Mid-term coalition review promises more cash for Gloucestershire - but residents not convinced
MORE Whitehall funding will be targeted at boosting economic growth in Gloucestershire and other areas under government plans.
It is among the commitments made in a coalition mid-term review launched by David Cameron and Nick Clegg, two and a half years into the Government's term.
Billed as a "stock-take" of the Government's progress, the 46-page document, entitled The Coalition: Together In The National Interest, lists the Government's achievements and its plans for the remainder of this parliament.
The move to devolve more cash to local areas to promote growth was one of the proposals put forward in a report by former Conservative cabinet minister Lord Heseltine.
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Mark Harper, Tory MP for the Forest of Dean and Immigration Minister, said: "The coalition came together to tackle head-on the economic uncertainty facing the country and fix the mess left behind by 13 years of Labour mismanagement.
"It has put the national interest ahead of party political agendas, making tough but necessary decisions to fix the problems we inherited."
Lib Dem MP for Cheltenham Martin Horwood said: "It's quite a good opportunity to focus on what's been achieved rather than the disagreements.
"I think for the remainder of this term of this government we need to focus on the long list of things in the coalition agreement we still haven't achieved."
Conservative MP for Tewkesbury Laurence Robertson said: "Obviously I would rather we were governing on our own, but we are not and have got to make the best of it for another couple of years. We are where we are."
The coalition's performance was given mixed reports by the people of Gloucestershire.
Barmaid Sarah Guilfoyle, from Gloucester, said: "They cut my housing benefit, my tax credits, car tax has gone up and food prices have soared.
"Now I'm getting married and it looks like we will be even worse off."
Jobless 49-year-old Diane Richards, from Cirencester, said: "The Government has done nothing to try and get me back into work. It's pointless because there just isn't work out there."
Student Luke Garner, 18, from Tredworth, said: "I don't like the sound of them cutting child benefit because I've got brothers and sisters who rely on support."
And Neil Broadbent, 32, from Hatherley, said: "I think they have done okay, but it seems to be quite fractious at the moment. Perhaps they should present a more united front."
Graduate Tom Causon, 24, from Cheltenham, said: "I've just missed the rise in tuition fees, but I feel for those going into university now. It is not a fantastic coalition, and I hope they will scrap any future increase in fees."
Kathleen Gomm, 70, from Bishop's Cleeve, said: "I think the presence of Nick Clegg is not helping. Cameron does not seem to get anything done with the coalition."
Comments
by TimMessanger
Tuesday, January 08 2013, 11:06PM
“The sweetener is real it's like Sodium Saccharin it's toxic!”
by DG9999
Tuesday, January 08 2013, 4:33PM
“Scorpio2010----Spot on! Looking forwards to the next election when we can dump Horwood* and the rest of his Tory Light total sell out associates.
*Don't think we have all forgotten your refusal to return to the UK from Mexico to campaign on the "No" vote on the increase in student fees-even when the National Union of Students subsequently offered to pay your air fare, Martin!
http://tinyurl.com/b6n55r6”
by ShireMe
Tuesday, January 08 2013, 3:26PM
“The headline is absolute tosh. Reading through the article no promise for cash has been made. Merely it is part of a proposal in a report.
As far as I can see the only "act of Labour mismanagement" that counts (and hasn't been rectified by this unelected government) is failing to get the publics money back from the bailout. Government sponsored theft of the publics money is still the order of the day only now our hard earned money is being thrown at companies (via the LEPs) to make the recession go away rather than spending it on the services that any civilised society should be running for its citizens.
I dont care which party they come from as long as our next government isnt comprised of posh schoolboys who are out of touch with 90 percent of the nation they are supposed to be running...”
by Shireresident
Tuesday, January 08 2013, 12:26PM
“Amazing how this has been spun as more cash for Gloucestershire. I can't think of anyone that's going to benefit from any of this hash can you? Services are being cut left right and centre and hard working families will suffer as a result of the 1% benefits cap. It's all very well demonising the unemployed but have these people any idea how hard it is to get a decent full time job these days. They should hang their heads in shame.”
by Scorpio2010
Tuesday, January 08 2013, 11:37AM
“Lib Dem MP for Cheltenham Martin Horwood said: "It's quite a good opportunity to focus on what's been achieved rather than the disagreements."I think for the remainder of this term of this government we need to focus on the long list of things... we still haven't achieved." So let's just reflect upon some of those former LibDem promises shall we Martin:
1. No frontline cuts
2. Protecting the NHS budget
3. 3,000 more police officers
4. Keeping VAT at 17.5%
5. Keeping Education Maintenance Allowances
6. Preserving tax credits for middle earners
7. Scrapping tuition fees
8. No bonuses for bank directors
9. 3,000 more midwives
10.Three more army battalions
11. Pupil Premium additional to the schools budget
12. Keeping Child Benefit universal
13. Stopping A&E and maternity closures
14. A Post Office Bank
15. No new nuclear power stations
16. No cuts to the Royal Navy
17. Automatic prison sentence for carrying a knife
18. Cutting rail fares each year
19. Keeping the Child Trust Fund for the poorest families
20. No more top down NHS reorganisations
21. No cuts to public spending this year
22. 30% increase in teacher numbers
Nowhere in the past has a party acted in the same way yours has. Your party totally ripped up its manifesto and pulled the wool over the eyes of a whole generation of young people who will not forget. Your party will be despised by many who can now see it for what it clearly is, a third rate party which sold its soul for want of power.”
by SandraPee
Tuesday, January 08 2013, 11:32AM
“I think many people watching these two jokers on yesterdays news will have been sickened by their performance . Fooling about at a time of immense despair which millions of low paid households are struggling to come to terms with showed total disregard and empathy for their worsening situation .”
by Lecorche
Tuesday, January 08 2013, 9:22AM
“One of them used to be a gopher for an infamous child milk snatcher,who will remain unnamed.”
by SELINA30
Tuesday, January 08 2013, 8:57AM
“Two posh boys who dont know the price of a pint of milk”