Word from Westminster - May 2009

Last year I contacted parents and teachers about the need for a 20mph speed limit around our schools, with the overwhelming response supporting this idea, I am also aware of the current campaign in our Northern Parishes. So I was pleased to see the Government last week making it policy to reduce the speed limits in some areas, schools for example, to 20mph.

The County Council, who have responsibility for the highways, explained to me after I presented them with the support for the 20mph limit, that it would be difficult and costly to implement. So let’s now hope we see all roads near schools adopting the 20mph speed limit. I know of some that already have done this, and I believe that this should be extended throughout.

Because of the recession it is expected that the summer will be good for tourism in the UK and I know of the investment by much of the tourism sector in Great Yarmouth has focused heavily on their own businesses. It is clear that everyone is doing what they can to encourage visitors and locals alike to our resort, so it therefore begs the question as to why the local council increased the central car parking charges to £1.50 per hour for the first 2 hours – and £2.00 per hour thereafter. This move was apparently to encourage the use of the car parks outside the main area of the seafront. Put simply this will put people off from a return to Great Yarmouth in the future. The simple solution surely would be to make car parks short term, say a maximum of two hours per stay, for the same price of other car parks? I'm afraid that the council have shot themselves in the foot on this one!

The Government policy of lowering VAT to 15% to aid the recovery from recession was met with derision from some quarters, but I was pleased to see the independent report by the Centre for Economics and Business Research that in fact the 2.5% cut has instigated an extra £2.5 billion into the economy. So it is clear that there is evidence to show that cut is working in a small but significant way.

The recent announcement of the £5.3 million grant for Southtown and Great Yarmouth is to be welcomed and clearly proves the desire by the Government to continue helping the regeneration of our borough. The transformation of the borough in the past 10 years is extremely good and more is on the way, such as the £3 million Seachange money for St George’s Chapel and King Street, the new NHS advanced walk-in centre in Greyfriar’s Plain, and the new surgery in the Lichfield and Cobholm Resource Centre. Let’s also hope the council look to other areas of the Borough that could do with some attention!

The Budget last week really didn’t bring up any surprises and it was always going to be a difficult one. However, the policy to allow the further exploration and utilisation of the remaining few oil and gas pockets will be a welcome boost to the local economy in Great Yarmouth, given our world class expertise and prominence in this field. In addition, I was also pleased to see the announcement of the Government’s commitment to renewable energy and green technologies. The Government has also pledged £1 billion to support low-carbon industries, and a further £525 million for offshore wind projects, something that Great Yarmouth is fast becoming a leader in, and which could play a big part in our economy’s future.

It would be remiss of me not to mention that Canon Michael Woods has left the area after 17 years service to Great Yarmouth. There is no doubting the input he had on the community and we all wish him well in his new home.