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lgilmore | 
08 August 2005 at 00:00 | 302 views
Last week I had a wide variety of constituency engagements, which helped me to catch up with an number of important issues.
On Tuesday, I called in to Yeovil District Hospital to meet Chief Executive James Scott and Chairman Angela Dupont. James and Angela have done a very good job, in leading the hospital towards its third, top, three star rating - in three years! Waiting times are falling in most areas, and there are ambitious plans to improve facilities at the hospital, some of which are already underway. James and Angela are hoping to secure Foundation Trust status, which gives the hospital more operational freedom within the NHS. We will know the result of this application later on this year.
On Wednesday, I met some of the committee from the South Petherton Arts Trust. They are presently trying to secure the funding to keep the David Hall in South Petherton in operation, including all of the finance needed to upgrade the building - which will be VERY expensive. Many people enjoy seeing the performances of plays, music and films at the David Hall, and if anyone can help with aspects of the fund-raising they should call Andrea, the manager at the David Hall. In the meantime, the committee is doing a good job in working up detailed business plans for the future, which is vitally necessary to attract finance and help to balance the books. The local community has also helped with fundraising, and this will need to continue.
On Thursday morning, I spoke at a business breakfast in Taunton about pensions, and afterwards I called in at County Hall to see Chief Executive, Alan Jones. Alan was able to report on steady progress in dealing with the backlog of highways work. Somerset used to have a poor record on road repairs and the state of pavements, but a lot more money has been allocated over the last few years and it is noticeable that a lot of work is finally being done (Milford Road in Yeovil was even resurfaced recently after years of lobbying!).
Alan also told me how impressed he was with the work on the "Yeovil Vision", particularly because it is the community in Yeovil which has led and backed this - not merely the local councils. I asked Alan to help to secure finance for some of the key projects, including highways, and he has agreed to ask the new County Highways boss (arriving in September) to work to support the Yeovil Vision.
I followed up on this meeting later in the day by meeting with James Middleton-Stewart of the Yeovil Chamber of Trade and Commerce. We talked about making sure that Yeovil gets a fair slice of regional cash and that the region gets a fair slice of national cash! I am going to follow up on this with ministers.
On Friday, I called in at the new Information Centre at the Petrol Filling station in Merriott - a useful asset for the village. I have agreed to hold a few Advice Centres each year at the centre. Well done to all those who have made this idea a reality.
On Friday evening I called in to Pittards in Yeovil to meet new Group Chief Executive, Stephen Boyd. Stephen is working hard to keep Pittards competitive in an increasingly tough business environment. The new competition from China and all of the developing world means that we need to keep ahead of the game in manufacturing industry if we are to protect jobs and secure investment.
On Saturday, I held a rather quiet Advice Centre in Yeovil (a number of people had to cancel at the last minute, so I ended up reading the newspapers from cover to cover!). Afterwards, I went to West Coker Recreation Ground where Jane Weaver had organised a fund-raising event to draw attention to the shocking treatment of Wild Bears in China, where they are "farmed" for their bile. The facts are horrific, and I have promised to take the matter up with the Foreign Office, so they can raise it with the Chinese government.
This weekend we heard the very sad news of the death of Robin Cook MP, the former Foreign Secretary and prominent Labour politician.
Robin Cook has been near to the top of British politics for the last two decades. His analytical skills made him a formidable Commons performer, though his sharp mind and tongue, and his sometimes lofty style, made him many enemies, not least within his own party.
I only met Robin Cook once, when I visited him with Menzies Campbell MP, in his grand offices in the Foreign Office when he was Secretary of State. There was a certain sense of self-satisfaction about him, and there were large areas of domestic policy on which we would not have seen eye to eye.
But Robin Cook was a man of integrity and of compassion - and a man of liberal values.
And this was the man who made the outstanding speech of my time in Parliament so far, when he demolished Mr. Blair's case for war in Iraq, in a formidable speech in the House of Commons shortly before the parliamentary vote to sanction the war.
Mr. Cook's speech (it was his resignation speech from the Cabinet) was received with a highly unusual standing ovation, and with applause, from the Liberal Democrat benches and from some on his own benches. Applause
and standing ovations are considered to be most improper and un parliamentary, and the Speaker rapidly called he House back to order.
But I am proud to have joined in the ovation for Mr. Cook's speech, in which he tore to shreds in a calm and rational way Mr. Blair's carefully constructed case for war. The speech reads well today. But it was even more dramatic and telling in the fevered atmosphere which led up to war. I believe that the events since 2003 have shown that Mr. Cook was right in almost every respect. The tragedy is that Robin Cook and others won the argument, but we lost the vote in Parliament.
Robin Cook was a parliamentary reformer too - a great friend of Menzies Campbell and a friend of my predecessor, Paddy Ashdown, too. Robin plotted with Paddy to reform our parliamentary system in the face of
Mr. Blair's caution and conservatism. But he lost most of these battles too, and finished his years in Parliament on the back benches.
Robin Cook seemed to be hoping for a come-back under the expected leadership of Gordon Brown, but his early death denied him this prospect. British parliamentary democracy, British liberalism, and all those who care about the morality and integrity of Britain's foreign policy have lost this weekend a true friend and champion. The House of Commons will be the poorer for Mr. Cook's absence, and he will be missed by many in his party and in the country.
Few MPs have their passing much mourned beyond their constituencies and their friends. Mr. Cook is an exception.
Best wishes,
David.
PS: For the times and details of my upcoming Advice Centres, please call my Yeovil office on 01935 423284.
lgilmore | 01 August 2005 at 00:00 | 289 views
This period when Parliament is in recess is very valuable for me - I can catch up on so many important issues and people.
One of the issues which I received a briefing on last week was the "Yeovil Vision". This is an exciting project which has not just been "Council" led, but which has included many key representatives of the local community, including local business. The idea has been to set out a broad but detailed strategy for the future of Yeovil - including tackling traffic congestion, improving the quality of the town centre, significantly upgrading sports facilities, redeveloping key sites within the town, and investing in new health and educational facilities.
Not all of the Vision can be achieved overnight, but without a vision of where we are trying to get to, the risk is that change will otherwise be piecemeal and poorly thought-out.
The Yeovil Vision has so far had a very good response from the public, and the key now is to take action to deliver on this vision, as well as fleshing out the detail of, for example, how we improve on our sports facilities. A thriving Yeovil has the potential to boost the rest of South Somerset, and has the critical mass to provide high quality local leisure and other services. Yeovil is now becoming as important a town in Somerset as Taunton, and we have to ensure that we receive a fair slice of government and other investment.
Another issue on my mind last week was policing. Over the last two years, people in our area have seen the arrival of a new Chief Constable (Colin Port), a new District Commander (Andy Marsh), and a new Sector Inspector for Chard, Ilminster and Crewkerne (Neil Pitman).
I met up (separately) with Colin, Andy and Neil last week, and I was impressed with their determination to reduce rime and improve detection rates in our area. The new Chief Constable is clearly not here for a quiet life, and he briefed me on a number of key issues for the force. Police numbers have increased over the last few years, and the new Police Community Safety Officers are helping to gradually bring back local "beat" policing. The Avon and Somerset Constabulary are planning to make a new bid for more Police Community Safety Officers, from the Government. This would be useful for a large district such as ours, where the police have to cover a huge area.
For many years, the crime figures in Avon and Somerset have not looked very good, and we have had very low detection rates. This has also been a problem in our own area, the East Somerset District (including Chard,
Ilminster, South Petherton, Crewkerne and Yeovil).
Part of the poor figures has been due to our reporting practices (we have recorded EVERYTHING), but part has been down to poor performance. Andy Marsh was able to update me on the latest figures, which show a continued fall in burglary (down 21.7% year to date), and an improving detection rate. The huge decline in burglary over the last 5 or so years has been one of the most encouraging, dramatic, and under-reported aspects of the battle against crime.
Our national newspapers have reported with detailed relish the rise in violent crime (often young people beating up other young people outside pubs and nightclubs), but have ignored the massive reduction in burglary - one of the most hated and feared crimes.
Now, instead of being in the bottom section of the league table of similar police forces, we are now (in East Somerset) in the top section for the first time for many years. The year to date detection rate in East Somerset is up to almost 29% - double the figure of a few years ago, and the best figure in the force area.
Of course, there is still a long way to go, and crime in general is far too high. But the progress made by the police over the last few years has been impressive, and they deserve our full support in the fight against crime, as well as recognition for progress made.
Last Friday evening, after an Advice Centre in Yeovil, I set off to the beautiful village of Middle Chinnock, 10 minutes outside Yeovil. I eventually reached Bridge Farm, and the fields which the local farmer had very kindly allowed to be used by our South Somerset Scout Association, and their guests - 55 Polish Scouts!
The South Somerset Scouts had visited Poland around a year ago, and the Polish Scouts were on a return visit. The Polish Scouts had had an eventful visit - being caught up in London during the second terrorist incident on 21st July, then being exposed to the full rigours of an English summer, down in Somerset.
But everyone was in very good spirits when I arrived for the closing ceremony at 7.45pm. I had the odd experience of having my speech simultaneously translated into Polish, perhaps for the first and last time.
Congratulations to Kerry Clear and his team for all the hard-work which was so obviously put into making the camp a success, and thanks to all those whose generosity helped to make the event possible.
On Saturday, I travelled to Yeovil to take part in the South Somerset Disability Forum "Mobility Challenge". The idea was to discover how hard it can be to get around in a wheelchair - particularly when there are so many everyday obstacles to negotiate.
I opened the event by trying to navigate a wheelchair around a basic "assault course", set out in the Quedam Centre in Yeovil. I made it around the course, but not with a great deal of skill or subtlety. Fortunately, no record was kept of our course times, because I am sure that Mayor Ian Martin beat me by quite a margin. In fact, I am sure that most people beat me by a clear margin. James Richards, MD of Ivel FM, looked the quickest, and negotiated the course so speedily that I wonder if he had been having secret practice sessions!
The point was well made by the Disability Forum that we need to think a lot harder about access issues for people with disabilities - because the barriers we faced were trivial compared with those experienced day to day by people who are blind or who use wheelchairs.
On Saturday afternoon, I opened the Oak Lodge Nursing Home Summer Fete in Chard. I use the word "Summer" in the loosest sense, because the weekend weather was once against distinctly.......well, British!
However, the odd shower did nothing to dampen the enthusiasm of residents, staff and guests, and a very enjoyable afternoon was had by all. Thanks to Val Cox and her team for all their hard work.
This week I have a lot more meetings fixed up, as well as three Advice Centres. On Wednesday evening I am in Buckland St. Mary to talk with the Parish Council about road safety issues on the A303. I will also be visiting the Roping Road flats in Yeovil, attending a meeting of the Motor Neurone Disease Association, visiting Yeovil District Hospital, meeting staff from the Citizens Advice Bureau, giving a speech on pensions, talking with the Chief Executive of Somerset County Council, calling in on Pittards in Yeovil, attending an event in West Coker about protecting Chinese Bears, and going to the dentist! Nobody can say this job isn't varied!
All best wishes,
David.
PS: Please call my Yeovil office on 01935 423284 for the dates and times of my next Advice Centres. My Villages Advice Centre is on 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th September.
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