by Paul Scully | Oct 7, 2008 | News |
On the day I joined 350,000 anxious Icesave investors in worrying about our savings, there was also a few stories that you might have missed.
Gordon Brown seems to be preparing for a climbdown on the 42-day detention that was deemed as absolutely vital for the security of the country a few short months ago. The Times reports that ministers are admitting that there is ‘not a cat in Hell’s chance’ of getting it onto the statute books after realising that the Lords would once again be the voice of reason. First David Davis had no serious opponent in his by-election, now it appears he will have no opponent in the House to debate the subject.
The Evening Standard has an article on the botched reform of NHS dentistry. Apparently Ministers had admitted that they had an ‘insufficient focus on quality’ in their revised contract for dentists which has been criticised in a Commons Health Select Committee report.
I hope that politicians, journalists and bloggers are keeping an eye out for any reports or other stories leaving No. 10 by the back door. We face an impossibly difficult time over the coming days, weeks and months. Nonetheless, Government business does not stop. Neither should good scrutiny.
One clear example of burying bad news was illustrated by the article in the Telegraph. Postman Pat has got a promotion to a sorting office. The programme will now be called Postman Pat Special Delivery Service and Pat has been given a PDA, a helicopter and a stunt bike! I assume that Mrs Goggins has been pensioned off to close her rural sub post office as well.
![A Sporting Chance]()
by Paul Scully | Oct 6, 2008 | News |
Former British No 1, Jeremy Bates didn’t give Eric much of a chance with his precise hitting, but the aim of this coaching session was to highlight the work of the Sutton Tennis Academy.
The Academy is a jewel in the crown of Sutton, but one that is little known outside the tennis world. As well as providing private membership facilities for residents, it offers so much more to young would-be Andrew Murrays and Laura Robsons through the very best coaching, great surfaces to play on and even in-house education to enable the elite to get the most court time. In fact, home-grown Junior Wimbledon Champion, Laura Robson trained at the Academy herself.
Fellow ward councillor, Eric Howell is fanatical about sport. However, tennis is his passion. Despite literally dying on a tennis court seven years ago after having a heart attack whilst (fortunately) playing a paramedic, he plays hours and hours of tennis every week to a very high standard regularly beating people half his age.
A few councillors went along to watch Eric have a knock-up with Jeremy Bates, the Director of Tennis having been taken on a tour of the place. British No. 3, Josh Goodall was playing former Wimbledon Champion, Pat Cash. On an adjacent court, children from 11 to 18, all among the best in their respective age groups in the country, were hitting ridiculously powerful, low topspin forehands. Playing along this company must give any inspiring child a massive boost in personal development.
It is not all about the elite. Sutton Council helps to fund some of the programmes, increasing participation at all levels of the sport. Cheam High School admits a small number of children each year on a tennis scholarship, adjusting the daily timetable to allow more time playing tennis at the Academy. Not everyone can win Wimbledon, but others will develop into good club coaches and inspire others to pick up a racquet. Sutton has one of the lowest percentages of its residents participating in sport throughout London. This is a good example of recognising that Local Government is often not the best organisation to deliver a particular service. If interests coincide between public and private sectors, we should not be dogmatic. Instead we should move forward together and take such opportunities.
![A Sporting Chance]()
by Paul Scully | Oct 4, 2008 | News |
Localism is a word that has been bandied about in political circles for a number of years. The Labour Government are not in a rush to hand the responsibility for decision-making anywhere near the ‘great unwashed’ whilst they are in administration, instead hoarding power and control. Councils often get just the scraps, feeling the full force of the public’s dissatisfaction whilst being reduced to a local branch of Whitehall.
Yes, centralisation started under the Conservatives in the Eighties in an attempt to curb the wild excesses of the Militant Tendency, but it has gone way too far and I’m glad to see policies to reverse this.
The headline announcement was that Council Tax would be frozen for two years. This will be acheived by giving those councils who limit their budgets to a 2.5% increase, the difference to bring that down to zero. LibDem and Labour councillors in London, led by our very own Leader of the Council threw their hands in the air and gnashed their teeth, horrified at the prospect. They explained that with inflation at 4.7%, it would be irresponsible to limit increases to less than this as services would need to be cut.
As Boris might say, what piffle. Boris himself is freezing the GLA precept, Hammersmith and Fulham have cut their council tax two years in a row whilst improving services, reducing debt and increasing resident satisfaction. No-one said it was easy, but it can be done. Sutton’s administration have pledged to limit their increases to 3.4% for the next two years, so it will be interesting what they will be cutting if they follow their argument to its logical conclusion.
Now, here’s the localism. Council’s do not have to go along with this. If an administration believe that their residents would prefer them to spend more than the 2.5% figure, they can. No-one will stop them. Naturally, they won’t get the extra funding but that is the difference between carrot and stick. Residents can judge which they prefer on election day.
I attended policy briefings from our Shadow Local Government Spokesmen and the Shadow Housing Spokesman, Grant Shapps. I liked what I heard. Housing targets and planning decisions look set to return closer to the people that will have to live with the consequences. Labour and the Liberal Democrats fell into a big hole this week. The LibDems talk a good game about localism but enjoy hiding behind the Mayor and the Government. With increased power for local representatives comes extra responsibility and challenges. I relish that opportunity to face voters without the excuse that a faceless bureaucrat in Westminster has taken a decision out of my hands. If it leaves me exposed well, I’ll just have to get better at my job or take the rap.
by Paul Scully | Oct 4, 2008 | News |
Boris was the highlight of the first day of conference. Sit back with a cup of tea to watch the 16 minute video on the BBC here. As ever, he has a knack of getting some very serious, worthwhile points across in a knockabout, often self-deprecating style. He didn’t disappoint as he bemoaned that his speaking style had been criticised by Arnold Schwarznegger last year. “It was a low moment, my friends, to have my rhetorical skills denounced by a monosyllabic Austrian cyborg,” Boris said. He added “But I can say now to Arnie that in spite of all his doubts and though there was a great deal of suspense until the final reel, Ken Livingstone was terminated.”
He tackled the financial meltdown and crime in the capital with great aplomb before delivering the line that will remain when the jokes are forgotten:-
“There will be no increase in our share of the council tax next year. When times are tough, the last thing people need is for us politicians to be adding to their burden. That is Conservative government in action.”
So, in Sutton whilst the Leader of the Council appears in print to explain why it is right that London Councils should be putting up taxes by 4.7% or more each year, the one part of the budget looked after by a Conservative is to be frozen. As ever, politicians can wring their hands as much as they want. It is only decisive action that will allow efficient running of the administration of the capital to translate into real value for money.
by Paul Scully | Oct 2, 2008 | News |
(If the video doesn’t work first time, press pause and then play again. It seems to work eventually.)
Yesterday, I came back with a number of Sutton councillors and supporters from Birmingham. I think I can speak for all when I say that we are more optimistic, excited about change and further enthused to make that change happen.
The global financial situation is at the forefront of people’s minds at the moment and quite rightly. I’m worrying about whether my savings will still be there in a few weeks, the price of food and fuel over the next few months and the level of taxes that I’ll have to pay over the next few years to pay for the biggest Government deficit in the developed world except Pakistan, Egypt and Hungary.
Since the news has been concentrating on the Bradford & Bingley and the American bailout, you may have missed some of the main announcements from the Conservatives that will affect you. Have a look at the video above for a brief starter whilst I fish out further details of the main course and desert.
On the day I joined 350,000 anxious Icesave investors in worrying about our savings, there was also a few stories that you might have missed.
