According to the council everybody knew about its local development plan, which determines what is built here for the next twenty years. I will let readers be the best judge of that. If you were aware of this plan and what it contains then I was wrong. If you have never heard of it or are unaware of the detail then obviously I was right in my criticism. You are the best judge of this.

Who the best judge of a school is more complex. The Ofsted inspectors are being criticised for their damming report on Portland, but surely a better response would be an action plan to meet the criticisms in time for the new school term in September.

Parents, MPs and others outside the school cannot easily compare schools other than by the atmosphere they witness and the exam results.

I encourage the maximum range of activities within schools - indeed I help set some of those programmes up. But a school's bread and butter is the exam results and they are published for everyone in the community to see. I do not accept anything other than a regular set of good results from our secondary schools. Some years will be difficult, but not every year.

There is no reason why our schools should not compete with the rest of Nottinghamshire and the country in the exam results obtained.

The young people I meet are a credit to this area and they deserve our schools developing each and every young person to their full potential. Be it hospital, police, school or government I expect the very best of services to be provided and very clear answers if standards fall short. And I also expect our local service providers to let me know if they are having problems, in advance, and with a plan for improvement.

When I support our hospital, I do so actively and enegetically. But when there is an issue I am swift in wanting it sorted. And exactly the same goes for our schools.

The new coalition government has made its first budget. Obviously I have a view on it, but in reality the real impact can only be seen once the 25% cuts in governments budgets is made. Where the cuts are made and how will determine the real impact on jobs and people's lives.