I have decided to make a few resolutions for 2008. A few political and a few personal.

 

Keeping up the hard work we’ve done in 2007 my political New Year resolutions are to campaign to preserve the Kimberley brewery site, keep the developers off Broxtowe’s green belt and to meet and listen to my constituents.

 

My three personal resolutions are to have more patience with my teenage daughters, to get fit and to stop smoking. These are three things I failed to do in 2007 though I did get lots of exercise in the local council elections and stopped smoking for two months.

 

I finished work on December 21^st around lunchtime and shortly after received the sad news that the President of Broxtowe Conservatives, Sheila Foster, had died earlier at home. Although she had been unwell Sheila’s death was completely unexpected.

 

I first met Sheila twenty odd years ago when I worked in Television and Sheila was Mayor of Broxtowe. The last time I saw her was  when we shared a platform at Bramcote Conservatives “Any Questions”. We later spoke on the telephone and commented on how very similar our politics were. Sheila was a teacher and accordingly knew and understood that a “difficult” or “troubled” child invariably had some trouble or difficulty in their background. Sheila was a magistrate for many years and regularly exercised her experience and commonsense.

 

Those qualities along with a desire to serve her community made her a fine example of the best type of local councillor.

 

You may have read about Sheilas death in the Evening Post. A few people have enquired as to why there was no tribute from me. It’s a question to direct to the Evening Post as I spoke to their reporter just after she spoke to Richard Jackson the leader of the Conservative group on the council. But for some reason she chose not to include any quote from me in the item.

 

Never mind the politics – I have always been a huge admirer of Benazir Bhutto and although her murder should have come as no great surprise I was shocked and saddened to hear the news. Benazir Bhutto was hugely courageous; she chose to follow in her father’s footstep even though his path in politics had led to his death and indeed the deaths of both her brothers. Benazir Bhutto was the first democratically elected woman to lead a Muslim country – a truly remarkable achievement. It is to be hoped that some sort of stability prevails in Pakistan, the elections are properly held and a moderate and tolerant Government is formed.

 

Many thanks to everyone who is signing our petition to save the brewery site – keep sending your signatures back to us or sign our on line petition.

 

We are calling on Broxtowe Borough Council to list the most important buildings on the site so they are preserved in any development. We also want tree preservation orders on the trees opposite the church.

The really good news is that we are getting cross party support for our proposals with the Independent leader of the Town Council, the Lib Dem Borough Councillor and I meeting for a photograph and “get together” with the Evening Post.

 

The Lab/Lib Dem coalition that run Broxtowe Borough Council are coming under increasing pressure to secure the future of the site and hopefully our petition will be the final persuasion they need to act quickly and effectively.