Last week David Cameron gave a major speech outlining the Government’s
plans to create a ‘Big Society’. At the heart of this is the idea
that rather than trying to do and control everything, in some areas
the Government should take a step back and let people decide how to do
things for themselves.
Local people often know better than Government what is best for their
community, so our role in Government should be to create more
opportunities for people to take the lead. In our area we have a great
wealth of talented and committed people who give up their time to help
others and support their community. However, if I have a common
complaint from them it is the culture of red tape, health and safety
legislation, licenses and permissions they have to work through to put
on an event, or organise a concert.
If you have live music at a pub, club or hall you need a special
license. If you want to put up a banner bigger than one square metre
you need to go through a planning process that might take 6 months. If
you are regularly involved in organising sporting events for young
people you might need a criminal records bureau check. If you are
organising a parade you might need public liability insurance for up
to £5million. There have to be some regulations, but you have to
question whether we have currently got the balance right, and that new
controls are putting people off volunteering and putting on events.
On Friday morning last week I visited Cheriton Primary School, and was
given a tour by headteacher Angela Maxted. It was great to see how
well the school and pupils are doing, and hear some of their excellent
singing. The pupils also had some very good questions for me about my
work as the MP and some letters for me to pass on to the Prime
Minister.
Later I attended the annual meeting of the Shepway Volunteer Centre,
at the United Reform Church hall in Folkestone. The centre
co-ordinates volunteering across the District with hundreds of people
involved in activities like driving people to hospital appointments,
visiting the elderly and helping them with gardening work. You can
find out more about their work at their website
www.volunteershepway.co.uk/.
Following that I was invited to join the Folkestone Nepalese Community
for an event with the Nepalese Ambassador, Dr. Suresh Chandra Chalise.
As well as meeting members of the community and enjoying some
excellent food, it was interesting to hear about some of their work in
the area.
This Sunday coming I will be joining members of the Step Short
project, for the First World War parade in Folkestone. If you would
like to join the parade, you should assemble outside The Grand on The
Leas at 10.30am. The parade will follow the route taken my soldiers
during the war when they marched along the Leas, and down the Road of
Remembrance to the harbour, and the boats waiting to take them to the
trenches in France and Belgium.