"Lorely Listens" w/e 27th May 2005

Written by Lorley Burt on Sun 22nd May 2005

Hello everyone, and welcome to the first of a regular column written for readers of the Solihull Times.

I bumped into my predecessor John Taylor and his partner in a restaurant last week. He is a true gentleman and his warm handshake became a hug as we greeted each other. I sincerely hope he enjoys his retirement in his beloved Solihull which he has served for so many years as councillor, MEP and MP.

I'd like to use this column to tell you about some of the issues constituents have raised and what I'm hoping to do to help resolve them.

Planning issues featured large in my election campaign, and I was delighted to see the planning mast applications for Hillfields and Sharman's Cross turned down last week. We obviously need mobile phone masts, but they have to be sited in suitable places, where they won't be an eyesore or close to where people live or to schools.

Currently, if a phone mast is under 40 feet high the telephone company don't need planning permission to erect it. This is clearly nonsense, and in the last Parliament Lib Dem MP Andrew Stunell got cross party support for a Bill to subject ALL phone masts regardless of height to the same planning regulations.

Unfortunately our Bill was half way through its second reading when Parliament was dissolved, and I was dismayed to learn this means we have to start all over again. We will.

I also want to bring a Bill to give local people more say in planning decisions which effect them. I'll be talking about Lorely's Law, as it has been dubbed, in my Maiden Speech, which is scarily close.

I have taken advice from our Chief Whip on how to introduce my Bill, and I expect to have taken the first steps before the summer recess. (Why do we call our MPs whose job is to help and advise us Whips, I wonder? Perhaps I'll soon find out!)

Next time I want to tell you about the story of a very brave Solihull woman and her battle against the 'silent killer', Ovarian Cancer. Until then keep talking - I'll be listening.

Lorely Burt Lib Dem MP for Solihull

lorelyburt@solihull-libdems.org.uk