…the RDA
The South West Regional Development Agency is to have its budget cut by 20% and ultimately will be axed along with the Commission for Rural Communities. At the end of the day these bodies talked a lot – but delivered very little of benefit to this corner of Devon. There was a real sense that those of us down in Devon and Cornwall lost out to the louder voices in Bristol.
A new smaller local enterprise partnership with a more limited remit combined with strong input direct from Westminster will see rural issues properly addressed –and we have a very solid voice for Devon in Neil Parish, MP for Tiverton and Honiton, now a member of the EFRA Select Committee who with me will give our farmers a real voice at the top table.
…academies
As a government we have also started the journey towards improving educational standards and freeing up schools, teacher and parents from the bureaucracy that stopped them taking the initiative to change things to meet the particular needs of local pupils. 120 West Country schools have signalled an interest in academy status including three of our own local schools, Teign School, Teignmouth Community College and Newton Abbot College. I wish them well on this journey and will do what I can to support them.
…sport
Competitive sport in schools is also coming back with the creation of a new sports league structure for primary and secondary schools. The first national final will be held in the run up to the 2012 Games. A healthy body supports a healthy mind and I am looking forward to working with local sports groups to see what we can do working together to make sport more available and accessible to all. I am already working with local sports groups to this effect.
Having your say
The “Spending Challenge” consultation was launched last week by David Cameron and Nick Clegg. The first phase asked public sector workers to share their ideas on how to save money and deliver more for less. We have received 30,000 responses so far with lots of good and sensible ideas. A number of people have also e mailed or written to me direct with ideas –please keep them coming. A wider public consultation is in the pipe-line.
Nick Clegg has also asked the public to nominate laws and regulations they would like to see abolished on his “Your Freedom” website. A number of suggestions have been made including a repeal of the smoking ban which many publicans have mentioned to me. But most important is your thoughts on those pieces of legislation which infringe our civil liberties, strangle businesses, or create offences which are completely inappropriate –it seems it is an offence not to report a grey squirrel in your back garden! Let me know or add your ideas to the site.
Out and About
This weekend I found myself driving from one end of the constituency to another with surgeries in Kingsteignton and Dawlish and public meetings in Broadhempston and Starcross –it was good to see so many people! And of course this weekend saw the start of the Newton Abbot Carnival and I thoroughly enjoyed taking part and seeing our carnival queen crowned.