tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60510248040431915702008-07-23T03:16:26.678+01:00Brandon Lewishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11684299431891499828noreply@blogger.comBlogger72125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6051024804043191570.post-17381309033696846522008-07-23T03:13:00.001+01:002008-07-23T03:16:26.813+01:00

There is a shortage of homes at present in the UK and yet there is widespread belief of a housing fall in prices. Make sense? Part of the problem at present is the system does not help first time buyers, that could be changed and i will write on that further soon. However, the latest announcement by our government is another re-announcement of Eco Towns. Which in fact could possibly not even be

Brandon Lewishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11684299431891499828noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6051024804043191570.post-27424538062014123632008-07-21T21:04:00.002+01:002008-07-21T21:06:41.508+01:00

A survey of political Blogs is being run, I cannot outline the process better than one of the top Bloggers around: Iain Dale, who will be well known to many in Norfolk. So I have copied his recent post here for ease along with the link: Take Part & Win £100 worth of Political Books! In early September TOTAL POLITICS, in association with APCO WORLDWIDE will publish the 2008-9 Guide to Political

Brandon Lewishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11684299431891499828noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6051024804043191570.post-16034649579441519492008-07-13T13:09:00.002+01:002008-07-13T13:10:34.815+01:00

As if we had not worked it out for ourselves?  Read the full story in the EDP, click here.

Brandon Lewishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11684299431891499828noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6051024804043191570.post-31036214251328038412008-07-13T13:00:00.000+01:002008-07-13T13:07:04.366+01:00

There is an article on the BBC website outlining the issues around the new road tax plans: click here for full story. This follows an press release I issued a short while ago: click here for full release. This is an issue that the government seem keen to keep quiet, like a stealth tax, but is one that hits families and people in rural areas and on lowest incomes hardest.  If you live in a village

Brandon Lewishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11684299431891499828noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6051024804043191570.post-68170655475918679282008-07-10T07:25:00.002+01:002008-07-10T07:30:02.382+01:00

There is a huge amount of issues around the Unitary debate. The Conservative County Council has argued for a single authority, others have argued for 3 or 4. They have all also argued that status quo is the best option, all being the Conservative authorities. The government had said status quo was not an option that could be put forward, so the authorities and agencies had to put alternatives

Brandon Lewishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11684299431891499828noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6051024804043191570.post-43043343170555236532008-07-08T19:48:00.001+01:002008-07-08T19:50:19.740+01:00

I had a comment on the previous Blog entry from Katie James regarding the polyclinic issue. She asked a question that is a valid one, so I thought it made sense to answer it as a full Blog entry today. Katie was the Labour Party candidate, I believe, in West Flegg in this May’s local elections so I appreciate that this query obviously has a political relevance as it is the Labour government

Brandon Lewishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11684299431891499828noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6051024804043191570.post-9247702467029024842008-07-07T22:24:00.000+01:002008-07-07T22:25:07.542+01:00

So, after many months and now after a year of the Government talking about actually re-structuring local government in Norfolk, we have the result. Fudge!! With all the options that had been talked about a possible, including no change, we end up with nothing. Nothing that shows any real benefits, other than moving decisions further away form people. We have a system that works, it can be

Brandon Lewishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11684299431891499828noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6051024804043191570.post-69125521316108932402008-07-02T12:28:00.000+01:002008-07-02T12:28:00.763+01:00

Great Yarmouth Rotary Club is a flourishing club. I have met them and been to their lunches a couple of times and have been impressed at the size of the club and how well supported they are. At a time when society needs more ‘glue’ to hold it together and we hear so much on the news about lack of respect and people not doing enough for the fellow man, the broken society we now have; it is

Brandon Lewishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11684299431891499828noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6051024804043191570.post-90822148186839978042008-07-01T21:26:00.001+01:002008-07-01T21:26:38.854+01:00

I was also fortunate enough to day, separately to visiting Great Yarmouth police, to visit the Gorleston CCTV set up. This has been masterminded and driven by PC Jason Howells. A superb idea: well run and organised by a great team of volunteers. If you live in or near to Gorleston and have some spare time, make contact with the CCTV and give them some time. A lot of hard work has gone into this

Brandon Lewishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11684299431891499828noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6051024804043191570.post-5653967889921557642008-07-01T21:20:00.000+01:002008-07-01T21:21:38.903+01:00

I met Superintendant Jim Smurden today at Great Yarmouth police station where I was fascinated to learn about some of the projects that the new structured police in GY have in mind, some really good stuff. I was very impressed with some of the out of the box thinking that is now going on with a view to curing problems rather than moving them on or postponing them. A very impressive man with

Brandon Lewishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11684299431891499828noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6051024804043191570.post-70548708590516311272008-06-30T12:28:00.000+01:002008-06-30T12:29:33.116+01:00

It is disappointing to learn more about the HMRC potential closure of Havenbridge House. There are approximately 140 jobs in the tax office held at HMRC in Great Yarmouth. I know the Council along with other interested parties are working hard to lobby HMRC to keep this office open and to look at how we can, at the very least, keep these jobs available in Great Yarmouth and for Great Yarmouth

Brandon Lewishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11684299431891499828noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6051024804043191570.post-53065763379653565972008-06-29T07:26:00.004+01:002008-06-29T18:54:33.806+01:00

We are now just over a year on from the start of Gordon Brown's premiership. Are we better off, is life any better? It is also now over 10 years since Labour came to power and we also have to ask, are we better off than in 1997? Fuel costs? Food Costs? Heating Costs ? Tax? Are we better off now? P.S. Someone posted a comment on one of the Blog entries today (not today's one, that comment

Brandon Lewishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11684299431891499828noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6051024804043191570.post-68981119621877560112008-06-27T08:49:00.000+01:002008-06-27T08:50:10.935+01:00

The Royal Norfolk Show this year was superb and with the added excitement of Prince harry, it was great to see so many people so keen to see him and wish him well. Yes, I am a Royalist J This is a show that everyone really should take a chance to go and see next year, if you have not been before. It is a great experience with stands held by every car company, to every tractor company, to every

Brandon Lewishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11684299431891499828noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6051024804043191570.post-69842199994882543202008-06-23T15:45:00.000+01:002008-06-23T15:37:37.933+01:00

I met Albert Jones; he is the man whose company own the Pleasure Beach in Great Yarmouth. They have a nice facility that caters for families and provides some excellent fun for kids. However, he is also the man with a plan...... I was able to see the plans that he has with partners for the regeneration of the area between the current pleasure beach facility and the new Outer Harbour. Wow… is

Brandon Lewishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11684299431891499828noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6051024804043191570.post-49456545685540574512008-06-23T15:32:00.001+01:002008-06-23T15:36:27.841+01:00

Sometimes when writing this Blog I have to think hard about what I am typing to ensure I am not breaching any taboos, or going to embarrass someone. I know others do similar…. today however it is not easy. I want to put a thought on record… regarding a man named James McGrath. For political fans reading this you will have heard of James in the last day, or two due to his recently leaving the

Brandon Lewishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11684299431891499828noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6051024804043191570.post-72713980699091288312008-06-17T22:08:00.001+01:002008-06-17T22:08:54.529+01:00

There is little to add today, although I noticed that I had been remiss in not thanking the Irish for the NO VOTE on the Lisbon Treaty, the very treaty that our Labour Government promised us a referendum on and has denied us. So in effect Ireland gave the no vote that we had been denied and we owe them a debt of thanks for that ☺

Brandon Lewishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11684299431891499828noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6051024804043191570.post-57472506218604221262008-06-12T19:09:00.002+01:002008-06-12T19:09:50.169+01:00

The debate over 42 days detention for terror laws was amazing to me. I have seen no evidence to show that it was or is needed or that it could help to prevent terrorist going free who would otherwise have been caught. It seems that this ended up as posturing for the government; to show they could win rather than a matter of real principal. That is disappointing. I believe we should all be

Brandon Lewishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11684299431891499828noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6051024804043191570.post-62341023046676048622008-05-30T21:35:00.002+01:002008-06-29T18:48:50.516+01:00

I bumped into the new Inspector for Police covering Caister, Winterton and the rural areas around Filby and Martham, she seems excellent. It was great to see her as I was walking in Winterton, meeting residents, when she stopped her car and came to talk. She had seen someone wandering around with a handful of newsletters and had wanted to check it was not rogue traders, never been mistaken or one

Brandon Lewishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11684299431891499828noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6051024804043191570.post-85979050291310706362008-05-30T16:58:00.000+01:002008-05-30T17:03:37.672+01:00

The post office debate rages on. In today’s Great Yarmouth Mercury (page 3) there is an article about the meeting that the Council had with Post Office representatives. However, the Post Office seems to refuse to allow these meetings to be held in public that can only lead to suspicion. Why be so wary of the public, bearing in mind the post Office provides a public service… ?

Brandon Lewishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11684299431891499828noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6051024804043191570.post-4734710644504877982008-05-28T15:29:00.002+01:002008-05-30T21:31:22.757+01:00

As oil prices lead our cost of driving and travelling to soar we are all wondering if our government will do anything to help. The problem with that is that while our Prime Minister talks about a world pressure and world issue to sort out our petrol and home fuel prices he seems to forget that a huge chunk of the price we pay for our petrol now is government duty brought in by him as Chancellor.

Brandon Lewishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11684299431891499828noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6051024804043191570.post-63560521307857525352008-05-23T22:49:00.000+01:002008-05-28T15:31:56.933+01:00

We have a new area on Facebook: hope you will be able to join us ! :-) Click here!

Brandon Lewishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11684299431891499828noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6051024804043191570.post-41189821366244455262008-05-23T07:52:00.000+01:002008-05-23T08:00:58.781+01:00

Quite a night! First Conservative by-election win for years, since the early 1980’s. A fantastic win for Edward Timpson who ran a very clear and positive campaign, when you look at the contrast to some of the attempts to go back to old politics by Labour it becomes very clear what a wide gap there now is in styles between our parties. Edward and his team ran a first class campaign with clear

Brandon Lewishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11684299431891499828noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6051024804043191570.post-35913154129926519792008-05-15T18:02:00.001+01:002008-07-01T22:16:27.794+01:00

I am meeting the local FSB (Federation of Small Business) tonight. My experience of the FSB previously in a few areas has been good. They do a good job to work to represent small business, many of who have no other way to represent their needs and concerns and the FSB do it very effectively. Small business is the lifeblood of our country and has led originally to many of our multi- national and

Brandon Lewishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11684299431891499828noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6051024804043191570.post-40108731440581740442008-05-15T18:01:00.000+01:002008-05-15T18:02:49.347+01:00

No bin tax planned said our Labour PM today, even if it were to come it would not be for years….can both statements come from the same person in the same sentence? Of course: see full story here at BBC online. Another example of the double speaks by Labour on the plans to keep taxing us more to help their budget black holes. I find it frustrating that the government seem to find it so hard to

Brandon Lewishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11684299431891499828noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6051024804043191570.post-57698713011332485392008-05-09T17:22:00.000+01:002008-05-09T17:23:52.330+01:00

In Great Yarmouth it looks like we are going to be the starting point for a fuel protest. I have been approached recently by residents who are fed up with the huge hike in cost of fuel at their homes, fuel they use to heat their homes as we are oil fed in many homes in Great Yarmouth, rather than gas. Prices have risen a huge amount and when you see the % of government duty on that plus the

Brandon Lewishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11684299431891499828noreply@blogger.com