27/01/2013 Sunday Politics East Midlands

Welcome to Sunday Politics. The coalition presides over the weakest

recovery for generations. Labour's lead slumps. The come when

referendum affect? -- the Cameron In the East Midlands: tens of

thousands of homes are in fuel poverty. Will a new government

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 2293 seconds

$:/STARTFEED. Tens of thousands of homes are in fuel poverty but we

might have the answer. No need for the duvet. And how the new police

and crime commissioners are getting started. They have got to deal with

organised crime. Hello, I'm Marie Ashby. Joining me

this week, the Conservative MP for Erewash Jessica Lee and someone

who's been in the thick of the Euro action, Labour's MEP for the East

Midlands, Glenis Willmott. Well, It's the story of the week

again, Europe. But what does it mean for us here in the East

Midlands? Well, Glenis can give us the view from Europe and Jessica

has the word from Erewash. Last week we had Heather Wheeler in the

studio saying quite openly that she wants us to get out of Europe.

you agree? I do not take quite the same position but I welcome the

Prime Minister's announcement today. This is the conversation the public

have wanted for some time. There are plenty of jobs in my

constituency that rely on the single market but there are lots of

other aspects of the relationship that people are not happy about.

you want to be in or out? At the moment, I would like to try and

stay in and renegotiate. Then I will look at it again. Andrew

Bridgen says he cannot wait to get out and campaign in his

constituency on the referendum. Do you think it will go down well in

your constituency? I do. I have had a lot of correspondence from

constituents saying they are unhappy. We need to deal with myths

about the European Union and realities. How does Labour respond

to this, Glenis? You cannot be against people having their say.

David Cameron has put the politics of his own party before the

interests of the public. Now is not the time to be talking about this

when we should be concentrating on getting the economy right. We need

Europe for that, surely? We have a million young people unemployed. We

should be concentrating our efforts on that. This is about satisfying a

few of his backbenchers. He was quite clear he thought it was in

Britain's interests to be a solid part of Europe. If he believes that,

why is he going down this route? It is like sleepwalking towards the

exit door. He does not think it is in the British interests so we

should not be doing it. Another European issue, the EU could be

about to give another big grant to the BNP to help them with political

activities, more than �330,000. What is your problem with that?

This is a far-right party that does not agree with fundamental

principles of the rights of minorities. A legal party who have

won seats in the East Midlands. This is a far-right group across

Europe and I do not think we should be funding, taxpayers, a group of

people that do not uphold the rights of minorities. Do you agree,

Jessica? There has been a lot of cross-party work between the

British MEPs on the subject and... Should they get the money? I am

going to leave this to the MEPs to take a lead on and they are best-

informed to take a decision. Onto the other story of the week,

the weather. And as we've discovered, just as the cold spell

struck, Government grants for warming our homes ran out. Here's

our political editor John Hess. When the winter temperature falls,

it is time to wrap up and turn up the heat. What happens if you

cannot afford the electric and gas bills? For this man, it became a

choice of heating a or eating. was very cold and the room never

warmed up. In the evenings, I used to get a duvet or a dressing-gown

and sit on the sofa covered up watching TV. What he needed was an

overcoat. Not for himself but for his home. His three-bedroom house

has wraparound installation, part funded under a government energy

efficiency scheme. From the room being cold, it gets warm within

about 15 minutes. After half-an- hour, I can switch the heating off.

The room stays constant and I hardly lose any temperature at all.

No need for the duvet? No need for the duvet! The government

recommends temperatures should be around 21 degrees in your living

room. That makes it warm. If you spend more than 10% of your income

on those gas and electricity bills, you are deemed to be in fuel

poverty. According to government figures, 22% of households in this

area of Nottingham are in fuel poverty, one of the highest rates

in Britain. 850 homes both rented and private on this 1930s estate

had installation improvements. have a layer of will. It is made

from ground rock. This woman is explaining the contents of the

unsolicited overcoat. She works for an independent charity behind the

in the first -- the energy- efficiency makeover and says fuel

poverty is on the increase. In 2006, there were 2.2 million people

classified as being fuel poor. Looking at the figures now, it is

in excess of 5 million. A huge increase. The average home now

costs one buzz of �400 a year to heat and fuel costs are rising --

�1,400 a year. The government has scrapped some schemes turning up

the political temperature. We are trying to get help but my

constituents have been told they must wait in freezing temperatures,

very vulnerable and elderly people. It is nothing short of a disgrace.

Policy is this -- it is defined to... The green deal is the

government's answer. Subsidies for installation, new boilers and solar

panels. It was piloted in Nottingham. Moving towards the more

advanced energy saving measures and new policies, there is a definite

funding gap. We are looking at solid wall insulation fought harder

to treat properties. You are looking at costs of up to �10,000

per property. That is so far cry from �200 to �400 for the loft and

cavity wall insulation. It is not just the temperatures that are

rising. The number of households in fuel poverty over the next three

years is expected to reach 9 million. If you have not heard of

the Green Deal, you will. It is the coalition's flagship policy to

tackle growing fuel poverty. Well, we're joined by Jane Daw from

Barnardo's who runs children's centres in Leicester. You are

campaigning on fuel poverty. How bad is it? It is really bad for

families in Leicester. A recent property report said that there

were 26,000 children in Leicester living in poverty that is 32% of

all children. My children centre is based in a very deprived area on a

large estate which was one of the original Sure Start areas. Families

are increasingly finding themselves in debt even though they are being

supported by us to manage their budgets well. It is having an

impact. There are having to make extreme sacrifices. Really hard

decisions. Fuel is... They are cold. Children are wearing outside coats

and under duvets. Certain families have no flooring and cannot afford

even the essential items. We are having to refer people to voluntary

organisations and charities in order to get the essential items.

We have a food bank and we are constantly referring people there.

You are saying is backed up by the figures -- what you are saying. In

the 10 worst constituencies in the East Midlands, more than 20% of

people are in fuel poverty. In the Derbyshire Dales, it is 25%. What

is being done to help these people, Jessica? There is work being done.

We are all in agreement about how important this issue is. Fuel

poverty is an issue that has been on the rise for a number of years.

What the government is doing is working hard trying to get the

energy companies... There are too many choices at the moment. People

need to have... Under the energy bill, the government proposal is

that there would be just four energy tariffs available so people

can make clear choices. The Green Deal, that is meant to pick in next

week. But the energy revolution campaign which Barnardo's is part

of has already said it will not be enough to halt what is happening.

am listening very carefully to all of the representations being made

but there are new-issue -- new initiatives coming through. The

energy company obligation will help hundreds of thousands of families.

We need to be investing. We saw in the film the homeowner it going for

the installation... To be honest, winter happens at the same time

every year. We know what is going to happen so we should be doing it

now. Things are being done now. This yet... It was the middle of

the summer that the government was having the conversations with the

energy companies. They need to take responsibility and be clear with

customers what the options are and help them to make sure they are on

the lowest possible tariffs. Europe help on this, Glenis? We are

working on this and we think... I think some of the money from the

carbon tax should be used to alleviate fuel poverty. But the

problem with the green deal is that it is not fair. It is expensive and

the interest rates are very high. Sometimes the interest is more than

the work itself. Fuel poverty is not a Conservative issue. It was a

problem under Labour as well. did not do enough but we brought 2

million people out of fuel poverty. But more needs to be done. If you

have got to choose between fuel and food, that is outrageous. It is

even down to essential items. One child got respiratory illness

because they could not keep their house and burka car was broken...

They cannot afford a bed -- the cooker was broken. They could not

keep the House warm enough. The stress on the family was incredible.

All of the good work we were doing to improve the outcomes is at risk

of being undone. Why Barnardo's is supporting this campaign is because

it is something that would make a significant impact because it would

reduce bills by about �310 a week. Do you feel Labour and

Conservatives have failed to? These families are really suffering.

Children are going to school without proper codes. If they want

shoes, it is down to things like, we will cut our food back and we

will be cold. It is these essential items, it is not luxuries. They are

managing budgets. You are not doing enough now when the people need it.

I do not accept that. I am under no illusion that the biggest issue for

all families is the cost of living. I would say that is the priority

for government. That is why they are trying to take the very poorest

people out of paying tax altogether. Briefly, Glenis. Wholesale prices

have been coming down since 2008. Prices for us are going up. We have

got to get a grip. Thank you for joining us.

They were elected on a wave of indifference from the public. But

now the police and crime commissioners are working out how

to spend your money. The PCCs have had a couple of months to come up

with a policing budget for the next five years and to accommodate

millions of pounds of cuts. So, what have they been up to?

The Leicestershire and Rutland police and crime commissioner is

the Conservative Clive loader. He has presented a plan involving a

freeze on the council tax element of his budget for two years. He

plans an increase of 2% be on that. He is not appointed a deputy and

does not have an allocated car. In Derbyshire the Labour PCC is

proposing a budget of �170.6 million. An increased contribution

from local authorities are of almost 2%. That is expected to add

�3.21 a year to the council tax for a household on Band D. He has

appointed a deputy. He is not taking up a car either. In

Nottinghamshire, the PCC is still finalising his budget. He has

appointed a part-time deputy on �36,000. He has also spurned a

company car. The Derbyshire Police and Crime

Commissioner Alan Charles is with us. The headline, a rising council

tax to pay for your Budget. How can you justify that? It is difficult.

I know people are suffering. But if the government have cut 20% from

police budgets in Derbyshire which is having an impact on policing.

They have given a state council tax freeze grant. It is for one year

only. -- they have given us a council tax freeze grant. It is

like a pay-day loan. The only way I can go forward is to put in a small

council tax increase to try and maintain police numbers. I hear

what you are saying but can you let our viewers know what why it is

Unido full-time deputy when other PCCs have said they do not? There

are not many full-time PCCs who have not decided to have a deputy.

Yesterday afternoon, I was in Glossop talking to a family

suffering terrible anti-social behaviour. I cannot do it on my own.

They are in million people in Derbyshire. It is an expensive job.

The police authority office was costing just over a million pounds.

I have cut �100,000 from that. There will be for more PCSOs. --

four more. How will people in your constituency feel about it? They

will be disappointed. It is straight back to the taxpayer to

ask for more money. Crime is down in Derbyshire by 17% in the last

year and it is a credit to all involved. But I would say it is

very disappointing while everyone else is managing to look carefully

at where the savings can be made that it is not being achieved by

the PCC. You are also imposing a cut in pay on police officers?

I would say to that is that we have a PCC whose job and responsibility

it is to look at how best to manage the Budget. Crime is lower and

taxes should not be going up. knows as well as I do that during

the whole election campaign what people wanted to see his police

officer numbers maintained. If I do not increase council tax, we will

lose 20 officers a year year on year and that is not what people

want to see. Well, we've heard what the police

and crime commissioners are planning to do. But what do you

think they should be doing? Des Coleman has been in Leicestershire

to find out. Your police commissioner has been

elected by youth so what is it you want from them? I am here in

Loughborough to find out. They have got to look at what is going on

with the major pockets of crime and deal with it. Organised crime is a

big part of the Budget. The rest is down to communities taking

responsibility rather than blaming the police for everything. What we

do like to see them do? Cut crime in the town centres. That is the

majority... Especially for the elderly. Policing the streets. That

is my concern because being told... -- being old. And of the lady. We

get scared. I would like to walk my dogs in the evenings but I dare not.

I have been accosted by young people. I had an incident last

night... They do not come out when they need to. It is, we will put

you in the diary and come when it is convenient. I have got to wait

until Thursday. Good-looking couple. Let us talk to them. Do you know

who your local police commissioner is? No. Did you vote? No. What can

they do to cut crime? I have been working in a pub and lobbying and

to get the pub watch going. I am hoping they will do a fine job on

our behalf. The people of Loughborough have spoken.

The surprising thing is that the figures show crime is going down

but a lot of people have been victims of crime. Yes, they have.

Anyone who has been a victim of crime feels traumatised. One of the

things I am keen to do is talk to victims to see how we can improve

things for future victims and help to stop people becoming victims in

the first place. Jessica. It is a good priority this for the

government, extra assistance for victims. We have a great Justice

Minister who feels passionately about this. It is about reassuring

people. It is often a fear of crime that causes distress, although not

as much when you are a victim of crime. What people want is somebody

to work quickly. You cannot get to everybody. You cannot please

everybody. I do not think that was Derbyshire Police force but if

someone rings us and it is not an emergency we will make an

appointment to go and see them. I think that is beneficial to the

police service and the person calling. They cannot turn out on a

999 response to every call but we certainly do for emergencies.

you think you can work together, Jessica? Absolutely. I will always

work and we work cross-party. This is I would say one issue that is

perhaps a myth with the public. Behind the scenes, there are lots

of cross-party groups and issues. We may ultimately take a different

view about how best to serve the country but we always have to work

together and we do. We make our representations as best we can.

What happens next? The budget goes to the police and crime panel next

week. The plant also goes as well. -- the plan. The chief constable

will then start working on the plan which he is already doing. He is

already directing resources to key areas. Are you glad you took it on?

Very much so. It has been a lot of pressure but it is good. Yesterday

getting out into Glossop and meeting people was the best part.

Thank you very much for joining us. Time for our regular round-up of

some of the other political stories in the East Midlands this week in

Could there be more train stations in the East Midlands? The Transport

Secretary and Derbyshire Dales MP has released an extra �20 million.

Campaigners in Ilkeston are hoping it will lead to the reopening of

the town's station. East Midlands MPs have criticised

the ambulance service in a Parliamentary debate. The service

wants to replace 65 stations with large tubs and smaller community

bases to become more efficient. The Broxtowe MP and junior Health

Minister said she will reveal national standards for waiting

times for an ambulance -- she will review. I will be making those

recommendations to say that we need to look again at the ambulance

service. Local organisations are among the

most gay-friendly organisations in the company. The NHS Trust came 4th

and Leicestershire County Council were 20th out of 370 employers

surveyed by the gay rights group Stonewall.

Well done to them for that Stonewall award. A story there

about money for new stations. Good news for Ilkeston? We are hoping so.

A significant development. Viewers may remember last year the

Secretary of State said that thanks to the campaign I led that a fund

was going to be set up and the fund is now open. I am told the bids

will be quickly. The announcement on HS2 is expected tomorrow.

only we knew! We are going to have to wait till Monday. I hope there

will be regeneration and Investment in the East Midlands foster a good

news for the East Midlands, Glenis? Absolutely. I am sure it will be

fairly close. Do you know any more about it? I wish I did. David

Cameron is making the announcement in Leeds tomorrow so I hope you are

both right. Do not forget, we want to hear from you. Put your