New Year Message – 2009

May I take this opportunity to wish everyone in Wyre Forest a very Happy New Year  in 2009. I know it will be a very tough year for everyone as the “credit crunch” takes hold. It seems likely there will be job lay offs and alot of pressure put upon householders as we go through a world wide recession. Energy prices, food prices and domestic household bills have risen over the last year, but changes have begun to take place. Petrol prices have been reduced and gas and electric costs should come down. However, OPEC and some other oil producers want to cut oil production to keep prices high, so there is a tension on the global energy market.
There has been a fall in house prices and the housing market could continue to see price reductions. However, our Labour Government has taken decisive action in these sectors of the economy, taking control of several banks to protect the public interest on a short to medium term basis. Industry will also receive help where necessary and a sustainable case for future success can be made.
Labour believes in major investment into Public Services. This has been demonstrated since 1997 and the policy will continue. It’s very good news that Government is financing the rebuilding of every school in Wyre Forest (or major refurbishment). I am delighted also that new money is going into the NHS in Wyre Forest and Kidderminster Hospital.
On the political front, we have elections to the European Parliament and Worcestershire County Council on 4th June. In Wyre Forest, we shall be looking to take extra seats for Labour at County Hall and I look forward to that. It’s possible that a General Election could be called in 2009, but Gordon Brown will put the interests of the British people first before dissolving Parliament. In Wyre Forest we are ready!

I look forward to Barak Obama becoming President of the United States of America. World wide problems need the USA to take socially and politically progressive policies. World peace will not happen without the active players working for it. How can it be tolerated that millions in the world are starving and dying from curable diseases which could be eradicated if resources and medicines were given to those who suffer? My own meagre efforts are small. I am happy to continue as a hospital visitor for as long as it is helpful.
In conclusion, may I reiterate how proud I am to be Labour’s Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Wyre Forest. I look forward to meeting many more local people in 2009, and many more community and voluntary groups who do so much for our community. Wyre Forest is a great place to live in. The coming year will be a difficult one in many ways, but we shall come through it stronger. We mustn’t let doom-mongers talk us down or divide us. Britain will succeed as a democratic leader in the battle against the global economic downturn. Our local democracy and social institutions are strong and we may draw confidence from the fact that our Labour Government will put our people first before the interests of global capitalism. I remain a democratic socialist and my philosophy has always helped show me the way forward.  Our Prime Minister Gordon Brown shares these values, as does the Labour Party.
Happy New Year for 2009 – People Before Profit, Support the NHS, we work for social justice! Your active support and help in achieving these goals would be greatly appreciated!

Worcestershire County Council – decision to adopt Leader and Cabinet instead of elected Mayor!

Up-date on Worcestershire County Council  -  at an Extraordinary Council Meeting  of  WCC  held on 18th December members voted to adopt the Leader and Cabinet style rather than have an elected Mayor. As I pointed out to Council, we already have eleven Mayor’s in the County! In the District – County system we currently have within Worcestershire another Mayor would not be tenable!

There was a public consultation period in which only 18 respondents took part. This non-debate did not capture the public’s imagination! I did point out that personally I liked the idea of elected Police Chiefs (dropped from a Government Bill that same day) elected Chief Executives of Local Authorities and elected Health Authority Chiefs!
Not so much a case as politicizing the Police, Local Government and the NHS  – these services are already political!  In  America and Germany many such chiefs are directly elected. Kidderminster ’s Twin Town of Husum has an elected Chief Executive!

West Midland Safari Park – gaping hole in security fence!

The Kidderminster Shuttle covered my story this week concerning the gaping hole in the security fence at the West Midland Safari Park in Bewdley. The newspaper came out on Thursday 18th December and I saw two men repairing the fence on Friday! In this case then, a local politician and a local newspaper got something fixed at a local level!

The Queen’s Speech

Against the background of the Global Credit Crunch and down turn in the Global Economy, Alastair Darling’s Pre-Budget Statement set the Government’s approach to helping the British economy and the welfare of the British people. Indeed, £118 billion is to be put into our economy to ensure jobs, investment, increases in public service expenditure including hospitals and schools.
Yesterdays Queen’s Speech gave further help to our economy and welfare of our people. The NHS is to get a Constitution, further improving the rights of patients and NHS staff. It will briefly provide the universal right to approved treatments and an end to the “postcode health lottery”, increased choice for patients on where and when they receive treatment.

Benefits  – one million people will be removed from Incapacity Benefit and given help and training to get back into work. Lone parents will be given more help for job training and work.

Citizenship – new obligations abourt earning the right to stay, applicants committing crimes less likely to become citizens.

Local Government – councils obligations to promote democracy and act on resident’s concerns, encouragement to vote (maybe incentives  – prize draw tickets). A duty to act on Petitions.

Schools – more power to search pupils for drugs, stolen property, weapons etc. More Government action on failing schools to ensure standards are raised, more work based apprenticeships giving all young people a place, if required. Local Authorities to control all education funding for 16 -18 year olds.

Small Savers – Government to give 50p for every £1 saved up to £300 for those on benefits.

Child Poverty – legally binding Bill to ensure an end to Child Poverty (2.8 million children)

Right to Roam – access to all English coastlines and new marine conservation areas.

In conclusion, the Queen’s Speech seeks to build on 11 years of this Labour Governments achievements, strengthening the NHS, schools and local democracy. Government’s committment to ensuring benefits are properly paid to the right people should mean more people are, in the future, able to benefit from being in employment, earning a wage and paying tax themselves. Our obligation to help those in need, the sick, disabled and elderly, is paramount.
What is surely not acceptable is to allow those who are able to work and contribute to their own and society’s welfare, to spend their lives on benefit without being actively engaged as democratic citizens.

Pre-Budget Statement

Good news from Alastair Darling – the pre-budget statement really did set out the difference between us and the Tories, and also put people’s interest before that of financial speculators and those who would have refused to have taken positive action to protect jobs and Public Services – the Tories and Lib Dems!

Help was also given to pensioners, families and businesses, and VAT was reduced to 15%. Nigel says, “The down turn in the Global Economy has affected us in Wyre Forest. However, Government action has been decisive. Real help has been given to the unemployed, working families, the elderly and small businesses. Labour remains committed to major investment into Public Services throughout the UK and within Wyre Forest. Labour will continue to invest in the local NHS, local schools, local police, housing and Kidderminster Hospital”.

“The Tories and Lib Dems have not supported Labour’s common sense approach. We remember the Tories 3 million on the dole, inflation at 10% and interest rates at 15%. The Tories talk down our economy and talk down our country. They want the Government to fail. Labour will not let you down. What is the local MP’s contribution to Labour’s investment? Why not ask him?

Other positives for the economy and the British people -  Bank lenders to delay home re-possessions for 3 months, a £60 one – off payment for pensioners, income tax allowance up to £145, helping 22 million paying basic ratetax payers, new 45%  tax rate  for those earnings over £150,000, Child Benefit uo to £20 a week and Child Tax Credit increased by £75 a year, £3 billion for schools, roads, and energy efficiency. Government borrowing to rise to £118 billion to stabalize and reflate the economy and investment in Public Services, small businesses allowed to spread their tax payments, £1billion to lend to small businesses,  Pension Credit up £6 to £130 a week for single and £198 for couples, pensions increased £95.25 for single people (Winter Fuel Payment up to £400 a year including £120 for over 60’s”).

Petition signatures must count

I believe the headline “End of the road for birth centre” in last week’s Shuttle, is misleading, given the quote by Paul Bates, chief executive of Worcestershire Primary Care.

He said: “The strategy does not name a preferred location (for a midwifery-led unit) but this could potentially be located in Kidderminster, Redditch, or Bromsgrove … we expect to decide towards the end of 2010.”

I have collected over 10,000 signatures for a birth unit at Kidderminster Hospital, as well as a radiotherapy unit and palliative care bed unit.

Those signatures actually mean something. I also have the support of the local representative of the National Childbirth Trust who sees a need to provide a local birth unit at Kidderminster.

Over 1,000 Wyre Forest women a year have to travel to Worcestershire Royal Hospital to have their babies delivered! The NHS bosses really should recognise the need for birth, radiotherapy, and palliative care facilities at Kidderminster.

Next year, the Acute Hospitals Trust is likely to be given Foundation Trust Status and four members will be elected as non-paid governors to represent the Wyre Forest area.

Only people who have joined as members are eligible to vote for these four governor places.

I shall attempt to get elected, but whatever happens, I shall continue to make the case for more services.

Letter sent to Kidderminster Shuttle 1st December 2008

NIGEL KNOWLES Prospective Parliamentary Labour Candidate for Wyre Forest, Welch Gate, Bewdley

Barnabee’s Nursery

We need a Pelican Crossing by the Barnabee’s Nursery on Wolverley Road, Franche. Urgent action is required to provide a safe pedestrian crossing now! The owners of the Nursery say that this road is dangerous because of speeding traffic and the preferred solution is a Pelican Crossing.
Nigel say’s, “I have presented a petition signed by 625 people calling for the Pelican Crossing to the Chairman of the County Council at full Council on 20th November. The safety of our children is paramount, and many children have to cross the road with their parents to get to Barnabee’s Nursery. Accident Prevention is what we are all about, and a Pelican Crossing is definately required here”.