Brian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
right on keith, you tell them .
Brian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
Latest from our man at Westminster.
Last week we learnt that Amazon pays just £63 million in business rates despite recording sales of a staggering £8 billion. Meanwhile small business owners here in Dover and Deal pay eye-watering amounts in business rates while working tirelessly to make ends meet. Small surprise then that they look at the unfair advantage of online retailers and demand a more level playing field for tax. This is why I have long campaigned in Parliament for online giants to be made to pay their fair share of taxes. Of course, local stores need to adapt to the rise of internet shopping. Yet everyone needs to be able to compete fairly. That's why we need to do everything we can to support the great British high street.
This became even clearer this week when Marks & Spencer, a Deal high street fixture of 80 years, announced plans to close. I am extremely disappointed, but also very much surprised. Deal is a town clearly on the rise with a hugely successful town centre – only recently voted the UK's best. Meanwhile the store itself is busy throughout the day. I wonder if a full retail assessment has been carried out – or whether this was a decision taken by spreadsheet. I have asked for an urgent meeting with Marks and Spencer bosses where I will urge them to reconsider. Here in Dover and Deal I'm also fighting to ensure we get a fairer share of investment. I recently invited Cllr Graham Galpin, who sits on the Government's expert panel on high streets, to come and see what our towns have to offer. Along with Dover District Council leader Keith Morris, we visited the St James development – where the hated Burlington House once stood. The new cinema, shops and restaurants have risen in its place. The once desolate car park is now packed with shoppers. The £50 million invested is paying off. We also walked down Flying Horse Lane and spoke to shopkeepers in Cannon Street and Biggin Street about the challenges they are facing – and listened to their ambitions for the future.
Meanwhile the fast trains to London we campaigned for and delivered has improved Deal and Dover. Yet our station has been left to rust. I'm battling to get it spruced up, so it properly reflects the rising success of Deal.
We also discussed bidding for the Government's Future High Streets Fund, announced in the autumn Budget. Towns can bid for up to £25 million of cash. They need to present a plan on how they will change the use of empty commercial properties, improve transport access and boost footfall. Our corner of Kent is exactly where this money should be invested. Already much is being done. Town centre retailers are being offered grants of up to £10,000 to smarten up shop fronts and attract new customers – with Brunch in Biggin Street being the latest beneficiary. And an application for a £3 million project to "revitalise Dover's Historic Market Square and Old Town" has reached the next stage of the Government's Coastal Communities Fund.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
Latest from the man in the know.
Dover is on the Brexit frontline. More so than anywhere else in the country. That is why I have a particular responsibility as your Member of Parliament. And why I am doing all I can to cushion the impacts to our local economy and infrastructure. At the same time, we must honour the referendum result. That means taking back control of our laws, borders, trade and money while making sure we don't have problems at the border or Kent's roads. Everyone knows what a challenging task that may turn out to be. That's why since the referendum result, I have been working tirelessly on practical options to keep traffic flowing and our local economy robust.
I travelled to Calais to meet with political leaders in Northern France. We have been working together to ensure the Dover to Calais route continues to be a huge success. Earlier this month the Port of Calais chief insisted there would be no extra checks, deal or no deal. There would be no hold ups. And last week the Port of Dover's new chief executive insisted they are prepared for every eventuality too. I've also worked with a former Border Force boss, local firms, haulage chiefs and industry leaders on a blueprint to ensure we are ready on day one. We held summits in Parliament and published a detailed report for Ministers. I organised crunch talks with the Department for Transport too. It was great to get MPs, the port, police, Highways England, Kent County Council and Dover District Council round the table. I am working hard to ensure the Department's priority is to stop port traffic from causing gridlock in Dover town. That Kent's motorways are kept open. And that Kent Police gets the funding they need to be ready for Brexit. It's vital that our community's voice is heard. Because here at the frontline we know what works and what does not. After all, we've experienced long queues of lorries year after year – before we even thought of leaving the EU.
We must be ready on day one to meet the challenges this historic moment presents. We must also be ready to forge ahead and build a better country. Yet we must also be ready for bumps in the road – and we know some of these bumps could even be pretty jarring. With the decision to leave the EU made, we must now see Brexit as an opportunity to be grasped, not simply a problem to be managed. We can become world leaders in developing a border fit for the future. We can create jobs and use better technology to crack down on smuggling and people trafficking. We can build on our expanded cargo capacity at the Western Docks and become a hub of global trade, boosting local jobs. Finally, we can invest more in the regions – in towns like Dover and Deal – and put a stop to uncontrolled immigration. Two-thirds of people in Dover and Deal and 17.4 million people nationwide voted to grasp these opportunities. It is now our job to deliver on the referendum result – and make our country prosperous and successful for generations to come.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
How Charlie voted last evening.
Against
Labour's amendment for Parliament to vote on options which prevent the UK leaving the EU without a deal, including a permanent customs union and a referendum
Against
The SNP's amendment to delay Brexit, rule out leaving the EU without a deal and emphasise the role of the UK nations in the Brexit process
Against
Tory MP Dominic Grieve's amendment to force the government to make time for six days of debate on Brexit alternatives before 26 March
Against
Labour MP Yvette Cooper's amendment to give Parliament time to pass a bill that would postpone Brexit until 31 December if the prime minister's deal is not approved by 26 February
Against
Labour MP Rachel Reeves' amendment for the government to ask the EU to postpone Brexit for an indefinite period
Against
Tory MP Dame Caroline Spelman's amendment to reject leaving the EU without a deal
For
Tory MP Sir Graham Brady's amendment to call for Parliament to require the backstop is replaced with "alternative arrangements to avoid a hard border" with Ireland.
ray hutstone- Registered: 1 Apr 2018
- Posts: 2,158
Not bad for a remainer! And no doubt he's still arguing that the people have no right to change their minds.
Brian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
about time he hunged up his mp wig and started his normal day job.
Captain Haddock- Location: Marlinspike Hall
- Registered: 8 Oct 2012
- Posts: 7,423
And today children Charlie is wearing his BLUE helmet!
https://www.kentonline.co.uk/dover/news/sports-centre-preview-pictures-197800/
Should be good. By February most of the fatties have given up going to the gym!
'If no one went no faster than what I do there'd be a sight less trouble in this world'
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
Latest from our man of the people.
We’ve battled hard to deliver a fairer share of healthcare for Dover and Deal – and we are seeing real improvements on the ground. Deal Hospital continues to go from strength to strength. I visited just last week. I was struck by how hard the staff here work and how much they care about their patients – who were full of praise for the doctors and nurses. The nurses told me they had a noticed a real improvement this year in managing the extra pressures our NHS faces at winter. The Government boosted winter funding for East Kent Hospitals by £6.5 million this year and it’s great to see it’s making a difference. There’s so much good work to celebrate at Deal. Over the past two years, the amount of time people are staying in the hospital has reduced by a third. That means people are getting off the wards and back home much sooner. The trust that runs the hospital has launched a £1.5 million nursing academy, with the first group of 50 students beginning training now. The womb clinic at Deal is set for an overhaul in March. Plus the hospital also has a brand new £250,000 machine halving X-ray times – so more patients can be seen and faster.
It’s incredible to think that back in 2010 Deal Hospital had been left teetering on the brink. The progress we have made since underlines why we were right to campaign to safeguard the hospital.
Deal Hospital is not our only success. After a strong community campaign, we also delivered the £24 million Buckland Hospital, with state-of-the-art facilities. Twice as many clinics are now operating at the hospital than in 2015 – and it has GP services too. Just next door, work is underway on a £3.5m “dementia village” – the first of its kind in the UK. Six derelict semi-detached blocks in Randolph Road are being renovated to house 30 beds for elderly residents. They will be helped to live as independently as possible – with an on-site shop, cinema, pub and hairdressers. Meanwhile, East Kent A&E departments will soon be upgraded through investment of £200 million. Mental health is also being boosted with spending rising to more than £11 billion. The Government is also set to boost the number of mental health professionals by 21,000.
Much has been achieved. We’ve come a long way together since 2010. Yet more is needed. Particularly in recruiting more GPs. That’s why in Parliament we fought a long and hard battle for a new £30 million East Kent medical school, so more doctors and nurses can be trained locally. Other Kent MPs joined the fight. And last year it was finally confirmed that our bid had been successful. This victory will make a massive difference in the longer term. In Dover and Deal we are lucky to have such dedicated doctors, nurses and hospital staff who go above and beyond every single day, putting patients first. I am determined to keep fighting for our NHS – and to deliver a fairer share of healthcare for our area.
Captain Haddock- Location: Marlinspike Hall
- Registered: 8 Oct 2012
- Posts: 7,423
A cynic might think there are local elections coming up in May!
Ross Miller likes this
'If no one went no faster than what I do there'd be a sight less trouble in this world'
Keith Sansum1- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,499
ALL POSTS ARE MY OWN PERSONAL VIEWS
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
Brian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
ah yes infamos dog curry.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
More from Charlie - didn't he do well.
We've been working tirelessly to bring more jobs and money to our corner of Kent. Back in 2010, things looked bleak. Unemployment locally had rocketed 50% in the Great Recession. More investment was badly needed in Dover and Deal. Over the past decade we have come a long way. There are now 7,700 more people in work in Dover and Deal than in 2010. Meanwhile, more than £500 million has been invested in our area. Nearly a year ago the new £50 million St James development opened. Where once Burlington House scarred the skyline there now stands a brand new multiplex cinema, shops and restaurants. It's a symbol of how much has changed.
Meanwhile, the £250 million Western Docks Revival is well underway, with the new seafront pier set to open by this summer. Half of this project's huge workforce are from East Kent. And by sourcing material and workers from our area, the port says there has already been a £157 million boost to the local economy. From the new marina curve, people will be able to relax while watching ferries sailing in and out of the port.
In Deal, the town's pier has already been transformed through £500,000 of investment – with £600,000 more to follow. The new Deal Pier Kitchen now draws hundreds of visitors who can at last truly enjoy this iconic landmark. Big companies have set up shop in our district too. Multipanel UK relocated its manufacturing operation from China to Eythorne in 2014. I recently visited to see first-hand their 24/7 operation, producing more than 500,000 square metres of aluminium composite panels a month. Bosses told me they have been so successful that they hope to open new production lines – and hire up to 100 more staff.
We've been able to deliver more jobs and money by getting the nation's finances back in order and strengthening our economy. As a result, unemployment is now at a record high, rising 3.55 million since 2010. We've also helped the least well off by taking more than five million people out of paying income tax altogether. And over the past year wages have increased by 3.4% too. We need to keep building on this important work. This time next month – on March 29th – I will be holding my seventh annual jobs fair. Every year we welcome hundreds of people to Dover Town Hall to meet with firms such as P&O Ferries and Megger, as well as local colleges and councils. I'm really looking forward to welcoming more people this year and helping them find the right job for them. So much has changed in Dover and Deal in recent years. Yet we all know there is more to do. I will do everything I can to keep bringing more investment, jobs and money to our corner of Kent.
Brian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
#516. how many of that number are actuly have jabs, and how many on government cources.
Button- Location: Dover
- Registered: 22 Jul 2016
- Posts: 2,889
Charlie tweets: "Discussing tax simplification in @CommonsTreasury today. It hasn’t been going very well. In 2009 there were 11,520 pages of tax legislation. A decade on its doubled and is now 12 times longer than the bible. We need lower, simpler flatter taxes - and a far shorter tax code."
Personally I'd quite like my tax code lengthened by a couple of zeroes.
(Not my real name.)
Captain Haddock- Location: Marlinspike Hall
- Registered: 8 Oct 2012
- Posts: 7,423
Button wrote:
Personally I'd quite like my tax code lengthened by a couple of zeroes.
Your tax code shows the amount of money you can earn BEFORE paying tax.
I'm not sure you've thought this through Button?
'If no one went no faster than what I do there'd be a sight less trouble in this world'
Button- Location: Dover
- Registered: 22 Jul 2016
- Posts: 2,889
Er, so bung a couple of zeros on the end and then I can earn more tax-free?
(Not my real name.)
Captain Haddock- Location: Marlinspike Hall
- Registered: 8 Oct 2012
- Posts: 7,423
Bugger. I should have thought this through. You are correct and I'm an idiot.
Pablo and Button like this
'If no one went no faster than what I do there'd be a sight less trouble in this world'