The Northern Echo

The Northern Echo have printed my letter about the terrible state of our legal aid system under Labour:

http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/
letters/display.var.2272860.0.legal_aid_changed.php

Post Office closures

The Northern Echo have picked up on my comments about the loss of Oxbridge Lane Post Office.  The Labour MP, who failed to support this branch in a vote in Westminster, has a lot to answer for! 

http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/display.var.2269639.0.
the_last_post.php

Ian Ramsey

Good news on Ian Ramsey School, after a great deal of work by the governors, head teacher and local Conservative councillors it is now not going to relocate.

All Saints School in Ingleby Barwick is also set for a larger expansion, although it will still leave far too many children being bussed off the estate each morning.

http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teesside-news/2008/05/14/changes-to-150m-schools-scheme-84229-20907916/

Tyne Tees News and the Post Office

I have just been interviewed live for Tyne Tees news alongside local Councillors, to discuss the announcement that Oxbridge Lane Post Office is sadly going to close.  The Labour MP failed to vote to prevent this closure and from what I can see I do not think local people are going to forget her hypocrisy any time soon.

BBC Tees on Post Offices

This morning I was interviewed on BBC Tees radio about the government’s proposed Post Office closures.  I have worked with local residents and councillors in Stockton to try to save the Oxbridge Lane Post Office and later today we will hear the decision and find out whether our efforts have been successful.  The Labour MP for the area had the opportunity to vote in Parliament to save Oxbridge Lane and failed to do so, suffice to say a large number of local people who were involved with the campaign were deeply upset at being so badly let down.

Yarm

Yesterday I spent the afternoon in Yarm.  I met with local residents and also with local Conservative Councillor Andrew Sherris to discuss a variety of issues.  It was a lovely sunny day so after the meeting I took the time to walk around the ward visiting a number of friends and seeing some of the successes and ongoing challenges in the town.

Crewe and Nantwich

I spent today in Crewe and Nantwich to help the campaign of Edward Timpson, the excellent Conservative candidate for the by-election on 22nd May.  We spent the morning distributing newsletters and the afternoon canvassing.  It was a great day for it with warm sunny weather and the results from the canvassing were encouraging to say the least!

Stockton Council

Last night I attended a meeting of Stockton Borough Council to hear discussion on a wide range of issues including the market, busses, Post Offices and education.   It appears that the Labour MP for Stockton South has not bothered to respond to a letter sent by the Council regarding the Post Office closures in this area, no doubt residents and councillors alike will draw their own conclusions from the fact that she does not even respond to correspondence on the issue.  It was good to see lively debate in the chamber, even if at times questions were not answered as fully as might be expected.  I also enjoyed the opportunity to chat with councillors from across the Borough afterwards as everyone met downstairs in the Town Hall.  Sadly I did not see any Labour councillors staying behind for the social part of the evening, still all the other Parties and groups seemed to enjoy one another’s company.

Tees Engineering Alliance

This morning I joined the Tees Engineering Alliance (TEA, formerly the Tees Valley Engineering Partnership) for breakfast at Wynyard Hall.  TVEP had funding withdrawn by One North East  in a prime example of the regional quangos not properly supporting sub regional organisations.  As a result TVEP has formed a closer partnership with Teesside Universtiy and is re launching as the TEA.  The meeting was well attended and a wide range of issues were discussed, I will be looking to do what I can to support this organisation which ought to play a key role in the development of our local economy over the coming years.

Meeting with Cleveland Police

This lunchtime I met with the District Commander for Stockton to discuss a wide range of issues in this area.  We particularly focussed on antisocial behaviour across the constituency and I took the opportunity to raise some emails which I have received from residents.