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COMBS SCHOOL SAVED !!!!

I attend a meeting of the DCC Cabinet to hear the decision over the closure of Combs School. I, and many of the local residents and members of the campaign to save the school are al there hoping that the Cabinet follow the recommendation to keep the school open. The cabinet member, Alan Charles, somewhat begrudgingly moves the recommendation, despite stating his express oppostiion to it. The recommendation is carreid and the school is saved. Whilst we are all delighted, we must temper our delight with the fact that DCC have stated that they are going to keep the places situation under review. I feel that we have won the battle, but may not yet have won the war ! However for the moment the campaign team should be very proud of what they have acheived.

TOM LEVITT's EXPENSES

My phones and email have 'lit up' following revelations that local MP Tom Levitt is the 8th most expensive Member of Parliament in the country. As a parliamentary Candidate I dont have the luxury of such expenses, and consequently am unsure as to how he can justify the £168,660 that he spends on running his office. However, from my experience in business where it is always important to keep your overheads low, I feel sure that I would not lose this ethic should I be elected at the next Election. I look at niehgbouring MP's who are all consistently below Mr. Levitt in levels of expenditure, so I am convinced that it can be done quite easily.  

CIVIC SERVICE

The annual Civic Service for the Mayor is beign held this year in Glossop. The years mayor, Jean Wharmby has been doing an excellent job in her role, and the Civic Service was a credit to her. Lots of COnservative Councillors attended the service to make it a special occasion for both Jean and her consort George.

WALKING FOR MULAGO HOSPITAL

I have agreed to accompany one of my opponents at the last election on a Charity Walk in aid of the Mulago Hospital. Marc Godwin, myself and several others set off from Edgeley Park, home of Stockport County and Sale Sharks to walk to Manchester City's ground at Eastlands. This is the first part of a 5 day walk. Whilst the secenery wasnt as nice as my own charity walk earlier in the year, I still enjoyed the experience and feel sure that it will help the hospital. In addition I also agreed to send a donation to the cause 

SIMMONDLEY SCHOOL

Accomapnied by my colleague on High Peak Borough Council, Matt Crompton who is one of the new Councillors for Simmondley, I spoke to a class of pupils all about democracy, the workings of Government at both local and national level. They asked lots of excellent questions, and they kept on coming !  So much so that we ran out of time with the kids actually expressing a wish to stay behind after school to ask more questions !!

HIGH PEAK SPORTS AWARDS

I am delighted to be asked to present the High Peak Sports Awards in the Council Chamber in Chinley. There were so many worthy nominees that it was a shame that someone had to lose. As far as I was concenrend they were all winners for being there. We hear so much today about how people dont participate in Sport it was heartening to see that there is a healthy level of sport participation across the High Peak  

EU CELEBRATIONS - KINDER CHOIR

As a Ptron of Kinder CHoir I have been invited to Derby Cathedral to wtahc them perform at an event to commemorate 50 years since the Treaty of Rome which convened the orignial EEC, the fore runner of the EU. The choir were, as ever brilliant, and it was nice to see so many High Peak people there supporting them (if not the cause!)

LOCAL DEMOCRACY WEEK

This comes round once a year, and I go into lots of schools across the constituency talking to young people about the Council and democracy. I will place more details on here as the week unfolds

PRE BUDGET REPORT

The Chancellors pre budget report can only be described as woeful ! Read the news page on this site for more of my thoughts

A DAY WITH THE FORCE

Fantastic ! It is the only word to describe our local Police Force. Starting in the morning they show me every aspect of their work and it is a real eye opener as to what the Police actually do to make our streets safer. AFter a tour of all the different departments, I then spent the evening out on patrol. Starting at 6pm, I am not sure what time they were expecting me to stay till, but I thought that I should be there until fairly late to really appreciate the difficulties that they experience on a typical Friday night in Buxton. I didnt leave until about 1.40am. They do a fantastic job for us all !

MANOR PARK BOWLING CLUB

I am seeing Dave Collier from the Bowling Club to hear their ambitious plans for the future of the Club. The plans are indeed ambitious and will require a lot of outside funding, but I have promised to do whatever I can to help to identify any sources of funding that they can access

A DAY ON THE FRONT LINE

Tomorrow I am having a day with the Police to look at what they do, and how they operate. Starting at 10am and working through all the departments and then carrying on into the evening to watch how they police the streets on a busy Friday night

BROWN BOTTLES OUT

After much fevered specualtion Gordon Brown has changed his mind and decided not to call a General Election in November. He claims all sorts of reasons, but who will believe him. It is patently obvious, he has seen the opinion polls and knows he would lose a snap election. For someone who promised no spin, I dont know whay he just doesnt admit the truth instead of all this bluster !

CONFERENCE ROUND UP

After one of the most intense Conferences I have attended, we all leave Blackpool full of heart. Our proposals are exciting and relevant to todays Britain. Those on Stamp Duty will help High Peak's young people to get on the property ladder as they now see the exemption to Stamp Duty for first time buyers up to £250,000. The proposals on Inheritance Tax also allow all but millionaires to avoid death duties. These are just two of many proposals that have come out of an excellent conference, rounded off by an incredible speech by David Cameron

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