In April 2005 the Waterloo Band & Bugles visited King's Sutton and played a charity concert in aid of the church refurbishment and the school building fund. The evening was a great success, and the pubs did a booming trade too!!
The band also enjoyed the event and will be returning to the parish church to perform a charity Christmas concert on 15th Dec at 1930hrs, raising funds for; Banbury Young Homeless Project, Kings Sutton School, RBL Poppy Appeal. Tickets are £7. available from Mike Carter ( tel 07786 640245 ) or Fr Roger Bellamy.
Please support this excellent event in aid of great causes.
Monday, 1 October 2007
Friday, 7 September 2007
Youth Club in King's Sutton
During my election campaign I was asked on a number of occasions whether it would be possible to set up a Youth Club within the village; as this was one aspect of our community where we could and should be doing much more. I completely agree with this view and over the past few months I have been looking into what we would need to do to set up such a club.
The only viable location would be the Memorial Hall and I have had provisional agreement with the Trustees of the hall that a club could be set up there, as they agree with me that this fantastic facility is there for all members of our community.
I have written an article for the King's Sutton times which has asked for young people and interested adults to become involved in a Youth Club Forum, which would define exactly what is wanted from such a club. After all it is the younger members of our community who will be using the club, therefore it is only right that they define exactly what it is they want from the club.
Please either place comment on this post or drop me an email: mike.hill@southnorthants.gov.uk
I would love to hear from people who want to get involved with this project.
As I alluded to earlier, we also need adults who would like to get involved with the running of the club. Again, please do get in touch and let me know whether you would like to be involved.
I believe the establishment of a Youth Club would be a great asset to the village, giving the younger members of our community a place to get together and socialise. This will only happen though with input, effort and determination - please get involved.
The only viable location would be the Memorial Hall and I have had provisional agreement with the Trustees of the hall that a club could be set up there, as they agree with me that this fantastic facility is there for all members of our community.
I have written an article for the King's Sutton times which has asked for young people and interested adults to become involved in a Youth Club Forum, which would define exactly what is wanted from such a club. After all it is the younger members of our community who will be using the club, therefore it is only right that they define exactly what it is they want from the club.
Please either place comment on this post or drop me an email: mike.hill@southnorthants.gov.uk
I would love to hear from people who want to get involved with this project.
As I alluded to earlier, we also need adults who would like to get involved with the running of the club. Again, please do get in touch and let me know whether you would like to be involved.
I believe the establishment of a Youth Club would be a great asset to the village, giving the younger members of our community a place to get together and socialise. This will only happen though with input, effort and determination - please get involved.
Post Office Working Group
It's been a hectic few weeks with the day job and quite a few meetings in the evenings, interesting and enjoyable though. One of the issues that i'm working on at the moment is the potential for Post Office Closures within South Northants area.
SNC have set up a working group to look at this issue, with the CEO in the chair - demonstrating the importance SNC have placed on this matter. We last met in early August to define the parameters of the working group and to start understanding all aspects of this c0mplex issue.
We've received a good report back from the consultant working with us on the working group, which has given us a lot of background information on all our Post Offices in the district and the communities which they serve. It is apparent to me from this, that all of our Post Offices are vital in serving the vulnerable, elderly, local businesses and wider communities and that we cannot afford to lose any of our Post Offices.
This will be my position within the working group and I know that it is a view that is shared by a significant number of my fellow Councillors on SNC. I have agreed with SNC that we will write a letter to this effect to PO Ltd and Postwatch, within the next week.
Time is really of the essence as PO Ltd and Postwatch are undertaking a "Pre-Consultation" phase, before their deliberations are made public for our area in early November. It is though at this stage where I believe any pressure brought to bear may have an impact. Once the Public Consultation starts, it is highly unlikely that PO Ltd will change their minds on any potential closures.
I would urge everyone to write a letter in support of King's Sutton Post Office to the following addresses:
Postwatch
Postwatch Midlands
c/o Regional support team
28 - 30 Grosvenor Gardens
LONDON
SW1W 0TT
PO Ltd
National Consultation Team
Post Office Ltd
PO Box 2060
Watford
WD18 8ZW
The Post Office is a key asset to our community and I truly believe that losing such an asset would be highly detrimental to the village - the old adage of use it or lose it has never been truer. Act today!
SNC have set up a working group to look at this issue, with the CEO in the chair - demonstrating the importance SNC have placed on this matter. We last met in early August to define the parameters of the working group and to start understanding all aspects of this c0mplex issue.
We've received a good report back from the consultant working with us on the working group, which has given us a lot of background information on all our Post Offices in the district and the communities which they serve. It is apparent to me from this, that all of our Post Offices are vital in serving the vulnerable, elderly, local businesses and wider communities and that we cannot afford to lose any of our Post Offices.
This will be my position within the working group and I know that it is a view that is shared by a significant number of my fellow Councillors on SNC. I have agreed with SNC that we will write a letter to this effect to PO Ltd and Postwatch, within the next week.
Time is really of the essence as PO Ltd and Postwatch are undertaking a "Pre-Consultation" phase, before their deliberations are made public for our area in early November. It is though at this stage where I believe any pressure brought to bear may have an impact. Once the Public Consultation starts, it is highly unlikely that PO Ltd will change their minds on any potential closures.
I would urge everyone to write a letter in support of King's Sutton Post Office to the following addresses:
Postwatch
Postwatch Midlands
c/o Regional support team
28 - 30 Grosvenor Gardens
LONDON
SW1W 0TT
PO Ltd
National Consultation Team
Post Office Ltd
PO Box 2060
Watford
WD18 8ZW
The Post Office is a key asset to our community and I truly believe that losing such an asset would be highly detrimental to the village - the old adage of use it or lose it has never been truer. Act today!
Monday, 20 August 2007
Parking at "The Square" King's Sutton
In June I received a letter and drawings of the double yellow lines around The Square, Whittall St and Astrop Rd. When I looked at them in detail it became apparent that the yellow lines on The Square were different from existing, an increase of 11 metres to be exact.
Whereas I fully accept that the old cottages in King's Sutton were not designed for the car; cars are a necessary means of travel in our rural communities. The new proposals from the County Council would have meant that 7 cars that currently park on The Square would no longer be able to do so. This would have exacerbated the parking issues we have within the village and caused a lot of problems for residents of The Square.
I wrote to the Transport department at the County Council outlining the current double yellow lines situation and requested that they provide changed plans detailing the parking restrictions as they currently were; rather an increased restriction of 11 metres. Thankfully last week I received a letter and revised drawings to this effect and I would like to thank the County Council for the swift resolution of what could have been an extremely tricky matter.
Whereas I fully accept that the old cottages in King's Sutton were not designed for the car; cars are a necessary means of travel in our rural communities. The new proposals from the County Council would have meant that 7 cars that currently park on The Square would no longer be able to do so. This would have exacerbated the parking issues we have within the village and caused a lot of problems for residents of The Square.
I wrote to the Transport department at the County Council outlining the current double yellow lines situation and requested that they provide changed plans detailing the parking restrictions as they currently were; rather an increased restriction of 11 metres. Thankfully last week I received a letter and revised drawings to this effect and I would like to thank the County Council for the swift resolution of what could have been an extremely tricky matter.
Friday, 27 July 2007
Village of the Year Competition - We won!!
On Wednesday 25th July a delegation from King's Sutton attended the awards ceremony for the Northamptonshire Village of the Year competition. We've always known that King's Sutton is a fantastic place to live and it was great to hear on Wednesday night the Judges thought so too!
The awards King's Sutton won were:
Best Newcomer (our first year of entry in the competition)
Best large village in Northamptonshire
Best Village in Northamptonshire
This was obviously a fantastic result for King's Sutton, especially on the back of the bad news we got last week with regards to the terrible flooding we endured.
A lot of people put a great deal of effort into securing victory in the competition; through their hard work demonstrating what a wonderful village and community we have. My thanks go out to them all.
In particular Tina Armstrong and Carole Hill put in huge amounts of effort in putting together a portfolio of the village, which really highlighted all the community activities and events we undertake within the village. This portfolio was very well received by the judges and played I'm sure a significant part in our victory. Thanks you two!
We now go off to the national finals to put our case forward as Village of the Year for England. Fingers crossed X
The awards King's Sutton won were:
Best Newcomer (our first year of entry in the competition)
Best large village in Northamptonshire
Best Village in Northamptonshire
This was obviously a fantastic result for King's Sutton, especially on the back of the bad news we got last week with regards to the terrible flooding we endured.
A lot of people put a great deal of effort into securing victory in the competition; through their hard work demonstrating what a wonderful village and community we have. My thanks go out to them all.
In particular Tina Armstrong and Carole Hill put in huge amounts of effort in putting together a portfolio of the village, which really highlighted all the community activities and events we undertake within the village. This portfolio was very well received by the judges and played I'm sure a significant part in our victory. Thanks you two!
We now go off to the national finals to put our case forward as Village of the Year for England. Fingers crossed X
Flooding in King's Sutton
King's Sutton unfortunately was hit badly by flooding on the 20th/21st July, with the areas affected being predominantly Windsor Close, Wales St, Banbury Lane and Mill Lane. There was a great deal of effort put in by a significant number of villagers to try and minimise the impact of the flooding, which I am certain helped in reducing the damage caused.
It was a great team effort by everyone concerned and I was certainly proud to be a King's Sutton resident - we have such a great community spirit here, clearly demonstrated last week.
Unfortunately there was little we could do for Wales St apart from providing as many sandbags as we could rustle up. The sheer volume of water coming across the flood plain was impossible to stop and a lot of houses there were badly affected.
I would like to thank South Northants Council and the Northamptonshire Fire Service in particular, as they both worked extremely hard throughout the day to minimise the impact of the flooding. It was an extremely professional effort, which they are to be commended for.
I will be working very hard over the coming weeks and months to do whatever I can to assist in preventing such a devastating flood happening to the village again. A lot of work has been done in the past, which will provide an excellent springboard for developing solutions for the future.
In particular there is a scheme that can be quickly and relatively inexpensively implemented to provide protection to Windsor Close and Banbury Lane. I will be working closely with the residents, Councils and other Government Agencies to ensure this scheme is implemented in the near future. We need to do this before people have to suffer such devastating flooding again.
It was a great team effort by everyone concerned and I was certainly proud to be a King's Sutton resident - we have such a great community spirit here, clearly demonstrated last week.
Unfortunately there was little we could do for Wales St apart from providing as many sandbags as we could rustle up. The sheer volume of water coming across the flood plain was impossible to stop and a lot of houses there were badly affected.
I would like to thank South Northants Council and the Northamptonshire Fire Service in particular, as they both worked extremely hard throughout the day to minimise the impact of the flooding. It was an extremely professional effort, which they are to be commended for.
I will be working very hard over the coming weeks and months to do whatever I can to assist in preventing such a devastating flood happening to the village again. A lot of work has been done in the past, which will provide an excellent springboard for developing solutions for the future.
In particular there is a scheme that can be quickly and relatively inexpensively implemented to provide protection to Windsor Close and Banbury Lane. I will be working closely with the residents, Councils and other Government Agencies to ensure this scheme is implemented in the near future. We need to do this before people have to suffer such devastating flooding again.
Monday, 2 July 2007
King's Sutton Housing Needs Survey
South Northants Council have sent out a Housing Needs Survey to all households within King's Sutton. The purpose of this survey is to gain a greater understanding of the housing needs of people within the village; enabling an informed decision to be made on whether there is a requirement for a small affordable housing development within the village.
During my election campaign a recurring theme that was brought up was housing, specifically the lack of housing for people who grew up within the village and were looking for a home of their own. This is a real problem within King's Sutton, as there is a dearth of available housing within the village - the waiting list for housing is extremely long and growing!
I am not advocating the building of significant numbers of affordable housing within the confines or around the outside of the village. What I am advocating though, is a clear and transparent debate about all the issues, enabling an informed and well thought out decision to be made.
The Housing Needs Survey is a key part of this, please do take the time to fill it in and send it back in the envelope provided.
During my election campaign a recurring theme that was brought up was housing, specifically the lack of housing for people who grew up within the village and were looking for a home of their own. This is a real problem within King's Sutton, as there is a dearth of available housing within the village - the waiting list for housing is extremely long and growing!
I am not advocating the building of significant numbers of affordable housing within the confines or around the outside of the village. What I am advocating though, is a clear and transparent debate about all the issues, enabling an informed and well thought out decision to be made.
The Housing Needs Survey is a key part of this, please do take the time to fill it in and send it back in the envelope provided.
Sunday, 17 June 2007
Maiden Speech - Post Office Closures
Friday I made my maiden speech at a Full Council session, which was a lot of fun and extremely interesting. Councillor Ian McCord proposed a motion as follows:
This Council
- deplores the announcement by the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry to close thousands of Post Office branches in the next two years;
- recognises the social benefits of the local Post Office, especially in rural areas;
- calls on the Government to reverse its decision by considering value rather as well as cost;
- calls on the Government to allow sub postmasters to provide a greater range of products and services to enhance the viability of each unit;
- calls on the Secretary of State to set out a clear list of those Post Offices that are under threat to end the uncertainty amongst the sub-Postmasters;
- calls on MPs, MEPs and candidates to work with the Council to preserve the present Post Office provision in South Northamptonshire
- pledges to oppose any cuts to the Post Office network in South Northamptonshire
This motion was something I was very happy to contribute towards and formerly second, as we need to protect our Post Offices as they are such integral elements within our rural communities.
If, despite our best efforts we lose Post Offices within our villages/towns, we as a Council need to be ready with innovative solutions to fill the gaps in our communities the loss of this vital asset would cause.
I am happy to say not only was this motion carried unanimously, a significant number of fellow Councillors of all political backgrounds stood up to re-iterate their support for the campaign - which was great news.
I'll update everyone on progress over the coming months...
My speech as follows:
In seconding this motion I call upon this council to recognise the threat to our rural Post Offices and to send a clear message to this Labour government that we deplore this programme of closure.
Post Offices are integral elements within our rural communities and provide not only critical services, but act as a “Social Heartbeat” to our communities and we all know what happens when a heartbeat is no longer present!
It is down to us all as a council to ensure that our communities are protected and enhanced; after all it is we that understand what is best for our rural communities and not a Labour minister far, far away.
We need to put pressure on PO Ltd and the government to ensure that they adopt a fair and transparent process over the next 18 months. I would argue that the consultation to date has been neither of these. To come up with a figure of 2500 closures, they must have had an inkling of where they wanted to wield the axe – was this fair, was this transparent – I think not.
Within this process of consultation they need to take into account the impact on our vulnerable, rural businesses, the environment and transport provision.
If a Post Office is closed in a medium sized village necessitating a 6 mile round trip, on average this will pump 45 tonnes of Co2 per year into the atmosphere. With the eyes of the world rightly focused on our environment, this surely cannot be right.
This analysis takes into account the people who can get there using their own transport, what about our vulnerable citizens? The NERA report 2004 which studied the cost/benefit analysis of the rural post office network stated that 56% of those classed as vulnerable did not have access to a car or found it difficult to access public transport.
Through removing their local Post Office to access critical services, these individuals would change from a 10 minute walk to a 2 hour round trip bus journey – surely this cannot be right.
The Local Government Agency’s response to the consultation paper stated that “…as community leaders and place shapers Local Authorities are also ideally positioned to facilitate the community consultation and cross-agency working that will be essential to securing a sustainable future for Post Office services.” We must use our leadership to work closely with communities, agencies and government to establish innovative solutions to the continued provision of Post Office services.
Over the next 18 months we also need to work closely with our colleagues in neighbouring authorities, to establish a cohesive approach. Communities such as King’s Sutton, Old Stratford and Upper Boddington are all situated on the boundaries of South Northants and will be impacted by potential closures in these neighbouring areas.
In closing I would like to call upon this council to adopt a pro-active approach to the ongoing Post Office closure programme. In doing so minimising the impact of any closures that are forced upon us; through the readiness of innovative, sustainable solutions to fill the gaping holes in our communities the closure of a Post Office would cause.
This Council
- deplores the announcement by the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry to close thousands of Post Office branches in the next two years;
- recognises the social benefits of the local Post Office, especially in rural areas;
- calls on the Government to reverse its decision by considering value rather as well as cost;
- calls on the Government to allow sub postmasters to provide a greater range of products and services to enhance the viability of each unit;
- calls on the Secretary of State to set out a clear list of those Post Offices that are under threat to end the uncertainty amongst the sub-Postmasters;
- calls on MPs, MEPs and candidates to work with the Council to preserve the present Post Office provision in South Northamptonshire
- pledges to oppose any cuts to the Post Office network in South Northamptonshire
This motion was something I was very happy to contribute towards and formerly second, as we need to protect our Post Offices as they are such integral elements within our rural communities.
If, despite our best efforts we lose Post Offices within our villages/towns, we as a Council need to be ready with innovative solutions to fill the gaps in our communities the loss of this vital asset would cause.
I am happy to say not only was this motion carried unanimously, a significant number of fellow Councillors of all political backgrounds stood up to re-iterate their support for the campaign - which was great news.
I'll update everyone on progress over the coming months...
My speech as follows:
In seconding this motion I call upon this council to recognise the threat to our rural Post Offices and to send a clear message to this Labour government that we deplore this programme of closure.
Post Offices are integral elements within our rural communities and provide not only critical services, but act as a “Social Heartbeat” to our communities and we all know what happens when a heartbeat is no longer present!
It is down to us all as a council to ensure that our communities are protected and enhanced; after all it is we that understand what is best for our rural communities and not a Labour minister far, far away.
We need to put pressure on PO Ltd and the government to ensure that they adopt a fair and transparent process over the next 18 months. I would argue that the consultation to date has been neither of these. To come up with a figure of 2500 closures, they must have had an inkling of where they wanted to wield the axe – was this fair, was this transparent – I think not.
Within this process of consultation they need to take into account the impact on our vulnerable, rural businesses, the environment and transport provision.
If a Post Office is closed in a medium sized village necessitating a 6 mile round trip, on average this will pump 45 tonnes of Co2 per year into the atmosphere. With the eyes of the world rightly focused on our environment, this surely cannot be right.
This analysis takes into account the people who can get there using their own transport, what about our vulnerable citizens? The NERA report 2004 which studied the cost/benefit analysis of the rural post office network stated that 56% of those classed as vulnerable did not have access to a car or found it difficult to access public transport.
Through removing their local Post Office to access critical services, these individuals would change from a 10 minute walk to a 2 hour round trip bus journey – surely this cannot be right.
The Local Government Agency’s response to the consultation paper stated that “…as community leaders and place shapers Local Authorities are also ideally positioned to facilitate the community consultation and cross-agency working that will be essential to securing a sustainable future for Post Office services.” We must use our leadership to work closely with communities, agencies and government to establish innovative solutions to the continued provision of Post Office services.
Over the next 18 months we also need to work closely with our colleagues in neighbouring authorities, to establish a cohesive approach. Communities such as King’s Sutton, Old Stratford and Upper Boddington are all situated on the boundaries of South Northants and will be impacted by potential closures in these neighbouring areas.
In closing I would like to call upon this council to adopt a pro-active approach to the ongoing Post Office closure programme. In doing so minimising the impact of any closures that are forced upon us; through the readiness of innovative, sustainable solutions to fill the gaping holes in our communities the closure of a Post Office would cause.
Sunday, 3 June 2007
Village of the Year Competition
Friday was judging day for King's Sutton in the South Northants Village of the year competition. We met up with the three judges at the coffee shop and they were shown the fantastic facility that is the Millenium Memorial Hall. Over coffee we were then quizzed in a lot of depth about the village, it's infrastructure and more importantly the community.
The judges were presented with an extremely professional information pack put together by Parish Councillors Carole Hill and Tina Armstrong. The pack outlined the significant number of activities that take place in the village such as; Horticulture, Tennis, WI, Football, Needlecraft etc. The pack was well received and I am sure was a great asset to our cause.
The judges were then escorted around the village on foot, as it was a glorious morning. I am biased, but I thought the village looked stunning in the early summer sun! Particular highlights were the Parish Church, Baptist Church and the school. The judges were impressed with the school and all the hard work that has gone in and continues to go in, to make it one of the best in the County. As one of the exclaimed "...the school is the future of the community" and we are very lucky indeed that it is such a positive influence on our community.
The judges I feel left with an extremely positive view of our village, a village we are rightly proud of. I am sure we have done well in the competition, fingers crossed!!
The judges were presented with an extremely professional information pack put together by Parish Councillors Carole Hill and Tina Armstrong. The pack outlined the significant number of activities that take place in the village such as; Horticulture, Tennis, WI, Football, Needlecraft etc. The pack was well received and I am sure was a great asset to our cause.
The judges were then escorted around the village on foot, as it was a glorious morning. I am biased, but I thought the village looked stunning in the early summer sun! Particular highlights were the Parish Church, Baptist Church and the school. The judges were impressed with the school and all the hard work that has gone in and continues to go in, to make it one of the best in the County. As one of the exclaimed "...the school is the future of the community" and we are very lucky indeed that it is such a positive influence on our community.
The judges I feel left with an extremely positive view of our village, a village we are rightly proud of. I am sure we have done well in the competition, fingers crossed!!
Tuesday, 22 May 2007
Post Office Closures
Last week the Government announced within the next 18 months 2,500 Post Offices will close. This is a deplorable announcement taken on purely commercial terms, and does not take into account how integral to our communities the Post Offices are - especially in rural areas such as King's Sutton.
Please rest assured that I will be doing everything within my power to ensure our Post Office remains open, providing extremely important services and support to our community. I will be calling upon the government to conduct a fair and transparent analysis into the Social, Economic and transportation impacts of their closure plans.
With the spotlight on Global Warming and Carbon Emissions (and rightly so!) the Government cannot seriously expect us all to jump into our cars and drive 5 miles into Banbury or 6 in Brackley in order to get to a Post Office!?
What about the elderly and less mobile? Does the Government expect them to get on an irregular bus service for a 2 hour round trip to get to a Post Office? When at the moment it is a 5 or 10 minute walk!
The Post Office must be viewed as an asset to our community and not only as a business that must turn a profit. (A profit by the way that has been harder to come by due to Government policies of removing services from the Post Office.)
The link to the Government's response to their consultation on the future of the Post Office can be found below:
http://www.dti.gov.uk/files/file39479.pdf
The fight begins...!
Please rest assured that I will be doing everything within my power to ensure our Post Office remains open, providing extremely important services and support to our community. I will be calling upon the government to conduct a fair and transparent analysis into the Social, Economic and transportation impacts of their closure plans.
With the spotlight on Global Warming and Carbon Emissions (and rightly so!) the Government cannot seriously expect us all to jump into our cars and drive 5 miles into Banbury or 6 in Brackley in order to get to a Post Office!?
What about the elderly and less mobile? Does the Government expect them to get on an irregular bus service for a 2 hour round trip to get to a Post Office? When at the moment it is a 5 or 10 minute walk!
The Post Office must be viewed as an asset to our community and not only as a business that must turn a profit. (A profit by the way that has been harder to come by due to Government policies of removing services from the Post Office.)
The link to the Government's response to their consultation on the future of the Post Office can be found below:
http://www.dti.gov.uk/files/file39479.pdf
The fight begins...!
Monday, 14 May 2007
Week 1...!
Wow, what a week!
The first week has flown by in the blink of an eye. It does not seem 2 minutes ago that I was standing in Towcester leisure centre awaiting the announcement of the result, which was an awesome experience.
Friday saw me at the coffee morning, where I received a lot of good wishes - thanks to you all. That evening I went to my first meeting in the Chambers, where the various "Portfolio" holders outlined the roles of their committees. We were asked to put forward our preference for which committees we would like to serve on; as soon as I know I’ll publish here!
Over the weekend I went down to Twickenham to watch the Army vs. Navy rugby game, which is an annual re-union of friends with whom I served with in the Army. A lot of which are still serving; some are over in Iraq & Afghanistan at the moment and my thoughts are with them at this time. I also played in the charity football event discussed below, which was great fun. Though unfortunately to say my footballing skills were "rusty" would be extremely kind!
Monday we had a BBQ at our place, as I wanted to thank the fantastic team who helped during the election period. We all worked extremely hard meeting people, writing leaflets, arranging meetings etc. Without their hard work and enthusiasm I am sure the election would have had a different outcome.
Wednesday saw me back in the Council chambers for a meeting of the Conservative Group of Councillors. This is a monthly meeting where we get together as a group to catch up, as it is rare that we are all in one place at any one time normally.
Thursday was my first Parish Council meeting as a District Councillor, although I had been to a number of meetings prior to the election. I am very much looking forward to working closely with the Parish Council, as together I am sure our hard work and determination will be to the benefit of all in the village.
Friday I was back at the coffee morning and also managed to get across to the Grange for their coffee morning, where I met some great people.
I've also picked up my first load of casework, which is extremely interesting and I hope that I can make a difference to individuals that I make representation for. I believe the role of the District Councillor is both to get involved on an individual level, as well as on a wider scale; improving the lives of all through the strategic decision making at South Northants.
I'm here to help, so please do make contact if you need assistance with anything.
The first week has flown by in the blink of an eye. It does not seem 2 minutes ago that I was standing in Towcester leisure centre awaiting the announcement of the result, which was an awesome experience.
Friday saw me at the coffee morning, where I received a lot of good wishes - thanks to you all. That evening I went to my first meeting in the Chambers, where the various "Portfolio" holders outlined the roles of their committees. We were asked to put forward our preference for which committees we would like to serve on; as soon as I know I’ll publish here!
Over the weekend I went down to Twickenham to watch the Army vs. Navy rugby game, which is an annual re-union of friends with whom I served with in the Army. A lot of which are still serving; some are over in Iraq & Afghanistan at the moment and my thoughts are with them at this time. I also played in the charity football event discussed below, which was great fun. Though unfortunately to say my footballing skills were "rusty" would be extremely kind!
Monday we had a BBQ at our place, as I wanted to thank the fantastic team who helped during the election period. We all worked extremely hard meeting people, writing leaflets, arranging meetings etc. Without their hard work and enthusiasm I am sure the election would have had a different outcome.
Wednesday saw me back in the Council chambers for a meeting of the Conservative Group of Councillors. This is a monthly meeting where we get together as a group to catch up, as it is rare that we are all in one place at any one time normally.
Thursday was my first Parish Council meeting as a District Councillor, although I had been to a number of meetings prior to the election. I am very much looking forward to working closely with the Parish Council, as together I am sure our hard work and determination will be to the benefit of all in the village.
Friday I was back at the coffee morning and also managed to get across to the Grange for their coffee morning, where I met some great people.
I've also picked up my first load of casework, which is extremely interesting and I hope that I can make a difference to individuals that I make representation for. I believe the role of the District Councillor is both to get involved on an individual level, as well as on a wider scale; improving the lives of all through the strategic decision making at South Northants.
I'm here to help, so please do make contact if you need assistance with anything.
Tuesday, 8 May 2007
Charity Football Match
Sunday afternoon found me with my boots on at the playing fields, something that has not happened for quite a while! It was for a good cause though, as the "White Horse Stallions" took on the King's Sutton sunday 2nd team in aid of the Katherine House Hospice.
The match was great fun and unlike last year the "Stallions" (who I played for) more than held their own, ending up losing only 3-1. Last year it was a 6-0 drubbing!!! I can't wait for next year, as I'm sure we're due a win!
The match was watched by over 100 people, which was a great turnout. The whole event was testament to the fantastic community spirit we have within King's Sutton. A great deal of people put a lot of effort, time and money into making the event a success. In particular James at the White Horse for doing most of the organising - well done!
After the match there was a BBQ, raffle and live music at the White Horse, which was very well attended. In total the event raised £520 for the Katharine House Hospice, which is great news as they are wonderful charity, which does great work.
Sunday, 6 May 2007
Thank You!!!
Polling day on Thursday was a remarkable, fascinating and humbling experience. It was remarkable due to the scale of the victory; the team and I worked extremely hard over the previous 6 weeks and the result thankfully reflected that. We honestly thought it would be very close, perhaps in the single figures and I was blown away when the result was announced. The result was as follows:
Mike Hill Conservative - 541
Valerie Whitaker - Labour & Co-op - 322
Majority - 219
Turnout - 52.13%
The whole experience for me so far has been fascinating, though polling day was certainly the pinnacle so far. I found the whole mechanism of the election to be an extremely interesting and inspiring experience, one that I would certainly like to experience agan.
Watching the count was a humbling experience as seeing hundreds of voting slips with a big X by your name demonstrated that a lot of people have faith in me to work hard and deliver for our wonderful village.
Delivering on promises made is the cornerstone of everything that I do, from my professional, sporting and personal lives. I have made the commitment to King's Sutton that I will represent them to the best of my ability and that I will deliver against the promise that I made.
The hard work starts now!
Friday, 27 April 2007
South Northants Business Forum
I went to an extremely interesting meeting on Tuesday night - South Northants Business Forum. This is a forum set up to look at Business Development across the region and is very well attended by a number of local businesses and development groups. Representatives from Brackley vision http://www.brackleyvision.org/ and Towcester vision http://www.southnorthants.gov.uk/news/docs/2838.htm were also present. These organisations have been set up to revitalise the role of the two Market towns in our modern era.
There was a key note presentation from Mike Hayes who is CEO of West Northants Development Corporation (WNDC) http://www.wndc.co.uk/ Their statement of intent describes them as:
"West Northamptonshire Development Corporation has been set up by government to work with local authorities and partners to make Northampton, Daventry & Towcester better places to live, work and invest."
It was a fascinating presentation and it looks like a lot of great work is being undertaken (and a lot of money spent to support it to!). Their focus is to regenerate our local economy through the development of the area to support new business growth. As, if not more important, they are also ensuring that there is the community infrastructure such as roads, affordable housing, schools, hospitals, retail etc. to support the growth in jobs, thus migration to our area.
This is extremely important as demonstrated in Brackley and my experience of living in Bicester, housing and economic development must go hand in hand. One without the other leads to significant problems for the local communities. Brackley & Bicester have seen massive growth in housing over the past 20 years, yet have done little in the way to improve the Market town centres that this new housing surrounds.
One issue that did worry me somewhat, which I asked Mike Hayes about is affordable housing. With all the economic development going on in our area, we will hopefully see an increase in the affluence of the area. This affluence will undoubtedly lead to higher house prices. Mike's answer was that "...if we don't build sufficient affordable housing, we would have failed" I agree with this, but it did not answer my question fully:
There may well be a significant amount of affordable housing built in South Northants, but will it be built where people want to live? King's Sutton as we know is a fantastic place to live and I would not be surprised if people attracted to the area decide to come and live here. That is great, as I believe we all add a great deal to the fabric of our community. Unfortunately the downside is people who have lived here all their lives will be priced even further out of the housing market.
I am not advocating the building of huge amounts of housing in King's Sutton, as this would I believe ruin our lovely village; but there must be something we can do, as we also need to meet the needs of our village and villagers.
This is a highly complex and emotive issue, which to be honest I do not have the answers to. I will though discuss this at length with people in the village and on South Northants council if I am elected.
There was a key note presentation from Mike Hayes who is CEO of West Northants Development Corporation (WNDC) http://www.wndc.co.uk/ Their statement of intent describes them as:
"West Northamptonshire Development Corporation has been set up by government to work with local authorities and partners to make Northampton, Daventry & Towcester better places to live, work and invest."
It was a fascinating presentation and it looks like a lot of great work is being undertaken (and a lot of money spent to support it to!). Their focus is to regenerate our local economy through the development of the area to support new business growth. As, if not more important, they are also ensuring that there is the community infrastructure such as roads, affordable housing, schools, hospitals, retail etc. to support the growth in jobs, thus migration to our area.
This is extremely important as demonstrated in Brackley and my experience of living in Bicester, housing and economic development must go hand in hand. One without the other leads to significant problems for the local communities. Brackley & Bicester have seen massive growth in housing over the past 20 years, yet have done little in the way to improve the Market town centres that this new housing surrounds.
One issue that did worry me somewhat, which I asked Mike Hayes about is affordable housing. With all the economic development going on in our area, we will hopefully see an increase in the affluence of the area. This affluence will undoubtedly lead to higher house prices. Mike's answer was that "...if we don't build sufficient affordable housing, we would have failed" I agree with this, but it did not answer my question fully:
There may well be a significant amount of affordable housing built in South Northants, but will it be built where people want to live? King's Sutton as we know is a fantastic place to live and I would not be surprised if people attracted to the area decide to come and live here. That is great, as I believe we all add a great deal to the fabric of our community. Unfortunately the downside is people who have lived here all their lives will be priced even further out of the housing market.
I am not advocating the building of huge amounts of housing in King's Sutton, as this would I believe ruin our lovely village; but there must be something we can do, as we also need to meet the needs of our village and villagers.
This is a highly complex and emotive issue, which to be honest I do not have the answers to. I will though discuss this at length with people in the village and on South Northants council if I am elected.
Sunday, 22 April 2007
Village Meeting 27th April 2007 - 7pm!
On Friday 27th April I'll be holding a meeting in the Millennium Hall. I've organised the meeting as I'd like to take the opportunity to introduce myself to more people in the village and talk further about what I would like to do for the village.
The format of the meeting will be an informal Question & Answer session, as I'd like the meeting to be an exchange of ideas and for me to hear your issues and thoughts.
Communication is extremely important to me and will be an ongoing theme throughout my term if I am elected, not just during election time! I will be holding regular meetings and putting out frequent communications and of course this Blog will be kept up to date.
As discussed above, communication is a two way process; so please drop me a line if you'd like to comment on the Blog or there is anything that I can help with. Hopefully see you next week.
The format of the meeting will be an informal Question & Answer session, as I'd like the meeting to be an exchange of ideas and for me to hear your issues and thoughts.
Communication is extremely important to me and will be an ongoing theme throughout my term if I am elected, not just during election time! I will be holding regular meetings and putting out frequent communications and of course this Blog will be kept up to date.
As discussed above, communication is a two way process; so please drop me a line if you'd like to comment on the Blog or there is anything that I can help with. Hopefully see you next week.
Monday, 9 April 2007
Free Junior Tennis Coaching
Saturday dawned bright and early and saw Andrea & I at 0715! purchasing the refreshments for the Free Junior Coaching sessions, organised by the Tennis Club.
These sessions are held on consecutive weekends and are an annual event aimed at introducing children to tennis in a fun and informative way. The coaching was provided by Corey Butler who is our LTA Professional Coach, ably assisted by members of the tennis club!
The sessions were extremely well attended, with 27 young people coming along; the youngest being 4 and the eldest 15. It was great to see that over 60% of the attendees came from the village, which is well up on last year's figure.
Further to these sessions we will be commencing 6 week rolling programmes on Friday afternoons after school. The aim of these sessions is to provide formal (but still fun!) coaching to develop our youngsters into tennis players of the future. These have been very successful in the past and a good number of our 16-18 year olds are now playing for the adult competitive teams in the local leagues, which is great to see.
These sessions are held on consecutive weekends and are an annual event aimed at introducing children to tennis in a fun and informative way. The coaching was provided by Corey Butler who is our LTA Professional Coach, ably assisted by members of the tennis club!
The sessions were extremely well attended, with 27 young people coming along; the youngest being 4 and the eldest 15. It was great to see that over 60% of the attendees came from the village, which is well up on last year's figure.
Further to these sessions we will be commencing 6 week rolling programmes on Friday afternoons after school. The aim of these sessions is to provide formal (but still fun!) coaching to develop our youngsters into tennis players of the future. These have been very successful in the past and a good number of our 16-18 year olds are now playing for the adult competitive teams in the local leagues, which is great to see.
King's Sutton Roads
One of the key issues that came up throughout the Annual Parish Meeting and has been raised to me during my doorstep canvassing is the state of our roads. The roads in King's Sutton are appalling, and a significant amount of money and effort needs to be spent to bring them up to an acceptable standard. Councillor Melling discussed this issue at length and as always the issue is budget availability; money being available to resolve the backlog of issues and the current problems within the County.
Only 8% of the County's annual budget of circa £915m (£73m) gets spent on the environment, including roads, which I believe is not enough.
The residents of King's Sutton pay an ever increasing amount of Council Tax, and I believe that we are not getting value for money when it comes to our road infrastructure. If I am fortunate enough to be elected I will make this one of the key issues that I will address as a top priority. I will work closely with Councillor Melling to ensure that the road's within King's Sutton are prioritised and brought up to the standard we expect and deserve.
Only 8% of the County's annual budget of circa £915m (£73m) gets spent on the environment, including roads, which I believe is not enough.
The residents of King's Sutton pay an ever increasing amount of Council Tax, and I believe that we are not getting value for money when it comes to our road infrastructure. If I am fortunate enough to be elected I will make this one of the key issues that I will address as a top priority. I will work closely with Councillor Melling to ensure that the road's within King's Sutton are prioritised and brought up to the standard we expect and deserve.
Easter Week
We've had a fantastic week of weather in King's Sutton this week, culminating in glorious conditions over the Easter Bank Holiday. In my humble opinion there is no better place to be on a warm sunny day, then again I would say that because I’m biased!
It's been a busy week with lots going on within the village over the past 7 days:
Last Monday was the Memorial Hall AGM and it was great to see that the Hall is in great hands, with a highly motivated and skilled group acting as the trustees. The Hall is such a wonderful asset for our village and with the careful management that is clearly being undertaken, it will be an asset for future generations to use and enjoy.
Thursday was the monthly Parish Council meeting followed closely by the Annual Parish Meeting. We had a number of speakers throughout the meeting; our County Councillor Ken Melling gave an interesting insight into his activities on the Council and gave an oversight on the responsibilities of the County Council.
Our current District Councillor Valerie Whitaker also gave an interesting update on her activities over the past year and the issues she had addressed as the Councillor for King's Sutton. If I am fortunate enough to be elected, then it will be me giving the annual report to the meeting! It seems there are a significant number of issues that a Councillor needs to address and I’m very much looking forward to the challenge.
It's been a busy week with lots going on within the village over the past 7 days:
Last Monday was the Memorial Hall AGM and it was great to see that the Hall is in great hands, with a highly motivated and skilled group acting as the trustees. The Hall is such a wonderful asset for our village and with the careful management that is clearly being undertaken, it will be an asset for future generations to use and enjoy.
Thursday was the monthly Parish Council meeting followed closely by the Annual Parish Meeting. We had a number of speakers throughout the meeting; our County Councillor Ken Melling gave an interesting insight into his activities on the Council and gave an oversight on the responsibilities of the County Council.
Our current District Councillor Valerie Whitaker also gave an interesting update on her activities over the past year and the issues she had addressed as the Councillor for King's Sutton. If I am fortunate enough to be elected, then it will be me giving the annual report to the meeting! It seems there are a significant number of issues that a Councillor needs to address and I’m very much looking forward to the challenge.
Saturday, 31 March 2007
Canvassing
Hi,
Over the past week the team and I have been out and about Canvassing; knocking on doors and chatting to people about the forthcoming elections and gaining feedback on issues that Local Government can help to address. There is a common thread to the feedback we've been getting; the state of our roads, lack of Police visibility, speeding and the lack of activities for our youngsters. All of these I have noted and will look into at great length if I am fortunate enough to be elected to represent you.
For most of us on the team this was the first time we had been Canvassing and we all approached it with a little trepidation. I must say though that the response has been fantastic, with everyone we've talked to being extremely polite; even staunch supporters of other political parties have taken the time to chat and politely inform us they would never vote Conservative!
On quite a few occasions though we have had the comment back that "...we don't support the Conservatives, but would vote for someone from the village." This is great as it gets to the heart of my campaign, a campaign that is focused on giving the village a strong local voice in Towcester; a campaign that is predominantly about what I as a village resident can do to support this fantastic village we live in.
I am hoping that we will be able to meet as many of the people on the doorsteps as possible over this coming month, as we get closer to election day on May 3rd. We look forward to chatting to you and hearing about your issues and concerns that are pertinent to Local Government.
Over the past week the team and I have been out and about Canvassing; knocking on doors and chatting to people about the forthcoming elections and gaining feedback on issues that Local Government can help to address. There is a common thread to the feedback we've been getting; the state of our roads, lack of Police visibility, speeding and the lack of activities for our youngsters. All of these I have noted and will look into at great length if I am fortunate enough to be elected to represent you.
For most of us on the team this was the first time we had been Canvassing and we all approached it with a little trepidation. I must say though that the response has been fantastic, with everyone we've talked to being extremely polite; even staunch supporters of other political parties have taken the time to chat and politely inform us they would never vote Conservative!
On quite a few occasions though we have had the comment back that "...we don't support the Conservatives, but would vote for someone from the village." This is great as it gets to the heart of my campaign, a campaign that is focused on giving the village a strong local voice in Towcester; a campaign that is predominantly about what I as a village resident can do to support this fantastic village we live in.
I am hoping that we will be able to meet as many of the people on the doorsteps as possible over this coming month, as we get closer to election day on May 3rd. We look forward to chatting to you and hearing about your issues and concerns that are pertinent to Local Government.
Letter of Introduction
Hi all,
The team & I have been pounding the streets over the past 3 weeks delivering a letter that I have written for everyone in the village. Even though I am fortunate enough to know quite a lot of people in the village, I obviously do not know everyone. The letter therefore was an ideal opportunity to introduce myself to as many people as possible and to let them know about my background, experience and the things that I am passionate about.
I've had a lot of great feedback on the letter, which is very positive. It is great to know people have taken the time to read it and appreciate the purpose behind it. In the letter I outlined dates for a couple of meetings, the next one being on the 27th April. The purpose of these meetings is to expand on the letter and for me to hear your views on issues pertinent to the village. I'll post more about the next meeting nearer the time.
The team & I have been pounding the streets over the past 3 weeks delivering a letter that I have written for everyone in the village. Even though I am fortunate enough to know quite a lot of people in the village, I obviously do not know everyone. The letter therefore was an ideal opportunity to introduce myself to as many people as possible and to let them know about my background, experience and the things that I am passionate about.
I've had a lot of great feedback on the letter, which is very positive. It is great to know people have taken the time to read it and appreciate the purpose behind it. In the letter I outlined dates for a couple of meetings, the next one being on the 27th April. The purpose of these meetings is to expand on the letter and for me to hear your views on issues pertinent to the village. I'll post more about the next meeting nearer the time.
Sunday, 4 March 2007
Village Post Office
As you maybe aware the Government and the Post Office are currently undertaking a review of the Post Office estate. The purpose of the review is financially driven and they are attempting to define which communities they believe can do without a Post Office. King's Sutton I believe cannot and should not be stripped of our Post Office; it is an integral part of our village and it would be disastrous for our community if we were to lose it.
The link for the Government consultation paper is below:
http://www.dti.gov.uk/files/file36025.pdf
The Government is requesting views on their proposals for the Post Office and I urge anyone reading this to drop them an email or write a letter. We need to raise a strong voice to make the Government and the Post Office realise just how much our Post Office means to us. The email and address details are below:
email: dti.enquiries@dti.gsi.gov.uk
Address:
Post Office Network Consultation
Department of Trade and Industry
Response Centre
1 Victoria Street
London
SW1 0ET
The link for the Government consultation paper is below:
http://www.dti.gov.uk/files/file36025.pdf
The Government is requesting views on their proposals for the Post Office and I urge anyone reading this to drop them an email or write a letter. We need to raise a strong voice to make the Government and the Post Office realise just how much our Post Office means to us. The email and address details are below:
email: dti.enquiries@dti.gsi.gov.uk
Address:
Post Office Network Consultation
Department of Trade and Industry
Response Centre
1 Victoria Street
London
SW1 0ET
Busy Week
Hi All,
This week has been a busy yet fun one, with quite a few meetings and events:
Wednesday found me in Milton Keynes at the launch event of a new Enterprise Initiative, which has been spun out of the Institute of Directors (IoD). This is a philanthropic initiative from a number of individuals/organisations within the Milton Keynes & Northamptonshire area; focused on providing technical support and commercial guidance for budding entrepreneurs. This support will assist in the economic development of our area, which is something that I am extremely passionate about. This initiative will I am sure have a positive impact on our wider community and regardless of whether I am elected or not, is something that I will be offering my time and energy to support.
Straight after the launch event I came back to the village and attended the Horticultural Society AGM. This was a well attended meeting and it was great to see a lot of people who were passionate about Horticulture deliberating and planning events for the coming year. It is these events that make up the fabric of village life and we would be a much poorer place without them.
Thursday was the monthly Parish Council meeting, which due to previous work commitments was the first one that I have been able to attend. I thought it was a very interesting meeting as I am learning all the time about the different levels of Local Government and how they all work together. This was the first, but definitely not the last meeting i'll be attending.
This week has been a busy yet fun one, with quite a few meetings and events:
Wednesday found me in Milton Keynes at the launch event of a new Enterprise Initiative, which has been spun out of the Institute of Directors (IoD). This is a philanthropic initiative from a number of individuals/organisations within the Milton Keynes & Northamptonshire area; focused on providing technical support and commercial guidance for budding entrepreneurs. This support will assist in the economic development of our area, which is something that I am extremely passionate about. This initiative will I am sure have a positive impact on our wider community and regardless of whether I am elected or not, is something that I will be offering my time and energy to support.
Straight after the launch event I came back to the village and attended the Horticultural Society AGM. This was a well attended meeting and it was great to see a lot of people who were passionate about Horticulture deliberating and planning events for the coming year. It is these events that make up the fabric of village life and we would be a much poorer place without them.
Thursday was the monthly Parish Council meeting, which due to previous work commitments was the first one that I have been able to attend. I thought it was a very interesting meeting as I am learning all the time about the different levels of Local Government and how they all work together. This was the first, but definitely not the last meeting i'll be attending.
Sunday, 25 February 2007
L.A.R.K Posh Nosh Supper
Andrea and I had a wonderful evening last night, we attended the Linking Arms With Rescued Kids (L.A.R.K.) Posh Nosh supper at the Baptist Church. All 6 courses were beautifully prepared, tasted great and were exactly the right temperature, tricky enough when you are cooking for a couple of people; when cooking for 50 - that is an incredible skill! Our thanks go out to Janet, John and the team for a truly fantastic evening.
We met some lovely people last night and within minutes we were chatting like old friends, which is one of the great strengths of living in a village - the strong sense of togetherness and friendliness; the community spirit which binds us all together. We have lived in towns and cities before and there is an incredible difference between how people interact and live together between the different communities, we have really found our home here in King's Sutton.
That strong sense of community manifests itself in a multitude of ways both locally and globally, the L.A.R.K charity being a great example of that. Having been to Kenya and seen the devastating poverty there, it is heartwarming that a small village in England is making a difference to so many lives thousands of miles away. If you want to find out more about L.A.R.K, visit:
http://www.l-a-r-k.co.uk/
We met some lovely people last night and within minutes we were chatting like old friends, which is one of the great strengths of living in a village - the strong sense of togetherness and friendliness; the community spirit which binds us all together. We have lived in towns and cities before and there is an incredible difference between how people interact and live together between the different communities, we have really found our home here in King's Sutton.
That strong sense of community manifests itself in a multitude of ways both locally and globally, the L.A.R.K charity being a great example of that. Having been to Kenya and seen the devastating poverty there, it is heartwarming that a small village in England is making a difference to so many lives thousands of miles away. If you want to find out more about L.A.R.K, visit:
http://www.l-a-r-k.co.uk/
Football Fund Raising Evening
Friday evening was a fun night as I went along to the football fund raising event at the Millenium Hall. I got there a bit early perhaps, as if they had pulled the raffle then I would most certainly have won!
It soon filled up though and it was great to chat to Phil and the lads I used to play football with. I would love to say they are missing my silky skills on the pitch, but sadly the reality is far different!
Hopefully a lot of money was raised as funds are crucial to the ongoing success of the team's. There is a significant amount of volunteering that ensures the smooth running of football within the village, but there are always costs for strips, footballs and training equipment etc. that need to be met.
It soon filled up though and it was great to chat to Phil and the lads I used to play football with. I would love to say they are missing my silky skills on the pitch, but sadly the reality is far different!
Hopefully a lot of money was raised as funds are crucial to the ongoing success of the team's. There is a significant amount of volunteering that ensures the smooth running of football within the village, but there are always costs for strips, footballs and training equipment etc. that need to be met.
Sunday, 18 February 2007
Village Sport
Sport within King's Sutton is an integral part of our village community and is available to everyone in the village, no matter what age or background. Sport is something I am very passionate about and I truly believe is an aspect of our community which brings everyone together.
Sport within the village is thriving. We have 7 football teams (4 senior, 3 junior), 10 tennis teams (7 senior, 3 junior) and 5 cricket teams (3 senior, 2 junior), which is testament to the fantastic community spirit we have within the village. Without the participation of an army of volunteers, sport within King's Sutton would wither and die. My thanks goes out to all of you.
We can do more though. If I’m elected as your Councillor I will make sport one of my top priorities; providing as much support and assistance as I am able, to ensure that we have the infrastructure to enable sport within our village to prosper for generations to come.
I already have a few ideas on this, which I will be discussing over the coming months. If you have any thoughts on how we can ensure the prosperity of sport within our village, please email me or stop me and say hello! I would love to hear from you.
If you want to find out more about King's Sutton Tennis Club, they have an excellent website - link below:
http://www.kingssuttonltc.org.uk/
Sport within the village is thriving. We have 7 football teams (4 senior, 3 junior), 10 tennis teams (7 senior, 3 junior) and 5 cricket teams (3 senior, 2 junior), which is testament to the fantastic community spirit we have within the village. Without the participation of an army of volunteers, sport within King's Sutton would wither and die. My thanks goes out to all of you.
We can do more though. If I’m elected as your Councillor I will make sport one of my top priorities; providing as much support and assistance as I am able, to ensure that we have the infrastructure to enable sport within our village to prosper for generations to come.
I already have a few ideas on this, which I will be discussing over the coming months. If you have any thoughts on how we can ensure the prosperity of sport within our village, please email me or stop me and say hello! I would love to hear from you.
If you want to find out more about King's Sutton Tennis Club, they have an excellent website - link below:
http://www.kingssuttonltc.org.uk/
Saturday, 10 February 2007
Coffee Mornings
Hi,
I really enjoyed going along to the Coffee Morning at the Millenium Memorial Hall yesterday, I met some lovely people and had some great chats. The endless supply of coffee for 50p was very welcome on a cold and wintry day - thanks Liz.
Going along to the coffee morning re-inforced what I already know - that is there is a fantastic community spirit in King's Sutton. Everyone was very friendly and made me feel very welcome.
It was an ideal opportunity to meet new people and to discuss with them their views on the issues facing the village, and I will certainly be going along from now on as often as I am able. For those that have never gone I wholeheartedly recommend going, it is a fantastic way to spend an hour or two.
I really enjoyed going along to the Coffee Morning at the Millenium Memorial Hall yesterday, I met some lovely people and had some great chats. The endless supply of coffee for 50p was very welcome on a cold and wintry day - thanks Liz.
Going along to the coffee morning re-inforced what I already know - that is there is a fantastic community spirit in King's Sutton. Everyone was very friendly and made me feel very welcome.
It was an ideal opportunity to meet new people and to discuss with them their views on the issues facing the village, and I will certainly be going along from now on as often as I am able. For those that have never gone I wholeheartedly recommend going, it is a fantastic way to spend an hour or two.
Sunday, 4 February 2007
First Post!
Hi,
Welcome to my Blog! As I sit down and write this it is a stunningly beautiful morning here in King's Sutton and it makes me realise just how lucky we are to live in such a fantastic corner of England. It's one of those crisp winter's mornings designed for dog walking and then home for a hot cup of tea and a bacon sandwich to warm up (it is for me anyhow!). We all have our own individual ways of enjoying such a morning, and I consider myself very fortunate to be able to do so in the village.
As you can no doubt tell I am passionate about King's Sutton and village life in general, and this will be a common thread throughout my campaign, and if i'm fortunate enough to be elected; my time as Local Councillor for King's Sutton. Local Government has a significant impact on our individual lives and I want to ensure that it is a highly positive one, and not otherwise.
Welcome to my Blog! As I sit down and write this it is a stunningly beautiful morning here in King's Sutton and it makes me realise just how lucky we are to live in such a fantastic corner of England. It's one of those crisp winter's mornings designed for dog walking and then home for a hot cup of tea and a bacon sandwich to warm up (it is for me anyhow!). We all have our own individual ways of enjoying such a morning, and I consider myself very fortunate to be able to do so in the village.
As you can no doubt tell I am passionate about King's Sutton and village life in general, and this will be a common thread throughout my campaign, and if i'm fortunate enough to be elected; my time as Local Councillor for King's Sutton. Local Government has a significant impact on our individual lives and I want to ensure that it is a highly positive one, and not otherwise.
Issues such as the environment, transport, the Post Office, village sports, economic development, medical services and housing are all closely entwined into our daily lives, being integral parts of the village community.
These are my views which I believe make up the fabric of our village community, and I would love to hear your thoughts on those and any other issues/concerns that you may have. Please feel free to email me or stop me and chat any time; over the coming weeks and months I will also be meeting as many people in the village as I can, as it is your views as well as my own that count - after all we all live in the village together!
These are my views which I believe make up the fabric of our village community, and I would love to hear your thoughts on those and any other issues/concerns that you may have. Please feel free to email me or stop me and chat any time; over the coming weeks and months I will also be meeting as many people in the village as I can, as it is your views as well as my own that count - after all we all live in the village together!
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