- 2 days ago
Reform MP Richard Tice was put in the hot seat at a Question Time meeting of Skegness Town Council. Barry Robinson recorded what he had to say.
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00:00Who knows what happens over the coming months and years until the next election.
00:07We've got a budget at the end of November which I think will be quite a challenge for everybody.
00:14Anyway, at the National Picture we're making good progress.
00:18Locally I've been your MP since the election in July last year
00:24and some of the key issues that came up when campaigning, for example pylons was a massive issue.
00:34We've been very, very visible on that. I've met National Grid a number of times
00:38and made it very clear to them that it's unacceptable to have roads and new pylons.
00:43We've told them that if they build them then they would have to take them down at their own shareholder expense.
00:51They weren't very pleased to do that, so it's fair to say that I'm off at Christmas like this.
00:57But that is a very significant thing.
01:00Likewise, I don't think that this constituency alongside others
01:05have linked to dozens of square miles of solar ponds, so we're very focused on that.
01:10That's a big issue.
01:12Then obviously there's the issue of illegal immigration, which is another huge issue
01:19where we've been campaigning at every level and that's now become a big national issue.
01:25So I think we've been making a lot of noise.
01:30Another critical local issue, we've had a number of meetings with the Police and Crime Commissioner, Mark Jones, Chief Constable.
01:39Policing in Lincolnshire is a major problem.
01:45It's the lowest funded police force in the whole of England per capita, so that is an ongoing problem.
01:55And there is genuinely good cross-party work between the MPs to try and resolve that.
02:03But it's not easy, particularly in an environment where the government's got on their mind.
02:07So that is something that is key.
02:12And then I think further down to Boston.
02:17Boston has sort of different issues with CMS, but here in CMS there are obviously issues around
02:27just being in meetings with one of the biggest holiday parks,
02:32the impact of national insurance on the jobs for things locally, seasonal jobs for young people.
02:38You know, when you hear that someone employers first and fewer youngsters just leaving college
02:45for their first seasonal job, that actually is, that's really serious.
02:50It's very serious in a term line of scaveness, as it is.
02:55So, you know, these are some of the challenges.
02:58And then I have been talking about wanting to work hard on the issue of 10 months or 12 months
03:07for occupation of residential parks.
03:10I think that's a message I've heard loudly from local businesses.
03:15ELDC, obviously, they did try and lost, but I think that's something that could change.
03:20The other big issue that is going to happen over the next couple of years is the level of government reorganisation.
03:29How that ends up between the county council and the district councils, the shape of it, still unclear,
03:37but that will be a big change over the next couple of years.
03:42I hope that it leads to more efficiencies, better private services at a more effective cost.
03:49I don't think it's a guarantee, but I think that it's possible.
03:53And I hope that you're seeing a number of the councillors here are also county councillors.
03:59Obviously, we now control the county councillors.
04:01We're very focused on trying to make that work better for the money.
04:07And we're making quite a lot of initiatives at the national and county level on that to try and find ways to save money.
04:14And then just the other issue is, here in Skagnes, obviously, issues around the beach, the coastline,
04:29a difficult summer in terms of some issues of drowning, something else that is something to focus on.
04:42But constantly listen to messages from businesses, what's working and what's not.
04:52Just earlier speaking to residents, concerned about the constant issue of people standing on drugs on our streets.
05:04It's a never-ending antisocial problem, but I'm always alive to it.
05:10I'm keen to hear them.
05:12I've got a great team that is part of that team.
05:14We do the best we can.
05:16I'm not saying we're perfect, but we are working very hard.
05:22And in a sense, we can only do our job work if we hear from you and your friends and colleagues about how we can improve and try and make things happen.
05:34But here we are, sort of whatever it is, 15, 16 months in, we are working hard and I'm enjoying it.
05:44It's an incredible privilege to be a Member of Parliament for any constituency, particularly here in Boston Skagnes.
05:52And if the rest is short, I will be doing the very best.
05:56Thank you very much.
05:58Thank you very much.
06:00I've got a question.
06:02We have one question per Council, please, at the moment.
06:06I'll work out if you've got more time to come back.
06:08Councilor Bob Walker.
06:10Any questions, please, Bob?
06:12Thank you, Mr Mayor.
06:14I'll pick which one I should go for.
06:18Well, listen, looking at parking problems on the front, looking at stopping the coaches parking along the front, Grand Prairie, North Prairie,
06:31because it causes so many traffic problems, especially when there's a perfect coach park just outside, in the town, just outside, behind Tesco's.
06:42I wonder if you can help with Lincolnshire County Council and push this forward and try and get this stopped, please.
06:48Yeah, I think, look, at the end of the day, I need to respond to what, you know, if that's the, if that's the sort of the feeling, the mood amongst the Council,
07:01and some of these things, sometimes you have to try something to see if it works or not, if it needs tweaking,
07:07and, um, if the strong feeling is that it's not working, uh, and if it's actually leading to a loss of business down the high street, down the lonely road,
07:16then, um, then yeah, that's, sometimes you have to be brave enough and try something and see if it, see if it works or if you tweak it.
07:25And, obviously, there's something you should do around, um, disabled access and things, but it shouldn't be beyond the width of Matt.
07:33So, happy to support.
07:35Yes. And, basically, stopping there and dropping people off and then coming back and picking up isn't the problem.
07:42But then the park there for the whole of the day, and that is the major problem.
07:46And, I mean, the worst one is outside Premier Inn, the coach park's there.
07:50Anybody coming in now to Premier can't see.
07:53So, it's going to cause a problem at some stage.
07:56Um, and it's probably an aesthetic issue as well, to the level there.
08:00Um, as opposed to actually seeing the, uh, you know, seeing the, uh, the street parade in its, in its entirety.
08:09Thank you, Richard. Um, we want to the next question.
08:12Counselor David Eddington.
08:13Yes.
08:15And, um, good evening, Mr. Science.
08:17I've taken my question and that's what I've already submitted.
08:20Yeah, just one of those three.
08:22Well, my, my question is really quite straightforward.
08:25Um, we're all concerned about the flood risk on the coast.
08:30And, for that time, I was wondering if you have a view on whether you feel that, given the potential of massive damage and loss of life,
08:39that, uh, it ought to be part of a national picture, rather than when we seem to have the environment agency
08:46who comes in and do something, and that, what we call, managed retreat.
08:50Well, that word itself says everything to me.
08:53When, for people, the parcels of land will be left, left for the secret, gradually encroached and so forth.
09:00And, I feel that we ought to look at what they do in Holland.
09:03The left space is the back-to-face floods ever since the dawn of time, so to speak.
09:08And, I would have thought that a national government could learn something from the Dutch as to how they manage to keep the, uh, the sea at bay.
09:17I believe, if I understand it, something like 40% of the Dutch live at or below sea level.
09:22And, just like a new view, it's great.
09:25Um, thanks very much.
09:26And, I've been an environment agency on a number of times about a range of issues in terms of their, uh, I think their, uh, sort of, failure upon dredging management of rivers.
09:35But, actually, on the sea level fences, uh, I think anyone should, should, uh, set the line of, sort of, managed retreat, managed decline.
09:45And, uh, I think that some of the numbers being bound around to do the job properly are ridiculous.
09:51Um, I think the issue with environment agencies is, is, is, uh, it's, it's the way they organise their contracts with national framework contractors and the like.
10:02So, I'm on the case, but, um, we've got to, we've got to put the defences in good order over the, over the period, over the next few years,
10:14so that it, it protects us for 50 to 70 years, the next phase.
10:20And, um, I think that, I mean, certainly if, uh, we win the next generation, uh, then, uh, changes come into the way the environment agency works.
10:30And, uh, I, I, I'll just turn it as it is.
10:33Fundamentally, I do think that protecting homes and businesses is more important than protecting a few badges of autobots.
10:41And, you know, we're all conservationists, we're all environmentalists, we're all environmentalists.
10:45But when money is wasted, or projects are not done, um, because of those sort of issues,
10:52or you spend a hundred million pounds on taxpayers' cash elsewhere in the country on a back table,
10:57frankly, we've just, um, we've lost touch with reality about what actually matters to, to our listeners.
11:03Thank you very much. I'm pretty sure. Thank you.
11:05Thank you, Richard. Um, can I just add a swim? Your question, please?
11:08Yeah, thank you. Um, best and foremost, um,
11:11I mean, this wasn't a political meeting, and I take exception to some of your political remarks.
11:17I'm the chairman of the 6-0 of the Labour Party, here in Boston and Skegness.
11:21Can I just stick to the question, please?
11:23Yeah, my question is, what have you done in parliament, or raised questions to ministries,
11:30the government, Boston and Skegness? I've looked up Panthar, you've raised one question.
11:36And what has reform done with your partners at the English County County?
11:40I see this in front of us today, which is about Rome again, but that was already in the pipeline
11:46by the previous administration.
11:48Thank you very much.
11:50I'm very confused, because the councillor appreciate your question, and that's the joy of tomorrow.
11:56I'm very confused, is it supposed to be political, or not political?
12:00Because you've criticised me for being political, and then asked a political question.
12:04So, which is it?
12:05You insulted me, because my parents are starting to say this.
12:08You've insulted me.
12:09I haven't insulted anybody.
12:10I've just said, what do you have insulted me?
12:12Can I go down the stairs and do not have the question answered at all?
12:15Yes, I want the question.
12:16I want the question.
12:17It's very simple.
12:21You can't come to this country illegally and expect to stay here.
12:25Alright?
12:26That's the first point.
12:27The second point is, I was the first new MP to do a hundred speeches in the House of Commons.
12:31Right?
12:32We ask lots and lots of questions, and write lots of letters to ministers.
12:36So the suggestion from you, that I've done the square root of nothing, and only written one question, is frankly, a lie.
12:43Is it?
12:44Alright, I will check that too.
12:45Very good.
12:46Just check, just check who's going to ask one question from Pilgrim.
12:50Thank you very much, Councillor Anderson.
12:52Well, we'll answer the next question.
12:54Councillor Andrew.
12:55Oh, thank you.
12:56Very quickly, we all know that birth rates are falling.
13:01We've got schools in Skegness that have got places in career intake that are not filled.
13:07Are you able to provide details and parliamentary debates about this issue?
13:11And what the statement of any potential economic impact and any proposed measures to support families in particular to incentivise birth rates?
13:23It's a really good question, and we can check that in and answer that.
13:28In the period that I've been in MP, I don't call a debate as a chamber on it.
13:34There may have been in the West as a horse weight, separately on it, and it's not talked about enough, actually, I think is the issue.
13:45But, you know, one of our three slogans is family, community, country.
13:51Family is critical, and we need to promote more people, you know.
14:00We need to promote family values, our plans on taxes, we'll be more family orientated on the demographics.
14:08We need more British war on children, for sure.
14:11And that's part of how we will look at our tax plans as we move forward towards the next-gen election.
14:20Yeah, thank you for that update. I've just not seen anything in Parliament at all this term about this issue.
14:26Thank you for clarifying my assumptions.
14:29Can I spend the beef possums here, which have two children in the possums and say,
14:34can I do your bit to help us out with the birth rate crisis?
14:38It's a kind invitation, sir.
14:43At the age of 61, and I think with three children who are now working, I slightly feel like I've done that a bit.
14:50I'm a bit hungry.
14:51Yeah, let's do that.
14:52You're very generous of your remarks, sir.
14:54Thank you for all your questions, Richard.
14:56Richard, thank you for that.
14:57Richard, thank you for that.
14:58Richard has now just got a quarter of a seven, so...
15:00I've got a question about it.
15:03Are you sure?
15:04Well, if...
15:09Councilor Connington?
15:10He's not here.
15:11Can I ask...
15:12Well, you asked me if it was possible.
15:14Yeah, yeah.
15:15Yeah.
15:16Sorry.
15:17Go on.
15:18No, no, no.
15:19No, no, no.
15:20No, no.
15:22Please give me a question that you've gotten to be shared in your comments.
15:25Yep.
15:26Yeah.
15:27Bessie as an MP, are you aware of the conversations within Parliament of Skagnes being included in the neighbourhood health centres that our wonderful Secretary of State has talked about?
15:38And would you be willing to support Skagnes in receiving it in the neighbourhood world health centre, and could you help push for this in Parliament?
15:45Absolutely. I've spoken in the chamber to the Health Secretary on a number of issues regarding health centres, the impact of national insurance on GP surgeries, told to be by two surgeries here in Skegness, and keep raising it.
16:03And yeah, it's absolutely vital. There is nothing more important than improving the quality of our health care, almost three points of delivery, but we need more facilities sensibly run, and we need to improve the way that they are managed.
16:27There are certain processes that block better facilities being properly run, and in terms of, look, we all like small regulation, but if dark regulation wastes money and prevents good health care, which it often does, then that's what we've got to call it.
16:43Thank you very much, Richard. Have you got a chance to just one more question?
16:46Yeah.
16:47This one's from Captain Cunnington, who isn't with us this evening, but I'll read his question.
16:54Would you, as MP, be willing to work with relative organisations and companies to implement a rail line between Boston and Spaulding?
17:04Additionally, this would provide Skegness with a direct line to London, which could be reached within approximately two and a half hours, ensuring better links to the south.
17:13This would also take pressure off the current line, as those from the south would not have to travel to Grantham to get to Skegness, which could improve visitor numbers along the east coast.
17:24That's a great question. And actually, in the summer, I launched a transport strategy called Get Boston Moving, which included a small rail line, which would basically make a, which is quite short, very cost effective, that would provide that link from Boston down to Spaulding, and therefore make it possible to have a Skegness development.
17:51So, in a sense, I'm already on it, but I've got to convince his colleagues on the Council Council, and on the Merrill authorities, on the next stage, the item of the first bit, to the next stage of the investigation works, to look at that.
18:08But actually, that would be very cost effective, and network-oriented East Midlands Railway are aware of our suggestions.
18:15You know, it's not exactly the same approach.
18:17So, I'm sorry.
18:18We can hold them in the comment box.
18:20We've taken a look at it to the sidelines.
18:21We've set up our manual, but we've got to keep an item in the pit, of course.
18:23It's not very cost effective.
18:24We've taken a look at it, but it's a lot of work.
18:25We've taken 2, or 3, or 3, or 4.
18:26We've taken a look.
18:27It's done very positive, an idea.
18:29You've taken a look.
18:30We've taken an example of exactly how to give a look back, and what's on the next stage of the council.
18:32We have a look at a look at the table at the table.
18:34We've found this somewhere, and what's why we've changed the question.
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