Police respond to Labour misuse of resources

Following complaints from Liberal Democrats in Redcar constituency, the Acting Chief Constable of Cleveland is to issue guidance to about the importance of not involving police officers in election campaigns.

This follows photographs published on social media of Labour council candidates and the Labour Parliamentary Candidate for Redcar appearing alongside uniformed police officers.

The Acting Chief Constable replied to the complaints, saying that he was “writing to candidates making it clear that they must not use such pictures in their campaign material.”

Labour should know that this is a misuse of public money and should not be putting pressure on the police to pose for their publications. Labour’s candidate Ms Turley shows a lack of mature understanding of the need for our police force to avoid being placed in a position where their integrity may be questioned.

As an agent and candidate at many Parliamentary and Council Elections in the past I was always told that in no circumstances could the local police be seen in photographs with election candidates.

It is only a couple of weeks ago when Ms Turley Tweeted a faked photograph of her Lib Dem opponents.

As a ward councillor concerned about anti-social behaviour problems, which appear to be escalating on the estate currently being re-developed at the junction of Roseberry Road and Mersey Road, I find it extremely annoying when local officers say they are too busy to attend meetings of the Neighbourhood Action Partnerships

These take place in each Council ward and the police often say they are too stretched to attend them all. Yet they can spare time to be seen around and be photographed with Labour candidates seeking election.

A happy smiling group photograph showing the Labour parliamentary candidate for Redcar, Labour council election candidates in Dormanstown and local police officers was published on Facebook along with a caption announcing the selection of Labour's candidates for Dormanstown Ward.

Lib Dems celebrate Ormesby housing decision

Redcar Constituency Liberal Democrats are celebrating this week following the rejection of intrusive housing plans at Longbank Farm, Ormesby.

The application for 320 houses received widespread objections from local residents, councillors and business and was refused during a planning meeting on Thursday.

Ian Swales MP commented:

“This is a great result for the residents of Ormesby and for local councillors Glyn and Irene Nightingale and Ann Wilson who have all worked extremely hard to ensure the plans weren’t approved.”

Ormesby Ward Cllr Glyn Nightingale and Cabinet Member for Corporate Resources said:

“Alongside our residents, we’ve worked hard to ensure the decision on this application was the right one. The housing plans were intrusive and the application should never have been considered.

“Irene, Ann and I are delighted with the decision.”

Deputy Leader of the council and prospective MP for the Redcar Constituency, Cllr Josh Mason said:

“I have been behind my colleagues and local residents 100%. Labour made some disastrous choices for housing developments in the borough and we’re now working as hard as we can to put this right.”

Redcar MP Ian Swales praises delivery of major jobs boost

On the day that the Coalition Government's flagship Enterprise Zone programme hits the 15,500 jobs landmark, Redcar MP Ian Swales praises Lib Dem ministers for delivering a boost to the local economy.

Figures released today show that the Tees Valley Enterprise Zone has created roughly 1020 jobs so far, providing a real boost to the local economy in and knock-on benefits for the community, including improved infrastructure and new business opportunities.

Across the country, the Coalition Government's 24 Enterprise Zones have now created more than 15,500 jobs, attracted over 480 businesses and over £2.1 billion in private investment.

The growth has also provided a real boost to the UK's construction sector and supply chain.

Redcar MP Ian Swales said:

"Thanks to joint efforts by Business Secretary Vince Cable and Lib Dem local government minister Stephen Williams, we have seen a real boost to the local economy in terms of more jobs, more innovation and more power to the local community to do what's best for the area.

“This comes off the back of a whole series of announcements by the Lib Dem Deputy PM Nick Clegg of more money being taken out of Whitehall and put direct into the hands of local business and communities, especially through the Regional Growth Fund."

Lib Dem local government minister Stephen Williams MP said:

“Enterprise Zones like Tees Valley have gone a long way in re-balancing the economy, taking the power out of Whitehall's hands and putting it back into the hands of local communities."

“Just a fortnight ago, Lib Dem Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg also announced an extra £13.9m for the Tees Valley Local Enterprise Partnership via his flagship Growth Deals which Government estimates could deliver up to 9,000 new jobs, 5,000 new homes and generate £300m of public and private investment.”

Redcar Pier Association folds but the fight for a pier at Redcar goes on

It is sad the Pier for Redcar campaign group has folded but:

The fight goes on it is not over.

However, we need to aim for what is achievable and without private investors rushing in to build one a simple pier should be the first step.

A pier like the one at Saltburn that you can walk along and fish off will only cost around £6m. If the Council made a commitment and really wanted to it could facilitate that and the funding can be made available.

There is little chance at the present time to build one with a grandiose leisure facility at the end. But if you aim for one like Saltburn pier it is achievable.

What is preventing progress is the Council is not willing to take it on, produce a plan and facilitate it. If the Council was fully on board and actively trying to make it happen a pier for Redcar is a real possibility.

Cllr Josh Mason, Deputy Leader of Redcar & Cleveland Liberal Democrats and prospective MP for Redcar, added:

“I’ve been a member of the pier association for several years and I’m disappointed to hear the news of its demise.

“We have long argued of the benefits a pier would bring to our town, restoring our seafront to its former glory.”

“Redcar Labour Party in Turmoil” - Redcar MP Ian Swales

After months of infighting, Redcar Labour party’s feud over the vastly unpopular selection of a parliamentary candidate from Kent, Anna Turley, finally came to a head today.

After mass de-selection of some of their most senior cabinet members, 10 Labour Party councillors publicly resigned from the Labour party today outside the office of Kent PPC Anna Turley.

The de-selected councillors include council leader George Dunning, deputy leader Sheelagh Clarke and cabinet members Steve Goldswain, Mark Hannon and Norman Pickthall. Chairman of the Fire Authority Brian Briggs and former Mayor Vic Jeffries were also de-selected. Cabinet member Olwyn Peters, former Mayor Wendy Wall and current Redcar and Cleveland Mayor Carole Simms joined the de-selected members in their mass-resignation this afternoon.

The Labour party members staged a protest outside Anna Turley’s office today where they were pictured tearing up mock membership cards and speaking out against the so-called “Labour bullies”.

MP Ian Swales commented:

 “The Labour party in Redcar is clearly falling apart. All we’ve seen since the selection of their unpopular Kent candidate is a very obvious split in their group and some very public in-fighting.

“After all this petty fighting and back stabbing, how can the people of Redcar and Cleveland trust them to continue to run our council? It’s about time the discredited Labour administration was replaced with councillors who care more about their residents and our area than they do about petty politics.”

 Redcar’s Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate and local councillor Josh Mason commented:

“Not surprisingly, Ms Turley was not around today to face the music.

“My party and I are now acting to try and fix this mess before the council spirals further into chaos. A vote of no confidence has been put forward and will play out in the meeting of the full council next Thursday.

“The Liberal Democrats in Redcar are prepared to pick up the pieces of Labour’s mess and we will do everything we can to ensure that the best outcome is reached for local residents.”

Have your say on the proposals for a Combined Authority

Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council have provided the following information about the public consultation on the proposal for a Combined Authority:

Five local councils (Darlington, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Redcar & Cleveland and Stockton-on-Tees) are asking for your views on proposals to form a Combined Authority for the area covered by the above Councils. There is a package of information available on the Councils website which is available by clicking on here.

This includes:

·           A consultation document

·           Some frequently asked questions

·           A draft governance review

·           A copy of the 9^th December 2014 Cabinet report

·           Press releases

·           Video

This sets out what the Combined Authority would do and what the local councils would continue to do. In summary, the Combined Authority would focus on economic growth and our ambition to create 25,000 new jobs for the area and would NOT recreate the former Cleveland County Council. We would like to hear your views on our proposal. So, please complete online questionnaire by no later than 31st January 2015. There is space for your own wording too. Alternatively, you can complete the survey online:

Once the consultation period has closed we will report the conclusions of the consultation to all five councils no later than March 2015. If feedback is supportive, we intend to formally ask each Borough Council to approve our ‘scheme’ in March, which is when we have to submit our proposal to the Secretary of State.

The Secretary of State will then carry out further consultation before placing an ‘Order’ before both Houses of Parliament. Because of the General Election in May 2015, this is likely to mean that the earliest chance to have the Order approved before both Houses of Parliament would be Autumn 2015.

Ian Swales MP secures flooding meeting for Residents

Following the devastating flooding around the Borough of Redcar and Cleveland in September 2013, Redcar MP Ian Swales has been pushing hard for residents to get answers from the responsible authorities.

Since the flooding, the council has been promising the take action to reduce the risk of future flooding. Northumbrian Water, SSI, the Environment Agency and local social housing providers also have a part to play.

A meeting has been arranged for Thursday 11 December from 6.30pm at Sacred Heart School, Redcar. All authorities will be represented and will be telling residents about the work they’ve been doing and their plans for the future.

All residents are welcome.

Commenting, Ian Swales said:

“It has been 10 months since I last arranged a public meeting and since then I have been pushing the authorities to take action and come up with a long term plan.

“The council has been promising the results of a hydrology study since March and it’s now time that they report the findings back to residents. I’ve been saying since day one that this will require drastic action and I now want to see it happen.”

Liberal Democrat Deputy Council Group Leader and Parliamentary Candidate for Redcar Constituency, Councillor Josh Mason said:

“Despite pressure from myself and Ian the council seem to have made little progress and seem to be hoping people will forget about the flooding last year.

“I have seen first-hand the devastating effects of the flooding on local residents and now want to see the relevant authorities come forward with a long-term plan that will reduce the risk of us ever having to experience anything like that again.”

Pictured: Ian Swales (left) and Josh Mason (right) in Marske visiting residents affected by flooding.

Ian Swales encourages community to have their say on the future of Redcar Post Office

MP for Redcar, Ian Swales is urging local people to get involved with the consultation to decide the future of Redcar’s Crown Post Office. Proposals put forward by the Post Office recommend relocation into WHSmith on Redcar High Street.

Alongside the six week consultation, a public meeting will take place on Wednesday 3^rd December from 4-8pm at TunedIn, Majuba Road, Redcar. At the event, representatives from the Post Office will be available to discuss the proposals and the consultation process. Only about a third of the current building on Cleveland Street is occupied, forcing the Post Office to look for a more cost-effective alternative location.
Ian Swales commented:

“It’s vitally important that local people have their say on such important changes in the community. I have been contacted by a number of residents who are concerned about the proposed move and I am encouraging each and every one of them to get involved in the consultation to make their feelings known.

“I have a number of concerns about the proposed move which I will raise personally, and I would encourage local people to do the same.

“I will continue to work with Post Office management to ensure that vital services are protected and we get the best possible outcome for the town.”

Time to cut Council Tax, say Redcar Lib Dems

Figures uncovered by Liberal Democrats in the Borough of  Redcar and Cleveland suggest that there is enough spare cash in the council’s coffers to give residents a council tax cut in this year’s budget.

For the last three years, the council has turned down extra government grant to freeze council tax, instead hiking tax for local people. To make up for raising the tax in previous years, Liberal Democrats are calling on the Labour administration to use surplus reserves to give a tax cut this year – and still benefit from more than £600,000 a year in extra grant funding from the government.

Liberal Democrat Deputy Group Leader and prospective MP for the Redcar Constituency, Cllr Josh Mason commented:

“The council has easily enough funds in reserve to offer hardworking people a cut in council tax this year.

“For the last three years they’ve turned down free government money for freezing council tax, choosing to increase the burden on local householders instead.

“In tough financial times, when the government is cutting income tax and reducing fuel bills, it’s right that Labour should be doing more to help hard-pressed local people, not hiking up the cost of living.”

Redcar Lib Dems demand an end to Labour budget gobbledegook

Liberal Democrats have slammed Labour Council bosses after it emerged that Redcar and Cleveland Council’s budget reports are by far the hardest to understand in the country.

The study by the Manchester Evening News declared the Council’s budget report more complex than Professor Steven Hawking’s ‘A Brief History of Time’.

According to a recent analysis which used four different measures to determine how difficult the budget report was to read, someone would need 22.5 years of education to understand the council’s papers, making it the equivalent of a university doctorate level text.

Steve Jenner from the Plain English Campaign described the contents as ‘gobbledygook’. Lib Dem Council Group Leader and Finance Spokesman, Councillor Glyn Nightingale, said:

“Professor Hawking will be relieved that his book is less taxing. "I knew something was wrong when, after I had read the budget reports, I picked up a book on nuclear physics for a bit of light relief!

“But there is a serious side to this. It is undemocratic. People should be able to understand what is being done by their elected councillors. Explaining things in a more complicated way than necessary excludes people.

“Labour’s Council bosses really need to get themselves on a Plain English course.

"Or is there some financial mismanagement that they want to hide?"

Plans to build 320 houses in Ormesby refused

The Council’s Regulatory Committee by 6 votes to five has refused planning permission for 320 houses to be built on the Longbank Farm site in Ormesby.

Only Labour Councillors supported the application.

It’s a victory for the campaign by local residents and Lib Dem Councillors to protect green areas.

The Committee only gave three local residents and three councillors three minutes each to support refusal while the case in favour took 45 minutes.

Ormesby Councillor and Lib Dem Group Leader Glyn Nightingale said:

“It’s great that our efforts working local residents has kept our area’s open spaces free from totally inappropriate development. The impact on traffic, local schools and local amenities would have been devastating.”

Prospective Lib Dem MP for the Redcar Constituency Josh Mason commented:

“The Longbank Farm site is just one of the Labour Council’s favoured areas for house building on local green field sites. Residents don’t want this. The Liberal Democrats don’t want this. And I shall work with local residents to make sure this doesn’t happen. The Council should be protecting green field sites not ruining them.”

Pictured left to right: Councillor Ann Wilson, Councillor Irene Nightingasle, Councillor Josh Mason, Councillor Gluyn Nightingale.

Redcar Liberal Democrats select local man Josh Mason as successor to Ian Swales

During a hustings event in Redcar last night, Cllr Josh Mason was selected to take the reins from Redcar’s Liberal Democrat MP Ian Swales to stand for MP in the 2015 General Election.

Local man Josh, who is chair of the party, has worked very closely with Ian for the past 4 years supporting his campaigns for jobs, on flooding, against intrusive wind turbines, saving post offices and for better use of Redcar Hospital. 

Josh also sits on the board of Coast and Country Housing, is a local school governor, and represents Redcar’s Zetland Ward as deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats on Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council. 

Josh has spent the last four years campaigning hard against council waste. He has led calls to freeze council tax for the last three years and called for George Dunning’s resignation. Josh strongly opposed the council’s Draft Local Plan and has repeatedly campaigned for action to be taken on TunedIn, the council’s failing new youth facility.

Commenting on the announcement sitting MP, Ian Swales said:

“I am delighted that Josh Mason has been selected as the Liberal Democrat candidate for the next General Election. I worked with Josh for over four years and it's no wonder that local politicians of all parties see him as the outstanding talent of the next generation. I will give him my full backing and think he can do an excellent job as our local MP.

“Our area is benefiting by having MPs with strong roots in the area. We can't go back to having Labour MPs dropped in from other parts of the country.”

After his selection Josh Mason commented:

“I’m thrilled to have been selected to stand in place of Ian Swales who has been a popular and hardworking MP.

“He will certainly be a hard act to follow but after working with him so closely over the years, I’m well aware of the constituency’s needs and feel well equipped to speak up for us locally and in Parliament.

“I grew up here, my family live here and I care deeply about the area’s future. I want to be an approachable, hardworking local MP and I will fight as hard as I can to ensure the best for our area.”

Ian Swales MP supports reform of “Bedroom Tax”

MP for Redcar Constituency Ian Swales has today supported his Liberal Democrat colleague’s private members bill calling for further reform of the spare room subsidy, more commonly referred to as the ‘bedroom tax’.

The bill, put forward by Andrew George MP, proposed that those who are willing to move but cannot be found a smaller home would be exempt, as would disabled people who live in adapted properties or who need a spare bedroom.

The bill received a majority of support from MPs with 306 votes to 231. The bill will now progress to committee stage.

Commenting after the vote, Ian said:

“I voted against the so called bedroom tax when the legislation originally passed through the house. This wasn’t because I think taxpayers should continue to pay for spare bedrooms or because I ignored the needs of the millions of people on housing waiting lists or living in overcrowded accommodation as the Labour party seem to do. It was simply because I knew that in my constituency we did not have enough 1 and 2 bedroom properties to cope with the change.

“There were of course other issues with the policy and I have personally fought for the changes already made for disabled children, service personnel and foster carers. Today's Bill covers two major remaining groups, disabled adults needing an extra room and those willing to move who can't be offered a suitable alternative. Both of which are problems in my constituency.

“I was therefore pleased to support the Bill and congratulated my Liberal Democrat colleague, Andrew George, on bringing it forward. Whilst the Conservatives and Labour take opposite sides on this issue, the Liberal Democrats are the only party trying to achieve a fairer system for everyone.”

Send a Missive2M&S campaign - email to Marks and Spencer

My reply to David Leach Government Affairs Manager at Marks and Spencer:

Send a Missive2M&S campaign

Thank you for your reply but you are simply repeating what I already know.

My point in writing was to say to Mr Bolland think again you have made the wrong decision. There is still time to change this round and do something to make your customers happy for once by staying loyal to Redcar. Letting Redcar down by closing the store may well lead to local customers closing online accounts with Marks & Spencer. Out of sight out of mind.

The weak performance of M&S is more likely to be down to your current range of women's clothing from what I learn from talking to local people. I fear you are making a dreadful mistake and I must urge the company once more to think again.

A final thought Yorkshire Trading Company took over from FW Woolworth and they are thriving in the town who will take over from M&S? Out of sight out of mind.

Regards

Chris Abbott

Councillor Chris Abbott
Newcomen Ward - Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council
3 Rydal Avenue
REDCAR
Yorkshire
TS10 1JB

01642 487557

@chrisabbott1
chris_abbott@ntlworld.com

Send a Missive2M&S campaign - reply from Marks and Spencer

I have received the following response from David Leach Government Affairs Manager at Marks and Spencer:

Dear Cllr Abbott,

Thank you for your email to M&S Chief Executive Marc Bolland regarding the closure of the M&S Outlet store on Redcar High Street. I have been asked to reply on his behalf.

You may be aware that we informed Ian Swales MP and senior officials from Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council on 11^th July that the consultation process had ended and that we would be proceeding with the closure of the store.

Unfortunately, the store is no longer commercially viable due to a combination of weak performance and the fact that significant investment is required to modernise the store. We are now continuing to discuss the closure with the store’s 44 employees, all of whom have been offered redeployment. The final day of trading will be Saturday 27^th September.

We recognise you will be disappointed by this outcome but it’s not a decision we’ve taken lightly. We hope our customers in Redcar will continue to shop with us at nearby M&S stores and online at the M&S.com website.

Please contact me if you would like further information.

Kind regards,

David

David Leach

Government Affairs Manager

Marks and Spencer

Waterside House
35 North Wharf Road
London W2 1NW

Email: David.Leach@marks-and-spencer.com

Send a Missive2M&S they need to think again about closing their Redcar store

I have launched a campaign urging local people to inundate Marc Bolland the Chief Executive of Marks and Spencer with letters and emails asking them ‘think again’ about closing their Redcar store.

Marks and Spencer is vital to Redcar town centre. People come into the town specially to go to Marks and Spencer. The decision to close the store has been a massive blow. It does not make sense at all at a time when the economy in on the up and we get the steel works back. The town really needs top stores to start coming in not closing down.

It is not to late, even though they have said the store will close on Saturday 27th September, there is still time for them to think again. They still have a ten year lease on the store. I am urging residents from far and wide to send a Missive2M&S by writing a few words to Marc Bolland Chief Executive of Marks and Spencer either by email or letter. We need to do everything we can to ensure town centre begins thrive again and it will not do that if we lose stores like M&S.

Dear Mr Bolland,

Missive2M&S

Redcar people have been loyal to Marks and Spencer for many decades. Major investment has just been made along the sea front, the steel works are back up and running, unemployment is falling and the economy is on the up.  Please think again about the decision to close the Redcar store.

Yours sincerely

YOUR NAME

marc.bolland@marks-and-spencer.com

Mr Marc Bolland

Chief Executive

Marks & Spencer

Waterside House

35 North Wharf Road

LONDON

W2 1NW

Yorkshire Day success at Redcar

Redcar High Street was packed today when Yorkshire Day fell on Market Day but this resulted in a bumper turnout for the annual reading of the Yorkshire Declaration of Integrity.

Actor/writer Chris Foote Wood appeared as Captain Cook to lead the proceedings. He was supported by Redcar’s John Curr as mighty Viking Sicga Draugluin who read the Declaration in Old Norse, one of the four languages used in the area since the earliest known written reference to the Ridings of York in the Anglo Saxon Chronicles of 876. The others are Latin Old English and Modern English.

Mr Foote Wood read the Declaration in modern English to loud cheers from the assembled crowd.

The Mayor of Redcar and Cleveland, Councillor Carole Simms, attended the ceremony and said “Yorkshire Day can be celebrated in any way you see fit. You don’t have to be Yorkshire born to appreciate the county and to join in.”

As a tribute to the Tour de France in Yorkshire local Sustran Ranger Coordinator Keith Duncan rode in from Saltburn carrying the Yorkshire flag along with Phil Chisholm of Redcar. Steven Abbott and his son Matthew Abbott (17) rode in from Grangetown.

Ridings Society members with the aid of ladies from Redcar Ladies Lifeboat Guild raised £203.70 for Redcar Lifeboat from the sales of white roses. The Ridings Society raised £230.40 for its campaign fund from the tombola and £32 was raised for Yorkshire Air Ambulance from a cake raffle. Mrs Kelly Seaman (left) and Councillor Irene Curr are pictured with the locally made cakes which were donated.

Yorkshire Day at York Friday 1st August 2014

Members of the Yorkshire Ridings Society (YRS) will meet at Micklegate Bar at 11.15 am to lead the annual walk around the ‘Bar Walls’ of York carrying the Yorkshire flag.

The Yorkshire Declaration of Integrity will be read at the 4 Bars (Gate) starting at Micklegate Bar (West Riding) 11.39 followed by Bootham Bar (North Riding) Monk Bar (City) and Walmgate Bar (East Riding).

The time 11.39 am for the first reading coincides with the number of years since the first written reference to the Ridings of York in the Anglo Saxon Chronicles. Yorkshire Declaration of Integrity will be read in the four languages used in the area since that time. Latin, Old Norse, Old English, and Modern English.

The ceremonial party then moves on to St Helen’s Square for an afternoon of entertainment in cooperation with City of York Council. The Deputy Lord Mayor of York, Councillor Julie Gunnell, will read the Yorkshire Declaration of Integrity in Modern English at 1pm and there will be a reading of Doreen Brigham’s popular poem A Song for Yorkshire by Mrs Judith Preston Anderson, President of YRS and YRS York member Mr Peter Hindle.

At 4 pm the Declaration will be made again by Henry Cryer (pictured above) the well-known Town Crier of Doncaster, Sheffield and Rotherham, who makes a special guest appearance.

The Yorkshire Flag presented to the City of York by the Yorkshire Ridings Society after it was registered by them in 2008 will be flown from the Mansion House on Yorkshire Day.

Yorkshire Declaration of Integrity 2014

Your attention please:

I, (reader’s name) being a (native of) and resident in the East/North/West Riding of Yorkshire

(City of York if within the walls) declare:

• that Yorkshire is three Ridings and the City of York with these boundaries of one
  thousand, one hundred and thirty nine years standing;
  
  
• that the address of all places in these Ridings is YORKSHIRE;
  
  
• that all persons born therein or resident therein and loyal to the Ridings are Yorkshire
  men and women;
  
  
• that any person or corporate body which deliberately ignores or denies the
  aforementioned shall forfeit all claim to Yorkshire status.
  
  
                         These declarations made this Yorkshire Day 2014
  
  
                         YORKSHIRE FOREVER!
  
  
                         GOD SAVE THE QUEEN!

Actor Chris happy to play his distant relative Captain Cook at Redcar

Writer and actor Chris Foote Wood, brother of top comedienne Victoria Wood, will be reading the Yorkshire Declaration of Integrity at Redcar Town Clock this Friday, August 1st, Yorkshire Day at 11.39am. Mr Foote Wood plays a different character each year.

This is the fourth year in succession that Chris as led the Yorkshire Day celebrations at Redcar. Last year he was Charles Dickens, and this year it is the famous Yorkshire navigator and explorer, Captain James Cook.

“Research at the family history centre in Whitby shows that I am very distantly related to Captain Cook,” said Mr Foote Wood, “Cook, who was born in Marton, Middlesbrough, has no direct descendants as all his children died without issue.

“I am doubly pleased to be playing Capt Cook, who learned his trade at Whitby, as two of my direct ancestors, my great great and great great great grandfathers were both Whitby sea captains, a very prestigious position in the town. Each commanded a three-masted bark, exactly like HM Bark Endeavour in which Cook made the first of his round the world voyages.

“These ships, known as Whitby Cats, were originally built for the coal trade. They were strong and wide with a shallow draught, and ideal for close inshore work as well as sailing the oceans. I am so pleased a full-size replica of the Endeavour is berthed at Stockton.

“My only problem is that I am shortly to play Charles Dickens in my one-man show at the Edinburgh Fringe with a beard, so Capt Cook, who is usually depicted as clean shaven, will have to be bearded on this occasion.”

6’8” John Curr of Redcar will appear as a mighty Viking and will read the Yorkshire Declaration of Integrity in Old Norse. Silk white roses will be on sale at £1 and all proceeds go to Redcar Lifeboat. This year the event will also be attended by the Mayor of Redcar and Cleveland, Councillor Carole Simms. There will be stalls and attractions for all.

As a tribute to the Tour de France people will be cycling in from neighbouring towns carrying the Yorkshire flag.

Ian Swales Hails Economic Recovery

Liberal Democrats have helped to restore the UK economy to pre-crash levels, figures released today show.

The UK economy has grown by 0.8% over the last quarter, ensuring that the UK economy has now returned to the same level it had before the banking crisis in 2008.

Commenting, MP for Redcar, Ian Swales said:

“Today is a big day for Britain. The rescue is working and Britain’s economy is the same size as it was before the crash. This is fantastic news for local people. Things continue to improve and good news keeps on coming.

“Delivering this recovery is why Liberal Democrats took the brave decision to enter coalition in 2010 and I am proud that we have helped rescue the British economy and get it growing at the fastest rate of any major economy.

“Our area has received over five times more government investment per year than under the previous government and I remain focussed on pushing for more and continuing to build a stronger economy and a fairer society for my constituents. Things are really on the up!”