Pensioners & Families are Better Off in Wyre Forest under Labour

For the first time in history, workers, pensioners and families have a minimum guaranteed income through Working Tax Credits and Pension Credits.

In the Wyre Forest District 4525,  pensioner households receive pension credits to boost their income, thanks to Labour. That’s 22% of pensioner households in the area.  

In Wyre Forest 8,700 working families receive Working Tax Credits to boost their incomes.

Source:DWP

You can’t afford to Vote Conservative

The Tories opposed the Working Tax Credits and Pension Credits and have made no commitment to maintain them 

The Tories opposed Labour’s Winter Fuel Allowance for Pensioners

Tory Shadow Chancellor  George Osbourne has promised that a Tory Government will introduce £21 billion of tax cuts. That means:
less nurses and doctors in Wyre Forest
less police in Wyre Forest
fewer teachers in Wyre Forest
less money for public transport in Wyre Forest
less money for environmental work in Wyre Forest

“There will be no limits to privatisation in the NHS under the Tories.”

George Osbourne MP, Tory Shadow Chancellor

A Huge improvement in Wyre Forest health services under Labour

NHS 2005/6  -Wyre Forest

£ 26 million ordered to be spent by Labour’s Health Minister John Hutton to be spent on  the Kidderminster Treatment Centre
1,800 New medical operation procedures to be carried out annually at Kidderminster, including orthopaedics and joint replacements
All Patients referred to IS-TC will be assessed and treated within 13 weeks

Wyre Forest NHS Services – At risk from the Tories

The downgrading of Kidderminster Hospital was first proposed by
 a  Tory Government !!!

The Tories’ £21 Billion Tax Cuts will Impact on your NHS!

YOU CAN’T AFFORD TO VOTE CONSERVATIVE

A huge improvement in Education under Labour

Wyre Forest Educational Achievements 

% of Wyre Forest Pupils achieving level 5 in Literacy  at Key Stage 3

1997  2005

 57%   75%       

% of Wyre Forest Pupils achieving level 5 in Mathematics at Key Stage3

1997   2005
 
 60%    73%

A huge improvement under Labour

College Students and Staff should not be Fooled by the Tories

Yet another Tory shadow minister, this time Alan Duncan, has visited Kidderminster College. The sudden concern of the Tories for Further Education Colleges is sickening. The last Tory government presided over a disaster for Further and Adult Education.

There were severe cutbacks in funding, large scale job losses in the Further Education sector and casualisation of employment for part-time lecturers.

Many of the hideous Tory “reforms” of the 1980s were pioneered by the Tories on Worcestershire County Council. It is somewhat galling to note that Mark Garnier is a Governor at Kidderminster College. When Mark Garnier and the rest of the public-school educated Tories are defeated at the next general election, I’m sure that their feigned concern for further education colleges will quickly fade.

I hope that the Kidderminster College students and college staff were not fooled by any promises that Alan Duncan, a real man of further education, (not!)  may have made. We are still awaiting any meaningful policy statements on education from the Tories.

Budget 2007

Good news from Gordon – increased spending on public services (which the Tories vote against), increases in education spending, reforms to the tax system to reward work, supporting families with children, takes 600,000 pensioners out of income tax.
* Basic Tax Rate cut from 22% to 20% April 2008 with 10pence start rate removed.
* Corporate Tax cut from 30% to 28% from April 2008.
* Energy efficiency – tackle climate change; increased fuel duty from October 2007 and increase Excise Duty on “gas guzzlers” and cutting Duty for less polluting vehicles.
* Extending Financial Assistance £2 Billion to £8 Billion for 125,000 workers, checking how Govt can further support affected pensions.
* UK economy stable and growing and 2.5 million Child Trust Funds now open, helping children and working families.
*Education spending £90 Billion by 2010-11 and spending increase from 4%to7% of GDP in 1997 to 5.6% of GDP.
* Health and NHS spending 1997 -£34 Billion, 2007 £92 Billion, Waiting Lists 1997 -1,150,000, 2007 – 720,000. Total NHS Staff -1997 – 1,030,000, 2007 – 1,330,000, Nurses and Midwives 1997 – 320,000, 2007 – 398,000, Doctors – 1997 – 102,000, 2007 – 127,000.

REMEMBER
3 Million on the Dole under the Tories, economic Boom and Bust, Black Wednesday, Thatcher, Lamont and Cameron.
Interest Rates 15%, Inflation 20% DON’T TRUST THE TORIES

WINNING WYRE FOREST FOR LABOUR

British Sugar site

currently owned, we believe, by a finance group. County Councillor Paul Mills and I have made the case at County Hall for the involvement of County and District Councils in the development of this site, with Advantage West Midlands. We would like high-tech jobs and the development of a Technology Park. Kidderminster deserves such an opportunity.

Wyre Forest unemployment

The Wyre Forest unemployment rate stands at 2.7% of the workforce, some 919 people. This percentage represents a virtual full employment situation, a major success for our local economy and the economic policies of our Labour Government.

Community Transport in Wyre Forest

I am actively engaged in trying to secure permanent funding for Dial-a-Ride and other local organisations. I have written to the Primary Care Trust asking them to re-instate the funding for buses to and from our County Hospitals, particularly to Redditch and Worcester from Kidderminster. I believe I may have identified a funding source. No promises, but watch this space!