Ministers, Mavericks, Me and you...

Join our supper club and meet the people who shape our government, our party and our political future.  This winter you can dine with Richard Benyon MP*, John Redwood MP, Richard Drax MP, The People’s Pledge, David Davis MP*, for only £125.  South Dorset Conservative Association is proud to bring you such a strong cast of speakers to Weymouth, please support them, and us, by attending.

Not only is it outstanding value for money offering a unique insight into some of our most interesting political minds but also a great social occasion to keep you going through the winter.  Your support will also help us through next year’s Council elections.  Please sign up today, for one or more evenings and please invite your friends.

Please call Katherine in the office 01305 851900 for more information, dates and venues.

*To be confirmed

Second home - second vote?

Purbeck District Council are asking all second home owners to complete an Electoral Registration Review form.  If you own a second home, that is solely used for recreational purposes, a Council can withdraw your right to have a vote at local elections.  Even though you pay your taxes, and often use less than your pro rata proportion of services, you can be denied the right to vote at local elections.  Although I think that this is intended to catch out absentee landlords I suspect that a few innocents will lose out too.  Firstly forms have to be returned by 18^th November and secondly you should ensure that your involvement with local organisations are noted.  These might include walking groups, village Committees etc but do show you are embedded within the community.  This is the chief criteria for receiving a vote with your second home.

PDC will respond to each submission and, if successful, you will appear on the new register from December.  If your request for a vote is rejected please contact us and we will help you appeal or you can apply again.

Keep in touch

SDCA is contacting all our members by telephone to gauge their views on SDCA; what we do, how they like to communicate with us and to what level they would like to be involved in promulgating our activities.  It will be a useful barometer of political involvement in the constituency and I am looking forward to the feedback.   

When our government is making difficult decisions that they know will be unpopular but necessary it is vital that we are the advocates for all that is best in our administration.  The last government tried only to make popular decisions, by throwing money and words at everything, and look at the trouble they caused us.  In difficult times it is easy, and a little understandable, to keep one’s head down and look after number one but we are all in this together and we must look after each other, make the case for these difficult decisions, and keep the momentum of change going.  Would we really want a return to a Labour Chancellor who is advocating the same programme as Gordon Brown?

It is very easy to relax after an election victory but after a well earned rest we must return revitalised.  If we let our distribution networks lose touch, our committee meetings lapse, our fundraisers fail to take off we are storing up more work for ourselves.  We must continue to keep our machinery going and our parties enjoyable.  We must never forget that all political work is voluntary, paid for by local subscriptions but it is the congregation of people that keeps the party alive.  Please keep in touch and join up. 

SDCA has given an internship to a local girl who is keen to progress in marketing to plan, write, execute and evaluate the project which we aim to complete before the end of November.  I am delighted that we are able to provide some practical assistance that will help to improve employment chances in our area.  If someone is looking for a graduate to fill a marketing role please get in touch.  Our last intern has started her training to be a barrister so we are trying to do our bit!

Conservative Party Conference

I found it a great conference; it was a good venue and there was much that was illuminating.  But three experiences stood out. 

A splinter of three middle aged TUC campaigners on their way home crossed the road to shout and spit at me.

An emotion stirring speech in the education presentation

A few stolen minutes in the Lowry exhibition

Obviously there was much else that was good and I spoke extensively to the party about Membership and constituency business but I would like to concentrate on these three.

The TUC activists were so riddled with hatred that they could not contemplate allowing me to speak let alone listen to me.  They vented their spleen and went home.  I fear that as we address our economic problems that people will shrink into their comfort zones and not engage in the debate that will rescue them and us.  It is not easy to reach those who will not listen but we must be a listening and reasoning people to become a community.  Now is the time to become engaged in politics, to talk, and listen and support the principles we believe in.   

Of much greater import were the speeches on education adn to hear from teachers and pupils.  It is wonderful to see what this government has achieved in the last eighteen months; how political acts are changing the lives and prospects of children and families throughout their lives.  Even if we are able to right the economy in record time this administration will be remembered and thanked for its Education Act.  These are the reasons why people get involved in politics; to make things happen; to improve our society and create opportunities.  It is not to close down debate, spout slogans and generate hatred.

We all have memories of Lowry pictures but looking at them in situ, not far from where they were painted, and seeing them in proportion to all his other work was wonderful.  The gallery was impressive, the regenerated docks impressive, the tram brilliant but I saw few of Lowry’s people.  The area was one step from being deserted. It needs Lowry’s crowds.  I hope they come and give life to that which was built for them.

Birmingham next year, please get involved, it is always rewarding if your eyes and ears are alert.

Education Swanage

Purbeck is not always the first place that new government policies take form.  We all feel the pain of the cuts required to put the country back on its feet so it is great to celebrate Education Swanage.

Education Swanage is seeking to establish a new school on the site of the old Swanage Grammar School.  Their commitment is phenomenal.  They are not party political but I am delighted that Conservative Education policy encourages this diversity, innovation and inspiration.  Greater choice in education, more local input and more responsiveness to Purbeck families can only be a good thing.  It raises everyone’s ambitions, achievements and, I believe, happiness.  I hope that it will give Swanage the people it needs from the next generation to bring renewed economic and cultural vitality to the area.  I would like to see bright children attracted to Swanage not drawn away.  In addition I think a new school will be a great driver to encourage young families and businesses to stay, or move, to the area.  A new secondary school can be the impetus for a sustained momentum behind the fortunes of Swanage.

You can find out more about them on their website  www.educationswanage.co.uk   Please look them up and get involved because they need our support.  To quote from their newsletter:

‘Purbeck District Council voted to include our proposals for the former Swanage Grammar School building in the Core Strategy, the document which guides future development in Purbeck. They are now consulting on this and we'd be grateful if you could let PDC know that you support the proposal to re-use the former Grammar School as a new school for all of Swanage's children. The Core Strategy document and comment forms are available at www.dorsetforyou.com/purbeck_consultation and at the Council offices, local libraries and at the Town Hall from 1st September until 13th October.’

Education  Swanage plan to open in September 2013 and is awaiting the go ahead from the Department of Education in October.

GOOD LUCK

Contributing to the community

South Dorset Conservatives cover almost every palate.  Next month we are holding a supper with our MP, a wine tasting, a tea party and a cocktail party.  Everyone is welcome and will have the chance to contribute to their community.

This summer has exposed the fragility of community life and the responsibility each of us has to maintain it.  One of the cohesive links in communities is shared values, in our case a political philosophy, that embraces every individual.  Please join us at one of our events to meet other members, to discuss our community life, reinforce the values we hold important and to have a sociable few hours.  More details are available on our website www.southdorsetconservatives.com  and we look forward to seeing you.

Conservatives regain control of Purbeck District Council

I am delighted to confirm that Cllr Gary Suttle was elected, unopposed, as the new Leader of the Council and Cllr Barry Quinn was elected as the Deputy Leader. 

The announcement was made at the Council meeting 2^nd August and follows the by-election in Lytchett Matravers when we won the seat from the Liberal Democrats.  We now hold 12 seats, the Liberal Democrats 10 and the Independents 2. 

Despite the difficult economic circumstances prevailing nationally the Conservative team will be battling hard for our district and have plans to revitalise local services as well as managing the changes wrought upon us.

Constituency boundary changes

The Boundary Commission is due to publish its draft proposal in the second week of September for the re-drawing of Parliamentary constituencies.  It will reduce the total number of seats to 600 from 650 and base all constituencies on a quota of 76,441 voters plus or minus 5%.  The figures will be based on the 2010 electorate and constituencies will be made up of whole district wards as they are currently designated but, for the first time, County boundaries will not be sacrosanct.  The south west will lose two seats but our psephologists  reckon that as we are in the numerical sweetspot we are unlikely to change dramatically.  Perhaps we shall be extended to include Bere Regis or Wareham.

Change can be unsettling when we have spent years developing an identity and culture within a constituency so we would ask you to keep an eye open for the report on our website, shortly after 13th September, (and the Boundary Commission's site www.independent.gov.uk/boundarycommissionforengland )  so that we can make representations to the party and to the Commission.  The Commission will be holding public hearings in October / November and further drafts and representations will be possible through regular windows before the final report is made in September 2013 for enactment in all elections from December 2013. 

After a number of years when the numbers were loaded against us we will have equal size constituencies and equal representation for all electors.  As well as reducing the cost of parliamentary supervision we believe that the new parameters for constituency boundaries will be more appropriate as communities expand and contract without creating democratic deficits in the regions