Group Matters

Onward and Yeoward

Brian Riley Group Matters, Local Colour, Political - Local, Political - National and other, Uncategorized , ,

Yeo Tim 131130 a

Yesterday’s EADT (contained details of a letter of support from six Conservative Members of Parliament based in East Anglia promoting Tim Yeo’s cause and concluding with  “We greatly value the contribution that you make as a dedicated community campaigner and experienced Parliamentarian and hope that the members of The South Suffolk Conservative Association will make the right decision”.
The article can be found on http://www.eadt.co.uk/news/politics/ south_suffolk_yeo_gets_backing_from_the_county_s_mps_1_3167446).
The full letter is attached see: Suffolk MPs letter Dec 2013 (1)
Tim has also set up a web site (www.timyeo2015.net). Among the endorsements are one from Ian Dowling MBE, (former Association Chairman and President). Ian wrote “Tim has served his Constituents in South Suffolk with diligence and skill for 30 years. Over this time he has demonstrated considerable Political expertise and leadership, attributes which have been recognised by several Conservative Party leaders with appointments to several senior Ministerial and similar posts over those years. All this continues, and Tim’s energy to deliver not only on behalf of his Constituents but also as a senior Parliamentarian respected by his colleagues, is undiminished. I have no hesitation in supporting his application to be the candidate in South Suffolk in 2015.”
High praise indeed!

 

Car Parking & Other Matters

Brian Riley Group Matters, HadCham, Local Colour, Money Matters, Political - Local

On Tuesday 13th  (December) I took part in Babergh’s Joint Overview & Scrutiny (Community Services) and (Stewardship) meeting. I appointed myself as initial chairman of the meeting so that we could elect a chairman (not me!). The chief purpose of this meeting was to recommend to the Strategic Financial Planning Task Group the key options for the draft budget. The Council faces a substantial reduction in Government funding. After some considerable debate the Committee overwhelmingly opted for the following recommendations:

  • ·         Council Tax to rise by 3.5%. This will increase our tax base, give us additional revenue of £45,000 and will ameliorate future shortfalls. After the increase we will still have the second lowest Band D in Suffolk. The additional cost will be less than £5 per year per Band D property.
  • ·         To leave the present car parking regime unchanged.(The Portas review was published this morning). (see http://www.bis.gov.uk/highstreet).
  • ·         To use up to £3000,000 (s.t.c.) of the £924,000 received from  the Government as a New Homes Bonus (based upon past performance) to balance budgets – or to put it another way to invest and support the social investments represented by our car parks.

The recommendations were all against the Executive’s recommendations (which would have been cleared beforehand with members of more senior committees) and have yet to make their way through the various decision channels before coming to the full council in February.

So it remains to be seen how far democratic principles will prevail and the New Year promises to be interesting.

Group Meeting Monday May 9th 2011

Brian Riley Group Matters

Off to a meeting of the first meeting of Babergh District Council Conservative Group in the new governance cycle. Lots of welcome and congratulation all round. The chairperson Jennie Jenkins deals with us all confidently and efficiently.

I am to be recommended for Vice Chair of the Overview & Scrutiny (Stewardship) Committee and for Chairmanship of the Information Management Technology Group (which is in dormancy pending creation as a joint committee with Mid Suffolk). I am to keep my positions on the Licensing & Appeals Committees as well as on the Joint Implementation Scrutiny Committee.

At long last we have seen the finished leaflet dealing with getting out the yes vote for the merger referendum. It’s not my idea of an encouraging note. It reads more like a suicide note and will convince few people to follow our lead. The Council’s own document which was sent out with the voting papers does not engage the citizen’s emotions and neither does our leaflet. I shall be delivering the leaflets with reluctance.