My week ahead 24 - 30 June 2013

Monday 24 June – 10am, 'Raising the Flag' at Grafton House, for Armed Forces Day
6pm, Labour Group meeting

Tuesday 25 June – 5pm, Sidegate School, Full Governing Body Meeting

Wednesday 26 June – 9am – LGA Leadership Academy – Transforming the delivery of sport in local communities

Thursday 27 June – 9am – LGA Leadership Academy course continues
7pm, Meeting to discuss rise of fascism in this country and what we can do in Ipswich to stop it

Friday 28 June – 10am, Meeting with County Council officers about the expansion of Rushmere Hall Primary School

Saturday 29 June - 10am, Labour campaigning, North West Ipswich

Another busy week and it also includes two days away from home. I am privileged to have been invited to attend a Local Government Association Leadership Academy, which is looking at the delivery of sport into local communities. As a big fan of all sports and knowing what sport can offer participants – health, teamwork, self-confidence – I am keen that Ipswich continues to provide sports opportunities for all our community. This task is made even harder as we face savage cuts from the Tory Government. This was highlighted even further this week with Eric Pickles seeming to very keen to make a quick settlement with the chancellor – a further 10% cut to LGA funding!

The key to providing great sports facilities and events is working with the national sporting bodies and other partners such as Suffolk County Council. This is what has happened when it comes to being able to host elite cycling events in the town. How keen the Tory County will be to help in the future will be a worry as they face a 10% cut to their funding and having already promised residents that there will be no council tax rise for the next 4 years.

My week ahead 9- 16 July 2011

This week I will be away with the Military on a camp in North Yorkshire

Last week started with a meeting looking at the provision of sports facilities in the town, a very important matter to many. plenty of forward thinking needs to be done, we held a second meeting on this important matter on Thursday evening.

On Wednesday I found myself at Grafton House on a Planning meeting, good news for many in Rushmere Ward as planning permission for a phone mast close to Rushmere Hall school was refused for the second time.

Seen a bit of rain this week but it has not managed to spoil what has been a fantastic Ip-art festival- next year should even be more fantastic as we also have the Olympic torch coming to town.

Lindsey Rawlingson for Rushmere

I am very pleased to be able to introduce the Labour candidate for Rushmere - Lindsey Rawlingson. Lindsey will be a great asset to the ward and it will be brilliant to have another Labour colleague to help me get a fair deal for Rushmere residents.

Lindsey has lived in Ipswich over 22 years and she has worked in retail within the town, she is a keen swimmer and is very concerned in the lack of money and thought that has been put into swimming in Ipswich.
We are fortunate in Ipswich to have locations like the Regent and the Corn Exchange but the Tories have no real plan in how to run them for the benefit of the people of Ipswich. The Corn Exchange to be closed for half the year, Film Theatre shut and now swimmers have to change in make do facilities.
Lindsey is also concerned about the planned Ipswich Buse sell off by the Tories/Lib dems.
Lindsey has already started campaigning for improved road safety measures outside Rushmere Hall school. She also joined me on a visit to Dundee House (along with Chris Mole MP) and is planning to join me to meet as many Rushmere residents over the next few months.
I am sure you will give Lindsey as much support as you have given me over the last two years.