Latest unemployment figures show positive news…

It is a hopeful sign that unemployment figures have gone down, according to figures released yesterday by the Office of National Statistics. The figures show that the ILO measure of unemployment fell to 2.65 million in the period December – February 2012 which is a decrease of 35,000 from the last quarter[1] and locally in North East Hertfordshire constituency 25 lower than last month, February 2012 . David Cameron referred to the national drop in unemployment in Prime Minister’s Questions yesterday[2] and I think we should be pleased with this drop when unemployment had risen last month. Thankfully North East Herts still retains a high level of employment which is listed as 71.3% for the year end to September 2011[3]. The number of unemployed claimants in North East Hertfordshire constituency in March 2012 was 1,433. This represents a rate of 3.0% of the economically active population aged 16 to 64, one of the lowest rates in the UK.

Elsewhere, the construction sector output has experienced 6.1% growth month on month in February[4] which is equally as encouraging, especially when compared to the 12.0% month on month decline that the sector experienced last January. I do hope that other sectors enjoy similar levels of growth in the months going forward especially when the UK has so much to look forward to in other directions with the start of the Olympics, due in the summer.

[1] http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/lms/labour-market-statistics/april-2012/index.html
[2] http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201212/cmhansrd/cm120418/debtext/120418-0001.htm#12041847000008
[3] http://www.parliament.uk/briefing-papers/RP12-17
[4] http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/construction/output-in-the-construction-industry/february-2012/sumconsoutfebruary2012.html

Royston in 2012…

2012 is a big year for Royston. Along with the rest of the country we will be celebrating the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the London Olympics. But Royston has a third reason to celebrate. It is the 850th anniversary of the founding of Royston Priory by Ralph de Rochester and this led to the development of the town. Previously, the centre of population was at Therfield, which is why the Heath is properly Therfield Heath, being in that ancient parish. There was no settlement at Royston, because there was no source of water until the monks dug their well.

I was delighted to attend the Special Dedication Service at the Parish Church and the Royston Olympic Flag Raising Ceremony at the flagpole on 8 January: http://www.royston2012.org/?page_id=797 . When the flag had been raised by Councillor Bill Davidson, I suggested that we all blew so that the flag filled out and as if by magic, it worked, as a gust of wind displayed the flag to perfection.

The Royston Olympic Committee is organising an exciting programme of events during the year, see http://www.royston2012.org/ details of other events which will be taking place in Royston over the next year. A fun filled schedule of events are already organised and it will be a good opportunity for the local community to unite together in the celebration of the Queen’s Jubilee too. Not only is there a “May Fayre” but also a “Party in the Park” this June in the Priory Memorial Gardens. Later on in the month there is the Priory Anniversary Church Fête just before the six week Olympic Games.

Conversation Cafe to discuss Royston Hospital

I was glad to be able to attend part of the Conversation Cafe about Royston Hospital. I have had good meetings with Dr Peter Gough and local councillors and also attended the last Friends of Royston Hospital meeting with Dr John Hedges. I am glad that they were all able to question the NHS Hertfordshire PCT at the Golf Club meeting. I am keen that we should obtain the best deal for Royston and retain all the services we have at the moment and a good platform for the future.

From the Conversation Cafe, there does seem to be a difference of views about whether the long-term future is to build clinic space at the new Care Home facility proposed on the existing hospital site or develop the Health Centre and see what land adjacent might be available for future expansion or try to go for something new in the longer term.

Royston Hospital

At the end of last year, I called on all my Royston constituents to respond to the consultation which is currently ongoing about Royston Hospital.
The much-loved hospital provides NHS intermediate care hospital beds for the whole of North Hertfordshire and many clinics including physiotherapy. It is home for Community Services, volunteers and the Transport team. Intermediate care beds are used where someone is ailing at home and requires a period in hospital to boost them back up before returning home or when a person has been in a general hospital and needs a bit longer to recover for home life.
According to NHS plans published last year, the building would be demolished and the site would be closed until a new care home facility could be built and opened there. This would provide normal care home beds and NHS intermediate care beds for Royston residents. This would be a change as the NHS intermediate care beds for other places in North Hertfordshire would be provided in care homes nearer to people’s homes.
I have recently met the Friends of Royston Hospital, two GPs and councillors. It seems to make sense to have the new care home built, but I am very keen that Royston should keep its clinics and other facilities presently housed at the Hospital. The consultation suggests providing the clinics at the new Care Home on the Hospital site or at the town centre Health Centre by extending the upper floor.
There are clearly timing issues. It would take time to develop the new Care Home, whilst extending the Health Centre would be quicker. There are concerns that we should have proper interim arrangements, so that clinics are not lost.
I would urge constituents to make their views known.
There is to be a conversation cafe next Tuesday 10th January at Royston Golf Course between 2pm-4.30pm where it will be possible to voice any concerns over these plans. Register by phoning Heather Aylward on 01707 369788 or emailing heather.aylward@hertfordshire.nhs.uk

Broadband Speeds

I am about to meet senior BT managers to discuss broadband speeds in my constituency. I have had complaints from Royston and villages closer to Hertford that the speeds are just too slow for modern business needs. In Royston, I was first contacted by Town Centre BID Manager Geraint Burnell and I have had pleas from a number of businesses in the Mundens and to the South West of Hertford. The story so far from BT about Royston is that 4mg should be possible and that it is one of 1000 exchanges due for upgrade. I will be pressing about the timetable and asking about the southern areas too.

Enforcing planning

Many of us have been shocked to learn that it has taken 8 years to enforce planning law at Dale Farm in Essex. It may be easy to understand why good-hearted clergy and actresses sympathise with those evicted from an illegal site on the basis that they have lived there so long, but many ask the question how the legal procedures can be so hopelessly longwinded that compassionate circumstances have time to arise. Justice delayed is justice denied.

Last night I attended a ‘standing room only’ meeting at Hertingfordbury School in Birch Green. A Green Belt site in the village has been concreted over and three caravans stationed without any planning permission. Indeed this land is so precious that two previous applications to build there have failed. The Council obtained an injunction on Saturday against the developer and legal proceedings for contempt of court may follow, but last night’s meeting was told that there is no real fast track eviction process, even though the injunction forbids development or residence on site. So, if the order is broken, the penalty is a fine or prison or asset confiscation.

I am going to take this up in parliament. In rural areas particularly, planning enforcement is important to safeguard the local environment and we need a fast effective remedy against those who ignore the law. It is also worth noting that planning permissions are given to caravan dwellers in appropriate circumstances, so it is right to encourage this to happen. It is far better to make an application in advance than to move onto a site without permission and later be moved on.

Reading in St Nicholas Church, to Mark 400th Anniversary of the King James Bible

I was one of many volunteers who took part in the 400th Anniversary of the King James Bible by reading a 10 minute slot on Friday at St Nicholas Church in Great Hormead, near Buntingford. There are over 400 slots.

It is important that we should celebrate the first authorised English Bible. The text is beautiful and we should not forget that earlier Bible translators were thought to be heretics and burnt at the stake. It was very atmospheric to be reading this wonderful old Bible in such a historic setting as St Nicholas’s Church.

Visit to Ashwell School

Today I have just been to speak to Ashwell School Year 6 who are here at Westminster for an educational course. The questions were excellent, all about current affairs and my life as MP. I then went to meet representatives of our local Wildlife Trust including Chair Mike Master. They had worked out all the wildlife issues locally and it was great to have a briefing here at the House of Commons.

Parliament’s Hidden Suffragette Secret

After my blog yesterday mentioning the suffragettes, I was asked to say that it was Emily Davison, the famous suffragette, who hid in parliament to be able to put on her census form that she was resident at the House of Commons on Census Day. Tony Benn put up a plaque to record this and the store cupboard she hid in behind the MPs’ chapel can still be seen today. Of course, this brave lady met a sad end trampled to death at the Derby as she protested her cause.

Today we are debating fuel prices and the future NHS changes. I hope the Government will be able to help hard- pressed motorists in the Budget. In a big rural area like North East Hertfordshire, which is over 200 square miles, motoring is important and the costs are hurting those who need to use a vehicle.

On the NHS, North East Hertfordshire was an area where in the 1990s GPs loved the freedom and took to fund-holding like ducks to water. North Herts was one of the areas which embraced it. Of course, Labour scrapped it. Now GPs are being offered the chance to lead commissioning (buying) services from hospitals. They will, of course, have administrative staff to help. This contrasts with the current situation where the officials of the PCT have this vital commissioning role. Less bureaucracy will mean more Front Line money. The new North Herts GP commissioning group is being formed and other local practices will probably join up with their colleagues in Cambridgeshire.

Visit to BSG Property Services Limited

Yesterday, I went to BSG Property Services in Tempsford, to see the new photovoltaic installation at their business premises. The twenty two solar panels are producing enough power to reduce bills and provide a substantial payment from the power they are feeding into the National Grid.

Apparently, the business which has done a huge amount of building and maintenance work locally and in the region, aims to provide this power source to numerous homes in the area. I think this is a great new venture and I congratulate Jeff Robins on his company’s initiative. It is good to see well-established businesses such as BSG offering this service. Given that the solar panels produce a return over a twenty five year period with a set rate of “feed in tariff” it is important to know that the contractor you are with is likely to last the course.