Local Development Framework

Attended the LDF tonight - it is one of the most important panels in the Council. This panel plans the future of the Borough for the next 20 - 50 years. We spoke about 'sustainability' and what that actually means. It is a word that is thrown about at many meetings but it was good to get a proper definition - "development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs". It is, of course, not as simple as that but it shows what the Council are aiming for. I also spoke to a lady from Mile End who has lived there for 52 years. She has seen it grow from a small village with tithe cottages linked to the hospital to almost a town in its own right. She does not want to see other areas of Colchester, as they develop in the future, going through the same infrastructure problems that Mile End is now seeing. It is a shame that our MP against Colchester, Bob Russell, has gone to the press announcing that he has got the money for the new A12 junction when he has not - this would have alleviated a lot of the problems of Mile End. He has again let the town down.

Weekend work

Had a really good weekend - we had a lovely BBQ with the committee of the Friends of Westlands Country Park on Sunday. I set the Group up so that they could claim for funding for the park - we discused the signage and the benches. It is so exciting as the park is a blank canvass and it has been great to see how the residents and visitors have used it in the last year and how they want to use it in the future.

Whoops! Update-politics.

Ok - I haven't kept up to date but I have been so busy but I am determined to update at least once a month now!

We had a good election here in Prettygate. Ron decided to step down as a Councillor - he had done what he vowed to do and turned all 3 Prettygate seats over to the Conservatives. He is still busy writing a couple of books.

Beverly Davies was elected and together with Wyn Foster who was elected in 2007 we keep Prettygate sorted. We still do a lot of litter picks, campaigns and visits to the local schools.

I am so lucky to work with a great group of people and together with the rest of the Prettygate Conservative Action team we will keep busy and continue working as hard as we can for the people of Prettygate - it is such a great place to live!

I am now Chairman of the Finance and Scrutiny Panel at the Town Hall and it is our job with other Councillors from all parties to scrutinise the finances of the Council. It is quite a task but we will ensure that the tax payers money is spent wisely - including that of Colchester Borough Homes. I am also Chairman of the Conservative Group of Councillors and Chairman of the Conservative Womens Organisation in Colchester.

I have done a lot of training in the past year and been to different conferences both on behalf of the Council and for the Conservatives. I met Sebastan Coe last year to promote Colchester as a base camp for the 2012 Olympics. We succeeded and hopefully we will get competitors from all over the world visiting the town and using the facilities of the University and the Garrison. Many residents do not realise the role of a Councillor - that to promote the town and if it was not for this we would not have new businesses bringing jobs, new stores such as Waitrose, and new facilities coming to Colchester.

I'm a Councillor...get me out of here

Well, what can I say? Sometimes I did want to get out of there as the intimidation and bullying that went on towards these poor kids was disgusting! I have spent the last 2 weeks visiting schools, web chatting and answering questions from kids all over Colchester. It only goes to show how intelligent, articulate and wise the youngsters are. I have been proud to meet them and I will be proud to serve them over the next year as Youth Champion.

However the tactics that were used by some of the opposition made me furious and ashamed to be there. I can say that some was down to immaturity and over enthusiasm but I would not stoop to that level - it is patronising and against the whole idea of educating the youth of our town in democracy.

Some of the opposition are absolute sweeties - you know who you are - and I would be proud for them to represent the youth of Colchester regardless of the party they belong to.

However to promise kids things that could not be delivered was wrong. I think, in the end, the kids saw through it and saw who could help them and be honest to them, for the next year which is why I managed to win again.

I will always do what I can to help any young person in Colchester. I will always be honest. I will always listen.

So if any young person is reading this come and say hello. Come to a full Council meeting. Be heard. Be seen. Be part of the town. We are proud of you.

Young Essex Assembly

The Young Essex Assembly (YEA) is an elected group of young people from across Essex. There are 75 members, similar to the number of County Councillors that we have. It gives young people in Essex a voice by Councillors working together with the youth members and youth organisations. 24,000 under 18s were asked what they wanted their YEA to concentrate on - environment, sex and relationship education, transport and leisure. 12 of the elected members were then elected to represent Essex on the UK Youth Parliament working with central government.

What we need to work on is why the kids from the local schools in Colchester have not heard of the YEA. Why did we not know (and this is me included) that nominations for new members had to be in by 30th September. I'm working on this now and will let you know how I get on.

Youth Mayor

There has been a bit of talk about Colchester having a youth mayor since I have been visiting schools in the past few days. If that is what the under 18s want then that is what I shall campaign for. However for the past year I have visited loads of schools and colleges around the town and no one has asked about it - in fact one fellow Councillor has been asking for it because they wanted one of their kids to be the mayor!!!

If that is what the under 18s want then great. But let us do it democratically. Lets make sure the youth mayor is what the kids want and who the kids want - not a volunteer who is being pushed by a political party. Lets make sure that the youth mayor will truly speak for the youth of Colchester.

I do not think we need a mayor, but it does not matter what I think - I am not under 18. I think the elected Young Essex Assembly already speaks for the under 18s. Perhaps they need more publicity as the students who I spoke to today have not heard of it. I would rather spend time and money promoting what we have already which is working well - they meet regularly with the full Council Cabinet and the Leader to sort issues out. I know they do because I have been there!!! I also went on the radio earlier this year to promote the elections so they do already get good publicity but obviously not enough.

If you are under 18 and you are reading this then tell me what you think. Do you want a youth mayor? Have you heard of the Young Essex Assembly and what it does? Did you know you already have a voice in Colchester? Let me know what you think - and what YOU think - don't be bullied by a political party or an individual. Tell me what you think.

Conference at Blackpool 2007

I go to Conference to learn - what can I do better as a Councillor and as a resident? Apart from the main hall, which you see on TV, there are literally hundreds of fringe meetings going on in hotels all over the place from subjects like Abortion, Green issues, Architecture, Discipline in schools, War and Obesity. You can sit and have coffee with other Conservatives and journalists from all over the world and learn what they have done to make their community better.

I went to one such meeting and met Lord Sebastian Coe who is in charge of the Olympics here in 2012. We want Colchester to have a training camp here which will bring lots of money and facilities to the town. We already have the Garrison and the University but if we can get a team from another country to use Colchester as its base then we could end up with a new swimming pool or athletics track.

I went to another meeting and met Damilola Taylors father - his son was stabbed and killed in London in 1998 age only 10. He is now campaigning against gun crime and gangs - so brave. The team told us what they have been doing to help kids today by giving them a father figure other than a gang leader to look up to. Inspirational!

The end speech by David Cameron is always the high point and he finished this years conference by speaking for 90 minutes with no notes, auto cue or text about what he wants to do for Britain - and he spoke from the heart. He wants to mend the broken society - enable parents to stay together to look after their children not live apart because they get more social money to do so. He wants to have stronger border controls so we know who is in our country. No one knows apart from Gordon Brown if we will have an election in November but when you look at what Labour have done in the last 10 years, it is time for change. When Labour were elected they had some good ideas but did not know how to make them work - the result being they have never become policy or if they did (like Home Information Packs for example) they have taken ages to introduce and do not work. We have taken our time asking the Country what they want and we are now revealing the Policies that have been well thought out and will therefore work! As David Cameron said about the election "BRING IT ON!!!"