Promises, promises

Back in Spring 2010 our local MP, Keith Simpson, wrote to a constituent about the proposed Rackheath eco-town stating that it was a "classic example of the Labour government attempting to ignore the views of local people". So what has changed since then? Well the Labour government is no longer in power but the coalition government which replaced it is acting in exactly the same way!

Mr Simpson went on in this pre-election letter saying "Now we are faced with another attempt to put an eco town in our community. Many of you have written, emailed or spoken to me about the proposal for the Rackheath Eco-Town, Overwhelmingly local opinion is opposed to the proposal as outlined because of the sheer scale of the development".

"I have attended two public meetings in Rackheath, recently held a surgery there and looked carefully at the proposals. I have made it clear that I do not support the development AND an incoming Conservative government will not support these Labour proposals for eco-towns, not least because they are opposed by local communities."

So Mr Simpson was returned as our local MP after the election last May but has since done NOTHING to support the local community in its fight to prevent this massive development. No further words or actions of support. No parliamentary questions as we requested. So what has happened in the interim? Someone has had pressure put upon them by the look of things!

14 comments:

  1. Doesn't it make you angry? This was a cynical con to win the election.
    If its now a low carbon community presumably the lowering of standards means it cant be an eco town?

    Big conversation? Consultation? Integrity?
    It is all so dishonest.

    Now we can see why the voters were so reluctant to give the Tories the majority they craved at the last election. Perhaps they are more perceptive than we realised.

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  2. Like all politicians both National and Local they are all full of promises and hot air when they want YOUR VOTE, but after they are elected we can all go to hell.

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  3. Rackheath Resident14 March 2011 at 16:02

    Keith Simpson never replies anyway. He should be ashamed. He certainly will not get my vote next time

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  4. Keith Simpson clearly said that he opposed the Ecotown and David Cameron clearly said on TV that if people don't want an ecotown in their area then He and his Government will not impose it on them. Yet neither have lifted a finger.
    It only follows that if people don't want an Ecotown they don't want any other kind of town or development either and that goes for Eco Community, Exemplar, Low Carbon Housing etc.
    Building Partnerships and Broadland can call it what they like and re-brand as many times as they want. We just don't want it.
    People are beginning to ask questions as to why Building Partnerships, Barratts and Broadland are so close? It certainly looks now as if there is a hidden agenda.

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  5. As I have pointed out before on this site, there is certainly a hidden agenda - not very well hidden. On the Norfolk Insight website, where the Council gives Demographic figures, it is openly stated that over the next 20 years 224,000 people will be moved into Norfolk. 120,000 will be moved in from outside the UK, the others will be from "England". It is also openly stated that the existing population is falling, due to more deaths than births. Falling population is a blessing, these days, not a curse. But we are not to be allowed this blessing.

    224,000 people moved into Norfolk means a lot more than just 37,000 new homes.

    37,000 homes is just the first tranche. See Phase 3 below.

    Phase 2 (already under way): infrastructure. I.e. the incinerator at King’s Lynn. The expansion of roads like the A11. Extra energy supplies (nuclear, wind, solar on farmland). Every attempt by the County Council to get any part of such infrastructure put into place must be resisted tooth and nail.

    Phase 3: for 224,000 people, at least 100,000 homes will be needed at 2 adults per home. So another 63,000 homes, if my maths is correct.

    “Job creation” is just a fancy design feature to sell all this. No real jobs for local people will come out of this. Norfolk will just become another holding centre for the unemployed of our large cities, and other overspill from outside the UK. They will be heavily reliant on food imports and the concreting over will make people already here more reliant on food imports as well - in one of Britain's premier farming counties!

    http://www.norfolk.gov.uk/view/ncc079318

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  6. Further to my previous post, I put the wrong link for projected population – the link I have is for existing population.

    The correct link for “The Government’s 2008-based population projections for Norfolk” dated June 2010 is:

    http://www.norfolk.gov.uk/view/ncc078744

    It is just one short page of clear information (8 bullet points) – well worth printing out and pinning on notice boards everywhere.

    Please note, this County Council is obeying the previous Government’s orders regarding building targets, apparently the orders have not been countermanded by the new regime in Westminster. It has been left up to us to protest. This could have been stopped with one order from Downing Street.

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  7. http://www.norfolk.gov.uk/view/ncc078744

    • Norfolk’s total population change over the 25 years to 2033 would be made up of
    approximately 221,700 gain from net in-migration and around 2,800 loss from
    natural change (more deaths than births)

    http://www.norfolk.gov.uk/view/ncc078744

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  8. Edith is right. Anyone who lives here in Norfolk and don't want to see it ruined must fight tooth and nail to stop any of this infrastructure and development. The promise of jobs and prosperity is the same old carrot that the councils and greedy developers wave in front of the public. We will all be far worse off for jobes as there will be many more competing for the same vacancy. Yes it will suit the employers and of course the developers and councils as they stand to make millions. As the area gets transformed to something resembling the suburbs of London then our cost of living wil rise similarly. With an influx of migrants we shall be inundated with crime drugs and violance.
    We shall loose our countryside and have to rely on foreign food which will may come from all kinds of unsavoury places.
    We all choose to live here and have stayed here even though the wages are low because we like Norfolk the way it is.
    So lets all fight to keep it that way.

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  9. Keith Simpson has done next to nothing since he got back into parliament. He has not been near us or bothered to reply to many peoples letters and when he has replied he ignores our requests. He has found plenty of time to put in his exceptionally high expenses which must make us think why he is an M.P.
    I think the public were well and truly conned, however I am determined it wont happen again.

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  10. I also received a letter along the same lines from Mr Simpson but , now elected, he has soon changed is mind. When was he last stuck in a traffic jam in Wroxham (it will become impossible when the extra traffic from the new houses arrives trying to get over the bridge). Infact when did he lst visit Wroxham ? I do not remember any surgeries om any subject

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  11. Hi, has anyone heard if Keith Simpson is still alive ?

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  12. What has happened to our MP Keith Simpson who was elected to represent us ? Is he ill as he certainly does not reply ? His promises just prior to getting elected now seem worthless and yet we still pay him. Disgusted.

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  13. Ex Conservative Voter8 April 2011 at 16:53

    When is this wretched man Simpson going to reply. I see he can find to talk about the Incinerator and RAF Marham, but NO TIME for his own Ward. Has he been bought off by the Developers ? He will never get my vote again.

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  14. We have been trying for weeks to get a reply from this man. We thought he was OUR MP but obviously we were wrong. Too busy claiming his expenses I guess. Pity he does not read the SNUB Blog...........

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