The Road to success is always under construction..

That was what my fortune cookie told me anyway as my team and I ate rather late after a full on day of community meetings regarding Sizewell C. I had eight meetings and one today plus I plan another in the South next week.
It was particularly apt as most of the concerns expressed were on traffic and the desired option of building new roads - bypass and a new road (the old option D2). The second biggest issue was location of accommodation campus.

It is important that constituents contribute their thoughts on the options and also suggest new options. If EDF receives 3000 different options, that will not have the same impact as coalescing around one or two new options on each issue.

Health&Care Watch

This week I met Monitor and CQC to discuss local issues on health and social care providers, particularly our ambulance service. CQC puts all its reports online now (www.cqc.org.uk) - excellent for patients and caring relatives.
It is important to have a good consistent level of assessment and monitoring with sensible, confidential conversations.
Next week I am back at James Page Hospital and early March I am meeting our Ambulance Chair and Chief Executive.

Rail meeting

Had really useful round table dinner with East Anglian MPs and Network Rail last night. A lot is going on and we were briefed on the latest strategic view. The director for our area is a real can-do bloke. I am following up with a separate meeting on Felixstowe and level crossings next month. Before that though we have a rail summit on January 31st.

Boundaries

Lib Dem Ministers voted against the Government on an amendment to the individual voter registration Bill. The amendment seeks to delay boundary changes and is nothing to do with voter registration.
It is an oddity and normally would lead to resignations but we are not in a normal situation in this Parliament.
We still need to have the vote on the Boundary Commission 's report. I will vote to endorse it as we do have an unfair system today with a wide disparity in the number of electors we represent.

Richard Benyon my hero & other Week 1 highlights

Another fast paced week drew to a close with our Norfolk/Suffolk banking forum followed by the filming of Sunday Politics in Cambridge but the week started with a visit from Shipping & Highways Agency Minister Stephen Hammond to Harwich. The sharp eyed among you will spot that Harwich is in Essex but it is just across the water and the Harwich Haven Authority manages the Stour and the Orwell plus both ports are owned by Hutchison. It was also an opportunity for both Essex and Suffolk County councillors to present on key strategic road issues including the A14, the A12 and the A120. There are some changes happening at European level that have a direct impact on our ability to attract additional funds so we must keeping working with our MEPs on this.

Highlight of the Parliamentary week was the statement by Richard Benyon, Fisheries Minister, on his negotiations that concluded just before Christmas. The work that he has done has been tremendous. Overturning quota reductions, keeping same number of days at sea and meanwhile he is fighting to get more share of the quota for our smallest, sustainable boats. I really think he has done more than any Fisheries Minister in the last twenty years. It was a brilliant move by the PM to keep Richard in place in the run up to 2012 negotiations and now having delivered, he deserves a reward in the next reshuffle.

Star Column Jan 8th: 2013 Look Forward

A New Year Message from the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister also carries a look back on the first half of a Coalition Government. I try not to be particularly partisan in these columns so I won't dwell on the 100 achievements highlighted but instead focus on the future. Don't doubt we will be pressing every lever to get growth and jobs, nationally and locally, while spending precious taxpayers' money carefully. The government has put an extra £30 million into the Start-Up Loan scheme for young people, encouraging them to be entrepreneurs. The scheme has had a very low take-up rate in our area so far. The age range has been extended to 30 year olds. More information is available online at http://www.startuploans.co.uk/ Some significant decisions are being made on elderly care, child care, pensions and transport. I will report back as the policies develop further but on transport, I popped across the Orwell to Harwich to meet new Transport Minister Stephen Hammond MP. Responsible for shipping, rail freight and Highways Agency roads, with businesses and councillors, I took the opportunity to raise the issues we have on the A14 and A12. The Felixstowe Spa Pavilion closed its doors on Sunday after the last showing of the traditional pantomime. I know it was a very sad day for many who have tread the boards and indeed the theatre-goers. I want to pay tribute to the group that has tried to keep the Spa open. I know they worked hard and had some setbacks en route. There is no doubting their dedication to the theatre and its role in the community. The Council decided it could not continue subsidising the theatre by £250k every year, especially when performances and visitors were not growing. Although there was the prospect of some subsidy, initial approaches were not fruitful. My request to some local businesses to step in proved a step too far for them with the current setup. The Spa prominently features in a Felixstowe painting hanging in my Westminster office. It is a cultural icon of the town. I know this is an important asset for the town that needs exploiting. There are still some interested parties who are thinking about its use, starting with a clean slate. I will continue to encourage them and the Council so that the doors can reopen and really make this part of Felixstowe days out by the sea. 2013 brings a number of new developments in our area, the biggest of which will be the Suffolk broadband rollout. I was at Endeavour House just before Christmas for an MP-Cabinet meeting and stayed for the signing of the broadband contract. This is a great triumph for the Better Broadband team – particular credit to programme leader Peter Ingram and County Council leader Mark Bee. BT now has to do some detailed planning work in the next three months and spades should go in the ground by the summer. While we were there, we discussed various matters affecting Suffolk but mainly on education. I have written on this before but it was useful to hear that the new director of children's services will start soon and brings a track record of improvement. Meanwhile, I support the council's action plan and am encouraging them to be even more proactive in schools that are struggling and actually coasting. My other hopes for 2013? Ipswich to stay up. Better primary school results in Suffolk schools, helped by completion of SOR. Ambulance service improves. Growth locally and even lower unemployment. Britten Centenary festival a roaring success (including spectacular 22nd November for the Friday Afternoons project). Not too much to ask for...

Star Column January 1st: 2012 review

Happy New Year. I hope you all enjoyed a restful Christmas if not a damp one. Given it has been the wettest year ever recorded, there should be little chance of a drought in 2013 - thank heavens. A quick look back over 2012. I spoke in Parliament 87 times asking questions, making speeches and contributions to debates. I asked 35 written questions. I signed 15 Early Day Motions. An additional 2000 constituents contacted me for the first time. My team and I have handled over 5000 queries. I held two surgeries most months and staged nine public meetings. I ran my first villages tour, going to 30 different villages in the February half term. I have visited all but three schools and have proactively contacted schools and charities on various opportunities, particularly concerning the Olympics. I received a mini-promotion in September. Thanks to my team (those who are still here and those who have moved on) for their support. 2012 required focus on a few key issues. I have continued to focus on ambulances and will do so again in 2013. With a new interim chief executive and dialogue opened up directly with the Board. The contract for better broadband was signed just before Christmas. Hourly rail services from Ipswich to Lowestoft, improvements to rail junctions to help get freight onto rail and the development of a Anglian rail manifesto. My parliamentary inquiry on off-gas grid issues is underway. Work on the Select Committee continued with further inquiries on racism in football, gambling and libraries. We noted in our report the new model that Suffolk is using which gives leadership to a body independent of the County Council that focuses just on libraries, with the backstop of the council retaining overall ownership of the assets and it keeps its duty. Our councils are continuing to make every penny of taxpayers' money work hard. Investment in infrastructure is key as is the focus on education. That is a county-wide challenge which has long-term impacts to ensure future prosperity. In 2012, I spent more time on supporting businesses. Last January, MPs from Suffolk and Norfolk hosted a banking forum. Liz Truss MP and I had a further update in the Autumn and will be hosting another forum this month. I hosted a business surgery and an export breakfast. I visited our largest employers again - the Port, BT and EDF - but I am conscious that most employers are SMEs. Sizewell C offers great opportunity to all sizes of businesses and you can register through the portal organised by the Chamber of Commerce with EDF - http://www.sizewellcsupplychain.co.uk/ . Our LEP is doing some very good work and we need to keep focus on helping businesses develop. I hope to do even more on this in 2013. 2012 has been a very special year on which I will look back with a lot of fondness. The Olympics and Paralympics extravaganzas surpassed all expectations. The Games Makers made the difference as we welcomed the world. The torch relay covered a lot of coastal Suffolk bringing the crowds out. The Cultural Olympiad played a special role in Snape Maltings with the launch of the World Youth Orchestra and a fine performance by the Paraorchestra. The Diamond Jubilee was another special time for the nation - recognising years of service and another good excuse for a public holiday and a party. 2013 has a lot to live up to but there will be the rollout of the broadband programme, the Britten Centenary Festival and more economic development on our green coast. Building on the 2012 legacy gives us great opportunity for us all to up our game and keep Britain great.