May15 Edition 21 - Election Special by Post Group Midlands Ltd

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Issue #21 - May Election Special 2015 Published in Coleshill, North Warks. The Coleshill Post @ColeshillPost

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POLITICAL PHRASES: WHAT THEY DONâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;T TELL US SEE PAGE 12

MEET YOUR CANDIDATES: FOR ALL 3 ELECTIONS FROM PAGE 14

YOUR VOTE WILL COUNT VISIT WWW.THECOLESHILLPOST.CO.UK/ELECTION FOR UP TO DATE LOCAL COVERAGE

ON THURSDAY 7TH MAY YOU WILL BE ASKED TO VOTE FOR YOUR MP, 2 BOROUGH COUNCILLORS AND 5 TOWN COUNCILLORS. A REAL CHANCE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR the first time in at least a generation Coleshill has local elections on the same day as the general election. You have one vote in the General Election, two in the Borough Council election and 5 in the Town Council election. Like the general election, there are big issues at stake in Coleshill which

the Borough Councillors and Town Councillors you will be electing will have to deal with. Both Coleshill Conservative Party and Coleshill Labour Party have Coleshill specific policies though UKIP have yet to produce anything like a Coleshill manifesto. From their leaflets and public appearances there is a clear division developing between Conservatives and

Labour. The local Labour Party are pushing for improvements to the Memorial Park, freezing council tax, opposing the Daw Mill development, getting the streetlights back on and demanding a bigger police presence. In contrast the local Conservative Party candidates have publicly spoken out against the improvements to the Memorial Park and have been

in favour of keeping the lights off at night. Although they have said they are against Daw Mill, one of their candidates has revealed they are open to listening to commercial development at Daw Mill. Their leaflets suggest they will increase the amount of volunteer litter picks. There are two very different views of Coleshill. The Conservative Party are in favour of keeping things roughly as

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they are with more emphasis on volunteers whereas Labour want more investment in local services and better value for money for the taxpayer. Which view is put into reality depends on your vote which is why, in this edition of The Coleshill Post, we want to bring you the facts on policies, the election process and the structure of local government.

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The Coleshill Post - May 2015 - ELECTION SPECIAL - Issue 21

@ColeshillPost The Coleshill Post

Welcome to the Coleshill Post Election Special 2015

WHO DOES WHAT? The structure of local government

Warwickshire County Council Responsible for services across the whole of the county, like:

Education Transport Planning Fire and Public Safety Social Care Libraries Waste Management Trading Standards

North Warwickshire Borough Council Responsible for services like:

Rubbish Collection Recycling Council Tax Collections Housing Planning Applications

Parish & Town Councils Operating at a level below the County and Borough councils.

Getting in touch People & Departments Editorial

Richard Harwood - Editor richard.harwood@thecoleshillpost.co.uk

Advertising

Michael Moore - Sales Director michael.moore@thecoleshillpost.co.uk

Photography

Adrian Jones - Photographer info@adrianjonesphotography.co.uk

Telephone 01675 467189

Post

The Town Hall, High Street, Coleshill B46 3BG

The Coleshill Post @ColeshillPost

Produced and published by Hectic Enterprises Limited in Coleshill North Warwickshire. Frequency Monthly.

Do you really know who and what you’re voting for MESSAGE FROM THE EDITOR WELCOME to the Election Special edition of The Coleshill Post. You will notice that many of our regular features are missing, don’t worry we’ll be back to normal in the next edition.

I haven’t been able to include much of the contributions I’ve received so contributors please accept my apologies. I will do my best to include you in the next one. I am passionate, as I am sure most of you are too, about where we live and the opportunity we are presented with on May 7th is the only chance we as a community will have to voice our opinion and really bring about change to the way we are governed. The reason for this special edition is to equip you with the facts that you need to make a more informed decision and to help those who find politics daunting understand it a little better. This is a very exciting time for Coleshill and the

surrounding villages. For the first time in a generation there will be three elections on the same day. The General or Parliamentary election, the Borough Council election and Town and Parish Council elections. The outcome of all three will have a direct impact on day to day life in our town and villages. Historically most people have voted for a party at a general election which is understandable. However, local government, in this instance North Warwickshire Borough Council, plays a massive role in the decision making process of things that affect us most such as council tax, refuse collections, housing and planning. Voting for a party and ignoring individual candidates can be catastrophic in this instance. Most of the candidates for the Borough election work and live in the community and many of us will know them personally, be aware of their integrity and understand their views. However, those less known candidates rely on campaigning and political propaganda to rally support. By putting themselves forward to serve you

Allotments Public Clocks Bus Shelters Community Centres Play Areas and Play Equipment Grants to help local organisations Consultation on Neighbourhood Planning as a councillor they are agreeing to operate in the public eye and therefore expect voters to research them before deciding. A lot of candidates will have social media profiles including facebook and twitter. By nature these profiles are in the public domain and are a great way to really get to know the person asking you to vote for them. Often revealing their real views and opinions, good and bad. Ignoring this information and voting solely for the party has it’s obvious pitfalls locally. Anybody can stand for election providing they fit the criteria, do you really want to risk empowering a total stranger that can affect fundamental services that you may rely on. I would urge you to first look at the structure of local government (above) and be aware of who is responsible for what and secondly choose a candidate that you trust most to represent you and your needs best at each level.

For up to the minute news and more information on our candidates visit www.thecoleshillpost.co.uk/election

Visit www.thecoleshillpost.co.uk/election for even more election information

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The Coleshill Post - May 2015 - ELECTION SPECIAL - Issue 21

Harriet Harman said, “I was delighted to visit Sertec. Mike had visited the company a few weeks ago and suggested that Ed Balls and I come along because he was so impressed with what they were doing on apprenticeships. I met the apprentices and I was also pleased to be able to spend time talking with ten women who work in the business. I heard from the women about the pressures they are under with the

cost of living crisis and issues of child care.” It was the second visit by Ed Balls to Coleshill in recent months. He met had small business leaders in the town in March. Ed Balls said, “Sertec is a key part of the car components industry in the West Midlands, which is so crucial to the success of the UK economy. It has strong links to Jaguar Land Rover. Mike asked me to see how Sertec was expanding and talk about the need to create an expansion of opportunities for apprenticeships. Everyone knows that Labour intends to cut university tuition fees from £9000 a year to £6000, but our plans on apprenticeships have had less publicity. Yet apprenticeships are key to Britain’s future. “I met the young apprentices at Sertec, who have had great training, are well qualified and have a fantastic future ahead of them. Sertec has done a

good job with them. Labour wants every school leavers who have the qualifications to get a chance of an apprenticeship like those at Sertec. We must reverse the national decline in apprenticeships.” The Sertec Operations Manager Joe O’Shea showed the visitors around and introduced them to staff and the apprenticeships. He recalled that when he was training in manufacturing three decades ago, there were hundreds of tool making apprenticeships at the old British Leyland. He stressed the importance of UK industry rebuilding apprenticeship training and attracting young school leavers to a manufacturing career. Harriet Harman met a group of women employees and focused on child care. Ms Harman said, “I want hard working families to know we are on their side. We will increase the free child care for

The Coleshill Post

HARRIET Harman and Ed Balls, the Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, and Ed Balls, the Shadow Chancellor, have made a surprise joint visit to a Coleshill company. The duo met apprentices and toured the motor components manufacturing company Sertec on the Coleshill Business Park. They came to see the company at the request of Labour Candidate for Parliament Mike O’Brien.

@ColeshillPost

High profile visit for Coleshill firm Sertec

3 and 4 year olds from 15 hours a week to 25 hours a week. We will fund this from a tax on banker’s bonuses. But we also want every school age child to have access to school based child care from 8 am to 6pm. There will be a fee for this, but it is crucial to enable parents to have the choice of doing a full days work knowing their child is safely cared for at school. It will help thousands of families in North Warwickshire and its important know about them. “Mike and his wife Alison, are friends of mine, but more importantly I am glad to come to Coleshill because Mike has always been a strong supporter

of better child care and more help for women who work. I am so glad Mike has decided to stand here in North Warwickshire and Bedworth. We need him back in Parliament. Mike O’Brien said, “I had visited Sertec a few weeks ago and I was so impressed that I wanted Harriet and Ed to see what was going on. Building business prosperity and good quality jobs for people is at the centre of my plan for North Warwickshire and Labour’s vision for the country. Harriet and Ed enjoyed meeting people at Sertec and they learnt a lot about how things could be done in the future.”

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The Coleshill Post - May 2015 - ELECTION SPECIAL - Issue 21

@ColeshillPost

We’ll protect public s e

The Coleshill Post

Parliamentary Candidate Mike O’Brien

Curdworth Celia & Mike Banner

Coleshill North Adam Farrell & Dom Ferro

There’s a clear difference between Labour and the Conservatives: 1. We oppose any development at Daw Mill Labour Candidates for Parliament and the local Council will oppose any development planned for the Daw Mill site.

2. We will oppose HS2 and fight for a fairer deal for local people North Warwickshire Labour Party opposes HS2 and has invested over £100,000 into fighting the plans. We will also seek to secure a fair compensation deal with residents affected.

3. We’re the first Council in Warwickshire to adopt a local plan

Our local plan will protect communities from unwanted housing development. We will always be on the side of residents.

Under Labour

P P

Council Tax frozen for four years Services protected and efficiency savings achieved from back of house.

P P P

Opened a new Leisure Centre in Coleshill

Invested £100,000 to fight against HS2 and secure a better deal for local people.

Recycling rates up with a new recycling system New CCTV in Coleshill and ANPR cameras across the Borough. Labour will be tough on crime.

Under the Conservatives

O O

Council tax increased time and time again

O O O

Failed to invest in Coleshill Leisure Centre

Wasted £100,000 planning a new Council HQ and allowed staff to have 72 lease cars. Some of the worst recycling rates in the county 1 in 5 local Police Officers cut, turned off our streetlights and closed Coleshill Police Station. Promised to ‘reconsider’ the HS2 route in 2010. Once elected, they extended the route further into North Warwickshire.

LABOUR FREEZE COUNCIL TAX FOR A 4TH YEAR Promoted by Sara Doughty at 249 Plough Hill Road, CV10 9NZ on behalf of Mike O’Brien at 19 Melrose Avenue, CV12 0ES. Promoted by Jacky Chambers on behalf of Adam Farrell, Dominic Ferro, Harry Taylor, Carol Fox, Celia Banner, Mike Banner, John Winter and Tom Foley all at Green Farm, CV9 2LW.

The Coleshill Post - May 2015 - ELECTION SPECIAL - Issue 21

www.thecoleshillpost.co.uk

Water Orton Tom Foley & John Winter

Labour: Are opposed to development at Daw Mill Want to switch our street lights back on Have frozen Council Tax for 4 years

We’re on your side. We are local people who want to make a difference. Vote Labour on 7th May

W www.coleshilllabour.co.uk

ColeshillLabour

coleshilllabour

mikeobrien4mp

electmikeobrien W www.electmikeobrien.co.uk

Promoted by Sara Doughty at 249 Plough Hill Road, CV10 9NZ on behalf of Mike O’Brien at 19 Melrose Avenue, CV12 0ES. Promoted by Jacky Chambers on behalf of Adam Farrell, Dominic Ferro, Harry Taylor, Carol Fox, Celia Banner, Mike Banner, John Winter and Tom Foley all at Green Farm, CV9 2LW.

The Coleshill Post

LOCAL

UPDATE

WORKING WITH YOU FOR A BETTER COLESHILL

Coleshill South Harry Taylor & Carol Fox

@ColeshillPost

ervices & our greenbelt…

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The Coleshill Post - May 2015 - ELECTION SPECIAL - Issue 21

@ColeshillPost The Coleshill Post Willow weaving will be one of the activities on offer at TameFest. Image © Tame Valley Wetlands, Warwickshire Wildlife Trust

Have a wild day out at TameFest event! TameFest, a festival celebrating the heritage Tame Valley Wetlands area, will take place on Coleshill croft on Saturday 23rd of May 2015.

The event will showcase all the good things happening in the Tame Valley Wetlands area, with many local businesses, community groups, charities and attractions holding a stall on the day. Exhibitors will offer free activities such as woodturning demonstrations, yoga sessions, guided walks, crafts and more. It is organised by Tame Valley

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Wetlands, a landscape partnership scheme focussing on the area between Coleshill and Tamworth. Rita Gries, Tame Valley Wetlands community and events officer said: “The Tame Valley Wetlands is a somewhat “hidden” landscape: it has lots to offer – historical buildings, wildlife havens, traditional crafts…– but too few people know about it. With TameFest –and more widely, with the whole Tame Valley Wetlands scheme- we want to display and promote this vibrant heritage. With plenty of fun activities and a festive atmosphere, it promises to be a great day out for local families!” TameFest will be open from 11am to 4pm, with stalls and activities on the croft, plus additional exhibitions at the Visitor Centre in the Old Market Hall. Coleshill Remembers are also holding a Vintage Tea Party at 2pm in the Town Hall, to collate and exhibit information from residents who have a connection to the First Word War (those wishing to attend can contact Zoe Hillcox at Coleshill Town Council). TameFest will be a yearly event, with the 2016 edition taking place in Kingsbury Water Park. Tame Valley Wetlands is a landscape partnership scheme, led by Warwickshire Wildlife Trust and supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund. Their vision is to create a wetland landscape, rich in wildlife and accessible to all. Their work will include conservation projects to restore heritage and enhance the area for wildlife, access improvements, training and volunteering opportunities as well as a programme of exciting events and activities aimed at all ages and interests. For more information on Tame Valley Wetlands, including events and volunteering opportunities, go to www. tamevalleywetlands.co.uk

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The Coleshill Post - May 2015 - ELECTION SPECIAL - Issue 21

Book a FREE session for advice and guidance now at Coleshill Library. The sessions run every three weeks starting on Monday 18th May between 10.00 and 12.00. Call 0300 555 8171 or email coleshilllibrary@warwickshire. gov.uk to book your place. What will you discover?

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Water Orton Dental Centre is delighted to introduce a

New Denture Clinic in Water Orton

This clinic is being run by experienced Clinical Dental Technician Kevin Thomas in partnership with Dr. Zubair Sacranie, the practice principal at Water Orton Dental Centre.

What is unique about this service is the: • Personalised and expert clinical care • Superior quality of dentures • Clinical collaboration between dentist and dental technician • Treatment delivered by the experts who make the product A typical visit to a dentist for a new denture would usually involve the dentist sending a patient’s denture mould off to be made at dental laboratory, with no clinical interaction between the dentist and technician, and no consultation between the technician and the patient. At Water Orton Dental Centre, however, having this in-house denture clinic allows patients to benefit from the team work and shared expertise of Kevin Thomas and Dr Zubair Sacranie to achieve the most comprehensive treatment plan and best possible results for all of the following:

• Complete or Full Dentures • Partial Dentures • Chrome Dentures • Denture Repairs • Bespoke Dental Implant Supported Dentures Kevin Thomas (GDC No. 145573) has been a Dental Technician for over 35 years. He holds a City &Guild Certificate in Dental Technology, and a Diploma in Clinical Dental Technology from the Royal College of Surgeons. Mr Thomas has a relaxed and friendly approach which puts patients at ease, and draws on his extensive knowledge and experience to provide the best possible care and advice. Dr. Zubair Sacranie (GDC No. 78020) is a highly qualified and experienced dentist, particularly in the fields of cosmetic dentistry and dental implantology. He has been the practice principal and owner of the Water Orton Dental Centre since 2006. Dr Sacranie qualified at The University of Dundee in 2000 and is a member of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, Dr. Sacranie was awarded a Certificate in Implant Dentistry from Warwick University and attained his Master of Science degree in Dental Implantology from Sheffield University in 2009. He has worked extensively throughout the UK with leading cosmetic and implant surgeons, and he routinely receives referrals from other dentists in the Midlands for restorative and implant dentistry as well as facial aesthetic treatments. Dr. Sacranie is pleased to be offering this new denture service which complements his implant and cosmetic dental clinics at the practice.

“I am excited to be working alongside one of the most experienced clinical dental technicians in the West Midlands and I’m delighted to be introducing this innovative new clinic to my patients.”

For more information or to book your complimentary denture or smile makeover consultation, please contact the practice today on 0121 749 4980 or enquire via our website at www.waterortondentalcentre.co.uk

'At Water Orton Dental Centre we provide dentistry on the NHS, Denplan and on a Private basis'

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The Coleshill Post - May 2015 - ELECTION SPECIAL - Issue 21

@ColeshillPost

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Prominent members of the community show their support for local councillors about one another. There is however so much that needs to be done to keep our town moving forward, to ensure our town is still great for our children and grandchildren. Over the past four years we have worked closely with Harry Taylor, Dear editor, Adam Farrell and Dominic Ferro on This letter is written on a purely community projects and ventures. As personal basis and does not represent local Councillors they have listened, the views of the companies or groups engaged and ultimately delivered! associated with individuals. The upcoming election is important We’re not political people, most of us for the whole country but it’s even are not members of any political party more important for Coleshill. There and we’ve never openly supported are big issues to deal with such as candidates of any party before. We parking, improving the Memorial live and work in Coleshill and take Park, supporting our High Street and an active part in our local community bringing our community even closer through the businesses we run and the together. community groups we help to organise. In this election we’ll be supporting Coleshill is a great town, it’s made Harry, Carol, Adam and Dominic, not up of a wonderful High Street, great because we necessarily vote Labour businesses and a community that cares but because with them on the Borough

THE following letter was sent in to the Coleshill Post last week. It is signed by some prominent residents and business owners alike.

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Council we feel confident that Coleshill will have a strong set of voices at the decision making table. We very much hope that you, the residents of Coleshiil, will support them on 7th May. Yours, Mark Clark - Owner of Commbus Clare Macleod Owner of Wild Cherry Events Sharon Davey Owner of Heads of Coleshill Jill Owen - Former Head Teacher at St Edwards Primary School Adrian Jones Adrian Jones Photography Adam Harrison Chair of Coleshill Cricket Club Lynn Miller Local Author and Volunteer Martin Clifford - Member of B46 Business and Coleshill Cricket Club

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The Coleshill Post - May 2015 - ELECTION SPECIAL - Issue 21

@ColeshillPost The Coleshill Post

● Scrap HS2

● Save Our Countryside

● Cut Foreign Aid

● Support Our Armed Forces

● Say ‘No’ to the EU

● Invest £12 Billion in our NHS

VOTE FOR WILLIAM CASH

and UKIP councillors on May 7th a West Midlands man standing up for North Warwickshire

Contact me at www.voteforcash.co.uk

Promoted by Ian Mowbray G Jackson, 95, Witherley Rd, Atherstone , Warwickshire, CV9 1NY

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The Coleshill Post - May 2015 - ELECTION SPECIAL - Issue 21

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Coleshill's finest Lady Stig - takes on Politics ' Bellies and In-crowds'

PUT simply the motivations of individual politicians needs to be taken into account. Are they a politician because they couldn’t be a rockstar and politics was the next best route to stardom (see Anthony ‘Teflon’ Blair).

Or are they perhaps born to relative privilege but with a social conscience, driven to help protect the open-hearted values, fundamental welfare and stability of Great Britain - that leafy place where people from all over the world want to live. I am not saying all politicians need to have money to be magnanimous but it does mean they aren’t just lining their own pockets. To assume that ‘conservative’ equals ‘Toff’, ‘Out-of-touch’ or ‘Doesn’t care’ is just a false and lazy move, as lazy as assuming Labour voters don’t do their research and tend to fall for easy polemics and stereotypes. If we really want to live in a country where it is OK to prejudge people based on your assumptions about their background let us revisit the general attitude as it was in the Labour heyday of the early 2000s. Inverted snobbery (which somehow doesn’t apply to rich Labour ministers or ‘champagne socialist’ voters) is bigotry in exactly the same way as racism or homophobia. To hate ‘Tories’ because you imagine them to be riding ponies and eating caviar for breakfast is as stupid as assuming your bin man doesn’t read Dostoyevsky, have flying dreams, or could be in 100 years hailed as the Van Gogh of our time. You’re missing the point. You could say conservatives used to be sexist, racist and homophobic though you’d be exercising a selective memory as that was a society-wide problem back in the day and not confined to the Right of the House. The likelihood is, that -if they are privileged- their education has enabled them to prepare for the massive responsibility the job entails. Throw in a few life challenges like a close relative with crippling disability or serious drug abuse problems and you have someone who knows about life and has a heart. They could be resting up in their (expensive to run, crumbling) country pile, but instead, insanely, they slog it to work to face down jeers and wade through piles of papers about people being murdered by their own Governments in order to help decide what Britain should do about it (see Syria). Politics in this country has evolved, thank God, it’s just some people haven’t noticed. There aren’t just two sides any more, two ‘families’ to inherit their parents’ politics. The relevance of this dichotomy has long since faded. No longer are we in a class system that blocks our path, no longer do we slave away in blinkers controlled by our factory owners with poor conditions. We have regulations, shareholders and boards, we have the internet and corporations have their public images to protect, we have democracy and so we have consumer power - if only we’d get together and use it. But more than that we have some serious environmental issues that puts all petty one-upmanship in the shade. We need to grow up. Stop acting like everything is black and white. Stop seeing the world in terms of money bags and endlessly exercising old-school grudges. Think about what really matters: our collective desire for Health, Peace, Nature, Freedom, Science and Art. We need all sorts of people from all walks of life to make society function well. But the last government behaved like an advertising firm; Selling to the individual without looking at the whole. For example, they proposed that the majority of school leavers needed a degree. But there aren’t that many jobs that require a degree. Fine so we all have degrees, all that means now is that a degree signifies what A-levels used to and people who are capably academic (of all backgrounds) go on

This Election, on May 7th could be one of the major turning points in the history of the British Isles. Remember that little issue of Scotland potentially leaving the Union? Well it hasn't gone away. Labour in Scotland is so weak that if Labour is voted in, Scotland could leave the Union under SNP leadership and our fair Isles will be forever 'cleft asunder'. Like a woman scorned the separatists won't take 'No' for an answer and seem set on getting their own way democracy or not... This might be a job for King Arthur! to get a Masters Degree. It used to be free of charge but now it is an expensive business. Is that fairer? No, it is simple educational inflation with a price tag. The point of life is to do whatever you are doing -well- and be happy because you do your very best, and yes if you can, take those chances to fulfill your potential but don’t just become a conveyor belt office employee for PWC. What is the point? Surely not just to be bigger and better than the next person, richer, faster. That attitude went out with big hair and shoulder pads, and then came straight back in via the Trojan horse of Blair’s New Labour. If you want to be a real radical, someone who actively cares about people and our world, then join the Green party and make them viable. Lobby the supermarkets and pharmaceuticals. Thanks to the Money-grows-on-trees approach of the last government who proclaimed “the only way is up” it actually became less respectable to have a useful job. Just to be clear, a useful job to my mind, is one where you contribute to society, you inform, you help people, you create something, you deliver, you clean, you care, you don’t just get the most money for the least work you can. Everyone was told they could somehow be expecting a £100K salary for closing their doctors surgery on a Saturday, eating at bistros and buying Mercedes cars on hired-purchase. Buying a house at four times your income was common, leaving people stranded on debt island when the tide went out. Real jobs with realistic wages became second class, a fall back, and fewer people aspired to work for Royal Mail or their local Hospital. Job security disappeared and the golden age of contractors with little long term responsibility took over. The borders were thrown wide open because we needed people to do the jobs we became too good to do (also we didn’t have a choice under the EU), and so we get into the debate about immigrants. Our new unhappy underpaid underclass who get to be blamed for all our ills as soon as the economic climate gets colder - so easy to resent, just ask Germany in 1935. Just remember, our Grandparents went to many of these immigrants’ countries and had the temerity to claim them as our own so don’t throw rocks in glass houses, it’s not wise. Britain is a good place to live precisely because we have been a haven for people from all over the world, seeking asylum from war and persecution, or just seeking economic opportunity. Why shouldn’t they make their lives life better? We are free to go and live in other parts of the world. This mobility and openness is something to be proud of, not scared of, if properly managed. Of course Labour has the right idea in principle, unquestionably improving the standard of living for those at the bottom is a crucial endeavor, but somehow when I watch Milliband on Prime Minister’s Questions he reminds me of a school boy breathless and indignant because he knows the other side are already doing a good job. Caring isn’t the exclusive purview of the Left, even if they want to pretend it is. Ed Balls has the most selective memory I’ve seen in some time and seems to

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The Coleshill Post - May 2015 - ELECTION SPECIAL - Issue 21

stantly dismayed by the over-simplified and polarized take on politics of some of my friends. As though British Politics is still a case of the hard-hearted 'haves' protecting their hard-won privileges from those grotty 'havenots'; or in more entertaining visual terms the lizards vs the bunny rabbits. Stage left is John Prescott bonking his secretary whilst wearing playboy ears. And don't forget his six Jags parked outside. live somewhere in deepest Egypt. They still grasp at materialist straws forgetting the fact that when they had all that money and power they were still unable to genuinely improve Schools, the NHS, Policing or Social Cohesion, because in the end, there is a limit to how many hand-bags, shoes, and cars we need. They were incautious, they grew too fast, it was a classic case of the emperor’s clothes. Working in the financial regulator alongside HM Treasury and the Bank of Eng- land, I saw it first hand. HMG was arrogance personified. The current government were handed a pup. A steaming pile of disgruntled, desperate, chaotic and near Greek-levels of dangerously indebted economic excrement. If it hasn’t been for their buttoned-up, disciplined, caution, the I’m-not-here-to-be-your-favorite- pop-star but to-getyou-back-on-your-feet sort of government, we could so seriously be in the very same shoes as Greece. And thank goodness we never joined the Euro. I don’t think people realize just how bad the situation was and still could be. Some of our banks have more potential debt than our economy could realistically cope with. This isn’t purely the fault of greedy banks, this was caused by a greedy government. Banks in the 2000s anyway were like children absorbing the national culture of irrational- exuberance, they’d do whatever they were allowed to get away with and the brakes were there to stop them going overboard. The government liked the huge tax returns the city was paying in and they could claim its success was their own doing, so they just took off the breaks. And Brown declared the “THE END OF BOOM AND BUST”. It was pure tragicomedy. Thanks to their arrogance, where we could have grown steadily and survived the Global Crash relatively unscathed as did some other countries, we inflated like a sheep’s bladder that hasn’t been properly oiled and so deflated even faster. The banks seized up, consumers froze, companies closed, jobs were lost and now, some people (our neighbors even), are really struggling. They can’t afford things we don’t even notice, like central heating. Understand, that for some, it is a choice between cleaning products or cat food. Not all people on benefits squander it on Game consoles and Nike trainers, some people really are doing the best they can. They are our neighbors, and their suffering should be ours, how can you just close the curtains and enjoy your third meal-out for the month without donating to a food bank or better still lending a hand to someone you know. Real politics, at a local level as well as at a national level should be about giving people back their self-respect. Because worse than struggling financially is the depression, family break-down and behavioral patterns linked to unemployment. The Government is focused on making us financially stable but not drunk on fast-cash. And from what I see, I trust them to get the job done. This is not going to be solved by Labour’s record of giving banks free reign to gamble our life savings, just throwing money at schools and privatizing hospital cleaning rotas to meet those arbitrary self-fulfilling targets. This is solved by using our intelligence; discerning real improvements over superficial ‘wins’ and - by doing

so - giving people real hope. This change in attitude in turn encourages community action; healthy towns and rural areas. Encouraging young people to try that idea, start that business, open that shop, print that newspaper! And if they mess it up once, help them up again. If there is more support for individuals, the wider social cohesion will catch on. Stronger individuals makes for stronger families and stronger towns, stronger counties. And I believe this is what the current government is focused on. Small and medium sized businesses, hand- ing power back to local councils in the hope that they are fit for purpose! And you should ques- tion them to see if they are fit, and if they are not, stand up and speak out. Don’t be bullied by ‘bellies and in-crowds’. Coleshill for instance, seems to me to be forever on the cusp of becoming somewhere people might just want to visit and not only pass through. Why aren’t there awnings and outdoor seats? Why do people scowl outside the Swan, or stare at you coldly in Tescos? Where are all the young people? Why do they all leave? Because nothing will ever change if people don’t open up and think positively. If you don’t notice the litter, if you don’t care about the beautiful wildlife all around us, you’re wasting the one thing we have going for us, beauty and space. Industrial parks are fine, but where are the crea- tive jobs, where is the investment? I think (and hope) secretly Coleshill has more potential up its sleeve but it seems that it’s in a bit of a choke hold. There is an element of fakery in some places, and in others there are some real rose buds - if only they could bloom. I love Coleshill too, but praise the mediocre and you insult the good. We need to make the changes. Someone out there knows what I mean! Join in. Speak up. Make that farmers market GOOD. Stop doing your hair and start making bespoke designer chairs or something. People will come. Who doesn’t like proper bread, decent cheese, fresh vegetables, hand-made clothes, fine art or alternative music? Open a restaurant in the evening! Where do young people go to be young? Why isn’t there a little cinema? Why not pedestrianize the high street make it a feature instead of telling yourselves the passing trade is all you have. It’s about the experience! Get involved in the town council. And don’t write hate mail (you know who you are) and speak fairly to make your views heard. We’ve got a whole new complex of flats being built and next door is Chelmsley Wood. Why don’t we reach out to our local areas and attract these people to come enjoy and respect their local heritage. Improve their lives too. In conclusion when you are watching the pundits on tv, or down the pub listening to that bloke who rants, don’t always assume conservatives are in it just for themselves, some of them will be but they are as much Prescotts as the original Prescott. And come election time don’t be too quick to hand back the reigns to Labour (nor the local Labour litter) party, not just yet anyway. Our country operates a very healthy pendulum system. Governments tend to do well when initially in power but by the third term are usually screamingly bad before votes swing back the other way. Technically the Tories have another term in them yet. The second term is when they can solidify the changes and protect the stability created. Local politics on the other hand needs to go into major surgery and attract some better quality candidates. Finally on a personal note, This paper was the initiative of two lads from Chelmsley Wood, their hard work and bravery has been poured into these pages; maybe they didn’t get the balance right first time, maybe their sales patter leaves a little to be desired but if no one supports this paper, we’ll have lost a valuable community building mouthpiece and tool for a positive change. I wrote this article and may confinue to do so, if anyone bothers to respond (!?) because I hear a lot of people complain this paper is solely a Labour Council mouthpiece. I am here to prove I doesn’t have to be. If you have something to say just write in and say it, preferably nicely. That is what it is here for. While it survives.

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But lets get back to the bun-fight! I for one am con-

OPINION

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The Coleshill Post - May 2015 - ELECTION SPECIAL - Issue 21

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OPINION

Andrew Hay

The Coleshill Post

What election campaigns Don’t tell us about the Economy As politicians clamour for our attention in the build up to the general election it is easy to become overwhelmed by the daily torrent of political chatter and grand promises.

Issues are presented to us as neatly packaged sound bites that appear to be convincing until they are dismantled by a journalist working for a news organisation that supports a different party. As this marketing campaign unfolds, the onus is on theatrics designed to grab our attention and there is very little emphasis on explanation. There appears to be cross-party consensus when it comes to keeping the voters as ill-informed as possible. This is because the less the electorate knows, the easier it is for political campaigners to shape public anxieties to fit their agenda. Just as a dodgy used car salesman polishes an old banger in order to sell it on to someone who doesn’t have enough mechanical knowledge to know that the engine is shot, politicians highlight the shinier aspects of their policies and keep their fingers crossed that you don’t know what’s really under the bonnet. Politics in practice is about reconciling ideals with practical demands. All political parties are guided by ideals that stem from particular world views. These ideologies can never be grafted onto the real world in their purest form because of practical restrictions. Political parties are caught in the pinch between pursuing their ideological goals, managing the practical limitations that prevent them from achieving this end and winning public approval. In order to win an election and retain approval, politicians have to manage the conflicting demands of these three objectives. Political strategists achieve this aim by constructing narratives. Political narratives are built on the repetition of statements that combine to create a simple coherent message that coincides with the ideological interests of any given political party. The problem is that narratives only provide the voter with a narrow insight into the true intentions behind the speech and the practical limitations that restrict their political preferences are never mentioned. The result is that we are left in the dark about a lot of important political issues and many votes are won by the person who tells the best story. In order to unpick these narratives, it is necessary to understand the mechanics behind a number of terms that are constantly referred to and rarely explained.

The State and the market

Tax Havens

Today political discussion very rarely veers too far from the subject of the economy. This is because since the mid 1970’s successive governments have sought to extend the influence of the market and shrink the scope of the state. This shift has been guided by economic principles that see state planned economics as undesirable. The belief is that by shrinking the state and allowing market mechanisms to allocate resources, supply and demand will reach a natural equilibrium. State planning is seen to interfere with natural market forces. Competitive pressures within a free market economy are said to promote innovation which increases productivity and ensures that the quality of goods and services remains high whilst prices are held in check. The trouble with this model is that the more the market encompasses, the less power the state has to influence social outcomes. This wouldn’t be a problem if the market could be trusted to allocate resources according to where they are needed. Unfortunately the market only allocates resources to where there is money to pay for them. The current crisis surrounding the underdevelopment of antibiotics provides an example of how placing too much faith in market mechanisms can result in undesirable social outcomes. There is a great need for new antibiotics but pharmaceutical companies are discouraged from developing drugs in this area due to a lack of profitability. This doesn’t mean that the market and those acting in compliance with its demands are motivated by evil intentions. It just means that there is a limit to how far the profit motive can be extended into the organisation of society.

It is estimated that at least £12 trillion is held in tax havens worldwide. According to Oxfam, the lost revenue that would be generated by this money would be enough to end extreme poverty twice over. It is reported that 98 out of the top 100 UK companies use tax havens. This shows that the footloose capital mentioned above has no trouble in finding its way out of our national economy. The debate regarding tax havens is usually cast as a moral issue. Bankers, traders and global financial elites are presented as villains but this misses the point. In an economic model based on the forces of competition, economic survival is dependent on minimising costs and maximising profits in order to stay ahead of competitors. If a large company was to ignore the advantages offered by tax havens it would give its competitors the upper hand. A company that hands its competitors the upper hand is likely to go out of business pretty quickly. This means that the problem is a structural one. A simplified explanation of how tax havens work is as follows: A company produces a commodity in Ecuador and sells it at the cost of production to its own subsidiary in Luxembourg. The company’s subsidiary in Luxembourg then sells it to another of its subsidiaries in Britain for the price it will retail at. If a box of bananas costs £100 to produce in Ecuador and fetches £1000 when sold in Britain, the Luxembourg subsidiary will have paid £100 for them and sold them for £1000 and so on paper no profit will have been made in either Ecuador or Britain. The profit becomes redirected to the country with the most favourable tax policies; in this case £900 profit is declared in Luxembourg. This is a simple example of how tax havens work and it explains how big money is syphoned away from national economies. Because this problem is difficult to address without interfering with the sovereign powers of foreign countries, national governments have little power to affect a solution.

Globalisation The selling off of public sector assets is one way of extending the scope of the market. This strategy was at its peak in the 1980s as the government sold off British Telecom, British Gas and British Aerospace amongst others. As the government shrank its sphere of influence, the influence of the market was enhanced by the lowering of capital controls. This allowed capital to float freely across borders in order for it to find its most productive point of employment. These decisions were motivated by free market principles that see the free movement of goods, services, labour and capital as conducive to economic efficiency. With capital allowed to flow in and out of the country at will and the government holding fewer national assets, the economic power of the state is further undermined. As restrictions on the free movement of capital are relaxed, national governments are compelled to pander to the interests of big business. Failure to do so could prompt companies to invest their capital elsewhere causing severe disruption to the UK economy.

The Financial Crisis Despite what some politicians lead us to believe, the events that led to the financial crisis of 2008 illustrate the degree to which the wellbeing of our national economy is largely beyond the control of our government. The crisis was triggered by mortgage companies in the US extending credit to low income families who couldn’t meet their debt obligations. These mortgages were then securitised, bundled up with other loans and sold on as investment bonds. When the federal authorities in the US began to raise interest rates borrowers couldn’t afford to keep up with their mortgage repayments. The Federal Reserve responded by tightening up the flow of credit into the housing market. Their intention was to restrict the supply of mortgages in order to lower demand in the housing market and bring down housing prices. This would then bring house prices down to

a more affordable level meaning that people taking out new mortgages would be more able to keep up with repayments. This was seen to be part of a natural housing cycle. However, as house prices fell current mortgage holders saw the cost of their properties fall below the cost of their debt and many were forced to default on their repayments. The investment bonds that were now being traded on the stock exchange were contaminated with loans that would never be repaid which meant their value dissolved. Because these toxic loans were bundled up with other securities and sold on to international investors it was difficult to establish where they were. Financial institutions worldwide buy bonds to increase their asset base. The more assets they have the more money they can lend or invest. A bank, for example, makes money through investing or extending loans that generate interest. As faith in the value of these assets began to collapse due to the fact that it was unclear which bonds were toxic many financial institutions were forced to consider writing these assets off. In an interconnected global economy the repercussions of a collapse in market confidence cannot be contained. The value of stocks shares and assets are underpinned by faith in the fact that they are worth something. Once this faith is lost, there is a rush to sell and share prices fall, the value of bank’s assets evaporate and savers rush to withdraw savings that the banks can no longer afford to pay out. These were the conditions of the financial crisis that affected the UK in2008. The deficit rose steeply as the government borrowed extensively in order to save the financial system from collapse. The deficit was not caused by the cost of welfare as current solutions to the effects of the crisis seem to suggest.

Economic Growth Economic growth is another term that is frequently banded around by our political representatives and rarely explained. Simply put, in a capitalist economy economic growth occurs when the amount of goods and services in the economy increases from one period to the next. To understand this compare the amount of goods and services available in Britain today with what was available prior to the industrial revolution. The more a society produces, the wealthier it becomes. In a capitalist economy growth is achieved when there is investment in production. Increased production creates jobs which give workers the financial capacity to become consumers. Consumers then buy goods and services that are produced which encourages investors to reinvest in production. The spiral created by this cyclical flow generates economic growth. This means that there are more goods, services and jobs in the economy. However, due to the fact that producers are forced to compete against each other, there is pressure to force down the costs of production. This means developing more efficient technology

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Austerity In the past these downward spirals have been arrested by direct government interventions designed to create employment in order to reignite positive economic activity. But due to the fact that creating too much full time employment increases the demand for labour which in turn pushes its cost up which increases the cost of production, full employment can put upward pressure on inflation. As national currencies float on global exchange rates, inflation has the effect of devaluing a currency’s relative global value. Austerity measures prioritise the maintenance of a strong currency. Yet as government spending is cut back at the same time growth is promoted by policy that is designed to attract investment from

multinational companies, there is less money at the bottom end of the economy. This is reflected in the current economic conditions in Britain by the presence of zero hour contracts and the diminishing welfare budget. Zero hour contracts favour employers as a 35 hour working week can be carved up between a number of employees. This means that each employee is placed in a precarious position whereby seeking better conditions could see working hours swallowed up by colleagues who are not earning enough to get by. This helps to keep wages low and profits high. As low wages need to be supplemented by welfare payments, these employees are also penalised by the cutbacks. The only way that people living on precarious incomes can afford to become active consumers is by gaining access to credit. This is how growth is being achieved under austerity. Flexible labour is attractive to investors and consumption is subsidised by credit. Credit allows you to spend money you expect to earn at a later date, and as the financial crisis shows us, this expectation is not always met. There is a popular analogy that likens the national economy to a household economy. This is misleading. Financial difficulties can be tackled in a household economy by cutting outgoings. The health of a national economy is dependent on flow. If people can’t spend, there is no incentive to produce and the economy stagnates.

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and streamlining their labour force. Think about self-service checkouts at supermarkets or ticket machines in train stations. Less jobs mean more competition for work which means lower wages. Less employment and lower wages leads to less consumption which means that there is less demand for goods and services. From here there is little incentive for investors to invest in production. This causes a blockage to the cyclical flows that promote economic growth. Less is produced which leads to even less employment and even less consumption and the economy is caused to retract. This is recession.

OPINION

How this connects to election campaigns The conditions of the global economy represent practical restrictions that limit each political party in different ways. This is why these structural problems are never explained in political narratives.

Conservative ideology favours free market solutions. The problem with giving the market free reign is that undesirable social consequences are unpopular with the public. This means that Conservative narratives present the market as an arena in which hard workers flourish and lazy people fail. This ignores the fact that, left alone, the market can cause structural unemployment. Traditionally Labour have favoured state interventions designed to protect social interests from the corrosive effects of an unbridled economy. The NHS, social housing and the principle of full employment are examples of how, in the past, Labour used state power to make provision where the market failed. The trouble is that such interventions run counter to the interests of big business. For example, to meet demand for housing would lower the price of property which would see property investors lose out. As capital is free to roam in and out of the country in today’s global economy, enacting policy that conflicts with the interests of big business encourages capital flight. This would have a severe impact on the national economy. The result is that the

scope of state intervention is limited and Labour are forced to walk a line between what they are expected to do and the current demands of the global economy. Parties that are less likely to win a majority are able to make bolder promises that align more closely to their ideological beliefs. Practical limitations are only a concern to those who are in power. It is easy to speak about how things should be when your policies are unlikely to be implemented and you are unlikely to be called to account. UKIP tell us that pulling out of the EU will solve all our problems whilst experts in the financial sector tell us that such a move would make the UK an infinitely less appealing trade partner. The Green Party talk about cutting defence spending, but what would this mean for national security in reality? Depending on your perspective, there are positive and negative aspects to every political agenda and it’s important to make a choice. Not voting is like letting someone else choose what you’re having for dinner. It’s just difficult to know what to think when most of the information we need to make decisions about who to vote for is obscured. If politicians were more honest about their world views and the limitations they face, they might begin to restore the public’s faith in the political process. As it stands, we are forced to make our decisions based on disingenuous sounding spiel that we just don’t believe in.

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Labour Party

Introducing

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MIKE O’BRIEN: Labour Parliamentary Candidate for North Warwickshire and Bedworth Campaign website address: www.electmikeobrien.co.uk Political Achievements • MP for North Warwickshire 1992-2010 • Locally Mike O’Brien helped secure business parks at Hams Hall, Prologis Park near Bedworth and Birch Coppice near Dordon, bringing over 6000 jobs to the area including the BMW engine plant. • As MP he secured funding additional teachers in local schools and for 134 additional police officers. • After 1997 he helped get funding to open a series of Childrens Centres and nurseries across Warwickshire. He supported the building of the new Walsgrave Hospital and fought a series of battles for the George Eliot Hospital, preventing the transfer of key services. • In 2013 and 2014 he led the successful campaign against the privatisation of George Eliot Hospital, when ministers tried to to transfer it to a company. • Nationally, he served as Immigration Minister from 1997–1999, controversially imposing fines on lorry drivers who carried illegal migrants in the back of lorries and he began a major programme to build detention centres. He took through Parliament the 1998 Immigration Act strengthening immigration procedures. He also passed new laws to deal with suspected terrorists by creating the Special Immigration Appeals Commission, allowing security information to be put before judges. • As the Minister for Constitutional Affairs, he was responsible for the Freedom of Information Act, an Act to regualte political parties, two Representation of the People Acts and introduced a White Paper to radically reform alcohol licensing laws. He darfted the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 which placed obligations on all public bodies to promote good race relations. • From 2002 to 2003 he was Minister for the Middle East where he helped secure the disarmament of the Libyan leader Colonel Gaddafi who had a chemical and nuclear weapons programme. This contributed to the over throw of the dictator a decade later. He also opened important negotiations with President Assad of Syria to help maintain peace with Israel. • In 2004 he became Minister of State for Trade and Industry, writing the 2004 Trade White Paper. Then he became Minister of State for Energy where he reformed the climate change agenda and boosted green businesses. • After the 2005 General Election he replaced Harriet Harman as Solicitor General for England and Wales and got through Parliament the Companies Act, which is the basis of company law today. • In 2007 as Minister for Pension Reform, he was praised by pensions expert Ros Altman as “a breath of fresh air”. He voted for pensioners to get free bus passes, free eye sight tests, increased the winter fuel allowances and also free TV licenses for the over 75s. He also expanded pension credit for the poorest pensioners. • In 2008, he helped set up the new Department of Energy together with Ed Miliband. And took two Energy Acts through Parliament which largely remain the basis of UK energy policy. • In June 2009 he became the Minister of State for Health. As well as taking through administrative reforms of the NHS in two Acts of Parliament, he negotiated a settlement of compensation for the victims of Thalidomide and introduced priority NHS treatment of former service personnel injured in the line of duty. His key move was to announce restrictions on use of the private sector in the NHS. • After 2010 he became a regular BBC commentator on foreign affairs and the health service.

Personal achievements:

Husband of Alison and father of two children. Grew up in a council hosuing estate the son of a railwayman and a cleaner, he later became a lawyer, a QC and a government minister.

Personal Statement: In the last five years Britain has become more divided between rich and poor. The rich got tax cuts and the poor got the bedroom tax and the rest had a VAT rise. We must change direction. I want a fairer and less divided society. I stand for switching the street lights on, protecting the green belt, better funding of nurseries and childcare, reducing university tuition fees, apprenticeships for school leavers, raising the minimum wage, ending exploitative zero

hour contracts, curbing energy bills and abolishing the bedroom tax. I stand for saving the NHS by reversing last April’s tax cut for millionaires and instead using that money to train 20,000 more nurses and 8000 GPs. Last year I led the campaign to stop the privatisation of George Eliot Hospital. Labour will reverse the 2012 Tory NHS Privatisation laws. I have had a home here for 25 years, I care about local people and I have the experience and strength to deliver. As MP I helped bring

6000 jobs to business parks. I worry about the failed immigration polices of the Tories. Immigrants should not claim benefits unless they have contributed for at least two years and we need to crack down on the agencies that only recruit abroad. I have fought a positive campaign, avoiding the personal back biting favoured by some. I despise such negative campaigning. But I am negative about some issues such as HS2 and the Daw Mill planning application. I oppose them.

Questions Answered 1. Excluding HS2 and Street Lighting, what do you think are the two biggest issues facing North Warwickshire at present and how would you go about combating them? The cost of living crisis and HS2. Familes are on average £1,600 worse off since 2010. Labour would freeze energy prices until 2017 so they can fall but not rise and then put in place strong energy price regulation. Labour would give all 3 & 4 year olds access to free child care and school children access to child care at school from 8 am to 6pm so that parents can work knowing their child is safe. Labour would ensure pensioners keep their bus passes, free eyesight tests and free TV licenses. On HS2 Mike O’Brien would be a voice against the railway, campaign for better compensation and mitigation funding and help constituents with individual issues with HS2.

2. What immediate changes will your constituents notice if you win this election? An MP who has the experience and strength to be an effective from day one. Some changes will depend on which party is in government, but he would fight for law to stop NHS privatisation, block the Daw Mill application and he would have regular surgeries in the constituency.

The following four questions were submitted by local residents to the Hustings debate which took place on 19th April at Coleshill Town Hall. These are the questions left unanswered due to time restraints.

1. The Environment – (Mandy Windridge) Q. Do the candidates have plans to promote renewable energy in this area? A: No plans to do that. But we do have local green energy small businesses which need support and I have always been an advocate for green businesses.

International Development – (Jane Howell) Q. The

introducing

new

sustainable development goals to replace the Millenium ones agreed in 2000. Unfortunately these make no mention of disability or neglected tropical diseases like leprosy. Will candidates be taking steps to see that such people are included when the new agreement is signed in September? A: If Labour is in government we will seek to expand the scope of the agreement. Disability rights and leprosy are key areas of concern.

Church – (Richard Windridge) Q. Do the candidates have experience in working with churches to bring social transformation to needy communities? Are they prepared to work with church based initiatives in the community? A: Absolutely. The churches are a key group in building support for local communities. I am appalled that in the last five years this area has had to create a food bank to help the poorest. The churches have a big role in helping the poor.

Electoral Process/Voting – (Nick Parker) Q: Is coalition good for us? What would you say to the person who does not intend to vote? A: Coalitions may sometimes be necessary, but they are undesirable. No one gets what they voted for because parties have to negotiate new policy deals.

On voting: The rich always vote because they know it matters. After all, the rich got a big tax cut last April, whilst everyone else had a VAT rise from 17% to 20%. Some in the right wing media promote cynicism about politics – “They’re all the same” – to discourage working people from voting and there fore to allow big business and the wealthy to run things. In a democracy decisions are made by those who turn up. The vested interests will always vote and will get their way if good people fail to vote. We owe it to those who gave their lives for democracy to spend a minute every few years casting a vote. In this election the future of the NHs and our schools is at stake. Politics matters to you.

(Young voters who have never voted before – position regards the age of entitlement to vote – did the Scottish referendum have the right idea?) Young people over 16 voted in Scotland and should vote in England too. They have a big interest in the future.

EU Referendum – (Richard Harwood) Q: Regardless of your parties stance on an in/out EU referendum, how would you ensure voters are properly informed about the role the Union plays and the consequences of their vote either way? A: I learnt a big lesson about the EU in 1995. I wanted to get BMW to open their new engine plant with 2000 jobs at Hams Hall. The Czech Republic offered them skilled Skoda workers, no taxes and lots of corporate benefits to locate there. The UK offered BMW was offered no extra benefits but BMW came here. They gave one reason. The UK was in the EU and had a seat at the EU bargaining table when policy was made but the Czech Republic was outside the EU. BMW wanted a British ally at the EU negotiating table. BMW and Ford have publicly warned they would reconsider future investment if the UK lost its seat at the EU table. The Czech Republic has now paid its fees to join the EU. Norway is oil rich, but outside the EU. It has no seat at the table but its companies trade with the EU and must comply with EU rules. Norway is told what the rules are and has no choice but to obey. The UK is reliant on trade with the EU. The UK cannot afford to give up its seat at the EU table. I have sat on the Council of Ministers negotiating table on many occasions and I know it’s the detailed decisions that affect us. Labour is clear: we should stay at the EU negotiating table. I believe people would vote to stay in if they have look at the arguments but some anti Europeans will never accept one referendum. We will get into a Neverendum situation like Scotland. The price of the proposed referendum in 2017 would be a delay for two years in important investment decisions in the UK and may lead to jobs going elsewhere. We can’t afford that.

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UKIP

Introducing

I have lived in the West Midlands all my life and am a national magazine editor who is not afraid to speak his mind.

I come from a local weaving family, Cash’s of Coventry, so I know all about how new EU laws combined with uncontrolled immigration is now threatening British jobs.The British people deserve a Referendum to decide their own destiny. Labour have ruled this democratic choice out. Only by leaving the EU can we end the ‘freedom of movement’ that is taking jobs away from British workers. You cannot plan for new housing, hospitals and schools, if you don’t

know the numbers coming in. I joined UKIP because I believe that our Westminster politicians cannot relate any more to the real needs and fears of our local communities.Trust in Westminster politicians no longer exists as we see politicians – of all parties – betraying the promise of so-called ‘Localism’ in favour of projects like HS2, unwanted mass housing and uncontrolled immigration. If you vote UKIP, you get UKIP. My party stands for a return to common sense. That HS2 will rip through our area tells you everything you need to know about ‘Big Business’ priorities in the rural countryside. Yet local op-

Political Achievements Whilst the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) was being drafted I was asked to write a 80 page submission on ‘heritage and the countryside’ by Rt Hon Greg Clark, Minister for Planning. My submission, alongside that of The Daily Telegraph and The National Trust and the Spear’s magazine ‘Save Our Historic Landscape Campaign’, led to major revisions to protect our great English countryside and market towns like Atherstone and Coleshill in the final draft of the NPPF. My campaigning work to save the identity of our historic markets towns and English countryside from the ‘wrong’ sort of development was acknowledged by the Prime Minister in a personal letter. On a local Midlands level, as chairman of various Midland pro-countryside groups, I have successfully campaigned for action groups against wind farms, HS2, new housing and solar parks - all of which are favoured by both the Tories and Labour.

Personal achievements: After working for ten years as a journalist for The Times and Daily Telegraph, I founded Spear’s financial media company from scratch in 2005. So I know how hard it can be to start on a kitchen table with an overdraft and build something successful on your own. The multi award winning Spear’s business magazine is now an internationally media company with editions all over the world. I have also won Editor of the Year twice at the PPA In-

position has been ignored. Labour say they are the ‘true friends’ of HS2 and the Tories support it. We will scrap HS2 and wind farms, protect the countryside and greenbelt and preserve the identity of our historic market towns like Atherstone and Coleshill that make Britain the envy of the world. They should not be dumping grounds for mass housing and infrastructure projects that will not benefit locals. We will control immigration, invest £3 billion every year into the NHS, scarp hospital charges, fund 8,000 more GPS and 20,000 more nurses and end ‘Health Tourism’ so that foreigners have to pay to use our hospitals and British

Questions Answered 1. Excluding HS2 and Street Lighting, what do you think are the two biggest issues facing North Warwickshire at present and how would you go about combating them? Housing and immigration. We will not allow developers to destroy much loved towns like Atherstone, Coleshill and Polesworth. Our towns should not be a dumping ground for mass housing for Britain’s ever more diverse population. Under the Labour governments, our population was boosted by 3.6 million migrants. Cameron has also failed to control the number of migrants coming here. We will control our borders, reintroduce passport checks and end the ‘freedom of movement’ across Europe that is putting such a strain on our nation’s schools, hospitals and ambulance services.

2. What immediate changes will your constituents notice if you win this election? We will turn the local streets like back on, scrap HS2, get the police back on the local beat, clear up the rubbish around Coleshill and I will ensure that the Atherstone Ball Game is saved. There will also be no more Warwickshire pubs closed down in order to be demolished for new housing. I will also lead the campaign to secure a Heritage Lottery Fund grant to regenerate the old Stafford & Wilson hat factory in Atherstone, turning it into a dynamic new Visitor Centre, cafe and and Millinery Museum that celebrates Atherstone’s great hatting tradition, as well as eating new affordable residential flats in the old factory space by the canal. Towns like Atherstone and Coleshill should be hubs of new investment and a magnet for new jobs and dynamic new industries – not dumping grounds for housing and infrastructure projects that will not benefit locals.

dependent Publisher Awards and have published a

West Midlands area. We run an award wining local B & B

holiday accommodation business that we have built up

The Environment – (Mandy Windridge)

from scratch, starting with only a bank loan, so we know

A. Do the candidates have plans to promote renewable energy in this area?

number of acclaimed books an plays. I also raise money for English Heritage in a fund raising capacity. I am also proud of the work I have done with my wife Laura, who is a local Midlands hat-maker, to promote tourism in the

all about the struggle of small business owners fighting against politically correct EU red tape.

patients are prioritised. We will take back our sovereignty from Brussels. Locally, we will put the street lights back on, clear up the litter, secure the future of the Atherstone Ball Game and make people proud to live in this special part of Warwickshire. I want to make people proud to live in North Warwickshire. That is why I have launched the ‘Warwickshire is GREAT‘ campaign to encourage more visitors and businesses to come to this special part of the old heart of England that is not not owned by HS2 or developers. It is owned by all of you, for all to live, work and enjoy.

No. I have campaigned against the folly of subsidised wind farms which destroy the beauty

of the countryside and have to be turned off (but costing us millions) when it is too windy. These add hundreds of pounds each year to our energy bills through a green levy that lines the pockets of mostly foreign energy companies. Many ordinary families face fuel poverty as a result. Solar parks are also ruining our great countryside. I believe that agricultural land should be for growing crops and not harvesting subsidies that line the pockets of the very few whilst blighting the historic Warwickshire landscape which is owned and enjoyed by all.

International Development – (Jane Howell) Q. The UN is introducing new sustainable development goals to replace the Millenium ones agreed in 2000. Unfortunately these make no mention of disability or neglected tropical diseases like leprosy. Will candidates be taking steps to see that such people are included when the new agreement is signed in September? “The UN is introducing new sustainable development goals to replace the Millenium ones agreed in 2000. Unfortunately these make no mention of disability or neglected tropical diseases like leprosy. Will candidates be taking steps to see that such people are included when the new agreement is signed in September?” Aid programmes must be designed to help the genuinely needy such as the desperate plight of the migrants coming from North Africa. UKIP wants to support the poorest people in the world, and believes we have a responsibility to do so. However too much of our money goes to countries with their own foreign aid programmes, with space programmes and nuclear weapons capability, and into dictators’ pockets. UKIP believes in trade not aid. We will cut the overseas aid budget from 0.7% to 0.2% of GNI, on a par with the USA. Circumstances can conspire against any one of us to leave us unemployed, seriously ill and unable to work, perhaps even facing bankruptcy and homelessness. UKIP is fully committed to maintaining a strong and supportive safety net for those who fall on hard times. We are committed to protecting the rights of disabled people and want to support their inclusion in the workplace and our communities. We also recognise the need to care for those who are unable to work, and to care for their carers.

Church – (Richard Windridge) Q. Do the candidates have experience in working with churches to bring social transformation to needy communities? Are they prepared to work with church based initiatives in the community? A: I am on the national fund raising board of The Churches Conservation Trust and work with the charity to raise money so as to ensure that over 400 churches across the country are preserved for future generations to enjoy as well as being used as community hubs.

Electoral Process/Voting – (Nick Parker) Q: Is coalition good for us? What would you say to the person who does not intend to vote? A: Voting is the way that our democratic process works and anybody lucky enough to live in this special part of Warwickshire should relish the opportunity of having a say in what sort of society they want. Voting gives people the right to decide whether they want HS2, for example. Only UKIP wants to scrap it, just as only UKIP want to end the ‘open border’ immigration that is causing our schools and hospitals to be at breaking point and driving working wages down to levels that mean the working man cannot provide for their families.

EU Referendum – (Richard Harwood) Q: Regardless of your parties stance on an in/out EU referendum, how would you ensure voters are properly informed about the role the Union plays and the consequences of their vote either way? A:We think the British people should be given a referendum on their political destiny. We will reclaim British sovereignty from the EU superstate that now makes so many of our laws. British workers will be given first crack at the 800,000 jobs we currently advertise to EU workers. Current ‘open door immigration’ is driving down the working wage in North Warwickshire so that the minimum wage becomes the maximum age. We will raise the lowest level of income tax to £13,000 and ensure that Warwickshire workers - from factories to the hospitality sector - get a decent working wage. There must be ‘pride’ in a job and such pride cannot exist when contracts are exploitive.

The Coleshill Post

WILLIAM CASH: UKIP Parliamentary Candidate for North Warwickshire and Bedworth Campaign website address: www.voteforcash.co.uk

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Conservative Party

Introducing

The Coleshill Post

CRAIG TRACEY: Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for North Warwickshire and Bedworth

Campaign website address: www.craigtracey.co.uk

Political Achievements As someone who is not a career politician, I have served our community in many ways, such as an Employer, Parish Councillor, Chairman of our local Village Hall, a member of the Staffordshire Employment and Skills Board and trustee of two local charities. Since being selected as the Conservative Parliamentary Candidate in September last year, I have been successful in combatting local crime and anti-social behaviour, led the campaign against improving road safety and implementing measures to prevent the causes of accidents rather than cure them. I have successfully fought for residents against inappropriate development in areas such as Austrey and Bedworth. I have also fought alongside outgoing MP, Dan Byles, against HS2 and highlighted its impact in local communities, including bringing the transport Minister to the area to view the Railhead nr Kingsbury. I have worked with the Grendon Action Group to fight the threat of a temporary traveller site and secured a meeting with the Portfolio Holder at the local Council for them to discuss the issue and form a better understanding of the situation and process. Recently, I brought Communities Minister, Eric Pickles, to meet with local action Groups and Fillongley Parish Council to discuss the proposals to build on the former Daw Mill site. I personally drove Mr Pickles along the full route that HGVs would need to travel from Fillongley to Coleshill so that he could fully understand the implications of the development. Finally, I was delighted to be instrumental in helping a Bedworth firm, Brose, secure funding which immediately triggered a further investment by them of £35m and the creation of up to 500 jobs for our local area.

Personal achievements: I started my own small Insurance Broking business from scratch in 1996, aged just 21. Over the past 19 years I have employed many people from the local area - most having started on apprenticeships straight from school. In a highly competitive industry I am very proud of the fact that nearly all of our business comes from recommendation and we have built our reputation for providing first class customer service that focuses on always putting the needs of our clients first. I am a Trustee of two local charities including the Lichfield Garrick Theatre which I was a founder Trustee of and was part of the team which saw it successfully become a registered Charity. I have completed 5 Great North Runs and a London Marathon, raising nearly £10,000 in the process for Breast Cancer charities, a cause very close to my heart.

Personal Statement: As someone who lives and works locally, I am passionate about North Warwickshire. I am not a career politician.

Having run a small customer-facing business for nearly 20 years, I bring a wealth of experience from outside politics that will stand me in good stead to best represent local people. I understand the issues that concern them, as they affect me too. I want us to have the best NHS which is always free at the point of use and will continue to work with our local health services to en-

sure that they have the support to continue their improvement. With the Conservatives the George Eliot has made great strides, coming out of special measures due to previous Labour mismanagement, to receiving a “Good” rating. We cannot fund our NHS and other essential services without a strong economy and this must be our priority. In North Warwickshire, unemployment has dropped by a staggering 70 per cent with the Conservatives and there are now 4,000 more apprentices.

I will always fight for our community against HS2 and will be a strong voice for residents to ensure the best possible compensation. Finally, I want a referendum on the EU. We need to renegotiate our terms of membership including reclaiming powers on our laws and control of our borders – then put those renegotiated terms to the British people in an In/ Out referendum to let them decide. I’m asking for your support on May 7, let’s look towards a brighter future. I will be a strong local MP dedicated to our community.

Questions Answered 1. Excluding HS2 and Street Lighting, what do you think are the two biggest issues facing North Warwickshire at present and how would you go about combating them? A: HS2 is undeniably the single biggest issue raised on the doorstep, but a close second would be the failure of local councils in protecting our communities from inappropriate local development, especially on Green Field and Green Belt sites. I will continue to hold the local councils to account and ensure that they properly consult with residents and follow the correct planning procedures. Finally, we need to secure the future of the George Eliot Hospital. Having successfully come out of special measures following mismanagement by the previous Labour Government, the hospital is making huge strides forward thanks to constructive investment which has seen more Doctors and Nurses and the work of the dedicated staff. I will continue to hold my regular meetings with the trust board to ensure the improvement continues, that the support required is delivered and that the hospital has a strong and effective voice representing them in Parliament.

2. What immediate changes will your constituents notice if you win this election? A: My predecessor, Dan Byles, was an excellent MP for our area and as someone who was also a constituent, I was very impressed with the hands on approach he took, especially in the fight against HS2. I want to be a real community MP - someone who not only represents our local area, but actively promotes it and stands up for it in Westminster. If elected, residents will see a strong and effective Member of Parliament who will put them ahead of party politics. The following four questions were submitted by local residents to the Hustings debate which took place on 19th April at Coleshill Town Hall. These are the questions left unanswered due to time restraints. Please try and answer them if you have time as I would not want to leave them off your profile if the others are carrying

them on theirs. Thank you.

1. The Environment – (Mandy Windridge) Q. Do the candidates have plans to promote renewable energy in this area? A: Renewable energy is important, but we need to ensure that we invest in more homegrown energy and look at all of the available options. If we have a domestic supply, we reduce our exposure to international price fluctuation. I am very concerned, however, about the threat of inappropriate giant on-shore wind turbines in the local area.

Church – (Richard Windridge) Q. Do the candidates have experience in working with churches to bring social transformation to needy communities? Are they prepared to work with church based initiatives in the community? A: The Church has an important role in the community and does a lot of good particularly for those who have to turn to someone in time of need. I would be delighted to work alongside our local churches to support our communities

if elected.

Electoral Process/Voting – (Nick Parker) Q: Is coalition good for us? What would you say to the person who does not intend to vote? A: I think that the coalition was in the best interests of the country at the time and gave stability following the worst recession that we have seen. When people on the doorstep tell me that they don’t vote, I would always try to get them to exercise the right, even if it’s not for me! Generally, disaffected voters think that their vote doesn’t count and won’t change anything. That is certainly not true in North Warwickshire, every vote here will make a big difference to the outcome and I would always remind people of that. I think the current age of voting is right and can’t see the need to reduce it at the current time.

EU Referendum – (Richard Harwood) Q: Regardless of your parties stance on an in/out EU referendum, how would you ensure voters are properly informed about the role the Union plays and the consequences of their vote either way? A: Firstly, we need to renegotiate our terms with the EU. The renegotiation should centre around control of our borders, our laws and our responsibilities. Once we have renegotiated, the revised terms, if any, should be set out, all parties given the opportunity to state their case and then an “In/Out referendum” held. It is important that this is done promptly, but not rushed, in order that people have a clear understanding of the implications. Based on the current agreement, I would vote to leave - it is up to the EU to give us a proposal that works for British people if they want us to remain as members. I think it is vital that people are given the democratic right to vote on our relationship with the EU and find it incredible that Labour are not prepared to trust us with that decision. Only the Conservatives can deliver a referendum on our membership of the EU.

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Introducing

Candidates for Borough Council Election

Name: Dominic Ferro Party: Labour Party Candidate My family and I love Coleshill and I want to see more done to tackle the issues that matter. We have awful looking roundabouts, major parking issues and have suffered too often from broken promises. We are threatened with the development of Daw Mill and Coleshill needs Councillors who will work for them and be focused on the issues that effect us all. Not only will I continue to listen and respond, but I will be a strong voice for Coleshill on the Borough Council. I will continue to oppose Daw Mill & HS2 I will work to improve parking in our town and find a solution to HGV issues on Station road. I want to keep Council tax down I want open spaces that families can enjoy. Name: Adam Farrell Party: Labour Party Candidate We live in a great town but it could be so much better. If elected as your Councillor I will be a strong voice for our community at a time when our town faces so many threats. With HS2, the development at Daw Mill, the highest Council Tax in North Warwickshire, a major parking problem and a lack of investment in our outdoor space – we need change and we need it now. I oppose the planned development at Daw Mill & HS2 I will keep Council Tax down I will work to improve parking across Coleshill I support plans to improve Coleshill Memorial Park Name: Peter Fowler Party: Conservative Party I have lived in Coleshill for many years and have served our town as a Borough & County Councillor, a former Mayor, as a School Governor, as part of Churches Together and Coleshill in Bloom. I have a record of action in Coleshill and the experience to support local residents. I have helped to tackle boy racers, bring in Morrisons to provide more local jobs and shopping choice for residents and have consistently fought HS2 and its impact. I care so much for Coleshill and I am asking for your vote so I can continue to work for you. Fighting the current Daw Mill proposals, resolving concerns of HGV parking in Coleshill, stopping boy-racers and Fighting HS2. Name: Adam Richardson Party: Conservative Party I grew up in Coleshill, having gone to High Meadow school right through to the former Coleshill Comprehensive. My family links to our town stretches right back to my Great-Grandfather who worked at Taylors Bakery. I’m a member of Coleshill Royal British Legion and regularly volunteer at Mary Ann Evens book shop. I love Coleshill and want to see the best for our community; that is why I am standing for Borough and Town Council. I hope you will support me on 7th May so I can work for you. Fighting HS2, resolving concerns of HGV parking in Coleshill, tackling speeding in residential areas, supporting our town centre & local businesses. Name: Hugh McKenzie Party: UKIP Profile information not yet avaialable, please check online for updates. www.thecoleshillpost.co.uk/election

COLESHILL SOUTH Name: Harry Taylor Party: Labour Party Candidate I’ve been a Coleshill Town Councillor since 2011 and it’s clear that on the big issues affecting us, whether it’s traffic and parking or stopping the Daw Mill development, we need strong voices representing us. I personally organised Coleshill’s Daw Mill meeting and I’m proud to have been part of an innovative team that has delivered the Community Hub, the Visitors Centre, improved the running of the Town Council, and put plans together for much needed investment in the Memorial Park. There’s much more to be done and with your support on May 7th we can improve Coleshill. To stop the Daw Mill development due to the disastrous impact of HGV traffic in Coleshill. To support the work to improve the Memorial Park. To be bold and find a solution to the town’s disastrous traffic and parking situation. To get a crossing on the Coventry Road to improve safety, particularly for schoolchildren. Name: Carol Fox Party: Labour Party Candidate Having been a Borough Councillor for 8 years I am standing in Coleshill South for the first time. I live in Shustoke And know the Coleshill Town well. I am determined to stand up for people from all walks of life, to make a better environment for us all. We all have issues that need addressing and that takes strength and determination, this I have and hope the people of Coleshill South can put their trust on me! Name: Stacey Ingram Party: Conservative Party I live locally, in St Pauls Crescent and I am standing to be your Borough Councillor because I am passionate about Coleshill and the future of our town. If elected, my priorities are to campaign for lower council tax for hard working local taxpayers. I will also work with the Conservative-led County council to look at ways to improve road safety across our area, particularly in areas which are currently dangerous for pedestrians and vulnerable people. We are currently conducting a survey in Coleshill to find out what improvements you would like to see made to public transport links in the area. Public transport improvements, cutting Council Tax to help local families, fighting against HS2 and road safety throughout Coleshill; particularly near our schools. Name: Mandy Williams Party: UKIP Profile information not yet avaialable, please check online for updates. www.thecoleshillpost.co.uk/election Name: Mark Jones Party: Conservative Party I have lived in Coleshill for 50 years, I am a former Police Officer and have run my own small business on Coleshill High Street. I am standing to be your Borough and Town councillor because I am absolutely passionate about serving our local community. If elected, my priorities for Coleshill South include greater transparency on public spending and keeping Coleshill residents better informed. As a former Police Officer I also want to use my experience to help prevent crime and anti-social behaviour in Coleshill. Public transport improvements, preventing local crime, fighting the current Daw Mill proposals and ensuring residents get value for money on the Memorial Park

WATER ORTON

CURDWORTH

Name: John Winter Party: Labour Party Candidate

Name: Celia Banner Party: Labour Party Candidate

I have been a Councillor for 26 years and been a leading voice in opposing HS2. As a former miner I am a strong advocate of bringing new jobs to North Warwickshire. Iwill be a strong voice for Water Orton, standing up for what is right for the village and the people who live here.

I have a wealth of knowledge of local government. I’ve been a Borough Councillor before and have also been a Parish Councillor. I was a member of the Hams Hall Trust that was very successful in getting various environmental projects completed in Curdworth.

Name: Tom Foley Party: Labour Party Candidate I have lived in Water Orton for a number of years and I’m currently a Water Orton Parish Councillor. I have sought improvements at our Train Station and I’m firmly opposed to HS2. I would like to see a greater Police presence and wants solutions to the traffic and parking issues affecting the village. I want to see action taken to limit the congestion being caused by the prolonged work taking place on the railway bridge. Name: Ray Payne Party: Conservative Party I am passionate about Water Orton. I have served our community as a Councillor for many years supporting local people, dealing with local concerns and looking after our public spaces and community facilities. Your local vote will make a real difference here. Conservatives will cut your council tax to help local families. Don’t waste your vote on UKIP and we know from experience that Labour don’t keep their promises. We all remember being let down over the M6 Toll. I will do everything we can to serve local people and ensure that Water Orton remains a happy, safe and prosperous community. Fighting against HS2, improving the traffic flow through our village - especially at the bridge, supporting our library and supporting the Rugby Club. Name: David Reilly Party: Conservative Party A 100 word personal statement I grew up locally and got married at our local Church, my children attended Water Orton primary school. I chair the Mini & Youth Section at Old Salts Rugby Club. I am actively campaigning to mitigate the impact of HS2 on our community. In November I gave evidence to the HS2 Select Committee at the House of Commons. Having completed a professional career in the Police, I now volunteer for a local wildlife and heritage project to rejuvenate the River Tame and surrounding local countryside. I am also our local Community Safety Ambassador for Warwickshire Police. Fighting HS2 and ensuring proper mitigation, support residents to ensure their views are heard over the school & rugby club, fly tipping and preserving Water Orton’s sporting facilities. Name: Alan Holland Party: UKIP Profile information not yet avaialable, please check online for updates. www.thecoleshillpost.co.uk/election

Name: Andrew Dorgan Party: UKIP Profile information not yet avaialable, please check online for updates. www.thecoleshillpost.co.uk/election

Name: Mike Banner Party: Labour Party Candidate I have stood for election before and have a lot of experience of campaigning for local people’s rights. I feel that it is important that the community has representatives who will stand up for their rights, especially at a time when there are so many threats to every aspect of public services. Name: Jack Everill Party: UKIP Profile information not yet avaialable, please check online for updates. www.thecoleshillpost.co.uk/election

Name: Keith Richard Woodward Party: Independent I am 50 years old and have lived in nether whitacre for 33 years. I attended Great Barr School. I am a carpenter and joiner. I am a churchwarden in the parish of the Whitacre’s ,Lea Marston and Shustoke. I am also a volunteer footpaths coordinator for Warwickshire County Council and a member of the North Warwickshire Neighbourhood Watch Committee. To represent the elector. To create a neighbourhood plan for Nether Whitacre. Litter and a cleaner environment Improve facilities at Nether whitacre playing field

Name: Joan Lea Party: Conservative Party Representing the Electoral Ward of Curdworth is an honour, and if re-elected, I will work hard to represent the interests of all residents, fairly. HS2 proposals have brought huge burden of worry, misery and environmental threat to North Warwickshire. Action Groups have worked extremely hard to counter the enormous damage and threats its design imposes. We would continue to support them in the fight and funding our Local Councils have already put in to get our voices heard and also press to get better mitigation and compensation for those affected. Fighting HS2, protecting our greenbelt and countryside, Borough Care and housing developments.

Name: Terry Waters Party: Conservative Party I was born and grew up in Curdworth, attending Curdworth Primary School and then Coleshill Grammar School. I served as a Parish Councillor in Curdworth until my wife Elizabeth and I moved to Nether Whitacre where we still live and where I also at served our community as a Parish Councillor. I have managed my own local business in our community for 40 years. If you elect me I will do my very best to serve the interests of our local villages as well as the Borough as a whole. Protecting our environment, supporting residents over HS2, anti-social behaviour and local jobs.

The Coleshill Post

Although we have tried to contact every candidate standing for election in the wards we cover, there are some that we have not been able to get in touch with. The information here is provided by the candidate themselves and offers a brief personal profile and an outline of their aims and objectives. For those without a profile please check our website election section for regular updates. We endeavour to reach as many candidates as possible and post their profile online. Missing candidates please send your profile to shannon.edgington@thecoleshillpost.co.uk and we will make sure you are represented online as soon as possible.

COLESHILL NORTH

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The Coleshill Post - May 2015 - ELECTION SPECIAL - Issue 21

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TheElectionSection2015

www.thecoleshillpost.co.uk/election Introducing

Candidates for Town & Parish Election

The Coleshill Post

COLESHILL NORTH Name: Claire Breeze Party: Labour Party Candidate My name is Claire Breeze and I live in Coleshill South. I am married to a Police Officer, we have 2 children aged 21 and 16 and both were educated in Coleshill. I have worked all of my life, and currently work as a Trade Union Organiser. I have a very strong work ethic, and believe that Social Justice and fairness should be ingrained in the foundations of our society. As a councillor, I would be the voice of our community, and therefore communication will be a priority for me. I will ensure that my constituents have the opportunity to communicate with me in as many ways as possible, opening up access to everyone, regardless of age, or technological ability. I will ensure that your priorities, views and opinions are raised at local Council meetings to influence change for the better, views and opinions that are representative of our community. Name: Jane Farrow Party: Labour Party Candidate Although I have only recently moved to Coleshill, I grew up nearby and have always known the town well. Now I live here and have learned more about it and my neighbours, I am even more aware that we need to look after the the lovely town we live in. If elected as your Town Councillor I will listen to the concerns of people who live and work in Coleshill, and do my best to represent them and their concerns, to get things done. I will support plans to improve the Memorial Park I will fight for our streetlights to be switched back on I will work to improve parking across Coleshill I will support campaigns to deal with the problems of HGV’s on our roads, and for safer roads throughout our town Name: Peter Courts Party: Independent As a councillor for the past 8 years I have served on the Outdoor Amenities Committe as chair person for most of that time, I have endeavoured to serve the town to the best of my ability. I have lived in Coleshill for 50 years and have always worked in voluntary services as chair of the Heart Of England Fellowship for many years ,as a Cub Scout Leader and have supported most events in the town .If re elected I shall continue to do so I do not represent any political party as I don’t think politics should be an issue in our tier of local government ,it has not been for the last 8yrs,and should continue the same way although the Conservative party are making it an issue. Name: Adam Farrell Party: Labour Party Candidate See Borough Election page for profile

Name: Harry Taylor Party: Labour Party Candidate See Borough Election page for profile

Name: Adam Richardson Party: Conservative Party See Borough Election page for profile

COLESHILL SOUTH Name: Tony Battle Party: Tony Battle I have lived in and around Coleshill most of my life, my two children go to school here and my wife and I both volunteer with the Midlands Emergency Response Charity based here in Coleshill, in September 2014 I helped organise the Save-a-life day in the Coleshill town hall, and on the day we trained 74 Coleshillians in life saving First Aid techniques. I am passionate about our town which is why I know I can help improve it if elected to the Town Council. I am not affiliated with any political party and want to work with both Labour and Conservative councillors to help make Coleshill a better place for all of us to live in. To protect & improve local amenities. Campaign for traffic lights at the Green Man. Improve parking on Springfields. Listen to concerns of local residents. Name: Kirsteen Wootton Party: Independent I attended The Coleshill School, where she was head girl, and bought my first home in Coleshill with my husband Matthew, a lifelong resident. I became a town councillor in 2012 because I believe passionately in community involvement. I am currently Deputy Mayor of Coleshill. I wants to preserve the town’s character, whilst supporting sustainable development. As chairman of the Town Council’s Planning Committee, I have helped formulate the council’s response to Daw Mill and HS2. I’m a member of the Neighbourhood Plan Steering group. I love history and am also chairman of Coleshill Remembers, a community group established to commemorate the centenary of the First World War. I have organised a number of commemorative events and have encouraged local school children to reflect upon the war’s impact. As an independent I answer only to local residents and I’m always available to listen to your concerns. Continue to ensure value-for-money for local tax payers Support the ongoing renovation of the Town Hall Enhance local amenities for all residents by improving facilities at the Memorial Park Work with council staff and other groups to tackle the persistent problems of littering and dog fouling

NETHER WHITACRE Name: John Godwin Party: John Godwin Profile information not yet avaialable, please check online for updates. www.thecoleshillpost.co.uk/election

Name: Debra Starkey Party: Independent Candidate Profile information not yet avaialable, please check online for updates. www.thecoleshillpost.co.uk/election

Name: Richard Hemphill Party: Richard Hemphill Profile information not yet avaialable, please check online for updates. www.thecoleshillpost.co.uk/election

Name: Keith Woodward Party: Keith Woodward Profile information not yet avaialable, please check online for updates. www.thecoleshillpost.co.uk/election

Name: Joan Pickworth Party: Joan Pickworth Profile information not yet avaialable, please check online for updates. www.thecoleshillpost.co.uk/election

Name: Peter Wright Party: Peter Wright Profile information not yet avaialable, please check online for updates. www.thecoleshillpost.co.uk/election

Name: Tony Rumble Party: Independent Candidate Profile information not yet avaialable, please check online for updates. www.thecoleshillpost.co.uk/election

Name: Vivienne Wright Party: Vivienne Wright Profile information not yet avaialable, please check online for updates. www.thecoleshillpost.co.uk/election

Member of British Association of Landscape Industries

Name: Sue Wallace Party: Independent Profile information not yet avaialable, please check online for updates. www.thecoleshillpost.co.uk/election Name: Dave Simkin Party: Dave Simkin Profile information not yet avaialable, please check online for updates. www.thecoleshillpost.co.uk/election Name: Richard Mason Party: Conservative Party I grew up in Coleshill and have lived here for many years. I care about our town and its future. I am standing for our local Town Council to help change things for the better. I want to stand up for local residents’ views and concerns. My career has included owning a small business. I am also a Church leader. I hope that you will support me in Coleshill South for the Town Council. Thank you. Clearing up litter, improving footpaths, tackling dog fouling on our pavements and solving parking issues in town. Name: Mark Jones Party: Conservative Party See Borough Election page for profile

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OUT The Coleshill Post

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Will Pension Freedoms continue to fuel a boom in BTL By Phil Salinas Coleshill Mortgage Services Ltd 01675 467196/ 07795630520

Recent legislation which came in to force at the beginning of April has meant that for some people they can now access all the cash in their pensions once they reach the age of 55. Initially commentators posed questions over whether savers would blow the cash on fast living or could be trusted to use their pensions wisely. I think that now the legislation has come in to force it is widely accepted that if you have spent most of your life saving for your retirement you are unlikely to waste that effort in an orgy of high living to leave yourself scraping by thereafter. More likely is the scenario where savers who have built up pension pots over many years but are reluctant to draw income through annuities or drawdown will seek alternative investments. One option will be to use the money to fund investing in to the BTL market. Lenders have recognised this as the number of cheap deals on the market has risen more than three-fold in a year, with the average two-year rate dropping from 3.7pc to 3.45pc in just six

months. In total, investors can choose from 226 different fixed rate deals compared to 162 six months ago and 71 a year ago, according to data from Moneyfacts, which analyses financial products. With more five-year fixed rate deals charging below 5pc than ever before, it is little wonder that the newly emancipated pensioners are genuinely considering buyto-let as a retirement option. However, those looking at this route as an alternative to a pension need to look at all aspects of the mortgage aswell as the risks associated with investing in BTL property. Many lenders restrict the age they will lend up to, have differing minimum income requirements and so good quality Independent Mortgage Advice is very important. When investing in to property you need to understand the risks you are taking, tenants may not pay, property can fall in value, interest rates may rise and you can have unexpected repair bills. As with any investment it is sensible to spread the risk and so having more than one property ( a BTL portfolio) helps manage this risk. Where you have just one property and pay cash then you have one source of rent and if property prices increase then one property increasing in value. If however you use a mortgage and split your investment into four 25% deposits then you can buy four

properties giving you four sources of rent and four properties on which values can increase. This is called gearing and done correctly generates far greater net income and potentially capital growth and spreads the risks. It is also important to research the market you are investing in as well in order to make sure that the property you are buying is suitable to Let and there is a strong demand for the area where you want to buy. You should also buy property based on what tenants want not whether you particularly like certain aspects of a particular property as you will not be living in it. Therefore before buying you should always talk to local letting agents to find out which properties let best and are in most demand. With lenders keen to increase their exposure to the BTL market and bringing out new competitive rates , demand increasing for property to rent and the new rules on pension funds allowing greater access the ingredients for a boom in the BTL market are there. With every boom comes bust though so make sure you get advice and invest for the long term making sure you understand what you are investing in and the risks. Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.

Coleshill Mortgage Services Limited

01675 467196 07795 6btc3on0ne5ct.2co0m phil.salinas@

mortgages Buying a property can be the biggest decision made in our lives. It is for this very reason that impartial advice is critical from qualified advisers.

coleshillmortgages.co.uk In all cases we charge a fee for mortgage arrangement of ÂŁ195 on completion of the transaction plus any commission paid by the lender. Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage

FirstCHOICE Property Centre THINKING OF MOVING in 2015? Contact FirstCHOICE today for details of our New packages CALL: 01675 466793

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www.thecoleshillpost.co.uk

The Coleshill Post - May 2015 - ELECTION SPECIAL - Issue 21

@ColeshillPost The Coleshill Post

Mayor of Coleshill oﬃcially opens Dugdale Court show complex The local community joined the Mayor of Coleshill, Councillor Harry Taylor, to officially open the show complex of McCarthy and Stone’s Retirement Living development Dugdale Court earlier this week.

The sparkling opening event gave Coleshill retirees and their relatives the first opportunity to find out more about Retirement Living with McCarthy and Stone, the UK’s leading retirement housebuilder. The local community gathered at the development on Coventry Road to see Councillor Harry Taylor perform the ceremonial ribbon cutting, which officially opened the show complex to the public. Visitors were invited to take a tour of the fully furnished show apartments, before being treated to a complimentary glass of bubbly in the marketing suite.

Throughout the day, experienced sales executives were on hand to answer any questions that visitors and their families had about purchasing and the options available to help make moving even easier. Gill Sabin, Regional Sales and Marketing Director for McCarthy & Stone, commented: “We were honoured to host the Mayor, as well as many Coleshill residents, at the official opening of the show complex of Dugdale Court. The stunning show apartments highlight the modern designs and luxurious surroundings that can be enjoyed by all homeowners, and we received a high interest from Coleshill’s retirees. 40% of apartments were reserved on the day and so we would recommend anybody interested in a McCarthy and Stone apartment at Dugdale Court con-

tact the sales team to avoid missing out.” McCarthy & Stone’s Retirement Living developments are designed to offer homeowners the very best in independent living within a safe and secure environment, with the opportunity to benefit from companionship when they want it and privacy and assistance when they need it. Facilities in Dugdale Court include a stunning homeowners’ lounge, ideal for socialising with friends, beautifully landscaped gardens in which to relax and a convenient guest suite

should homeowners have friends or relatives to stay. The development also benefits from its very own House Manager, who will ensure the smooth running of the development, a security entrance system, plus 24-hour emergency call points for added peace of mind for both homeowners and their families. To find out more about the sparkling show complex launch, please call our sales team on 01675 430463 For more information on Dugdale Court visit www.mccarthyandstone.com/ dugdalecourt.

First Choice Property can speed things up for you with our dedicated sales and lettings teams. If you are selling or letting your property call FirstChoice Property Centre NOW

FirstCHOICE

01675 466793 |140 High Street, Coleshill, B46 3BJ

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The Coleshill Post - May 2015 - ELECTION SPECIAL - Issue 21

www.thecoleshillpost.co.uk

@ColeshillPost The Coleshill Post

The wait is finally over at Dugdale Court Our show complex is now available to view

DUGDALE COURT Coventry Road, Coleshill, Warwickshire, B46 3AT 1 & 2 bedroom Retirement Living apartments for sale from £165,950 to £249,950# We are excited to announce that Dugdale Court is now open to the public. Book your tour today and view our beautiful show apartments and brand new facilities. Please call us today on 0800 310 0740 and we’ll help you find your perfect apartment or visit mccarthyandstone.co.uk/dugdalecourt #

Subject to availability.

Dugdale Court, Cloeshill (RL Coming) 259x330.indd 1

LP-MI-CPO-RL-ZZZ-ZZ 22/04/2015 13:14

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The Coleshill Post - May 2015 - ELECTION SPECIAL - Issue 21

@ColeshillPost

Phil Costello

Motoring

The Coleshill Post

Filling your weekend As the nice weather is here it is time

soon.

to get on that internet and search

From the formula 1 to the Sunday car boot sales, it can all be found. But if you are busy or haven’t got a clue on where to look, here are some good examples. Let’s start with the Formula 1. With Lewis Hamilton first in the championship, now is the time

through the local papers for all the exciting events that will be starting

to pop down to Silverstone on the first weekend in July (3rd - 5th) and see the current champion hopefully make it a home win. Next is the Moto GP again at Silverstone on the last weekend in August (18th 29th 30th) and with Cal Crutchlow very strong and Valentino (GOAT) Rossi holding his lead on the championship over Marc Marquez. Now for some events that you can join in and experience at Santa Pod. Now I know it doesn’t sound like much but experiencing the drag strip in your own car can be a huge rush. You don’t need anything special for the adrenalin to start pumping, just a working car and a free Saturday. Events are on most Saturdays and Sundays with the top fuel dragsters

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filling the strip from the 22nd to the 25th of May. 300Mph monsters tearing up the tarmac all weekend is mind blowing to see and feel 8000BHP shake the floor when it passes. Next are track days from Donnington Park. For the first time there are female only motorcycle riding schools. Run by Maria Costello who has the TT under her belt teaches advanced riding skills and confidence building in a controlled area. At £199 it’s quite cheap for an instructor and team with that much experience to train you on a race track, so it’s time for the ladies to don the helmets and get out there. These are just a few events coming up in the next few months, not including track days, museums and public car shows. The amount of stuff out there shouldn’t bring one boring weekend throughout the year.

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The Coleshill Post - May 2015 - ELECTION SPECIAL - Issue 21

BUSINESS

What is RGN?

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THE Warwickshire Rural Growth Network provides free business support to businesses and individuals looking to start their own business, in rural Warwickshire.

Warwickshire County Council has been selected by DEFRA, as one of five counties in England to run this new pilot business support programme focusing on rural areas. You will be given a dedicated business g will be onecoach, who will work with you to develop a bespoke action plan, to on offerlaunch at a new business or kick start business growth. You and your busige © Tame ness coach will work through your s, Warwickshire journey, to achieve your goals. To discuss this opportunity further, please do contact us on either 07768 390148 or 07920 563781.

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J-K9 is an established local j-k9that provides day spa business / salon and day care services for dogs. Over the past five years, J-K9 has harnessed change and fully-qualified owner, Jamie Coxall and the J-K9j-k9 team offer a range of dog grooming and day care services, including traditional grooming, dog day care, hydrotherapy and a range of food products for a healthier and happier pet. Jamie established J-K9 in 2008, as he felt a need to offer a quality and qualified service to pets and their owners. Since starting the business, Jamie has established a stable

business with a loyal list of clients. More recently, a decision was made to expand the business into a fully-functional dog salon with day care services. As a result of this, the company moved to new, larger premises in Coleshill Industrial Estate. At this point, Jamie felt that he needed additional support to further develop his business management skills and gain a better understand of how to grow this business. Following a recommendation, Warwickshire Rural Growth Network was contacted in December 2014 to explore the service and how a business coach may support J-K9. Jamie met with Rita Booth, a business coach with Pera Consulting (UK) Ltd, to discuss the current position of the business and to develop the vision for J-K9’s future. The re-

sult was an aim to become the first choice dog grooming and dog day care service in North Warwickshire, as well as developing J-K9 into a family business. At this stage, J-K9 had already established its presence in the new location and was already growing a loyal client portfolio. Jamie believed that he wished to access business coaching support for marketing support and to better understand how to grow this business. Jamie and Rita worked together to develop an action plan that first reviewed and developed the business from within. This review and action plan addressed areas such as financial performance and operational procedures, as well as better understanding the relationship between both. By working through this, Jamie and the J-K9 team have been

able to improve operational efficiency and financial performance and develop a marketing plan that focuses on supporting business growth. With the ongoing, professional support and guidance of Rita Booth as business coach, J-K9 is experiencing growth, through new enquiries, word of mouth recommendations and repeat clients for the grooming services offered. The dog day care service is very popular, too. J-K9 is making fantastic progress and is going from strength-to-strength. If you would like to learn more about how Warwickshire Rural Growth Network may help you start a new business or develop your existing business, please call 07768 390148 or visit www.warwickshiregov.uk/rural- growthnetwork .

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The Coleshill Post

Paws for thought for growing Coleshill business

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Amazing start to the season for Coleshill Cricket COLESHILL 1STS v SOLIHULL BLOSSOMFIELD

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COLESHILL made an amazing start to the season with a record-breaking opening stand the main feature of a colossal total against visitors Solihull Blossomfield in the first week of the new Warwickshire Cricket League season at Memorial Park Skipper Pete Magafas and new recruit Zeeshan Ahmad made steady progress early on after Coleshill were asked to bat, reaching 22 after seven overs and 50 in the fourteenth As both batsmen settled in the wicket was proving a belter for so early in the season and the boundaries began to flow on a regular basis, as the scoring rate continued to increase The century partnership was notched in the 21st over as both players approached their half centuries. Blossomfield's bowlers had little answer to both Coleshill batsmen who were in determined mood to build a big score Twelve overs later the 200 came up for no wicket and the runs continued to pile up, and the third 100 came in just another eight overs, as both Magafas and Zeeshan notched their respective centuries A 300 opening stand in a Saturday League game was certainly a first for Coleshill but came to an end at 321 when Zeeshan was caught for an impressive 143 off Chris Kinman, who shortly afterwards doubled his wicket tally when Magafas was stumped for a magnificent 172 A declaration had been discussed and expected by some onlookers but the decision instead was taken for other batsmen who hadn't had a knock all season to get in some batting practice which proved useful to Mo Usman who smashed a quickfire 42 helping the final total to a mammoth 405/4 In reply Solihull Bloss lost openers Altaf and Bannister early on and despite losing number three Ed Thompson to a foot injury, they played positively trying to score as many points as possible in what was simply an impossible run chase Wickets were shared around during the first half of the innings as Bloss reached 99/4 at the halfway stage with Bashir, Amin, Ahmed and Bates all claiming a wicket each Raashid Salim was not going to go down without a fight though and an entertaining innings of 63 got his side

to two batting points before becoming the first of three wickets for another Coleshill League debutant Sheraz Khan, playing against his old club Bloss were seven wickets down with ten overs to spare but as light rain began to fall in fading light both teams accepted that there would not be a result and the final few overs were played out 'going through the motions' as the visitors closed on 163/7 All things considered 17 points claimed by Coleshill was a very positive start to the season, and with two to three other players still to return, plenty of positives can be taken at this stage for the season ahead Next week, Coleshill are again at home, with Pak Shaheen providing the opposition

GRIFF & COTON 1STS v COLESHILL 2NDS

Coleshill’s 2nd XI made the perfect start to their League campaign in Division Six with an impressive seven wicket victory over Griff & Coton 1sts The Nuneaton based outfit batted first and struggled early on against Coleshill’s opening attack of Adam Harrison and Ben Price Wickets fell regularly as the top six in the order all failed to notch double figures and at 50/6 the hosts were in deep trouble However a recovery followed with lower order batsmen HB Singhal (30), Dale (54) and Sheikh (44*) all contributing to a much more solid looking final total of 197 all out Harrison, Price and youngster Ellis Tombs all took two wickets apiece and all looking in good form for the season ahead Coleshill’s response was positive from ball one with openers Dan Walker (22) and David Pudge (27) laying the foundation for a successful chase, putting 60 on for the first wicket However both departed on that score and number three Zulfiqar only added 4 runs before Toby Swift and Yahya Safi took over at the middle This pair batted with supreme confidence and conviction taking Coleshill to victory with an undefeated stand of 111 with some brilliant cricket Swift (58*) and Safi (62*) walked off to tremendous team celebrations earning 20 points from the first game of the season Next week it’s another away trip, this time to Peugeot CC