Under Development

Thanks for visiting my website. I do, however, have some sad news for you.

This is a temporary website with the function of holding my blog history whilst my new website is being built. I’m afraid that its therefore not very exciting.

For those of you that went to my web address www.darren-jones.co.uk you will have come across my election website for the Law Society Council and now you’ve come through to a holding blog. I apologise.

However, Friday 1st July will see my new website go live (in all its glory) and will coincide with some exciting news too so watch this space.

In the mean time please feel free to visit my LinkedIn (http://uk.linkedin.com/in/darrenpjones5) or follow me on Twitter (@darrenpjones).

Thanks for your patience,

Darren

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly: the Labour movement in the South West still has much to do.

 

The South West is always an interesting region for Labour Party politics and the recent local elections continue to provide food for thought.

There is no question that Labour had a good result across the region this week, with retained and additional councillors right across the South West.

Of the 36 Local Authorities in the South West region Labour Councillors can now be found in 19 of them, giving us 52.7% regional coverage, and including some 202 hard working councillors and activists.

The biggest gains were made in the Forest of Dean (+9), South Gloucestershire (+6) and Plymouth (+5) with Bristol (+4), Exeter (+4) and Stroud (+4) not far behind.

Five of these gain areas (Plymouth, Bristol, Exeter, Stroud and the Forest of Dean) have also been previously Labour controlled councils, instilling some hope that in the years to come they may be so once again.

There were also some nice surprises.

Whilst we made expected yet hard fought gains in areas such as Bristol, Exeter and Plymouth we also achieved some surprising results in dark blue areas such as Torridge, Torbay and the South Hams. Having stood as the PPC in Torridge & West Devon at the last general election I can tell you that getting a Labour councillor into the district council is quite the miracle!

However, it isn’t all good news.

We still only have four Labour MPs (Plymouth Moorview, Exeter, Bristol South & Bristol East) and no Labour MEP in the South West and whilst we’ve made impressive gains in the local elections not one of the local authorities is Labour controlled. There is still much more to do.

I would also argue that the foundations of the Labour movement in the South West – and perhaps in other regions too – contain an ugly truth; a truth that shows low membership, low recognition and low engagement.

It is often said that campaigners outside of the key cities in the South West are ignored, which I truly hope isn’t the case but, if it is, we must start in earnest to ensure a connected and efficient movement in the region.

As I have previously said, the Tory vote in the South West is either staying strong or increasing. Whilst the Liberal Democrats are an easy target the focus must be on Conservative politicians throughout the region; after all the Tories want the Liberal Democrats to take the kicking so that they can pass on by and stay in Government.

In order for us to win back the key seats we lost in 2010 in 2015 – and in doing so take our party back into Government – as well as electing a South West Labour MEP again in 2014 we must not only protect our key areas of core support but share our experiences, our skills and our support for those activists in the wider region.

Whilst winning elections is hard work we can sometimes forget why we’re in politics at all. It shouldn’t just be about winning elections, it should be about providing a vehicle through which the community feels able to meet, communicate and solve community problems together. It should be about empowerment and delivering change.

We have much work to do in building grassroots relationships with our past, our present and our future. Many trade unionists are no longer party members, many active community campaigners don’t see party politics as the best way of achieving change and a significant proportion of young people are no longer joining parties, co-ops or trade unions at all.

We have much to offer, but we have much to do. Lets work to rebuild our networks, to reach out to support our regional comrades in distant wards and to work towards empowering our communities and, as part of that process, get Labour back into power in the years yet to come.

For a breakdown of Labour councillors across the South West click South West Local Elections 2011

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UNITY SOUTH WEST is a campaign established by volunteers in the South West working to support centre-left progressive campaigners in the region to communicate, organise and campaign together in unity; holding shared values and a purpose of community organising at its core.

For more information visit www.unitysouthwest.co.uk

No Cuts for Kids – Sign up Today!

 

This weekend I will be in London for the TUC Young Members Conference – on which I shall blog in the coming days – but in addition to this conference I’m thrilled to have been invited to support the ‘No Cuts for Kids’ campaign being organised by two mums, Louise and Ruth.

This important campaign is working to highlight the impact cuts are having on children and, quite rightly, loudly asking our Tory-led Government to not make cuts that affect kids. The campaign – which has been organising a petition against real-term cuts to Sure Start centres – has been gaining momentum and will be at David Cameron’s front door this Sunday to present a petition to the Prime Minister.

Whilst not a parent myself, I already see the impact cuts are having on children in my role as the Chair of Governors at my local primary school and so I was proud to accept an invitation from Louise to support their campaign and join them at No10 on this Mothering Sunday.

As the petition says:

“It’s been widely recognised for some time that support and intervention in the early years of a child’s life has a huge impact. It could be the difference between a child getting on at school or turning to drugs; overcoming a disability and becoming a full member of society as opposed to sitting on the sidelines and relying on benefits; or a happy home environment as opposed to one where mum and dad feel depressed and out of control.

Think about the goals of this government. To secure a healthy economic future and an end to ‘benefit culture’. And think about what these cuts to children’s services will achieve. Think about the impact on your children, and children you know. It is precisely because it makes zero economic, and social, sense that we need your help in securing a major rethink across our councils.”

There is no question (in my mind at least) that unnecessary public spending cuts are driving inequality amongst our generation of tomorrow and I hope that the Government listens to this important message from people right across the country and takes action – be that reversing the cuts or, at the very least, taking the time to consider the impact of cuts on our children and taking decisions in that light.

So please do visit www.nocutsforkids.org and sign the petition - you only have a few days left to do so and every name will help make a difference. 

You can also follow the campaign on twitter @NoCutsForKids and on Facebook by searching “No Cuts for Kids”

A Gamble for Growth? We in the South-West should keep our fingers crossed and hope.

 

Just over a week ago I wrote how I would pray for George Osbourne to produce a budget of growth for the South West – specifically for those areas deepest in the West Country that have been identified as being the hardest hit from public spending cuts, such as Plymouth.

The headline matter is that the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) downgraded its growth forecasts from 2.1% to 1.7% this year. This isn’t good news for our region, with it having one of the smallest economies in any of the nine English regions (worth £95.3bn in 2009) and indeed the British Chamber of Commerce considers the growth figures to be too ambitious still.

Government policy is hedged on private sector employment picking up the unemployment figures from public sector job cuts. In areas such as Plymouth – with the three largest employers being the NHS, the university and the Defence sector – this is crucial to families right across that city and indeed carries similar implications for the whole region. Whilst we wait to see if this Governments bet is correct we should be fighting for these areas to get the most efficient resource and support for private sector growth – such as campaigning for Plymouth to become one of the today announced Enterprise Zones – at the same time as continuing the campaign to save our public sector.

Tackling unemployment is particular important to young people in the South West with the region facing youth unemployment rates (for 16-24 year olds) of the highest level in over 24 years. The South West must counteract the so called ‘South West Brain Drain’ and retain young graduates, as well as supporting non-graduates, to ease transition into employment. Whilst the budget today announced increased apprenticeships and work experience places, Nick Pearce from the FT rightly commented that neither of these programmes are as generously funded as Labour’s Future Jobs Fund, which was scrapped by the current Government.

However, there were some positive announcements for people in the South West today, on issues such as Government subsidy for South West water rates (which are the highest in the country). We should wait for the detail as to how this is delivered and to what extent, however, before we get too excited and start filling up the blow-up swimming pool. One can hope the policy delivers on this serious problem, which causes significant financial distress to many in the South West. One should also recognise the extensive work that former MP for Plymouth Sutton & Devonport, Linda Gilroy, did in this area over many years, for without her efforts its inclusion in the budget today would be unlikely.

The decrease in Fuel Duty will also be good news for many in the region – both in urban and rural areas with limited or non-existent public transport and long travel distances – but the 1p decrease should be taken with caution against the 3p VAT rise (which isn’t being altered) and the possibility of significant fluctuations in global oil prices, which the 1p decrease won’t prevent.

But what does this mean to people living their daily lives in Bristol, or Exeter or Truro? One has to remember that people are being bombarded from every angle, with the IFS accusing the treasury of giving a little with one hand and taking a lot with many hands. With 3.3m people in the South West of working age personal taxation will play a crucial element, with reports concluding average households suffering a £600 decrease in available income each year. The only positive being the £45 per year extra from the increase in personal allowance, which doesn’t come in for another 12 months anyway.

I do have to question who attracts George Osbourne’s priorities however. It seems to me that the focus is on private sector growth – which isn’t a bad thing in itself – but at the behest of normal people and the public sector. This is clearly ideological, but just not admitted by the Government. Public sector pension increases, the VAT increase, National Insurance increase for employees, public sector funding cuts and more besides seems almost nonsensical against policies such as the increase in the maximum claim for business Entrepreneurs’ Relief, the temporary status for higher rate tax payers (on incomes over £150, 000) and in the 2% (and not the reported 1%) decrease in Corporation Tax.

I’m sure people would be confused in these decisions – where some get £45 extra next year in personal tax changes but where business people can claim a 10% tax rate on selling their business up to a value of £10m instead of £5m as before. A tax saving of £5m compared to £45 is really rather significant.

It will take many days, and indeed the months and years ahead, to see the detail and the impact of todays budget. The budget is always an example of political theatre but the take home message, I would argue, is one of private sector support over public sector and people support which falls in line with the dangerous Government bet that the private sector picks up the tens of billions in public sector cuts, arguably being driven too far and too fast, by this Conservative-led Government. I hope the gamble for growth pays off, for if its doesn’t we will all feel the effects.

Will Localism Break the South West?

 

The Conservative-led Government has its policy focus on ‘localism’ exampled by the disbanding of the Regional Development Agencies and the instigation of Local Enterprise Partnerships (which are yet to be fully functional). It claims that regional planning was bureaucratic and that local partnerships provide the only real solution for growth.

Next week we’ll see George Osbornes first full budget since becoming Chancellor of the Exchequer. In it he will have to provide a robust framework for growth and development and the Labour Party has already begun to take that task to his door with the impressive Miliband/Balls combination seen on Monday. Following the 0.6% shrink in the UK economy in December it is vital that the Government gets it right – especially for people in the South West.

But what does all of this mean for the South West?

The South West has the largest area of the 9 English regions along with the highest percentage of rural land. With a population of over 5.2 million and a ‘Gross Value Added’ (GVA) of £97.8bn (in 2008) the South West, even before the full impact of the recession, had one of the smallest English economies falling 10% below the figure for England. This low GVA resulted in significant EU investment in the region (although taking into account the loud anti-EU voice in the SW you would be forgiven for thinking otherwise!).

In 2007 the top three generators of wealth in the region were: 

• Real Estate, Renting and Business Activities;
• Manufacturing; and
• Wholesale and Retail Trade

and perhaps most interestingly, the South West has the highest survival rate for new businesses in England.

With all of this in mind, it is clear that regional planning plays a strategically important role. This is especially because there is so much regional disparity (e.g. a GVA of 38% in Cornwall compared to 47% in Swindon) but the Government fails to recognise the need.

In areas such as renewable energies, in the investment of regional infrastructure (in quicker and more efficient transport and broadband, for example) to promote business growth and in the need for housing for our ever increasing population, the South West is crying out for sustainable, managed planning. This can only occur in an economy of growth and opportunity, not of stagnation and decline.

In a recent poll by Marketing Means (based in Devon) a staggering 62% of people in the South West poll thought the regional economy would get worse in the next 12 months and it seems the professionals think so too.

In the median UK forecast by HM Treasury the South West Observatory noted that we face a ‘sluggish period‘ ahead in the South West. It further commented that it failed to see the region ‘achieve sustained economic rebalancing‘ and that, modelling the Government cuts in the region, unemployment would increase by 19, 000 full time equivalent jobs.

Models show that production and construction sectors will lead the way for growth in the South West – a suggestion perfectly in tune with Ed Miliband and Ed Balls proposal to invest banking tax levies into building 25, 000 new homes.

The South West has the potential to be vastly unequal in both its growth and its opportunity for communities and people right across the region. With the lack of focus on regional strategy, with public sector cuts that are too deep and too fast and with the prospect of continued economic decline in the South West I can only pray that George Osborne produces a budget that achieves growth in our region. If he doesn’t millions of people will feel the pain of a Conservative-led Government in Westminster.

Political State of the South West

 

It’s now been 10 months since the General Election and for the first time a South West firm have decided to produce a monthly qualitative poll of voter responses in the South West. This is the first time a dedicated regional poll is being produced on a running basis and will prove vital for Labour South West campaigners – especially for those that can’t afford private polling data! 

Below I’ve put together some graphs as a quick comparison of the 2010 General Election with data sets established in March 2011 highlighting some significant challenges but some potentially important opportunities for Labour South West.

Because our region is so dominated with Conservative / Liberal Democrat politics we have to be strategically driven as a Labour movement in the South West – directing our resources and efforts to those areas that matter the most in terms of the Labour vote. It is true to say that there aren’t ‘no go’ areas for Labour in the South West but as we try to reestablish ourselves in the region with limited resources we must accept the reality of our challenge.

One reason I started the UNITY SOUTH WEST campaign was because I recognised the need to build a cohesive and communicative South West labour movement because only together can we tackle the Conservative hold in this region. The below information shows this reasoning and shows comparisons based on age, location and sex and highlights some potential strategic priorities for Labour in the South West.

Age

When asked, “If there was a General Election tomorrow” the percentage based on age shows the challenge for Labour in the South West. The target area for Labour South West is 25-44 year olds, who provide the only peak area for Labour in the region.

 

However, if one compares this to Labour South West in the 2010 General Election the above message is a positive one – the clear significance being the momentous decline in Liberal Democrat support across all age groups.

 

There should, however, be a note of caution. Whilst one should understand that this snapshot of data is only that, a clear difference is visible between the Conservative Party and the Labour Party responses for 18-24 year olds.

Whilst Labour support has increased by 13% in this age group the Conservative Party has seen a 15% increase – this should be noted when considering targeting strategies for young voters – why are 18-24 years olds in the South West finding a home with the Conservative Party and not Labour?

Further, it can be seen that across the South West the Conservative Party vote is either staying strong or increasing. This questions political strategy with some commentators mooting the importance of tackling the Conservative base – this data shows it is the Liberal Democrats that should be targeted to join the Labour movement in the region.

 

This graph displays the significance of gaining the Liberal Democrat swing vote in the South West – with the cumulative total of 25-54 being a key area (as compared against Labour gains in these groups). Whilst the other parties make no significant changes it should be noted that the Conservative vote fails to decrease in any age group and indeed increases significantly in the 18-24 and 75+ range.

Location

The South West has always been difficult geographically for the Labour Party with the region being the region with the highest degree of agricultural land in the country and only a handful of urban hubs. However, the data shows that our share of the vote has increased across the whole of the South West since the 2010 General Election with the biggest gain being in Plymouth.

A point of interest is the relative consistency of the Labour vote in Bristol which only changes marginally, whilst Cornwall shows a very promising Liberal Democrat drop to Labour (and no Conservative) gain.

 

The following graphs show the steady Conservative vote in the South West but the significant decrease in Liberal Democrat support, especially in Plymouth and Cornwall.

  

Sex 

Another area of interest is the relationship of voting intention between men and women. This recent data has shown a more significant drop in Liberal Democrat support amongst male respondents compared to female ones, with more women going to Conservative or Green parties than Labour (where the majority disaffected Liberal Democrat men went).

  

Conclusion

This brief summary of quantitative polling data shows some interesting changes in voter intention since the General Election in the South West.

It should be remembered that the data is a snapshot in time that will of course change frequently, however the conclusions that can be drawn from this data is that strategic targeting of 25-44 year old, previously Liberal Democrat men in Cornwall and Devon (including Plymouth) may reap some reward for Labour South West as we try to engage floating voters in the region and bring them into our movement.

Raw Data Source: Marketing Means South West Poll (March 2011)

The South West: United, Organised and Ready to Win

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I had the pleasure this weekend of going back to my university town of Plymouth to attend the Labour South West regional party conference. Hosted in one of the two universities in Plymouth the conference welcomed delegates from across the width and breadth of the South West region- a region that many forget travels from Gloucester to Penzance and from Dorset to Barnstaple (and further still!).

The South West is a particularly unique region for Labour party activists – encompassing the urban hubs of Bristol, Exeter, Plymouth and Truro along the M5/A38 corridor surrounded by some of the most highly concentrated agricultural land in the country.

The conference, which was highly attended with delegates from far and near, was a huge success. One might expect the post-General Election conference (in a region with only four Labour MPs, no Labour MEP and no army of Labour controlled councils) to be far from positive but indeed it was.

Whilst there were genuine concerns about the length of time it’s taking the national party to reorganise itself in both policy and structure the major feeling I felt from the conference hall was a room full of committed activists ready to get back on the doorstep. As Harriet Harman MP quite rightly proclaimed, “we need a new army of Labour councillors in the South West” and I for one will do my bit to make sure this is the case.

The conference was opened by Jan Royale – who will now take a shadow cabinet role for championing the South West region – and Alison Seabeck MP who provided the conference starter to a challenging but vitally important session by Cllr Patrick Diamond and Ben Bradshaw MP. The session, entitled “Southern Discomfort Again?” was focused on the research of the same name, highlighting the reasons why Labour lost so badly in the last election in the South West. The data showed that Labour has much work to do to regain trust and credibility (especially on tax and the economy) but that, even in less than a year, poll ratings show a resurgence of Labour support.

Whilst the 2015 General Election is already on the horizon delegates knew only too well the importance of both the local elections in only a few weeks and the European elections in a few years. Both sets of elections being not only important for electoral purposes but because of the real issues affecting people in our region. Be it the need for regional investment, such as in better rail and transport provision, or reform of European agricultural and fishery policies or ensuring the voices of labour people – both in urban and rural areas – are heard in the Liberal Democrat and Tory controlled councils of the South West, people knew what needs to be done and they seemed ready to do it.

When not in the conference hall delegates attended aptly organised fringes – on public sector jobs in the South West and on the challenge the region has in the run up to the European Elections in 2014 – as well as training sessions provided by the Labour Party ‘Train to Win’ programme in areas such as local media, canvassing and election organising. The pervasive theme of all of these being the readiness with which delegates were keen to learn new skills to take back to their communities to win on the very issue of public sector cuts and in regaining a European representative(s) in the years to come.

But the conference wasn’t just about the committed activists we already have. The region has gained over 3370 new members since May 2010 (a third of which being disgruntled Liberal Democrats) and the conference ended with a discussion with NEC representative Ellie Reeves and the South West members of the NPF, focused on the party structural and policy reviews currently taking place.

The South West sometimes gets overlooked when it comes to the Labour movement but what was clear to me – with a plethora of delegates from Labour, Co-op and Trade Union movements – was that, whilst still in a period of rejuvenation, the people that form our party are motivated, talented and ready to bring the Labour message back to doorsteps across the South West in the vitally important years to come; and that further still, the strong bonds we hold with the Trade Union and Co-operative movements in the region, mean that together we can achieve more than we can achieve alone.

This article has been republished on the following sites:

PRSD: http://www.peoplesrepublicofsouthdevon.co.uk/2011/02/27/labour-prepares-to-win-over-the-south-west/

LabourList: http://www.labourlist.org/the-south-west-united-organised-and-ready-to-win

Southern Front: http://www.southernfront.org.uk/2011/02/south-west-united-organised-and-ready.html

LIVE Blog: Bristol City Council Budget

To read a summary report of the Bristol City Council budget meeting see my article for Bristol 247 using the link below:

http://www.bristol247.com/2011/02/25/darren-jones-finding-it-hard-to-put-positive-spin-on-bristol-council-budget-meeting/

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To watch the Bristol City Council budget debate live click here

 14:15

Arrived late to the meeting but when arrived told that the meeting has been adjourned because of protestors in the public gallery kicking off.

 Wasn’t arranged because of my lateness!

Television crew filming the protestor who was eventually removed by security and police – arrested for breaching the peace. Protestor pushed to the floor outside of the council house whilst being arrested.

14:30

Lord mayor resumes the meeting – further protestors removed from public gallery after protesting against public spending cuts “remember the poor and vulnerable when you’re making these cuts”

TV crew filming removal of protestors.

Council Leader, Cllr Janke, begins to move the council budget – claiming it to be a “fair” budget.

More protests from the public gallery. Council leader shouting at public gallery – pointing at ‘you’ in the gallery – claiming to have more mandate in the wider city.

Lord mayor adjourns for another ten minutes.

Public gallery clapping in support!

14:40

Lord Mayor declares the public gallery shut – no public allowed to watch the council budget debate. Disgrace!! I was being quiet too!!

More police and security guards enter the public gallery to remove people.

14:54

The Lord Mayor appears to be kicking me out by royal decree….if only I was the type to have a scuffle. I duly pack up and shift out.

Being told they are going to show it on a screen in another room. I could have done this at home with a twix and a cup of tea!

Say bye bye to the council chamber!

15:00

Take my seat in the new ‘viewing chamber’ whilst the police remove the last few public members from the gallery – “we shall not be moved!”.

The Labour Group take an emergency group meeting to discuss way forward.

Not quite the same feeling in here!

15:10

Cllr Peter Abraham (Tory leader) tells chamber he found the media threatening.

Cllr Helen Holland (Labour leader) – Labour Councillors LEAVE chamber to join public in the ‘viewing’ gallery in protest of us being removed.

Cllr Janke adjourns debate to try and resolve situation.

Cllrs Helen Holland and Mark Bradshaw leave to negotiate the right for the public to view the debate in the chamber.

15:36

Still sat down waiting for meeting to resume. Labour councillors move in convoy into Committee Room 6 – assuming they are trying to get the public to be allowed back into the chamber for the budget.

Cllr Jon Rogers (Lb Dem) tweet “Strange that Labour have walked out of council chamber. Running away again?” – I’d argue they’re just sticking to their democratic principles and making a stand for us lot now that we’ve been kicked out.

Lib Dem councillor tells person in front of me that it looks like the public will be allowed back in. Then sees me typing away and, with a face of worry asks, “are you tweeting?”. Yes. I would be.

15:46

In the interests of democracy the Lord Mayor has let us back in! Hurrah! Thanks to Labour councillors for taking a stand.

Cllr Janke continues to lead the budget motion, describing it as ‘fair’ and ‘just’, but further describing it as ‘the most difficult budget’ she has had to make. “Working with the strengths of our city and our partners so that when we emerge from this we make Bristol a leading city.”

Cllr Holland (Leader of the Labour Group) – thanks other parties for allowing public back in.

Cllr Holland describes that an alternative budget is an option – referring to the Westminster Government and its placing of the majority of cuts on local authorities – and highlighting the Labour amendment following the councils unobjected acceptance of an additional £6m of cuts directed by Westminster.

“We have a demoralised staff who are being told their jobs are a joke…and David Cameron said yesterday that most public services can be provided better by private companies”

Cllr Holland complains about the equalities impact assessment and asks if other councillors have actually read them as the print was so small – she had to blow them up to A3. Notes the alarming nature of other EIAs across the country and the legal challenges that followed.

30% increase in meals on wheels is ‘huge’ and, for those elderly people who rely on a hot meal being delivered each night, these decisions are not trivial. At least 20% of users have already dropped out since the increase.

16:00

Cllr Gollop (Con) – Budget decisions are not Governments fault it is Gordon Browns fault – clapped by Lib Dem councillors.

Cllr Gollop, having spoken with two Trade Unions, claims they are making positive constructive comments on how we make the best of what we have. Further commenting that the council has been run inefficiently and much can be done better than it has been.

16:30

Cllr Janke summarises the budget introduction – claims they haven’t received a constructive or reasoned approach to budget alternatives and continues to say ‘we have done everything we can to protect vulnerable people’.

Cllr Janke claims that Labour only interested in voting reform because they are out of power.

Continues: I have met with ministers, the Deputy Prime Minister and shadow Secretaries of State to try and protect people. I don’t see our staff as demoralised. Claims there were no Equality Impact Assessments under the Labour administration (fails to recognise the assessments were introduced by Labour – doh!)

16:35

On to the amendments. Cllr Alexander (Con) claims that the Liberal Democrats have “…a long way to go before they understand what tax payers want their money to be spent on.”

Cllr Weston seconds the amendment referring to prioritisation of monies, using the ‘My City’ council newsletter as an example. Cllr Negus (Con) notes that this decision shouldn’t be taken “politically” but should wait until the due select committee decision on this issue.

I wonder if either of them know about the discussion in Westminster with the Government considering banning local authorities from producing their own newspapers so that they use funds to publish their material in the local, private newspapers.

Cllr Abraham tells the Lib Dem benches that their plans of using select committees to decide on budget priorities (in relation to the amendment dismissals) is nonsense – “the people of Bristol don’t want it” (Lib Dems laugh at this proclamation) – “this amendment is a simple example of a way to move money from where people don’t want it to where they need it” – Lib Dim dismissal of agreeing to have the debate is complacent. Why can’t they consider it today?

16:50

Cllr Hopkins, in his usual manner, tells the chamber he has ‘no time’ for Secretary Pickles and that he is embarrased he is even from the same ‘county’. Coalition love in Bristol? Perhaps not. He seems to have a special power of making the Tories squirm – lots of huffing and shuffling – especially from Cllr Kennedy-Hall (Con; Avonmouth). Don’t think they’re the best of friends.

17:00

Cllr Abraham: “Paul Daniels would enjoy this budget of smoke and mirrors”

On the second amendment to remove the new ‘Place Making Director’ Cllr Abraham takes it to the LibDems: “Do you spend money on a bloke coming up with silly ideas for £72, 000 or would you prefer to look at care assitants, meals on wheels etc. That you should come up with this post, at a time when you knew you were going to cut budgets, is insulting to our staff and insulting to the people of Bristol. For a bit of honest, for a bit of sincereity – cut this!”

Cllr Cook (Lib Dem) misses the point of the amendment telling the chamber that calling the new Place Making Director a ‘joker’ is disgusting. The point, Cllr Cook, is about the priority of funding this position over the above, not the actual person! Getting heated in the chamber.

Cllr Bradshaw (Lab) shares sympathy with the amendment and, in a calm manner, points out the above argument. Another sensible contribution from the Labour benches.

Second Amendment on removal of the £72, 000 PA ‘Place Making Director’ is voted down.

17:11

Cllr Eddy moves an amendment to decrease marketing and media costs to remove “unneeded spin doctors” saving £76, 000 proposing the money be spent on “Yellow Bus” provision for secondary school children. Liberal Democrats don’t seem to like it even though, as Cllr Hopkins put it, “its yellow”.

Cllr Janke sums up to say she is not supporting it and the amendment is voted down.

Third Amendment on reduction in marketing costs to fund Yellow School Buses is voted down. 

At this point the councillors were allowed to go for tea and sandwiches – which I was best pleased about as I wasn’t allowed tea. However, some comrades with a 007 elegence manageed to sneak me out some tea. Super!

18:00

Cllr Kennedy-Hall (Con) moves the third amendment to cancel the Hydrogen Ferry Pilot to pay for pot holes in the city. Mid-speech members of the public gallery kick off again, calling the amendment ‘a waste of time’ comparing pot holes as insignificant as against service cuts.

With determined red face Cllr Kennedy-Hall shouts at the public gallery and refuses to carry on speaking. Sitting down in, well, a huff. Security staff enter the public gallery once again to remove the more vocal members.

What followed was, well, confusing. I’m not sure what was in the tea (I haven’t drank mine yet…) but the cllrs seem to have lost the plot. One cllr tried to do a Duncan Bannatyne impression and another went off on a role play of Brunel. I would like to tell you what they were both going on about but, quite frankly, I have no idea.

As Cllr Willingham describes the technical features of the hydrogen ferry a member of the public gallery stands up in protest calling the debate ‘a f***king farce’ – being duly dragged down the stairs by security.

The fourth Conservative amendment on the removal of the Hydrogen Ferry Pilot voted down.

18:21

The start of the Labour amendments begins, being moved by Cllr Brain, which moves to:

* Reverse the price increase in Meals on Wheels
* Re-introduce the Swimming Grant for senior citizens and under 16s during school holidays

Paid for by:

* Cancelling the Hydrogen Ferry (cost of £60, 000)
* Delivering savings from the Centre of Excellence (cost of £113, 000), Corporate Property (cost of £27, 000) and by eliminating the Director of Place (contribution cost of £50, 000).

Sensible costed proposals, in my opinion, to protect the vulnerable.

Cllr Hughill (Lab) contributes to the debate asking how many millionaries exist in the opposite benches – asked to claps from the public gallery - and how they are going to feel their cut decisions. Liberal democrats and Tories heckle her question.

18:41

Meeting adjourned again as the Lord Mayor leaves in a huff following crys of protest from the public gallery. Public people claiming the debate to be a ‘joke’ not discussing anything affecting ‘my life’. Police fill the gallery. Cllr Kennedy-Hall (loudly) saying she’s “had enough” and blames Labour for letting the public in the debate.

19:07

Labour request a named vote on their amendment to save swimming grants and reverse meals on wheel price rises. Will be interesting to see who voted which way after meeting – a number of Liberal Democrats not in the chamber to vote. Abstentions?

Cllr Smith (Lab) taking it tough to the Liberal Democrats telling them “I’ve been around too long…I’ve seen all of this before!” Telling the chamber to stop for just a minute to consider the changing life expectancies of her constituencies in Southmead – “I know people who have already turned of their heating because they can’t afford it”. “You have a moral duty, for God sake, have a re-think”!

Cllr Blythe launches a personal attack against Cllr Hughill for living in ‘Sneyd Park’ – failing to see that, regardless of where you live, you can still care about social justice and equality.

First Labour amendment voted down – no free swimming for the young/elderly and no price reversal for Meels on Wheels.

19:11

Second Labour amendment put forward to expand the support given to Bristol’s young carers. Motion put forward by Cllr Pickup.

Cllr Beynon (Lab) continues claiming that young careers could easily be forgotton in the face of public spending cuts – this mustn’t be the case.

Cllr Bradshaw asks why a council with a turn over of over £1bn can’t find £60, 000 to support young careers.

Second Labour amendment to increase funding for young carers voted down by Liberal Democrats.

19:31

Penultimate amendment (phew!!) proposing that PCSO’s get increased, care service charge decrease, more dog wardens and increased service provision for neighbourhood equalities. How it will be paid for? Suggested removal of city council subsidy for Park and Ride services and removing 4 issues of the council newsletter.

Council newsletter or PCSO’s – what do you think? Lets see…

Cllr Naysmith (Lab and former MP for Bristol NW) claims that Bristol crime down 9% and anti-social behaviour down 11% in the last year – claimed to be largely because of PCSOs.

Amendment voted down!

19:59

Final Labour amendment moved by Cllr Beynon (Lab) to create a ‘Bristol Scholarship’ to fund talented children from Bristol state secondary schools to go to Bristol universities free of the budren of fees.

During Cllr Beynons speech a number of Liberal Democrat Cllrs continue to speak and not listen – I wonder why they aren’t removed by police for disrupting the debate?

Amendment voted down (surprised?!)

Well my batteries are about to die and ALL of the amendments have been voted down. People haven’t been listened to. The public gallery shouted at. All in all, a depressing state of affairs.

Signing out….

Feeling vulnerable? Lets work together to put it right.

It’s all a bit of a mess at the moment, isn’t it?

Public spending cuts, no jobs, the demise of now fund-less charities and community groups, removal of security of tenure in council housing, no EMA and soon to be expensive higher education. The list isn’t even exhaustive.

Surely there’s some good news, somewhere. No? There’s a referendum on voting in elections (yawn…), the reduction in corporation tax (yawn…), oh and the new website to see how many criminals we have in our street!

You’d arguably be right if you thought this ‘in it together’ / ‘big society’ spin was anything but a placebo – a centrally prescribed sugary pill to try and fool us into thinking everything is fine – because in reality it really isn’t fine.

But through all of the hazy community depression I continue to see a strong light of hope in people. It may sound cliché but in the community organising I do every week I see people coming together to battle against the haze to try and create the better tomorrow we all aspire too. Is this the Big Society in action? Perhaps. But I would argue it’s been around much longer than its announcement in the run up to the 2010 General Election.

Across Bristol, the diverse communities we live, work and play in have a great presence about them and each community holds shining examples of community organising and activism. There is, however, room for improvement and I would argue that this requires a whole city approach.

About a year ago I started to help establish and organise a new campaign group in Bristol called Equality Bristol (www.equalitybristol.co.uk) which is now ready to spring into action. The aim of this group is to tackle the issue of inequality – specifically income inequality and its causative link to wider social problems – in Bristol.

I was born in a council flat in Lawrence Weston and I now study commercial law in the shiny business quarter, Temple Quay. I see first hand the inequality that Bristol holds. The major source of my distress, however, is how geographically orientated it is. I could walk for five minutes and go from the border of Avonmouth into Coombe Dingle and in the space of mere minutes be in a community where educational attainment has quadrupled, where health outcomes have significantly jumped, where the quality of housing is far superior and where the social stigmas that face our communities radically change.

The Spirit Level – an academic book by Richard Wilkinson and Kate Pickett – hypothesises that reducing income inequality helps not only the poor but the rich, that by reducing these intrinsically linked social problems we reduce the differences between us and, I would add, by reducing those differences we realise in our communities the values and the empathy that is needed to show our significant similarities as Bristolians.

Some would argue such a premise to be socialist and anti-aspirational but I would argue that creating a stronger, safer and more prosperous city for all of its people just makes good sense.

Politics is a dirty word these days and many will be turned off by the very thought. But if asked about your child’s school or the nursing home looking after your elderly relative or the condition of your council house or the cleanliness of your street or the provision of public transport or community services or the prospect of more employment many will become motivated.

Community organising is about empowering communities and people to understand that they can instigate and achieve change, together. I hope that, if nothing else, one of the outcomes of the current political climate is that many more people take action and get involved but I pray that this is achieved across communities.

We need to work together as a city, from Clifton to Hartcliff and from Avonmouth to Cotham, to not only create better solutions but to create better communities. If asked, most people would say they love living in this great city and are proud to be Bristolians. Lets work together to make us proud of each other and, together as one city-wide community, create a more prosperous Bristol for us all.

Life in the Slow Lane? Trying not to forget the South West in the campaign for High Speed Rail.

This week Lord Adonis, the former Secretary of State for Transport who launched High Speed Rail (HSR) plans in the last Government, launched a joint campaign with Progress and SERA to lobby the Government of today on its plans for HSR, due to be consulted on in the next month.

The ‘Labour 4 High Speed 2′ campaign aims to urge the Labour party to continue its policy commitment to HSR in order to use its position in opposition to lobby the Government to reconsider a country-wide HSR policy and not just a London – Birmingham line, as is currently proposed. 

This is an important campaign and anyone who cares not just about economic growth and regional development but also the environment should pledge to help the campaign.

Whilst this is an admirable campaign I find myself somewhat confused, a state of confusion induced by my inability to find any mention whatsoever about the South West. There now seems to be some repetition in my need to ask people not to forget about the South West but I find myself once again pleading the case for the region I live, work and campaign in.

It is true that Bristol has good train connections to London but anyone wishing to travel past Bristol will find life a little, well, slower. Whilst the South West has a well deserved reputation for natural beauty, holiday destinations and perhaps a slower pace of life it has an undeserved assumption that it isn’t important.

The Cornish economy is ripe for development, academic research and development in Plymouth, Exeter and Bristol is world leading and the regions positioning to benefit from the ‘green’ economy – with its cycle cities, wind farms, wave hubs and eco-towns – is perfect. Perfect that is, apart from its poor transport links and low speed internet (internet being a story for another time). Anyone who has travelled from London Paddington to Plymouth or indeed Penzance will have experienced the well know “post-Bristol lag”.

The South West has urban hubs jumping at the chance of driving development but they continually find themselves unable to do so – they need infrastructure, economic incentive and central support to secure a prosperous tomorrow for its communities. This lack of development has even produced slogans with the so-called “South West Brain Drain” (representing the movement of educated graduates out of the region in search of jobs) being a prime example. Further still, when I was the parliamentary candidate in Torridge & West Devon, I was amazed to see that the few train lines there were literally stopped on the border of the constituency. With slow or non-existent rail, no motorway after Exeter and little or no air-connections, transport becomes without question a major issue to people in the South West, both in urban and rural areas.

In this age of austerity and Tory-led cuts-only policy the South West is forced into a vulnerable position. The disbanding of the South West Regional Development Agency and the potential loss of EU convergence funding for Cornwall due to removal of Government match funding, as well as the smaller but equally as important infrastructure losses (such as the Plymouth-to-London city airport flight), makes the region in vital need of support. The Financial Times reported that an over-reliance on public sector employment makes the region ready to suffer the most from public spending cuts and the removal of EMA will prevent hundreds of young people from being able to afford transport to education providers. Support for innovation, enterprise and growth is crucial. Support for small businesses, families and young people is vital.

Whilst I fully support the Labour 4 High Speed 2 campaign I urge people to not forget the South West and to take the region seriously in consideration for development. I live in one of the most wonderful regions of our country and I can only hope that the region is supported to grow into its future potential and, most importantly of all, not forgotten.

For more information on the ‘Labour 4 High Speed 2′ campaign visit: http://bit.ly/hNepw8

This article has been republished on the following sites:

Southern Front: http://www.southernfront.org.uk/2011/02/life-in-slow-lane-dont-forget-south.html

PRSD: http://www.peoplesrepublicofsouthdevon.co.uk/2011/02/21/life-in-the-slow-lane-dont-forget-the-south-west-in-the-campaign-for-high-speed-rail/

LabourList: http://www.labourlist.org/life-in-the-slow-lane