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Word from Westminster - December 2009

Word from Westminster.

 

There was huge disappointment last week in the result of the vote for funding of a project to secure £50,000 as part of The People’s Millions award. Newtown Youth Centre in north Yarmouth was clearly a prime candidate for the money and it is heartbreaking that we couldn’t get enough votes to win on the day. However, the way the community pulled together to do all in our power to encourage people to support the bid was truly wonderful.

I am confident that everyone involved will continue to support the youngsters who use the centre and the adults that support them, such as Carl and Julie Harding, in continuing to secure the funding to build a permanent centre in Newtown. I will play my part in helping to do this.  Finally congratulations to Carl on receiving the community award from last year’s winner Fred Learmonth, which is well deserved.

Remembrance Sunday is naturally reserved for thought of both world wars but in recent years our thoughts have also been with our serving Armed Forces in Afghanistan and Iraq. This year was no different and the thought provoking service by Revd. Irene Knowles was a timely reminder for us all. What is always pleasing to me is the number of young people from our Cadet forces who take part in the parade. The service for the Far East prisoners of war on the seafront was without doubt the best attended. Bert Major recently reminded me that only a handful of former servicemen and women who survived the prison camps of the Far East are alive today so it is vitally important that we have a service firmly fixed in our annual diaries to remember all who sacrificed their lives.

Both myself and my wife attended the Christmas party of the Gateway Club along with the Deputy Mayor Terry Easter and his wife Jenny. It was truly a wonderful event with all 100 guests having a great time, but the real story is in the fact that the club has been going for 40 years and was started to give help and support to people with learning difficulties and their families. There is no doubt that this has gone from strength to strength and it was pleasing to meet the founding member Mr Brown and his wife in attendance along with Brenda Hammond and her fellow committee members. Congratulations to you all who are involved in this club and I am only sorry that I missed the 40th anniversary celebrations earlier this year.

The ongoing saga of the route of the third river crossing continues and I have had a couple of meetings with residents who have justified concerns over the delay by the County Council to agree the route of the crossing. At the meeting I attended in July the route was announced, however, at the November cabinet meeting this was postponed for more information on the financing of the scheme. They must decide at the December meeting on this important project.

At Parliament, the main story was the Queen’s Speech – the last before a General Election. It was clearly going to be fairly light in quantity but still there will no doubt be some serious issues to contend with over the coming weeks ahead.

Among the Bills included in the Speech was a Fiscal Responsibility Bill to half the deficit, a Financial Services and Business Bill to clamp down on bonuses for risk-taking bankers, the Flood and Water Management Bill which gives councils a lead role in flood prevention, and a Social Care Bill to give the neediest elderly free home care.

Other events during this month included meeting with the Prime Minister, representatives from the PCS union and students from Sweden. I visited Airbus and Silverstone as part of my Select Committee and also visited the Priory Centre Happi project which was packed with people over 50 enjoying the event throughout the day. I also handed over a charity cheque from the Parliamentary Football Club to Cystic Fibrosis, the Special Olympics GB and Friends of Govi and held a meeting with the Great Yarmouth Market Traders Association to discuss their concerns.

Finally may I take the opportunity to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a happy and prosperous New Year.