My week ahead, 16-22 May 2011

A new weekly update for my constituents, telling you what I will be doing this week on your behalf and an update on previous weeks.

Monday 16th May - 2.00pm North East Ipswich Partnership meeting - a meeting with local police, councillors, schools and Council Officers.

6.30pm - Ipswich Labour Group meeting - deciding who will be the portfolio holders for the forthcoming year.

Wednesday 18th May - 6.00pm - Annual Council Meeting - Grand Hall, Corn Exchange - voting in the executive and Leader plus Mayor Making for the 2011/12 Municipal Year.

Last week, we had our first Labour Group meeting and I also attended a meeting at Sidegate Primary school, where I had the chance to discuss future plans for the school with the new Head Teacher.

On Monday, I also met Ed Balls, Labour MP and Shadow Chancellor, he came to congratulate Ipswich Councilors on regaining the control of Ipswich Borough Council, it was also great to have fellow Rushmere Ward Labour Councillor, Tracey Grant alongside me to meet Ed.

Labour regain Ipswich

After what seemed weeks of non stop campaigning, election day was upon us and 14 hours of non stop delivering and door knocking paid off as Friday at the count, Ipswich Labour made 5 gains including Tracey Grant joining me as a councillor in Rushmere Ward.

When I was elected as a councilor it was a very proud moment, but Friday was also a special moment as I will now be part of the administration in Ipswich as we try and protect the residents of Ipswich from the coalition cuts.

The result on Friday was a reward for a year of hard work by the Labour Party in Ipswich, we were down last May but there was no in-fighting or bickering, we just increased our campaigning work and got on with the job of supporting the people of Ipswich. This feeling of unity has been evident from day one, and it was great to have Chris Mole our former MP, helping in Rushmere all day and then being at the count. Dan Poulter the North Ipswich Tory MP was at the count, he eventually was joined by Ben Gummer but once he was briefed on the possible outcome Gummer soon disappeared.

So why did we win? As the Tory Cllr Paul West said, it is hard to work our what exactly had a positive or negative impact on each party's vote, but no doubt the unpopularity of the coalition Government did hit the Lib Dems hard, but though the Tory vote held up in most wards, the strange decisions by the Tory run Suffolk County Council and Ms Hill did help get the Labour vote out.

Then there is hard work and a well planned campaign, without giving away too much! we worked hard in 12 of the 16 wards and even in the other four we still delivered leaflets and newspapers, and of course we increased our work on polling day in our 5 target wards.

But just hard work will not win an election, we worked hard last year but could not hold onto the parliamentary seat in the town. But we made even more effort this year to talk to everyone, not just labour voters - we knocked on almost every door and spoke to as many residents as we could. this worked. Compare that to the Tories and the Lib Dems, a resident in Rushmere informed that he a approached a Tory canvass team, and they refused to speak to him as he was not on their 'list'. A Tory supporting blog, said ‘probably because he was a socialist intent on wasting their time’. He actually is a leading member of the local community, one who is well known to the Tory Cllr for the Ward. That sort of attitude is not going to win you votes. The Lib Dems also seemed to only knock on a few doors in their two main wards and made no effort in the rest of the wards less a couple of leaflets in two other wards.

Some may say the Tories were very complacent, putting all their effort into Rushmere, and making little effort in the two other wards they lost, did they think they were safe? A leading Tory Gavin McClure even seems to admit that tactical decisions were wrongly made.

How about the Lib Dems, a national collapse was expected but I am sure in Ipswich they still thought it would be closer in Alexandra ward than it was and they were then in total shock when they lost St Margaret's to the Tories (remember the Tories put little effort into st Margaret's and none into Alexandra). A needless recount being called in St Margaret's by the Lib Dems, showed how desperate they got.

There has been a noticeable lack of campaigning in Ipswich by the Lib Dems over the last few years, and no real noticeable increase in this years campaign - that would have hurt them as much as the low opinion their national party and leader are held in.

I often wondered how they sat in coalition in Ipswich when it was obvious that most Tories had little time for them, the resignation speech of leading Tory Wells should have left them in no doubt. Even this weekend they have come under attack from a Tory blog in Ipswich and a leading Suffolk Tory
They may have been fooled by the way the Ipswich Tories did not campaign in the three Lib Dem wards and they even had Ben Gummer write a Pro Lib Dem Mayor Chambers column in the local paper (not that it worked). some Lib Dems may be happy they lost power, they always seem to be happier in opposition - never their fault then.

So where do we go now? Back on the streets campaigning, we will look at the results, learn, target and go again - I am sure the Tories at least will come back strong at us, but a tip for both opposition groups - talk to residents - it works!

Vote Labour - May 5th

Suffolk County Council are running scared, the Tories have made 3 U Turns in the last 2 weeks, but do not be fooled, every Road Crossing patrol will not be saved and the Libraries are still under threat. The Ipswich Tories - scream, "Don't blame us, it is the other lot" - but don't be fooled, the mask slipped today and John Carnell, the Deputy Leader of the Tories stated that if they retain power this week, they will sell off 'our' Ipswich Bus Company.

Only way to stop them - Vote Labour tomorrow, and if your in Rushmere Ward, Ipswich - Vote Tracey Grant

Nasty leaflet fron the Nasty Party

Whilst out talking to residents in Rushmere Ward, Ipswich this morning, I was handed the latest Tory leaflet - and it does not make good reading.
It just stinks, a total negative leaflet with false claims and just a feeling of nastiness. what makes it worse is that Ben Gummer our MP is stupid enough to add his name to the leaflet.

They start with claiming that we should all vote for Stephen Ion, as our Labour candidate, Tracey Grant does not live in the Ward. Ion also lives outside the Ward, but to prove their point they draw a map of Ipswich showing where Tracey lives!
Nasty - will they be doing the same in Stoke Park? - Will they be telling their supporters to vote for Labour and Barry Studd as their Councillor/Candidate - Pope, lives on the other side of the town? No, I am sure they won't.

When we get over the negative bits, we then get into the supposed positives in voting for Ion.
According to the leaflet he has been working hard for Rushmere Residents for the last 15 years, funny as he stood in St Margaret's (where he lives ) last year, and he has also stood (and lost) in St Clement's, Priory Heath and St Johns (never living in any of them).
He also claims to have been working closely with the current Tory Councillors, funny as an earlier Tory leaflet in Rushmere this year had a Mrs Kelly helping Judy Terry - no mention of Mr Ion.
He also claims to have reintroduced 'grass grid' reinforcing on some of our verges, funny how he has done that and he is not even a Councillor! Has he used his own money?
Then he mentions the poor state of Humber Doucy Lane - what he does not mention is that money was wasted in Humber Doucy Lane on stupid signs and flowers- but all in the Bixley (Tory safe seat) part of the road.

It seems to many that Mrs Kelly was going to stand for the Tories (she lives in the Ward) but was replaced by Stephen Ion earlier in the year and that over the last few years, he has not been helping Rushmere residents but standing (and losing) in seats all over the town.

Then there are the two topics that are not mentioned - if he has been talking to residents and working with the Tory Councillors over the last few months you would have thought he would have mentioned the loss of the School Crossing Patrol outside Sidegate Primary School or the proposed closure of Rosehill Library- but surprise, surprise - no mention of either.

The Tory agent complained earlier in the year that I had been unfair to Mr Gummer in one of my blog posts, about the lack of an office and a website, to be fair to Mr Gummer he now has an office but still no website (almost a year since being elected) and on the webpage you can find - no phone number for his office. So you would think someone so quick to complain would make sure his own party's leaflets were correct.

Some would say that because the Tories have had to revert to drawing maps of Ipswich and producing negative they are getting desperate - I think we all know they are desperate when Judy Terry announced a U Turn in the County plans for Suffolk Libraries. To announce it yesterday it meant that most of the consultation responses had not even been read, what a waste of time and money - Mrs Terry and her Tory colleagues are running scared.

On Thursday, I urge you to vote for Tracey Grant, who will be a fine Councillor for Rushmere and I am sure I will be able to form a strong partnership with her, that will benefit the residents of Rushmere- oh by the way - I do live in the ward, so no need to print a map next year Mr Ion.

In shock- No Road Crossing patrols for the whole of Suffolk

There is not much I can say at the moment, first of all we still do not know all the facts but secondly I can't believe that any council- never mind what Party would attempt such an act!

Rumour has it that the Tory run Suffolk County Council is now going to get rid of all lollipop Lady/men (Road Crossing patrols) throughout Suffolk!
We lost our lollipop lady at Sidegate School in October and we warned the same thing could happen at other school's in Suffolk. But at no time did I think even the Tories would attempt such a massive cut.



Tracey Grant, Labour activist at the Sidegate Crossing - minus Lollipop lady

It is easy to blame the County Tories, rural thinking, no connection to Ipswich, busy urban roads but one of the senior Tories who has made this decision is not only a Tory Borough Councillor but Judy Terry is our Rushmere Ward Councillor! She even mentioned a comment on an observation she had heard at a meeting at Sidegate school, that 'drivers were now driving more carefully' since the lollipop lady had left, what she forgot to mention at the County Council meeting that there had also been a number of near accidents that may not have occurred if the crossing patrol had been there.

She may think as she has over 3 years left before she is up for election again that this will be forgotten, how mistaken she is.

I and my Labour colleagues will continue to campaign for the reinstatement of not only the Sidegate Crossing Patrol but the retention of all Crossing patrols throughout Suffolk.

In Rushmere I am being assisted by local Labour activist, Tracey Grant in our fight against Tory cuts.

I am sure that most Rushmere residents will support us in this fight to retain the Crossing Patrol's - children's safety should be put before financial savings.