Letter from my mate Dave the PM

Dear David, Today marks seven months since the General Election; seven months since the British people gave this government and this party an important responsibility: to deliver on our commitments for stability, security and opportunity for the working people of Britain. This year, we’ve seen more people in work than at any time in our history; more of our children starting university than ever before; more British entrepreneurs setting up shop than anywhere else in Europe. Because of your support, we are now able to deliver on what we said we would do in our manifesto – a plan for every stage of your life. We’re building a country that deals with its debts and lives within its means – taking Britain out of the red and into the black by 2020. We’re giving our young people the opportunity of the best possible start in life, with a million more children in good or outstanding schools, and the chance of a high quality apprenticeship or a University place when you leave school. We’re saying to those who get a job and work hard, that we’ll let you keep more of the money you earn. And to those who save, that we’ll help you buy that home of your own. We’re saying to working families that we’re on your side, by doubling free childcare and delivering a better, and truly seven day, National Health Service for you and your family. And we’re saying to those who have worked hard all their lives that you deserve dignity and security in retirement – so we’ll go on increasing your state pension and make it easier for you to pass on what you have to your loved ones. In all these things our aim is simple: a good life for you and your family. That’s what we promised and that’s what we’re delivering - holding firm to our pledges and paving the way for the brighter future people voted for. And let’s remember, as we work through our plan, that our goal is a greater Britain. Not just making good on our manifesto – but making Britain greater. Together we can build that greater Britain. Let’s get out there and make it happen. Yours, David Cameron Promoted by Alan Mabbutt on behalf of the Conservative Party, both at 4 Matthew Parker Street, London, SW1H 9HQ

A letter from my mate the Chancellor

Dear David,

The Autumn Statement I gave today delivers on the promise we made to the British people that we would put their security first:

• To protect our economic security, by taking the difficult decisions to live within our means and bring our debts down. The public spending plans I set out today mean we will reach a surplus of £10.1 billion in 2019/20 – that’s higher than was forecast at the Budget and means Britain will be out of the red and into the black.
• To protect our national security, by defending our country’s interests abroad and keeping our citizens safe at home. There will be no cuts in the police budget with real terms protection for police funding and we deliver on our commitment to spend 2 per cent of our national income on defence.

But this Spending Review does not just ensure the economic and national security of our country, it builds on that with:

• Full funding for the Five Year Forward View that the NHS itself put forward as the plan for its future with the first £6 billion delivered up-front next year.
• The biggest real terms increase to the basic State Pension in 15 years. Thanks to our commitment to the triple lock, next year the basic state pension will rise by £3.35 to £119.30 a week.
• The biggest housebuilding programme by any government since the 1970s with a doubling of the housing budget to over £2 billion a year. Our bold plan to back families who aspire to buy their own home will deliver 400,000 new homes by the end of the decade.
• The phasing out entirely of the local government grant. By the end of the parliament local government will keep all of the revenue from business rates. We will abolish the uniform business rate so councils will be able to cut rates to attract a new business to their area, but because the amount the government raises in business rates is much greater than the amount we give to local councils through the local government grant we will phase that grant out entirely and devolve additional responsibilities.
• A new apprenticeship levy to deliver 3 million apprenticeships. This will ensure large businesses share the cost of training people, but no business with a pay bill below £3 million will have to pay. We will also increase the funding for each apprenticeship to make sure these are high quality apprenticeships.
• Real terms protection of schools budget. We will maintain funding for free infant school meals, protect rates for the pupil premium, and increase the cash in the dedicated schools grant. We’re also going to open 500 new free schools and University Technical Colleges, and invest £23 billion in school buildings and 600,000 new school places.
• The largest ever investment in free childcare so working families get the help they need. From 2017, we will fund 30 hours of free childcare for working families with 3 and 4 year olds. We’ll support £10,000 of childcare costs tax free and to support nurseries delivering more free places for parents we’ll increase the funding for the sector by £300 million.
• The improvement in the nation’s finances used to help on tax credits. Because of the improvement in the public finances, the simplest thing to do is not to phase these changes in, but to avoid them altogether. Tax credits are being phased out anyway as we introduce universal credit.
• An average saving of £30 from the projected energy bills of 24 million households by introducing a cheaper domestic energy efficiency scheme.

Five years ago, when I presented our first Spending Review, our economy was in crisis and as the letter Labour left behind said: there was no money left. Our job then was to rescue Britain. Today, our job is to rebuild Britain. Build our finances. Build our defences. Build our society.

George Osborne
Chancellor of the Exchequer

Section 106 Contributions for Rushmoor.

Section 106 contributions 

         Very simply - money taken from developers to improve the local area. This is not a fund that gets accumulated. It is a fund to finance agreed projects in the area:

5.1    Information in this section relates to financial contributions secured by way of section 106 planning obligations.

Section 106 contributions received	Oct-Dec 2014	Apr 2014- Mar 2015
Contributions received (Rushmoor and Hampshire)~	£244,948.47	£1,174,183.19
Open Space (specific projects set out in agreements)	£26,485.00	£385,408.38
SANGS a) Hawley Meadows * b) Southwood II c) Rowhill	a) £28,340.00 b) £120,510.00 c) 0	a) £348,877.67 b) £278,980.00 c) 19,759.25.00
SAMM a) Hawley Meadows* b) Southwood II* c) Rowhill*	a) £3,105.00 b) £13,169.00 c) £0	a) £38,567.38.00 b) £30,512.00 c) £2,163.04
Transport (specific projects set out in agreements)*	£5,788.00	£146,055.68

~This figure also includes monitoring charges, interest and receipts for the Farnborough Airport Community Environmental Fund.

*Contributions relating to the Hawley Meadows SANG. SAMM contributions and Transport are paid to Hampshire County Council.

Twelve new undertakings/legal agreements were signed in the period October-December 2014. A total of 37 were signed in the year.

Farnborough Library set to transform into a new community hub

Thursday 30 April 2015

Farnborough Library will close for seven weeks from Thursday 4 June until Thursday 23 July inclusive, to allow refurbishment works to take place to provide a new community hub for local people.

The new-look building will accommodate a modernised environment, with the latest self service technology, allowing greater flexibility in the way customers access the service and releasing staff to help those requiring more support. There will be a purpose built space for people who currently attend Hampshire County Council Day Service for people with learning disabilities and space for people who receive a service from Parkside (formerly the local Mencap). Both these services will be relocating from Aldershot to Farnborough.

The building will additionally have new activity rooms, as well as a café offering light snacks and refreshments which is due to open in October.

A Hampshire County Council spokesperson said: "This is a very exciting opportunity for us to redevelop the Farnborough library building to provide multi purpose facilities for the local community. While we regret any disruption that may be caused as a result of the temporary closure, we aim to complete the works as quickly as possible and look forward to welcoming customers back towards the end of July in time for the school holidays. We have kept the closure as short as possible which will mean a small amount of disruption will continue after re-opening."

No books will be due back during the period the library is closed, and libraries in Aldershot and Fleet remain open. Books can be borrowed or returned at any library and can be renewed via our website or through our contact centre 0300 555 1387.

The transformation of the library building and the relocation of Aldershot learning disability day services to Farnborough Library is one of a number of similar projects taking place across the county designed to bring services for people with learning disabilities closer to the local community while providing improved facilities for local residents.