Monday 30 June 2008

It's not too late...

... to join the Wrecclesham Village Design Statement Group. I'm organising our next meeting, and we're presently aiming for 5.3 pm on one of the following dates:

15th, 16th, or 23rd July

Having received some really wonderful maps of the village from Jennie Falconer at the council offices, and with progress made on getting up to speed on the history of the village, it will be good to meet again and keep the momentum going.

Sunday 29 June 2008

The Beautiful Game

The Spanish game anyway.

I usually don't watch football, but tonight I sat with my brother-in-law and thoroughly enjoyed the Euro 2008 final. Well, thoroughly enjoyed the Spanish football anyway. They were passionate, determined and creative, and enjoyable to watch. I don't think I'm converted from baseball yet (see my Thursday post) as a great family event, but it was certainly gladitorial on parts of the pitch tonight, and baseball doesn't have that facet to its game.

Saturday 28 June 2008

What would be your policy?

Thankfully my flight landed roughly on time, so I managed to make it to Waverley Abbey House by 9.30 this morning. It's the final weekend of the Conservative Christian Fellowship Development Programme, on which each participant has to give a policy presentation about an area of their choice. It's designed to help them clarify their thinking, and work on their communication skills. Three of the policies we heard were about:

Mental Health
Aspergers Syndrome
Restorative Justice for Young Offenders

Hearing young aspiring politicians strive to make sense of their passions, their beliefs, and their aspirations, in the context of today's political and societal environment, is always a special time. For the third year running I'm struck by the fact that there are young people wishing to make a difference in our county: rather then detect the direction of the wind, they wish to change the wind itself.

Thursday 26 June 2008

Root, root, root

Chicago CubsIf baseball were a UK sport, I think I might be a season-ticket holder. In all honesty, I've never experienced a sports event so wholesome in its appeal, with so much fun, and passion. Last night I was at a Chicago Cubs game at perhaps the Holy Grail of US baseball grounds, Wrigley Field.

Whilst the national anthem isn't the hearty crowd event that it is in the UK, (a minor celebrity sings it instead), there are sing-a-longs: middle of the 7th innings there's a traditional song 'rooting' for the Chicago Cubs, and then if the Cubs win, there's a victory song.

And there are families everywhere. No partition of fans. A kind of party atmosphere. Hot dogs, beer, candy...

Wrigley FieldPerhaps for the first time, I properly caught the sense of community and shared passion that makes America the can-do country that it is. And that's a great place, with great people.

Wednesday 25 June 2008

Planning Applications 25th June 2008

So, no new applications this week. Lots of emails in my Waverley inbox regarding Dunsfold Park and East Street, and revised dates for these decisions.

But, no new applications.

Tuesday 24 June 2008

Trumped

Trump Tower ChicagoI can't imagine that Waverley's planning committee has yet had such a famous face appear before it - that of Donald Trump. Seeing the Trump Tower of Chicago (offices, appartments, gym, hotel - $600+ a night!!!!) made me think of his recent appearances in Aberdeen in his attempts to gain permission to build a new golf resort, and has me wondering if he would be doing a better job of East Street that we've seen so far.

Monday 23 June 2008

sheh-CAH-go

Being in the US for business this week means I get to read much better quality front pages on newspapers. I'm pretty eclectic in my daily browsing, but I think I can safely say that no matter which it is, the quality of reporting (accuracy, literacy) is consistently better, and the range of topics much more conducive to informed opinions.

Here's a sample of headlines from the New York Times today:

Obama Camp Closely Linked with Ethanol
In Algeria, a Tug of War for Young Minds
Mugabe's Rival Quits Runoff
New Outreach to Blacks as Border Patrol Grows
Agreements Are Elusive At Oil Talks


I don't know about you, but I hear people generally touting Americans as uninterested in things overseas. But I say that we would rarely find such a mix of articles on the front pages of our newspapers, even my natural home, The Daily ToryTelegraph. (Especially ones about issues out of the normal public eye - Algeria for instance.

Friday 20 June 2008

Dispensing Justice

Holly Tree Surgery
Thanks to my fellow councillor John Ward for alerting me to the challenges facing the Holly Tree Surgery on Boundstone Road. The peculiarities of licensing dispensaries is causing a major headache for them.

The surgery presently has a 'Dispensing Licence' which allows it to dispense medicines to its patients provided they live more than 1.6 kilometres (1 mile) from an actual Pharmacy. An application to open a pharmacy in Rowledge has been submitted by a much larger company and if granted, would mean that the Holly Tree Surgery would have to cease dispensing to virtually all its patients. Although sounding useful, this would be a serious inhibition to the surgery being able to server its patients in the most sensible and comprehensive way.

The surgery website has some great tips on how to write to the local Primary Care Support Services to oppose this application. Please consider writing soon. I will be.

Thursday 19 June 2008

Mick

We live near a small local shop. I'm all in favour of small local shops, but I'm absolutely not in favour of the litter caused the small local shop we live near.

It of course is true to say that it is the customers of the shop that drop the litter, and not the shop owners, managers or staff themselves (or at least I hope it's true). But that doesn't make the problem disappear, and I dispair at the regular appearance of our lane and nearby streets.

However, we have a local celebrity (in my mind anyway), in the shape of Mick. Frequently and regularly Mick clears the area using a litter pick, and copious black bags. The reason he doesn't have a barrow to assist him is that the one used in central Farnham was burned out by its departing owner (the litter-picker at the time), and so now Mick's barrow is in Farnha, not Wrecclesham.

In summary, Mick's a star, and a good bloke. Anyone in favour of a campaign for the local shop to buy him a new barrow?!

Wednesday 18 June 2008

Planning Applications 18th June 2008

(Click here if you want to go the Waverley planning search page, and select 'Ward' from the left hand list of options)

WA/2008/1083: 27/05/2008
Proposed Development: Erection of 2 detached dwellings and associated works (revision of WA/2007/2002). 7 Wrecclesham Road.
E: 482790 N: 145677
Case Officer: Major Sites & Implementation Team

Applicant: F R Bassett, 7 Wrecclesham Road, Farnham, Surrey GU9 8TY
Agent: Roland Yates MRICS, 2 Stephendale Road, Farnham, Surrey GU9 9QP

Tuesday 17 June 2008

BREAKING NEWS

Looks as if it will be October before there's a decision on East Street.

Recent submissions regarding the planned development, from the Environment Agency, raised questions regarding the flood plain, and the impact of the development on it. CNS have confirmed that revised plans, particularly with regard to landscaping and ventilation will need to be submitted, and won't be done until August.

I'll try not to do it again

It's an unwritten rule for me: don't publish the Waverley Press Releases on my blog. Blogs need to be original content.

However, I must make something of an exception by way of quoting one that arrived at my inbox just a few minutes ago. It's about our negative housing subsidy (that I only blogged about again just last night), and is written passionately:

The Borough’s director of housing David January is a speaker at the Chartered Institute of Housing Conference in Harrogate on 18 June as part of a session titled “The Housing Revenue Account is dead – long live the HRA?”

He says that because the borough now contributes 48% of tenants’ rents to the Government as negative HRA subsidy it is unable to meet the Decent Homes Standard.

“We have started a campaign group to argue for a sustainable housing finance system for council houCIHsing,” he adds. “I passionately believe that the current system is grossly unfair to all local authorities with housing stock and that the HRA subsidy system is a pernicious tax on tenants and local decision making.”

Monday 16 June 2008

The best committee meeting I've attended

Tonight's Community Overview & Scrutiny (or Overview & Mutiny according to one tongue-in-cheek council officer) was fantastic. I simply can't think of another committee where all the papers attached to the agenda are about topics that so clearly, directly, and acutely, affect the way residents live their lives, and especially the most disadvantaged and socially excluded residents.

Maybe it was also the fact that a few councillors couldn't make it, and so the committee was slightly smaller than normal, but, its momentum and dynamics were spot on, with wide-ranging contributions and discussion, and high-quality input from the officers attending. In the departments represented, its obvious that the teams are committed to their work, and are seeking to do a great job.

Much of the agenda regarded our housing in the borough, and the nightmare scenario of the next few years, during which the amount of rental income that we must give to central government will reach 58%! That's right, 58% of rental income will make up the negative subsidy (what a horrible phrase) that the government insists we give to them as we are so clearly a borough that doesn't need the funds. Serious sarcasm.

What rot. It makes no sense at all. The papers with the agenda last night make it all too clear that our borough does not have the finances to sustain toleration of this kind of daylight robbery. By 2012 we will have zero in our reserves, and scrape by on a minimum fund for maintenance and repairs.

Much praise must go to our chief executive and out-going head of housing David January for speaking up so clearly and loudly on this issue, but as yet, there's no public sign of a change of policy (or heart).

Sunday 15 June 2008

Fair Trade = Fair Price, Fair Wage

Tonight I spoke briefly about Fair Trade at our church. The sermon passage was James 5 v 1-6, where the Apostle Paul gets pretty worked up about injustice served on the poor by the rich. He's not saying that the rich are consequently (because of their riches) evil, but that riches have the tendency to turn their owners to evil-doing.

As we strive to do the right thing in stocking our shops and paying our staff, our pastor asked me to speak briefly about what we do. I also told the story of a community in Rwanda that are now making some of the best coffee in all Africa. Pascal Kalisa, a farmer from the community, was in London at the launch of their new coffee. He was so evidently pleased to be there, but the big thing about it for him, was that his ticket was paid for by the coffee farmers. His plea? "Please buy our coffee. If it's not good coffee, don't buy it."

His desire is to do something good, and be paid a fair price for it.

Saturday 14 June 2008

Kite Runner

Tonight we watched the film adaptation of The Kite Runner by Khald Hosseini. Having read the book, we were expecting a heart-rending story, and so it was that the movie accurately portrayed the tragedy of young lives torn apart, and, of a country torn apart by religious extremism in a most evil way.

As a Christian, I see much in Islam that I do not believe, being a simple but profound consequence of the God in whom I place my faith. However, I also see things that I believe are absolutely wrong, irrespective of choice of faith: the subjugation of women; stoning of adulterers; dictating of fashion.

And yet I see in the Old Testament so much of these same kinds of issues (including stoning as a punishment), and ponder - often aloud - how should I interpret and understand the God of the Old Testament as the same God of the New Testament. I don't have the answers, although I've read many theologians on this topic.

What I do know is that these situations are more often than not complex, contextualised, and the consequences of years, maybe centuries, of inculcation. The answer is unlikely to be shock and awe, but love in its fullest sense.

Friday 13 June 2008

Listed

Yesterday I picked up some maps from Jennie Falconer at the council offices. In our first steps towards a village design statement for Wrecclesham, we have decided that we need to know more about the village and its features and history, before agreeing an area for the statement. Wrecclesham has some nebulous boundaries in many ways, especially where it abuts Shortheath and Boundstone.

I'm a bit of a map nerd, and so took a peek at one today in between other work, and was immediately struck and astounded by the number of listed buildings in the village! I count 38 buildings throughout the village, with 28 of them on the main roads - Wrecclesham Road, The Street, and Wrecclesham Hill.

Our village has a lot to treasure and protect, and I believe the design statement will assist.

Thursday 12 June 2008

When the answer is not 42

When the answer is 42...

"I think the problem is that the question was too broadly based...

"Forty two?!" yelled Loonquawl. "Is that all you've got to show for seven and a half million years' work?"

"I checked it very thoroughly," said the computer, "and that quite definitely is the answer. I think the problem, to be quite honest with you, is that you've never actually known what the question is."

Wednesday 11 June 2008

Planning Applications 11th June 2008

(Click here if you want to go the Waverley planning search page, and select 'Ward' from the left hand list of options)

WA/2008/1006: 16/05/2008
Proposed Development: Erection of a single story extension following demolition of existing conservatory. 32 Shortheath Crest Farnham.
E: 482981 N: 144861
Case Officer: Neighbourhood Team

Applicant: M Blackford, 32 Shortheath Crest, Farnham, Surrey GU9 8SB
Agent: Massingdale & Phillips, 85a West Street, Farnham, Surrey GU9 7EN
--

WA/2008/1019: 04/06/2008
Proposed Development: Erection of a two story extension. 5 Prospect Road, Farnham.
E: 482313 N: 143136
Case Officer: Neighbourhood Team

Applicant: Mr & Mrs R Bazani, 5 Prospect Road, Rowledge, Farnham GU10 4AH
Agent: Kerry Field, 4 Hillary Road, Farnham GU9 8QY

--

WA/2008/1020: 06/06/2008
Proposed Development: Erection of a two story extension. Glenside, Manley Bridge Road, Rowledge.
E: 482372 N: 143729
Case Officer: Neighbourhood Team

Applicant: J Noel, Glenside, Manley Bridge Road, Rowledge, Farnham GU10 4BU
Agent: Douglas M Blyth, 17 High Street, Rowledge, Surrey GU10 4BT
--

WA/2008/1024: 20/05/2008
Proposed Development: Use of garage as habitable accommodation together with the erection of an extension. 11a Woodcut Road, Farnham.
E: 482748 N: 144511
Case Officer: Neighbourhood Team

Applicant: Mr & Mrs Adair, 11a Woodcut Road, Farnham, Surrey GU10 4QF
Agent: Priest Design Service, Greenlawns, 22 Dovedale Close, Owlsmoor, Sandhurst GU47 0YG
--

WA/2008/1030: 21/05/2008
Proposed Development: Erection of extensions and alternations following demolition of existing extension. Talland, Fernbrae Close, Rowledge.
E: 483511 N; 143034
Case Officer: Neighbourhood Team

Applicant: I Langermann & N Howard, Talland, Ferbrae Close, Rowledge, Surrey GU10 4ED.
Agent: Ms Susanna Mussotter, Paul Archer Design Ltd, 3d2 Zetland House, 5-25 Scrutton Street, London EC2A 4HJ

Tuesday 10 June 2008

House Husband

This week I'm learning a little bit about what it is to be a house husband. Rach is away for a few days work in Kettering, and so I'm looking after Caleb... and discovering exactly how tiring and hard work it can be.

Not that Caleb is difficult to look after! He's content, chilled even, and simply enjoys anything and everything. Yet, it's the challenge of trying to fit other things into the day, when all he wants to do is play, crawl, and walk his way into trouble and breakages.

Perhaps I have too many distractions, and wanting to be at my laptop responding to the copious emails mounting up in my inbox isn't 'normal' behavoiur for everyone! But I am realising exactly how amazing my wife is, managing to juggle so many responsibilities in our business and home, and, most importantly, look after our son.

Monday 9 June 2008

Only 60,000 left in the UK

A small follow-up today to my Friday post about a possible endangered species - the red phone box. I added a PS to my feedback to the executive committee - a mention that I found it impossible to discover a list of BT payphones (all 60,000 of them) that one could use as an aid to planning a journey without a mobile phone.

Well, a colleague at the council emailed today to inform me that on speaking to BT, they say that they

"don't have a list ... in the public domain but ... shall make the point about provision of that in future."

Apparently there are lists that can be bought and downloaded on the web, from private companies that have compiled them, but to be honest, it bothers me that it's not free to do so. I'm really not sure how BT are keeping to their service obligations without such a search being possible. And free.

Sunday 8 June 2008

Man hole

Do you ever wonder what your local councillor gets up to at the weekend? Actually, you probably don't.

But, I'm going to let you know anway, well, at least what I did today. I cemented in a man-hole cover in the driveway!

Probably not a big deal for most people, but I'm not that great with DIY or anything like that, so it felt like quite an accomplishment. I guess the 'proof of the pudding' will be how strong it is once it's dry. Not that I'll be driving my car over it just to find out.

Friday 6 June 2008

Endangered Species Alert

The deadline for the consultation on BT's proposals to remove a number payphones from Waverley is on the 2nd July, but in order for all of us at the council to collaborate and to send a combined response, we've been asked to send in our submissions by today.

Red Phone BoxAs well as responding individually, you can also sign a couple of petitions. Firstly, at Rowledge Post Offie and Village Shop, where Cliff Putnam the postmaster has a petition (also see page 3 of this week's Farnham Herald). And secondly on our MP's website.

You can find full details for the consultion on the Waverley website, including the letter from BT, the full list of the phone boxes earmarked for removal (includes 33 red boxes), and information on how to contact BT by email, letter or phone.

Please write or phone if you have the time. Small changes like these can creep up on us as a community, and suddenly we realise our villages have changed irreparably, and the icons of our history have gone.

--
I'd like to record my objections to the removal of the red boxes of Applelands Close, Wrecclesham, and The Square, Rowledge.

* Being under the consultation, it's clear that these boxes are further than 400 m from another payphone, and for those wishing to reach one, especially if infirm in anyway, this is a long way.

* Whilst landlines are ubiquitous, mobile phones as at 2005/6 were owned by 79% of the population, and although this may well have climbed in the past couple of years, based on the slow down of the increase it might only now be around 81% - certainly not full coverage. (Source: Family Expenditure Survey and Expenditure and Food Survey, Office for National Statistics)


Payphones provide for (a) those who have no landline or one that is not working, and (b) especially for those on the move who have no mobile phone. Red boxes are particularly noticeable to those driving and in need of a phone, and to have two such phones in such a small geograhical area removed, would be, in my view, against BT's Universal Service Obligation.

In addition, I feel we should point out that the red box at Applelands Close is in a shameful condition, both inside and out, and I believe that BT's obligations should certainly include maintaining their payphones to a standard that encourages use, rather than discourages.

Regards,
MikeC

P.S. As an additional note, I tried hard to find an easy search engine for the location of BT Payphones... and failed miserably. Do you know if one exists? If not, then again, BT are not providing a service that enables someone with no mobile phone, an easy means by which to plan their journey and access to a phone if required.

Mystery

On the same walk down River Lane that saw me post yesterday about mindless grafitti and vandalism, I stumbled across something that made me catch my breath, and wonder (almost aloud) about its origin. About 80 yards before the road, I noticed a photo on the fence, and stopped, and read the following:


George White

Murdered on this pot
17th April 1904
Still Remembered


It's been over a hundred years since this event, and yet (presumably) a family member recalls this with sadness each year. Both a sad and powerful reminder of family love and ties.

Thursday 5 June 2008

I don't get it


I can read all the reports in the world about how the youth of today are bored, and need things to keep them off the streets, but really, I still don't understand how someone can do this kind of mindless vandalism to private property (River Lane railway bridge). Not having 'something to do' is no excuse.

Wednesday 4 June 2008

Rent Asunder

guardian.co.ukI don't think that I've ever bought a copy of the Guardian. There we go - my confession of the day. However, today would have a good day to break that vow of abstinence, as the paper covered what we in Waverley have been making a noise about for some time now: our negative housing subsidy.

It's a tragedy that because Waverley is perceived (in many ways accurately, but only in general terms) as a wealthy borough, it's pockets of poverty are dealt an awful hand by way of the central government's treatment of housing rents. We give back to the treasury 47% of the £23 million! Imagine what we could do with those funds to improve our housing stock, the lives of our tenants, and our communities.

Thanks to the efforts led by Waverley, this issue is now receiving the attention it deserves.

So, something that I didn't think I'd be writing in my blog today - I take my hat off to the Guardian.

Planning Applications 4th June 2008

(Click here if you want to go the Waverley planning search page, and select 'Ward' from the left hand list of options)

WA/2008/0929: 02/05/2008

Proposed Development: Erection of extensions and alterations following partial demolition of existing dwelling. Merrythought, 30 Gardeners Hill Road, Farnham.
E: 482846 N: 143327
Case Officer: Mr P Hardwick

Applicant &
Agent: A Down, Archplan, 30 Cholmeley Crescent, Highgate, London, N6 5HA
--
WA/2008/0967: 29/05/2008

Proposed Development: Increase in height of dwelling and its temporary independent annexe to provide increased first floor accommodation including the construction of dormer windows. Little Orchard, 34 Wrecclesham Hill, Farnham.
E: 482281 N: 144523
Case Officer: Neighbourhood Team

Applicant: D Cannon, 34 Wrecclesham Hill, Farnham, Surrey GU10 4JW
Agent:
Mr A Ward, Award Design, 10 Kielder Walk, Camberley, Surrey GU15 1AU

LOL

A friend of mine who works for Croydon Council has made me laugh by sending an email of great cartoons about fuel prices. Here's a couple to make you smile too.

Tuesday 3 June 2008

Reviving Faith Ideological Engagement in Politics

Andy Reed (Lab)Sat at Waterloo Station, waiting for the Alton train to get me back to Farnham, I'm mulling over the debate this evening. Chaired by BBC correspondent Christopher Landau, it was a conversation between him and Jim Wallis, American author, campaigner, activist and theologian (in no particular order), and 3 MPs - Andy Reed (Labour), Tim Farron (LD), and Andrew Selous (Con).

Tim Farron (LD)I made many notes and could could copiously type them up, but I'm not sure that such a verbatim report would make sense to anyone else. So, I've tried to summarise some key points that struck me - not necessarily all of them, or the key ones for others at the debate, but these ones resonated with me this evening.

Andrew SelousIssues
* Movements make things possible, not just an individual (even Wilberforce). Millions of individual decisions, and by critical and prophetic minorities, not majorities, bring about change.
* The church should be focussing on speaking to the common good, not about the church 'winning' the debate.
* There is a choice in society's response to its issues - between hope and cynicism, and cynicism is a buffer against commitment.

Jim WallisQuotes
* "Globalization has an inevitable logic, but no ethic": Jim Wallis.
* "If we're [the church] are not careful, we'll become middle-class theatres with great powerpoint": Andy Reed.
* "There's nothing insipid about Jesus Christ, but there's something insipid about the church response...": Tim Farron.

And, I came away with the following questions:

1. How do we change the debate so that the secularist position is given the same critical treatment as the faith position?
2. How do we "change the wind", not just the wet-fingered politician?
3. How often does someone ask "Why do you live the way you do?"

And one final quote, as it's so good:
"Evan Harris is Dawkins' representative on earth": Anon.

Neither Private nor Privileged

I'm on the train to London to attend "Reviving Faith in Politics", an event hosted by Theos at the Houses of Parliament, and sub-titled "To what extent should the church seek to shape public policy?

Some of my posts address this question - law of blasphemy; human embryology - as I believe this at its root to be the key question of all political engagement. Actually, how can it not be? Replace, with any of the following, 'the church' in the sub-title, and the question remains essentially the same:

'my personal morality'
'the synagogue'
'the humanist society'
'my atheism'

Basically, how can one justify influencing, setting, or rejecting public policy on the basis of one's ideology, one's philosophy of life? But, think about it for a second... on what other basis would one wish shape public policy? A simple majority opinion? The loudest voice? Should 'the church' or any religion claiming divine inspiration, be discounted simply because science does not prove (not 'disprove') its claims?

NPNPI'm interested in the answers to this that will be given tonight (by MPs from the three main political parties), and will take notes and blog some more tomorrow about the event.

P.S. Theos' latest report (by clear and coherent thinker and author Nick Spencer), addresses this issue - Neither Private nor Privileged: The Role of Christianity in Britain Today.

Newsflash 2

Is it me, or has the Vehicle Activated Sign that I blogged about yesterday, been moved to the other side of the road?

Monday 2 June 2008

Newsflash

VASOr 'speedflash'. A resident of Wrecclesham Hill pointed out to me a week or so ago that the Vehicle Activated Sign on the hill had not been working for a while. As I was sitting in his house on the hill when he said this, and experienced the speed and noise of fast cars for myself, I particularly empathised!

After a few emails to find out who was responsible for the sign, it turned out that the Community Highways Officer at Surrey County Council had organised the sign, but that the police maintained. So what a great sight this afternoon, as I happened to drive past the sign and saw two police officers working on it. Hopefully it's now flashing (appropriately, and not too often one hopes).

Sunday 1 June 2008

Have I Got News For You...

Dental Tribune
... from guest publication "Dental Tribune", courtesy of my mother-in-law (erstwhile Practice Manager of Weobley, Herefordshire).

Last night it was pointed out to me that the front page of the UK edition reported on the NHS Dental Services debate in the House of Lords, on 24th April. However, what was frustrating, was having reported that Lord Colwyn, listed "eight reasons not to be a National Health Service dentist", it failed to mention them. Given that my father-in-law and one brother-in-law are NHS dentists, and that Lord Colwyn was listing these reasons as evidence of how our government has made it increasingly likely for dentists to become private, I thought I would hunt out the reasons (from the online version of Hansard) and list below:

1. The NHS does not recognise that a dental business is a business.
2. Laboratory bills are huge.
3. The UDAs, the units of dental activity payment bands, are seen as covering too wide a spectrum.
4. Dentists do not wish to take on new patients with an unknown volume of work needed, because of the risk of a large increase in expenses gainst a fixed-target income.
5. If the dentist falls short of the fixed target in his contract at the end of an NHS financial year, a proportion of his fee can be reclaimed.
6. If the dentist exceeds his target, any further work undertaken by the dentist in that financial year has to be carried out unpaid.
7. Preventive work is not carried out fully because dentists are too busy on the UDA treadmill.
8. It has become extremely difficult to realise the good-will value of the business by selling it on to a successor dentist, as the the PCTs will not provide any transfer undertaking or certification.

And the government response to these reasons that many, if not all, NHS dentists and patients would recognise?

Baroness Thornton: "our record on dentistry is strong".