Derbyshire Dales Labour

(Reported in the Matlock Mercury  on Thursday 7th January 2010 – Article here)

Charges are set to increase by ten per cent at council-run car parks, with traders fearing the price hike could deter shoppers.

Derbyshire Dales District Council hopes £148,000 will be generated by the proposed increases as it bids to balance the council revenue budget – but business bosses say the move will affect tourism and trade.

Shirley Johnson, secretary of Matlock Business Group, said: “We need all the help we can get at the moment and we certainly don’t need a price increase. This would not be helpful for traders.”

Roger Lownsbrough, chairman of Bakewell Chamber of Trade, added: “This will be greeted with amazement and disappointment. I think it speaks volumes about the imagination and understanding that the council have got about the problems we face.”

District council officers are recommending new fees are brought in from April 1 to keep pace with inflation. Charges were due to be increased last year but because of the financial climate that increase was deferred. Charges were last increased in 2006.

Traders have also called for more short-stay parking fees in a bid to to increase the turn-over of shoppers.

District Councillor Collin Swindell, who is manager of Cornerstone shop, in Bakewell, said he had received complaints from concerned traders.

He added: “Everybody is literally crying out for a break. This is just another blow.

“It’s not just traders I’ve had complaints from, customers have said it is easier to go to Peak Village or Meadow Hall where there is no charge. It is deterring tourism and deterring trade.”

The review of charges is set to be discussed in Matlock Town Hall on Thursday, January 14.

The Derbyshire Dales CLP General Committee, Councillors and Prospective Candidate Colin Swindell would like to wish all our members, supporters and comrades a Merry Christmas and a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year.

(Reported in the Matlock Mercury on Thursday 5th November 2009 – Article here)

WEST Derbyshire Patrick McLoughlin MP has been accused of “taking advantage” of the expenses system, by paying his wife Lynn up to £39,999 a year.

Colin Swindell, Labour Party prospective parliamentary candidate for the [Derbyshire] Dales, made the comments while discussing Sir Christopher Kelly’s review of Parliamentary expenses, prior to its publication yesterday, after the Mercury’s deadline.

The widely-leaked report, which leaders of all three main parties have stated they will back, will recommend a ban on MPs employing relatives. Sir Christopher was expected to call for his plans to be introduced without delay.

Mr Swindell said: “I welcome this review and hopefully it will bring back trust into politics through more transparency.

“Employing relatives is a very sensitive issue. I appreciate that for lots of MPs it can be a lonely life and relatives can also provide trustworthy members of staff.

“But I think Patrick has taken advantage of that by paying his wife nearly the top amount available.”

Mr Swindell, from Elton, added there was a “big gap” between what Mrs McLoughlin received from Westminster and what she would get “in the real world”.

Mr McLoughlin, who is Conservative Party Chief Whip, has been unavailable to speak to the Mercury during the past week, despite repeated attempts to contact him.

But he has defended his right to employ his wife – who The Daily Telegraph revealed in July to be paid between £30,000 and £39,999 – during previous interviews.

The third day of Conference was set to be the big one. Prospective MP Colin Swinell hoping to speak in the Housing debate and of course the leaders speech by Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

Unfortunately, the Chair of the Housing debate neglected to chose the best speaker, and Colin refocused his speech towards the Communities debate, set for Wednesday morning.

After the morning session ended, the hall was emptied in preparation for the leaders Speech. Huge queues formed in the Brighton Centre with everyone buzzing with anticipation for the speech.

Gordon delivered.

In a fantastic fightback speech, Gordon laid out important future policies for the next manifesto but also reassured everybody that the fantastic work the Labour government has done in the past 12 years will be maintained. Ensuring that the ‘green shoots’ of economic recovery would be nurtured and made safe, Prime Minister Brown invigorated the room making everyone want to go out and take the fight to the Tories.

The Prime Minister outlined interesting plans;

• Change for a new society, with measures to tackle anti social behaviour, offer of new social care for elderly people and additional funding for local authorities to keep them in their homes.
• Change of new politics, with any MP guilty of gross financial misconduct are recalled and a modernisation  of our democracy with a new voting system.
• Change for a new economy, with tough new rules for bankers and a new legal obligation for fiscal responsibility.

Colin made his live television debut speaking to The Daily Politics show before and after the Prime Minister’s key note speech, giving his honest and forthright opinion on the Prime Minister’s performance and Labour’s plans for the next parliament.

After a fantastic start to Conference on day one, the realities of what needs to be done (apart from enjoying the free drinks and food) set in.

PPC and District Councillor Colin Swindell and his team prepared a speech to be delivered at the Work and Prosperity debate, however, unfortunately, Colin was not chosen to speak at this debate.

Nevertheless, the hall was treated to rousing speeches from Chancellor Alistair Darling MP and in particular, business secretary Lord Peter Mandelson who gave an inspired and humourous fight back speech.

Both speeches inspired the Conference hall greatly and the mood once the day closed felt positive and certainly enthusiastic.

Evening activities for Day Two was a hilarious karaoke evening were members, staff and even MPs got together for a great evening to round off a great day!

After arriving in a scorching hot Brighton and settling into our respective accommodation we set off to the Brighton Centre to hear a whole host of speakers re-energising the party and kick starting Operation Fightback, to win a fourth term for Labour.

Listening to Ed Milliband MP and Douglas Alexander MP talking about potential manifesto material and further, how to campaign effectively has really charged up the Derbyshire Dales CLP to take the fight to the doorsteps.

After a pleasant break we made our way to the East Midlands Reception where Prime Minister Gordon Brown came and welcomed delegates and visitors personally, further invigorating everyone’s spirits.

Gordon was followed by Glenis Wilmott MEP for East Midlands, who congratulated all recent by-election victories, including our gain from the Tories in the Derbyshire Dales.

After meeting colleagues from across the region, including members from Amber Valley and the legendary Dennis Skinner MP, we headed back in preparation for a busy next day at Conference.

Some pictures from the East Midlands event;

Stay tuned for more updates from Conference 2009!

Members of Derbyshire Dales Labour are now on their way down to sunny Brighton for the 2009 Labour Party Conference. We will be using the DDCLP website and various social networking tools to keep any interested parties up to date with whats happening and summing up and analysing each day with a small diary feature. Stay tuned for further updates!

The Labour Party’s winning streak across Derbyshire shows no sign of slowing-up with another victory in the neighbouring Amber Valley Constituency.

The Borough Council ward of Ripley and Marehay came up for election due to the sad loss of Labour Councillor Geoff Carlile. Lyndsay Cox, a Ripley Town Councillor, fought the seat for Labour and achieved a 12% swing from the Conservatives to Labour.

The good news builds on the recent success in the Derbyshire Dales when Labour took a seat from the Tories with a 20% swing and, further afield, Labour gained a City Council seat from the Green Party in Leicester.

Commenting on the by-election result Colin Swindell, Labour PPC for the Derbyshire Dales, said:

This is a fantastic result and very welcome news. I was there on polling day door-knocking and helping Lyndsay’s campaign team to ‘get out the vote’. You could sense the team’s determination and enthusiasm and it certainly paid off.

I am sure that everybody would like to join me in congratulating Lyndsay Cox, her campaign team and the Amber Valley CLP on their well-deserved success. No doubt we will all celebrate together with a few drinks in the East Midlands Reception at the Labour Party Conference later this month to toast our string of victories.

The fight back across Derbyshire is well and truly underway!!

The Derbyshire Dales Labour Party website has been updated again with new integration with Flickr and Twitter and further optimisation for mobile phones. You can follow us on Twitter here and flickr here

With Conference nearly upon us we’ll be using the website more and more to keep interested parties informed about our goings on down at Conference in Brighton!

Derbyshire Dales Labour