Saturday 31 October 2009

Autumn - changing colours

It has been an action packed summer but now the nights are drawing in and autumn is with us. The leaves are turning colour and falling. While in this third quarter other countries are out of recession, we are still in recession. While the decline is slowing, we have experienced one of the longest and deepest recessions on record.

I have been visiting a number of local businesses following my business survey, and while many say the recession has bottomed out, none can say it is over. Mark Prisk MP Shadow Minister for Business and Enterprise came down to listen and to learn this month. The biggest issue - business rates and the cost of red tape.

This month I have had the opportunity of sitting down with John Hart, our new Devon County Council leader to hear about future plans and with Nicola Bulbeck, Chief Executive of Teignbridge District Council. Both are well aware of the need for financial prudence. John Hart has some very clear plans which he has been spelling out this week - and more will come.

I also had very good meetings with both David Radford, Chairman of Devon Primary Care Trust and with Iain Tulley, Chief Executive of the Devon Partnership Trust responsible for mental health care provision across Devon. They are both considering my request to maintain some form of out-patient mental health care provision in the new Newton Abbot Hospital.

One of the biggest issues we face is the increasing challenge of providing for mental health care for the elderly. Dementia is still not well supported or understood and I am delighted by the work of the Senior Council for Devon who have done a great job of explaining the challenge of the disease and where to go for help.

I visited the recently re-opened village shop in Stokeinteignhead - a real credit to the villagers. Never mind the goods, it provides a real social life line to many. If you need a hand, volunteers will help with all sorts of practical advice and come around with you helping you to shop.

Communities are key and we have so many good examples. I was asked to open the Village Olympics in Ashcombe - a challenge of endurance, enthusiasm and fitness between three villages. In Shaldon the challenge was all mine as I competed in the women's and mixed rowing pairs as part of Shaldon Regatta. I used to row when I was younger - and fitter! At least I finished the course.

I had the great pleasure of visiting South Dartmoor College to talk to politics students about our electoral system - I was impressed by their knowledge and clear enthusiasm. They had lots of ideas for change. I was just so pleased to see them so engaged - after all politics will play a large part in determining their future opportunities.

But the Conservative Party Conference earlier this month where David Cameron and George Osborne set out their stall for the next election - expected by most to be 6 May 2010 was exceptional. A clear message about the need to rebuild the status of families and family life and of communities. And some very clear messages about the difficult steps needed to get the economy back on its feet.

The leaves are changing colour.