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| MY POLITICAL PRIORITIES FOR BATH |
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Environment
We do need green taxes, but they have to be revenue neutral - the pain of green taxes needs to be fully offset by tax cuts elsewhere! That is a key difference to the green tax proposals of the other parties.
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Transport
Traffic in Bath is often gridlocked, which is why I support plans for a park & ride facility to the east of the city. I am also campaigning for better rail services from Bath into Bristol, London and cross-country services. |
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Keeping Rugby at the Rec!
I will campaign for a solution that allows the stadium to expand without significantly infringing the opportunities to use the park for other recreations. |
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Education
Bath is blessed with a number of excellent schools, but teachers need more help. I favour improving discipline and behaviour in schools by shifting the balance of power back in favour of the teachers; delivering more teaching by ability which stretches the strongest and nurtures the weakest; reducing bureaucracy through a reformed testing regime in primary schools. |
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Crime
While overall crime levels have fallen in Bath over the past 4 years, the crime that directly affects personal wellbeing, such as assault, harassment and sexual violence, has risen, in some cases dramatically. I want to see more policemen on the beat in Bath rather than filling forms at the station. And I am campaigning against the Home Office funding cuts for our Police Community Support Officers in Bath. |
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Complete Transparency About the Spa
There is still lingering doubt about the cost of legal bills left over from the construction of the Spa. And just like most citizens of Bath, I want to know how well the Spa is actually performing as a business.
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Civil Liberties
I want to expose the massive cost and 'big brother' nature of Labour's ID card scheme. I do not want to carry an ID card every time I leave my house and I will fight to protect our hard-won personal liberties! |
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Protecting Bath's Heritage
Bath is a beautiful city, but some areas are still eyesores. I will work hard to protect Bath's architectural heritage. For example, I have recently requested a meeting with the owners of the listed King Edward's School building in Broad Street so we can all get a better understanding of what they have planned for the house which has been empty for far too long. |
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Saving the Royal United Hospital
There is a threat of various cancer treatments being moved from Bath to Bristol, even though this would not lead to demonstrably better care or financial savings. I will campaign to keep these services at the RUH which provides excellent treatment. And I will campaign for new projects, such as Western Riverside, to be designed in a way that is sympathetic to the height and character of other buildings in the city - because we cannot afford to lose our world heritage site status. |
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Having political priorities is one thing; however, my political experience so far has shown me that you can only engage people if you talk to them directly - and even more importantly - if you listen to what their own priorities are!
I am therefore keen to hear your views on my priorities and about additional issues I should pursue. Please get in touch via the message box on the home page.
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Briefing with Eric Pickles MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Local Government, about the 1065% increase in stamp duty for an average family house in Bath since 1997 |
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Handing out prizes to the Greenwich Trio at Tom Clarke's
Pump Room concert series |
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Hosting Nobel Peace Prize winner David Trimble for a talk in Bath |
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Campaigning for Honest Food labelling at Twerton Market with
Shadow Environment Secretary Nick Herbert MP in March 2009 |
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Learning about stonemasonry at City of Bath College with Principal
Matt Atkinson
and Shadow Education Minister John Hayes MP
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