19/04/2010 by Steve Barclay.

Start the day with a visit to the Murrow and District Children’s Centre where Cllr Robert Scrimshaw and I meet with Hillary Keeley and other members of staff.  There have been false claims made by Labour and it is an opportunity to set the record straight about the Conservatives support for Sure Start centres.  Children attend the centre from the ages of 2 years and 9 months until starting school.  It is an excellent facility, but as so often I hear that Ofsted are hitting them with more form filling.   For example much of the paperwork is now self assessment, with the main annual report taking them up to 3 months to prepare (previously Ofsted themselves did more of the paperwork).  They also have to complete daily observation forms e.g. on the day I visited a child poured milk for the first time which needs to be put on to a form. 

On top of this there is also a new form introduced as a trail this year which will become compulsory next year for a Learning & Development record which a child takes to their new school.  Each one is a couple of hours to complete, and anecdotal evidence suggests schools do not make us of it.  Children with special needs have additional forms on top.  Alongside the form filling there are also challenges with the government’s requirements on governance and with funding.  The view was that the forms could be cut by 50%.  It will be my job if elected as MP to put pressure on the Government to help them by streaming all this administration. 

We took the opportunity whilst there to check the speed bumps and cracks in nearby property which has been an issue for residents and the primary school.  Lorries travelling for example from Lincolnshire to Ely with straw for the paper factory are causing damage.  We then headed over to see Alan Carr of ABC Market Butchers at Hooks Drove in Murrow.  The place is spotless, and it is no surprise to hear that they recently won a 5 star rating from Fenland DC.  No doubt also what the main issue is for them as a successful local business - Labour’s ever increasing tax bill.  Great to get their support.

The rest of the morning involved visits to one of our local haulage firms Bretts Transport to meet with Roger Fowler, and to Play 2 Day at Guyhirn where the high cost of rates is an issue. 

We then spent the afternoon in Newton.  Rural crime is a growing problem across the constituency with diesel thefts in particular.  I met with farmer Roger Skippey who last week was subject to a theft.  Whilst the thieves only took a couple of hundred pounds worth of copper, the damage to his cold fruit store is likely to be around £25,000 to put it right.  Even a neighbour who has a building yard which backs on to the police station had been robbed.  Labour has failed to be tough on crimes like this.  As for the Lib Dems, their daft policy that no one can go to jail for less than 6 months means that burglars across rural constituencies like this will face even less punishment.

I joined the team including County Cllr Steve Tierney and our new County Cllr Sam Hoy who were already out doorstep canvassing in Newton, before returning the association office in March where some helpers had already made a start on some telephone canvassing.

Steve Barclay and Cllr Robert Scrimshaw inspect the
speed bumps which have caused cracks to nearby property
including the local school in Murrow

Cracks in the school building caused from lorry traffic over the
speed bumps.

Steve discussing issues affecting the haulage industry with
Roger Fowler at Bretts Transport Ltd

Visiting Play 2 Day at Guyhirn
Steve pictured with successful local businessman and butcher
Allan Carr in Murrow

Posted in Guyhirn, Newton, Labour Failure, Murrow, My Campaign | No Comments »

20/04/2008 by Steve Barclay.

A winning run was continued tonight with the news just in of another by-election success.  In January we were delighted to win the Roman Bank and Peckover Division County Council seat with 61% of the vote. Tonight Cllr Geoff Harper e-mails me to bring the superb news that Phil Wait has just been elected for Wisbech St Mary - also securing 61% of the vote.

I spent the day out and about supporting Phil - in fact after some earlier canvassing I had a good chat with the wife of the Labour candidate whilst telling outside Murrow polling station.  Having fought elections in the mid 90s when we were last in Government, I appreciate how challenging it is when the Government is suffering in the polls.   After Murrow I headed over to the village hall in Wisbech St Mary.  Even in the last hour before 10pm when the poll closed there was a steady stream of voters.  Unfortunately I could not stay afterwards for the count with work the next day, but with fingers crossed headed home.  Geoff’s e-mail was the perfect conclusion to a great effort by Phil and all the team.  A special mention to our campaign manager Debbie Clark who ensured everyone knew what they needed to do and ran a fantastic operation.

Posted in Murrow, Wisbech St. Mary | No Comments »

13/03/2008 by Steve Barclay.

Coffee and more coffee today - anyone who knows me will know I am a tea and coffee fan! To the Whittlesey Conservative Club for a coffee morning organised by Cllrs Ken and Kay Mayor.  Lots of work had been put in which was reflected in some great raffle prizes.  Ken and Kay are perfect hosts and made it easy for me to meet everyone there. 

Then it was off to Murrow Village Hall for another coffee and a chat with our local council by-election candidate Phil Wait.  Phil lives in the ward and is well known locally, both from his current job as a driving instructor and previously managing one of the biggest stores in Wisbech. He has bundles of energy and a real desire to help people - he will make a great councillor here. After chatting with people in Murrow Village Hall, and buying some jam in the chapel (it is not just the Conservative Party who have fundraising events!) Phil and I join some of our Conservative Future team to canvass Murrow.  It is too early to predict the by-election result, but on today’s doorstep responses it looks really promising.  A lot of ground covered before we round off with a quick team drink together in the pub.

Steve with council by-election candidate Phil Wait in Murrow
Left2right : Jamie Edwards, Steve Barclay, Phil Wait, Steve Tierney

Posted in Conservative Future, Murrow, Whittlesey | No Comments »