What does this all mean?

I didn't blog yesterday because I was trying to work out what the implications of Brown's Cabinet changes were. My intitial conclusions are :

1. Its not so much change as rotation - the same old people, different jobs.

2. Brown's 'administration of all the talents' is distinctly mixed. The appoinment of the former Deputy UN Secretary General as Minister for Africa, Asia and the UN may well be inspired, but that of Tory defector Shan Woodward as Northern Ireland Secretary appears to be driven by getting another Cabinet Minister for free (as he will not be paid a Ministerial salary) and to make up for failing to net Lord Ashdown.

3. Despite the hyped headlines (and the new name for the DTI) there is only one significant change and that is splitting education in two. Only time will tell whether that is effective at giving more focus to its constituent parts, or whether it will be a bureaucratic nightmare.

4. Lack of Deputy PM is relatively irrelevant - Ed Balls is his true deputy.

Goodbye Mr Blair

So that's it then.

I remember very well the night Blair came to power. I was a student and, as a Conservative supporter, was distinctly in the minority as I watched the results rolled in at an Election Night party to the many cheers of those around me. Even so it was hard not to feel some of the optimism of those fellow party goers - the Conservative Government was tired and a change was needed. Ten years on, and I have spent the whole of my working life to date under a Labour Government. Looking back it could have been worse, and I expect under other Labour leaders it would have been, (but then again any other Labour leader probably wouldn't have lasted so long) and Blair has some successes to his name especially ending the terror in Northern Ireland. But today I again feel optimistic, as the countdown to the next Conservative government has started. Mr Brown may have some more surprises lined up, but fundamentally his is a tired government heading to the end of its natural life.

Blair was undoubtedly one of the most successful British politicians, and his reforming of the Labour Party to make them electable is perhaps his lasting legacy, but I suspect his record as a Prime Minister will be judged as a time of wasted opportunity and government by gimmick.

Quentin Davies MP has defected to Labour

How very odd. I don't know Mr Davies, nor much about him or his politics (other than that he is a pro-European) but I am at a loss to understand how anyone who holds Conservative beliefs could view a Brown led Labour party as preferable to a Blair led one. If Mr Davies had wanted to defect, why not when he might have made a difference to that party?

Any suggestions?

Harriet's first U turn

Less than 24 hours after being elected Deputy Leader of the Labour Party Harriet Harman has performed her first U-turn

During the deputy leadership camaign she said "I agree" when Jon Cruddas told Newsnight that the Labour Party should "say sorry". However on this morning's edition of the Today programme she said "I've never said the government should apologise."

Brown's 'clunking fist' has clearly made an early impression!

What does localism mean in practice?

Well as far as local government goes I think Lord Heseltine's Cities Taskforce Report makes a good stab at defining the principles that underlay it:

• The ultimate decision making body should be the most local possible unit of Government

• Authority and control should rest with democratically elected representatives, not with unelected Quangos. Elected Leaders may choose to use Quangos to deliver, but the elected body should determine the allocation of its funds.

• There should be a clear and simple structure, so that everyone knows who is in charge and who is responsible

• If Local Government is charged with leading the renaissance of our Cities, they must be able to attract consistently people of the highest calibre into leadership roles

• Local Government should be genuinely empowered

Now clearly Heseltine's remit was the regeneration of our cities, however most of these principles can be applied to the Shire Counties and Districts as well. In my view by adapting the Taskforce's conclusion the following four prescriptions would be a good way forward outside the cities:

1. Decision making should be democratic and local. Powers that are currently held by Quangos and the Regional Assemblies should be devolved to Unitary or County Councils. Powers over local decision making like local roads and schools should be devolved to District (or Unitary) Councils. Decisions on truly local issues - like residential planning decision should go to the lowest level (Ward Councillors - perhaps sitting with Parish Councillors).

2. The primary role of the council is that of a decision making and commissioning body for service provision. However Councils should be free to go beyond this. If local preference is for councils (of any tier) to deliver services themseves that benefit their community they should be able to. Councils should be able to work together where they feel it is beneficial, and should have freedom to do so across county or regional boundaries.

3. Councils need strong, dynamic and full-time paid leadership. I feel that full-time elected chief executives would be best placed to lead councils (either directly elected mayors or a cabinet system) with other (part-time) councillors acting as scrutineers. To ask individuals to do this part-time on a modest allowance restricts the pool of talent available. However this again should be decided locally. One size does not fit all - and it maybe that the committee structure would continue to work well for some councils.

4. The precise structure of the councils should also be decided by local people. Councils should be the right size to deliver for the population they serve. This may mean the preservation of district and county split; it could be a local preference for a unitary authority, or it could be some other 2 tier arrangement, whereby through joint working various district councils join together to take forward the more strategic issues. Police and Fire Services should continue to be subject to local democratic oversight , and local NHS Primary Care trusts should also be subject to a similar regime.

I should conclude by making very clear that this is my personal view and certainly not that of the Tandridge Conservative Group.

New Labour Leaders?

Gordon Brown is now the leader of the Labour Party and we know now who is the new deputy leader of the Labour Party - Harriet Harman. For an ex Cabinet-Minister, sacked in 1998 for arguing in public with her deputy it is a bit of a comeback.

So on Wednesday the fight for the next election will start for real. Cameron versus Brown. While the polls may show that Labour now has a three point lead - a bounce for the the incomming PM; this is the froth which I would expect to accompany an uncontested six week crowning of Brown (admittedly ably abetted by the Tory Grammer School debate). Compared to the 15 plus point jump in Conservatve fortunes following Major's assumption of the Conservative leadership from Thatcher in 1990, the recovery in Labour's rating is very modest and easily reversable.

What I expect the next year to show is that Brown and Harman have nothing new of substance to offer. Both have been associated with New Labour since its beginning and Brown has 'previous' at reheating existing policies as new announcements. In my view it will be the Conservatives, with the policy groups setting reporting over the summer, who will be best placed to adopt and articulate the policies that the country needs. Today's election of old New Labour leaders must therefore be a victory for Conservatives.

Mobile Phone Masts

Good news for residents of Greenhurst Lane. Tandridge District Council's decision to refuse permission for a 17 1/2 meter high mobile phone mast has been upheld by the Planning Inspectorate.

Childcare to continue at Tandridge Leisure Centre

Following concerns expressed by local residents that the Crèche at the Tandridge Leisure Centre would close, Tandridge Leisure Limited (TLL) has confirmed that it to continue to provide some childcare service at the Leisure Centre by targeting the most popular times for customers requiring this service.

TLL is looking to make the best use of the crèche space, which has been operating at just over a third of capacity for some time. TLL do not think this is sustainable. Their decision to focus the crèche on times pf peak demand this will enable the Centre to extend its services to the public by also using the space for other activities such as additional group exercise classes, as a training venue and for private hire.

While it is clearly disappointing for Crèche users that Tandridge Leisure has decided to restrict the times that childcare will be available, it is good that they have recognised that there is a continuing need for to provide a facility.

Hurst Green Fire - 3 Arrests Made

Surrey Police have announced that following Sunday's fire at the Ajax building 3 young men have been arrested, two aged 17 and one aged 16.

Surrey police are keen to speak to witnesses in relation to the matter.Particularly if you saw people at the industrial estate on Sunday 17th June between 12.00pm and 3.00pm. If you have any information please call 0845 125 2222 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Oxted Car Parking Changes

From 2 July new parking rules come into force in Tandridge District Council's car parks. The changes are occuring to remedy the fact that currently car parks designed for use by shoppers are full of longer term users who are tending to leave their cars all day during the week.

Following the changes there will still be free parking in Ellice Road car park for Oxted shoppers and, while limited to four hours, this benefit will apply even before 9.30am. But the biggest change is that even though motorists do not need to pay, they must now get a pay and display ticket and put it in their windscreen.

The Johnsdale Road car park will now be for permit holders only, freeing up space in the Ellice Road facility.

Citizens Advice Bureau - The Experts

Last night I attended the AGM of the Oxted CAB. From what I saw last night it appeared to be a very well run, and very well used service which delivers real improvements to peoples lives - a good example where the so-called 'third-sector' is able to fill a gap that would otherwise exist.

During the course of the meeting it was made very clear that despite the voluntary status of the advisors, the quality of the advice given was highly professional. And it is reassuring that with a number of new advisors currently undergoing training, the future of this service seems secure.

The CAB and organisations like it are living proof of David Cameron's maxim that 'there is such a thing as society, it is just not the same thing as the state'.

Popes Lane

As some local residents may be aware Popes Lane was recently resurfaced by Surrey County Council (SCC) contractor Carillion. Unfortunately the new surface wasn't a success with pot holes already appearing and tar leaking through and sticking to tyres on warm days. The good news is that a solution has been identifyed by SCC and a another new (and hopefully much more effective) surface will be applied shortly.

Warren Lane

Residents who live near the Warren Lane recycling centre may be interested to know that the Environment Agency are to carry out a noise assessment, following complaints from local people about the activity levels at the site. I'll update when I know any more.

Hurst Green Fire Update:

According to the BBC website, 21 families were evacuated from Barnfield Way to St Agatha's Hall after a gas cylinder exploded in the fire. [I am not sure what happened to them all, as Aggies looked all shut up as I walked past it to the station this morning.]

However the BBC reports that an exclusion zone remains in place around the old Ajax factory, in Holland Road, to allow other gas cylinders to cool. Firefighters used ground monitors to cool the gas cylinders and are keeping a "watching brief" as it is still unsafe to enter the building. Police said Barnfield Way and Holland Road would remain closed to traffic and residents until the area was declared safe, which is expected to be this afternoon at the earliest.

Fire investigators and police are looking into the cause of the fire. Fortunately it appears that no-one was injured in the fire.

Breaking News - Fire

There is some excitement for Hurst Green residents this afternoon as a large fire has taken hold in the former Ajax Magnethermic building on the Holland Rd. The road is currently closed as around 10 fire appliances from acoss Surrey and Kent try to tackle the fire in the abandoned factory building.

On a serious note, there are apparently some unexploded gas cannisters inside the building - if this is arson (hard to think what else might have caused it) - it was a highly reckless thing to do.

International Exposure

Planning enforcement proceedings against unauthorised advertisments aren't necessarily the most exciting of subjects, but for once a threat of legal action by TDC has got widespread attention. The reason - the advert in question is 100,000 sq ft large and is depicting a a silhouette of a naked lap dancer. A marketing agency have painted the advert for a lap dancing website on a farmer's field under the Gatwick flight path without planning permission and TDC is now taking action to get them to remove it.

I suspect my weekly council news cuttings will be a bit thicker than normal this week as the story is being covered by newspapers as far a afield (pardon the pun) as Texas and Australia.

National Cycle Week

National Bike Week takes place from Saturday 16 June until Sunday 24 June, to celebrate the benefits of cycling. If you want to make your bike more secure then free security marker pens and ‘steer clear of cycle theft’ leaflets are available from the reception at the Council Offices, Oxted.


I'm sorry to say that my bike has been sitting unriden for the past couple of years. Hopefully as my daughters get a bit older that will change.

But for those of you who have the energy a Tandridge Cycle Ride is being held on Sunday 1 July, starting at 2pm from Hurst Green Station car park travelling to Lingfield and back on a circular route. If you are interested in taking part in the cycle ride please contact Trish Bloxham on 01883 732974, e-mail tbloxham@tandridge.gov.uk.

Dictat not Democracy

I attended my first Planning and Environment Committee meeting last night.

If any proof were needed that this Labour Government is committed to the centralization of power and decision making at the expense of local democracy then I saw it clearly demonstrated last night. Government 'guidance' notes are leading to remote planning inspectors, based in Bristol, overturning decisions made by elected Councillors based on local plans that have been adopted following public consultation and previously approved by Ministers.

The most concerning aspect is not that the planning inspectorate is ensuring that local authorities take decisions in accordance with the rules - which in my view is the role for an inspector should take - but over issues of housing design and character. Surely local councillors, who live and understand their localities are better able to decide what is in keeping with their communities and what isn't, than the individual prejudices of an unelected individual.

Summer Jams

Living in a village (even a large village like Hurst Green) does mean that there isn't an awful lot for teenagers to do.

The one facility that they do have is a skate park. The Tandridge Community Safety Partnership is currently running a series of Summer Jams are to promote the legitimate use of public skate parks and surrounding open spaces in Tandridge. The one in Hurst Green will take place on 28 July where there will be a range of activities and interests including the BMX, Skateboarding and In-Line competitions, sports, art and music. Young people will be organising and contributing to competitions, performing live music and acting as stewards.

This is a positive initiative and I do hope they are well attended.

Spin Over Substance

The Prime Minister has given an interesting speech today making the point that the relationship between today's (national) media and politicians is damaged and is of need of repair. Mr Blair said relations had always been fraught, but now threatened politicians' "capacity to take the right decisions for the country". He said people in public life, from politics to business, sport, the military and charities, found that "a vast aspect" of their job now was coping with the media, "its sheer scale, weight and constant hyperactivity. At points it literally overwhelms".

It is certainly possible to argue what has caused this. In my opinion the focus of Labour, and especially Alastair Campbell, on satisfying the media's needs for activity and proposals above that of good Government has contributed to this result. But to be fair it is also true that following the development firstly of rolling news channels and then more recently of the internet the rules of the game changed substantially. Stories are now broken in real time (by both mainstream news outlets and increasingly by 'amateur' bloggers) and so maintream media have reacted to changing market place.

And on this I agree with the PM - for the sake of a healthy democracy and proper debate, there is a need for more focus on reporting the facts (and the detail), not just on commenatary. Hopefully the recent changes to how the internet is used will actually help matters, with blogs filling the gaps that mainstream press, radio and television neglect.

Not a million miles away

Oxted South is about 20 miles from central London, which makes it a very convenient place to live for commuters like myself, but once you get home of an evening it feels a world away from the busy, vibrant but sometimes dangerous place that is the Capital. When I moved out of London, I thought was moving away from aspects of life like the big yellow Metropolitan Police signs that not infrequently adorned the Old Kent Road saying 'Murder' - Any information please help.

Oxted is positioned in the far eastern corner of Surrey. To the north is Bromley and Croydon , to the east and south east Kent, to the south Sussex and to the West the rest of Surrey. Therefore going eastwards the next largish town is Sevenoaks, similarly a commuter town into London. So the news that yesterday Police shot dead a woman in Sevenoaks, does bring home the fact that although Surrey is a very safe place to live, the darker side of life isn't restricted to London.

Waste not, Want not

Some fascinating facts about waste.
Each UK household produces over 1 tonne of rubbish annually, amounting to about 31 million tonnes for the UK each year

Every year, the average dustbin contains enough unrealised energy for 500 baths, 3500 showers or 5,000 hours of television.

On average every person in the UK throws away their own body weight in rubbish every 7 weeks

Every 8 months the UK produces enough waste to fill Lake Windermere (the largest lake in England)

In less than 2 hours the UK produces enough waste to fill the Albert Hall

The cost of managing the municipal waste produced in England is around £1.6 million per year

For some more facts and info see www.recyclenow.org.uk

Four Weeks Paternity Leave!

I wish....

Labour Minister Beverley Hughes has been slapped down by the DTI for proposing that new Fathers be given 4 weeks off.

While I would have loved an additional two weeks at home I don't seriously think that there is a good reason justify extending the two-weeks statutory leave men are now entitled too.

The aim paternity leave should be to help look after the mother and any existing children in the immediate aftermath of the new baby's arrival. However fathers have to return to work at some point and in my view the balance between helping families and imposing an additional burden on businesses (especially small business) is now about right. We already have the right to request take additional unpaid leave in the child's first seven years.

The rationale for Ms Hughes' proposal was that research shows children with an actively involved father have better behaviour and improved attainment at school. While I don't doubt that this is the case, in my view no amount of additional government sponsored time-off can guarantee this. If a father wants to be actively involved with his children he will be, and good community role models are more likely to change the behaviour of some feckless fathers than government dictat.

Seeing Double

Oxted Place has been an address in Broadham Green since the 17th Century, but now there is another. A developer of a block of flats in Eastlands Way, Oxted has also decided to name his property Oxted Place. So there are now two Oxted Places in Oxted.

A recipe for confusion? Let's hope not.

Power to the People

I am still trying to catch up with things from the last couple of weeks and I finally got around to reading Direct Democracy's first 'Localist Paper' 'Open Politics' on how we might restore our democracy, which includes a number of measures to restore power to the people and repair our constitution.

Having had a think - here's my eight (some of which I have borrowed from them):

1. Devolve the power the Scots Parliament has in Scotland to Councils in England with the principle that power goes to the lowest sensible level
2. Reform council governance - allow local people to determine the structure of council that best suits their needs.
3. Bring all quangos under democratic control (whether that be Parliament, or better still for bodies such as NHS primary care trusts to county and district councils)
4. Allow local people to choose (via the ballot box) what services their council provides and how they do it (including how they charge for it)
5. Referenda should be held on all constitutional changes (Europe, Devolution etc)
6. End the Crown Prerogative for senior appointments and hold confirmation hearings in parliament
7. Reformed House of Lords should be a Chamber of the Regions, with councillors representing the counties, cities, boroughs and districts
8. Introduce a new Bill of Rights

Any views?

How to effectively recycle

Today's Sunday Times talks about the dumping of waste intended for recycling in landfill. This is caused by recycling getting jumbled together at the collection stage which leads to some being contaminated or poorly sorted before heading to the processing firms, who are then forced to dump the whole load. The article makes clear that council schemes which force an element of sorting at the point of collection (as Tandridge's does), while more onerous for the householder and for the collectors is actually much more successful at meeting its goals.

Thank You

We today had a small thank you celebration for those unsung workers who made my election victory possible. Ten years ago my ward had three Labour Councillors and precious few activists, following my election we now have three Conservative Councillors and a small army of deliverers and canvassers. It is their hard work over the past seven years which made the result in May possible. The celebration was held in the lovely garden of my ward Chairman and his wife, Iain and Jennifer Slater. Their repeated hospitality, together with a lot of hard work marshalling and organizing really stands behind this success.

Hypocrisy

In yesterday's post, I was talking about importance of clarity of message and went straight on to post a very unpolished entry.

For anyone who read the first version, my apologies, but I blame my 12 day old daughter who started to make herself known quite forcefully while I was trying to finish it (thats my excuse and like any politician I'm sticking to it!)