The Lib Dem MP for Yeovil missed yet another key debate in Parliament when the future of Westlands was being discussed. This follows on from a report from the Public Whip website that the MP has a “below average” attendance record for voting - 68% as at 7th November 2008.

His absence was so serious that it was reported in Hansard that he was not there. Hansard quotes at column 1129 on the 30th October 2008:

Mr. Howarth: Moreover, for the benefit of those in Yeovil, to whom I spoke when I visited Westland 10 days ago, we feel that the Future Lynx is the only game in town. I hope that the Secretary of State will make decision on that quickly.

Dr. Fox: Where's the Yeovil MP?

Mr. Howarth: My hon. Friend asks where the hon. Member for Yeovil (Mr. Laws) is. He waxes lyrical in his constituency about this matter, but he never turns up to take part in these debates, which is a great shame. I visited Yeovil; perhaps he would like to visit the House and participate in these debates.

It has been discovered that he is rarely in Parliament when this important issue is discussed – research shows that he has only attended two defence procurement debates in his entire time in Parliament.

The Conservative Parliamentary candidate for Yeovil, Kevin Davis said,

“It is all very well going around telling workers at Westland that you are on their side, but if when you go to Westminster you are not prepared to stand up for Yeovil, and the vital Future Lynx project, then you are failing the people of Yeovil. If nothing else this demonstrates that with the Conservative Party supporting the Future Lynx project we need a Conservative Member of Parliament for Yeovil who can get things done for Westland and make things happen for Yeovil people.”

Further evidence points to a continuing lack of commitment to Westland and defence matters.

• out of almost 6,000 Parliamentary questions asked by the Lib Dem MP for Yeovil only 3 were about Westlands - source www.theyworkforyou.com.

• rumours that Lib Dems want to axe the Westland Future Lynx contract to pay for their tax cutting agenda - The BBC website reported that the Lib Dems were looking for defence cuts to pay for tax cuts. "The best hints we had were a possible reduction in the number of government departments, and the curtailing of big defence projects.." http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7511615.stm

Kevin Davis, Conservative Parliamentary candidate for Yeovil added his voice to calls for the Government to do more to help local firms in Yeovil, Chard, Crewkerne and Ilminster hit by the economic downturn. Conservatives are demanding that Whitehall opens up the massive £125 billion government procurement budget to small and medium firms across the country.

The government is the biggest purchaser of goods and services in the economy, but Whitehall bureaucracy means that small businesses are locked out of this system. Making it easier for small businesses to win government contracts would provide companies in Yeovil - and across the country - with a crucial source of revenue during the downturn, helping to protect local jobs.

The Conservative action plan includes:

• Scrapping the rule requiring companies to provide three years of audited accounts when bidding for government contracts. This unnecessary rule locks start-up companies out of the procurement system – simply because new companies may not have three years of audited accounts.
• Immediately introducing a single questionnaire to be allowed to bid for government contracts worth less than £50,000. This would only have to be filled in once and logged for future contract bids. This will radically reduce the administrative burden involved in bidding for government contracts.
• Requiring all government contracts worth over £10,000 to be published online, so that small companies can for the first time find out exactly what contracts are available. At present, it is not mandatory for contracts to be published online. As a result, over 75 per cent of small and medium firms report that it is difficult to find out about procurement opportunities.
• Aiming for 25 per cent of government contracts to be awarded to small and medium enterprises. This is something that United States federal government does, and would help overcome the risk aversion that leads to them being overlooked for government contracts.

Kevin Davis said: “This is another part of the Conservative action plan for small business, which also includes proposals to defer VAT bills, cut payroll taxes by 1p and reduce the small company corporation tax rate.

“We need to open up the government’s procurement system and get money to small businesses across the country. It’s not just small firms that will be helped – taxpayers will benefit from the innovation and greater efficiency that small businesses can bring to government contracts.

“Small firms in Yeovil are facing a very difficult time and jobs are at risk. If Labour Ministers were serious about making a difference, they would adopt this action plan and instead of trying to spend more by borrowing would try to spend what they have in a smarter way.”

Image via Wikipedia

Plans to freeze council tax for Yeovil residents – saving £213

Conservative proposals to help families and pensioners from soaring cost of living

Hard-pressed local residents across Yeovil, Crewkerne, Chard and Ilminister could benefit from lower council tax, under national plans which have been drawn up by Conservatives. Taxpayers in Scotland benefited from a council tax freeze this year, thanks to a deal struck between Scottish local authorities and the Scottish Executive. But those living south of  the border were not so lucky.

The new Conservative proposal involves a partnership with local councils, giving them extra support to deliver a council tax freeze in the first two years of a Conservative Government.

If a council keeps its council tax bill rise to 2.5% or less, then central government will provide sufficient additional resources to fund a further, additional 2.5% reduction in council tax bills.

Each council will be completely free to accept or reject this offer. Those that accept the offer will be able to give their taxpayers a complete freeze, or even reduction, for two years in a row.

Across South Somerset, the value of a council tax freeze would be equivalent to saving £213 over the two years. Under Labour, council tax has soared by 105% over the last ten years, taking the average Band D bill to £1418.

The cost to central government of reducing council tax would be funded from savings from cutting central spending on public sector consultants and advertising, and not from the overall local government budget. The Labour Government is now the second biggest advertiser in Britain, spending five times more than Tescos. It has also been slammed for the irresponsible and expensive use of consultancy firms, on top of civil servants.

Kevin Davis, Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Yeovil, said:

“Under a Labour government, and a Lib Dem Council, council tax has soared in Somerset, pushing up the cost of living. In this current Labour financial crisis families and pensioners cannot afford yet more tax rises from Gordon Brown or slashed services from the Lib Dem Council.

“The next Conservative Government will work with local councils to freeze council tax for at least two years.

“Instead of rising council tax bills year after year under Labour, millions of families will get help at the time they need it most. Conservatives will not leave people to struggle with the credit crunch on their own.”
Details of the proposal

CONSERVATIVE PLANS TO FREEZE COUNCIL TAX

In its first two full years in office, a Conservative Government will offer a deal to local councils in England:

If a council can keep its council tax bill rise to 2.5% or below, then central government will provide sufficient additional resources out of the savings made from consultancy and advertising budgets to fund a further 2.5% reduction in the council tax.

Councils that accept the offer will therefore be able to offer their constituents a complete freeze, or even reduction, in council tax for two years in a row

Kevin Davis calls for halt to chaotic government plans for regional fire call centres

Local fire & rescue authorities across the South West face the prospect of making cuts to
local fire stations or increasing the fire levy on council tax, warned Kevin Davis,
Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Yeovil. Major problems have been exposed with
the Labour Government’s plans for the regionalisation of the fire services.
Labour Ministers are currently pushing ahead with plans to replace England’s 46 local fire
control rooms with 9 regional control rooms in each government office region. This project
is known as FiReControl. The Somerset control office (based in Taunton) will be replaced
by a new office which will cover the enormous area of Avon, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset,
Gloucestershire, Somerset and Wiltshire.

· Escalating costs of fire restructuring: The draft business case last year admitted
that the set-up costs of the project were already £400 million over its £1 billion
national budget. The Fire Brigades Union has recently estimated that £278 million is
being spent on management consultants, regional project directors, “change coordinators”,
project assurance directors, PR staff, civil servants, and agency staff, to
handle the restructuring.
· Local fire services face cuts: Whilst the Government has pledged to fund centrally
the increased running costs for the regional control centres, these payments are only
for three years. This leaves the prospect that local fire authorities will have to pick up
the bill - through cuts to other services or via increasing the fire precept on council tax.
The recent regional business case admits that “additional efficiencies and/or revenue
generating” will be needed. In May, the Government instructed new Regional
Management Boards to deliver more “sharing of functions at a regional or sub-regional
level” to deliver “efficiencies.” This raises the prospect that local fire stations face cuts
– imposed at a regional level – to pay for the flawed regionalisation process.
· Fire service regionalisation cancelled in Scotland: The SNP-led administration in
Scotland cancelled Labour’s plans for the regionalisation of Scottish fire control room in
December. Yet Scotland is still going ahead with IT and infrastructure improvements
such as digital radios, GPS and interoperability with other emergency services, proving
that regionalisation is not needed to adopt new technologies to improve resilience.
· Leaked letter reveals chaos in government: A leaked letter from the head of the
new South West Regional Fire Control company to Ministers reveals widespread
discontent about the Government’s plans. He warns that local fire & rescue authorities
will not voluntarily submit to the Government’s regionalisation of the fire service. He
criticises delays in the project, leading to “immense frustration” and “profound
disappointment”. Ministers are told that “confidence amongst the company directors,
our hard working officers and, we suspect, fire authorities is now rock bottom.” A
cross-party Select Committee has already sounded the alarm that “there is no evidence
to suggest any overall saving” and “we are unconvinced that the Government can offer
the assurance of maintained or improved service quality resulting from the FiReControl
project”.

Kevin Davis commented:

“The Labour Government’s expensive plans for the regionalisation of the fire control
services are in chaos. The shambolic project is already late, is £400 million over budget
and is making minuscule costs savings in the South West. As we move towards
implementation costs will spiral further. I worry that Yeovil residents are going to get less
service from a mammoth call centre than they currently get. We should be putting services
closer to the community, not centralising.”

“Labour Ministers should follow the example of Scotland and dump these cuts to local fire
services. There are better ways to improve our fire services than creating distant call
centres based on the arbitrary regional government boundaries.”

</p><p>You may not be aware that Crewkerne and its =
surrounding areas are about to undergo significant housing
development in the future and your plan appears to take no account of =
what the future needs of the community might be. <br>
</p>

<p>I have spoken to large numbers of residents - both near and far =
from
this post office - and they are worried, annoyed and frightened
by the future for their community once you have taken away this vital
link.</p>

<p>I am equally aware that some enlightened local authorities are =
in
discussion with <a href=3D"http://www.postoffice.co.uk/" =
title=3D"Post Office Ltd." rel=3D"homepage" class=3D"zem_slink">Post =
Office Ltd</a> to ascertain what they can do to carry
on the work of the Post Offices in some of their areas. I would urge
you to contact <a href=3D"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somerset" =
title=3D"Somerset" rel=3D"wikipedia" class=3D"zem_slink">Somerset =
County Council</a>, and <a =
href=3D"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Somerset" title=3D"South =
Somerset" rel=3D"wikipedia" class=3D"zem_slink">South Somerset =
District
Council</a>, to put in place plans for the expansion of services =
from this
Post Office so that together you can secure its long-term =
future.</p>

<p>I urge you to reconsider what you have proposed and do what you =
can
to save this post office for the future well-being of the people of =
Hinton St George.</p><p>
Regards,</p><p>Kevin Davis<br>Conservative =
Parliamentary Candidate for Yeovil<br>17 The Park,<br>
Yeovil<br>
BA20 1DN</p><div style=3D"margin-top: 10px; height: 15px;" =
class=3D"zemanta-pixie"><a class=3D"zemanta-pixie-a" =
href=3D"http://reblog.zemanta.com/zemified/7d4970fb-e156-4b7a-9b94-0b8642=
bc783b/" title=3D"Zemified by Zemanta"><img style=3D"border: =
medium none ; float: right;" class=3D"zemanta-pixie-img" =
src=3D"http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_b.png?x-id=3D7d4970fb-e156-4b7a-9b94=
-0b8642bc783b" alt=3D"Zemanta Pixie"></a></div>

I am writing to oppose the closure of the Hinton St George Post Office.

This Post Office is very important to the people who live near it and
provides a lifeline
for often isolated and vulnerable groups. The alternatives available to
many of those living near these offices are just not easily accessible
and often require considerable hazards should you wish to walk to them.
You have proposed the use of Crewkerne Post Office as an alternative
and this is far too far an anyone to walk to, let alone the elderly of
the infirm. Your own documents indicate that this is some three miles
away. Equally, Merriott Post Office does not appear to have the range
of services available at Hinton St George.

You may not be aware that Crewkerne and its surrounding areas are about to undergo significant housing
development in the future and your plan appears to take no account of what the future needs of the community might be.

I have spoken to large numbers of residents - both near and far from
this post office - and they are worried, annoyed and frightened
by the future for their community once you have taken away this vital
link.

I am equally aware that some enlightened local authorities are in
discussion with Post Office Ltd to ascertain what they can do to carry
on the work of the Post Offices in some of their areas. I would urge
you to contact Somerset County Council, and South Somerset District
Council, to put in place plans for the expansion of services from this
Post Office so that together you can secure its long-term future.

I urge you to reconsider what you have proposed and do what you can
to save this post office for the future well-being of the people of Hinton St George.

Regards,

Kevin Davis
Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Yeovil
17 The Park,
Yeovil
BA20 1DN

Now that the waters have receded it is
vitally important that we understand more about how areas such as
this suffered in the recent rainfall. The rainfall was not unique and
we must be concerned about its apparent impact in an area of the
country that you would not normally associate with wholesale
flooding.

In looking at the causes of flash
flooding we must look to the cleansing of gullies, storm drains and
culverts and I have therefore written to the County Council asking
them to detail for me what cleaning and clearing regime exists for
these drains and specifically for them to give me a list of the
drains that might have been affected in this area. I have also asked
that I receive a record of the cleansing that has taken place in
recent times.

I had a relatively recent experience of
a local authority who did not even know where all their drains were
and therefore were unable to provide this information. I am hopeful
that this will not be case in Crewkerne.

More widely, this does again open up
the debate about the building of new housing. What this flash flood
demonstrates is that we must be careful about the quantity and
location of any new housing we build across South Somerset. I would
urge local councillors, many of whom will have voters who have
suffered terribly in these floods, to look again at the plans they
make for new housing. Government targets and the need for affordable
housing is one thing, but building houses that makes the lives of
those who live here now intolerable will itself be unacceptable.

The Post Office have announced that they are to consult on the closure of Hinton St George Post Office.

On hearing of this devastating news Kevin Davis immediately contacted the Post Office and asked for the plan to be withdrawn.

Kevin Davis said: “Right across the constituency there will have been towns and villages where they believed their Post Office had escaped the Post Office slaughter. Instead, Post Office Ltd has been keeping back post offices in a secret plan.”

In talks with Post Office Ltd it emerged that because they had saved post offices in the first round of cuts they therefore needed to find others to close.

Kevin continued: “ I have been told that the closure in Hinton St. George is because they saved a Post Office in Street – 15 miles away. This whole process is a farce and the fact the alternative closure to Street is Hinton St. George proves beyond doubt that this reorganisation is not being based on anything sensible other than a scramble to destroy communities and make savings.”

Note to editors: Kevin Davis, during the first round of closures urged the County Council to consider following Conservative run Councils across the country who were entering into talks with Post Offices Ltd. To secure the future of these Post Offices. To date these talks have not taken place.

You can read more about the campaigns by clicking here.

http://kevindavis.typepad.com/kevin_davis/2008/02/press-release-d.html
http://kevindavis.typepad.com/kevin_davis/press_releases/index.html
http://kevindavis.typepad.com/kevin_davis/2008/03/post-vote-slash.html
http://kevindavis.typepad.com/kevin_davis/2008/03/do-labour-and-t.html
http://kevindavis.typepad.com/kevin_davis/yeovil/index.html

I still think it is disgraceful that despite Conservative controlled Councils taking action to try and help keep the Post Offices open the Lib Dem controlled Somerset Council has refused to even open negotiations with the Post Office.

I also believe it interesting to note that the one place where we have managed to keep the offices open is in Conservative controlled Hammersmith.

But actually, this is beyond politics, the Government has yet again disgracefully ignored the views of rural areas up and down the country.

New
threat to remaining Post Offices in Yeovil thanks
to Gordon Brown

Loss
of Post Office Card Account threatens more post office closures

Yeovil
faces a second wave of post office cuts, Kevin Davis,
Conservative Parliamentary Candidate warned. A further 1 in 4
post offices could close down, on top of existing plans to close
Post Offices in East
Coker, Mudford, Haselbury Plucknett, Goldcroft in Yeovil and Barwick.

• Loss of Post
  Office Card Account: The National Federation of Sub-Postmasters
  has stated that 3,000 post offices will forced to close if the Post
  Office Ltd loses its contract for the Card Account. The Card Account
  is used by 4 million people each week to access pensions and
  benefits.

• Further 1 in 4
  post offices under threat: Card Account transactions bring in 12
  per cent of sub-post offices’ income, and 1 in 4 of all visits
  made to post offices each week are by Card Account customers. The
  Federation has estimated that another 3,000 post offices will go out
  of business – on top of the current round of 2,500 cuts nationwide
  – if they lose the right to handle state pension and benefit
  payments.

• Labour Government
  to blame: The current Post Office Card Account contract ends in
  2010. Gordon Brown’s Government is replacing it with a new
  contract (so-called ‘POCA2’), but due to EU rules, it has to put
  the new contract out to competitive tender. Conservatives have
  repeatedly called on the Government to continue the Card Account
  beyond 2010.

Kevin
Davis commented:

“I am very concerned
about Gordon Brown’s plans for a second wave of post office cuts. A
cloud of uncertainty now hangs over our vital community services. The
future of Saturday deliveries is in doubt and local post offices are
closing by the week across the country. Our postal service faces
death by a thousand cuts – thanks to Gordon Brown.”

Notes
to Editors

Details of
the current Post Office closure plans can be found at:

http://www.postoffice.co.uk/portal/po/content1?catId=57600693&mediaId=57600697

The National
Federation of Sub-Postmasters warned of new cuts in a press release
on 12 May 2008.

http://www.nfsp.org.uk/Latest_PR.asp

The
table below shows the shrinking size of the Post Office network in
the last decade. The potential 1 in 4 cuts would be in addition to
the closures highlighted below.

	1999	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008
United Kingdom	18,374	17,546	17,204	15,895	14,556	14,376	14,219	est. 11,700

A list of
Post Office closures by Parliamentary constituency from 1999 to 2007
is available at:

http://www.conservatives.com/pdf/POs-constituencies.pdf

The
Government has previously said that it would like to maintain a
network of 11,500 under their regime of subsidies. But in an answer
to a Parliamentary Question, the Minister for Postal Services, Pat
McFadden, has admitted that under their current access criteria,
“Post Office Ltd. currently estimates that the minimum size of
network necessary to meet the access criteria is around 7,500
offices” (Hansard,
30 January 2008, col. 418W).

ENDS

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