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Dear Resident, My interest in standing for local council started with the rise in domestic violence and anti-social behaviour. I felt the need to do something about it rather than sit on the fence. Community Safety is one of my main concerns and one that I currently spend much time on as Vice Chairman of the County Community Safety partnership Scrutiny Sub Panel. Domestic violence appears more prevalent in our society these days with more and more cases being reported by neighbours. Anti-social Behaviour is high on our list of priorities too. Working together with the Police and a number of other involved agencies, the SNAP team is trying to stem this tide of crime at all levels. Measures are needed that must be at the forefront of policy for our region. It's high time we stopped crimes and brought the perpetrators to justice. The thought of knives and other weapons in the hands of school children makes me angry. There has always been a gang culture in many high schools whether we care to admit it or not. I remember it from my own school days. Dangerous weapons were not the norm in those days and should not be now. We must try to make sure our schools are completely safe. Not surprisingly, many people find the attitude of groups of youths on the streets intimidating too. Graffitti sprayed around. Underage drinking and smoking. Drug taking and supplying. Anti-social behaviour in general is a disturbing consequence of the lack of discipline in society these days and something must be done to rectify the problem. I don't feel that pensioners received a fair deal from the last Labour government either. It's all very well to give once a year payments to help with the heating bills in the winter, but what about the rest of the year? Up until the election in May 2005, taxes had risen 66 times since the Labour government came to power. I don't think pensions rose that many times did they? I want to see much more done to help financially and support Conservative policy fully on this. Financial hardship should not have to be born by anyone in reality, especially the elderly. They deserve far better. |
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I would also like to see more done to make the roads safer in our district. I have managed to get a zebra crossing put in near the Post Office on Thunder Lane, a section of road where many people cross and where until now, an accident was waiting to happen. I have been involved in making the Plumstead Road safer between Thunder Lane and Southhill Road by having a pedestrian refuge put in and I am now looking at new refuges on St. Williams Way. The speeding on through roads, rat-runs and even the roads where you live must be cut. I'm against humps in the road as I don't believe they're any good for the suspension of vehicles. I do believe in 20mph limits in housing estates though with 30mph limits as now, on the main roads running through them. This would mean Yarmouth Road, St.Williams Way, Plumstead Road, Thunder Lane, Woodside Road, Blue Boar Lane would all remain as they currently are. I have been pushing this idea since I was first elected in 2002. The Labour controlled City Council have recently been pushing for this measure too and I'm pleased something I've done has rubbed off on them. I'm currently trying to get flashing 20mph speed limit signs around all our local schools. Bus routes can be a problem and I have managed to split the 24 and 24a First bus routes to cover more of Thorpe St. Andrew. I have also managed to cover the Hammond Way / Greenborough Road area of Sprowston with the private operator Our Bus. I do support finishing the complete Northern Distributor Road which will take many cars and heavy vehicles away from our locality and will enhance the road infrastructure within Norfolk, eventually leading to further business prosperity. Many people are concerned about the number of junctions that there are within Sprowston and Thorpe St. Andrew. This is something that county consulted upon and an informed, sensible decision made about each of the proposed junctions together with a route that causes the least inconvenience to the public. Needless to say though, whatever decisions are made, they won't please eveyone. Better signage on the NDR approaching roundabouts is a definite neccessity to avoid accidents. I wanted to see the plantations that stretch from close to Wroxham Road right through to Plumstead Road and beyond safe from development although the Secretary of State's Inspector has gone against the wishes of the County Council, Broadland District Council, Thorpe St. Andrew Town Council, Sprowston town Council, The Friends of The Woodlands and many, many local people and granted 300 homes on Racecourse Plantation. Belmore and Browns plantations have been saved though. We need to keep the environment as green as possible for our future and that of our children. Brownfield sites must be utilised. Leave the woods and greenfields alone! The new Blue Boar development has meant that some trees will disappear unfortunately, but not the main woods. You too can help by joining the Friends of Thorpe Woodlands - (click here) I'm also concerned about the number of new houses the previous labour government wanted built in Norfolk, 70,000, a higher amount than in any other region, and the size of a town larger than Bedford. Luckily the amount has dropped since the Conservative government took over. Who are they all for? Not local people, that's for sure. Who is going to provide the jobs for the families living in them? Norwich City Council say they can build 13,100. That's only around 15% of what the Labour government wanted us to build. Where would the rest go? There must be a balanced approach to housing, new homes built to suit the needs of the people in the area. More than that is absolutely ridiculous. The growth triangle is a fractious issue too. Too many houses in a small area, a policy I do not agree with. I would prefer limited new housing spread throughout the region in places where people really need them, in market towns and villages. It's great to see that Dussindale has a thriving Primary school, something that we at both Town and District Councils had been bringing pressure to bear on for a long time. It takes the worry from those who run the local, over subscribed primary schools in our area and brings relief to parents in Dussindale who previously had to travel a fair way each day taking their children to and from school. The thought of replacing all temporary classrooms with real buildings is also in the forefront of my mind and something I aim to work towards. I would like to thank you, the electors of the Thorpe St. Andrew NW and Sprowston NE for helping me to continue with the work I already do at Town and District Councils. The need to push even harder for a strong position in local government. A truly fair and consistent approach is needed where actions speak louder than words. Councillor Nigel Shaw. P.S. Should you need to write to me to voice your concerns over an issue or ask me any questions, my contact details are on the menu page of this web site. | |||
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