New Zealand has again been rated the world’s best country by readers of the Telegraph in the UK. The article is here. So Kiwi natives who have noticed the numbers of Europeans, especially English and Germans, moving to New Zealand, had better brace themselves for more.
The article rightly praises the scenery. Oddly, it doesn’t mention the weather. Though I suppose if they had done that, there would have been no one left in the country to read their next article.
Here in New Zealand, there is absolutely no coverage of the forthcoming EU referendum in the UK. The longstanding inability of the UK to have a simple, free trading arrangement with New Zealand is met with weary resignation.
There is more interest in the newly signed Trans Pacific Partnership, which is the Pacific version of TTIP in the UK. Essentially a trade deal with the USA. It has been signed here and will now go through the normal National Interest Analysis stages in parliament. Though there is substantial opposition, there is little chance of it being rejected in New Zealand. Opposition here, as in the UK, is based on this trade deal being anything but a free trade deal. It represents one of the most egregious regulatory capture achievements by big business so far, to the detriment of ordinary consumers and tax payers. This case is well summarised by George Monbiot here. Hopes that the deal will not go through rest, as they do in the UK, on the US congress.
Separately New Zealand seems to be generally supportive, in a typically laid back and only vaguely engaged way, of Helen Clark’s bid to become the next Secretary General of the United Nations. Helen Clark is a former Prime Minister of New Zealand and is currently head of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). Sadly debate about whether she will get the job seems to be centred on buggins turn, rather than her suitability. The current Secretary General is Ban Ki-moon. So “Oceania” has just had its turn. This analysis would seem to point to a candidate from the former Eastern Europe, that has never held the role. However, Kofi Annan (Ghana) followed Boutros Boutros-Ghali (Egypt), so maybe Mrs Clark will yet get the job. Whoever gets it you can be sure there will have been all kinds of deals done that you will never hear about. You wouldn’t run a whelk stall this way!
The World Bank tells us that GDP in Greece was US$354bn in 2008 and just US$235bn in 2008 http://databank.worldbank.org/data/reports.aspx?source=2&country=GRC&series=&period=# . In current money terms the GDP of Greece was around 25% lower in 2015 than it was in 2008. And, it is still falling. There is absolutely no chance that the GDP of Greece will have recovered ten years on from the 2008 crisis.
By 1950 the GDP of Greece had recovered to the level it was in 1939 http://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/1317677/1/270158.pdf. The GDP of Greece had recovered from the effects of World War II, even though the war did not end until 1945.That is right, the elites in Brussels have wrought more damage on Greece than all the death and destruction of World War II. GDP in the Euro Area as a whole is still below the pre-crisis level in 2008.
The EU Referendum gives us a chance to say “No – we do not want to be governed by people who unapologetically deliver this level of misery.” There has been no apology!
I have today resigned as councillor for the St Paul’s ward on Tendring District Council. I will be going to live in New Zealand.
It would not be right to say that I have really enjoyed my time as a councillor – being in opposition is frustrating. Watching the Conservatives and their Country Club friends ride roughshod over local opinion on the Local Plan has been no fun at all. Why they insist on a plan to build far more homes than can possibly be justified remains a mystery to me.
However, it has been a privilege and certainly interesting. I hope that the residents of St Pauls ward feel I have represented them properly, both on the local plan committee and to council officers.
I leave with nothing but affection for Clacton and wish all of you well.
I plan to continue the blog, to give a Englishman’s view of the world form New Zealand. So, please do continue to return and hopefully I can provide a different and interesting perspective.
You will have the chance to vote for the next Essex Police and Crime Commissioner in Thursday 5th May. I stood to be the UKIP representative and was one of the final three candidates for that role. After the hustings the party chose Dr Bob Spink. I wish him every possible success, without reservation. At the hustings we each had five minutes to present ourselves. Below is my contribution on the policies that the next Essex PCC should have. It is a couple of months old now, but I think it still stands up and I believe it to be substantially in line with the platform that Dr Spink will be proposing. Here it is:-
It may seem obvious to say it, but the role of the Police and crime commissioner is to represent the electors of Essex to the authorities and not the other way around. We recently received a leaflet explaining the changes to Community Policing in Tendring, my local district council. This was presented at a briefing help jointly by the Chief constable and the PCC. This is part of a wider plan to reduce the number of police stations in Essex from 25 to 10 and to reduce the number of PCSO’s from 251 to 60. The current incumbent, Nick Alston, has simply not done that. He seems to have been captured by the machine. After nearly four years he has proudly announced that he will give his first major speech next month. Not engaging with the electorate of Essex, not representing the electorate of Essex. Not good enough!
The PCC role involves being available to hear the views of Essex residents; directly, as well as through their representatives. These views then need to be challenged, investigated, reviewed, assessed, filtered and prioritised before being raised with the relevant authorities. The authorities that I have in mind are principally the police themselves, especially the Chief Constable of Essex, and also the Home Office. The police are clearly under severe cost pressure. However community policing is absolutely central to the expectations that the electors in Essex, reasonably, have. Our representative has not, in any visible way, fought our corner. He should have done so.
Policing is not all about community policing. There are real issues around;
These issues are often related. In Clacton we have a problem with young runners, being used by drugs gangs to supply homeless people, which leads to a stubborn persistence of knife crime. I recognise that these are complex issues. And here’s the thing – Essex Police are deeply disenchanted that they cannot deliver the service that we want. Certainly the PCC has a role in setting objectives and reviewing operational proposals. But the PCC does not need to be an operational policing expert. We already have a whole police forceful of that!
There is also an elephant in this room that cannot be ignored. Immigration. Not all immigration is a good thing. Specifically, the uncontrolled immigration of low skilled labour harms the low skilled labour that is already here. Also, it has the potential to create enclaves that do not integrate properly into the local community. These issues have, at the very least, the potential to affect crime rates. This is an issue that can only be addressed at a European level or by leaving the EU. It is right that the PCC should speak up on these issues.
Whilst the role of PCC is clearly political – an elected position is pretty much the definition of “political”, I support the UKIP position which is against the politicisation of the police force. If elected, I would gladly campaign for the abolition of PCC’s in favour of appointed police boards, if that is the way teat UKIP decides to go.
In amongst all the debate prompted by the announcement that the referendum will be on Thursday 23rd June, there are some certainties – things all parties do actually agree on. Even though this is not a Tendring only issue, and I am not a national representative, this decision will profoundly affect people in Tendring. So I am adding my two penny worth here.
What are these certainties?
Perhaps most importantly in the short term, we will have control over who we allow to come into this country. We absolutely must stop the unrestricted immigration of low skilled labour. In my view this suits David Cameron and his rich friends just fine. I believe they want an unlimited supply of cheap labour to work in their homes and their businesses. It is a disaster for low skilled people already in the UK.
All the recipients of money form the EU can continue to receive these payments if the UK leaves the EU. In addition, the UK will be able to spend its net contribution in the UK. This net contribution is variously cited as £10bn or £8bn. Whichever, this is a substantial amount of money.
We will immediately have control over our policies on; farming, fishing, energy, and the environment – to mention just some that are currently controlled in Brussels.
The status quo is not an option. The EU is integrating rapidly. Project Fear represent this as a choice between “the devil you know” and “the devil you don’t”. They are wrong. “The devil you know” is not an option.
And where do the Remain and Leave campaigns differ most sharply?
Trade – without a doubt. I am quite sure that we will be much better off leaving the EU, but I have to accept that there is no consensus on this. The arguments of the Remain campaign are pitifully weak, and supported overwhelmingly by big business that has a vested interest in retaining the status quo. In my view, big companies with high market shares have invested a lot of money in getting the rules written to suit their products and they are only too happy for it to stay that way.
Crony corporatism has gone on for too long. June 23rd really is the moment for the normal working people of this country to take back control.
I have had confirmation from a Planning Officer at Tendring District Council “that there is consultation on the proposal for a new seafront café taking place.” No planning application has been submitted – Yet.
The proposal is to site a new café at Star Point, at the eastern end of the greensward opposite Third Avenue. There is considerable opposition to this proposal. The 
attached picture from a demonstration on the site includes Cllr Joy Broderick (HRA), front row blue jacket, and Cllr Mark Stephenson (UKIP), wearing spectacles behind Joy. My apologies to all the others not named.
There is certainly a need to improve facilities at our magnificent new beach, principally parking. However, when I raised that with TDC officers, I was told that there was already sufficient parking. That is, in my view, nonsense. Last September, before the final bays were opened, I could not get parked for over half an hour, on a dry but not particularly hot day. I seems as though parking will have to be a mess, before anything gets done.
It is difficult to understand what the Conservative administration thinks it is doing here. The existing cafes may be inadequate next summer, but despoiling the greensward is [obviously] not the answer.
You will have a chance to “send a message” to this Conservative TDC administration at the Essex County Council elections, and Essex Police and Crime Commissioner elections this May. Please do use this opportunity to give expression to your resolution never, ever to vote Conservative again.
Please click on this link to sign the petition “Re thinking the budget for Essex Police to save PCSO s jobs”:- https://petition.parliament.uk/signatures/9383919/verify/5dH5Wf4jSsPAbFq2jqc
The plan currently under consultation proposes to reduce PCSO numbers from 251 -> 60. Essex Police have clearly faced some very difficult challenges with regards to savings demanded by the government in Westminster. However, George Osbourne found money in the Autumn Statement.
As well as his U-turn on tax credits, he also performed a U-turn on proposed cuts to the police service. “The police protect us, and we’re going to protect the police,” said the Chancellor, as if he had forgotten that until then, the person from whom the police most needed protecting was himself. Police chiefs had been warned to expect cuts, but they are not going to happen this year. We need to make sure that this reprieve is reflected in Essex as retained PCSO’s.
You will have an opportunity to directly influence this debate in a few months time. In May 2016 the role of Essex Police and Crime Commissioner is up for election. I supported Nick Alston (Con) last time around and had high hopes. However, that was a mistake – he has simply not been visible. The heart of the PCC role is to represent the people of Essex to the authorities and not the other way around. Sadly Nick Alston seems to have been captured by the machine.
So – Sign the petition, and vote for the UKIP candidate in May.
It now turns out that Essex county Council have decide that it is just too difficult to have the lights back on in some places but not in others. In reply to a letter from Neil Stock (Con), leader of Tendring District Council, David Finch (Con), leader of Essex County Coucil, writes that this would be “administratively costly and unworkable”. You can see the full letter here – D Finch Response re Street Lighting – 17 Dec 15
Finally, when pressed to commit to a figure Cllr Finch tells us that it will cost £128,599.87 in the first year to keep the lights on, with no guarantee that this figure will not rise in future years. You can see the letter from Cllr Finch setting this out here – D Finch Response re Part Night Lighting – 4 Jan 16 .
I realise that, whilst Essex county Council have a legal responsibility to provide street lighting, the level at which this must be done is not closely defined. So, they [probably] have a legal right to turn off the light between 1:00am and 5:00am. However, to say that this has to be done for the whole of Tendring, because of the admin involved, is feeble beyond words. And then to pass on a bill for £130k pa to Tendring is more than my sense of humour is able to handle.
Now, there is something that you can do about this, You do not have to wait until 2019 when the next Tendring District Council elections are held. You get to vote for Essex County councillors in May 2017. Sadly not in this year. So, please make a note in your diary, tie a knot in your handkerchief, or whatever method you use. Just be sure that you do not vote these muppets back in for another term. Resolve now to never, never again vote Conservative.
Update:- I have now received this from the Senior Democratic Service Officer at Tendring District Council, “the meeting of that [Local Plan] Committee due to have been held on Thursday 10 March 2016 has been cancelled as there is no business to be transacted. There is no other scheduled meeting of the Committee in this current municipal year”. Really! Having pressed ahead with a housing figure that is too high, they now plan to assemble the Local Plan with no democratic oversight at all. Flabbergasted, doesn’t get close.
Thank you to all those who attended the meeting of the Local Plan Committee on Thursday night.
Sadly, the Country Club that currently runs Tendring District Council (Conservatives and their not so independent friends) pressed ahead and approved a figure of 550 dwellings per annum (dpa). That is 550 new houses to be built in Tendring, every year until 2032, or 9,350 new houses over the 17 year period. This is an improvement over the 705dpa, or 11,985 new houses originally proposed by the Conservatives. UKIP can take enormous credit for dragging the Country Club even this far.
However, it is still the wrong number . I did propose an amendment that read as follows: “That recommendations b) & c) be replaced with the following: b) recognises that there remain substantial reasons to believe that a figure below 480 dpa is the appropriate Objectively Assessed Housing Needs figure for Tendring District Council; and c) approves for Development Management purposes that the Objectively Assessed Needs be set at 480 dpa whilst officers continue to identify the correct figure, including delivering against resolution 22.b) at the Local Plan Committee meeting held on 12th Nov 2015.” The public present were kind enough to support my contribution with a warm round of applause.
Councillors voting against this amendment, and in favour of the 550 figure, were: Cllr Tom Howard (Con, Beaumont and Thorpe), Cllr Carlo Guclielmi (Con, Manningtree, Mistley, Little Bentley and Tendring), Cllr Andy Baker (Con, Lawford), Cllr Mark Platt (Con, Hamford), Cllr Daniel Land (Con, Beaumont and Thorpe), Cllr Mick Skeels Senior (Coastal Independent, St Johns), Cllr Neil Stock (Con, Ardleigh and Little Bromley), Cllr Nick Turner (Con, Frinton). Cllr Gary Scott (Lib Dem, Alresford) abstained and Cllr Mike Talbot (Independent, St Osyth and Point Clear) arrived after this vote was taken. We are where we are because Tendring did vote for a Conservative lead administration. If we wish to avoid this kind of mistake in the future the residents of Tendring have it in their own hands – they simply have to stop voting for the Conservatives and their [not very] Independent friends.
One other point of interest at this meeting was the award of £640k from central government to Tendring, Colchester and Braintree district councils, along with Essex County Council, to evaluate the possibility of building and entirely new “Garden City” in this general area. I have not had a detailed briefing, but I understand there are four lead candidates. Possibly the front runner at this stage is a development on the borders of Colchester and Tendring, centred on Essex university. Clearly major investment in infrastructure would be needed. Without seeing any detail it is not possible to be for or against at this stage, but it is at least possible that such a development could be beneficial to Tendring.