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KEITH GREENWELL

Dear electors,

Last year when you elected me to the Town Council I stood as a Conservative Candidate and you now have the right to know why this year I am standing as an independent candidate in the Town and District Council Elections. Twelve months on the Town Council has convinced me that the best interests of Chipping Norton will be served if I am elected to the District Council without any Political Party Affiliations. I have been subjected to pressures by factions locally to follow policies that have not been, in my considered opinion, in the best interests of Chipping Norton. I am convinced that with the  major issues facing the town and its residents, Medical services and Hospital and the provision of new jobs and new businesses, I can best address these if I am freely able to express my views and follow my considered decisions. We need a strong voice that is not afraid to take a stand on such matters. With the explosive increase in the number of houses in the Town where are the infrastructure improvements to support more Children, can our medical services cope, when are we finally going to see jobs created and how are we going to reduce the flow of heavy trucks through the town centre? Chipping Norton is not, in my opinion, being supported by our present councillors and we need a strong radical independent voice with a compassionate conservative approach to speak for us all; the issues are too important to be left to councillors without an independent voice.

Yours sincerely

Keith R Greenwell

• Grew up and educated in the Worcestershire countryside
• 14 years with in international management consultancy
•  Was MD of Royal Worcester and Deputy Chairman of Richton International Inc in New York
• Has worked in USA and most European countries and has a broad knowledge and experience of businesses of all sizes
• Started the Worcester Enterprise Agency creating jobs in the city in the recession of the 80’s
• Married with a grown up son and daughter
• Actively involved in country sports
• Believes integrity is essential in local government and politics.

  Please Vote for me on May 3^rd if you believe in a free voice and conservative principles and want to support our town

Where are the Jobs?

Last year I was assured that an announcement regarding the Industrial Development site at Parker Knoll would be made within six weeks and could even happen before the local elections. Since then we have been repeatedly told that it is imminent, ‘just a few legal details to sort out’. Well they are still sorting! And who is championing job creation in Chippy, It was supposed to be the Partnership, I was told that if I did not vote for the money from the Town Council that it would not go ahead and the Town Council would be responsible! But the partnership has achieved nothing. It has spent money for a free web site, it has hired a programme manager who is proud to tell everyone listening that she has the best office in Chipping Norton but it has not created one single job, other than her own. Let’s get rid of it now before they come round with the begging bowl to keep it going for another year so that it can continue to try and find something to do.

As you can see from my personal details I do know something about creating an Enterprise company and creating jobs. I will work to harness the resources and existing businesses in Chippy to stimulate an environment that will encourage suitable businesses to locate here and foster the environment that facilitates business start-ups. I have done it before and can do it again!

Your Health Care Facilities and Hospital 

The number of houses being built in Chippy is far in excess of the number in WODC structure plan but at the same time the ambulance station has closed, and the hospital is due to close and our local doctors are just about coping with the increased population. I was instrumental in getting an emergency Town Council debate on the question of the hospital and the Wychavon solution. We were repeatedly told by some of our present Councillors that the PCT would not consider this option, but they are now considering it for Bicester. What we are being offered is not a Hospital. it is a care home with a few intermediate beds attached. If we want a real hospital here in Chippy it is not too late but we are going to have to fight. I believe it is not too late to keep up the pressure and we should refuse to accept anything other than a proper hospital, operated by the NHS and staffed by NHS doctors and nurses. The problems about the proposed solution have arisen because it will not be a NHS hospital run by the NHS. We have been offered second best and the proposed solution is no solution, when I need a hospital in an emergency one in Banbury or in Oxford will not be much help or comfort and even less so as we have no ambulance service operating from here in Chipping Norton.

If, like me, you think it is essential to keep a hospital here in Chippy lets rejoin the fight and keep campaigning until we get what we want. Vote for me and a reinvigorated hospital campaign

Give Youth a Chance

The younger generation of the town are maligned by all and sundry but what have we done for them. Last year I committed to trying to do something to give them more. I proposed that the Town Council should match fund money from County so that the youth centre could be open for an additional night. The Town Council agreed but nothing happened, our County Councillor said it was because the youth worker had been on holiday, was off sick or had other personal problems. For a period it was not open at all! Can you imagine a Tesco store not opening because a manager was off! Well the same should be true for the youth centre – the Town Council paid the money so where was the service? We now need to find ways of funding and operating a new dedicated youth facility within the Town. We must force developers under planning gain legislation to pay for the building and facilities and look for ways to pay for youth workers. I am prepared to contribute the payment I would receive if elected towards the cost – ask the other candidates and existing councillors if they are prepared to do the same and if they are not you should vote for me.

Affordable Homes?

People in Chippy need affordable houses but not the crackpot schemes that are currently being offered. The key to the cost of a house is the cost of the ground. The bricks cost the same, timber plaster and fittings all cost broadly the same whether you build a house in West Oxfordshire, Stoke on Trent, or Bradford. The labour to build it may vary slightly from place to place but the one big variable is the cost of the land. The councils in Chipping Norton own substantial amounts of ground, much of which they are looking to develop for housing. If they are truly committed to providing affordable housing, that is housing affordable to people earning 75% of the national average wage, then they can do it by making land available at the same price per acre as it is in Stoke or Bradford and stop trying to be property developers maximising the value of the land. I will work to try and get such a solution.

Heavy Lorries Go Away!

Air pollution in the centre of the town is not only bad it is amongst the worst anywhere. Heavy Lorries pass through in increasing numbers and shoppers take their lives in their hands when they walk through Horsefair or cross from Topside to Middle Row. Air quality surveys are done and the traffic is counted but nothing is done to improve the problem. County do not seem prepared to follow the example of Warwickshire and direct traffic away, even though there is a preferred lorry route using the A40 and A429. Why can we not have a weight limit through the Town? Why not a weight limit on the bridge down New Street? Is it because our existing councillors have to follow instructions. Witney gets solutions for its traffic problems so why not Chippy. A weight restriction and a few prosecutions for breaching it would soon drive the main culprits down the preferred route and away from the town. I will not be afraid to raise my voice to campaign for a solution even if I am repeatedly told it is not practical or even possible.