As millions of small businesses struggle with rising costs and red tape, Mark Prisk MP, Shadow Minister for Small Business, is leading an extensive nationwide survey to see how a Conservative Government could best help SMEs.

“Labour has failed small business”
Mark Prisk MP

The survey covers vital issues including access to finance, business advice, grants and government contracts. It follows the publication of the Richard Report, last month, which outlined a radical programme of reform government support for small business.

On launching the online survey, Mark Prisk said:

“Labour has failed small business. Conservatives want to help. We want to hear directly from businesses, small and large, on how we can help.”

If you have the time please fill in the survey, or visit Conservative Business Relations.

Government figures have shown a fall in the number of violent offenders being caught in Lancashire, while violent crime across the country has doubled.

In Lancashire, just 61 of the violent crimes reported are being solved, down from 71 just eight years ago.

Eric Ollerenshaw, prospective Conservative MP for Lancaster and Fleetwood, said: “Violent crime is one of the biggest threats to our community.  Horrific, violent attacks are becoming too common and the chance of them being solved is falling.  We need to release our police officers from all this form-filling and Government targets, and get them out, onto the streets, tackling this problem.”

Commenting, Shadow Home Secretary Dominic Grieve, said: “Despite the Government’s promise to tackle crime and the causes of crime and 60 Home Office Bills in ten years, violent crime has doubled under Labour. Yet these new figures show that more people are getting away with it. That literally adds insult to injury for the countless victims of violent crime up and down the country.”

• Overall and sanction detection rates for violence against the person offences by police force area: 2000/01 to 2006/07.*

* Source (MS Excel Spreadsheet): http://www.parliament.uk/deposits/depositedpapers/2008/DEP2008-1397.xls

The cyclepath connecting the Hala estate to the schools on Bowerham Road has recently undergone a series of improvements.

The upgrades to the popular short-cut from Gressingham Drive include widening the path, adding street lighting and signage and clearing out some of the undergrowth.

Jonathan Hazzlewood, the Conservative Representative for Bowerham and Hala, said: “The path is now much more welcoming and these improvements will hopefully encourage more residents to explore the district by bike, as well as provide a safer route for pupils to get school”.

Lancaster City Council’s website has more information.

Interesting reading today that United Utilities has announced an underlying profit before tax of £475.6 million, 17% up on last year!

The Chief Executive claims in his statement today that “continued investment in our assets will help raise environmental standards further and the offer to our customers” – but no mention of the impact on Fleetwood over the past years of the failure of environmental standards.

Wishful thinking perhaps, as so much now depends on the Government’s Environment Agency getting its act into gear. At the very least, can’t we expect United Utilities to provide the facilities for people closest to the plant to put in their complaints when the “smell” happens?

This won’t solve this problem overnight and certainly knocking on doors I know how disgusted everybody is with this issue, but until some kind of measured and recorded assessment can be made from the people most affected, then it becomes too easy for the Company to carry on in denial,

Yours

Eric Ollerenshaw
Conservative Parliamentary Candidate, Lancaster and Fleetwood

He attacked Labour for putting Britain “on the wrong path” by having “splashed the cash like there’s no tomorrow”:

“After years of reckless spending under Labour, Britain needs good housekeeping from the Conservatives. We need to start living within our means.”

David said a “whole new culture of government” was needed to control public spending, and he promised to:

- Reduce the long-term demands on the state, by tackling the causes of social problems

- Reform public services, by introducing greater accountability

- And make the public sector more efficient and transparent.

He ended by stressing that people can look forward to a brighter future with the Conservatives: “A low tax, competitive economy, with a high quality of life and the opportunity for everyone to make something of their life.”

Lancaster and Fleetwood’s Conservative Parliamentary Candidate, Eric Ollerenshaw, has offered his support to the small shops across the district.

“Small shops are the lifeblood of local economies and provide a lifeline to local residents across Lancaster and Fleetwood – and their survival is vital.

“The problem today is that the Government doesn’t seem to care. The rising burden of tax and regulation is forcing many of our local shops into the ground.

Labour removes the ‘needs test’

And Labour now intend to remove the ‘needs test’ from planning rules. This was crucial in safeguarding local shops, as it forced out-of-town shopping developments to show there was a real need for them in the area.

“Don’t let our local shops go the way of our Post Offices.”

Eric Ollerenshaw

“With this gone, local shops will come under even more pressure.

“It doesn’t have to be like this. That’s why the Conservative Party has commissioned a report – ‘Disappearing Britain’ – on how we can stand up for small shops.

If we care about our communities, and the local, independent retailers that give them their character, then it’s our responsibility to support them - not just by signing petitions and joining campaigns, but with our cash.

“Don’t let our local shops go the way of our Post Offices.”

Gordon Brown has insisted that Lancashire is receiving all the transport funding it needs, during a question session at 10 Downing Street.

Replying to a question from the Lancashire Evening Post, Bumbling Brown astounded local Conservatives by suggesting that not only is Lancashire’s transport network getting all the funding it needs, but that our roads are getting better.

The Prime Minster said: “I don’t think it is true to say that transport spending has been skewed to one particular area.

“In every part of the country we are spending (on) transport according to the needs of these different areas.”

According to the Treasury, the North West received £276 per person in transport funding, £43 less than the UK average and £338 less than in London.

Eric Ollerenshaw, Lancaster and Fleetwood’s Conservative Parliamentary Candidate, said:

“This astonishing statement by the Prime Minister shows how out of touch the Government is with reality”.

Lancashire Conservatives have pledged £47 million of improvements to the County’s roads and pavements if they take control of the County in next May’s local elections.

The improvements were pledged while the Conservatives presented their alternative budget to full council at County Hall.

The extra money would be financed by a combination of existing sources and would not lead to an increase of Council Tax.

An amount of £900,000 would also be set aside for cleaning and improving gullies to reduce the risk of flooding in residential areas.

The Post Office has today announced that four Post Offices in Lancaster along with one in Fleetwood are to close despite a frenzy of petitions and protests.

The announcement, released on the Post Office website, demonstrates once again the total arrogance and cynicism of Mr Brown’s Labour Government.

Ridge Square, Glasson Dock, Higher Greaves and Quernmore Post Offices in Lancaster will close, along with the popular Lighthouse Post Office in Fleetwood.

Despite the efforts of local Conservatives, which included a 1,100 strong petition and the visits of Shadow Post Office Minister, Charles Hendry MP and the Shadow Attorney General, Dominic Grieve MP, Labour have pressed ahead with the unwanted closures.

Eric Ollerenshaw, Lancaster and Fleetwood’s Conservative Parliamentary Candidate, said: “First they take away business from Post Offices, then they claim the Post Offices are uneconomic.

“They pretend to consult on closures and they close them anyway”

“Can this Government be honest about anything it does?”

The Conservative Party is to table a motion to be debated in the House of Commons on Wednesday 19th of March, which calls for the suspension of the Post Office closure programme.

The motion will highlight many concerns of local residents, including how the cuts will affect the elderly and disabled and the way the consultation process has worked.

The Government’s ‘access criteria’, which has been held responsible by many for recommending the closure of profitable and popular Post Offices, will also be highlighted.

Commenting, Alan Duncan, Shadow Secretary for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, said:

“We understand the widespread public dismay about the plans to close 2,500 post offices, particularly as the ones to be closed seem to be chosen for their geography rather than their viability.

Where the Conservatives are in control, such as in Essex, we are actively putting in money to save rural Post Offices.

Ben Wallace MP

“Across the country, MPs have been campaigning to highlight the failings of the closure plans and the consultation process. We think it is right that, in the light of all the complaints and concerns, Parliament should now call a halt to the process.”

Local MP, Ben Wallace, has praised Essex County Council in their efforts to save rural Post Offices. Discussing the loss of four of Lancaster’s Post Offices, Mr Wallace said:

“I am glad that my Party is not just talking about this issue, but is leading the way in keeping our Post Offices open. Where the Conservatives are in control, such as in Essex, we are actively putting in money to save rural Post Offices.

“Labour MPs who have protested against Gordon Brown’s Post Office cuts should put their votes where their mouths have been and support our calls for a suspension to the closures.

“These cuts can be reversed, but it needs MPs of all parties to listen to their constituents.”

Eric Ollerenshaw added “It would be nice if Labour’s Lancashire County Council could for once take a lead from Conservative-run Essex and do something practical to help.”

Lancaster Conservatives’ Campaign to save the City’s Post Offices has been delivered to Richard Lynds, the Post Office Network Development Manager.

Lancaster’s Conservative Parliamentary Candidate, Eric Ollerenshaw, delivered the petition of over 1,000 signatures to Mr Lynds last Monday as the public consultation drew to a close.

The campaign was supported by the Shadow Minister for Postal Services, Charles Hendry MP, who visited Glasson Dock Post Office last month.

Eric said: “Thanks to everybody who signed our petition and lets all just hope that with everybody’s help the Post Office and Gordon Brown finally see sense”.

We reprint below an email from the Post Office confirming our petition will be considered.

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Lancashire & Fylde with Southport Area Plan

Thank you for your email enclosing the petition in response to our proposals to close Glasson Dock, Higher Greaves, The Ridge and Quernmore Post Office(r) branches.

We view the six-week local public consultation as a very real and important opportunity for all interested parties to engage with us and let us know how our proposals impact on them, which will help inform and shape our final decision. I would, therefore, like to thank you for the time taken to consider our proposals and bring the views of the local community to our attention.

Richard Lynds, Network Development Manager has been informed of the strength of feeling expressed in petition format. As you are aware public consultation has ended at the close of business on 03 March 2008. We are currently considering all the responses received before making our decisions in line with various Government specified criteria and factors, having taken all relevant public consultation responses into account. I would like to confirm that the petition will be considered as part of this process.

Yours sincerely

Aale Syed
Agency Correspondence Team
Post Office Ltd