1,000 jobs and a new Worksop Town community sports stadium were voted down by our Councillors two days before Christmas.

No other council, anywhere in Britain, would turn down a new industrial park on a brown field site - the Vesuvius site. 350 of these jobs were with a new Asda supermarket and Worksop Town were to return in a new stadium. Boxing and athletics were also being negotiated for the sports site. Light industrial units were also being built to employ hundreds more local people.

The only excuse given by the seven councillors was that it might hit town centre trade - this is the same Council that charges for town centre car parking!! The developer will be appealing to the Secretary of State and there will be a major campaign to back this proposal.

These Councillors who voted against jobs and industry came from Retford, Blyth, Everton and Tuxford, only one from Worksop, yet they had the gall to vote down 1,000 new jobs for Worksop. This is truly the worst Council in the country and there will be real anger from the community. One of them, Council Leader Quigley has again bottled out of debating the issues with me. He voted against these jobs, yet he himself has at least five paid jobs. As ever one rule for one, one rule for the rest...

I was delighted to be given over 500 shirts left as a tribute to the late Sir Bobby Robson for the Shirts for Africa Appeal that I am supporting with the Catholic Church aid agency. The church will be using all the football shirts collected to help rehabilitate child soldiers back into schooling. Any spare football shirts are welcome and should be sent to my office.

Sir Bobby Robson represented all that is good in this country - a man who never let fame go to his head, generous in defeat as well as victory and always prepared to put himself out for other people.

I see that Raleys are still wriggling and squealing. Ignore them! Anyone who has had any money deducted by Raleys or any other solicitor should see me and get your money back. It does not matter what you signed, nor whether you have kept your papers. If you went through Raleys then they most likely took money off you and have been told to pay you back out of the £50 million that they made from the miners scheme. If in doubt ask for you money back.

I have been in bed with the dreaded flu for several days, and missed a couple of important engagements. One highlight that I was disappointed to miss was the Christchurch Christmas Carol Service. I am sorry that I was unable to give one of the readings from the Gospel of John, but the theme of the relevant verses sums up Christmas: let there be light. Thank you to all our churches for what you do for our community.