01/04/2010 by Steve Barclay.

For all the talk of this being the first on-line General Election, with twitter feeds, blogs, you tube and the rest, the reality as this week-end has shown is that less fancy hard work gets the best reaction.

The week-end for me started early with Thursday evening spent at St Augustine’s Church in Wisbech, for a couple of hours conversation hosted by Rev Neil Gardener over coffee and biscuits. A wide range of political persuasions discussed how we can strengthen our local community, and it was heartening to hear the positive and constructive points made.  It was also very good to hear some who had previously been against the Conservative Party expressing interest in the work of Iain Duncan Smith and the Centre for Policy Studies.  Iain’s work is shaping Conservative policy on our broken society, and this had clearly registered with them.

Friday evening I attended a business forum in Ely, with representatives from the East of England Development Agency, the local council, our local MPs and Barclays Bank.  No surprise to discover that the East of England gets less funding than any other development agency in the country, with Labour shifting the funds to their own backyard.  A key issue for many businesses is not just access to capital, but the cost of that capital given the wide spread between the Bank of England base rate and the lending rate.

Saturday morning we were out early with a team in Little Downham including local councillor for the village Anna Bailey.  We covered the entire village before I headed over for one of my weekly coffee meetings, this time in Elm Close in March, with a group of ladies I had not met before.  These meetings are kindly hosted locally by a resident who invites ten people I have not met before for a chat.  It quickly emerged that those were involved in a host of key public services and community groups, which meant I left with helpful insights into what is happening at a practical level on the ground.

After the coffee meeting I travelled up to Wisbech to join our by-election team for some canvassing.  We have three excellent candidates standing for Wisbech Town, District and County following the sad death of our well respected councillor Les Simms.  All three candidates - Steve Brunton for town, Steve Tierney for District, and Sam Hoy for County all live in Wisbech, work in Wisbech, and are all under 45.  It is heartening that they were all part of our Conservative Future team and are now progressing to more senior roles within the party.  They will bring fresh blood, energy and ideas to our local government and be a great success, so please get out and vote on 15th April.  On the doorstep canvassing, I think I received as many votes for the fact that we were out canvassing in the rain as for anything I was saying, which shows that people do appreciate you being the first person to visit them for a while even if many are also fed up with the scandals of politicians in London.

After a quick return home to change (and catch the first half of the England v France six nations rugby match), I spent Saturday evening at the Whittlesey Conservative Club catching up with members.  The members always make me really welcome, and the views expressed about Gordon Brown left me in now doubt of their desire for change. 

Sunday lunchtime I headed over to Chatteris Conservative Club to meet the Mayor Cllr Pete Murphy.  I also met my eldest supporter Eric. At 101 years old, Eric was in the club for his lunchtime beer (the club voted to give him free beer for life for his 100th birthday).  It was great to chat with Eric who told me that he bought his house in Chatteris which he is still living in as long ago as 1924. It cost £400 with a £175 loan from the co-op.  He worked hard delivering coal around the Fens for many years, and he and his wife were from two families totally 26 children of which he is the last one.  Listening to Eric and seeing his smile and support was a great way to round off the week-end. 

Posted in Iain Duncan Smith, Local Elections, Ely, Little Downham, Whittlesey, Labour Failure, Wisbech | No Comments »

24/09/2009 by Steve Barclay.

Why is the decision to cut our paramedic cover being made by people who are both unelected themselves and not answerable to an elected body?  Why is there so much confusion over exactly who is making this decision and why?  Is it too much to ask that residents in Littleport, Sutton and Little Downham get a straight answer when their lives could be put a risk by a reduction in paramedic cover?

The East of England Ambulance Trust covers Essex, Sussex, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire. It is so large nobody seems to know what is going on.  As one secretary just said to me on the phone, “we are so big now we don’t know everyone anymore and it does not always link up.“ 

Even a straightforward question as to where the Chief Executive is based does not get a straight answer.  The Head Office is in Bury St Edmonds (or at least that is where the Chief Executive‘s PA is located), but most of the time the senior managers I am told are travelling.  The Trust also has offices in Norwich, Bedford, and Essex.  Clearly the tight travel cost controls which apply to those of us working in the private sector don’t apply here.  Why not cut the travel budget and pay for paramedics instead?

Voters have no control over those making these decisions.  Nor do their elected representatives.  East Cambridgeshire District Council Leader Fred Brown is opposed to these cuts.  Our Member of Parliament Malcolm Moss is opposed.  No MEP from any political party has called for these cuts.  And yet a paramedic car has been taken from a rural area, which is a potentially life threatening journey away from the nearest hospital, and moved to Cambridge which has Addenbrooke‘s Hospital on its doorstop.

In theory the East of England Ambulance Trust answers to the Strategic Health Authority, but in practice their remit seems confused (staff at the Ambulance Trust again were unable to set out the grounds for where their respective remits start and stop).  The process is further complicated as their decision are also influenced by the various Primary Care Trusts.  Other decision making bodies are also involved, like Cambridgeshire Horizons.  So many officials and committees, yet still no answers.

Residents in East Cambridgeshire are right to be angry.  They deserve to know who is responsible.  It is easy for me to point to the Government, but the problem runs deeper than that.  Yes Labour‘s national targets play a part, and yes they are to blame for the crazy confused governance structure.  But what is worse is that senior and well paid managers in the Ambulance Trust appear to see accountability to taxpayers paying their salaries as a petty inconvenience treated with disdain. 

If the East of England Ambulance Trust thinks it is immune from effective accountability then they may have a shock after the General Election.  The next Government needs to ensure decisions like this affecting the public are taken by those elected directly by the public, or immediately answerable to elected figures held responsible on their behalf.

Posted in Paramedics, Little Downham, Sutton, Littleport | No Comments »

08/08/2009 by Steve Barclay.

Unemployement in Fenland is the highest of any district in the county and a real concern.  A chance today to find out more about the practical steps being taken to help people back to work.  Meet up at Volunteer Centre Fenland with manager Annette, chairwomen Janet and future chairman Alan who are based in the new Rosmini Centre next to the Catholic Church.

Whilst the Volunteer Centre is located in WIsbech, their remit covers the whole of Fenland.  Those out of work, and also those in work, can access a vast array of voluntary opportunities through the centre.  Volunteer work can be a great way of staying up to date with work place skills, and demonstrating competencies which future employers will find attractive.  It is also a good way to boost confidence which can take a knock when struggling to find work.  Some do not take up the option thinking that it requires a full time commitment when you volunteer, but there are lots of options for flexible  working.  It is also a way of accessing the training offered to staff by some employers, who include volunteers for free in their staff training scheme.

With the on-going pressures locally from the recession, the Centre has a crucial role to play, and it is useful to find out more about the funding arrangements and the workload of the two part time staff.  The dedication is highly impressive and I hope we can ensure they are able to meet the increasing demands.  Also take away some forms so I can volunteer too, so will update on that in a future blog.

The Volunteer Centre has a drop in on Mondays from 11 to 12, so why not pop in and see if there is an organisation in Fenland you can help as a volunteer. There is a wonderful cafe downstairs with reasonable prices, and a warm and supportive environment to welcome you.

Then head over to Little Downham for an issue which I am trying to champion - better youth facilities for the 13 to 17 age group.  Often when I hear criticism from older people of teenagers, it raises the question of where there is for the 13 to 17 year old age group to go.  Some towns are much better served than others, but rural villages tend to be particularly affected.  The Cambs Times campaign ’our kids are alright’ has been great in highlighting the many positive contributions made by teenagers locally and thoroughly deservers the plaudits it is getting.   Fenland District Council and Cllr Steve Garrett in particular has also been actively engaged in improving facilities, and I know from chatting with East Cambs 
Council Leader Fred Brown that he is equally keen to see improvements.  Part of the problem is the fact that these two 
district councils receive significantly less per head in funding than Scottish councils and metropolitan councils in the north of England (which just happen to be where most of the Labour MPs are). Why should kids in North East Cambridgeshire get less facilities when their parents are paying tax which is heading to Scotland?

Notwithstanding the lack of funding from the Government, I still think we can do more.  One area where there is a need for better youth facilities is Little Downham.  There is plenty of space around the playing fields to improve facilities, and head off there to find out what people in the village want to see done.  More on this in due course.

Steve Barclay visiting Volunteer Centre Fenland
with manager Annette Houghton

The excellent cafe in the Rosmini Centre which
is open to the public to drop in.

Little Downham sports ground.

Little Downham sports ground.

Little Downham sports pavilion.

Posted in Rosmini Centre, Little Downham, Fenland District Council | No Comments »