Steve Says:
I’m British, Male, Conservative, A Games Designer and Player, An Entrepreneur, A Christian, A Husband, A Father, A Martial Artist, A Bodybuilder an ex-County Councillor and a Town Councillor. Not necessarily in that order.
I’m in my late Forties. There’s no getting around it. At the minute the clocked ticked past midnight on September 29th 2008 I slid out of my third decade and quietly into my fourth. And you know what? I like it. It feels great to be over forty. I don’t know what all the fuss is about. In the immortal words of James Brown: “I feel good!”
I live on the Planet Earth, In the continent of Europe (not ruled by it), in the United Kindom, In England, In the County Of Cambridgeshire, In Wisbech: the Capital of the Fens. I hope that’s not too much detail. But if it is, let’s face it, I didn’t force you to read it…
My Family
My wife Marie Tierney is in teaching, an artist, a history buff, and a self-confessed geek. If anybody out there is currently thinking of marrying an attractive, intelligent, sassy woman can I just say (unless you are of a nervous disposition) that I highly recommend it!
My son, Joe, is eight years old. He’s a mass of energy and excitement. If you’ve got, or have ever had, a young child then you know what I mean! Being a Dad is just about the best thing I’ve ever done in my life. It’s also the most tiring!!!
My Mum (Brenda) and Stepfather (Tony) live in Leverington, Cambridgeshire. My Dad (John) and Stepmother (Shirley) live in Hemel Hempstead, Herts. I have two Brothers; Alan and Dan. Dan and his wife Gemma live in Manea, Cambridgeshire. Alan and his wife Candy live in Hertfordshire with their first child (my first Niece) Eva. She’s cool!
Music & Drama
I’m a hobby guitarist and singer, enjoying karaoke, songwriting and jamming with other musicians (when the chance arises.) I mess about a bit on the keyboard too. I’m not particularly good at any of these, but I do enjoy having a go. I’m also a member of the Leverington Amateur Dramatic Society (L.A.D.S.) who put on occasional plays and performances each year around and about the area.
Martial Arts
I have a black sash and an instructors qualification in a style of Kung Fu called Fut Gar, which means ‘Monks Family’. I used to teach a couple of decades ago, but these days I just practice for personal fitness and pleasure. I also have an honourary Brown Belt in Shotokan Karate and I have been a competitive Kickboxer back in the days before everything was MMA.
Games
I’m a gamer. There. I’ve said it. It’s out of the box. What is a gamer? it’s a person who enjoys playing many different types of games. Recently, young people who enjoy Video Games have tried to steal the term for themselves, but frankly, that’s not what a real gamer is. A real gamer likes many different types of games. Board games. Card games. Computer games. Roleplaying Games. Murder Mystery Games. You get the idea. If this sounds just plain stupid to you then forget I mentioned it. On the other hand, If you like the sound of it then you might want to check out the scene at BoardGameGeek. Or even at Madhouse.
Local Politics
I am a town councillor representing the Wisbech Medworth ward. I’m also the branch chairman of Wisbech Medworth & Peckover Conservatives,. I have been a political activist for most of my life.
Blogger
I’ve been blogging for several years now and am proud to have won several national awards. Blogging isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but it’s a fun way to have a bit of a rant and to encourage people to debate the different issues that crop up.
Steve, Steve & Graham
Steve with Steve Barclay MP and Sir Graham Bright ex-PCC.
Political Stuff
While I was still a county councillor I was cabinet member for Health & Wellbeing and I was proud to be the first ever chairman of Cambridgeshire’s Health & Wellbeing Board. As the chairman of the Health & Wellbeing Board, I was both honoured and humbled to be nominally responsible for the health and wellbeing of the entire county – more than half a million people! Luckily – I was supported by an incredible team of officers and colleagues. It was an exciting time.
Locally, I am a founder member of the Newton Street Pride and Leverington Street Pride groups. I have also volunteered with Wisbech Street Pride. I’m a regular volunteer at many local events and organisations and I also do discos for free for local causes and charities.
Leverington Street Pride
I was previously chairman of the Bowthorpe Association (a charity that helps and supports people suffering from mental illness) for several years and was a trustee and member of the Newton Village Hall Committee and I still am a trustee on the Leverington Village Hall Committee.
My Politics
I prefer logical and careful policy consideration to emotional rollercoasters and believe that good manners and civility are better than cynicism, nastiness and negativity – but I am perfectly capable of responding robustly when cheap political shots are taken at me by the opposition. Or by the press. Or by the press in support of the opposition. All of which are entirely common.
I hate bullies, in all their forms. Whether they are racists, “anti-fascists” or just people who enjoy putting others down.
I am a Christian. I don’t talk about it very much because I believes people’s faith is their business and nobody else’s.
Some Policy Positions
I am broadly a supporter of small state, low tax solutions – but I value traditional institutions, British cultural norms and heritage as worthy of protection. I like the term: “Freedom – with a conscience” as a description of how these ideals fit together.
I believe in a social safety net, but I feel that it should be just that – a safety net. Not a career option and definitely not something to be given to people who earn ten times as much as the genuinely poor and disadvantaged. There would be so many more resources available for the genuinely in-need, the disabled, the young and the elderly if we could get back to that.
I have a deep and abiding faith in the power of free markets to create greater prosperity and happiness for all. I note that corporatism and crony capitalism are not free markets – and I suggest that a fair number of our economic problems actually arise from state interference in markets.
I think adults should generally be allowed to get on with their lives without state interference if they are choosing to do things which harm nobody else and infringe nobody’s own liberties.
I think people who make stuff, grow stuff, invent stuff, add value to stuff, sell stuff and find amazing new ways to use stuff are heroes and should be recognised as such.
I have no problem with huge companies and think they bring great benefits to us all – but I also think that trade protectionism and corporatism have led to an imbalance and bias against smaller firms. I support reasonable methods to redress the imbalance where they arise – particularly via taxation and deregulation.
I am very sceptical about Anthropogenic Global Warming and I’m not afraid to say so. I try to keep an open mind, but worry that politics and science have mixed in a way that is not healthy on the issue. I would like to see a bit more balance in the discussion. I recommend this website for those who’d like to think outside the box. I don’t earn royalties for any of these suggestions. : )
I voted to LEAVE the EU and I want to see a clean Brexit.
Contact Me:
Phone: 07831 616127
Address: 6 Alexandra Road, Wisbech. PE13 1HQ.
Email: cllr@stevetierney.org
Other Website: http://www.romanbankandpeckover.co.uk
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Think I just about agree with everything you said above Steve. Who would know there’s 9 years between us. Well said you. Xx
Moderator (Steve Tierney)’s Response:
Thanks, cuz. And thanks for taking the time to read!
I understand that the Wisbech selective licensing scheme is being presented at the next council meetings
As a concerned Wisbech landlord I wonder if you would be good enough to question FDC on why :
There is no discount for accredited landlords in the proposal, especially when peterborough council and others are offering a hugely reduced discount,
Why haven’t FDC written to local Landlords about this? I found out about whilst I was walking through the market place and saw their bus,
Why do they need to introduce this scheme when I thought the operation pheasant was tackling rogue landlords anyway
Why are good landlords being punished when others who don’t care about their tenants are not being prosecuted. That said how many landlords have FDC prosecuted over the past 10 years and if it’s none why do they now feel the need to licence us ?
I’d be grateful if you could ask FDC this on my behalf as a concerned good Wisbech landlord
Thank you
Michael, Thanks for your comment. Before I try and answer your questions I’d like to once again make clear that I am opposed to this scheme, which I think is poorly-designed, ill-considered and will not do what it claims it will do, but will instead exacerbate problems. I am sure other Councillors will ask the question about why a discount hasn’t been offered, but it’s a question I would like to avoid. The reason is that I just don’t think the policy is good, and the reduced rate offered in Peterborough seems, to me, to be little more than trade protectionism. Ie – buying support from larger and agency Landlords at the expense of forcing smaller Landlords out of the market. In regards to writing to Landlords – they have written to all households in Wisbech I think. Of course, that doesn’t help unless the tenants give the letter to their Landlords, which many do not. They will say they cannot write to all Landlords, since they don’t know where they all are, and they will then cite this as a supportive reason for introducing the License Policy. Your question about Operation Pheasant is an interesting one. From my point of view, Operation Pheasant has been a little like a fireworks display. It’s gathered a lot of attention, it looks pretty, and it makes a lot of noise and sound. But the end result is questionable given the actual level of prosecutions and successful convictions. Your comments about punishing good Landlords is one I agree with and I will certainly be challenging this policy to the bitter end. However, to date I am sorry to say that only three Councillors have challenged this policy. Myself, Jan French, and another Councillor who has been silenced with threats of legal action. I urge Landlords and Tenants to make their voices heard because I cannot make them rethink this policy alone, and presently there is precious little opposition to it. UKIP, The Independent Bucknors and the Lib Dems all appear to be lining up to support it, as do most of my Conservative colleagues.
Dear Steve.
Thanks for replying to my post.
I have to say that I find it scary that the majority of your colleagues could agree to support such an ill conceived, badly constructed policy as this. How this is even possible considering the majority are Conservative and should by their very nature be against additional business taxation and regulation is another mystery.
As you suggested, I have contacted a number of associates to get them have their views on the licence scheme via the Fenland website. I just hope enough vote to sway minds.
That said, I appreciate your efforts in challenging this scheme and hope that sense prevails at the end of it.
Keep up the good work Steve.
Regards.
Michael.
Michael,
May I just say that I share your frustration and puzzlement. Elsewhere in the country it is mostly left-wing Councils doing this and Conservatives opposing it as a “Tenants Tax.” Why our Council have flipped this and done the opposite, is a mystery to me. You’d have to ask them, I’m afraid, as I just don’t get it.
Steve