Out and About
Posted by David Lidington, MP for Aylesbury, at 15:10, Tue 17 February 2009:
Dear Constituents,
Since I last wrote, the biggest change in both national and local affairs has been the start of the recession. I cannot predict how long or how severe it will be but I am certainly seeing something of the impact of recession in my constituency case load and in conversations with local businesses.
Both in my constituency surgery and in my postbag, I am starting to get more cases where people are threatened with repossession of their homes or where businesses are facing serious financial problems. Even sound and essentially profitable businesses are seeing a fall in customer demand and are finding it very difficult to get working credit from the banks on terms which they can afford.
The biggest private sector employer in my constituency is Halifax Bank of Scotland (HBOS) which employs about a 1000 people in Aylesbury. You won’t be surprised that I was very concerned when HBOS ran into serious financial storms last autumn.
While it looks as though a combination of emergency Government help and the merger with Lloyds TSB has prevented HBOS from collapse, serious problems remain. In any large corporate merger there is inevitably a shake out of jobs as the merged company looks to eliminate duplication and cut down on the number of different branches and office locations which it operates. I wrote to Lloyds TSB as soon as the merger was agreed and have met senior representatives of the Bank to discuss prospects for the HBOS operation in Aylesbury. What they told me is that decisions about office locations and job numbers would be made strictly on commercial grounds and their advice to me was that Aylesbury should put up the strongest possible business case for the town to continue to be a major centre of operations for the merged bank. I talked to the Chief Executive of Aylesbury Vale District Council and am pleased that AVDC, together with Aylesbury Vale Advantage and other local agencies, has taken the lead in putting together that business case and making the argument to Lloyds TSB.
The recession has, as we all know, had a major impact on the local property market with developers postponing building plans and, in some cases, even leaving sites part completed. Nevertheless, the Government’s plan for large scale new housing development around Aylesbury still rolls through the planning process. I was able to initiate a 90-minute debate on the Government’s growth plans for the whole of the so-called Milton Keynes-South Midlands Sub Region and was joined by colleagues from Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire in raising various issues with the Minister. The point that I tried to focus on was the need for jobs and infrastructure to be planned for at the same time as new housing. If you want to see the full report of that debate you can find it Hansard online by going to http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmhn0901.htm scrolling down to Tuesday, 13 January; then Westminster Hall and then Milton Keynes/South Midlands Sub-region.
The future of the Post Office network remains a bone of contention. I was dismayed when the Post Office, having reassured me last summer that Weston Turville Sub Post Office had a secure future, changed its mind and announced its closure. More recently, the Sub Post Office at Halton Camp has been closed. This has been announced as a “temporary closure” but given recent experience I am uneasy. I have urged the Post Office to give a high priority to finding new premises and a new Sub Postmaster or mistress and I have also written to the Defence Minister about the possibility of finding new premises on the Ministry’s land at Halton.
We are lucky to live in an area of relatively low crime compared with many other parts of the country but I know from conversations with constituents that crime and anti social behaviour is a major worry for a lot of families. In recent weeks I have been to see Superintendent Richard List, the new Police Commander for Aylesbury and Ms Baljit Ubhey, the Chief Crown Prosecutor for the Thames Valley area to talk about these concerns. I shall be seeing the Courts Service in the near future and of course I do take up individual complaints of anti social behaviour with the police and the relevant local authority. I have cases in both Aylesbury and Stokenchurch that I am looking into at the moment.
One of the best things about this job is its sheer variety. I spent one recent Friday evening sitting in the Aylesbury Mosque, answering questions from constituents about the conflict in Gaza and its aftermath. The following Friday evening, I went to a meeting with the High Wycombe & Area Beekeepers Association to be briefed on the damage which the varroa mite and colony collapse is doing to Britain’s bee population. At first glance, this subject might seem relatively trivial. Far from it for without bees, our fruit, vegetables and cereals would all be under threat.
I hope that this is of interest to you. You are of course welcome to contact me at any time and you might be interested in taking a look at the blog that I have set up and which is accessible on my website or the following link www.davidlidington.wordpress.com
Yours sincerely,
David Lidington
Comments
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Posted by Tom Kaneko, 12:04, Wed 18 February 2009: (Is this post abusive?) #
David, it is good to know how this area might be affected by the recession. I would just like to add my and my friend's experience of this economic situation.
I am a young graduate of 24. Until I was 22, I had been in full time education since the age of 4. My peer group have found it especially difficult to find graduate jobs. One graduate I know is working as a security guard at ASDA, another at a betting shop. Even those with graduate-style jobs struggle to get a salary that justifies all those years in education. As young graduates apply for jobs, what they often hear is that experience counts for more than education, to which they can only sigh, stuck as they are in catch 22. Most of my graduate peers are broke, in student debt, living at their parent's house and stuck in jobs that waste their talent.
Having said this, however, the few success stories have come from those who have taken a hand in enterprise. These are young graduates, often with some sort of vocational degree, though not always, who have gone out to create their own jobs. 2 years ago, one friend set up a marquee and events business, on the back of a loan guaranteed by his parent. It is doing well, although the industry is not. Others offer services (myself included), such as osteopathy, architecture, film production, web design and photography, where not so much capital is required. They make a modest living, but are learning the ropes of business themselves, which I'm sure will pay dividends in the future.
A recession is a rocky time, and many things are going to be changed for ever. Although I have sympathy for those whose jobs are threatened, I believe that for young people, who struggle to get a foothold on employment, this is the time to shine. Businesses will be looking for new deals and new services. Shedding jobs may mean companies have to outsource work. I think the opportunities for young people are there - just don't expect it to be in the form of a job vacancy. When everyone else is grumbling, a pro-active optimist can do very well for oneself.
If there are any events in Aylesbury that promote young enterprise, I would certainly be interested in attending.
Regards, Tom Kaneko
Posted by David Lidington, 16:47, Tue 3 March 2009: (Is this post abusive?) #
Tom,
Thanks for your comment. i have noticed in the last 5 years the growth of a new generation of entrepreneurs in Aylesbury. this is indeed very welcome. If I do hear of any events of the type you have in mind, I'll let you know - though I suspect that you are as well plugged in to this intelligence net as I am!
Best wishes.
David