Antony Little for Norwich South

A leading City Councillor has responded to the announcement that there will be a public inquiry into the future of a bowling alley by urging residents and bowling groups to get involved and ensure that it survives.There have been controversial proposals to change the No.10 Bowling Alley in Bowthorpe into a mixed use alley with a hotel. A public inquiry has been confirmed for Wednesday 11 March at City Hall.

Antony Little, who is a councillor for Bowthorpe, has urged all local residents and users of the alley to contact him and make their views known.

Cllr Little said: “Many bowling groups are opposed to this change and I have to agree that this issue has gone on for far too long without any clear resolution. There needs to be an economic case made for the bowling alley to work otherwise this popular facility will shut completely.

“I will be attending the inquiry and would urge all residents and bowling groups to contact me so together we can make sure that this important local facility survives. However there is no reason whatsoever for there not to be a bowling facility for clubs and local people to enjoy at a reasonable price”

A leading Norwich councillor has accused the Government of dithering over the disruption of European gas supplies which would leave the UK dependent on imported gas and force British consumers to pay more.Councillor Antony Little, who is also the Conservative Parliamentary spokesman for Norwich South, made his comments after Russia cut its gas supplies to Ukraine following a dispute over unpaid bills.

Cllr Little said: “The disruption of European gas supplies as a result of the dispute between Russia and the Ukraine is unacceptable and very worrying. The Government has dithered for ten years, despite knowing that dwindling North Sea gas reserves would leave us increasingly dependent on imported gas.

“As a result Britain is one of the most vulnerable countries in Europe to the disruption of gas supplies. France has 122 days of gas storage capacity, Germany has ninety nine days, but Britain has just 15 days. And it is British consumers who pay the price because we are more exposed to volatile gas prices than our neighbours. The Government has totally neglected this issue and is effectively forcing the UK to be held to ransom over gas prices. “

A Norwich politician has urged the Government to take urgent action to help savers and pensioners from the effects of the economic downturn.Antony Little, Conservative Parliamentary spokesman for Norwich South, has called for income tax on savings for basic rate taxpayers to be abolished and wants the pensioners’ personal allowance to be raised by £2,000 to £11,490.

Mr Little, who is also a City Councillor for Bowthorpe ward, said: “Savers have been affected by the necessary reductions in interest rates whilst pensioners have suffered from a decade of Gordon Brown’s tax raids.

“As well as supporting pensioners and savers during this turbulent time of financial turmoil, the Conservatives will take further economic measures to help the victims of Gordon Brown’s recession.”

The Conservatives’ proposals include improving the flow of credit and saving jobs with a £50 billion National Loan Guarantee Scheme, freezing council tax for two years by cutting wasteful government spending, encouraging companies to hire again through a tax break for new jobs, reducing employment costs for small businesses by cutting National Insurance and helping them with cashflow by delaying VAT bills for six months.

Cllr Little said: “Labour’s tax and debt bombshells are taking Britain to the brink of bankruptcy. Their answer to the debt crisis is yet more borrowing. It is clear that the longer Labour is in power, the worse the economic situation will become.

“Only the Conservatives can make the long-term decisions to get the public finances back under control with the proposed National Loan Guarantee Scheme and an Office for Budget Responsibility which would ensure that no Labour Government could bankrupt the country again.”