It may not be the perfect location, but nowhere ever will be. I therefore back the decision to press ahead with cinema at the top of town. It looks very like the cinema in Workington, a similar sized town, which has six films every weekday night, one per screen and bingo earlier in the day. It would be fanciful to expect lots of extra trade business though, or the regeneration of the top of the town from this. What the cinema gives is somewhere for everyone to go at night, including our teenagers.

I support getting this cinema getting built at long last, so lets just get on and do it.

I am horrified at the prospect of closing our local courts - both Retford and Worksop are down for closure. This means less police on the streets as they are dragged out of the area for every court hearing. It means extra costs for everyone attending court and I think it will mean less prosecutions and convictions. Add this to the crazy announcement that the number of prison places is to be greatly reduced and all I can see is Ken Clarke waving the white flag of surrender to the drug barons.

A few years ago I twisted Tony Blair's arm to get the money for a new Portland and Valley, arguing that only building new schools in Retford would be an educational disaster. With this weeks school building cuts it's a good job we went early. Newark is to lose four new secondary schools.

Very oddly, Portland school wants to argue in the letters columns of this paper about whether they can get hold of me to invite me into their school. It was never a problem until I criticised last year's results. Meanwhile 31 other schools in Bassetlaw managed to invite me and positively receive me into their school in the last year.

The way Portland school will thrive is by leading from the front. I want 99% attendance - a realistic target.. I want parents rung and informed of their child's progress and success. I want out of school homework and revision classes. If a parent is abusive to teachers I want their employer informing. If a pupil is abusive I want them expelled. I want pupils rewarded for success and effort. And I do not accept that a full Friday of lessons is in some way too much to ask.

By all means prove me wrong - but the only way to do so is by vastly improved school results.