Local News

I was asked to be a speaker at the recent Co-operative Party Conference fringe. My chosen topic was the importance of land in politics specialising in my support for Land Value Taxation.

Good to see that the Fringe Festival allied to the Walking and Food Festival in Stroud Town has gone from success to success. Whilst in its reconstituted form it is now smaller and pub-based it is good that the area still has a reputation for music.

The current consultation being organised by Stroud District Council on the future of Scheme Managers (Wardens) at Sheltered Housing Schemes is both important and worthy of proper examination. Whilst the consultation is highly questionable given that the Option D, the one preferred by the tenants themselves has been mysteriously dropped by the Administration at SDC, it is vital that all concerned listen to the views of the residents themselves.

I had a small part to play in Radio 4 'File on Four' investigation in to the massive overspend on Regional Fire Control Centres.

The Institute of Financial Studies has finally disabused the supporters of the Coalition that its Budget was 'progressive' in terms of its tax and spend implications.

Recent reports that the Swindon - Kemble redoubling of the line between Cheltenham to Paddington is more than disappointing. Contrary to the misinformation that is being put about by the Coalition the planned restoration was funded money having been obtained from the recently dropped Kinkerswell by-pass in Devon.

On Sunday 18th Jul I attended the last day of the Tolpuddle Festival to hear Tony Benn, Billy Bragg and others. The commemoration is held every year remembers the 6 Dorset farm labourers who were transported to Australia for swearing an oath to a trade union back in the early 19th century.

The Coalition Government is planning a huge badger culling exercise – despite there being no scientific evidence that this will do anything to reduce bovine TB.

Congratulations as ever to the organisers of Stroud Show; I know that they work incredibly hard to make it the successful event that it always is. And thank goodness after all that bad weather that it was a good day yesterday!

If you want to have an opportunity to hear the concerns of the Association of Police Authorities regarding Government plans for the future of our Police forces at a public meeting to be held in the Old Town Hall in Stroud at 7pm on Friday 23 July.