Five Go Mad In Ealing

On the day that Alistair Campbell revealed that Tony Blair had to rescue Gordon Brown from inside a locked toilet, our new PM may be looking for another quick intervention.

There is only just over a week to go in the Ealing Southall by-election caused by the death of 82 year old MP, Piara Khabra. He had a majority of 11,440. Surely a comfortable election hold for the government?

The first barometer test for Gordon will be far closer than imagined for two reasons. The Conservative have chosen a local candidate, Tony Lit, who is proving popular in the constituency. Labour on the other hand, have had an almighty squabble over their candidate . Having seen a Hindi candidate imposed on the constituency, five Sikh councillors defected to the Conservatives praising Tony Lit and the Council that returned to Conservative control in 2006.

Whatever the result, it just goes to prove not to bet on by-elections. They invariably take on a life of their own despite the best intentions of seasoned campaigners trying to run the show. I'm sure there will be more fun and frolics before polling day.

How Not to Encourage Cycling

An engineering company called Jacobs Babtie has told staff they must drive or use public transport during the working day.

Unremarkable, though somewhat dictatorial until you discover that Jacobs Babtie is paid by Transport for London to advise them how to encourage people to abandon their cars and travel by bike.

The memo from their Health & Safety manager explained "The reason is to protect our employees from other vehicles on the road."

Kennedy Caught by the Smoking Police

Former LibDem leader Charles Kennedy got into another spot of bother on Friday. Travelling on the train to Plymouth, he took umbrage at being told to put out his cigarette by the Train Manager. We don't know much about the exchange of words although it was enough for the rail employee to call the police who duly met him at Plymouth Station.

Most trains have been smoke-free for years. I can't remember the last time I saw someone with a cigarette on the train. However, Kennedy thought it was okay to smoke on trains if you puffed out of the window! Yes, but he should be liberal on such matters, shouldn't he? You would have thought so, but he voted in Parliament for the smoking ban.

The Rise of the Political Machines

"The future has not been written. There is no fate but what we make for ourselves. I wish I could believe that. My name is Hilary Benn, they tried to murder me before I was born, when I was 13 they tried again. Machines from the future. Terminators. All my life my father told me the storm was coming..."

What's the point of fiction anyway. Just wait long enough and the real thing will turn up. The Terminator films were enjoyable romps around the edge of nuclear oblivion but then the story turns up in reality.

Just as Arnie returns to his Gubernatorial duties in California having finally ensured that Tony Blair's Premiership was terminated, I read that the UK has co-developed unmanned gunships called Reapers to be controlled by a satellite network called Skynet.

The Skynet system in the film was also an IT system that was turned on and then controlled machines for battle. This led to the near destruction of the human race. The UK Skynet is a £3.6bn PFI project. Lord Drayson (not pictured, but a director of Powderject Ltd who donated £100k to Labour whilst succesfully bidding for a government vaccination project), the MoD Procurement Minister said "This important milestone is very good news for the Armed Forces."

If fact continues to reflect fiction, it'll make Blair's legacy look appealing.

Bishop Solves Global Warming?

There's a new truth in town. Whilst a whole generation of scientists blaming climate change on everything from industrial pollution to the gassy emanations of cattle, the Bishop of Carlisle has given us his own insight striking a blow at the very heart of academia.

The Rt. Rev. Graham Dow blames this week's flooding on the introduction of pro-gay legislation. According to the Sunday Telegraph, he goes on to say "This is a strong and definite judgement because the world has been arrogant in going its own way. We are reaping the consequences of our moral degradation, as well as environmental damage."

He doesn't seem to continue his ridiculous thesis to surmise that if all homosexuals squeeze back into their closet, we might be able to squeeze back into our gas guzzlers. I don't remember this being covered as a possible solution in the Kyoto Protocol. Faith is important to many people in an increasingly secular country. The Bishop does his Church no favours at all with such postulations.

Consigned to a Bleak Future

Quentin Davies MP has defected from the Conservatives to Labour the day before the Clunking Fist takes power. The picture is a self portrait drawn for Carshalton and Wallington Conservatives as part of a fundraising exercise called Consign, which is ironic since he has just consigned himself to a footnote in parliamentary history.

My only memory of the Europhile MP is when he was Shadow Northern Ireland Secretary and was speaking at the Conservative Party Conference on the last morning. This is somewhat of a graveyard slot as people are creeping into the hall to reserve their seat for the leader's speech, nursing the mother of all hangovers after four days of excessive "networking". Unfortunately a younger member of the party bent over and let out some 'Wallace and Gromit' in a row just behind the Shadow Cabinet as a wag added "If only more of our frontbenchers could elicit such raw emotion."

Since he has accused David Cameron of "superficiality, unreliability and an apparent lack of any clear convictions" it's maybe worthwhile looking at Quentin Davies' own reliable opinion:-

QUENTIN DAVIES ON GORDON BROWN
26 JUNE 2007
"a leader I have always greatly admired, who I believe is entirely straightforward, and who has a towering record, and a clear vision for the future of our country which I fully share."

16 MARCH 2005
"the Chancellor has been losing control... His projections... have been consistently wrong. He has been wrong about both revenues and expenditure... The Chancellor took risks... he is imprudent... a great worry... very worrying... he simply wanted to win the next election... if he can... it does not matter what happens afterwards... the Chancellor went in for an orgy of self-congratulation... deceiving other people... complacency... he is not prudent and responsible, and not a person to be entrusted with the management of anybody's finances, let alone the country's finances... unattractive and frankly problematic... an absolutely devastating misjudgement and mistake... the destruction of our pensions system... We have not had a word of apology from the Chancellor... He was just incredibly imprudent... extraordinarily incompetent... extraordinarily naïve... desperately complacent... As a result of that self-congratulation and complacency, the Chancellor is becoming so cut off that he is beginning to underestimate the intelligence of the electorate... I trust and believe that something nasty will happen to the Chancellor in electoral terms before too long. He will have no one but himself to blame.
Quentin Davies MP, HC Debs, 16 Mar 2005: Column 309-318

OK, it's a bitter article but really, an MP with more outside interests than you could shake a stick at, best known for being fined for cruelty to sheep, complaining at the end of his career from the luxury of a safe Conservative Parliamentary seat is somewhat disappointing not only for Conservatives like my group colleagues and I that are simply trying to make Sutton a better place but for the 22,109 constituents that voted for Conservative values and policies only to see their vote wasted as he spurns them for the 14,664 constituents that voted for his opponent.

The Democratic Deficiency

Yesterday, most of the 54 councillors schlepped over to the Civic Offices for a Council Meeting which lasted all of 15 minutes or so. Much of that was spent by me expressing my disappointment that the LibDems did not allow themselves to be questioned in the normal way at the meeting.

Four years ago, the Government insisted that the Council's accounts were ratified by the end of June. The Council at this time realised too late and so had to hold an Extraordinary Council Meeting to deal with this one item of business.

Now I have only been in office since 2006 and so this was only my second meeting to approve the accounts. Last year it was deemed a normal Full Council meeting and we asked questions as did members of the public as usual. This year I agreed (along with two colleagues) to a council meeting to consider only the one item of business. However this was interpreted as an Extraordinary Council Meeting which expressly excludes all other items including questions. I raised the point, which remains unanswered, as to how can the meeting be Extraordinary when it is held every year at a date that we agree some months in advance.

Our May Council Meeting was ceremonial as it is when we appoint the new Mayor and confirm committee positions. We are scheduled to have a meeting at the end of July and then do not meet until November. This ensures that the Executive are only questioned in this way once in seven months (and you thought the Prime Minister had it easy over the summer parliamentary recess). Of course, councillors can ask written questions as can members of the public. However, written and oral questioning serve different purposes, analysing the lead councillors' grasp of their brief in very different ways.

Even an old cynic like me doesn't believe that I have been gagged deliberately, but I do believe that the leadership could have been more flexible and there are surely better ways to spend the £700 or so of your money that it would have cost to stage the meeting.

Day of the Triffids Part 2

Inspired response regarding the totem poles:-

**** BREAKING NEWS ***
Conservative Group Leader missing on St helier Open Space

Friends fear he's been eaten by giant totem pole...!

The Triffids are Here (and you paid for them)

OK. It's worse than I thought. The totem pole nearest St Helier as shown in the picture (it's the one on the right!)appears to be a sculpture of a leaf on a stick looking rather incongruous next to a hospital desparately fighting for its existence through lack of funds. The other one is a couple of yards away from a large tree so is barely visible from the road.

Now remember this is your money. (No, it's landfill tax credits paid by a private company, I'm told.) Yes, but the key is in the title. They are not called tax credits for nothing. This is a way of the private sector spending taxes as directed by the Treasury without HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) having to go through the ungentlemanly process of collecting it first. Still confused? Bear with me for a little longer:-

Fictitious company, Landfill plc dumps enough rubbish in a hole in the ground to generate a landfill tax bill of £400,000. It can pay this directly to HMRC or it can spend it as directed by regulations, reclaiming land, reducing pollution, providing or improving public amenities or parks within 10 miles of a landfill site, delivering biodiversity conservation, restoring or repairing places of worship or architectural interest nearby or funding costs or administration of environmental bodies.

Landfill plc then reduces its tax bill by 90%, in this case leaving it a bill of £40,000. It can then look for an "independent Contributing Third Party" (another company or a charity for example) to reimburse it with the £40,000 that it has just paid in tax. Landfill plc assuages its conscience, the Government points to good environmental work being done and residents get new parkland. All good stuff, but remember that this is money that would have gone to the Treasury so it is your money.

Now, back to totem poles. As I have said before, I applaud the new facilities in Poulter Park, and the skateboard ramps opposite the hospital, although I hope that there may be some landscaping around this in time. But, we are told that the totem poles were a local decision made by residents. I have the original consultation and there is not a single mention of any form of public art. We have asked arond 3,500 residents within a square mile of the totem poles if they were asked if they wanted £23,000 spending on these. Unsurprisingly, not a single person amongst the many that replied said that they had. Every respondent said that they were a waste of money.

At least now we can see them, we can be a little surer that wigwams won't start appearing next to the totem poles. Not so much 'How!' more for goodness sake Why!

Bringing Democracy to the High Street

It's not often that a Private Member's Bill makes it to the statute books as it will more often than not run of of Parliamentary time. However Nick Hurd MP (pictured right) has successfully steered the Sustainable Communities Bill through the process after securing Government support along the way. But why am I covering it in this blog?

I proposed a Council Motion earlier this year, calling on the Chief Executive to write to Ruth Kelly to express the support of the Council for the Bill. It gives each Local Authority far more say in how all public money is spent in their area. I've added a copy of my opening speech below as it details the mechanics of the policy showing how residents of Sutton can direct the Government to spend our money on the areas that we want. The original Motion was a cross-party one. Although the LibDems amended it with some self-congratulatory backslapping remarks, the essence of the Motion remained and the Council did give support to this powerful bill.

"We are back here talking about an issue on which we both agree.

The Sustainable Communities Bill, currently working its way through Parliament, has been introduced by a backbench Conservative MP, Nick Hurd but has attracted the support of all LibDem and Conservative MPs and many Labour MPs, giving it a real chance of being on the statute books by July.

We’re not the most unlikely bedfellows in this strike for localism. Anything that can bring the Campaign for Real Ale together with the Women’s Institute inside a big tent really should have wide ranging political support as well.

Despite the fact that the Government crow about devolution, we have one of the most centralised states in the developed world with 3000 new targets introduced every day since 1997. We want to reduce the reach of Whitehall and unelected Quangos.

Phil Woolas, the Minister for local Government had to sign the order in Westminster to ban camper vans from parking in laybys in Carrick. Needless to say he had to ask one of his Civil Servants to tell him where Carrick was.

Centralisation has the same affect here in Sutton. The library that we are in is governed by no less than:-
10 Public Library Standardsand 16 Public Library Impact Measures.

Our policing is subject to a National Police Plan which sets out:-
5 key priorities to be delivered through
13 Statutory Performance Indicators
all within a Policing Performance Assessment Framework assessing each local force in
7 key areas on
32 perfomance indicators comprising of
56 components. Still with me?...

Is it any wonder that people feel that politics is so far removed from their everyday life? Can any politician make a difference? Why should people bother to vote?

Councils should be the collective instrument of local people rather than the local outposts of Central Government.

The Bill seeks to tackle Ghost-town Britain, those areas epitomised by parts of Wallington town centre where shops lay empty for several years, leading to a lack of civic pride and a downward spiral where people abandon it for surrounding towns.
It also help to reduce Identikit High Streets allowing local people to have more say in their surroundings.

But how would the Bill achieve this?

It has been described as double devolution, devolving power down to the Local Authorities who in turn devolve it down to communities. You can liken it to the Dedicated Schools Grant but with power as well as cash.

The Bill would force central government to publish an annual statement of the amount of public money spent in each community
and to explain what proportion of that spending is already controlled by local people.
It would then give local representatives the power to work out their own plan for how to allocate all the public expenditure in their area – except that which relates to national priorities such as acute healthcare.

We would be required to get members of the public to participate in this. Not consulting by a few shabby notices stuck to a lamp post or a narrow letter drop in August, but by using every method available. Our website, newspapers, community Group meetings and even that esteemed organ, Sutton Scene.

Residents will then tell us what they believe to be the priorities and how they should be tackled. This might be about traffic congestion in a particular area, it could be about keeping an individual post office or pub open, (hence the interest from CAMRA), who knows, it could even result in requests for more totem poles.

The ideas from each Local Authority are pooled to form an action plan consisting of a raft of enablement powers so that the Councils can then take the steps necessary to see that these are carried out.

The Government expresses its concern about a postcode lottery for services but that’s simply missing the point. This isn’t a command-economy style NHS. This is true local democracy with decisions and actions taken at the very lowest level by people who are accountable to those who will be affected. If you give people power they will make different decisions. Isn’t that’s the point? Local people and local councils will have a greater say on how all government money is spent - not just the money that goes through local government.

It is by reclaiming the ability for local communities to develop their own priorities and their own innovations that we will produce a far higher general standard. We want central government to show more humility about what it can achieve, and local communities to be more ambitious.

By giving local representatives far greater power to determine local spending priorities through the Sustainable Communities Bill, we will radically improve local accountability of local services, and provide a spur to popular participation.

This is not a single Bill solution. It won’t succeed unless:-
- Power is devolved right down to neighbourhoods, community groups and voluntary groups.
- And we care passionately about keeping facilities open. It is incumbent on us to use these shops, pubs and organisations.

It’s a start. It’ll work for those people who want it to work. Peter Mandelson once said “It may be that the era of pure representative democracy is slowly coming to an end.”
Let’s prove him wrong - again.
Let’s show our support for direct democracy."

Ming proposes Mugabe Land Grab

We are only a few weeks away from the first Prime Minister's Question Time when we will see Ming the Merciless battle against Flash Gordon. In the meantime, everyone's attentions are turned to Gordon Brown and the farewell tour of Tony Blair.

Ming Campbell has attempted to attract some attention by proposing a policy that is eye-catching for all the wrong reasons. He thinks that councils should refuse planning permission for farmers to develop their land, then buy the land at a discounted rate, give themselves planning permission and then sell it off at a profit.

The poster on the right says "Pathetic earthlings...Who can save you now?" What planet is Ming living on that he can think that this could ever be a serious proposition. Blackmailing farmers by saying that planning permission will only be given if they sell-up to the council and having that same permission granted by the very authority who are seeking to benefit is one step away from a Mugabe-style Land Grab. I'm sure that many LibDems will be hoping that he was having a senior moment and it will be forgotten as quickly as the actor who played Flash in the '80s remake.

Put the Blog into Room 101

I started blogging a couple of weeks after being elected to open up another way of communicating with residents. I spend a lot of time in front of the PC anyway as do a lot of people these days. I shop, bank, book flights and check maps and timetables online so finding out what my elected representative is doing via the web seems natural.

This is my 101st post since I started, hence my celebration with Paul Merton in the photo on the right. (Actually its Boris Johnson's body before I get comments on how well fed councillors are.) I have been getting about 200 readers each week which isn't too bad. It's hardly designed to compete with Newsnight. I know that many of my colleagues read this from both sides of the political divide (or should that be on all four sides, at least it is four at time of writing but changing fast.) Somewhere amongst the anoraks are a few residents reading this. This is for you. Keep leaving comments, keep the debates going. Let me know what you think.

Radio Ga-Ga Part 2

If listening wasn't enough to scare you off, here's the video. A little shaky and a belch from stage right but you get the idea.

One of the comments in the thread below bemoaned the fact that Robert Elms didn't ask us for requests and wondered what we would have picked. The fact that he played REM's "End of the World As We Know It" might have been prompted by the fact that it took him 2 hours to get to Sutton from Highgate in a taxi that morning. Suggestions please...

Taking Part, Taken to Another Level

I was looking forward to visiting Russell Smith's experimental house in Carshalton Grove which was open as part of "Take Part, Take Pride" week and was not disappointed.

Russell runs a consultancy called Parity Projects, advising clients how to reduce the environmental impact of their homes and buildings. In order to offer the very best advice he has put his money where his mouth is and bought an ordinary semi detached house in Carshalton, used different techniques to insulate each room and installed thermocouples to monitor temperatures and heat loss over a year.

His website seems to have lost the direct links to the regular newsletters that he produces, so I have added links here:-
July 2006, August 2006, September 2006, November 2006.

Many of the Take Part, Take Pride events were designed to cover a wide area affecting many people. This was superbly unique in being one person making a difference in one house. All of the techniques used were affordable, paid for themselves within four or five years and didn't take long to install. I used to refurbish flats and houses myself and so really admired the approach that Russell had taken and the commitment that he has made to investigate this important topic. I wish him well and would urge you all to visit the house if you get an opportunity.

What a Tower!

Sorry about the pun, but Eric and I had a joint family outing to some of the treats of Carshalton including the Water Tower on West Street. I've gone past it so many times over the eighteen years that I have lived around the corner but not ventured up.

For the bargain price of 75p, we were rewarded with spectacular views of the grounds in St Philomenas and the old Carshalton House which is now the school's main building. The fact that we were also afforded aerial views of the red splurge that is traffic calming in West Street shall be painted out of my memory in much the same way as the black asphalt has been, under the over-eager workmen painting the town red.

Radio Ga-Ga Part 1

If you have nothing better to do for 10 minutes or so. Have a listen to my radio interview with Robert Elms and Cllr Sean Brennan about Take Part, Take Pride and Sutton in general.

Beyond Carshalton to Sri Lanka

Another stall at the Carnival had the right mixture of fun and games, underpinned by a harrowing international message.

White Pigeon UK is a charity working to rehabilitate those disabled by landmines in Sri Lanka. The ongoing hostilities between the Sinhalese Government and the Tamils who seek an independant homeland in the north continues to take its toll on ordinary citizens including many children.

The game alongside the stall was to walk through shredded paper without bursting any of the balloons that lay underneath. This illustrated the dense undergrowth where landmines remain concealed, long after they were originally planted, waiting for an unsuspecting innocent.

Since there were only balloons, I was happy enough for my daughter to have a go! She won a prize and learned a valuable lesson.

How to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint

Save the cost of a plane ticket to Florida and have your photo taken with Mickey Mouse here in Carshalton.

Pauline Bier was one of the people struggling with Dumbo on the float earlier in the day. Having hot-footed it across Carshalton and changed into costume, she gamely drew people to the stall raising funds for Carshalton Association for the Elderly (CAFE).

They are aiming to raise £37,000 for a new bus to transport people to and from Day Centres. Already they have reached £30,000. I'm sure that today's efforts will help but if any readers wish to rediscover their philanthropic urge, you can make a donation by contacting Pauline at the offices of Meals on Wheels at the Ecology Centre, Festival Walk, Carshalton, SM5 3NY. Go on, be generous. It'll only go on curry and beer otherwise.

Carnival Time

I can't say that there has ever been a crowd of people beating a path to my Council Surgery door and this morning was no exception. I was delighted to have the company of some wonderful people at the Ecology Centre, preparing their float for this year's Carshalton Carnival. I was told that Sutton's Meals on Wheels had won three of the last four years' competitions for 'Best Float'. This year's entry was a feat of engineering with Dumbo strapped onto the roof of a Meals on Wheels van.

I later found out that they had won second prize. I hope that they didn't lose because of the balloon that I had tied on a little too high. If I didn't know that they could always use more volunteers, I would have said that I should have left it to the professionals. Never mind, their thoughts would have already turned to next year.

A Face for Radio

I'm due to be interviewed by Robert Elms tomorrow along with Council Leader, Sean Brennan in Sutton High Street.

BBC London (94.9FM) are broadcasting a few programmes in Sutton to help celebrate "Take Part, Take Pride" week during which several community based events are held. Examples include cleaning the River Wandle, litter picking or going to the Greyhound on Wednesday evening to discuss environmental issues over a pint. Definitely something for everyone then.

If you fancy coming along to the High Street and saying hello, then do, otherwise go to the Sutton Council website to see how you can get involved.

The Real New Olympic Logo

Yesterday's launch was just a psychadelic hoax. Courtesy of blogger, Beau Bo D'or, I can exclusively reveal the real revamp with some allowances made for typical government efficiency.

Woodcote Green Vandalised by Developer

My colleagues in Beddington South have highlighted a particularly cynical move by a developer in Wallington. This house was a landmark house on Woodcote Green opposite Wallington Girls' School. I was on the planning committee that turned down the application to extend the already large building to convert it into flats and another to build a bungalow in the back garden. The developer appealed succesfully against the refusal for the extension.

I was appalled to hear from Cllr Terry Faulds that the developer had demolished most of the building. As you will see from the photo, it is almost certainly beyond economic repair. Members of the planning committee were at pains to highlight the important position that this property held on the green, marking one of the forst sights that people have when driving into Wallington from the South. Now, the view will be unrecognisable, as well as an eyesore for the time that the house remains a beaten shell.

I suppose that since the permission won on appeal was for an extension, this will be null and void as there is little left to extend. This means that the developer will have to reapply. I can only hope that he reassesses his position, not least because he is based in nearby Hall Road and so will have to live with the consequences, albeit a little richer.

The Rhythm of Life

Thursday evening saw the launch of Imagine, Sutton's Festival of Participatory Arts. This will run with a varied programme of events until 3rd June. The whole gamut of arts and heritage in the Borough has come together.

I'm pleased that the Council are looking at obtaining sponsorship and funding in future years. The Tories have been accused of knowing the price of everything and the value of nothing. It's a good line but one that is usually trotted out when the Council make a colossal mistake that they would prefer to forget such as the totem poles in St Helier.

It's important that Sutton enjoys good art and cultural facilities as these have an effect on our quality of life that is difficult to quantify. However, we ought to target our meagre resources wisely, not competing with the obvious attractions of Central London. Let's celebrate our unique points like the Water Tower in Carshalton and Whitehall in Cheam, but we ought to look to the Arts Council and private sponsorship to come to the aid of the local taxpayer.I'm glad that this is being investigated in this example.

Anyway, what of the picture? Meet Breis (pronouced "breeze"), a rap artist or as he describes himself, a hip hop renaissance man, Emcee, beat maker, writer, event organiser, workshop facilitator etc. Imagine the size of his business card. Anyone that has "etc." at the end of their job description needs to slow down a little. His was the first performance at the launch of the festival. Much as I don't like rap music (it's an age thing), he was brilliant, playing the audience, pushing positive messages and demonstrating a real poetic talent. Unfortunately his performance was somewhat marred by the fact that the front row consisted of Cllr Moira Butt, Lord Tope and me. Despite Moira's best effort, our participation was reminiscent of a dad's dancing at a family wedding. At least we got into the spirit and participated. Now it's over to you.

Equine Jewel in the Crown

Eric and I were lucky enough to visit the Diamond Riding Centre on Woodmansterne Road on Thursday. The trustees wanted to raise their concerns about the effects of an access road to the proposed rebuilt Stanley Park School on Orchard Hill and also discuss opportunities.

I've lived in Carshalton for eighteen years now and always considered the Diamond Centre a sign opposite Oaks Park. In fact it is a sizeable operation, being the largest specialist disabled riding centre in the UK and possibly the world. 30 horses and 250 volunteers help children and adults with every type of disability enjoy a degree of freedom and stimulus that is simply not available to them anywhere else. They also practice "hippotherapy" which uses the movement of the horse to apply physiotherapy to the rider, often with the most severe disability.

They feared that if an access road was constructed within the BIBRA site, they would have to reduce the number of horses by six as it would be too dangerous to access the grazing fields across the road. On the positive side, pupils attending the proposed mild autistic spectrum unit may be able to benefit from the Centre. They also train volunteers up to an accredited level where they can open their own centre. Techniques have been exported to countries such as Croatia where victims of landmines have benefited. The vocational nature of Stanley Park may have some synergy with this.

It was a lovely morning and so walking across the fields was pleasant enough, but seeing the combination of concentration and delight on the children's faces made it a truly wonderful experience.

Not another Takeaway

I sat on the Development Control Committee on Wednesday evening and helped to reject an application for a hot-food takeaway on the Parade on Beynon Road. There were two main concerns. Firstly there is already a Chinese takeaway and an Italian restaurant in what is by any measure a small shopping parade.

Secondly, and by far more importantly, the traffic and parking would be an absolute nightmare. Double red lines mean that the only parking is in Wilmot Road. Drivers leaving the restaurant that wanted to turn right, would have to negotiate a busy, blind corner and customers coming from the Windsor Castle junction would have to cross a busy lane of traffic approaching the lights, thus causing the traffic to back up behind. This is on a red route and the short statement from TfL saying that sufficient parking controls were in place, just wasn't good enough and perfectly illustrates the fact that they do not make any effort to get to know the area where they maintain our crucial arterial roads.

I received a call from a consituent whose rubbish hadn't been collected for five weeks in Wilmot Road. The question of waste did not come into the discussion on Wednesday but if there is another application, I'll expect rubbish collection to be fully addressed as well.

In a Pickle over UKIP

Cllr David Pickles has resigned the Conservative whip to sit as a UKIP councillor for Belmont ward.

I've known David for five years and he has always had forthright views on the direction that the Conservatives should go and they didn't always coincide with mine.

I have no interest in stifling free speech, opinion or serious debate. However, I did feel that a recent letter in the local Guardian about housing and immigration was ill-informed and did not sit easily with a modern, changing party that seeks to represent all residents in Sutton.

That is not to say that these issues should not be discussed or that there are no problems. There quite obviously are many issues regarding our border controls and the total disarray in the Home Office, but it is vital that we discuss the situation rationally rather than risking tarring every immigrant with the same brush. Margaret Hodge, MP for Barking has just made the same mistake, referring to "her white families" who she feels should have priority over others for housing. This reference taken in isolation, would not look out of place on a BNP leaflet. What about black or Asian residents born in the UK? As the son of a Burmese immigrant, I want to tackle immigration head-on, but in a way that does not give way to hijacking by extremists.

Talking about Carshalton

When I was elected, I promised to "Make Carshalton Central". It's nice to know that there are others doing the same thing. I came across a new website, Sutton Forum, where people share their thoughts and concerns about Sutton and Carshalton.

Any way of discussing the issues can only be a good thing. I've added a permanent link on the sidebar.

A Note on Grammar Schools

Many people will have been left scratching their head after the reporting of a speech by Conservative Shadow Education Spokesman, David Willetts MP. Sutton is one of the top performing Education Authorities in the country and is one of the few with a Grammar School system.

I am fortunate to have touched on all parts of the education system, having gone to an independent school myself, sent my children to both Comprehensive and Grammar Schools in Sutton and being a governor at a Primary and Secondary school in Carshalton.

We should be proud of our schools in the Borough, selective and non-selective alike. The Grammar Schools continue to achieve the very best results that stand up to comparison with any other. The non-selective schools perform admirably and continue to improve. Stanley Park High School is a case in point where their achievements would have been unthinkable just a few years ago. They were recognised as one of the most improved schools in the country this year. The rebuilding of the school is an opportunity to capitalise and build on this record.

I'll leave it to our Parliamentary candidates to consider the national education system, but locally, I retain my commitment to protect our Grammar Schools whilst seeking to give every child the tailored education that they require to have every opportunity in the future. The system works in Sutton, let's leave the decision to those who involve themselves directly in Sutton education not Whitehall.

Parliamo Politico? Part 2

Gordon Brown claims that he will reinstate the importance of Parliament. He has a job on his hands. The current PM has no appetite for debate when he can be off on a foreign jolly or quizzed gently on a television sofa. Today, Tony's representative on Earth, John Prescott drowned in word soup as he put on another embarrasing performance in his valedictory PMQs.

He seemed to know nothing of the problems with the online system for junior doctors' jobs and little about the problems with Home Information Packs.

When asked who would take responsibility for the latest chaos in the NHS, Prescott said "I'll tell you who is to blame... medical students." This was an interesting take on the situation and one that I don't think that Patricia Hewitt would be wise to continue with when trying to save her job.

The rest of the exchange with William Hague was Prescott blaming the Tories for the Dome, for losing the election in 2001 and the baggage retrieval situation at Heathrow. OK, I made the last one up but he knows what he needs to do if he wants the Conservative Leader to be the one answering the questions at PMQs. The Speaker was incredibly lenient allowing him to start on the Conservative position on Grammar Schools even though this was as far removed from the topic as Tony is from Parliament.

My rant is over: normal service will be resumed.

Rotherfield Rejected Again

The latest proposals to develop this site was decisively rejected by the committee tonight after my colleague Richard Butt explained that the 11.5% increase in the size of the proposed building was the equivalent floorspace of a 3 bed semi.

The planning report did not see the increase in size as a reason to reject the application but the stark reminder of what effect this would have on neighbouring properties concentrated the minds of committee members. The previous plan won on appeal can still be built by the developers but we kept a consistent line on our approach to this site and the outlook in Rotherfield Road.

Rotherfield Road returns to DC

Residents were pretty happy when this picture was taken. They're less so now. Wren Homes appealed against the refusal and won. They have submitted amended plans which will be determined on Wednesday 9th May at the Development Control Committee which starts at 7.30pm.

I sit on this committee and the role rightly calls for me to decide on the application with all of the information to hand, including representations made on the night so, as ever I go in with an open mind.

You are all welcome to come and make your feelings known. I have seen the many letters that have been sent to the Planning Department. If you want to see the officer's report recommending that permission can be given, you can see the agenda and download the report here. See you next week.

Update:-

Here is the Report from the Planning Inspectorate allowing the appeal.

New Consultation for Stanley Park

I'm a governor at Stanley Park High School and have got very involved with the rebuilding of the school. The Council have rejected the allotment site and favour the Orchard Hill site, though have retained the possibility of rebuilding the school in its current position if feasibility studies show that relocation is not possible.

Part of the proposals are to increase the number of forms of entry by one and to provide a 56 place moderate autistic spectrum disorder base on the site in addition to the existing mild spectrum base. This would only be possible if Orchard Hill was the chosen site. The Council is currently consulting on this particular aspect of the proposal. Consultations about plans etc. will come further down the line.

In the meantime, if you are interested, there are two public meetings, both at the School Hall on Wednesday 9th May between 7pm and 9pm and Saturday 12th May between 10am and 12pm. Further details of the consultation can be found here.

Recycling Jokes

Beau B'Dor getting to the nub of the problem.

Rubbish Press Statement

In a recent press release, LibDem Council Leader, Sean Brennan rightly said that the Government should not force fortnightly waste collection on local authorities through the introduction of Joint Waste Authorities. What he failed to go on to say was that Sutton will not reintroduce fortnightly collections by its own volition.

During a campaign between 1999-2001, led by David Pickles, 22,000 residents signed their name to a petition calling for the reintroduction of a weekly collection forcing the council into a U-turn.

I'm sure that Cllr Brennan will want to correct this omission.

Hat tip for graphic: Robin Sharp

Parliamo Politico? Part 1

"I have expressed a degree of regret that can be equated with an apology."
Des Browne mumbling some words of regret over the naval captives' stories fiasco.

Hat Tip: Picture from Beau B'Dor

Poles Telegraphed across London

Let's hope that the totem poles aren't simply a farewell present to MPs Brake & Burstow and carved in their vision. Anyway, the Evening Standard read this blog and did an excellent job in finding out a little more about the project. Since the £600,000 bus stop was getting a little old hat, it's nice to have another permanent fixture reminding us of the spending habits of this Council.

EVENING STANDARD, MONDAY 16th APRIL
Totem poles in, parks police out
KATHARINE BARNEY

A Council is to spend an estimated £20,000 erecting two giant totem poles in public parks. Sutton council has been granted planning permission to put up the 18ft carved oak sculptures, which it says are intended to make “a notable visual impact”. It comes as the Liberal Democrat-controlled council has disbanded its parks police service, leading to accusations that the totem poles are a waste of money and will encourage vandalism.

Councillor Paul Scully, leader of council’s Conservative Opposition group, said: “It’s an absolute waste of money These things are going to cost tens of thousands of pounds which could be put to a much better use.”

“We applaud the project to improve our open spaces, but why on earth do we need to top it off with these pieces of abstract art? It’s laying down a challenge to the anti-social element of society like a red rag to a bull.” The totem poles are part of a £490,000-scheme to improve open spaces across Sutton, including footpaths and play facilities such as a skateboarding park for teenagers.

The poles will be made by Sussex sculptor Walter Bailey, who has sold 11 similar pieces to Surrey County Council for £75,000. One will be located on the highest part of St Holier Open Space, next to a path and visible from St Helier Hospital. The other will be on Middleton Open Space so that it can be seen by passing drivers and pedestrians. It is intended to “balance” with neighbouring mature oak trees. Until this month, eight police officers in 4x4s patrolled parks across Sutton to deter vandals and prevent anti-social behaviour.

Pushing for Properly Policed Parks

I've outdone myself on my alliterative title. Anyway, the Sutton Guardian published letters from me and Eric in response to a letter from the lead councillor Graham Tope which was somewhat short on explanations as to why we won't have our parks policed properly over the summer despite the new scheme having been discussed since last year.

Extract from my letter:-
Additional funding for our Safer Neighbourhood Teams is always welcome in the long term, of course, but unless this extra money can sprout legs, drive cars and nick antisocial yobs within days - what additional reassurance will this give to users of our parks and open spaces over the summer? Very little, I imagine.
The charge of scaremongering that the Liberal Democrats hurl at anyone who might question their decisions has now lost any credibility. When will they just swallow their pride and say, "we were wrong, we are sorry"?

Extract from Eric's letter:-
The gap between the Parks Police finishing on March 31 and the Met Police being trained to cover the park duties could be up to six months, which would take us to the end of the summer.
It was a senior police officer that gave this timetable, not a scaremongering politician.
We should not be increasing the workload on the Safer Neighbourhood Teams, who at this time of the year are fully committed with their own duties.

A Totem to Brussels

Just returned from a Development Control Committee meeting. Two items of note. Firstly we rejected a back garden infill development that followed the "John West" school of design, ie squeezed in like sardines. It was proposed that two houses shared a single parking space! Hmm.

The second item was for two totem poles to be erected either side of the St Helier Open Space. Yes, totem poles. I applaud the overall initiative of Groundwork Merton who have worked with residents in St Helier to improve the open spaces in the area. The new skateboard park will be well received. However, I still ask myself, when funding comes from the EU, why do the ensuing projects have to be accompanied by odd pieces of abstract art. Strange sculptures litter the roadsides of France, Belgium and Holland. Now we are to have two poles apropos of nothing. Several councillors tonight asked the rather relevant question as to what thought had been given to the risk of fire. The answer was given that the sculptures were designed with vandalism in mind. I hope that the unfortunate reply isn't prophetic. They might just present a new challenge to the antisocial element. The design in the photo isn't from St Helier, although CCTV in the eyes and a loud speaker in the mouth might just run alongside Government thinking to ward off those seeking a fresh pyromaniacal challenge.

Others will judge whether I am a Philistine. I'll just keep asking how much the poles cost to erect and maintain.

Breaking the Code

Councillors seem to be hemmed into a Code as fantastical and as faintly ridiculous as Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code with more immediate ramifications even if they don't resonate across quite such a wide area.

The Code of Conduct that each councillor has to sign was introduced for some valid reasons, ensuring that councillors put their own interests aside whilst discharging their duties. As ever, the actual wording of the code ties up elected officials in more red tape than Gordon Brown's cassette collection. There have been examples of councillors being elected on the back of a single issue and then gagged citing the fact that they have a "predetermined position".

Many residents will be aware of the impending decision of the location for the rebuilding of Stanley Park High School. I have explained on every occasion that I am a Governor at the School and so have a favoured site where I would like to see the school rebuilt.

Councillors and residents had the opportunity at last week's Carshalton & Clockhouse Area Committee to contribute to the debate minuting their thoughts for the benefit of the Strategy Committee that would make the decision as to the location...That is, all councillors except me! I contribute to the project team for the rebuilding of the school so there is no doubt that I have a predetermined position. The Head of Legal Services gave me the only advice that she could; I not only couldn't contribute to the debate but had to leave the room while the matter was being discussed.

Since most of the time that was allocated to questions from the public was taken up by questions about the school, I sat in an empty room for the best part of an hour twiddling my thumbs whilst the most controversial subject to affect Carshalton in the last five years was discussed. I certainly have no argument about the advice given. Indeed, we both rolled our eyes when we realised that the situation would be different after the 3rd of May (after this decision will have been made) when the Code is changed.

As usual, my argument is with the Labour Government whose sticky fingers intrude on every aspect of our lives, in this case neutering the already limited effect that locally elected politicians can have in their own areas. It is local politicians that know best not some pontificating tubby from Westminster who is looking for his next promotion. I have long been a fan of localism as embodied by the group of MPs and politicians that developed the Direct Democracy agenda.

Summertime and the trouble is easy

The Sutton Guardian has covered a vital issue that we raised

last year. The LibDem Council has in their wisdom scrapped the Parks' Police in order to make sufficient cuts to limit the increase in Council Tax to only the second highest in London!

In doing so, they neglected the fact that the replacement units supplied by the Met wouldn't be up and running for six months whilst training is completed. This leaves the parks unpoliced throughout the summer when the majority of the trouble occurs.

Eric and Barry Russell have tackled the Lead Councillor Graham Tope about this, predicting problems with the introduction of a new scheme only to be told that there was nothing to worry about. Their fears have proved to be correct. I'm sure that there isn't a single resident in the Borough that would mind saving money if the parks are policed effectively. It was not clear exactly how the savings would stack up. I guess that scrapping the service entirely for half the financial year is clear enough.

Leave a comment here to share your thoughts but also let others know. Why not respond to the article in the Guardian by emailing them?

Why LibDems really don't want Dispersal Orders

We've being getting it wrong all of these years. It's not more bobbies on the beat that is required, just fewer LibDems on the streets. Not long to go before you have an opportunity to put that right!

Hat-tip: Tory Radio

Sweet result for Paynes Neighbours

A BMW car dealership and 27 light industrial units have been given the green light after a unanimous decision by Sutton Council’s Development Control Committee.

Two local residents spoke very well sharing their reservations over the detail of the application whilst welcoming the regeneration of the site which has been empty for two years. They addressed issues such as construction materials, noise, security and sewage

Alongside my colleague Tony Shields I pushed Officers to tackle these and other issues, receiving assurances that the site would not be able to be accessed via Willoughby Avenue without a further planning application being heard and approved by the Council.

Parliamentary Candidate for the Conservatives, Ken Andrew said afterwards, “I’m pleased that the Tory councillors were able to ensure that the Planning Officers dealt directly to reassure the residents. Of course the proof of the pudding is in the eating but residents will be happier knowing that the site will not lay derelict for much longer.”

The Greater London Authority has had fourteen days to review the decision. The Mayor can direct a refusal but since the GLA have contributed a lot to the report by the planning officers including insisting on a contribution of £90,000 from the developers to improve the road and bus stop approaching the site, he is unlikely to take further steps.

Boris to poison children with ID cards

Calm down, it's symbolic already! I share his views on the viability of ID cards but diverge slightly on his choice of cereal toppings. Watch and enjoy.

Drop the Dead Donkey Gordon.

Yesterday Gordon Brown doubled the tax rate of the poorest to pay for a tax cut for everyone else. He increased the tax burden on the small businesses that make up the majority of companies and employ much of the population in order to cut corporation tax for the biggest City firms. It's worth looking back to Gordon's formative years growing up in the country.

...

Young Gordon bought a donkey from an old farmer for £100.00. The farmer agreed to deliver the donkey the next day, but when the farmer drove up he said, "Sorry son, but I have some bad news... the donkey is on my truck, but unfortunately he's dead." Gordon replied, "Well then, just give me my money back." The farmer said, "I can't do that, because I've spent it already." Gordon said, "OK then, well just unload the donkey anyway." The farmer asked, "What are you going to do with him?" Gordon answered, "I'm going to raffle him off," to which the farmer exclaimed, "Surely you can't raffle off a dead donkey!" But Gordon, with a wicked smile on his face said, "Of course I can, I just won't bother to tell anybody that he's dead."

A month later the farmer met up with Gordon and asked, "What happened with that dead donkey?" Gordon said, "I raffled him off, sold 500 tickets at two pounds a piece, and made a huge, fat profit!!" Totally amazed, the farmer asked, "Didn't anyone complain that you had stolen their money because you lied about the donkey being dead?" Gordon replied, "The only guy who found out about the donkey being dead was the raffle winner when he came to claim his prize. So I gave him his £2 raffle ticket money back plus an extra £200, which as you know is double the going rate for a donkey, so he thought I was a great guy!"

Gordon grew up and eventually became the Chancellor of the Exchequer,and no matter how many times he spun the truth, or how much money he stole from the British voters, as long as he gave them back some of the stolen money, many of them, unfortunately, still thought he was a great guy.

The moral of this story is that, if you think Gordon is playing fair and doing something for the everyday people of the country for once in his life, think again, because you'll be better off flogging a dead donkey.

Scully gets a promotion

Last Monday, I became Conservative Group Leader on Sutton Council and Tony Shields was elected Deputy Leader. I'm grateful for the trust that my colleagues have put in me and know that it'll be a steep learning curve having only been on the Council for 10 months.

I have met with colleagues and officers of the council and will continue to do so over the coming few days, but of course, I am most keen to speak with as many residents as possible. It is you who look to us to put your views across and it is you who will judge us on our performance. I am confident that with the talented group of councillors that we have in the Conservative group, we will be able to build on our success, taking the ruling LibDems to task, detailing the areas where we feel improvements can be made and ultimately taking control in 2010 to implement these changes and acheive better services at a realistic cost to all of us.

Brussels out of step with its tenants

I went to Brussels last weekend with my friend Andy, staying in a hotel just yards (not metres, obviously!) from this building, the Barlaymont, home to the European Commission until it was found to be riddled with asbestos.

Anyway, Andy has an electric wheelchair which is far too heavy to lift. The hotel had a step up to the entrance and could not supply a ramp. Neither Andy or I are precious about access rights (it's all swings and roundabouts since the only wheelchair spaces in Eurotunnel are in first class) but the irony was not lost that despite the fact that we were in the shadow of the building that pumps out oppresive regulation for the whole of Europe, the Belgians ignored them.

We borrowed a couple of planks of wood to make an extra step. The following day the Eurotunnel was cancelled for 24 hours and so they had to put us up in a Hotel Ibis. This was not as salubrious as the first hotel but was easy to access, the rooms were big with an accessible bathroom. So, they'll get any future business. You can regulate to your heart's content. It only builds up resentment and the free market will win through in the end.

Outdoor Drinking plans at Butterchurn rejected

Plans to install an awning and outdoor heaters at the Butterchurn pub were overwhelmingly turned down at the Council Development Control Committee.

I addressed the committee, joining residents in condemning the proposal. He explained to the committee some of the long-running problems of noise and anti-social behaviour that might increase should the plans be approved.

The Butterchurn has joined other pubs in looking for a workaround to the smoking ban due to start in the summer. The awning would have enabled more people to stay outside the pub with the heaters allowing noise to disturb neighbours beyond the warm summer months.

The permanent outdoor heaters do not fit in with Sutton’s cleaner, greener image but amazingly, Sutton does not have a planning policy to cover this.

The Safer Neighbourhood Police Team have had to devote a lot of time and resources to the problems surrounding the establishment. Whilst the management of the pub is still so transient, it is not appropriate to make changes that may make the situation worse. Eric and Paul are pleased that the majority of the committee agreed with the residents that felt strongly enough to come to the committee meeting and voted against the application. The options available to the Butterchurn are to appeal against the decision, submit a new altered application or scrap the whole idea.

Ruskin Road Update

At last week’s Carshalton Forum, we received confirmation that the yellow lines from the junction of Ruskin Road and Park Hill would be extended right up to Rotherfield Road.

This follows representations from Eric Howell that the traffic was unable to flow properly because of the number of vans and cars parked on the north side of Ruskin Road.

Although we were told at a previous meeting that no progress had been made on redeveloping the house on this junction as it was linked to the Durand Close redevelopment project, Paul is hopeful that news might now be forthcoming. The planning application for the main Durand Close rebuild was approved by the Development Committee so we hope that 79-97 Ruskin Road will follow quickly.

Anyone for Tennis?

Eric in his role as Conservative spokesman for sport has helped direct £36,000 of funding to repair the tennis courts in Carshalton Park including the installation of metal nets to avoid further vandalism. You may have noticed that the courts have been resurfaced and marked out.

He has been promised that we will be able to use them by Easter. Better still, they'll be free to use. As you can see from the photo taken a couple of years ago, the machine took some punishment and proved to be cost more to maintain than it collected. With Sutton amongst the worst Boroughs in London for children participating in sports it is only a shame that it took some mindless vandalism to make this sensible move.

20mph Zone Virtually There

Work is finally getting underway on the long awaited 20mph zone in West Street. Construction was due to start on 26th February to build virtual traffic calming.

This isn’t quite as space-age as it might sound at first. You may remember that this proposal has been knocking around for some years but was fraught with problems. The narrow pavements and the shallow foundations of the buildings along the road prevented the use of speed humps so another solution was sought.

Three sets of speed cushions will be placed along the northern part of West Street starting just before the Colston Avenue roundabout and a flat-topped hump will be positioned near the Water Tower.

Four “virtual” flat-topped humps will be positioned at the entrances to Carshalton Station, Sycamore Close, West Street Lane and Old Swan Yard. Lines and markings will be painted on the road to give the impression to a speeding motorist that they are approaching a speed hump. The idea is that it slows down traffic without the associated vibrations and noise that come from normal speed humps. Signs including speed-activated digital signs will show the beginning and end of the zone.

Eric and Paul welcome the innovation in the scheme. The Council so often look to speed humps as their first and only choice. This scheme may or may not work but a little more imagination can help protect our Borough from the overzealous use of speed humps whilst still making our roads safer.

What do you think? When the system starts, do let us know if it has had any effect on the speed of the traffic. Leave a comment below or you can write to Paul and Eric at London Borough of Sutton, Civic Offices, St Nicholas Way, Sutton, SM1 1EA.

Will wearing a Red Nose in Westminster be illegal?

Tim Ireland certainly think so. This is the first Red Nose Day since the introduction of the Serious Organised Crime & Police Act 2005 which made demonstrations in designated areas illegal without prioir police permission. I'm no lawyer but despite the speculation, I'm not holding my breath waiting for a spate of arrests next week.

Nonetheless it does highlight the crazy knee-jerk reactive laws that we get from this Government. Cast your mind back to the build up to this law getting through Parliament. Brian Haw has been a permanent fixture in Parliament Square demonstrating against the invasion of Iraq for the past five and a half years. This law was railroaded to clear him and his banners from opposite Parliament thus sparing Tony Blair's blushes on the rare occasion that he visited the House.

Unfortunately for the government, since the demonstration predated the implementation of the law, the courts ruled that it could not be applied retrospectively. Basically, this meant that the only person in the entire United Kingdom that this law did not apply to was...yes, you've guessed, Brian Haw.

Eric Takes a Proactive Approach to School Sports

Eric was the only London councillor to attend a meeting at the home of Harlequins Rugby, the Stoop at Twickenham last week. He joined 51 top sports coaches to look at strengthening the participation of young people in local sports clubs.

Pro-Active South London plays a key role in supporting School Sports Partnerships and is looking to acheive a target of 85% of pupils engaged in at least 4 hours of quality physical activity each week.

This can only work with the help of local clubs and coaches so it is rewarding to help encourage the leadership and co-ordination necessary to make this happen. Eric's love of all sports shines through in this type of meeting. He is interested not just in the champions and sportsmen and women of the future, but engaging young people in a healthy lifestyle which will set them in good stead for the future. School sports has plenty of positive spin-offs in areas where we involve ourselves as councillors. Health and educational benefits are obvious but the social aspect and the diversion away from anti-social behaviour is just as important. Finally as a Harlequins season ticket holder, Eric rarely needs an excuse to travel to Twickenham, though I daresay it was more comfortable than sitting in the stand spectating.

Scully in freefall at Wallington Girls

Wow! Just got back from an hour's grilling from 140 girls in the sixth form of Wallington Girls' School. The daunting feeling that I felt at the beginning left me as quickly as my prepared notes within a couple of minutes of the start.

I was introduced to several members of staff and the Head Girl and made to feel very welcome. My brief, originally talk about politics for an hour, became what makes Conservatives different. After a brief introduction telling the girls who I was, it became a Q&A session. I was really impressed with the willingness to really test me on subjects that interested them and standing up for themselves when they disagreed. Maybe I'm a sucker for punishment but I would rather have a feisty audience anyday over a quiet bunch of wet fish.

Having covered transport, selective education, youth clubs and crime, it occurred to me that much of the anti-Conservative feeling put across by some was from the feeling that Conservatives stood for the rich and selfish and from a frustration of politicians in general. There again, there were plenty that just didn't agree with me as well.

I hope that I was as honest and straightforward as I could be and left them with a little more confidence that the Conservatives were worth considering as an option. If any of you that were there read this, let me know what you thought in the comments section below. Either way it was a fantastic experience that I am happy to survive but would love to repeat. I guess this is how people feel when they safely land at the bottom of a skydive.