase for years. I was very disappointed in the opposition. They did not support the budget yet did not offer any alternatives whatsoever. Yes the budget is challenging, but we need to keep costs down and ensure that High Peak residents who are suffering enough under Gordon Brown's recession do not suffer any more.

CONSERVATIVE SPRING FORUM

A couple of days out of the campaign to attend the Conservative Spring Forum in Brighton. There are several things that are on the agenda together with private meetings about the General Election, so whilst I dont like to be away from the High Peak at this vital time, I used my couple of days to the full.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING

Affordable housing continues to be a difficult issue in the High peak especially given the difficult economic circumstances. At the Council tonight there is specific training for Members on how affordable housing can be providied and what options are open to a local authority to try and encourage the bulding of more affordable homes for local people. I was disappointed by the lack of Councillors from other parties who attended.

GLOSSOP SPUR - CONSULTATION

Today I had a ride out to look at the location for the proposed spur road into Glossop that is being consulted on by Tameside. Whilst I knew the area pretty well anyway, I thought it wouldnt do any harm to go and refresh my memory in advance of the consultation event this Friday.

BIG FACT FINDING

Today we had lots of people out across the High Peak knocking on doors speaking to people listening to their worries and fears. Peoples' concerns vary across the area according to a variety of reasons, but by listening on the doorsteps we can hopefully look to address these fears through whatever means are available to us. If we called to see you and you weren't in, then please don't hesitate to give me a call and I will come back at a more convenient time.  

BUXTON POOL

Regrettably the refurbishment of Buxton Pool is not going to be completed for Easter as I wanted. Investigations have found serious damage and corrosion to the steel work. I ensured that all the user groups were notified as soon as possible. First of all today I visited the pool to see for myself the level of corrosion. I was quite shocked at what I saw. Later on I met with one of the groups to explain the full situation. Bacause the problem was found early it still means that the project can go ahead within budget.

MORE CANVASSING AND QUESTIONS IN THE HOUSE

Following more door knocking in the morning, its off to another QiH event, this time in Buxton. These are proving very popular and different audiences ask different questions. I won't mention every one I do from now on in the blog as it will start becoming repetitive.

CANVASS, CANVASS, CANVASS.

I have always canvassed regularly across the High Peak but as the election draws nearer, we are stepping up the canvass programme. With politics at an all time low in the eyes of many people it is up to me to get out on the doors to reassure people that I am in this for them and that i want to change both politics and the country, whilst helping people from across the High Peak. 

QUESTIONS IN THE HOUSE - FARMING

The latest in my QiH series of meetings. These have really taken off. Todays was at a farm in the Hope Valley and it was interesting to hear the latest situation in the High Peak that farmers are having to contend with. They brought some issues that I haven't come acros before which really shows the value of these meetings. As I left the meeting the snow was beginning to fall quite heavily, although I was over the Snake Pass at the time !

MALANDRA TIP

The closure of the refuse site at Malandra is very bad news for Glossop people and also for the Council. The bridge accessing the site has been found to be unsuitable to carry the heavy wagons that take the rubbish away from the site. The bridge is owned by United Utilities so I hope they can address the problem very quickly.

MEETING WITH DENTISTS

Following the publication of the fiorst chapter of our Draft manifesto on the NHS, I sent it out to all the local doctors and dentists for them to read and offered to visit them to listen to their comments. Tonight I am visiting a dental practice in Glossop to discuss it with them and listen to their thoughts on the future of NHS dentistry.

BLYTHE HOUSE BURNS NIGHT

We always try to support Blythe House events where we can. The annual Burns night is always an excellent event that raises a good sum towards what is a fantastic facility in Chapel. Once again this years it doesn't disappoint. Even in such difficult financial times, people have still managed to turn out in their droves to Chapel Town Hall.

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