Marsh Lane Watch
Car slid into ditch just beyond Marsh Barns going south (and rather fast I should guess) around 19:00 on May 3. Car a little damaged, no one hurt.
The case for AV. It's pretty obvious. At the last general election the party with a quarter of the vote got less than one in 10 seats. How's that for unfair and unrepresentative. AV would provide a more representative democracy, with smaller parties getting a better chance of winning seats, and with MPs in perennially 'safe' seats having to work for their living. To win a candidate has to get 50 percent of the votes cast. That seems pretty fair to me. The Tories don't like it because it might lead to more coalitions, the LibDems like it precisely for that reason. Labour as always is facing both ways. It would lead to more consensus politics. Is that such a bad thing?
Chaired Finance and Premises Committee at CHSG to review next year's budget. The budget share is not far off last year's but we need to be looking for savings ahead of 2012/ 2013 where we know there will be serious cuts. We still have to accommodate a cut in the Sixth Form budget as the funding declines over two years or so to the level of Further Education colleges.
Took part in debate with a UKIP speaker on the EU at Barton Peveril Sixth Form College Eastleigh. About 30 year 12 students. Polite and not badly informed. The UKIP speaker called in at 24 hours notice was not well informed.
Received a very nice letter from the Chief Executive thanking me for my contribution. It was a very generous tribute. I look back on the eight years with satisfaction. They rank with the best years of my life. I will do a valedictory note next week on the eve of the elections.
Last Full Council of this Council. No fireworks. Support for the new governance arrangements including some minor tinkering with Overview and Scrutiny after the first year's experiment. I presented my report for the year. The Chairman of the Council said some nice things about my tenure as chairman. I think we had a good year with great support from officers and members. It was a year to be proud of.
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Received DC South agenda papers for April 27 meeting. The application for a solar farm at Tangmere (T/11/00738/ful)is on the agenda. Officers recommend permit. As it will likely go through on the nod, and I am not the ward member I will probably not attend, though I support it.
As scrutiny chairman advised on a response to Pallant House Gallery's recent letter contesting the Council's decision to withdraw discretionary rate relief. The letter was intemperate, ill judged and provoked unfavourable comment from members. I have some sympathy with the gallery's position, not with its unbalanced reaction.
Vince Cable delivers appropriate rebuke to the Prime Minister who makes a controversial speech on immigration that is designed to appease his right wing, ahead of the local council elections. Good for Vince. For once the LibDems are standing up for what they believe in. They daren't sack him.
Cameron insists on an objective of reducing net immigration to 10s of 1000s from 100s of 1000s. This was in the Conservative manifesto but not in the coalition agreement. The objective is totally unrealistic as many factors are outside his control such as the numbers coming from other EU countries, the number of British people who emigrate. As to capping numbers coming in from non EU countries there exists already an effective admission requirement based on required skills. If he overrides that system business will be affected by skill shortage. Universities that depend on non EU student fees will scream if there is a cap on visas for non EU students.
But when other EU countries such as Germany open their borders next month to A8 countries that joined the EU in May 2004 and January 2007 the EU flow to UK may well shrink. The UK could well have kept their borders closed in like manner but chose not to, probably correctly.
See www.citizensofeurope.org/teacher_content.php?content_id=68 for a discussion of migration fact and myth in school.
On other pages there is reference to a third person arrested in connection with News of the World telephone hacking. Any supporter of publications within Rupert Murdoch's empire should rethink their position. It justified Vince Cable's outburst against Murdoch's plans to take over BSkyB. Pity he made it in public. Murdoch is a scourge of the free press.
Invited by First Magazine to contribute a Last Word on communication for the May 14 issue.
Extensive coverage in FT of effect of austerity measures on the high street where in Lancashire already 18% of retail space is vacant, and over 17% in Durham. Lower figures in the West Midlands and South. It is estimated that 25% of space will be vacant in 2020. This government is making cuts too quickly and killing off growth prospects. The UK is the weakest economy in the Group of 7. Partly this is because of government policy, partly because our economy is so dependent on financial services.
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First gas guns of the seasons but they seem mostly to be in the Oving area. So far it's a punctual 07:00 start. Heard that Langmead Farms has taken over land of local major farmer to extend their salad production. Is this Leviathan insatiable? Still waiting to hear if they plan to appeal against anaerobic digester decision. They have until May 30. Meanwhile the economic advantages are going against them as government reduces feed in tariffs for larger installations.
Governments calls for a pause in its health reforms in recognition of massing opposition. It would be well advised to call a complete halt to them. Another example of David Cameron not doing his homework. He has only woken up late to the implications of Andrew Lansley's unwarranted and unwanted shake up that was thought up in the grand days when cash was no object. I predict Mr Lansley is in for a short political career. Looking after our health service in this area during this period of uncertainty will be a priority for the next Council and as it happens because of her personal experience of services at St Richard's and Worthing, health is Allis's particular interest.
Focus distributed announcing Allis Moss as Lib Dem candidate. Conservative candidate is to be Mr Paul Jarvis, MARRA treasurer.
Affordable housing project on hold awaiting outcome of negotiations with local landowners.
Meeting with diocesan official concerned with redundant churches on the future of St Giles. Because of its Grade I listed status the building will have to be preserved more or less as is and the search is now on for a preservation society to take it over. That's one part of the skyline at least which from my office will remain intact.
Mix up over cancellation of neighbourhood management panel. Should have been held at North Mundham, was cancelled because of an emergency, but officers briefed to tell participants of cancellation were at Hunston. These things happen but I remain to be convinced that either Sussex Police or the local community take these forums seriously.
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