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April 2015
Dear Resident,
WIND FARMS
I back the The Conservative Party that have said it will not subsidise any new onshore wind farms should we win the General Election in May.
East Yorkshire MP Sir Greg Knight and his parliamentary colleague Chris Heaton-Harris MP have led the campaign against windfarm subsidies. Sir Greg said there had been a division in the coalition. The Liberal Democrats had been in favour of continuing subsidies for onshore windfarms, this would result in higher energy bills as well as blighting our countryside. Without government subsidies onshore windfarms are not economically viable.
I welcome the Conservatives pledge to change the law within 6 months of coming into government in May. The law would ensure that all applications for onshore windfarms would be handled by local planning and give local people the final say.
The Times, revealed that if Labour win the General Election in May they have secretly promised the renewables industry “thousands more wind turbines will be built across the countryside”.
In the House of Commons Sir Greg is one of the sponsors of a bill that will end onshore windfarm subsidies. This bill is opposed by Labour and the Liberal Democrats.
COUNCIL TAX
Council tax has doubled in the Constituency since Tony Blair took office in 1997. It is the biggest household bill for most residents after their mortgage or rent. The Labour council voted for a 1.99% rise on your behalf. This is the maximum possible; anymore would require a referendum of residents.
This will cost each household more in tax. If this profligate Labour Council had decided not to make any increase it would have received more funding from central government funds. This is more than half of what will be received from the 1.99% increase. Labour thinks it is all right to take money from hard working families, including Labour’s plan to increase other taxes. I think it is outrageous!
YOUR LAST MPs EXPENSES WERE OUTRAGEOUS AND SHAMEFULLY UNETHICAL IN MY OPINION
In the interests of transparency I think I should take this opportunity to spell out for the constituents of Sedgefield the expenses of Phil Wilson who was your MP until Parliament was dissolved 30th March.
The expenses are as follows;
2009/10 £178,023, 2010/11 £133,899.52 2011/12 £162,694.88
2012/13 £175,190.80 2013/14 £179,639.6 2014/15 £35,284.30 not up to date as of yet.
Total = £ 864,732.37 until updated.
Let me first clarify that Mr Wilson’s claims are within the rules set out by the Independent Parliamentary Standard Authority (IPSA); detail at http://www.parliamentary-standards.org.uk/SearchFunction.aspx. It is my view that in a disadvantaged area claims are very high and Mr Wilson should take notice of other MP’s claims in the area.
Mr Wilson’s claimed for travel £56,000, for the same period the City of Durham MP claimed £38,184.39, £16,739 less than Wilson. Alan Beith in Berwick claimed £14,000 less, and Berwick is a much bigger Constituency to travel around. Guy Opperman in Hexham claimed £18,777.81 which is £36,146.01 less than Mr Wilson. The MP for Easington claimed £32,000 less than Wilson. In his claims, Mr Wilson travels 1st class at what appears to be the most expensive ticket times, while the Easington MP travels standard class.
Normally people who are on the train from London, ring ahead to get friends or relatives to pick them up, why could Mr Wilson not do likewise instead of claiming for driving his own car.
From the IPSA records it emerges that Mr Wilson employs his partner, and for the year up to 2012 her salary was between £20,000 and £24,999. For the year 2013/14 it was increased to between £35,000 and £39,999. How was such an increase in salary justified? Over this period men and women of the constituency would have been delighted at such a massive increase in their salary. Same old Labour, always taking money from hard working taxpayers. For someone who claims to represent the working population this really does take the biscuit, and eat it!
Mr Wilson voted against an increase in the now £10,600 income tax threshold. If Labour had been successful the lowest earners would be paying more tax. Labour has already said they will increase tax!
Regards
Scott
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Scott Wood – Letter to Constituents