Labour on the River Thames

Labour candidates take to the water and speak up for local people and local jobs.

I was delighted as Labour's parliamentary candidate for South Basildon and East Thurrock to take a trip on the Thames with the Port of London Authority on Monday.

I was accompanied by Thurrock parliamentary candidate Polly Billington and Mike Jones of Your Thurrock who filmed the journey and interviewed us on board the Port of London boat. (Video link at bottom of page) It was great to have an opportunity to view the constituency from the river and discuss issues affecting the lives of local residents living close to London Gateway.

The Thames is a working river and it must work for local residents. It offers many employment opportunities and I am keen to make sure that residents of South Basildon & East Thurrock are real beneficiaries. I support the recognition of Unite the Union at DP World as massive investment must bring increased employment, improved working conditions and new transport infrastructure to the area.

Your Thurrock video here:
http://www.yourthurrock.com/2013/11/19/labour-candidates-for-mp-take-to-the-water-to-discuss-opportunities-for-thurrock/

Public conveniences - a basic right

The blame game continues as DCLG attacks local councils for closing public toilets.

As an employee in the campaigns and activism team of learning disability charity Mencap, I work on a project called Changing Places which campaigns for, and supports people to provide, toilets in the community that are suitable for people with profound and multiple learning disabilities and others who need extra equipment, time and support to use the facilities. www.changing-places.org There are currently 565 Changing Places across the UK with an increase of around 100 facilities per year for the past three years. This is in stark contrast to a survey which has found that one in seven public lavatories have closed in the past three years as councils attempt to cut costs.

Shadow DCLG minister Hilary Benn MP published the survey figures after making a freedom of information request to 326 local authorities in England. 218 district and borough councils responded and it was found that 13.5% of all council-run lavatories have been closed since 2010, while in 11 council areas including Liverpool, the City of Westminster and Wokingham there are no public lavatory facilities available anywhere. Hilary Benn said: “Pubilc loos aren’t just there to keep street clean after last orders. They are important for people with certain medical conditions, for older people, disabled people, pregnant mothers and families with children.”

Having attended the British Toilet Association AGM last week in Stratford upon Avon I met with managing director Raymond Martin who highlighted at the meeting and in today’s national press the issues now facing many people. The closures will impact on pensioners, people with disabilities, amputees, stroke victims and people with continence issues with many choosing to stay at home rather than risk trips out.

Cutting a basic need is a short sighted and narrow-minded false economy.

Mr. Martin said: “With the continuing lack of government directives and financial support we feel that the health and well-being of our residents and visitors is being greatly jeopardised each day. With diminishing footfall because shoppers and day trippers cannot properly relieve themselves, this significant increase in public toilet closures has perpetuated an economic decline in local business and community infrastructure."

However the DCLG put the blame firmly at the doorstep of local councils.

Brandon Lewis, the local government minister, criticised councils for the closures. He commented: "Public toilets are an important local service. If councils stopped flushing away taxpayers' money through bad procurement, bloated bureaucracy and fraud, they could find the savings to protect front-line services and keep council tax down."

Council provision of public toilets is a discretionary service that no administration should ever consider cutting. For health, community and business reasons it is a false economy to take away toilet provisions from local people.
This coming Tuesday 19^th November is World Toilet Day. Many people living in the mainstream of life are now suffering the indignities that people with disabilities have suffered for years. I hope this will lead to stronger protest against the decisions made at local council level to close public toilets which are forced on them by a short-sighted and narrow-minded Tory led government.

Supporting our Fire Service

Basildon Fire Station Strike
Proud to join our firefighters at Basildon Fire Station this morning.
Parliamentary candidate for South Basildon and East Thurrock, Mike Le-Surf joined Basildon firefighters today (Wed 13th Nov)  on the picket line in protest of reduced pensions and increased length of service.
 Mr. Le-Surf said: "Firefighters and their families across the country are suffering because of changes to their terms and conditions imposed on them by this Tory government.  No-one wants to go on strike but when the safety of citizens is compromised, action must be taken and I fully support the firefighters in my constituency.
We live in austere time but when the government are cutting taxes for the rich and hitting hard working families in this way they have got their priorities badly wrong.
Residents and workers have been badly let down by this government who were elected on false promises made prior to the last general election. We need to put this right in 2015 before its too late."

Message from the firefighters: "WE SAVE PEOPLE, NOT BANKS!"

Supporting Disability - Face 2 Face

Having working in the field of learning disability for over 20 years I have a great deal of experience in promoting advocacy and inclusion for people with learning disabilities and their families. 

"Face 2 Face" is a new befriending service supporting people with disabilities and their families in Thurrock to which I offer my full backing.  As the Labour MP for South Basildon and East Thurrock from 2015 I will fight to make sure that the most vulnerable members of our society receive the support they need to live fully inclusive lives in their local communities.

On Monday 4^th November I was delighted to be invited to the launch this week of Scope’s new befriending service “Face 2 Face” in North Stifford, Thurrock for parents who have children with additional support needs. It is a free and confidential service linking parents of disabled children with local parent befrienders. The Mayor of Thurrock Cllr. Tony Fish opened the service and a presentation was made by Shelley Johnson and Tony Greaves of Scope. With a professional background in learning disability I am aware of the pressures that families can sometimes be put under and “Face 2 Face” will help to support parents providing empathetic support.

For local information contact christine.jones@scope.org.uk or call 07767 111854 or go to the scope website at www.scope.org.uk/face2face  (0808 800 3333)

At the event I also had the chance to speak to a representative from “The Sunshine Centre” who run a range of clubs and activities for children with disabilities and their families including holiday breaks.
Check out their website for more information at www.sunshinecentre.org.uk