Emergency Action to Protect Children from Sunbeds

Malignant melanoma - the most dangerous form of skin cancer - is now the most common cancer in young people (aged 15-34). There is clear evidence of a link between sunbed use and skin cancer. Yet we know that children and young people often gain easy and unsupervised access to sunbeds.

Julie Morgan MP is championing a new Bill to protect young people from sunbeds. This important issue is due to be discussed in Parliament on Friday 29 January - but if too few MPs turn up the Bill won't pass. Please email your MP today to tell them to go along to vote in favour of these measures and to sign a parliamentary petition supporting the Bill.

Becoming a Councillor - 27th Jan

Becoming a Councillor: 27th Jan If you’re thinking of becoming a Conservative Councillor, and making a real difference to the quality of residents’ daily lives, come along at 6:30pm on Wednesday 27th January 2010, at Victoria Hall, Reading Town Hall, Blagrave Street, Reading, RG1 1QH. The principal speaker will be Caroline Spelman MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, and refreshments will be available. Register your attendance for this meeting by emailing: info@localleadership.gov.uk

“Have Your Say” - an event for Surrey residents

The challenges we face in Surrey over the next few years are so far-reaching that it is vital we understand our residents’ thinking on a whole range of issues.
Residents know what the burning issues are in our communities, so I’m asking for your support to help kick-off this important debate organised by the Surrey Strategic Partnership.
What’s so special about Surrey? What do you value? What makes your blood boil? What needs to change?
Our high-profile “Have Your Say” event will take place on Thursday 25 March at Dorking Halls (7-9pm). This is an unrivalled opportunity for people to ask questions directly of a panel of civic and community leaders about the issues dear to their hearts. Questions can be submitted online beforehand or asked on the night.

You can help determine what topics are covered. Is anti-social behaviour getting worse? What about our schools? What do the Olympics mean for Surrey? Recycling is great but what about the maggots? How do we protect the green belt and have houses for young families?

To register to attend visit: www.surreycc.gov.uk/haveyoursayevent email: haveyoursay@surreycc.gov.uk or by calling: 0208 541 8507

Slip Sliding Away

The extremely tough weather conditions currently experienced throughout the UK have brought many complaints of a lack of gritting on roads and paths. Many have accused local councils of failing to grit roads altogether, but is this due to a lack of grit or actually a legal necessity? (David Bywater reports). A steady increase in personal injury claims over the past decade means that the gritting process is now a legal minefield, and councils often find that it is more detrimental for them to grit the roads than leave them as they are. The councils owe a duty as an employer to several thousand employees under a number of regulations, but the duties owed to a far greater number of people, namely the public, is governed by other duties which are actually lower than those owed to employees, so by not gritting, councils may actually minimise the risk of litigation brought against them. As an example, one council was advised that it would not be covered by its insurers if its' employees suffered accidents whilst spreading grit or salt. The suggestion was to only use a mechanical gritter, which may explain why many councils now only spread salt on roads, with councils stating that they do not have machines to grit pavements, yet should an employee slip on a pavement whilst gritting, their claim for compensation is very likely to be successful. (david.bywater@weightmans.com)

Brooklands College, Good News

We have just heard the good news that Brooklands College will NOT now be closing, and that A levels will continue to be offered. It seems that the old college building will be refurbished, and that the students will move back into that to be taught. This is good news all round, for the students and the residents that wanted the old building kept. We now need to persuade students to put their names down for courses at the Ashford Campus, who would have been put off by hearing that the college would close, obviously if numbers drop, that will be another challenge for the college.

Additional Surgery in January

I am holding an additional surgery in Ashford Library on Saturday 16th January from 10am to 12 noon. I will be joined by Michael McMannus from 10 to 11am and by Therese Coffey from 11am to noon, and from noon to 1pm by Lynne Hack. Three of our six candidates for the open primary being held at Kempton Park on Friday 22nd January from 6.30pm. Please do come along to meet the candidates, find out how to register to vote at the open primary, or to discuss any issues that you have. We look forward to seeing you there.

First Surgery of 2010

Happy New Year to all.
Please do come and say hello at my first surgery on 2010 at Ashford Library on Saturday 2nd January 2010 from 10 am to 12 noon, where I will be joined by Katy Bourne, http://www.katybourne.com/, one of our six Conservative Parliamentary Candidates for Spelthorne. You will be able to find out how you can get involved in choosing the new Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Spelthorne, how to attend the open primary, which is to be held on the 22nd January at Kempton Park Racecourse in Sunbury, and discuss any issues that you have. I look forward to seeing you there.