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SUMMER 2015 EDITION / PRODUCED AND DELIVERED AT NO COST TO THE TAX PAYER

FIND OUT HOW

BRANDONS BEEN
WORKING FOR US
IN GREAT YARMOUTH
AND WESTMINSTER

YOU SPOKE
WE LISTENED!
GREAT YARMOUTH
CONSERVATIVES ANNOUNCE
TOWN CENTRE PARKING REVIEW

DEAR
NEIGHBOUR,
THIS IS THE first Reporting Back

magazine, since the General

Election campaign. It delivers on
my continued commitment to keep
local residents up-to-date with my
work on their behalf both here in
Great Yarmouth, but also in Westminster. Its vital you
hear from me all year round, not just at election time.
No other local politician or political party delivers that
commitment.
Its an exciting time politically. Being at the very
heart of the first Conservative majority government in
18 years, unencumbered by a difficult coalition partner,
means I can help deliver the change, so many people
supported during the recent election.
Already those changes are beginning to take place.

Soon we will see the Right to Buy,

which gave so many people the
opportunity to own their home,
extended to housing association
tenants. For so long they have been
denied that right. I want to see
Britain building again, providing
the affordable starter homes, so
desperately needed for our young
people and new families. That will
finally bring an end to the housing
crisis created by Labour.
So much more is changing, and you can read about it
all in this edition of Reporting Back.
With best wishes,

Brandon Lewis

House of
Commons,
Westminster,
London,
SW1A 0AA

PS If you would like to receive regular email updates about my work on behalf of Great Yarmouth, sign up by sending an email to office@brandonlewis.co.

PAGE 02/08

REPORTING BACK FROM BRANDON LEWIS

LABOURS
COUNTY CUTS
CONTINUE

LOCAL
CONSERVATIVES:

ALREADY MAKING OUR

COMMUNITIES BETTER
COUNCILLOR GRAHAM PLANT and his

Conservative team have only been running

the local council for a short time, but already
work is underway to improve our community. The
Conservatives who seized control, from an unpopular
Labour administration, at the local elections in May,
are already making a difference in the town and our
villages.
Initially, they are looking at overturning the
mistakes Labour made. Following the high-profile
Save our Loos campaign led by Brandon Lewis, the
Conservatives are working hard to protect our local
lavatories from unnecessary closure. They are looking
to make routine maintenance, such as grass cutting and
street sweeping, a priority, to end the neglect that had
gripped so many neighbourhoods. And the current car
parking charges in the Town Centre, which put so many
people off from shopping in Great Yarmouth, are under
review.
Its frustrating that residents endured three years
of inaction from Labour, whilst having to listen to a
list of excuses, our new town hall boss, Graham Plant,
explains. Great Yarmouth is a fantastic place to live
and work, but we can make it even better. Instead of
making excuses, we will be listening to local people, and
taking real action to tackle their concerns.
REPORTING BACK FROM BRANDON LEWIS

THEY COULD
HAVE BEEN AVOIDED!
IN 2013, OUR SUCCESSFUL

county council was

replaced by a ragtag alliance of councillors,
dominant county leaders run a
Norwich based and focussed
council.
In an act of wanton political
vandalism, this alliances first
act was to scrap the Voluntary
Norfolk programme, which had
been created to save taxpayers
money and increase income
for the council to spend on
frontline services.
If left in place, by now, the
county finances would be in
sound shape. Instead, we are
facing more excuses as the
alliance takes the axe to more
vital services, caused by their
own financial incompetence.

PAGE 03/08

E
V
I
T
A
V
R
E
N
S
N
A
O
L
C
P
THE
AR r family

Er you and you

Y
E
FIV means fo
it
What

THE CONSERVATIVE

victory at the General

Election, although
unexpected by both
politicians and the
press, means that with
a working majority the
pledges set out in the
election manifesto can
now be delivered over
the next five years. Find
out how they are already
putting these promises
into practice.

BUILDING NEW HOUSES

HELPING PEOPLE TO
OWN THEIR HOMES
After the slowest housing
building programme for
generations, weve seen
more homes built, but we need to
do more. Unlocking unused
brownfield land, will help us build
thousands of new starter homes.
And extending the right to buy to
housing association tenants, will
help even more people on to the
housing ladder.

TOUGH ON IMMIGRATION
CRACKING DOWN ON ILLEGAL
ENTRY
Weve all seen the recent
news reports about the
extraordinary lengths
people will take to get into Britain
illegally. In the past its been
difficult to tackle illegal
immigrants once theyre here.
Conservatives are introducing
tougher restrictions on available
benefits and making deportation
faster.

HELPING YOUNG
FAMILIES

MORE FREE CHILDCARE FOR

WORKING PARENTS
Anyone with children,
will understand the
demands of jugging the
needs of a family with working.
Helping families and making sure
our young children get the best
start in life is a priority. Thats why
we are increasing the free
childcare available for working
parents, with three and four year
olds, to 30 hours a week.
PAGE 04/08

REPORTING BACK FROM BRANDON LEWIS

ENGLISH VOTES FOR

ENGLISH LAWS

STOPPING THE MARCH

OF THE WIND TURBINES

GIVING LOCAL PEOPLE THE

FINAL SAY
The massive subsidies, paid
out of your taxes, provided
to onshore windfarm
developers will come to end next
year. Too often these turbines
blighted our landscape and were
opposed by local people. However,
bureaucrats in London had the
final say. Thats being changed so
local councils can decide if they
can be built.
REPORTING BACK FROM BRANDON LEWIS

GETTING A FAIR DEAL FOR

GREAT YARMOUTH
So many residents told me
they were worried about
the Scottish Nationalists
holding a Labour government to
ransom. Fortunately that hasnt
happened, but we are still
introducing a new system, so that
only English MPs can have a say
and vote on issues that affect only
English constituencies.

LETTING YOU DECIDE

OUR EUROPEAN FUTURE

SAYING NO TO LEGAL
HIGHS

TACKLING A NEW DRUGS

MENACE
Its alarming how easy it
is for people to purchase
psychoactive drugs,
known as legal highs, with them
freely available in certain shops.
New powers will restrict their
availability and allow police to
seize and destroy legal highs.
Illegal drug use can lead to so many
problems in society, its important
we tackle this latest craze.

REFERENDUM GUARANTEED BY
AUTUMN 2017
Frustratingly, both the Lib
Dems and Labour blocked
plans for a European
Referendum twice during the
last Parliament. Prime Minister
Cameron is already negotiating
hard to get a better deal for Britain.
And you will have the final say on
whether we stay in the European
Union or leave.
PAGE 05/08

GIVING YOU A VOICE

IN THE EUROPE DEBATE
W

HEN BRITAIN LAST HAD AN OPPORTUNITY

to decide its relationship with the rest of

Europe, I was still a young boy. The debate and
discussions that preceded that referendum passed me
by. It does mean that millions of people have never had
chance to express whether they want to remain part of
the European Union or for Britain to go it alone.

PAGE 06/08

So many things
have changed over the
last forty years. The
way the European
Union operates and
the impact it has on
our everyday lives is
very different from
how it was envisaged
all those years ago.
Its fundamentally
different from the
collection of free
trading partners, which many people supported in that
original referendum.
Thats why I voted for a referendum in the last
Parliament, something both the Lib Dems and the
Labour Party joined forces to block, thus denying the
British people the opportunity to have say. Fortunately,
Labour politicians have now seen the light and are
backing our referendum plan. We even know the
question Should the United Kingdom remain a
member of the European Union? with voters having
the opportunity to say yes or no. The Conservatives
promised a referendum, were now delivering it.

REPORTING BACK FROM BRANDON LEWIS

We have capped
benefits and seen over 2
million getting into work

GORDON BROWN LET THE benefit

MAKING
WORK PAY
REFORMING
OUR BENEFITS
SYSTEM

bill get out of control when

he was Chancellor, and then
continued when Prime Minister.
The country cant afford this bill
for ever, thats why reforming the
system is so important.
We need to give all those who
can work the chance to get a
decent, well-paid job. We have
capped benefits and seen over
2 million getting into work. We
will continue helping those still

10% OFF

unemployed back into work

and helping those in work, but on
low pay. We need to move from a
low wage, high tax, high welfare
society to a higher wage, lower
tax, lower welfare society.
That means dealing with
the merry-go-round where the
government taxes people on
minimum wage, and then gives
them that money back and
more in welfare. This is just
dealing with the symptoms of
the problem topping up low
pay rather than extending
opportunity and helping to
create well paid jobs in the first
place. That is why we are taking
millions out of Income Tax
and increasing the value of the
Minimum Wage.

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REPORTING BACK FROM BRANDON LEWIS

PAGE 07/08

If you have a favourite

local shop, a fantastic
caf, pub, restaurant, or
a must-see attraction, let
me know

BACKING

YARMOUTHS
GREATS AGAIN
LAST YEARS CAMPAIGN

to identify the best local

businesses in Great
Yarmouth saw an overwhelming
response from residents, as they
nominated their own particular
favourite. It was a delight to visit

HOW YOU CAN

GET IN TOUCH
WITH BRANDON

www.brandonlewis.co
EMAIL office@brandonlewis.co
TELEPHONE 01493 652928

so many of these businesses,

and present them with their
Yarmouth Greats! certificate.
You can see the bright yellow
rewards proudly displayed in
windows and behind counters
throughout the area.
But I know there are many more
great independent businesses,
providing a great service to both
residents and visitors, out there
who may not have been recognised
yet. Thats why I am organising
the Yarmouth Greats competition
once again this year.
So if you have a favourite local
shop where you love to browse and
buy, or a fantastic caf, pub and
restaurant serving delicious or a
must-see attraction you always
take family and friends to visit, let
me know.
You can nominate your
Yarmouth Great at www.
brandonlewis.co or phoning 01493
652928 for a nomination form.

If you need my help or want to discuss a

matter of concern, please get in touch. I hold
regular surgeries in the constituency. To
make an appointment just call 01493 652928.
Sussex Road Business Centre,
Sussex Road, Gorleston, NR31 6PF