At the lecture, which is part of a wider series of lectures covering all aspects of the political spectrum, students were asked to quiz the Parliamentary candidate on any issues that they thought relevant.

Brandon said:

“I was very impressed with both the level of maturity that students showed and the high quality of teaching that the students had obviously received. It was encouraging to see people of such a young age expressing such an interest and insight in the democratic system.

“After the excitement of the American elections, there was an obvious buzz within the group. Indeed many individuals approached us at the end of the session regarding becoming involved as we work towards the General Election.”

“After requests from a number of Great Yarmouth Sixth Form College students, I would like to take this opportunity to announce the creation of Great Yarmouth Conservative Future; furthermore I would like to announce Tom Garrod as the official Chairman to the group. I wish him all the success for the future and look forward to working with him.”

Brandon Lewis spoke out after a report from the Home Affairs Select Committee stated that alcohol-related crime has placed a massive burden on police resources and diverts officers from tackling other types of crime.

In 2007, nearly half of all victims of violent crime reported by the British Crime Survey, believed their attacker to be under the influence of alcohol. There was also a 22% increase in offences committed between 3am and 6am in the first full year of 24-hour drinking.

Having met with local police on several occasions, Brandon Lewis said:

“This report clearly outlines the fact that Labour did not think through the consequences of introducing 24-hour drinking, and now the police service which is already stretched, has to deal with more alcohol fuelled violence and disorder.”

“A Conservative government would slash the red tape which prevents our police from doing their jobs and allow them more time to police the streets, tackling anti-social behaviour and drunken violence.”

Ahead of the publication of the Government’s draft Budget - the so-called Pre-Budget Report on 24 November, Brandon Lewis,Conservative Candidate for Great Yarmouth  has called for tax cuts to help Great Yarmouth’s economy and reduce unemployment. The latest official Government figures show the number of people claiming unemployment benefit in Great Yarmouth is now 2274 – a rise of 296 from this time last year.

Conservatives are calling on the Government to introduce tax cuts to create new jobs, under an innovative scheme which will help firms take on extra employees, boost the economy and reduce the damaging social costs associated with unemployment.

Private sector firms who hire someone who has been claiming unemployment benefits for more than three months and who has not previously worked for that company in the previous year, would receive a credit against employers’ National Insurance bills.

This would be funded by using money that would otherwise be spent on welfare payments to give tax cuts worth £2,500 per head over a year. It is estimated that the plan could create around 350,000 new jobs across the country over the next year. Simple safeguards would prevent abuse by ensuring that only genuinely new jobs would be eligible.

On top of this, Conservatives have already proposed:

·         A two-year council tax freeze, paid for by cutting back on government advertising and consultancy fees.

·         Taking family homes out of inheritance tax and nine out of ten first-time buyers out of stamp duty, funded by introducing a levy on non-domiciles.

·         Allowing small businesses to delay their VAT payments by six months.

·         Cutting payroll taxes for the smallest companies.

Brandon Lewis said:

“I am very concerned about the state of the economy. Jobs, businesses and livelihoods across Great Yarmouth are at risk, and it is clear that we cannot rely on Gordon Brown to produce the positive policies that will help us cope with recession. Change is desperately needed.

“Cutting taxes for local firms who create new jobs is one of the ways that we can support our local economy, in a fiscally responsible way.”

Brandon has today pledged to support local newspapers from the potential threat posed by the BBC's plans to start producing local video on demand news.

Brandon Lewis has written to the BBC Trust Chairman, Sir Michael Lyons, calling on the BBC Trust to reject the BBC's proposal to spend £23 million a year on new local video on-demand services, which could kill off local newspapers desperately trying to cope with a tough advertising climate.  

Conservatives have a much bolder vision for local newspapers, one which would enable them to invest in local TV. Local TV is very poor in the UK, especially compared to the USA, and Conservatives want Ofcom to take all the steps it can to encourage the development of a genuinely local TV sector. Local newspaper groups would be ideal partners in any expansion of local TV in their areas and the result would be positive for local communities and local businesses alike.

Brandon argues that the BBC should not be allowed to spend licence fee payers money damaging existing local news services and stamping out fledgling competition in local television.  

He says: "In an increasingly difficult advertising market why should local newspapers such as the Mercury and Advertiser have to face the additional threat of subsidised competition from the BBC? I don't think they should and therefore I have written to the BBC Trust asking them to take a strong stance on this proposal."

Brandon Lewis warns that new Government laws will put family homes at threat.

Homes across Great Yarmouth are at threat of seizure by unscrupulous lenders or invasion by aggressive bailiffs. At a time when families are struggling to manage their debts, the Government is weakening the rules which protect family homes.

·         New powers for bailiffs break into your home: Labour Ministers are changing the law to allow bailiffs the legal right to break into family homes to collect civil debts. These new provisions will permit bailiffs to use ‘reasonable force’ to enter homes, such as knocking down a door or smashing a window, to collect debts such as missed credit card bills, an unpaid parking fine or TV licence fee. Conservatives have pledged to reverse these new laws, which undo common law rights and liberties dating back centuries.

·         Family homes at risk from unscrupulous lenders: Conservatives are also pledging to stop the small print of another Labour law. The Government is making it easier for lenders to get a ‘charging order’ against a borrower’s home. A charging order gives lenders a legal stake in the borrower’s home, even if the missed payments are an unsecured debt.

·         Need for more protection against forced sales: Conservatives are calling for new rules to prevent families from losing their homes as a result of missing credit card bills or other unsecured loans: We do not believe families should be forced to sell their homes to repay relatively small debts. That is why we are proposing new rules to prevent anyone from being forced to sell their home to repay unsecured debts of less than £25,000.

Brandon Lewis said:

“Borrowers must be responsible for their debts, but I am alarmed that the Government is to allow unscrupulous lenders to force families to out of their homes for small sums, such as missing credit card payments.

“It is even worse that Ministers are to give bailiffs new powers literally to break down the door of family homes to collect debts, such as an unpaid parking ticket or TV licence.

“At a time when so many families are suffering from a soaring cost of living and an economy built on debt, it would be wrong in principle and in practice to impose these new state powers. We must protect Great Yarmouth’s families in these difficult economic times, and we need a greater sense of social responsibility from the Government and lenders towards those who are struggling to make ends meet.”

He asked: “Do you agree with Labour Government plans to reorganise local government in Norfolk?”

The overwhelming response was that residents are against unitary plans. 80% of residents who responded do not agree with the Labour Government’s plans to reorganise local government structures in Norfolk. Over the last year, Brandon Lewis has campaigned against these proposed changed. He said:

“These results back up exactly what we have been arguing for months now. There is no need to change a system that works perfectly well – this is just political meddling. Of all the issues this Government concerns itself with – this should not be a priority. It shows how out of touch Labour has become if it is more interested in fiddling with government structures than with issues such as unemployment and regeneration in our area”.

ENDS

Notes:

15% voted that they don’t care either way.

5% voted for the scheme.

Brandon Lewis welcomed new Conservative proposals to end Gordon Brown’s unpopular and damaging policies of bin cuts, bin fines and bin taxes. In a major national policy announcement, Conservatives have unveiled plans to help the local environment and improve services to family homes.

·         A Conservative Government will change Whitehall policy, restoring the expectation that councils should offer full weekly collections – ending and reversing the Labour policy of bin cuts, which are harming public health and the local environment in many parts of the country.

·         Central funding will be offered to all councils so they can have full weekly collections, on top of a comprehensive recycling service. This will be funded by scrapping a host of unelected quangos and local government red tape. Based on the current rate of cuts, weekly bin collections will disappear completely from Britain by 2013.

·         Councils, subject to the ballot box, will still have the final decision on what services to offer – but they will no longer be bullied into cutting services due to Whitehall diktats.

·         Gordon Brown’s plans for new bin taxes will be scrapped. Labour’s stealth taxes threaten to harm the environment by fuelling fly-tipping and backyard burning.

·         Conservatives will champion green incentives – from trials for free green compost bins, water butts, green cones and garden wormeries, to the ‘Recyclebank’ scheme, used in America, where householders are paid for recycling.

·         New powers will be given to councils, allowing them to cut local council tax bills in return for recycling and green behaviour.

Brandon said:

“Gordon Brown is making it ever harder for families to dispose of their waste responsibly. Despite soaring levels of council tax, local people are being hit by cuts to collections, over-zealous use of bin fines and the prospect of expensive new bin taxes which will push up the cost of living. Councils are getting the blame for policies imposed by Whitehall. That must change.

“Conservatives believe that regular rubbish collections are a vital frontline council service to help protect the local environment and public health. We reject Labour’s approach of state bullying, cutting services and higher taxes. We will provide funding for those councils that want to provide proper weekly rubbish collections, on top of comprehensive recycling services.

“We will make it easier for families to go green and increase recycling by working with households, not punishing them with heavy-handed bin taxes, bin cuts and bin fines.”

The Gapton Hall roundabout is a notorious problem in Great Yarmouth. Since 1994 there have been 76 personal injury accidents on the roundabout. In 2006 this figure hit its highest level for 8 years. Brandon Lewis has been running petitions both on his website and on the 10 Downing Street site urging the Highways Agency to address the issue and begin improving the roundabout ahead of the proposed start date in 2009/10.

Now the weight of local feeling, along with the sterling work of the Conservative Borough and County Councils - and in particular Cllr Graham Plant - has seen the Highways Agency agree to begin works to make the roundabout safer. However these works are only a short-term solution to the problems motorists and pedestrians face.

Brandon Lewis said:

“Local people are sick and tired of the traffic chaos on and around the Gapton Hall Roundabout. They, like I, will welcome the news of the improvements, but we shouldn’t think this is an end to the problems we face at this junction.

“We know that more houses are going to be built in the future which could render the current improvements obsolete. Yet again this Government are trying to save money by putting in short-term solutions which will potentially have a negative affect a few years down the line.

“I am asking the various Government departments involved in this decision to consider the long-term and invest today to make this junction as safe as it could possibly be.”

ENDS

Hard-pressed local residents across Great Yarmouth could benefit from lower council tax, under national plans which have been drawn up by Conservatives. Taxpayers in Scotland benefited from a council tax freeze this year, thanks to a deal struck between Scottish local authorities and the Scottish Executive. But those living south the border were not so lucky.

The new Conservative proposal involves a partnership with local councils, giving them extra support to deliver a council tax freeze in the first two years of a Conservative Government.

·         If a council keeps its council tax bill rise to 2.5% or less, then central government will provide sufficient additional resources to fund a further, additional 2.5% reduction in council tax bills.

·         Each council will be completely free to accept or reject this offer. Those that accept the offer will be able to give their taxpayers a complete freeze, or even reduction, for two years in a row.

·         Across Great Yarmouth, the value of a council tax freeze would be equivalent to saving £212 over the two years. Under Labour, council tax has soared by 132% over the last ten years, taking the average Band D bill to £1416.

The cost to central government of reducing council tax would be funded from savings from cutting central spending on public sector consultants and advertising, and not from the overall local government budget. The Labour Government is now the second biggest advertiser in Britain, spending five times more than Tescos. It has also been slammed for the irresponsible and expensive use of consultancy firms, on top of civil servants.

Brandon Lewis said:

“Under Labour, council tax has soared across the country, pushing up the cost of living. Families and pensioners facing the economic squeeze cannot afford yet more tax rises from Gordon Brown.

“The next Conservative Government will work with local councils to freeze council tax for at least two years.

“Instead of rising council tax bills year after year under Labour, millions of families will get help at the time they need it most. Conservatives will not leave people to struggle with the credit crunch on their own.”

Brandon said “I have contacted the Leader and Deputy Leader of the council to ask then to look at ensuring that local business are paid in 20 days and also that the council gives at much business as possible to local business when placing orders, wherever possible. Many small businesses are now at a stage where cash flow could become an issue and the council can lay its part to help them by paying invoices swiftly and giving business locally where it can.

This is a time where if we all pull together as a community then we will ensure that we come through it stronger and ready to benefit when the uncertainty begins to move away. I know that our Council do all they can to support the community and this may well be just one more thing that could help local small businesses.”

End

Mr Lewis said: “I know from discussion with retailers that the Christmas period can often account for up to 40 per cent of the total trade for many independent businesses and they use the profit made from that increased volume of trade to see them through the rest of the year. With our seasonal tourist trade this can be easier in some areas of Great Yarmouth than others.

“All the signs are that this Christmas will be one where money is tight and shoppers will be spending less and I believe it is important that retailers are prepared to face those problems.

“Small shops should make sure that they are receiving all the support they are entitled to – for example if their rateable value is below £15,000 a year have they claimed Small Business Rate Relief which can give them up to half their business rates back!

“I would also encourage shoppers to think twice before getting in their car and travelling to the big out of town shopping centres – when they take account of the fuel costs involved it can often be cheaper to shop locally and by doing so they can help us keep these independent retailers in business. It is these small local shops that are the life blood of a rural and local community and we can all help to support them.

“The economic picture is a bleak one but I am confident that by preparing now and working together as a community we can have a Christmas in Great Yarmouth, which does not lead to empty shop premises in the New Year.”

The latest news from Brandon Lewis, can be found on his web page which can be accessed at www.brandonlewis.org and people can respond to the latest electronic poll through that site.

Mr Lewis said: “During the last week or two Great Yarmouth residents over the age of 65 may have been receiving letters reminding them to make an appointment with their GP to be vaccinated against flu ready for the coming winter.

“Senior citizens are a high risk category for being susceptible to this illness but there are other groups too who can be badly affected  including people with heart or lung diseases or who suffer from asthma or diabetes and I would strongly encourage anyone in those groups to also get vaccinated before the real onset of winter.

“With high fuel costs meaning many people will be turning down the heating this winter there are predictions that we will see higher levels of flu this year and getting vaccinated is a very good way of reducing the impact of the illness.”

The latest news from Brandon, can be found on his web page which can be accessed at www.brandonlewis.org and people can respond to the latest electronic poll through that site

Call to rid local government of another Quango

For many years our local councils have protected residents and communities and the green belt with their planning powers. They are elected locally and are accountable locally.

For example in Great Yarmouth at Fritton Woods we have a private developer who is seeking to develop a gravel pit in this area of beauty and interest. The residents have a petition of over 14,000 now and they have done that because they believe that locally elected and accountable councillors will be able to make a decision with local knowledge and will be able to listen to the residents.

I spoke at the Conservative Party conference this week to ask about the new planning quango that the Government is planning and took the opportunity to highlight the Fritton Woods campaign, which was shown live on television.

With the new government planning bill we have the Labour government creating a new quango: the infrastructure planning commission, which will not need to take heed of local issues, will not be accountable and could put a concrete jungle across our green belt.

I was pleased to hear Eric Pickles MP (Shadow Secretary of State for DCLG) confirm that a Conservative Government will scrap this quango and ensure power on planning issues stays local with elected councillors. This is the right way for local issues to be decided.

As damaging uncertainty continues over whether or not the Government will introduce a stamp duty suspension or deferment scheme, Brandon Lewis today called on Gordon Brown to use government powers to suspend Home Information Packs (HIPs) to help boost the beleaguered housing market.

Twelve months on from their introduction, there is growing evidence that HIPs deter speculative sellers, increase transaction costs, discourage sellers from changing estate agent and reduce the number of housing transactions – all compounding the economic downturn.

·      Ministers have powers to introduce a HIPs holiday now: When the Government pushed the Home Information Pack laws through Parliament in 2004, it slipped in a last minute concession to allow a government to suspend any or all of the HIP laws. Parliament does not need to be sitting for such a power to be used.

·      Five ways HIPs are harming the housing market: HIPs are undermining an already unstable market:

1)      HIPs discourage speculative sellers from putting their homes on the market and act as a barrier to entry; this restricts housing supply and so reduces the number of net housing transactions.

2)      By duplicating the need for searches and not providing reliable information, HIPs increase transaction costs, increasing the net cost of moving home.

3)      HIPs reduce market responsiveness, by discouraging people from changing estate agent if their house does not sell – as they may be asked to buy a new HIP.

4)      The searches in HIPs go ‘stale’ if a house is left unsold for too long, increasing transaction costs in a slow market, and acting as a further deterrent to would-be sellers.

5)      If the seller has opted for a so-called ‘free HIP’ – a deferred payment option – they will be hit with a fee if they want to change estate agent, on top of the cost of any new HIP with their new agent.

·      Government ignored warnings of harm to economy: Research by independent experts, Oxford Economic Forecasting, warned back in 2006 that HIPs would deter sellers and curtail the number of housing transactions by between 10% - 25%. In turn, this would cut consumer spending, reduce labour mobility and increase the medium term level of unemployment. Ministers ignored these warnings.

·      Suspension of HIPs would still allow for EPCs: The Government claims that HIPs are necessary to meet an EU Directive which requires Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs). Yet in Northern Ireland since the start of July 2008, such Certificates have quietly been introduced for home sales without HIPs. Whitehall’s own Better Regulation Commission has slammed the UK Government for “gold plating” the EU Directive on EPCs, and imposing “additional administrative burdens [of HIPs] without adequate justification”.

Brandon Lewis said:

“I believe that urgent action is needed to kick start the housing market in Great Yarmouth. I have spoken to local estate agents and they agree. But the Labour Government is dithering – and their spin and speculation over stamp duty is further undermining the market by making buyers wait and see.

“Before Home Information Packs were introduced, Labour Ministers ignored warnings from experts and industry that this new red tape would harm the housing market and the economy. These warnings are coming true, but Ministers are more interesting in saving face than saving homebuyers money.

“Gordon Brown only wants to talk about housing to create a distraction from Labour leadership speculation. If he genuinely wanted to help, he would use his powers to suspend Home Information Packs straight away. A future Conservative Government will scrap this unnecessary red tape completely, but a suspension now will deliver those benefits sooner rather than later.”

Mrs Amy Darby of Darby and Liffen said: “HIP has not quickened the house buying process, if anything it has slowed it down.  Estate agents cannot advertise and market the property before confirmation of HIP has been ordered. Vendors find this an expense they can do without and there is no guarantee of a sale. Searches are valid for 6 months only, after which they have to reapply for. In my opinion this is a job creation scheme by the present government to keep unemployment levels low. HIP inspectors are regularly reducing the price to produce a HIP.  Who polices this service?”

Mr Owen Darby, also of Darby and Liffen also said: “If the idea of HIPs wasn't bad enough already, the combination of an economic crisis with the terrible mortgage situation contributing greatly to the property market taking a severe downturn.  HIPs are not showing their worth, if anything they are causing further distress to any would be property seller especially to those of who are in a position of needing to sell their property because of personal financial difficulties, this being the case how on earth can they afford to pay for a home information pack?  Yes, there is the deferred payment option, but who is to say the property will definitely sell?  Another blow to the property seller, searches contained within the HIP are valid for a period of only 6 months.  Can any agent guarantee selling a property within this time?  The fact is no agent can guarantee or even be genuinely hopeful of making a sale of any kind in this current climate.  Why should the property seller be punished even more simply because they cannot afford to keep their home and are trying to do the right thing by selling their property freeing themselves from financial burden.

In a question from the floor of the International Conference Centre in Birmingham during a debate on the Environment and Local Government, Brandon Lewis said that local authorities have for years protected residents and communities and, in particular, the green belt with their planning powers.

Brandon Lewis said:

“With this new Government planning bill we are seeing the Government creating yet another new and unnecessary Quango, which will not need to take heed of local issues will not be accountable to the very people who will be most affected by their decisions.

“For example, at Fritton Woods in Great Yarmouth a private developer is seeking to develop a gravel pit in an area of outstanding beauty and environmental interest. There is considerable animosity to this plan and residents have organised a petition of over 14,000 people.

“The reason they have done this is because they believe that their locally elected and accountable councillors will be able to make a decision using their local knowledge and will listen to the warranted concerns of the residents.

“This Government is obsessed with hoarding power when it is the local councillors who have regular contact with their constituents who are in the best position to decide what is good or bad for their areas. I’m very pleased that Eric Pickles has pledged to scrap the proposed Commission”. 

ENDS

Conservative Candidate for Great Yarmouth, Brandon Lewis, again led the call for the Boundaries Commission to stick with the status quo and was joined on the panel by, among others, the Conservative Candidate for Waveney, Peter Aldous, and Managing Director of Great Yarmouth Borough Council, Richard Packham.

Brandon Lewis said,

“Although this was a meeting to discuss local industry, the overwhelming topic of interest was the reckless changes being proposed by the Labour councillors in Norfolk and Suffolk.

“As I have said on many occasions, these proposals will not only stick two fingers up to the historic demarcations of our two counties, they are also going to be expensive and will most likely result in a lack of local transparency.

“Labour is trying to preserve its shaky hold on our local councils by messing around with historic and well-proven boundaries. All this at a time when its authority has been eroded across the country. Great Yarmouth residents deserve better".

ENDS

Although the junction is currently low down on the County’s list of priorities due to a lack of accidents, as a resident of Hemsby, Brandon is acutely aware of the dangerous nature of the current situation, and agrees with residents concerns that it is only a matter of time until someone is badly hurt or worse on the crossroads.

Brandon Lewis said,

“I have been approached by a number of Hemsby residents in recent months who have shared serious concerns about the dangers surrounding the crossroads at Waters Lane and Yarmouth Road. I use that junction myself and I too have experienced the issues regarding visibility on approach.

“I do not accept the excuse that it is not a priority due to low accident levels, and I feel that waiting for an accident to occur before acting would be showing an irresponsible attitude towards road safety.

“As your Conservative Parliamentary candidate I would like to see if we can work to find a solution. I plan to speak to the County and the Highways Agency shortly, and I would like to provide them with the personal testimonies of people who use the junction day in and day out.

“If you would like to have a say on safety at the crossroads, please email me at office@brandonlewis.org or write to me at 20 Yarmouth Business Park, Suffolk Road, Great Yarmouth, NR31 0ER. All your opinions will be very much appreciated. You can also sign our petition at www.tellbrandonlewis.com ”

It is in response to proposals made by Labour councillors to join Norwich, Lowestoft and Yarmouth into a unitary council.

The motion disagrees with the call for a review of the two-tier local government structure and argues that one of the options up for consultation should have been to retain the status quo and keep things as they are. It also suggests that efficiencies would be better achieved within the council and local democracy better preserved if there was more joint working between existing authorities.

This could be done on the basis of the Norfolk shared services model. Other parts of the motion include acknowledgement of both Norfolk and Suffolk as areas with historic integrity and also a call for any changes to be put to the vote by the people of Norfolk.

Commenting on the motion, Brandon Lewis said:

“This motion has my complete backing. I am pleased to see that it also focuses on the historic integrity of both Norfolk and Suffolk and how they should be maintained and preserved. This is one of the reasons why I do not see a need for change to the present system that we operate under.

“Residents do not want to see their elected officials messing about with structures of local government – they want to see better services, lower bills and an area they feel proud to live in. How much money will be wasted on this barmy scheme? This just goes to show how out of touch the Labour Party is”.

ENDS

Minister for the Environment, Phil Woolas, earlier this year assured residents in areas under threat from coastal erosion that the Government was readying policies to protect them. However, in an interview with the Independent last month, the new head of the Environment Agency, Lord Smith, said that it was “impossible” to defend every bit of coast from sea erosion and that “priority areas” were being drawn up.

Suggesting that parts of north-east Norfolk and Suffolk faced the most immediate danger, Lord Smith said that he was seeking a "consensus" over which coastal stretches to protect, and at some point he would “begin to talk with communities where we think defence is not a viable option.”

Discussing the possibility of evacuation before Lord Smith’s newspaper revelations, Woolas had said that no sensible government would ever contemplate that.

Conservative Candidate for Great Yarmouth, Brandon Lewis, said:

“While the Environment Agency is drawing up plans for evacuation, the Environment Minister is promising extra funding for coastal defences.

 “These sort of mixed messages coming out of Westminster are not only confusing, they have the potential to do a lot of harm.

“People in the towns and villages under threat from coastal erosion need to know if they should be worried about their house prices or if their families are in danger.

“It is time for the Government to come clean and make their position perfectly clear otherwise residents will continue to feel confused and mislead”.

ENDS

Following the proposals made by Labour councillors to join Norwich, Lowestoft and Yarmouth in a unitary council, Conservative Candidate for Great Yarmouth, Brandon Lewis, has warned locals that unless they make their opposition to the plans vocal, they risk seeing taxpayers’ money wasted and local history trampled on for political purposes.

Brandon Lewis said:

“What the Labour groups in Norfolk and Suffolk are proposing is a basic political power grab that at no point recognises the historic legacy of our two great counties.

“The local government structure that has been in place for so many years has served us very well and will continue to do so. Any attempts to change it are not only going to be confusing and expensive they are downright irresponsible and extremely pointless.

“Their proposals could marginalise those living in rural areas in Norfolk, whilst simultaneously trampling on the position of Lowestoft as one of Suffolk’s most successful economic hubs.

“Therefore I urge people living in these areas to register their views before 26th September and voice opposition to the proposed changes".