from two of the biggest figures in this
coalition Government. Chancellor George
Osborne appeared on video-link at the City
Council’s excellent ‘Business in the 21st
Century’ conference and said “The Council
understands that Winchester's future is
about encouraging companies to invest, to
create jobs and to foster innovation and
skills. Invest in Winchester: it's a great place
to do business and it's a great place for the
future."
The conference, held at the Intech Science
Centre, was organised to show how
Winchester is working with Government to
make this a great place to start a business
and to run one. And Mr Osborne was backed
up by the Business Secretary, Vince Cable
who was here last month to address a
banking conference at the Guildhall. Dr
Cable complimented the Council on its
ambition to be a catalyst for the local
economy saying its actions were ‘music to
my ears’ and calling WCC an ‘enterprising
local authority’ which ‘used its own initiative’.
These are of course only words but they are
being backed up by actions and it is no
accident that our economy has created more
than one million private sector jobs in the
past three years and Winchester is definitely
playing its part in our long road to economic
recovery, which is music to the ears of this
MP, I can tell you!
Finally for this time, mobile phone reception.
A number of constituents have contacted me
about broadband speeds in our villages but
lately that has been joined by problems with
mobile phone reception. If any readers of
Village Voice wish to let me know how they
get on (or not) in this respect, that would be
really helpful and I will take it up with the
respective mobile operators. Remember to
include your address and the network
causing your grief.
18
Steve and Popcorn meet friends at the
Alresford street surgery
Lots more going on - in Winchester and in
Westminster – and you can catch up on
much of it via www.stevebrine.com.
Steve Brine
MP for Winchester & Chandler’s Ford
01962 791110 (constituency)
0207 219 7189 (House of Commons)
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.stevebrine.com
Steve Brine TV: www.stevebrine.tv
Sign up to receive Steve’s email newsletter www.stevebrine.com
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