Jeremy Browne MP’s Monthly Update - October 2009
Posted by Jeremy Browne, MP for Taunton, at 16:21, Tue 5 January 2010:
Jeremy has praised the work of our emergency services after spending a morning with the emergency response team at Taunton Fire Station. He commented;
“It was impressive to see at first-hand the procedures used to tackle a blaze. The team responded to a fire at the Farmers Arms so quickly that the pub was almost immediately able to reopen.”
SAVE OUR PCSO'S
Jeremy is campaigning against Somerset County Council’s plan to cut £129,000 from the police community support officer budget in April 2010. He argued;
“PCSOs have a strong role is working alongside regular officers as part of a community-level team. The extra visibility makes a vital contribution to tackling lower-level crime and making people feel safer.
“For example, they visit schools, they see residents who have concerns about crime, they advise older people on home security, they hold surgeries in community centres, they help staff the police pod outside Taunton Asda and they support youth projects. They are also an extra resource to help when the police need to be involved but there is no criminal activity. I have seen PCSOs diverting traffic after an accident or helping to find lost children in Taunton town centre who have wandered away from their parents.
“I have now secured a debate on this campaign in the House of Commons at the start of November and I am also pleased that so many Somerset residents have joined my Facebook group to save our PCSOs.
“Any council which spends almost £50,000 on a single job advert but wants to cut the budget for community policing has got its priorities wrong.”
Read Jeremy’s Early Day Motion at; http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=39371&SESSION=899
Join the Facebook campaign at; http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=183095606078
TAUNTON DEANE'S SCHOOLS
In October, Jeremy visited eight education institutions across Taunton Deane. As well as spending a day work shadowing at The Castle School, he visited Kings Preparatory School, Busy Beavers Pre-School, The Priory School, West Buckland School, Ladymead School, Lydeard St Lawrence Primary School, and SCAT. He said;
“I spend a lot of my time visiting the nurseries, primary schools, secondary schools and higher education institutions we have here in Taunton Deane. They are at the heart of our community and are helping to shape our childrens’ futures, so it is vital that we get them right.
“Initiatives such as the extended opening hours at Busy Beavers ease time pressures on parents and it is also good to see schools like Bishop Henderson supporting healthy lifestyle initiatives like World School Milk Day. Adults ultimately have to take responsibility for their own lives but it is sensible to introduce children to healthy living and make sure that they have a good diet when they are growing up.”
IN THE COMMUNITY
Elsewhere in Taunton, Jeremy;
- Visiting St Teresa's Catholic Church, St Andrew's Parish Church, Taunton Rugby Club, Taunton Fire Station, Wiveliscombe Walkers and Connexions.
- Talking to North Curry Surgery, business leaders at Exchange House, Taunton Magistrates’ Court, the Baptist Men’s Movement, the Car Focus Awards Gala Dinner, Bath Place Traders Assocation.
- Attending the Wellington 10k and Taunton in Bloom presentations, the Harvest festival at ASDA, the Federation of Small Businesses, the Wellington CC dinner, the Amnesty International Tea Party, and the Emergency Services Response Day.
- Promoting the Rainforest and Soya Day in Taunton town centre, and judging the Rumwell Farm pumpkin competition.
SPOKESPERSON'S NEWS
Jeremy is the Liberal Democrat Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury, focusing on issues such as accountability in public spending, personal debt, taxation and affordable housing.
VINCE CABLE IN TAUNTON
In October, Vince Cable was invited by Jeremy to visit Taunton to address local business leaders. Vince’s speech focused on the recession, rising unemployment, the massive public spending deficit and regulation of the banks. Afterwards he answered a series of questions on economic issues. The meeting was held at Exchange House on The Crescent which is a new Business Centre offering conference rooms, office facilities and a programme of events. Afterwards, Vince said;
"We are still suffering from a very serious recession which will continue to have a major impact on jobs, tax revenue and public spending. It was interesting to have a discussion with business leaders in Taunton about what measures need to be taken to turn round the British economy.
"I work closely alongside Jeremy Browne in the House of Commons. He is passionate about the economic prospects for Taunton Deane and I welcomed this opportunity to come and support him."
Jeremy also said:
"Vince Cable is an immensely well-respected voice on the economy. I was delighted to bring him to Exchange House in Taunton and his speech was very well received by local business leaders."
EQUITABLE LIFE
Jeremy has spoken in favour of a Liberal Democrat motion, which is supported by over half of all MPs and urges the Government to accept all the Ombudsman’s recommendations on Equitable Life. After meeting with the Equitable Life Members Action Group, he told the House of Commons;
“There has been a track record going back months—indeed, years—of the Government dragging their feet and behaving dishonourably. Even last year the Prime Minister promised that the next stage of the process would be completed by the end of 2008.”
“A policy process that does not recognise the acute needs of the individuals concerned will cause a huge amount of distress. There was no talk about interim payments. There was considerable concern about the expression “disproportionate loss” used by the Government.
“We need to make it clear that that is not some form of means-tested benefit, but recognition of the actual losses experienced by real policyholders.”
Read the debate at; http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200809/cmhansrd/cm091021/debtext/91021-0012.htm
Read the Motion at; http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=38586&SESSION=899
TAX LAW
Jeremy wants to tighten the rules on tax havens. In two House of Commons debates, he asked;
“How often will [regulations on offshore funding] be reviewed, and what structures are in place to ensure that their success in averting tax avoidance can be accurately measured? How frequently will they be reviewed, and what is the mechanism for ensuring that reviews have a meaningful outcome?”
Read Jeremy’s speech on double taxation at; http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200809/cmgeneral/deleg3/091019/91019s02.htm Read his speech on offshore funds at; http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200809/cmgeneral/deleg2/091027/91027s01.htm
Jeremy has endorsed the principles of green taxation, but is calling on the Government to increase awareness amongst businesses effected. He commented;
“Does the guidance [on landfill tax] exist in full form, and to whom has it been circulated? I would not wish to have a situation in which people protested that they were unaware of the full scope of the changes because the guidance had not been as rigorous as the Government intended.”
Read his speech on landfill tax at; http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200809/cmgeneral/deleg1/091026/91026s01.htm
Contact Jeremy at office@tauntonlibdems.org.uk , or write to him at: Masons House, Magdalene Street, Taunton, TA1 1SG
Commenting on this message is now disabled.