This page will be dedicated to highlighting speeches and comments made by our temporary Member of Parliament, Tom Levitt.
ELECTION RESULT JUNE 2001
TOM LEVITT WON WITH 22430 VOTES. THIS WAS ONLY 30.4% OF THE ELECTORATE WHICH MEANS THAT ALMOST 7 OUT OF 10 PEOPLE WHO WERE ABLE TO VOTE DO NOT WANT TOM LEVITT AS THEIR MP. 3 OUT OF 10 DO. THAT IS TRULY A STRANGE KIND OF DEMOCRACY. TOM'S VOTE FELL BY 22.8% FROM 29052 IN 1997. NOT EXACTLY A RINGING ENDORSEMENT OF THE LAST 4 YEARS.
CURRENT RATE OF PAY...£958.11 A WEEK...HOWEVER PROBABLY AN INFLATION BUSTING INCREASE ON THE WAY...WATCH THIS SPACE!
DETAILS OF ALL OTHER MP'S ALLOWANCES AND FREEBIES WILL BE HERE SOON.....WATCH THIS SPACE!
The following is a list of Tom Levitt's registered interests as at 4th October 2000:-
Member of Parliamentary panel for Opinion Leader Research. (£1-£1,000)
Member of Harris Parliamentary Panel. (£1-£1,000)
Free provision of a web site and marketing advice from a local company.
Two second hand computers and networking facility from a local company. (Registered 9 December 1999)
Trustee of the Royal National Institute for Deaf People (unremunerated).
Director (unremunerated) of PLACE (1996) People, Landscape, Architecture, Culture, Education; a Buxton-based charity which produces educational courses, resources and materials for schools on these linked issues.
I have asked Tom Levitt for his opinion on the closure programme for High Peak public toilets. Unfortunately I have received an e-mail from his office saying that he responds after 10 working days to non-urgent letters. This highlights the contempt he feels towards the High Peak people. When he eventually replies I will publish his response. But don't hold your breath.
Here is the long awaited response. An amazing 19 days after I had asked for his views.
Dear Mr *********,
Thankyou for your e-mail of 14 November. As I have said before, these matters are entirely in the hands of High Peak Borough Council and you should therefore contact them at borough-council@highpeak.gov.uk by e-mail. But I would like to make the following observations.
There has been no decision on how many toilets are required to be closed. This matter is out to consultation and all of the Parish Councils representing the areas involved have been closely involved in discussions. Some, such as the Water Street toilets in Buxton, have been scheduled for closure for quite some time and others, such as those in the Pavilion Gardens in Buxton, are brand new and will not be closed. Will you join me in condemning the state in which some of the others, especially in Glossop, are maintained?
I think it is perfectly reasonable to ask Parish Councils if this is a service in which they feel they might be involved. I have to say that because of the particular position in Hayfield I think it is very unlikely that these toilets will be closed.
For information, your council tax bill did not in fact raise by 20% this year. The council tax across High Peak rose by about 8%.
I hope that this is helpful.
Yours Sincerely,
Tom Levitt
Unfortunately this response is utter COBBLERS. The decision to close AT LEAST 9 toilets has been made and I have the letter from John Hallsworth confirming this. Remember the actual figure could be as high as 17 out of 26. Furthermore, as a matter of FACT HPBC put THEIR element of Council Tax up by 20% and not 8%. Only when you take into account Derbyshire County Council and the Derbyshire Police Authority elements of Council tax does the rise lower to under 10%. But once again this highlights the culture of misinformation that is prevalent amongst all politicans and when facts are stated they simply do not like them. If this is not true feel free to sue me.
I have asked Mr Levitt to condemn this closure programme again....Lets see what he says this time!
Received following e-mail from Mr Levitt 24/1/01...
Dear Shaun
I understand that the council will make an
announcement very shortly. Very
few toilets are likely to close but we shall have
to wait the official
announcement.
Tom Levitt
What this is all about I haven't got a clue! But needless to say I await this ANNOUNCEMENT with baited breath. It flies in the face of everything that HPBC have been saying about closing at least 9 toilets and the final figure could be as high as 17 out of 26. WATCH THIS SPACE!!!!
I have once again asked Mr Levitt for his views on this mass closure programme. Unfortunately he is still unable to give us an answer. This is what he says:-
27th February.
There is no mass closure. I understand that tonight's meeting of High Peak
Borough Council will announce the outcome of the very open and very useful
consultation process. Why should I condemn something that has not happened?
Tom Levitt
Well this is once again amazing. I am sure that Mr Levitt is living in an ivory tower somwhere in London. I have documentary evidence from HPBC that lists the toilets that are DEFINITELY closing..signed by Mr Hallsworth himself and this was the policy that was agreed by HPBC in their October 2000 meeting where I was also in attendence. As well as the possibility of an additional 7 toilets being closed. I cannot wait to see the Press release of HPBC on this one. What exactly are they up to? If you know drop us a line. This story has got curioser and curioser as time has gone on. We are still no nearer knowing the truth. Today is 1st March 2001 and I will now be asking HPBC if there has been a SUDDEN CHANGE in policy!! Watch this space things can only get more interesting. What I find particulary interesting is the fact that Mr Levitt has never acknowledged the policy of HPBC and has consistently said that nothing has been decided regarding the toilets when I was at the Council meeting that made the decision! MINDBOGGLING!!! You had better believe it!!
Tom recently voted with the government for the "part privatisation" of NATS.
Tom recently voted for the "abolition of hunting with dogs"
Tom recently voted NOT to sack Jo Moore the civil servant who said, "It is now a very good day to get out anything we want to bury. Councillors expenses?" shortly after the first plane hit the World Trade Center tower.
