The panel for the debate included former Home Secretary Charles Clarke (Labour candidate in Norwich South), Liberal Democrat Health Spokesman and North Norfolk candidate Norman Lamb, and Green candidate for Mid Norfolk Tim Birt.
The issues of how we pay for care and pensions are two of the biggest issues of our generation. Many of us judge societies by how they look after the most vulnerable, and that often involves the young and the old. I've heard so many terrible stories from pensioners on the doorsteps, we simply can't delay on taking action. We need cross-party cooperation wherever possible, but the bleak financial picture caused by Labour's economic recession makes our work even more important.
The event was covered in today's Eastern Daily Press:
| Eastern Daily Press
George said:
"The breech of trust by the last Parliament in the expenses scandal has heightened the need for all MPs to disclose their outside interests and confirm that they are a UK taxpayer. I have therefore published my schedule of interests, which I have prepared in accordance with the guidance issued by the Ministry of Justice.
"I feel very strongly that we need new people in Parliament with hands on experience of the real world, and of the industries and businesses whose affairs we regulate. But I believe that means we need to be very open about any roles so constituents can decide - at the ballot box - whether their MP is doing a good job and worthy of continuing in office.
"Not being a professional career politician, and coming to politics as a 42 year old local businessman, I have a small number of outside interests and advisory roles in food, farming and science which reflect my deep interest in the potential of these sectors for our local economy. I believe these advisory roles will be positive strength in my ability to promote the economic needs of the Mid Norfolk constituency, and if elected I would intend to continue with this level of advisory role with these organisations (or in the event of their changing or ceasing to operate potentially alternative similar), subject of course to their relevance to Mid Norfolk and being able to fulfil my Parliamentary duties."
| Parliamentary Candidate Declaration of Interests
If you live in an area covered by Breckland Council, you can download the form here (http://www.breckland.gov.uk/postalapp-2.pdf)
If you live in an area covered by South Norfolk Council, you can apply for a form here (http://forms.south-norfolk.gov.uk/ufs/BrowserCheck)
If you are unsure which council you fall under, please use the Aboutmyvote.co.uk service here (http://www.aboutmyvote.co.uk/register_to_vote/postal_vote_application/postal_vote_application.aspx)
Here is the video of their broadcast:
The Grand National is one of those inspiring events in the annual calendar when the nation comes together, has a flutter, and celebrates a special piece of our heritage, and the always inspiring stories of brave people defying the odds to acheive their goal.
Politics generally, and General Elections specifically, need to recapture some of that spirit. Taking part in choosing who goes to Parliament and who governs us should be a pageant of inspiring ideas and dreams. For me the chance to go to our historic Parliament and have a go at doing my bit and putting something back into this great country is a dream.
Sadly, trust in politics has been broken and a new generation of us are going to have to work hard to rebuild it. For me, It Starts Here at home in Norfolk.
As well as having a flutter at Corals in Watton on my godfather's son Tom Scudamore (unseated!) Corals kindly gave me a charity bet in aid of the Sue Ryder homes. I'm sorry it didnt pay off.
Hopefully this election will be a photo finish between Change, Trust In Politics and Hope.
This area - Wymondham's green belt and green 'lung' - is an important part of what makes Wymondham such a special market town. I worry that the scale, speed and design of the development will detract from, rather than add to, the quality of our town. We need houses, of course, but they need to be planned as part of a wider long term PLAN for our area, not a quick 'house dump' for the Government to hit a Target and a developer to make a quick buck.
We need to build in the right infrastructure, green field space, woodland, playgrounds, paths, and house layout using local materials and design and incorporating the right mix of housing to meet local needs, so that any development is something we can be proud of.
Councillor Martin Wynne (pictured) gave me a detailed tour today, and it is clear that S Norfolk council have put together a sensible long term plan and our local councillors are doing a good job making sure local people's voices are heard. They must be listened to properly in a real 'consultation'.
Over the last 3 years through my project The Norfolk Way has been working to stop this 'top down' approach to planning and get back to a more local and sustainable model. The Norfolk Way is a campaign that insists we ought not to have to choose between being a rural backwater or a concrete housing estate. With a more enlightened approach to smaller scale local housing, jobs back in the villages and investment in broadband, roads and rail, we could have a vibrant and sustainable economy in Norfolk.
All of us concerned should make enough noise to send a loud message to all future developers that Wymondham is not a soft touch.
We need to get right away from the whole notion of developers and London 'planners' forcing us into a corner by a war of attrition, and back to a more positive process in which we, the people of Norfolk and Wymondham lay out a vision of the sort of place we want to see for our grandchilldren, and then insist on it through the offices we pay and vote for.
I look forward to working with local residents to try and make sure a sensible Plan for the area is put together - and stuck to.
Photos: George Freeman and Cllr Martin Wynne visiting the site of the proposed 'Greater Wymondham' housing development.
This Saturday (27th March) a small Mid Norfolk village will stage a mass rally against the siting of one of the largest onshore electricity power transfer stations in Europe next door.
The Little Dunham Action Group, a community coalition formed to oppose the plans, have invited George Freeman, founder of The Norfolk Way campaign for more local control over development in Norfolk, to address their rally on Saturday.
The development is being proposed by development speculator Warwick Energy and will involve a huge 43 acre development, with 50ft high buildings, and 48,000 traffic movements, just 170metres from the picturesque Breckland village.
Commenting on the proposed development George Freeman said: “The scale of the proposed development is out of keeping with the Lt Dunham site. This is no ordinary ‘sub-station’. Warwick Energy are proposing to build a facility larger than two Wembley Stadiums. To place it on high ground, 170metres from a village, when you’ve got a huge area to choose from looks like a lazy, lowest cost proposal with little sensitivity to the area or community. There must be alternative sites with less impact, and if they cost a little more and eat into the developer’s profits, so be it.
“I hope and trust Breckland DC Planning Control will insist this is looked at again.
“This is a perfect example of why we need a planning system which starts with a vision for Norfolk. People are rightly fed up with proposed developments like this which appear out of the blue, with little or no sensitivity to the local community, in order to suit some Whitehall target or make a quick buck for a developer, with little compensation or benefit for the local community. Our infrastructure is too important to be planned this way.”
Keith Simpson MP and George Freeman recently met with the developers in the House of Commons, and have subsequently received briefing packs from the developers. Mr. Simpson has subsequently confirmed that he is yet to be convinced by the case. George Freeman said:
“Warwick Energy is a business specializing in preparing these sorts of bids professionally – making it almost impossible for a village of volunteers to compete with the money that has obviously been spent on the application.
“The Lt Dunham Campaign has set out some very detailed and sensible concerns and all we can do is hope that Breckland Council will do their job thoroughly and take the local objections seriously.”
The rally will be on Saturday 27th March at 1.30pm on the village recreation ground. It is open to all and more details can be found at www.little-dunham.co.uk.
75 people joined us on Saturday to launch our Mid Norfolk Election Campaign for 2010.
We revealed our logo and key campaign message - It Starts Here - combining a fresh and positive approach to politics based on grassroots action with a celebration of Mid Norfolk.
A video with highlights from the event is available on the home page of the website and photos will be available soon.
Come and get involved. If you care about Mid Norfolk and about making politics better, there is a role for you in this campaign.
The village of Lt Dunham has been earmarked as the location for a proposed electrical sub-station.
"But this is no ordinary sub-station. It is a massive proposed development in a totally inappropriate location. A 43 acre site, 50foot buildings and gantries, on high ground only 170m from a beautiful mid Norfolk village, with 4 years of development involving 48,000 traffic movements." said George.
"I was appalled by the proposal and look forward to doing all I can to help the village get a common sense decision from the local planning committee that this needs to be looked at again."
For more information, please visit www.little-dunham.co.uk.
The tour saw 3 key parts of the battle against social exclusion in Norfolk:
- Dereham Action For Children: tackling deprivation through early intervention
- Beeston Village School: state of the art fast broadband in a primary school
- Peddars Way Housing Association
At Dereham Action for Children in the Breckland Business Centre, George met the managers, trustees and youngsters, and pledged his support for their mission ‘to make tomorrow better for everyone’. George and Vicky Ford spent 40 minutes being asked by the 15 teenage clients about the ways that social exclusion in and around Dereham could be tackled.
Commenting on the visit, George said:
‘We need to do more to help youngsters into work. That means promoting local jobs and enterprise. Recognising the importance of basic education and vocational training for those for whom work is preferable to university. And reforming the benefits system to make it more rewarding for those who want to go from welfare to work. We make it too easy for people who prefer not to work, and too hard for those who do.’
At Beeston Village School George and Vicky met pioneering Head Chris Perry and saw the IT suite and fibre optic connection funded by the County Council, and server and PCS paid for by the school.
“On my visit to a pioneering Primary School in Beeston yesterday (EDP Friday 5th Feb) we saw what a powerful impact high speed broadband can have, thanks to great work by our County Council. But how ironic that our 6 yr olds have access in the classroom to broadband that their parents and businesses in Norfolk don’t!
“We need to pressure communications companies to take steps to ensure that Norfolk isn't kept in the slow lane in the future. If BT wont do it we should consider opening up the system and letting in others who will.
“With first class communications, Mid Norfolk could be a vibrant, high-tech rural economy with more and more people working from home.’
Vicky and George also spent 30 minutes being grilled by the pupil assembly and met the school council.
Finally, at Peddars Way Housing Association in Dereham, George and Vicky heard from Dave Seaton, MD, and Andrew Egerton-Smith, Chairman, about how Peddars Way and other local housing associations are at the forefront of pioneering schemes to raise the quality and quantity of social housing
Commenting on affordable housing, George said:
‘With average incomes in our area of £17,000 and starter homes selling for over £150,000, it is impossible for so many local people to find a home they can afford. With better rural communications and planning of the rural economy, we could unlock new schemes for building small developments of affordable housing on the outskirts of our villages, and provide the housing our area so badly needs.
Photo: George Freeman and Vicky Ford, Eastern Region MEP, meeting with clients at Action for Children in Dereham
