Sunday 3 March 2013

My week ahead 4 - 10 March 2013

Monday 4 March, 6pm – Labour Group campaigning

Thursday 7 March, 7pm – Ipswich and Suffolk Fabians meeting

Saturday 9 March, 10.30am – Labour campaigning in North West Ipswich

This week we have had the budget setting meeting of Full Council (more details of ‘Flyergate’ here) and we got to see how disorganised the Tory opposition is – and that was before their terrible result at Eastleigh on Thursday!

Much will be made by the Tories of how they have frozen Council tax at the County Council and also the neighbouring Tory District Council have also set a 0% rise. What they will not tell you is at the County they have made savage cuts including at a time when Suffolk schools sit at the bottom of the league table – a cut of £200,00 from the school improvement fund! In neighbouring District councils the same Tory Cllrs who voted for a freeze have put a rise to the tax claimed by Parish Councils- not something we can do In Ipswich and in Suffolk Coastal, they have put the rent up on beach huts- in some cases a 20% rise – and where do most beech hut owners live? Ipswich.

Over the next few weeks you will get the opportunity to tell councillors and activists your thoughts – well you will be able to tell members of the Labour Party your views, do not expect to see the Lib Dems wander far from the streets round Christchurch Park and the Tories may only be seen in 3 or 4 wards. But you will certainly be contacted by the Ipswich Labour Party, either on the doorstep or by phone or at the very least a leaflet.

Yesterday we had over 20 out in Westgate Ward plus small teams delivering in the South West and the best bit was that we had new members joining us out knocking on doors from an 18 year old 6th Former to a retired couple out for the first time. We also saw this at our final candidate selection meeting on Thursday, with far more applicants that seats available – a problem I am sure the Lib Dems and Tories in Ipswich do not have.

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