New Year’s resolution for HBC: Save St Mary in the Castle

I was interested to see, when I looked at the Observer website on Sunday, that in the poll about New Year’s resolutions, 60% of those responding said they had never managed to keep one!

Last year in this column, I strove to keep my personal resolutions to myself, and wrote instead about a political priority – to encourage as many people as possible to register to vote.

I am pleased to say that, throughout the year, and particularly in the May elections, I was able to do that. I don’t know how many people finally did sign up to vote because of our discussions, but it was not for the want of trying.

This remains a crucial issue for a constituency like ours, where there is much deprivation, and where those who are experiencing the most hardship are also the least likely to have a say in who governs them, because they are not registered to vote.

This year, and because of the urgency of the situation, I would rather make a resolution on behalf of Hastings Borough Council. I hope very much that it will commit to it.

On 15 December, as reported by this newspaper, a group of 50 or more residents gathered for a public meeting to discuss the future of St Mary in the Castle.

This meeting, called by Lib Dem Councillor Peter Armstrong, was a response to the timetable for expressions of interest set by HBC, who want a tenant in place when Sonrise Church leaves its tenancy at the end of January. The deadline set was noon on 23 December.

There was much anger expressed at the meeting about the Conservative Council’s lack of financial commitment to, and perceived lack of interest in, the future of this beautiful asset in the centre of Hastings. There were hopes expressed that HBC could be relied upon to step in, and ensure that the building is maintained in the good order that it has been by the current tenants. And that the community, and the (local and regional) groups that use the facility, will be able to take part in a discussion and an action plan to safeguard its future.

As Erica Smith wrote in an open letter, on behalf of us attendees – “It would not be in the interests of St Mary-in-the-Castle or the community to ‘mothball’ the building in the hope that a future tenant will come along.

“We would like the Council to allow time to explore a community involvement in the future of St Mary-in-the-Castle, for example, as a social enterprise charged with the responsibility of managing the facility.”

I was surprised and disappointed that neither my Labour nor Conservative parliamentary counterparts, nor any Labour or Conservative Councillors, attended the public meeting on 15 December.

It is desirable that there is cross-party consensus both to preserve this beautiful building and to support the organisations that have expressed their views at and by the public meeting.

I have written to Michael and Amber to ask for their assurance that they will join the fight to safeguard St Mary in the Castle.

It is important not only to preserve the building for the use of the community and for future generations, but also because of the important role that the arts and culture play in the ongoing imperative of tackling poverty and exclusion in our area.

I hope you will join the fight too!

Nick slams ID card plans as Rye loses police hero

Nick Perry, Lib Dem parliamentary hopeful for Hastings & Rye, has responded to the news that Rye is losing a valued community support officer by slamming the Government’s ID card proposals.

Nick said, “I was, like many others, saddened to hear about the move of local community support officer Dan Bevan from Rye town, and I very much agree with those who have said that Rye’s loss is Rye Harbour, Playden and Iden’s gain.

“Unfortunately this is yet another example of our police force stretching itself to cover gaps left by insufficient resources. If only the Government would drop once and for all its policy on the introduction of ID cards.

“The Liberal Democrats have been campaigning throughout this Parliament for the billions of pounds that the ID card scheme will cost to be spent on dedicated community policing, so that it would be possible for there to be an experienced and locally-aware pool of officers, as well as PCSOs like Dan Bevan, in every area.”

Lib Dem Leader Nick Clegg MP has said of the Home Secretary,

“Jacqui Smith is clearly in a state of deep denial. The ID card project is already over budget, technologically flawed and increasingly unpopular. She should learn to cut her losses rather than continue to defend the indefensible.”

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David Mitchell given gentle correction about Rye and its wines

[Letter to The Observer]

Dear Editor,

May I, via your Letters Page, attempt shamelessly and briefly to bathe in some of David Mitchell’s reflected glory, and congratulate him on another successful year in the long path towards National Treasure Status!

Since the days when I knew him at Cambridge (same college, same subject, different year) and he undoubtedly didn’t know me, he has become primetime comedian, social commentator and quiz show guest extraordinaire.

However now, as the Liberal Democrat parliamentary campaigner for Hastings & Rye, I must take to task my erstwhile college comrade for certain comments in his latest Observer offering (www.guardian.co.uk 28 December 2008); and at the risk of seeming as though I haven’t got the joke, represent the good people of Rye in a way that they might like to become accustomed.

Mr Mitchell must surely know that the Ancient Town and Cinque Port of Rye is not in ‘East West Sussex’ – it is in East East Sussex.

And the wines that are produced in the constituency are really very good, no joke whatever, and much better (I am convinced) than those of Ernest & Julio Gallo. Although, as an aside, I am sure that the research David pre-releases regarding the relationship between red and white wine and portions of fruit and vegetables will be of great interest to local residents.

I do hope that he will try to make good this oversight in his review of 2010!

Yours truly,

Pett Level is truly beautiful

We all piled in the car and trouped off to Pett Level yesterday for a walk by the sea and then the river, to try to work off some of the Christmas pudding.  What a truly beautiful piece of countryside there is here, protected by the Pett Level Reservation.  I really encourage those of you who haven’t yet visited to do so!

The green road out of recession

Let me start by wishing you and those you love a very Merry Christmas, and a peaceful and prosperous New Year.

It can be a strange time of the year this. Wonderful for children; often more complicated for adults.

We are having the family down to us in Hastings, and there will be mixed emotions. It will be the first Christmas that our 14 month-old daughter can get involved a bit, and the second that we don’t have my mum with us. It would have been her 62nd birthday on 27 December.

I will be going to the Seaview Project on the 30th to do some volunteering. This is a wonderful organisation (caring for marginalised and homeless people) which I shall wax lyrical about in a future column.

In the meantime, I must let you know about the series of proposals launched by our party leader Nick Clegg MP on 18 December entitled ‘The Green Road out of Recession’.

The basic gist of the proposals is that as a country we are not really feeling the benefit of the 2.5% reduction in VAT, so we should scrap the VAT cut, and use the money instead to fund capital projects that will benefit the economy and the environment.

The plans will cost £12.5 billion, and the vast majority of that money will be spent immediately, making a real impact on the economy and people’s lives right away.

Green Road out of the Recession proposals include:

• A five-year programme to insulate every school and hospital, with 20% completed in the first year
• Funding insulation and energy efficiency for a million homes, with a £1,000 subsidy for a million more
• Building 40,000 extra zero-carbon social houses
• Buying 700 new train carriages
• Reopening old railway lines and stations, opening new ones, electrifying the Great Western and Midland mainlines (as well as the Hastings-Ashford line) and beginning the Liverpool light rail network
• Installing energy and money saving smart meters in every home within five years

The plans proposed by Nick Clegg would give an immediate boost to the economy here in Hastings & Rye. And by insulating people’s homes, we can help thousands of residents whose heating bills have gone through the roof in the past year.

Whilst Labour and the Conservatives are quietly dropping serious interest in tackling climate change and damage to the environment, Liberal Democrats believe that moving forward with green action on homes and transport will create jobs, cut energy bills, put money back into people’s pockets and protect the environment.

Now that’s what I call ho- ho- holistic policy-making!

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Will Michael and Amber join the fight for St Mary in the Castle?

Dear Michael and Amber,

I was surprised and disappointed that neither you, nor any Labour or Conservative councillors, attended the public meeting on 15 December to discuss the future of St Mary in the Castle.

I am enclosing a link to the article which I expect you have read in the paper this week.

[I would have sent a link from the Observer website itself, but the article is no longer available there]

I hope you agree with the comments made on behalf of us attendees by Erica Smith. Particularly, that “It would not be in the interests of St Mary-in-the-Castle or the community to ‘mothball’ the building in the hope that a future tenant will come along.

“We would like the council to allow time to explore a community involvement in the future of St Mary-in-the-Castle, for example, as a social enterprise charged with the responsibility of managing the facility.”

The current deadline for expressions of interest is noon tomorrow.

It is desirable that there is cross-party consensus both to preserve this beautiful building and to support the community organisations that have expressed their views at and by the public meeting.

Will you commit to this, so we can move the debate forward along all-party lines?

I hope very much that you will, and that you will contact Cllr Peter Armstrong as soon as possible to make that clear. He can be reached on (01424) 430634.

With best wishes to you for the festive period; yours truly,

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Nick urges Council to look at Brighton experience of communal bins

Nick Perry, Lib Dem parliamentary hopeful for Hastings & Rye, has urged Hastings Borough Council to look at the experience of Brighton residents when deciding whether or not to implement proposals for communal bins in those areas which do not have Twin Bins.

Speaking at the weekend, Nick said – “If you go online and tap ‘communal bins’ into The Argus website, you come up with letter after letter from residents who have been angered by the imposition of these bins by the local Council.”

Nick, who lives in Manor Road, Hastings, went door-to-door at the beginning of November to discuss the situation with his neighbours. Out of 21 Manor Road residents that he spoke to, 17 did not want the bins, two were in favour, and two did not mind either way.

Residents are concerned that the bins might reduce on-street parking and provide an opportunity for fly-tipping and other anti-social behaviour.

Nick says, “Everyone should have had their consultation document from Hastings Borough Council by now. Cllr Peter Armstrong and I are encouraging people to complete the survey and send it back before 12 January. We need local residents to engage with the process, and we need the Council to listen to what local people are saying.

“I have a lot of sympathy with people who feel that the weekly collection that we get at the moment is, for the most part, working well.”

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Nick says thank you to Hastings Life Boat

Dear Steve and James,

A week last Saturday, when the sea was crashing in, I made a mental note that I wanted to drop you and your colleagues a line to say thank you for all you do for our community throughout the year.

On behalf of local Liberal Democrats, I wish you all a very Merry Christmas, a healthy and safe new year, and I hope that I will get to meet you at some point in 2009, and learn more about what you do at Hastings Life Boat!

With every best wish; yours truly,

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Nick says ‘Think local and buy British!’

I went to the Farmer’s Market on The Stade on Thursday morning to get the Christmas veg in and to see if there were any last minute gift options that sprung out at me.

I have to say that I think the quality of the produce from the Community Fruit & Veg Project is outstanding.  If you don’t know this organsation, have a look at their website.  They are based at the Britannia Enterprise Centre, Waterworks Road, Hastings – opposite Morrisons.

I am strongly of the view that, in the current economic circumstances, it is more important than ever to support local businesses and to buy British at the supermarket.

Which candidate has the X-Factor?

At the risk of being accused of watching too much television, I thought I would offer a few thoughts on the X-Factor result this week.

How can he possibly manufacture a political article out of the X-Factor I hear you ask? Fear not, there is no end to the near-impossible feats that Lib Dems can achieve!

There were a few things that stuck with me as I watched the final show on Saturday (rooting, I have to say, for Alexandra Burke).

The first was a comment made by Simon Cowell in one of the out-takes from previous shows.

I have to admit that I am not, ordinarily, a Simon Cowell fan. He comes across as quite the arrogant lad. Perhaps it’s a celeb’ persona that he has developed, but nevertheless, he clearly loves himself and can be highly irritating…

After a clip of Alexandra singing in a previous round, Simon said to her that she had made him ‘proud to be British’.

This, in turn, made me very proud. Proud of the fact that we live in a sufficiently diverse and integrated society that we have British people of every size and hue, able to respect each other for the talent that they have.

It was also interesting to see, in the part where there were messages to Alexandra and JLS from their families, the ethnic diversity of the family backgrounds of the (both black) finalist acts.

The second thing that struck me was the courage it had taken for Alexandra, the eventual winner, to pick herself up, after having been kicked out of the competition in a previous year, and come back and start all over again.

Finally, I got to thinking about the 8 million votes that were rung in, at the expense of the callers themselves, during that final show, and I wondered how it is that there is so much more interest in, and ownership of this kind of light entertainment programme than there is in our political process.

I don’t pretend to have the answer to this question, and I guess it must be a complex mixture of the alienation, the disillusionment that people feel; the ongoing class aspects to candidacy across the political parties; the feeling that, in the system we have got, in most places, votes don’t count for anything.

But there is one thing that struck me forcibly about the process of voting for X-Factor acts: the acts are all on a level playing field.

They all get the same opportunities to perform. They all have access to the same resources in respect of getting their ‘message’ across.

It is not like that in British politics. As I have mentioned in previous columns, money has an unhealthy role in the capacity of the different political parties to get their message across – whether this be in the ability to pay for the design, publication and delivery of endless glossy leaflets, or in the ability to pay PR companies to telephone canvass on the back of sophisticated market research information, or in the communications and stationery budget of an incumbent MP.

Whilst we will move a step closer to it in the new year with the Observer agreeing to give all three parliamentary candidates equal exposure through a column in the paper, I wonder what the impact of a truly level playing field would be in our local politics?

Who would be the candidate to come through strongest if we did things à la reality TV?

And would this be a different result than the one we will get at the General Election?

When it eventually comes around, will it be Amber, Michael or myself… And what will the policies be that have that crucial draw for local people?

Who will have the parliamentary equivalent of the X-Factor?