Labour Party Candidates Pledge

Given the grim situation regarding MP’s expenses (not all of them) and the public’s justified reaction, the Labour Party has drawn up a “Candidates Pledge” which I have signed and returned by post today.

The Pledge reads, ” The Labour Party is a great movement for change, made up of people determined to serve the public interest and not their own”

As a Labour candidate:

* I seek elected office for the honour of serving the public and our democracy not for personal gain.

* If elected I will subscribe to high standards of integrity, transparency, accountability, and prudence with public money.

* Constituents will always come first and I will comply with the current and any new rules on outside earnings.

* I will publish online my full salary and parliamentary allowances.

* I believe it a duty to hold regular meetings, engagement events and surgeries with my community and constituents and will do so.

* I will communicate regularly with my electorate and will be available through email, telephone and other means to my constituents.

* I will regularly report back to my constituency party as well as to my constituents.

Renting or Buying?

As a mere mortal, may I raise a few questions about the allowances claimed by our MP St Richard of Wyre Forest? Firstly, why is there a need to claim for so many ink cartridges? For what purpose is the ink used – letters or leaflets?
Secondly, why is it that the saint’s office expenditure and running costs are so high?
Thirdly, it was reported in newspapers on at least three occasions that the saint rented a flat in London. It is now reported that he claims for a mortgage on a property. Which property exactly? Is it a mortgage or a rent situation or both?
Just for the record, I ask these questions, for which there are surely proper answers?

Support for Gordon Brown

Thursday 4th June was a very bad day for the Labour Party. We lost control of all our Labour held County Councils, twelve seats in Worcestershire (including mine) and now have three from fifty seven.
Let’s just refer to the “London effect” as being responsible for our downfall. The MP’s expenses scandal has cost us virtually everything,  and I do accept the voters decision. Labour is at its lowest point. Obviously at the moment, our Government is unpopular. All of our electoral losses are down to that, the same I guess, as when we were very popular between 1993 and 2005 when Labour people got elected to Local Authorities, the Commons, Europe etc.
I am not calling for Brown to go. Polly Toynbee, right wing Labour MP’s are not considering the consequences of ousting Brown. If  we had a new Leader, he or she would have to call a General Election shortly afterwards. We would probably lose. Our only chance is for Brown to clean up the Commons and assert the Government’s authority over the Banks and Finance system to ensure the economy is stabilised. We have just under one year left. Brown should take this lastopportunity to deliver on jobs, protect Public Services and introduce democracy into the NHS.

Worcestershire Acute NHS Foundation Trust

A meeting was held on 1st June for members in Kidderminster Town Hall. About 1700 people have signed up to join as members in Wyre Forest, the highest number in the six district areas in Worcestershire. We were told that the Worcestershire Acute Hospital Trust now has a total of 5,600 members in the county.

In my opinion, there are one or two problems in the undertaking.

Firstly, it’s not on that the newly elected non-paid Governors ( 3 in Wyre Forest) would not be able to attend all parts of the Director’s Board Trust meetings (with the possible acknowledged occasion regarding personnel or some aspects of absolute confidential business).
Secondly, whilst acknowledging that Government has set the rules and structure, it’s pretty clear that the Governors will play second-fiddle to the Directors. What is on offer is a half-way house at best, and at worst, a members-elected Council of Governors who could be incredibly frustrated by regulation strictures denying them opportunity to home in on particular local issues.
Like any set of rules, some seem in conflict with others. For instance, one would seem to deny the right to particularly advocate that a Radiotherpy Unit beplaced at Kidderminster Hospital. That could be considered “proscribed activity”. However, a later rule states that Governors can represent and advocate community causes and issues. Given that over 10,000 people have signed my Petition for a Radiotherpy Unit for Kidderminster Hospital, surely it could be deemed an appropriate community issue?
Finally, I want directly elected NHS Trust Non-Executive Directors. In 2000/2001, I ran a National Campaign to get that facility. About 70 Districts and other Councils in England and Wales signed up, across all Party Political control.
We can’t have this lack of NHS Democracy. The Labour Government has funded the NHS in a fantastic way since 1997. However, we now need democratic provision and accountability. I believe the public is way ahead of the status quo on this issue.

At last there will be light!

In response to my campaign to ensure Kidderminster Bus Station is properly lit and safe to enter at night, I have now been informed that the street lighting in the Bus Station will be working and switched on during late July or early August. There has been no lighting for passengers since the Bus Station was opened several years ago!

Pedestrian Crossing for Wolverley Road, Franche

Good news – I have received a letter from the Head of Integrated Transport, Worcestershire County Council stating that the Petition for a Pedestrian Crossing which I presented to full County Council, is likely to be succesful. The request, signed by over 600 people, fits in very well with the Council’s Walking Strategy, and a Crossing will be a great benefit to the public. The average speed along the road near St Barnabas Church is 33mph and between 8am and 4pm, 269 people crossed the road there, on one particular day. The Crossing will be considered for funding in the financial year 2010/2011.

School Meals

Our Labour Government is providing Worcestershire with £6.3 million of new money for school meals provision in our Primary Schools. The money helps our “Healthy Eating” campaign, and will encourage the take up of school meals across Wyre Forest. Kitchens will be improved in Primary Schools and in schools without kitchens. In rural areas for instance, improvements will be made to the delivery of meals from central kitchens, with new “hot food trolleys” and newequipment. This is very good news and will help deliver a healthy food environment for Wyre Forest Primary Schools, particularly as the new money is availableover 3 years, at the time of Labour’s new school building programme in Wyre Forest costing £180 million.

Social Housing and Pension Funds

At a recent Housing Seminar I attended it was suggested that Pension Funds could invest in Housing Associations and Housing Co-operatives to allieviate the national shortfall of social housing. For example, Worcestershire County Council’s Staff Pension Fund has assets of around £1billion. Investment professionals invest funds all around the world including such companies as Fanny Mae and Freddie Mac which made huge losses and were part of the problem resulting in Investment House and Bank closures in the US and UK which had to be bailed out by their Governments. These funds could be diverted in a more ethical way to provide the capital for increasing our much needed housing stock.Chasing the highest returns for short term profit in my view is not ethical, but investing in housing to provide decent accomodation for people is. We need a public debate about why Investment “experts” did not spot the Credit Crunch and the Bank Crisis, and why we might put Pension Fund money into local Housing Groups.

Kamikaze Juction

I met today (24th April) with a Senior Engineer from Worcestershire County Council to look at and sort out the confusing road signs and pedestrian crossing signals at the Crossley Park Juction. In particular, the white arrow road signs telling drivers to turn right in the lane coming down from the Bewdley Road Traffic Island when it is the lane to go straight across into the town centre.  I have received correspondance from several people since I raised this issue who agree with me that it is potentially dangerous, particularly for drivers new to the area. I am told that they have witnessed many near accidents, and that it is sheer luck that there hasn’t been a very serious one so far. I believe  that  it can be made safer with improved signage and that we shouldn’t wait for a serious accident to happen before action is taken to improve it.  Even the arrow on the green traffic light indicates to turn right, when it should be giving the signal to go straight ahead. The other problem highlighted to me is that pedestrians crossing at this juction go to cross the road when the “green man” comes up and yet cars are still driving on the road!! You really do have to have your wits about you at Kamikaze Juction!!

Mill Street Pedestrian Underpass

The issue of flooding in the Mill Street Underpass whenever it rains heavily has caused inconvenience and frustration to pedestrians ever since it was built. This underpass is very busy and a main walk way into Kidderminster for pedestrians. I have raised this matter several times with Senior Engineers at Worcestershire County Council and today (24th April) I raised it with them again on site. I discounted the suggestion made by the Engineers to have a permanent metal walkway costing £15,000  because I believe it would be not have been acceptable and too narrow for pedestrians. The only alternative in my view is to have a drain to take the water away 50 yards into the River Stour. This option will cost twice as much, but will be the best option. The Engineers promised to come back to me with a solution!!