Tougher Scrutiny for Home Loans

When I was running my business, from time to time I would receive a letter from a Building Society advising that a member of staff was applying for a mortgage. The letter would ask for confirmation of employment details such as job title and how long employed. Up until about 10 years ago the letter would ask for confirmation of salary but about then that question stopped. This was because many mortgages were now "self-certified" where the lender relied on the borrowers statement alone about income, which is of course related to ability to pay. It was no surprise to me that this change accompanied the fastest rate of growth in house prices the country has ever seen. In hindsight this was an example of the reckless lending that led to the financial problems just over a year ago and of the lack of control of the FSA in regulating the mortgage market. So I was pleased to read todays announcement of plans for borrowers to once again face a mortgage affordability test and self certification mortages will be banned. Some times appropriate regulation can be the right course since soaring house prices are in no-ones interest in the long term. Read more here.

House meeting Hillmorton

Continuing my series of meetings at peoples homes across the consituency, yesterday I was invited to the house of Eleanor Thorneycroft where I met number of her friends and neighbours. I explained that I was there to answer questions and listen to points of view and inevitably with the focus again on MP's expenses following Sir Thomas Legg's audit that was an early topic for discussion. I explained that by the time of the next Parliamentary intake there will almost certainly be new rules in place and if I am succesful in Rugby, I will clearly abide by them. Having run my own business for 25 year I am quite used to preparing accounts for submision to the authorities and will continue to do so in any future role. We moved on to a very wide ranging discussion covering international issues such as our approach to terrorism; national issues including border controls and illegal immigration, family breakdown and the downward movement of decision making within government; and local issues such as the mast site development proposals and new charges for renting an allotment in Rugby. All in all I was put through my paces by a well informed group. If you know anyone who would like me to join them for a similar discussion, please let me know and I will be glad to come along.

Saving Brinklow Fire Station

Last week I attended a consultation meeting in Bedworth concerning proposals to close the Fire Station there and yesterday a similar meeting took place in Monks Kirby in relation to Brinklow. The new Chief Fire Officer presented the proposals which were drawn up by his predecessor and members of the public were invited to make points and ask questions. Brinklow is a smaller Fire Station, serving a rural community but many of the same points arose and, of course response times and the quality of cover the service will be able to provide in the future were the key issues. Despite a bias in the questionnaire that accompanies the consultation, there are many good points in the document such as increased emphasis on training, on fire prevention and reducing arson; and reducing Firefighter sickness levels. However it seems to me that these do not necessarily have to be linked to reducing the number of Fire Stations across the County from 19 to 12. Almost everyone in the room was of like mind and I know that there will be many responses urging that the closure proposals in the consultation are not implimented.

Brownsover Saturday

After the focus on national policy at conference last week it was refreshing to be out talking about more local issues in Brownsover South on Saturday morning. Matters people raised included inconsiderate parking by rail users close to the station and the price increase in the new multi storey car park; the success of the new recycling arrangements; and the local impact of anti-social behaviour. It was great to have newly elected County Councillor, Carolyn Robbins with me who is actively involved with all of these.

Conference Final Day

MP Alistair Burt's thoughts about this week's conference

Defending Fire Stations

After a morning at Conference, I drove down to Bedworth with North Warwickshire Candidate, Dan Byles to attend a meeting to discuss proposals to make changes to Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service. There is a number of ways in which it is proposed to improve the service residents receieve but unsurprisingly, the one to get the most attention is the one to reduce the number of Fire Stations across the County. A consultation document has been issued which includes the option of closing Nuneaton and Bedworth Fire Stations and replacing them with one new station between the two towns. This is of concern to me as Bulkington and villages to the north of Rugby constituency are covered from Bedworth. I felt that the consultation had it weaknesses but was prepared to hear what the Deputy Fire Officer had to say in support of this idea. The longer the meeting went on, the more clear it became to me that this particular part of the proposal hasn't been properly thought through and they strike me as too loose, too vague and too one sided. I will be attending a further meeting in Brinklow this coming Monday, Oct 12 when residents will be able to have their say on proposals to close the Fire Station there.

Dragons Den

Yesterday I took part in a fringe event organised by the European Information Alliance. 3 speakers competed for my vote & that of others with presentations on the management of the IT processs in Government; governance of the internet; & the role of IT in the UK economy. We covered how to improve IT procurement in the public sector, a matter of interest to many of us given recent failures an cost, delivery time & security; how to ensure safe use of the internet, particularly by children; how to ensure IT jobs stay in here by ongoing training and innovation.; the vaiability of broadband across the country, an issue of concern to me as I live in a village where speeds are often frustratingly low.