Sunday Update

Well, you have seen what I have been up to in Parliament this week, so I thought I would give you a brief update as to my Harlow activities over the past few days.

Overseas Aid: Following my speech in the House of Commons on World Poverty, it was good to meet with local representatives from RESULTS (the overseas development charity group), to discuss supporting the disabled in the developing world.

Harlow College: I visited a catering course for special needs pupils. It was great to be in the kitchen, chatting to all the students. My only regret was not being able to be able to be there at lunchtime, when I could have tasted all the delicious burgers that everyone was making. I also gave out a second round of award certificates to students who had completed the B.A. Hons with journalism.

Essex Police: In Chelmsford I had an important meeting with the Chief Constable of Essex. I wanted to discuss a range of issues including police resources, high crime rates in Harlow, Special Constables and Government plans for elected police commissioners. It was a productive conversation.

Patient-line: An interview with Heart FM, also in Chelmsford to discuss and push forward my campaign against the high cost of patient lines.

PACT: Travelling back to Harlow, I was really pleased to meet with PACT, to talk about their plans to increase educational provision in Harlow. I hope to work with the parents to help on their ideas of setting up a local school for autistic children.

Berecroft: A meeting with the Berecroft Steering Group, to discuss implementation of the new roofs - to be built by Circle Anglia. There are some difficult issues here, although there is some progress. I will be contacting residents over the next few days to set out details.

Essex Council Transport Team: In my campaign for an extra junction on the M11, I met with a senior officer from Essex Council and Councillor Norman Hume - in advance of my Adjournment Debate on this subject later.

Michael Roberts Charitable Trust: Attended this remarkable charity's AGM and gave a speech. It was good to be at Harefield Church for the event, with so many of the charity's supporters, clients and volunteers.

Harlow Civic Service: This was the third year of a very special service, based on the theme of thanksgiving. I was pleased to have the chance to give an Address, alongside Council Leader Andrew Johnson, Chief Executive Malcolm Morley and Industrial Chaplain, Reverend Robert Findlay. I will post my address on a later blog.

Harlowbury School: This was really great fun. Vanda and I were invited to open their music festival in the school grounds. Surrounded by parents, children, picnics, barbecues, a beer tent, tea stands, and superb bands (all performing free of charge) , it was a superb way to spend an afternoon. I was so touched as I received a wonderful picture from some of the children, which will go proudly on my office wall in the House of Commons.

by Robert Halfon - www.roberthalfon.blogspot.com

Very Good News for Harlow Motorists

Many of you will know that traffic is one of the main issues that I campaign on - particularly regarding the need for an extra bypass on the M11 .

I regularly lobby Norman Hume (Cabinet Portfolio holder for Transport on Essex County Council), hard on traffic problems in and around Harlow, so I was really pleased with the announcement that Harlow is to get two much-needed transport schemes costing £13.5m. This is really great news for commuters.

In essence, Motorists will benefit from the Community Infrastructure Fund which is set to bring to an end traffic tailbacks on two of the town's major roads. Part of the funding - £9.9m - will enable the A414 to become a dual carriageway along its entire length from the M11-A414 junction at Hastingwood to the A1169 Southern Way, with new traffic signals at the Southern Way junction.

The other £3.6m will be spent on the second phase of bus, cycle and walking improvements along First Avenue, between Howard Way and the A414.

This is long-awaited and much-needed. Everyone who drives into Harlow will have had to sit in traffic queues as they head down towards Southern Way from the M11.

I was pleased to highlight these issues (see previous post) with Shadow Transport Secretary Theresa Villiers to highlight the A414 bypass campaign when they visited the Hastingwood interchange and I believe that this funding will enable work to get underway asap.

It is a great day for Harlow and the thousands of motorists who drive into and out of the town every day.

Good news on Stansted and the Traffic Bypass

Its been a good day with Shadow Transport Secretary visiting Harlow and Hastingwood.

As I mentioned in my previous post, Theresa was here because of my campaign for an extra Bypass on the M11. She also confirmed Conservative opposition against an extra runway at Stansted. For Theresa's full statement, see below:



Extra Traffic Bypass on the M11,

"I was pleased to come to Harlow and discuss this issue with Robert Halfon and others. Robert has lobbied me extensively - and regularly - on this issue and I understand the need for an extra bypass. Were a Conservative Government to be elected, I will look at this Bypass issue seriously".

On Stansted

"I am glad to confirm today that, if elected, a Conservative Government will not allow a second runway at Stansted to be built. It is odd that Government Minister and local Labour MP says he opposes a second runway, yet his own Government is forcing it through. His position is irreconcilable as a Government Minister".

This is really good news for residents of Harlow and the surrounding villages. I am delighted that Conservative policy is to oppose a second runway, as it would destroy our countryside and add to noise and pollution. it is also good news that the Shadow Transport Secretary is now well aware of the Bypass issue as this is desperately needed. Local residents deserve nothing less.

Fed up with Harlow Traffic and a New Shell Garage on the A414

One of the best things about travelling back to Harlow late at night is that the roads are quiet and there is no traffic hold-up on Junction 7 the A414 or Southern Way. Everyone knows that traffic in Harlow at peak times is pretty unbearable.

That's why for the last two years I have been campaigning hard for an extra bypass on the M11 just past Junction 7, so that drivers would have another entry point into Harlow. I set up a website about it called http://www.fedupwithharlowtraffic.com/ and have been overwhelmed by the support from local residents. Even the Labour MP for Harlow has agreed to join the campaign and has held talks with other Ministers about it. Hopefully many of you reading this will receive a special card about the extra bypass, through your letter box over the next couple of weeks. Do fill it in and send it back.

That is why I am delighted that tomorrow, Conservative Shadow Transport Secretary Teresa Villiers MP will be coming to Harlow. I hope to hear from the Shadow Minister whether or not a future Conservative Government would be able to support the bypass proposal - particularly after ten years of a Labour Government that has seen no real action at all on this major issue.

This is all the more astonishing as the Government are forcing the concreting of our countryside with thousands of extra buildings- so a new bypass will be needed more than ever.

On another front, I understand that Miss Villiers will be making a special announcement on tax and pensions on behalf of David Cameron, so it should be an interesting day.

Incidentally, it was nice to see, stop and fill up petrol at the shiny new Shell Garage on the A414. The rebuild makes the Garage look really smart. It now sells loads of food and has a decent coffee machine! Most importantly - unlike BP on the opposite side of the road - petrol is sold at reasonable prices, with diesel costing 96.9p a litre (it is over £1 at BP).

Anyway, off to bed now. I will fill you in on what happens with the Shadow Cabinet Minister's visit tomorrow afternoon.

Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device

Cajun Squirrel Crisps and Democracy

As a Prospective MP, I don't get any salary or expenses, so I also have a full time job in London. Driving home I usually pass through City Airport via the Limehouse Link and often stop at an Esso Garage by the airport to fill up and have a cup of coffee.

Although I am on a diet, I often can't resist a packet of crisps and recently bought one of Walker's new special flavours - Cajun Squirrel. As I drove back Harlow way, I got thinking as to whether I would vote for this flavour or my own favourite - Fish and Chips. And then, being a politician I started to think about Walker's Crisps and politics......

What is the biggest vote currently facing the nation? Is it the local elections? The European elections. Fat chance. Does the answer lies in crisp packets?

In the old days, when a company wanted to develop a new product they might have a few boffins create the idea, followed by focus groups and some marketing here and there. After, the new product would appear on the supermarket shelves. It would succeed by its advertising and by a bit of luck.

Walkers Crisps have turned this approach on its head. Instead of centrally announcing a new flavour of crisps to a munching public, the company invited people to send in recipes which were then voted on - by the public via the text or internet. The winning flavours were reduced to just six.

The company then released these six flavours onto the market and, as crisp lovers will know, are available at most outlets. But Walkers didn't stop there at this exercise in crisp democracy. Every packet bought carries a coloured rosette and allows you to vote (again by text or internet) as to which of the six flavours is preferred. The intention is that after the voting ends, Walkers will introduce the extra flavour based on the voting public's final say so.

I expect many political die-hards will watch Walker's Crisp Democracy with cynicism at another marketing exercise. Yet the truth is that more people will know about this Crisp vote than who their MEP is or local MP for that matter.

So what is the lesson for political parties? Why not try and involve the voting public in decision making much more. Instead of centrally announcing policies, why not invite the public to suggest some as long as they are broadly in line with party principles. Get the public to vote the best ones and then use pilot schemes to try them out.

Want a new bypass? Send in your suggestions fully costed - let people then vote on the best suggestion - fully aware of the cost implications and the increase in local taxes.

Worried about a local hospital closing or a particular ward or department shutting down? Offer people a vote, again noting just what the cost implications are. If they want to keep the hospital open, they have choice of paying an extra xxx on their local council taxes.

I appreciate that the above may be too far reaching and too revolutionary in these difficult times, but it is worth mentioning the above to stimulate debate. The voting public are no longer willing subjects content to vote once every five years. They want real engagement and involvement at every level. Walkers Crisp democracy has shown the way forward.

P.S I still prefer Fish and Chips flavour - I have never tasted squirrel before and had nothing to compare it with!!

Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device

Roads and Table Tennis

Yesterday was a really good day for my work in the Constituency. I first met with the David Smith , the mastermind behind The Best of Harlow website. He has set up an amazing site for businesses in Harlow, on the web. I then went to Harlow Renaissance to be briefed about the latest regeneration plans for Harlow. I think Renaissance are a tremendous organisation who have a determination to transform Harlow for the better. I also had a great meeting with Simon Price who is a technical long distance driver. Simon supports my campaign for an extra by pass on the M11 and was helping me out with some ideas. At McDonalds, we pored over maps to try and examine possible routes for the by-pass.

But the best part of my day was on Friday evening. With Cllr Muriel Jolles, I visited the Norman Booth Centre in Old Harlow. Thanks to the inspiration of Neil Brierley and others, Norman Booth has been transformed into one of the top Table Tennis Clubs in the country. It is also self financing as the Centre also has a range of other sporting activities and a great cafe and viewing area. This place should be in the top ten of one of Harlow’s proudest achievements in recent years and shows what can be done with leadership and determination. I enjoyed playing table-tennis with young Rhys Williams and got trounced of course!

Finally, for those who read my blog a few days ago, you will recall a Pigeon decided to do his business on my suit, in the Water-Gardens Car park. Well I had an email from a friend in Northern Ireland who said it is a sign of good luck! Well, he was completely right! My girlfriend who is Brazilian, got her Visa to study in the UK, so I was really happy. She will be back next week and I have to pick her up at the crack-of dawn on Thursday morning. So thank you Mr Pigeon, wherever you are.......

Concern over timescale for transport scheme

I am concerned that much-needed transport improvements in Harlow could be at least four years from even receiving the go-ahead for funding.

The East of England Regional Assembly has made what it describes as an "indicative recommendation" that a host of public transport improvements costing £8m are carried out in the town.
However its recommendation lists the potential scheme among those which could receive funding for the 2013-14 to 2016-17 period.

The improvements could include passenger transport interchanges at Harlow Mill Station, Harlow Town Station, Princess Alexandra Hospital and Harlow town centre bus station.
High quality passenger transport services from the new development areas east and north of the town are also proposed, according to the East of England Regional Assembly.

Whilst I welcome any support for vital funding of our infrastructure, we desperately need funding now. Moreover we need urgent funding for the much-needed by-pass on the M11 to relieve traffic in Harlow and the surrounding villages.

After 12 years of a Labour Government there are still no guarantees of funding for this much-needed road. We need more action on behalf of the Government and less talk.