Thank you for making the time in this meeting for my statement. I’m sorry that I am unable to attend in person but as many of you will be aware, the business of the house requires me to be in Westminster from Monday to Thursday to vote on legislation. At around 10 o’clock tonight we will be voting on a little known piece of legislation to rebalance the burden of disclosure in insurance contracts away from the consumer, not necessarily the most high profile Bill but important nonetheless . I do however think that tonight’s meeting is on an extremely important topic. That’s why I wanted to register my support for Shipston’s town centre and my opposition to a supermarket in this manner. This is a position I have held since the election campaign so I would hope it isn’t a surprise to you. Parliamentary protocol dictates that specific planning applications are matters for locally elected Councillors rather than members of Parliament. It is therefore not correct for me to comment on the specifics of the application made by ASL but I am sure that Jonathan and Richard will both do an excellent job of putting your views forward and opposing the application. I do however think it is correct for me to talk generally and to oppose the idea of a super market in Shipston rather, than a specific application. Shipston is a unique town and a vital resource to those living in the south of my constituency. Unlike many market towns of a similar size elsewhere in the country it has a vibrant town centre, with a wide selection of shops and particularly strong independent food retailing. This is something that everyone who lives in Shipston should be proud of and want to protect. I firmly believe that a super market would damage this delicate local economy. In recent months we have already seen Toffee Apple close. The location now an empty shop where a toy shop previously stood for decades. Do we really want to see more of this? Nationally the government is strongly committed to a town centre first policy when it comes to retail development. We want to protect town centres, and pull more people into them, not take them to a site on the edge of a town. The new National Planning Policy Framework the NPPF, adheres to this, asking Local Authorities to support the viability and vitality of town centres. Something I understand the new draft Core Strategy for Stratford District, and specifically its policies for Shipston does. There will however be those that disagree, those that say that Shipston needs a super market, particularly if it’s population is to grow. They will argue that the Co-ops and independent butchers, the bakers, the delis and the fruit and veg shop don’t provide enough choice and are too expensive. Or that parking is too difficult, too limited compared to alternatives. This is where as a group those that are against a super market need to come together. A lot of excellent work has already been done, and this needs to be resurrected and built on. At the same time we need to offer alternatives and new solutions. • Can parking in the town centre be improved and increased? • Can we revisit previous meetings with the co-ops to have them trade as one bigger store with better matched pricing? • How can we use the Shipston card to compete with the likes of a Tesco Clubcard and their data mining experts? • Can the Shipston Neighbourhood plan be used to create a better and larger shopping experience in the town centre? • Can we prove shopping in Shipston is not just a better but can also be a cheaper alternative? This last question is an easy argument to dismiss, but in the current economic climate many people are feeling the pinch and their weekly groceries bill is the most visible reminder of the money they spend. And correct or not, the view of many is that supermarkets are cheaper. Ultimately, these are just some of the radical questions we should be asking ourselves if we want to win the argument of public opinion. And this we must do. It is simply not good enough to say that those that disagree with us are wrong. We need to accept the validity of their arguments and answer them, offering up alternatives and importantly solutions. I and my office will offer any help and support we can, and I hope that tonight’s discussion will start to co-ordinate on some of these wider issues. Issues that need to be solved if a supermarket in Shipston is to be defeated.