Remembrance Day

Sunday is Remembrance Day, where we get a chance to remember and most importantly THANK all those who have given their lives and done so much for our Country.

They fought to keep us safe and free. Something that should sit large and prominent with all of us and especially politicians, as we benefit from living in a free democratic country where we have elections in which we can stand. If not for what those who have gone before us have given, that simple democratic right may not exist.

So, on this weekend we can and should all wear our poppies with pride and even more importantly we should take some time to just remember what so many have given for us all and ensure that we help our youth also fully understand what we have gained and kept as a result of such sacrifices.

The Great Yarmouth Stamp

This year's First Class Christmas Stamp brings Great Yarmouth to everyone.

With these new stamps the fabulous stained glass window from Church of Ormesby St Michael, in Great Yarmouth will be there for everyone to see on their Christmas Post.

It is always good to see our Great Yarmouth land marks being recognised :-)

See full article on BBC website: click here.

Local government evolution

In Norfolk we have had a couple of years now of talk about changes to the way local government works and the potential threat of spending hundreds of millions of pounds on moving to Unitary status in Norfolk.

I have always supported the status quo and I do believe local government can and must do more to deliver cost effective local services across the board. This has nothing to do with any councils' ability but everything to do with the state of our economy and the need to ensure central government moves more power and decision making locally, where it is truly accountable and out of the unaccountable (and often expensive) Labour quangos.

I had an article on my thoughts published yesterday which you can find by clicking here. Feel free to comment, either here or at the main site of the article.

Ultimately, rather than forcing one size fits all answer form Whitehall we need local accountability and evolution with cost effective and good value services for all residents for all communities.

Halloween

Kids love it and most parents are caught up in it and this year seems to have been the most fun yet!

There have been years where there has been too much and a lot of bad behaviour around the streets but this year there seems to have been a better atmosphere. I am not sure if it is the more austere time we are living in but trick or treat visitors were more polite and the kids (when we took them out last night) got a wonderful reaction on the door step form people. Just shows how great a nation we have for ensuring children can have fun and be part of a community enjoying things together, when we come together. Bodes well for a good traditional Christmas.

I appreciate it could also be that it is simply that my children are this year just at the right ages to really enjoy it properly, having been to young in the past. They are really looking forward to our local Hemsby fireworks this week.

I hope you had a good Halloween

Binge Drinking

I was able to be at the James Paget Hospital in Great Yarmouth this evening. They were part of a group that was supporting a project to promote knowledge of the impact and repercussions of binge drinking for young people.

the video that has been produced by some excellent students at the Great Yarmouth college could be seen at schools across the Borough.

It is great to see a group of young people coming together on on a project like this and when we bear in mind around £20 Billion of NHS money is spent on alcohol related issues we can all see how important it is.

The project started with the Great Yarmouth Dragon's Den: click here.

Coastal Erosion Labour Madness

Just heard one of the most ridiculous Labour red tape stories yet on Coastal Erosion.

Great Yarmouth had to spend around £100,000 on putting a bid together to bid for funding to develop some further protection, in Scratby primarily, for coastal erosion.

They have now been told that they cannot get a scheme agreed until they have funding!!

So lets get this straight..... you have to draft a bid to get funding for a scheme, but you cannot apply for the scheme until you have funding!!??!!

Talking Great Yarmouth

I have been light on blogging for the last few days due mainly to meetings in Westminster with shadow ministers on things for Great Yarmouth.

I have been talking to our shadow team about the possible new large casino and its implications and looking also at what we could do to help people by simplifying the self exclusion scheme.

I have also had meetings to discuss our regeneration needs in Great Yarmouth and will blog further on that soon.

I have more this evening, which follows my meeting with one of the shadow education team (nick gibb mp) where I outlined some of the great things our Great Yarmouth schools are doing, including the John Grant school.
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Sent by Brandon Lewis via BlackBerry.

The future?

Will books, as we know them, survive the onslaught from e books?

I am a technology fan, whether it is the wonderful work for NASA being done by C-mac right here in great yarmouth or the new consumer gadget; all fascinates me.

I am an e book fan, I like the ability to carry so many books in one small unit and have choice on what to read without carry lots of books.
If anyone has tried, or does try an e book please do share your findings and thoughts.
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Sent by Brandon Lewis via BlackBerry.