Oh dear, more muddle

Over the weekend the Conservative opinion poll lead has been cut again Con 40% to Labour 32%.

After the confusion on the married tax allowance policy, with Dave Cameron policy only seemingly to help 6% of couples would benefit at a cost of £800 million.http://www.leftfootforward.org/2010/01/camerons-marriage-tax-on-the-ropes/

Clearly this didn't prove to help the Conservatives, like when George Osbourne said he would cut working tax credits to people earning £50,000 a year this would save £400 million, in fact it would barely save £60 million, so if the Conservatives are banking a a £400 million saving then people on average earnings will lose there tax credits, if they don't where is the £340 million coming from?

I see today Dave Cameron on the beeb is now back tracking on swingeing cuts from day one if the country was daft enough to election him, his side kick Georgie Osbourne has said he would early action on the national deficit, and the Conservatives have stated that the governments policy of halving the deficit in four years is too slow, so once again muddle from the Conservatives in a panic from the opinion polls closing.

To quote Peter Mandelson " Dave Cameron is coming up with a nice flow of soundbites, rather than concrete policies". Mr Vince Cable has said "George Osbourne and Dave Cameron are sixes and sevens on the crucial question of how the deficit should be addressed".

Sadly, the Conservatives need to understand that you need coherent policies and not just depend on the government sinking.

The High Street

Shepton Mallet is a small market town, in our High Street we have many good shops.

The real advantage of such shops is there expertise.

Today having a problem with my computer, I visited Microchipz, 7 Town Street Shepton Mallet, to seek advice, within minutes, the problem was solved.

What a relief, face to face, good advice, help and support. No premium rate call centres.

There are many gems such as these on our High Streets, I find them better than the glitzy national chains, but if we do not use them, how can they survive?

Internet shopping does have it's benefits, but they lack the back up support.

For me, local is best. It sad so often there is no local choice.

Chilcot

The public Chilcot inquiry into the Iraq war took central stage with the former prime minister Tony Blair giving evidence today.

Tony Blair was steadfast in his defence of the policy that took Britain to war seven years ago.

The more I hear of this public inquiry, the more I think that it unneccesary, the information is in the public domain, those who believe Tony Blair is a war criminal won't be happy, those who support Tony Blair will agree with him.

The 24/7 media are working every angle, but nothing new is coming.

The scrutiny of the government that went to war, will be collated, a report will be written which the most informed could write before the Chilcot inquiry.

The Conservatives will try to exploit Gordon Brown evidence to Chilcot for political reasons.

Iraq like Suez will be remembered in Britain, but only time will prove whether Tony Blair was right or wrong.

AGM time

The Shepton Mallet Labour Party met this evening for it's AGM, as ever it was a well attended meeting.

Councillor John Gilham addressed the meeting, he said there was a choice between Labour who are investing in families and the economy and the Conservatives want to end the tax credits for many families and making savage cuts in public expenditure that will cause a further downturn.

John also thought locally the Conservatives were going to make further cuts at Mendip and County Councils.

Planning news

The Town Councils planning meeting met this evening, there was a couple of interesting plans to be considered.

The first was at the old redundant factory at Cowl street/Silk close.

The proposal was to demolish the old factory and the erection of 9 new dwellings, with associated landscaping and car parking.

This site has had a number of plans submitted and have been refused.

In some ways the previous plans were more appealing than these latest plans, however the dwellings were of the same design as Silk Close, with the main entrance through Silk Close, I would have liked the buildings facing Cowl Street to replicate the stone buildings, and close attention should be given to entrances from this new development.

I seconded the proposal for Mendip Council to recommend approval of this application, on the basis that a redundant site will come back into life and the nine homes are affordable, supplied by South Western Coop housing.

The other application was erection of a terrace of three houses on land adjacent to 6 Stevens Close, for me this application was premature as the land by this site is pending a planning application and the access to this site is not yet up to standard.

Not so Broken

In the wake of the terrible case that occurred in Edlington, South Yorkshire, where two boys sadistically attacked and tortured two other children, every decent person will be appalled at the details of this case.

These isolated incidents seem to happen, thankfully not to often, but of course it is proper to examine the role of governmental departments and how they can work better to avoid such tragedies in the future.

I read and see much of what is said about "broken Britain", but i'm not sure that is particularly fair, if you look at Shepton for example, Whitstone students achieved the best educational results the school has ever achieved, with every student leaving with at least one qualification. Shepton has a new sure start and family centre helping young families. In terms of the health service we have a health centre doing routine operations and our big hospitals are functioning very well.

In terms of crime, as I reported earlier crime and anti social behavior has both fallen this year and over years.

Economically, unemployment has fallen this month, it looks like were come out of recession, although times are going to be tough, without action to save the banks, the governments stimulus and the bank of England printing £200 billion to keep the economy running, times would have been more difficult.

For those who say we need deep cuts to public services, who would cut working families tax credits, those how would cut sure starts scheme, I say no, don't remove support from struggling families, help them don't brake them.

joy

Joy unconfined!

Liverpool 2 - 0 Tottenham

Maybe not the greatest football match, but did Liverpool fight, passion and drive.

onwards to Wolves.