Hugh Sandeman
Conservative Councillor for Bell Hill ward, Petersfield

The national debate about youth/hoodies/vandalism and anti-social behaviour is echoed in miniature within Petersfield's boundaries. The Town Council has a part to play in Petersfield's response to the issues surrounding young people congregating and the associated damage that is sometimes linked to the more boisterous or malevolent members or sections of these groups.

The damage seen to the Town Council's Avenue Pavillion and the Cricket Club's Pavillion on the Heath are clear evidence that there is a problem, with enough circumstantial evidence to show that it is mainly caused by those who can be described as youths.

Although the shattered tiles and other vandalism are clearly criminal damage what isn't and shouldn't be a clear assumption is that all of the town's young people are responsible for or implicated with these attacks.

One of the options available to the Town Council to try to reduce such incidents is to work to provide 'youth shelters' or 'pods' in places around the town. These are little more than bus shelter style buildings, but they are intended to give young people somewhere to sit and congregate.

I am in favour of at least trying this approach, as it is one of the few things within our power and budget that we as a Council can implement. What I am against, especially without a strong argument or evidence for is to push these pods to distant locations, away from where these teenagers choose to congregate at the moment, to places that are hard for the police to monitor effectively, (Bell Hill Recreation Ground is being suggested), I cannot see how anywhere there is easily observable especially for Police patrols.

As a community we need to accept that teenagers, don't want to and will not sit at home in the evenings, indeed many don't have the luxury of a loving home in which to spend the evening. Mine and other Councillors suggestions of locating a youth pod either in the Square or elsewhere in the centre of Town is one that I am keen to explore further.

It doesn't have to look like the mock-up on the front page of this week's Petersfield Post, it could be architecturally respectful of the square or bright and modern with a contemporary design, it could be an asset for all age groups as there isn't any civic shelter from rain in and around the Square unless you're going to the loo or borrowing from the library.

Petersfield has an opportunity to enhance relations between the young and old, pushing these young people away from their natural hang-out shouldn't happen unless expert evidence proves the value of such a course of action. The dangers of Petersfield not accepting it's young people will lead to a further separation and greater misunderstandings. I am prepared to get some flak about a central location but i'd rather be bold as it might just work rather than seeing Petersfield being allowed to turn it's back on the people that will become it's adults of tomorrow.

I was amazed to read in the Herald, that a well known company from Petersfield - and I am pleased to say from the Bell Hill Ward! has recycled just under 10 Million gallons of water over the past couple of years.

Petersfield and Reliance Launderers and Cleaners of Rushes Road have been using a revolutionary Clearwater filtration system that manages to refresh used water from the laundering process so efficiently that upto 85% of the water that enters the filter can be reused again in other stages of the cleaning process.

Initiatives like this have so many clear benefits to both the environment and savings for the Laundry that it makes sense for other similar industries to sit up and take notice.

The Conservatives are particularly keen on such environmentally friendly ideas and more can be read about our concern about water shortages here.

Just back from a productive morning with the Town Clerk. As the Town Council's South Downs representative I worked with Mr Hitch to complete the Town Council's response to the current consultation exercise surrounding the South Downs Draft Management Plan.

Petersfield is a key town in the area potentially covered by this plan which spans from beyond Newhaven in Sussex to the East of Winchester in Hampshire. Our online response will be used to help steer the policy that is being formulated. In our response we sought to highlight the uniqueness of Petersfield and its surroundings, the importance of sustainability of farming in an increasingly protected area and the need for a realistic approach to increased visitor numbers amongst a wealth of different issues.

I believe we managed to convey the Council's view of the proposed document in a fair, constructive and realistic way.

The Labour Government is threatening to further cut both the Royal Navy and Portsmouth Naval Base. The Portsmouth News is running an effective campaign to raise awareness of this threat.

Strengthening the armed forces should be at the top of the Labour agenda - especially as they continue to commit over-stretched men, women and equipment to the mire of warfare in distant lands.

Today at the Conservative conference Dr Liam Fox (Shadow Defence) warned of the increasing threat of not only from terrorists but from the increasingly restless Russia who this year alone has increased her spending on defence by 25%.

In these circumstances where we face towering threats to our Country it seems ironic that as the Reds rebuild their military capability the hapless socialist scrimping on military spending by our own Government has the potential to leave Britain exposed to those who seek to harm us.

I am already bored of the BBC and others in the media bleating on about the Conservatives and our lack of policies and promises on tax.

There is no point the Party revealing innovative policies now, so far out from the likely date of the next General Election. It would allow the Labour Party plenty of time to cherry-pick the best suggestions and repackage them as their own, (yet again).

The fact that Cameron has been strict on this makes sense, he is working hard to reinvigorate the Party. Some of these changes are difficult and take some getting used to but as somebody that voted for David Cameron I am willing to accept that change is needed and have confidence that these changes are beginning to interest the wider public.

Conservatives have always been the natural Party of lower taxation where possible. I am not worried that when the time is right and of course once we have won election to Government, lower levels of taxation and less beauraucracy are likely to be an important constituent of policies that are implemented in order to put right the harm that Labour meddling has done to citizens and business alike over the last 9 years.

Edit: 3/10/2006 ConservativeHome article on similar theme to the above.

As the Party Conference starts it is well worth remembering how interactive the event is this year. Keep up-to-date with news, views and opinions at the following links:

ConservativeHome

Conservatives

BBCi

I have just enjoyed the first speeches which were carried by both BBC News 24 and Sky News as well as the BBC Parliament channel, I look forward to the rest of the week with great anticipation; will David be able to better the excellent speech he has just delivered when he closes the conference on Wednesday?

Find out how CF Hampshire's Ranil Jayawardena is living up to his NME election promises at his website HERE. Ranil is keeping an online photo gallery about his work in the coming months, it is already looking impressively full indicating how hard he has worked since winning his place just over two weeks ago.