Andrea's Homepage

Speed Awareness

I confess I went to a speed awareness course today....the sort you are offered as an alternative to 3 points on your driving licence for being caught by a speed camera (provided you were not exceeding the speed limit by very much).

It wasn't a hard decision to go on the course, rather than take the points!  But after I got over the initial irritation at wasting 4 hours sitting in a boiling hot room with 20 other speeders plus 3 people from the Highways Agency there to observe (I had to hold myself back from complaining to them about the lack of Towcester bypass...) it was actually really interesting and useful.

At one point we were asked what action to take if you witness a road accident.  We all agreed "dial 999" immediately.  But not so.....apparently if you dial 112 on your mobile instead, then the national emergency services can immediately pinpoint your location using GPS tracking to your phone.  One of the biggest challenges with car accidents on open roads is, of course, locating the scene of the crash.  Makes you wonder why this number isn't more widely advertised!

The course was an interesting case study in the ever growing 'health and safety' epidemic.  There was loads of evidence to show that keeping to 30mph, rather than say 35mph, saves lives.  It follows that not driving at all would mean zero car crashes!  What is harder to pinpoint however is what is the right balance between freedom to enjoy motoring versus ever greater restrictions to avoid accidents.

Social Action - the new politics

Today I was asked to make a presentation at the Conservative Social Action Conference about my Uganda/UK Schools Twinning project.  The project is now in its third year and has expanded enormously from the humble pilot of 2007. 

 

I was able to point out how those students taking part, both Ugandan and British, have been transformed by the experience of a shared week in Uganda, sleeping in dormitories, eating and laughing together and debating issues like HIV/AIDS, the rights of women and environment versus development.  In particular, the UK students came home truly valuing the opportunities, the freedom and the democracy that we enjoy.  

 

David Cameron gave a keynote speech at the conference about how our 'New Politics' calls for politicians to help and engage their communities through social action in all kinds of positive ways - whether through international projects like mine, regeneration projects, setting up job clubs and youth clubs - instead of the 'old ways' of too much talk and too little action.

 

In particular, David pointed out that social action is one way to engage younger people in politics - they will fund raise to go and meet Ugandan sixth formers, or to build a youth club, but wouldn't want to go pounding the streets delivering leaflets for a political party!

 

David also believes social action is a good way for politicians to answer the criticism that says "you are all the same and you never achieve any real change".  Social action can make a real difference to people's lives.  There are now more than 150 social action projects being run across the UK by Conservative candidates and MPs.

A Job Club for South Northamptonshire

I'm planning to launch a Job Club at Towcester Town Hall on Tuesday 11 August at 10 am.

The Club will then meet every Monday at the Chantry House in Towcester between 10 am and 12 noon.

The purpose of the Club is to help local people back into work - I've been amazed and impressed at the number and range of generous offers of help from private businesses, colleges and statutory agencies.  The problem of unemployment is growing fast and it is heartwarming to see the enthusiasm there is to help solve it.

People looking for work can drop into the Club, enjoy a drink, and gain free advice from local professionals on anything from writing a CV, interview technique, starting a new business, retraining, further education, managing debt and mortgage problems.

The Job Club has nothing to do with politics but everything to do with helping our community.  I'm hoping it will make a real difference.

Leonard Cheshire Coffee Morning

The Coffee morning raised nearly £300!  Not bad for for a Monday morning.  Thank you to everyone who came to it and were so generous.

Thanks also to James Rudd for publishing a photo...

http://www.aboutmyarea.co.uk/site/content.asp?area=295&story=133954

Congratulations Northamptonshire!

A fantastic result for the Northants County Council!  In South Northants, all our Councillors were re-elected so for the next four years we will continue to have some of the hardest working Councillors I have ever met.  It's not surprising that many of the Cabinet for NCC are drawn from among the South Northants group.

Well done to all of them for an excellent campaign!  I'm particularly pleased about West Hunsbury and Towcester.  David Hugheston-Roberts (W Hunsbury) and his campaign manager, Brian Oldham, did an unbelievable amount of work in a campaign that was overshadowed by some unpleasant accusations by the Lib Dems.  We were completely delighted to see that local residents chose to re-elect David and by a majority that was doubled!

In Towcester, Rosemary Bromwich and Diana Dallyn also worked their socks off.  Rosemary is Cabinet Member with responsibility, amongst other things, for adult social care.  She has been totally committed to improving the lives of local residents, particularly the elderly, and her excellent result (also with an increased majority) shows that people have noticed.

Congratulations to:

Andre Gonzalez de Savage (E Hunsbury)

Phil Larratt (Nene Valley)

David Hugheston-Roberts (W Hunsbury)

Michael Clarke (Hackleton)

Bunny Ingram (Roade)

Ben Smith (Greens Norton)

Ken Melling (Middleton Cheney)

Andrew Grant (Brackley East)

Ron Sawbridge (Brackley West)

Allen Walker (Deanshanger)

Rosemary Bromwich (Towcester)

During the campaign week, I was asked by Conservative Home to keep a 'Week in the Life of a PPC' diary.  It was published shortly after the election results, and here it is: 

  http://conservativehome.blogs.com/goldlist/2009/06/diary-of-a-ppc-andrea-leadsom-south-northamptonshire.html