John Mann MP - | 11 July 2008

John Mann in the Worksop Guardian: 11 July 2008

A victory for the people of Bassetlaw! Apollo Cinema wrote to me telling me that the only way a cinema could come to Worksop would be by putting pressure on Bassetlaw Council to force Henry Boot to see through their contracted promise.

Thanks to David Potts' petition, the huge outcry especially by young people who queued to sign petitions on Saturday and thanks to pressure from the Worksop Guardian, Henry Boot has had to agree a start date.

They say that the cinema was never in doubt, which begs the big question of why they were given a get out clause last month? Why change a deal so suddenly and secretly? And why did the Council mislead its elected Councillors about the fake problems that never existed about the Environment Agency? An enquiry is still needed.

The way that this development descended into farce does not look good for the Tesco development. Morrisons and Asda are hovering in the background hoping to find a suitable site for a third supermarket, whilst Sainsbury's plan a town centre express store. We need to keep the pressure up on behalf of all those families living near the new Tesco site and make sure no corners are cut.

What should Bassetlaw Council do with its £10 million windfall? Part will of course have to pay off debts, but they should now consult the public on how to spend the rest. Participative budgeting was encouraged by this Council in Manton, we should now see it across the whole District so that this money is spent by the people, not by two or three councillors on their pet projects.

My Youth Summer School starts on Monday in Westminster, with 40 young people spending a week with me and others in Parliament. Last year's led to the fantastic Alcohol Report presented last week to the Home Secretary Jacqui Smith. Copies of this can be viewed on my website by clicking here: [Report of the Bassetlaw Youth Alcohol Forum].

I now intend to develop this work further by establishing a youth advisory group to campaign for new facilities for young people in this area. The voice of our youth needs to be heard and it will be. Any young person wishing to be involved should contact me on 01909 506200 and at mannj@parliament.uk. With the Olympic Torch being handed to London in August, we need to ensure new youth facilities to celebrate the 2012 Olympic Games.

Last week I moved a successful resolution in Parliament, without even a seconder. The resolution means that MPs can no longer exploit a loophole in capital gains tax and build up property ownership through Parliamentary expenses. As you can imagine I am not the most popular person in the House of Commons. But I am going to go a lot further. As reform of MP expenses was voted down, much to my anger, I am bringing in my own systems of accountability including audited accounts. Pompous MPs refusing to be transparent are bringing the good name of Parliament into disrepute.