Cllr Barry Stone, Brian Jewell and Ken Lewis

Gordon Brown’s Government wants to impose a new £6 + VAT tax which will be levied on every fixed telephone line in all homes and businesses across the country. Homes with multiple lines might pay multiple times. The tax would be levied on homes with and without broadband access.

Conservatives have unveiled alternative proposals to increase competition and introduce superfast broadband across the United Kingdom. The action plan will:

·                Open up BT’s ‘local loop’ monopoly to other telecommunication operators, and review unfair business rate rules.

·                Investigate the use of sewers and other utility infrastructure to lay broadband cables.

·                Allow telegraph poles to be fitted with fibre optic cables, rather than old fashioned copper wire.

·                Ensure that all new homes are capable of receiving superfast broadband through a fibre to the home network.

·                Use money currently allocated to the digital TV national switchover to help establish a universal network, and after 2012, look at using this money to ensure superfast broadband reaches rural areas.

At present, 92% of homes in the East of England have a fixed telephone line, and 75% have access to some form of broadband internet access.

Brandon Lewis said:

“Great Yarmouth’s homes and businesses deserve access to the latest 21^st Century technology. It’s time to end the digital divide and deliver superfast broadband to all parts of the country, including rural areas.   I have already met with Babcock Networks to discuss the possibility of bringing wireless broadband to Great Yarmouth with no tax implications and will be meeting them again to further these ideas.  The Conservatives will open up the BT monopoly and increase competition, while Labour just want to hit homes with an unfair new phone tax. There is nothing that Gordon Brown won’t tax, which is why it’s time for change.”

·         A raised profile and an improved public image

·         Wider patronage

·         Increased expenditure

·         Lower crime and anti-social behaviour

·         A more successful mixed-use economy

As such the Great Yarmouth Police are very keen to gain the Purple Flag award for our town and at present the bad condition of the station could stand in the way of success.

Brandon Lewis said” A welcoming facade to Great Yarmouth station is going to be critical to the success of the Purple Flag award.  I have met with the police and we are looking at ways of getting volunteers involved in tidying up the station in the short term. We will continue to put pressure on the relevant organisations to see the results we are looking for.” 

“At present the franchise is up for renewal so only short term improvements can be made.  The consultation on the new bid can be found on the Department of Transport website www.dft.gov.uk/consultations/open/2010-07/.  The consultation team want to know what you think about their plans – please send an email to GreaterAnglia@dft.gsi.gov.uk  or write to Greater Anglia Consultation, Department for Transport, 5/26 Great Minster Houe, 76 Marsham Street, Lodnon, SW1P 4DR by 19 April 2010 as improvements to Great Yarmouth Station need to be a priority on these plans.”

“Please continue to support us by going online at www.fixourstation.com and sign the online petition. Also please visit the Department of Transport website and add your thoughts.  You can join our Facebook Group by searching for Fix Great Yarmouth Station.”

The representatives agreed that Great Yarmouth train station needs improving and this summer have agreed to put in new plants and to see if they can find money to tidy up the weeds on the approach to the station.  Representatives have also agreed to meet with Great Yarmouth Borough Council and Norfolk County Council to look at the mid-term and long term options for improvements.

At present there is an issue with the franchise as it is up for renewal and as such only short term improvements can be made.  The consultation on the new bid can be found on the Department of Transport website www.dft.gov.uk/consultations/open/2010-07/.  The consultation team want to know what you think about their plans – please send an email to GreaterAnglia@dft.gsi.gov.uk  or write to Greater Anglia Consultation, Department for Transport, 5/26 Great Minster Houe, 76 Marsham Street, Lodnon, SW1P 4DR by 19 April 2010 as improvements to Great Yarmouth Station need to be a priority on these plans.

Brandon Lewis said “ I understand that at present we can only talk of short term improvements but I was very pleased with the outcome of our meeting today.  I  and the Fix Great Yarmouth Station Team want to see the station cleaned up and we will continue to put pressure on organisations to see the positive results we are looking for.  Please continue to support us by going online at www.fixourstation.com and sign the online petition. Also please visit the Department of Transport website and add your thoughts.  You can join our Facebook Group by searching for Fix Great Yarmouth Station.”

 “I am dismayed at Labour’s willingness to blindly shed jobs in Great Yarmouth by shutting the local HMRC office. This latest response to my demand for a justification of the Government’s decision is just not good enough.“Many local people have joined me in campaigning to keep this office open and this decision is deeply disappointing. But, we will not give up. I still argue that Great Yarmouth would be a cost effective location for the offices and the Great Yarmouth office is right in the heart of the regeneration project area.”

Notes to Editors:

The Government last month announced that The Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) offices at Havenbridge House in Great Yarmouth will close next year.  This decision will result in redundancy for many workers.   

This week Brandon Lewis received a letter from Anne Fuller, PF ER&A Parliamentary Team at HM Revenue and Customs outlining the reason behind centralisation in Norwich. But the letter and documents do not outline why Great Yarmouth was not considered as a viable option. 

The letter says HMRC does not hold this information, but the decisions on which buildings to retain or vacate were based on which buildings best meet future business needs.  It also says that the efficiency savings that HMRC will achieve by moving to new business operating models, most of which depend upon bringing larger teams together in a smaller number of offices, will be realised across the business and cannot realistically be broken down to individual building level. 

Decisions on whether to close or retain a building have not been made on that basis, but on the basis of what buildings best meet HMRC’s long term business needs.

·                New statistics show that 1.4 million households had bailiffs knocking at their door for unpaid council tax last year – up nearly 70 per cent since 1997. Another 1,517 people were made bankrupt by the courts for their council tax debts. In Great Yarmouth 3,422 households had bailiffs knocking on their door and 12 people were made bankrupt.

·                Whitehall guidance issued by John Prescott in 2004 encourages the use of bailiffs by town halls. It even recommends that in-house town hall bailiffs remove the official council branding from their bailiff demands.

·                New official figures also reveal that that a record 3.1 million households are now in severe council tax difficulties and face liability orders for unpaid council tax.  In Norfolk there are 41,269 households in severe council tax difficulties.   Liability orders allow councils to seize money from wage packets/benefits or commence bailiff proceedings.

·                Conservatives have pledged to work with councils to freeze council tax bills in England and provide additional central funding to keep bills down for the next two years. Scotland has already benefited from a council tax freeze, making bills almost £300 a year less on a comparable home north of the border. Labour Ministers have ruled out introducing such a policy in England.

Brandon Lewis said:

“Thanks to Gordon Brown doubling council tax bills, a record number of families in Great Yarmouth and across the country are struggling to make ends meet. More people now face the threat of menacing bailiffs knocking at their door. This is a crisis of Labour’s own making.

“The fact that Labour Ministers have blocked a council tax freeze for England shows how out of touch Gordon Brown is with the plight of hard-working families and pensioners. Only a Conservative Government will work with Great Yarmouth Borough Council to help fund a council tax freeze and bring real help to low and middle income families. Only Conservatives can deliver the change our country needs.”

The Fix Great Yarmouth Station Team this week sent a letter to station staff outlining the details of the campaign and asking them for their support.  The letter also referred to how hard it must be for the staff working at the station in pretty poor facilities and explained how in no way do Brandon Lewis or the Fix Great Yarmouth Station Team blame the staff for the condition of the station.

Brandon Lewis said” Tourism in Great Yarmouth provides almost £500 million to the local economy a year.  Many of these tourists come by rail and our station does not welcome them and the station does not reflect what Great Yarmouth has to offer.    We want to welcome people as they arrive not put them off.  I am disappointed that National Express East Anglia have yet to arrange a meeting to discuss the campaign.  I will, along with the Fix Great Yarmouth Station team, put pressure on National Express East Anglia to endeavour to get these improvements done.  You can show your support by going online at www.fixourstation.com and sign the online petition, or there will be volunteers at the station with petition forms.  You can also join our Facebook Group by searching for Fix Great Yarmouth Station.”

New Conservative proposals would:

•                 End Labour’s practice of pushing thousands of businesses into bankruptcy over small amounts of unpaid taxes. Jobs would be saved and entrepreneurs would be given the support they deserve. The statutory threshold over which the Government can petition to make a business insolvent would be raised.

•                 Boost social mobility by ending the unfair restrictions on people starting a business in social housing. Social tenants could become entrepreneurs, creating new jobs and opportunities. Measures to prevent noise and nuisance would remain in place.

•                 Make it easier for people to set up new enterprises by cutting the time it takes to open a new business. Britain should become the fastest place in the world to start a business. Under Labour, it takes twice as long to start one in the UK as in the USA, Denmark or Hong Kong. The number of forms needed to register a new business will be cut, moving towards a ‘one-click’ registration model.

These changes come on top of Conservative plans to reduce small company corporation tax rates to 20p; to make small business rate relief automatic in England, saving small firms up to £1,260 per year; and to abolish tax on the jobs created by new businesses in the first two years of a Conservative Government.

Brandon Lewis said:

 “To move out of recession, local firms in Great Yarmouth need a strong helping hand to help create new jobs and expand their business. Conservatives will remove the obstacles in the way of new firms and stop the taxman kicking local firms when they’re down.

“But the message from Labour Ministers is ‘don’t start a business, don’t buy your home, don’t try and leave money to your children, don’t try and get on’.  They’ve made it so difficult to employ people, so difficult to start a business.  We can’t go on like this, and it’s time for change.”

Great Yarmouth train station is the welcoming point to many tourists but the station is run down with grotty toilets, dirty floors, broken windows, dying plants and minimal facilities.   Brandon Lewis and the Fix Great Yarmouth Station Team want to see the station cleaned up, they aim to put pressure on National Express East Anglia to make drastic and immediate changes to our town’s train station.    

Brandon Lewis said “The amount of people joining this campaign in such a short time shows how important it is to Great Yarmouth that we improve our station.  I have now spoken to National Express East Anglia and will be meeting them soon.  Please continue to support us by going online at www.fixourstation.com and sign the online petition, or there will be volunteers at the station with petition forms.  You can also join our Facebook Group by searching for Fix Great Yarmouth Station.  Please join the campaign, I will keep putting pressure on all the organisations involved to see the positive results we are looking for.”

Their importance is underlined by new analysis revealing that there were 8674 violent attacks on people across Norfolk in the last year, a rise of 36% per cent in the last decade. Under the manifesto plans, a Conservative Government would:

·         Give Norfolk’s citizens greater protection if they have to defend themselves against intruders in their homes, or if they stop a crime being committed in the street.

·         Create fifteen new rape crisis centres across the country, and give all existing rape crisis centres stable, long-term funding.

·         Grant local council’s new powers to fight booze-fuelled antisocial behaviour in Norfolk, and stop supermarkets selling alcohol at below cost-price which is destroying law-abiding local pubs and fuelling low-level crime.

·         Replace Police Authorities, making the police properly accountable to a directly elected person who will set priorities for local policing.

·         Publish detailed street-by-street crime statistics online every month, in an open and standardised format, so people know the real level of crime in their neighbourhood.

·         Make it clear that anyone caught carrying a knife in a public place can expect to be prosecuted and sent to prison.

Brandon Lewis said:

“Labour have launched endless initiatives and top-down schemes which have made little difference. Their broken promises have undermined people’s trust. We can’t go on with the police filling in forms instead of fighting crime.

“Our hard-working local police officers deserve the highest praise. But many people across Norfolk are hugely frustrated with our criminal justice system. They feel that it’s just not on their side anymore. These major Conservative proposals will help put the law back on the side of local people in Norfolk and give our police the full support they so richly deserve.”

Compulsory accreditation and an easy to understand accreditation system

A Minister for Tourism

Improvements to the station and transport system including parking

Funding to maintain the area and to regenerate

And that they would like to see a system where a qualification is needed to open a Hotel or Guest House.

Brandon Lewis said ”Tourism brings in nearly £500 million a year to the economy in Great Yarmouth and it is vital as it drives the economy here with employment.  We cannot let the tourism trade suffer we need to support them. The Conservative Party are looking carefully at Coastal Towns and how they can be helped and the coastal towns draft manifesto is entitled ‘no longer the end of the line’, which is how the Labour government has seen coastal towns over the last few years.”

Eric Pickles said”  Our coastal towns are one of the most iconic and popular features of our country and very important to the economy. Every year thousands of people visit these places on day trips and holidays and the Conservative Party want to see these towns prosper again.  We have produced a draft manifesto which includes measures that will help small businesses and encourage enterprise.  We also want to maintain and restore the iconic buildings in coastal resorts.  Many coastal towns have attractive Victorian and Edwardian properties as well as welcoming public spaces, including piers, parks, proms and bandstands. It is vital that our seaside resorts are maintained and enhanced, not only to attract visitors, but also to make them pleasant and attractive places to live all year round. The Conservative Party  want to re-invigorate our coastal towns and ensure they are no longer ‘the end of the line’.”

Brandon Lewis said “ The work that Carl and the team do at Newtown Youth Centre is vital to the area, I believe that youth provision is a key tool to reducing social problems.  I am so pleased to see Newtown Youth Centre being able to move forward with bigger and more exciting plans and I support them all the way.  I am delighted that Carl has decided to support the Conservative Party in the next general election.”

Eric Pickles said “ Carl Harding was a pleasure to meet, his enthusiasm and drive is inspiring.  The Conservative Party support social action and I am delighted to hear that Carl is supporting our party.  His work is very important to the community and a lifeline to many youngsters.”

Carl Harding said “ Youth and community inclusion is very important and I can see that the Conservative party share my vision on both of these subjects. Our centre is very important to the local community and we need to look towards a government that will not only secure its future but a government that will enhance and invest in us to help us move to the next level.  I feel now that the Conservatives have got back in touch with real people and with what really goes on within communities, and that is important when engaging with youths on social inclusion issues.   Brandon Lewis we feel will deliver and the injection of his enthusiasm can only be a positive move for the district of Great Yarmouth and the future of Newtown Youth Centre.

Brandon Lewis Prospective Conservative MP for Great Yarmouth and Eric Pickles MP, Chairman of the Conservative Party met with Winterton Coastal Erosion Group to discuss their plans for the future.  The group showed the effects of coastal erosion on the shoreline at Winterton Beach and then discussed the problems they have with being heard and looked for advice on how best to move forward. 

Brandon Lewis said” Coastal erosion is affecting many coastlines across the UK but the Labour government has created a huge swathe of agencies to sit between them and the residents making it very hard for councils to secure funding that will really make a difference to the problems.   We need to defend our coastline with positive action .”

Eric Pickles said “ It was very interesting to see how the coastline has changed over the years, I can see it is a real problem to residents.  The Winterton Coastal Erosion Group are passionate about making a difference and I hope they take my advice on board to form a united group with other coastal erosion groups in the area so they have a bigger voice.  The Conservative Party want to defend our communities, we want to give local communities greater powers to find local solutions to coastal defences and make sure that the Environment Agency takes greater account of local knowledge in their decision making.  We want to protect our coastline”

Eric Pickles MP and Terry Byrne

Brandon Lewis said, “It is always interesting to visit East Norfolk Sixth Form College, the students are always ready with a wide range of questions.  I would like to thank the tutors at the college for inviting myself and Eric to the college.”

Eric Pickles MP said, “  The students had many questions for me and I enjoyed answering them.  It is always interesting to hear what issues students are interested in and it was good to see so many young people so passionate about politics.”

Brandon Lewis said “ I am very pleased that National Express East Anglia are looking to engage on this campaign and I look forward to meeting them as soon as possible.  I also understand that National Express East Anglia have some franchise issues due to contract renewals being due soon and also that part of the area is possibly under Network Rail.  I will keep people informed as this campaign progresses and we will keep up the pressure on all the organisations to see the positive results we are looking for.  Please continue to support us by going online at www.fixourstation.com and sign the online petition, or there will be volunteers at the station with petition forms.  You can also join our Facebook Group by searching for Fix Great Yarmouth Station.”

Brandon Lewis said “ I am dismayed at Labour’s ability to turn a blind eye to the loss of government jobs in Great Yarmouth.  We should be fighting got keep this office not watching Labour walk away and admit defeat, after all it is the labour government who are closing this office having already taken so many government jobs away from Great Yarmouth over the last few years. I have time and time again written to the Labour Minister and the HMRC asking to see the paperwork outlining the reasoning behind the centralisation of these offices in Norfolk.  I would argue that Great Yarmouth would be a cost effective location for the offices and the Great Yarmouth office is right in the heart of the regeneration project area.  Who in Labour is fighting for these jobs, fighting for Great Yarmouth? Many people will lose jobs from this decision, and many who might be offered relocation will not be able to take it due to family commitments and transport issues.  We need these jobs to help re-build our local economy in Great Yarmouth but Labour are happy to just watch this happen.”

Brandon Lewis said “Tourism in Great Yarmouth provides almost £500 million to the local economy a year.  Many of these tourists come by rail and our station does not welcome them and the station does not reflect what Great Yarmouth has to offer.    We want to welcome people as they arrive not put them off.  Just as importantly  locals and commuters deserve a better place to travel to and from with better facilities. That is why our station needs improvement and needs improvement now, I will along with the Fix Great Yarmouth Station team endeavour to get these improvements done.  You can show your support by going online at www.fixourstation.com and sign the online petition, or there will be volunteers at the station with petition forms.  You can also join our Facebook Group by searching for Fix Great Yarmouth Station.”

Eric Pickles MP said “This station does nothing to welcome visitors, it is a disgrace.  The Conservative Party do not want to see coastal towns as the end of the line we want to ensure that coastal towns are placed high on the Conservative agenda and I fully support Brandon Lewis and the Fix Great Yarmouth Station team in their work to improve Great Yarmouth station, please sign the petition.”

According to the National Blood service 96% of us rely on the other 4% to give blood .  The National Blood Service arranges over 100 donation sessions every day across England and North Wales.  The whole process from arriving at the clinic to leaving takes on average less than an hour and you can give blood up to three times a year and more importantly each donation can save more than one life.

 Brandon Lewis said “  Blood donation in an important issue that potentially affects us all.  Giving blood is a really simple thing to do and it makes a huge difference to people’s lives.  I personally do not like needles but feel that giving blood is so important it is worth overcoming your fear for.  We want to see donation levels rise so more people’s lives can be saved.  I would urge people if they can to take an hour of their time and give blood, it really is important and you never know when you or a family member may need blood.”

To find out about giving blood you can call 0300 123 23 23 or visit www.blood.co.uk

Brandon Lewis said “ It is an honour to have the support of Ian Holman.   I know the huge importance he places on renewable energy and am keen for there to be more investment in  this industry especially in Great Yarmouth. With the announcement this week on Wind Farms I have written to the companies involved already to invite them to come and see what we have to offer in Great Yarmouth’, especially with our experience of Scroby sands wind farm. I am very grateful to  Ian for his support for me personally as a prospective MP for Great Yarmouth.”

 Ian said “Whilst my political bias is a little left of the line I am happy to push aside party politics and declare my intention to give Brandon Lewis my personal vote at the forthcoming General Election. I have met Brandon and discussed local and national issues with him. In my view he has the drive, enthusiasm and commitment to become a great representative for Great Yarmouth. I would encourage voters of all political persuasions to give serious consideration to supporting him on polling day……………………”

Churches, village halls, charity shops and sports clubs across Great Yarmouth face a new £20 million tax from Gordon Brown’s Government, Brandon Lewis, Prospective Conservative MP for Great Yarmouth warned this week. In the small print of obscure new regulations, the Government is abolishing charities’ and voluntary groups’ long-standing exemption from music licensing rules – hitting them with unexpected new bills just for holding events with recorded music or for playing a radio.

To date, voluntary groups have not had to pay for a so-called “PPL” performance rights licence in order to play recorded music. This exemption reflects the public benefit that such organisations provide, but this is now being abolished by the Government.

This will affect church worship, charity discos, tea dances, youth clubs, dancing groups, sports clubs and even charity shops which have a radio in their staff room. The changes are being imposed by Peter Mandelson’s Whitehall empire. The new levy will come into effect in April 2010 once the new regulations are ratified by Parliament. Conservatives are opposing these changes and standing up for local voluntary groups.

The Government admits that the new levies will cost voluntary groups £20 million a year. Some organisations will “cease playing music” because they cannot afford a licence, and it will hit a quarter of a million organisations – 140,000 charities, 6,750 charity shops, 66,440 sports clubs, 4,000 community buildings, 5,000 rural halls and 45,000 religious buildings.

These new levies are on top of bureaucratic rules imposed by the Licensing Act 2003, which requires expensive ‘premises licences’ for village halls to hold regular small-scale social functions, and which has imposed new red tape to play unamplified live music.

Brandon Lewis said:

“This is another Labour assault on the fabric of British community life. Having effectively shut down post offices and local pubs across (area), Labour’s Whitehall bureaucrats now have our village halls, scout huts, charity shops and churches in their sights. This is a heartless tax on community buildings and charities. The Government should think again and don’t stop the music.”