RT @worcesternews: County council chiefs drop £20m bombshell: MORE cuts are on the way at Worcestershire County Council with bosses... h ... 6 hours ago
Coalition of Tories & Liberals continue to uphold lack of Scrutiny and democratic deficit on Wyre Forest District Cou… wp.me/p3OcB-YU6 hours ago
RT @johnprescott: YouGov poll tonight gives Labour a 14-point lead, biggest in a decade. LAB 45%, CON 31%, UKIP 8%, LDEM 7% #SaveDave2 days ago
RT @Hephaestus7: London Paralympic Games to be cancelled after Atos Healthcare's disability descriptors define participating athletes as ... 2 days ago
RT @JackDromeyMP: Tory refrain - make it easier to sack workers and economy will grow. Funny, dealt with thousands of employers. Not one ... 2 days ago
Mark Garnier MP @Mark4WyreForest says fuel prices now lower < not much evidence - £1.46.9 in Wyre Forest, £141.9 for Diesel in Stourbridge 2 days ago
At a Wyre Forest District Council Group Leaders’ meeting on Tuesday 15th May, it became clear that the Liberals would support the Conservatives in continuing to restrict the Scrutiny process to one committee. Undoubtedly, the quid pro quo will be the chairmanship of that committee remaining with the Liberals, despite the fact that they are the council’s smallest political group.
“Scrutiny” is a fundamental part of the way in which decisions are taken on Wyre Forest District Council. It has the important powers of holding the council’s Cabinet to account and investigating issues outside the remit of services directly provided by the council. Predominantly, however, its role has been to consider issues of policy and make recommendations about them to Cabinet. The restriction of Scrutiny to one committee has meant that only fifteen of the thirty-seven eligible councillors are able to cast a vote in shaping policy, (the five Cabinet members are ineligible). The exclusion of twenty-two councillors is a clear democratic deficit.
Moreover, channelling all Scrutiny business through one committee has overloaded it, such that it cannot give the time often-complex issues deserve for consideration. For example, last November’s meeting was asked to deal with eleven items, which included two major Forward Planning reports, Homelessness and Housing Advice contractual arrangements, Envronmental Health enforcement policies, the future structure of Community Safety Partnerships, recommendations on Waste and Recycling collection methods, and Housing Benefit reform. A conscientious committee member would have had to read at least four hundred pages of reports, in order to have been prepared for the meeting. It seems obvious to Labour that two fifteen-member committees would have coped with this burden of business better than one.
Furthermore, the scope for improvement of the Scrutiny function under the current system is non-existent. At the Group Leaders’ meeting, the operation of this process by Worcestershire County Council was praised, because it manages to examine the work of partner agencies. There is simply no time at the district council to exercise this duty, even though it is expected by legislation.
Therefore, although a Lib/Con alliance will guarantee a majority for the status quo when Council meets on 23rd May, as a point of principle, the Labour Group will argue for greater councillor participation in the Srutiny process. In so doing, it will be proposing a stronger voice for democracy.
Having only done one doorknocking session in Broadwaters during the local election campaign, I feel less than qualified to comment on the Wyre Forest results. I have, however, tried to keep up to date on the campaign and have looked closely at the results.
Across the district we saw the strange beast of electoral politics that is Independent Community Health Concern top the polls, gaining three seats with 31% of the vote. Labour continued its upward trajectory gaining two seats and polling 10pts higher than when the same seats were up for election in 2008. For the Tories it was a dismal night, their vote share fell 8pts on last year (down 12pts since 2008) leading to the loss of four seats and their majority on the council chamber. However, the Tories are able to retain control of the council; needing just one vote to get business passed, which will likely be provided by the Liberal-Independent group.
Whilst many had predicted Dr Taylor’s defeat two years ago would see Health Concern finished within a few years, the party received over 800 more votes than last year despite a massive drop in turnout. This time last year ICHC had lost three councillors, but like the Hydra of Greek mythology it seems they have sprouted more heads where others were cut off. However, their performance was not consistent with their support static, and even dropping slightly, in some wards. It is intriguing as to why Health Concern were the big winners from the collapse in the Conservative vote. It can perhaps be attributed to an anti-Westminster/anti-politics sentiment or perhaps that the Labour party has yet to fully regain voters trust, especially in Wyre Forest.
That being said, Labour will not be disappointed with their showing, having picked up two seats and held one. The biggest upset for the party will be the loss of Mumshad Ahmed in Broadwaters who defected to the party last year, after being elected as a Conservative in 2008 and then sitting as an independent. Interestingly, Mumshad Ahmed’s personal vote stayed largely the same, down less than half a percentage point, and Labour’s vote share was up a staggering 25pts on the 2008 result. It was, however, a more modest increase in vote share for Health Concern from an already strong base in Broadwaters that allowed them to edge ahead of Mr Ahmed.
Nigel Knowles will no doubt be overjoyed by his victory in Franche which saw Labour surge from 14% in 2008 to 34% and the Tories vote share plummet by 30pts. The Oldington and Foley Park result saw Labour’s Sam Arnold lose by just 6 votes to the Conservatives, a marked improvement on their position four years ago where Labour came last with just 14% of the vote to the Tory’s 50%. Labour will also be pleased with the Greenhill result which sees a remarkable turn around in their fortunes in the ward moving from a 8% vote share that left them trailing in last place in 2008, to a strong second place with over a quarter of votes cast. All of this stands the party in good stead to continue to make gains in the district, after a difficult period following the creation of Health Concern.
Losing half of their councillors up for re-election, the results are a massive blow for the Conservatives, whose council group now falls one short of an overall majority. Even in safe wards such as Sutton Park, their vote collapsed by 18pts compared with the same election four years ago. Their vote share was down in every single ward, with their best result being a fall of one percentage point in Bewdley and Arley. Overall their vote share is down 12pts from when these seats were last up for election and continues a trend of decreasing Conservative fortunes of recent years and it seems likely they will continue to make losses.
After a substantial period of Tory dominance, it will be interesting to see which party (or parties) are able to take the lead in Wyre Forest. Any arrangement between ICHC and Labour would be unlikely. Not least because Health Concern was formed as an anti-Labour party, but also because, in spite of their left wing appearance, ICHC’s councillors often have much in common with local Conservatives and on occasion are even further to the right. We need only look to Cllr Nigel Thomas, leader of ICHC, and his attempts to link criminal activity to the gypsy and traveller community in Wyre Forest, which even Tory leader Cllr Campion condemned as “both racist and discriminatory”. Moreover, a deal between ICHC and either Labour or the Tories will see them lose their ‘outsider’, anti-politics appearance, which would surely hit them at the ballot box.
With Labour currently 13 councillors short of a majority it seems unlikely, if not impossible, that they will be able to surge into control of the council at the next local elections in 2014. The cosy relationship that has developed between the Tories and the Liberal-Independent group affords Campion & Co a six seat buffer zone against any loses next time round and this could allow them to cling on to control. Just two percentage points above Labour in this election, the Tories could see themselves slip into third place if Labour continue to gain ground. For Labour to make real progress they will need to become more adept at fending off ICHC, which has proven a difficult task so far.
You can say many things about Wyre Forest politics, but it is certainly never boring. With unknown quantities and volatile elements, it is very hard to know what results the next polling day will bring.
After a drubbing in last week’s local elections, and with millions of people unemployed, we might have expected this Government to come up with some ideas to get people back into work.
But instead, in the Queen’s Speech, the Tories and Lib Dems have put forward a collection of policies to make it easier for employers to sack people.
Will you sign our letter to David Cameron and Vince Cable telling them they’ve got it wrong?
Cameron said he was listening. But the announcement shows he’s not listening to the concerns of ordinary people.
They’ve already sneaked changes through a Parliamentary Committee which mean people have no legal protection against unfair dismissal until they’ve been with an employer for two whole years. That’s millions of people at risk of being put out of work out of the blue – they can be sacked on dodgy grounds with no redundancy pay, no compensation, nothing.
And now they’re announcing plans to make it even harder for employees to go to an Employment Tribunal if they think they’ve been treated unfairly at work – with threats of more hoops to jump through, higher fees to pay, and the removal of trade union representatives on tribunal panels.
Making jobs less secure is not a path out of the recession. We need people in good, secure jobs, spending in the local economy – not more people on the dole, and millions more saving instead of spending, as they are worried about whether their job is safe.
Sign our letter to Cameron and Cable and let them know we need a plan to create jobs, not more ways to put people out of work.
Tory MP Mark Garnier @mark4wyreforest Votes against Labour motion to keep caravans VAT free then sends out “no to caravan Tax” Petition.
If Mark had voted against the Caravan Tax in the first place he would have a lot more credibility in Wyre Forest. It’s not that Mark has had a change of heart.He follows the Tory Whip in Parliament – then says something different in the Constituency.
The motion was proposed by Labour MP Diana Johnson. ‘No new Order shall be made under section 30(4) or 31(2) of the Value Added Tax Act 1994 which amends the Act to apply to holiday caravans that are currently zero rated.’
Hansard lists Mark as one of the MPs who voted against this motion.
So, in the interests of accuracy and clarity Mark did vote against keeping caravans VAT free.
Following the Wyre Forest District Council election on Thursday the Tories have lost overall Control, Of the 42 seats the
Conservatives now have twenty, down four, Labour and ICHC both have eight, Liberal four and Independent two.
For Labour Jamie Shaw retained the seat in Areley Kings, Barry McFarland and Nigel Knowles gained seats in Habberley & Blakebrook and Franche. Mumshad Ahmed lost to ICHC in Broadwaters but remains a Worcester County Councillor.
Hello, I live in the Sutton Park area and have received a leaflet from Lyn Hyde, she says she is standing for this election because of the destruction of Kidderminster.
Something has to be done about this town, once a thriving carpet town which has been totally ruined by councillors since the 1980′s. People you talk to say they would never go into town at night because it is dead, most local people who like a drink or meal travel to Bewdley (myself included). You always hear people knock the town and although myself and my husband weren’t born here we have lived here since the 1960′s and always try to defend it but it is getting harder to do because it hasn’t a lot going for it.
The first thing most people in Kidderminster seem to pray for it the destruction of Crown House, many beautiful old buildings have been destroyed but this one remains standing, the reason no-one seems to know. It is dirty, ugly and a blot on the landscape. There are plenty of empty buildings the Post Office could use, send them up to Worcester Street, it will make people have to go up there and perhaps that end of town could be regenerated. It would be nice to see a paved town square where Crown House stands with seating and pots of flowers, etc.
If this was a pledge by the Labour party for this to be done in the next 5 years they would definetely get my vote.
Thanks. I hope you will take my views into account
Reasons not to vote Coalition at the local elections
Why are local elections so important?
Its simple really, a vast majority of what goes on in your daily lives are controlled not in whitehall, but in your local town hall. Oh yes the laws are made in Whitehall, but the real influence over our lives sits in your local town and county councils, as they spend a large proportion of the taxes we give to government.
However when you get a government who resolutely decides NOT to listen to anyone when they are implementing their plans, local elections become the target of disaffection, and the only way that we as citizens can tell the government we are not happy about how they are governing us.
So if you look back over just the last 2 years lets just remember a few things:
1. The Conservatives did not win the election
2. The Coalition agreement was not voted on by the people
3. The NHS reforms were not in the agreement or any manifesto’s
4. The Government just does not listen to any dissent against their policies, the “Carry on regardless”
5. Tuition fees and the scrapping of EMA
6. Trying to sell of the Forests
7. The approval of HS2 despite overwhelming evidence that it is a totally flawed project.
8. Cutting the Deficit, they are borrowing £150 billion more than Labour Would have done.
9. Growth in the UK flat for two years we teeter on the brink of another recession.
10. Genuine Disabled Sick and terminally ill people being forced to look for work against their doctors orders.
11. Unemployment at a 17 year high
12. Youth unemployment at an all time high and rising
13. ALL schools will be forced to become academies
14. Legal aid to be harder to get
15. Proposals to snoop on our personal emails and social networks
16. £40,000 tax breaks for the richest in society
17. Bankers who earn over £5 million to get a £240,000 bonus tax break
18. The Pastie tax
19. The Granny Tax
20. Employers getting rights to make it easier to sack us when ever they want to
21. Disabled Living allowance cut for hundreds of thousands of the most vulnerable
22. Gas and Electricity bills at an all time high
23. Petrol and Diesel prices at an all time high
24. Inflation peaking at nearly 6%
25. Food prices still rising
26. 6000 nurses being cut from the NHS
27. The whole medical profession against the rammed through NHS reforms
28. The NHS now open to privatisation, “Death by a thousand local tenders”
29. Charities loosing donations hand over fist
30. Fuel Poverty on the rise
31. Food Handouts on the rise
32. Disabled people on the streets protesting against the Welfare reform Bill.
33. Welfare to work scheme exposed as exploitation of the working poor
34. Risk Register not published despite court instruction of the information comissioner
35. 170,000 signatures on the e-petition to debate the scrapping of the NHS bill ignored
36. Changes to the election boundaries to scrap 60 MP’s to benefit the tories
37. MOD review in disarray, Aircraft carriers left with no planes as they scrap the harriers
39. Money found to interfere in Libya but not Saudi Arabia, Bahrain or Syria, The govt still refuse to tell us how much it cost to run the Libya campaign.
40. UK nationals saved from Libya only by a ship which the govt had scrapped and was on the way to the scrapyard.
41. Surestart centres closed despite pledge to keep them open
42. Big society a massive expensive flop
43. Promise to be the greenest government ever, in tatters as carbon pledges are scrapped
44. Solar industry pledge broken
45. Nuclear power in disarray after French firms pull out of building program.
47. David Laws resigns as Chief Secretary to the Treasury
48. Liam Fox Resigns as Defense Sectary, after access scandle
49. David Cameron reveals how close he is to the Murdoch Empire
50. Andy Coulson is forced to resign as Head of Downing Street communications because of phone hacking.
51. Leveson inquiry reveals the extent of phone hacking, doubt over what the PM knew about the affair before it hit the headlines.
52. Murdoch bid for Sky takeover is approved by Hunt the culture secretary deeming Murdoch a fit and proper person to run the organisation, since the approval has been retracted and murdoch resignds over scandle.
53. Rebeccah Brookes of news international is arrested again over phone hacking, David Camerons personal horse riding friend.
54. Tory Party treasurer resigns over cash for access scandle £250,000 to dine with the PM
55. Phantom Fuel crisis set up to boost sales to keep figures showing the UK is in recession. Francis Maud makes gaff of telling people to fill up Jerry cans.
56. UK Border agency is now understaffed and queues from at Heathrow terminal 5 taking hours to clear.
57. Attacks on public pensions send unions onto the streets for one of the largest strikes in recent history.
58. Police budget cuts mean cuts in police numbers the first time in over 20 years.
59. Crime in may areas of the UK is now rising.
60. New Police Commissioners will cost the tax payer millions, but not improve accountability
61. Libraries to close all over the UK, because unpaid volunteers could not be found to run them.
62. Remember Micheal Gove’s total mus-communication of the schools rebuilding cuts a total shambles.
63. Remember Theresa May and the “Cat Gate” rubbish peddled at the Tory conference, “I kid you not its true”
64. Housing in crisis in the UK not enough affordable homes, building program in tatters
65. House prices either still falling or stagnating
66. Hose pipe bans no work has been done to fix the problems of the water companies, taking profits with no real investment back into the infrastructure.
67. House rental prices spiral out of control because of the housing crisis
68. House repossessions on the rise
70. Poor people being forced to move out of city centres
71. Fuel tax rises planned still going ahead despite record prices
72. 50 businesses going bust every week
73. Project Merlin designed to get the banks to lend again to small businesses a total flop
74. Quantitative Easing required to get the banks lending costing us in inflation and tax hikes.
75. Tax dodging at an all time high by the rich despite the fact that their income has increased by 56% in the last decade.
76. New Planning Laws will be a developers charter
77. Retail sector continues to loose many household names, Game, Woolworths, Peacocks and hundreds of others
78. More empty shops in towns now than in many decades.
79. UK Plc is put on AAA+ credit status watch despite the bluster of the chancellor George Osbourne
80. Growth Claims by the Chancellor downgraded from 2.4% per annum to 0.7% as economy stalls.
81. UK trade gap is widening, exports are down from the UK,
82. Cameron embarrassed by the Veto that never was, trying to stop the EU from bailing out Greece, they went ahead anyway.
83. Rationing of Heath Services start all over the UK
84. Prescription charges in England go up again
85. Homelessness on the rise, despite attempts to redefine what it means to skew the figures
86. Teachers voting for strike action, despite NEVER striking in their entire time the union had been formed.
87. Riots in the streets of major cities across the UK, with widespread looting
88. More children going into care in 2011 than ever before
89. Government website successfully hacked and taken down despite open warnings of plans to do so.
90. Chris Grayling resigns as shadow Home Secretary over gay equality scandal.
91. Cuts in benefits and working tax credits hit the working poor the hardest
92. Boris Johnson earned over £900,000 on the side as well as £140,000+ salary
93. Lobbying is the next scandal that is likely to hit the government hard, after the cash for access affair. Already McKinsey is being questions over plans to privatise and merge hospitals in the NHS.
94. Bankers continue to give themselves massive bonuses, despite pledges from the government to stop them.
95. The government Broke a promise to increase the amount of energy supplied by renewables
96. The government broke a promise to allow parliament to be dissolved if more than 55% of MP’s asked for it.
97. The Government broke a promise to give extra protection to whistle blowers in the public sector
98. The Government broke a promise for Public bodies to publish all job titles online and the salaries and expenses of senior staff who earn more than the lowest band one salary.
99. The Government broke a promise to allow accountable Directly-elected members of primary care trusts.
100. David Cameron said famously there will be no Top Down Reforms of the NHS……
101. The Government broke a pledge to allow Primary care trusts to commission residual services best undertaken at a wider level and take responsibility for improving public health.
102. The Government have broken a promise to Launch a national ‘big society day’ no surprise here but it was a pledge.
103. The government has broken a promise to Ban the sale of alcohol below cost price
104. The government has broken a promise to Extend anonymity in rape cases to defendants
105. The government has broken a promise to Deny public funds to groups that have recently espoused or incited violence or hatred.
106. The government has broken a promise to allow the renewal of Trident to be scrutinised to ensure value for money.
107. The government has broken a promise bringing in Reductions to child trust fund for higher earners.
108. The government has broken a promise to implement Reductions to tax credits for higher earners
109. The Government has broken its promise to Switch to per-plane rather than per-passenger duty
110. The government has broken its promise over Taxing non-business capital gains at rates similar or close to those applied to income.
111. The government has broken its promises over Fair pricing for rail travel
112. Rise in VAT to 20% hitting the working poor hardest
113. Remember Ken Clarkes gaff over his comments over “serious and not so serious” rape
114. Resignation of Chris Hulne over charges of dishonesty
115. Jeremy Hunt links with Murdoch over BSkyB scandal
116. Passport Queue fiasco
117. Botched Home Office attempt to deport Abu Qatada
118. Millionaire’s Budget
119. Double dip Recession
120. Cabinet Veto of NHS Risk Register
Not bad for a government that has only been in power for ONLY 2 YEARS, I am sure you will remember more gaffs and mismanagement and Broken promises. please leave a comment below with any additions.
If you needed any more reasons not to vote for a coalition party at the local election maybe these will be enough.
Just two years into the Coalition government the effects of Tory Policies propped up and supported by the Lib-Dems are now being seen and with 80% of Cuts still to come. A damning indictment of Tory Britain and now #FoodBanks in Wyre Forest
This appears on the Health Concern website – which rather undemocratically, offers no right of reply, I will respond below.
The conversation to which Richard refers was not about the formation of a new party, it related to his comments about this being an important year for them – “If we cant get support this year when the Government are so unpopular I don’t know what we can do.” was the gist of what he said.
I said that the only way we would remove the Tories was if Labour and one or more other parties worked together since it was unlikely that Labour, on its own, after this years election would gain enough seats to take control of Council. I was expressing a personal opinion – not putting forward a party view. The conversation was private and off the record but Richard has misrepresented every point made in our discussion and it does him no credit at all.
The suggested formation of a new political party was taken from an article in the weekend papers where a senior member of the BMA and consultant at a hospital in the south clearly stated that this was happening, he said he was driving it forward, and “he had held discussions with Dr Richard Taylor, who would be joining as a senior member of their executive ….” A press quote, not my opinion.
The article was not originally seen by me but my attention was drawn to it by a candidate in another party who felt it was inappropriate for them to comment publically in view of purdah. Consequently I followed up the lead and found the article in question. Similar has since appeared elsewhere.
The comments which follow in the HC rant, about what happened over 10 years ago beggar belief and are about as relevant to what is happening today as are HC currently to local politics in Wyre Forest. Response is pointless to those who live in the past and can’t move on. But if they are going to have a go at me it would at least be helpful if they tried to remember exactly what we discussed – at no time was any mention made to me by Richard about a new party, neither was it implied. At no time did I suggest it to him, nor was it implied – it came from the press several days later. Someone lost the plot and it wasn’t me!
Howard Martin Wyre Forest Labour Parliamentary Spokesperson
LIKE me, I’m sure that readers will be astounded to learn that after our MP Mark Garnier used these pages recently to raise his profound concern about the Government’s ‘caravan tax’, he went on, later that same evening, to vote in favour of the VAT hike in Parliament!
In his View from Westminster column, he said that raising VAT on static caravans “could have a detrimental effect on our local tourist economy” as “increasing the cost of caravans can only decrease the demand for them”.
However, this opposition to the caravan tax voiced so strongly in The Shuttle was not reflected in his contribution to the parliamentary debate. When he was able to speak, he appeared to support the Government’s plans, saying the “VAT changes are broadly sensible reforms”.
I’m sure we’re all left wondering why he says one thing in the local paper, but another to parliament. How can our MP face two ways on one issue in the matter of a few hours?
Mark Garnier could have sent a clear message to the Government on behalf of his constituents, the struggling caravan industry and the area he represents.
Wyre Forest Labour Party Parliamentary Spokesperson has called on Independent Community & Health Concern (ICHC) – to “come clean” with the electorate over its intentions after the May elections.
The call comes after it has been announced that former MP, Richard Taylor, is to become an executive member of a “new national political party” to be set up by senior members of the medical profession. The purpose is to field “health specialist” candidates in Tory and Lib Dem seats at the next General Election in an attempt to save the NHS!
Howard Martin, Labour’s Parliamentary Spokesperson said “Richard Taylor is currently President of the party set up in 1999 to fight the cuts at Kidderminster Hospital. The following 10 years and the “ups and downs” of both him and ICHC are well known locally and it does seem that this is very much a “watershed” year for them. The announcement of his involvement in this new national party puts a clear question mark over the future of ICHC as an independent party in Wyre Forest.
“If and when Richard joins the new national party he must sever his links with ICHC – Electoral Commission rules require it – you can’t be a post holder in two separate political parties. Alternatively, ICHC must be subsumed into the new party and lose its local identity. Either way just what are people voting for who vote ICHC at this election? With its figurehead leader apparently off to pastures new, they need to know if a vote on 3rd May is for a moribund party. Are they now conning the electorate? Will they even exist in 6 months time? They must come clean on their intentions so people know for what they are really voting.”
Whilst recognising that the formation of a new party dedicated to the NHS is commendable intention, the country doesn’t need another single issue party at this time. It needs a party addressing all the other pressing issues being attacked by the coalition. As well as the NHS, such issues as welfare, benefits, education, employment, cuts in services, pensions, taxation, public surveillance, inflation all need addressing, the list is endless. Whilst being able to defend the NHS, what, for example, does a health specialist know about the many other equally pressing issues facing the country and the lives of its citizens at this time? The country, both local and nationally, currently needs politicians working on all fronts within a broad based organisation, not just one single issue, however important that issue may be.
For Further Information contact Howard Martin Wyre Forest Labour Parliamentary Spokesperson – 01562 67338 or 07976915428
Mark now claims he’s ‘taking action’ on the caravan tax – he doesn’t mention that this action includes voting in favour of it in Parliament…
He then asks caravan park owners in his Constituency to provide details of how the changes might affect them. Er Increase Costs of new Caravans by 20% is a good start.
So it has recently been announced that former MP, Richard Taylor, is to become an executive member of a “new national political party” to be set up by senior members of the medical profession. The purpose is to field “health specialist” candidates in Tory and Lib Dem seats at the next General Election in an attempt to save the NHS! Déjà vu?
However where, if anywhere, does that now leave ICHC? Richard is currently President of the party he set up in 1999 to fight the cuts at Kidderminster Hospital. The following 10 years and the “ups and downs” of both him and ICHC are well known locally and it does seem that this is very much a “watershed” year for them.
Initially, as a single issue party, they achieved considerable success, but as the “hospital” issue faded their popularity began to wane and attempts to rebrand as a wider based independent community driven option have, largely, been unsuccessful. Basically they have failed to deliver anything tangible other than an MP. The “centre left” stance they took until 2010 is now rapidly dissipating into a noticeable major shift significantly “right.” Their original supporters who were attracted from Labour and Lib Dem backgrounds now have no reason to support them and the Tory voters in their camp have deserted them over a number of years contributing to 8 years of a Tory Council in Wyre Forest and, eventually in 2010, a Tory MP. Resurrection without another local major stimulus is unlikely and no significant stimulus is evident.
Therefore – if and when Richard Taylor joins the new national party he must sever his links with ICHC – Electoral Commission rules require it – you can’t be a post holder in two separate political parties. Or ICHC must be subsumed into the new party and lose its local identity. Either way just what are people voting for who vote ICHC at this election? With its figurehead leader off to pastures new, they need to know if a vote on 3rd May is for a moribund party. To put it bluntly, this announcement is tactically naïve and badly timed – but that has been a common problem for them throughout their history! Are they conning the electorate? Isn’t this now time for ICHC to call it a day?
The formation of a new party dedicated to the NHS is commendable but the country doesn’t need a single issue party at this time. It needs a party addressing all the other pressing issues being attacked by the coalition. As well as the NHS, such issues as welfare, benefits, education, employment, cuts in services, pensions, taxation, inflation, need addressing, the list is endless. Whilst being able to defend the NHS, what does, for example, a consultant brain surgeon know about the many other equally pressing issues facing the country and the lives of its citizens at this time? You wouldn’t get a gynaecologist in to fix your boiler!
So the options of which party can address these massive issues are limited – the Tories and Lib Dems are ruled out for obvious reasons and the minor parties will never gain enough support to make a difference – and that includes the proposed “NHS” party. So the only option for effective action and protection of the most vulnerable in our society is LABOUR – and we must start the process by voting for change on 3rd May.
Howard Martin Wyre Forest Labour Parliamentary Spokesperson
Following my on site meeting with a County Council Countryside Officer I was pleased that he agreed with me that the overhanging bushes along the alleyway from Richmond road to the steps at the rear of Church View be cut back, the hand rail be made higher and that boarding be placed behind the railings to prevent soil falling onto the footpath.
Wyre Forest MP Mark Garnier voted with the Government to impose VAT on static caravans, despite claims it will lead to job losses and damage the Tourist industry in his own constituency.
Despite using his ‘View from Westminster’ Shuttle Column to attack the Government’s Caravan Tax, Mark Garnier last night voted to support the rise in VAT on static caravans.
This week, Garnier said the VAT hike “could have a detrimental effect on our local tourist economy” as “increasing the cost of caravans can only decrease the demand for them”. However, in a vote in Parliament, Wyre Forest’s Tory MP voted against a call for no VAT to be placed on caravans.
The MP’s opposition to the Caravan Tax voiced so strongly in the Shuttle was not reflected in his contribution to the Parliamentary debate. When Garnier was able to speak, he appeared to support the Government’s plans; saying the “VAT changes are broadly sensible reforms”.
Mark Garnier’s constituents will surely be left wondering why he says one thing in the local paper, but another to Parliament and Why he voted against a cross-party motion, which called on the Government to reverse its decision.
The motion was defeated by 287 votes to 262, with a majority of just 25. Mark Garnier could have sent a clear message to the Government on behalf of his Constituents, the struggling Caravan Industry and the area he represents. Constituents will see Mark as Two Faced – he says one thing in his weekly Shuttle Column and then does the opposite in Parliament to vote with his Tory Masters.
The County Council Labour Group rejects and does not accept the recent Review into the Council’s actions on how it handled the young women’s complaints. It is inadequate and insufficiently comprehensive. We need to know who knew what and when they knew it.
The proposal to undertake an internal scrutiny exercise is superfluous. The events warrant and demand an expert and fully independent investigation and review. We cannot allow the Council to investigate its own potential internal failings.
We need a full and independent investigation into all the previous complaints. Such an inquiry will, in particular, examine to the satisfaction of the public and the Council’s own staff by producing clear answers to a number of questions, namely, why a duty of care to vulnerable employees was not adequately observed; and why the culture and the structures of the County Council appeared to have tolerated “unwise, unwanted and inappropriate behaviour”.
We are now aware of a pattern of alleged harassment of female employees over an extended period and we are extremely concerned that it seems that no appropriate and insufficient action was taken to prevent further acts.
We wish to make it abundantly clear that the investigation we are seeking is entirely and solely about the Council’s response to these allegations. Any matters or allegations about Dr Lord are not for the Labour Group but properly for the Police and the Courts to determine.
Mark Garnier MP @Mark4WyreForest is receiving lots of comments on the weekly View from Westminster – 12 April column in the online Kidderminster Shuttle – Of the 21 comments to date only one appears to be in support of our MP’s call for a middle east style ‘benevolent dictator’ to oil the wheels of British industry without the restrictions of ’anti competitive regulations including planning . Most think our MP has lost the plot with only ’the grocers daughter’ sticking up for Mark. Is Maggie still well enough to write?
Just as well for Mark the Shuttle online does not appear to be able to cope with accurately reporting double figures in the ‘Most Commented’ list during a weekend.
Pictured from left to right – Jerry Bartlett (Labour Trade Union Liaison Officer), Ahmed Jassam Salih (Technical Colleges TU President), Tom Watson MP (Labour National Deputy Chair), Moshen Ali (President Teaching Unions), Howard Martin (Wyre Forest Labour Parliamentary Spokesperson) and Abdullah Mushin (International TU Rep).
Three Iraqi Teaching Union Representatives visited Wyre Forest last Thursday and met Kidderminster born, Tom Watson MP, Deputy Labour Party Chair, Howard Martin, Labour Parliamentary Spokesperson and other senior local members. The Iraqi’s spoke of their constant battle both before and since the war, to achieve unhindered representation for teachers and other worker in Iraq. They told horror stories of persecution and family members going “missing.” They also spoke of several attempts of assassination and attempts to stop them functioning as unions.
The meeting was arranged by Jerry Bartlett, Local TU Liaison Officer and former Deputy General Secretary of NASUWT whose National Conference was in Birmingham over the week end and at which the Iraqi’s would be guests of honour.
“The bravery and commitment of these men is outstanding and they command great respect for what they have faced on a daily basis both personally and against their families” said Howard Martin. “It is important relevant that all residents of Wyre Forest should know of the continuing issues that remain in Iraq against the Unions, even since the removal of Saddam Hussein. We all felt honoured and privileged to have the opportunity to meet them.”
114 reasons not to vote Coalition at the local elections
Why are local elections so important?
Its simple really, a vast majority of what goes on in your daily lives are controlled not in whitehall, but in your local town hall. Oh yes the laws are made in Whitehall, but the real influence over our lives sits in your local town and county councils, as they spend a large proportion of the taxes we give to government.
However when you get a government who resolutely decides NOT to listen to anyone when they are implementing their plans, local elections become the target of disaffection, and the only way that we as citizens can tell the government we are not happy about how they are governing us.
So if you look back over just the last 2 years lets just remember a few things:
1. The Conservatives did not win the election
2. The Coalition agreement was not voted on by the people
3. The NHS reforms were not in the agreement or any manifesto’s
4. The Government just does not listen to any dissent against their policies, the “Carry on regardless”
5. Tuition fees and the scrapping of EMA
6. Trying to sell of the Forests
7. The approval of HS2 despite overwhelming evidence that it is a totally flawed project.
8. Cutting the Deficit, they are borrowing £150 billion more than Labour Would have done.
9. Growth in the UK flat for two years we teeter on the brink of another recession.
10. Genuine Disabled Sick and terminally ill people being forced to look for work against their doctors orders.
11. Unemployment at a 17 year high
12. Youth unemployment at an all time high and rising
13. ALL schools will be forced to become academies
14. Legal aid to be harder to get
15. Proposals to snoop on our personal emails and social networks
16. £40,000 tax breaks for the richest in society
17. Bankers who earn over £5 million to get a £240,000 bonus tax break
18. The Pastie tax
19. The Granny Tax
20. Employers getting rights to make it easier to sack us when ever they want to
21. Disabled Living allowance cut for hundreds of thousands of the most vulnerable
22. Gas and Electricity bills at an all time high
23. Petrol and Diesel prices at an all time high
24. Inflation peaking at nearly 6%
25. Food prices still rising
26. 6000 nurses being cut from the NHS
27. The whole medical profession against the rammed through NHS reforms
28. The NHS now open to privatisation, “Death by a thousand local tenders”
29. Charities loosing donations hand over fist
30. Fuel Poverty on the rise
31. Food Handouts on the rise
32. Disabled people on the streets protesting against the Welfare reform Bill.
33. Welfare to work scheme exposed as exploitation of the working poor
34. Risk Register not published despite court instruction of the information comissioner
35. 170,000 signatures on the e-petition to debate the scrapping of the NHS bill ignored
36. Changes to the election boundaries to scrap 60 MP’s to benefit the tories
37. MOD review in disarray, Aircraft carriers left with no planes as they scrap the harriers
39. Money found to interfere in Libya but not Saudi Arabia, Bahrain or Syria, The govt still refuse to tell us how much it cost to run the Libya campaign.
40. UK nationals saved from Libya only by a ship which the govt had scrapped and was on the way to the scrapyard.
41. Surestart centres closed despite pledge to keep them open
42. Big society a massive expensive flop
43. Promise to be the greenest government ever, in tatters as carbon pledges are scrapped
44. Solar industry pledge broken
45. Nuclear power in disarray after French firms pull out of building program.
47. David Laws resigns as Chief Secretary to the Treasury
48. Liam Fox Resigns as Defense Sectary, after access scandle
49. David Cameron reveals how close he is to the Murdoch Empire
50. Andy Coulson is forced to resign as Head of Downing Street communications because of phone hacking.
51. Leveson inquiry reveals the extent of phone hacking, doubt over what the PM knew about the affair before it hit the headlines.
52. Murdoch bid for Sky takeover is approved by Hunt the culture secretary deeming Murdoch a fit and proper person to run the organisation, since the approval has been retracted and murdoch resignds over scandle.
53. Rebeccah Brookes of news international is arrested again over phone hacking, David Camerons personal horse riding friend.
54. Tory Party treasurer resigns over cash for access scandle £250,000 to dine with the PM
55. Phantom Fuel crisis set up to boost sales to keep figures showing the UK is in recession. Francis Maud makes gaff of telling people to fill up Jerry cans.
56. UK Border agency is now understaffed and queues from at Heathrow terminal 5 taking hours to clear.
57. Attacks on public pensions send unions onto the streets for one of the largest strikes in recent history.
58. Police budget cuts mean cuts in police numbers the first time in over 20 years.
59. Crime in may areas of the UK is now rising.
60. New Police Commissioners will cost the tax payer millions, but not improve accountability
61. Libraries to close all over the UK, because unpaid volunteers could not be found to run them.
62. Remember Micheal Gove’s total mus-communication of the schools rebuilding cuts a total shambles.
63. Remember Theresa May and the “Cat Gate” rubbish peddled at the Tory conference, “I kid you not its true”
64. Housing in crisis in the UK not enough affordable homes, building program in tatters
65. House prices either still falling or stagnating
66. Hose pipe bans no work has been done to fix the problems of the water companies, taking profits with no real investment back into the infrastructure.
67. House rental prices spiral out of control because of the housing crisis
68. House repossessions on the rise
70. Poor people being forced to move out of city centres
71. Fuel tax rises planned still going ahead despite record prices
72. 50 businesses going bust every week
73. Project Merlin designed to get the banks to lend again to small businesses a total flop
74. Quantitative Easing required to get the banks lending costing us in inflation and tax hikes.
75. Tax dodging at an all time high by the rich despite the fact that their income has increased by 56% in the last decade.
76. New Planning Laws will be a developers charter
77. Retail sector continues to loose many household names, Game, Woolworths, Peacocks and hundreds of others
78. More empty shops in towns now than in many decades.
79. UK Plc is put on AAA+ credit status watch despite the bluster of the chancellor George Osbourne
80. Growth Claims by the Chancellor downgraded from 2.4% per annum to 0.7% as economy stalls.
81. UK trade gap is widening, exports are down from the UK,
82. Cameron embarrassed by the Veto that never was, trying to stop the EU from bailing out Greece, they went ahead anyway.
83. Rationing of Heath Services start all over the UK
84. Prescription charges in England go up again
85. Homelessness on the rise, despite attempts to redefine what it means to skew the figures
86. Teachers voting for strike action, despite NEVER striking in their entire time the union had been formed.
87. Riots in the streets of major cities across the UK, with widespread looting
88. More children going into care in 2011 than ever before
89. Government website successfully hacked and taken down despite open warnings of plans to do so.
90. Chris Grayling resigns as shadow Home Secretary over gay equality scandal.
91. Cuts in benefits and working tax credits hit the working poor the hardest
92. Boris Johnson earned over £900,000 on the side as well as £140,000+ salary
93. Lobbying is the next scandal that is likely to hit the government hard, after the cash for access affair. Already McKinsey is being questions over plans to privatise and merge hospitals in the NHS.
94. Bankers continue to give themselves massive bonuses, despite pledges from the government to stop them.
95. The government Broke a promise to increase the amount of energy supplied by renewables
96. The government broke a promise to allow parliament to be dissolved if more than 55% of MP’s asked for it.
97. The Government broke a promise to give extra protection to whistle blowers in the public sector
98. The Government broke a promise for Public bodies to publish all job titles online and the salaries and expenses of senior staff who earn more than the lowest band one salary.
99. The Government broke a promise to allow accountable Directly-elected members of primary care trusts.
100. David Cameron said famously there will be no Top Down Reforms of the NHS……
101. The Government broke a pledge to allow Primary care trusts to commission residual services best undertaken at a wider level and take responsibility for improving public health.
102. The Government have broken a promise to Launch a national ‘big society day’ no surprise here but it was a pledge.
103. The government has broken a promise to Ban the sale of alcohol below cost price
104. The government has broken a promise to Extend anonymity in rape cases to defendants
105. The government has broken a promise to Deny public funds to groups that have recently espoused or incited violence or hatred.
106. The government has broken a promise to allow the renewal of Trident to be scrutinised to ensure value for money.
107. The government has broken a promise bringing in Reductions to child trust fund for higher earners.
108. The government has broken a promise to implement Reductions to tax credits for higher earners
109. The Government has broken its promise to Switch to per-plane rather than per-passenger duty
110. The government has broken its promise over Taxing non-business capital gains at rates similar or close to those applied to income.
111. The government has broken its promises over Fair pricing for rail travel
112. Rise in VAT to 20% hitting the working poor hardest
113. Remember Ken Clarkes gaff over his comments over “serious and not so serious” rape
114. Resignation of Chris Hulne over charges of dishonesty
Not bad for a government that has only been in power for ONLY 2 YEARS, I am sure you will remember more gaffs and mismanagement and Broken promises. please leave a comment below with any additions.
If you needed any more reasons not to vote for a coalition party at the local election maybe these 114 reasons will be enough.
At the last general election over 62% of those eligible didn’t vote. This flyer goes out to those 62%.
THIS IS WHAT YOU’VE LET HAPPEN:
You’ve allowed one man to have a bonus of £9 million pounds in a year and denied our children an education based on ability not wealth in a class room that doesn’t leak.
You’ve allowed them to cut police and let them tell us that we don’t need all those things that we thought we needed to make us a decent society.
You’ve let them pull away the safety nets from the most insecure and needy while telling us that the rich deserve a tax cut.
You’ve allowed the loan sharks who deal in over 1000% interest ’payday loans’ to prosper and allowed them to cut benefits for the disabled.
Under the guise of ‘The Big Society’ you’ve allowed this coalition government to take away piece by piece the value of community, the security of the community, the ability to have any legal redress to the courts, the right to have an education based on ability and worst of all allowed them to let off the hook the bankers who caused the problems in the first place.
SO IN THE FUTURE DON’T COMPLAIN, IF YOU DO NOTHING ABOUT IT!!!
Cynically ‘Good Friday’ was the day around 200,000 working couples lost some of their TAX Credits.
We are about to witness the breakup of the National Health Service along with the welfare state.
Our Police, Armed Forces and Council workers are being made redundant.
Next year we see the bedroom Tax come into force, this is a tax on the poor and as there are not enough properties to down size to, it is punishing people who have no choice, but to live on reduced benefits.
If you don’t think any of this will bother you, think of your local economy, there are now charity shops and deserted buildings across all town centres where once there were thriving businesses.
If there is one thing you should do it is to register to vote and make your voice heard, if you don’t, DON’T BLAME ME!……..Vote, Vote Labour.
Paul Conner Wyre Forest Labour
On 3rd May 2012 there are local elections To have a Voice you must be registered to Vote. Don’t let the Tories get away with it.
Register by 18th April www.aboutmyvote.co.uk
Support on the doorstep is very positive this year, but Labour needs your help to get our message accross – Don’t let the Tories get away with it.
Join the Wyre Forest Labour Team.
Times
Mon – Fr,i 6.00 pm – 7.30 pm
Sat & Sun, 11.00 am – 12 noon
Tuesday 10th April Manor Avenue South + roads off
Wednesday 11th April Manor Avenue South
Thursday 12th April Manor Avenue South
Friday 13th April Habberely Road + roads off
Saturday 14th April Habberley Road
Contact Mike on 01562 751683 or Barry 01562 822097 for details
or email barrymc45@hotmail.co.uk
