On the side of our Armed Forces and the veterans community

As a veteran who is involved in politics, I often feel amazed how many of my former comrades seem happy to support Farage and what ever party he is in at the time, do not be fooled, he is just another posh Tory who has no interest in our Armed Forces.

The current number of people in our Armed Forces is at a record low, that is down to 14 years of Tory cuts, but at the same time we need more troops, to support our NATO allies, currently under threat from Putin (a politician that Farage, Trump and Johnson, seem happy to support at times)

Labour has been in power less than a year but have already reversed many of the bad decisions made by the Tories, we now have a Secretary of State for Defence, John Healey who gets on with the job and has the respect of senior officers at the MOD unlike previous Tory Ministers who were partly responsible for the catastrophic withdrawal from Kabul..

We have a Veterans Minister, in Al Carns, who was a serving Marine less than 12 months ago, getting on with the job, and getting results, unlike the previous Minister who spent most of the time promoting himself rather than supporting veterans.

So what have we done so far?

At the start of VE celebrations we have announced 'Valour' - a new service to enable veterans to gain easier access to care and support 

We have also brought 36,000 military homes back into public ownership, it ends one of the worse Privatisation deals and will save the taxpayer thousands on rental costs.

Higher standards, renovation of worst homes and a return to a named Housing Officer- all backed up by a customers charter.

Internationally we have stood up for the Ukraine and our NATO allies, took the lead whilst Trump is more interested in playing a round of golf in Florida.

We are listening, we are delivering, but we know we need to do more

Thursday was not a great night, election wise for Labour - we get little satisfaction from knowing the Tories had an even worse set of results and the Green party also seem to hit the buffers. We would have wanted to retain all our County Councillors and added to our total, however we lost hard working councillors.

Why? Nationally we have have made mistakes - taking the fuel payment from pensioners certainly cost us votes- but our main issue may be communication, with a hostile press we need to be the people shouting out about all the good things we have done - workers rights, NHS Waiting times down, pay rises for many and we now have a Prime Minister who is helping set the international agenda rather than being laughed at, which is what was happening under both Johnson and Truss.

But we need to do more and as Keir Starmer stated- faster . More people need to benefit from the changes we are brining in.

Local, we are also delivering - and over the next year we will see more improvements to the town centre, from Lloyds Avenue make over to the reopening of the Grimwades building, we continue to build new council homes, all of a very high quality.

However, we are not just hoping that the Reform surge is just a protest vote, the Tories seem to think their voters will return, I think they are wrong and what they will see, is more Tory politicians jumping ship. As a Labour Party, we should not be scared of talking about immigration, we are already turning the Border Force into an organisation taht can get results, in particular tackling and taking action against people smugglers plus those who are willing to turn a blind eye and employ and house illegal immigrants. This is a good news story, a Labour plan that is getting great results but one that the national media would just rather ignore and that leaves a vacuum where both Reform and Tory MPs like Jenrick can fill and as opposition politicians they can say what they like as they do have to deliver.

Accepting our own short comings and understanding why many are turning to Reform, is just part of the story- I am also angry, we need to pint out that in many cases, Reform politicians are just fail4d Tories. The new MP in Runcorn, an ex Tory councillor, the Reform Mayor in Lincolnshire we a Tory Minister and made a Dame by Johnson. Closer to home the recent Reform candidate in St John's was a former Tory Councillor and 3 of the senior people in the Ipswich Reform Party were Tory councillors with one who was suspended by the Tories after he declared his support for Putin over the invasion of Ukraine.

Reform this weekend have been quick to say it will take them a while to sort things out as they have not been in power before, but the truth is a number of their councillors ( and future council leaders) were Tory councillors previously, the same people who failed to fill in pot holes, ensure SEND  pupils got the education they deserved or sorting out the care system.

Of course, and no one should be surprised, Reform have also got councillors who have a more 'shady' past, supporters of Far Right groups like Britain First, and many who have openly posted racist posts 0r promoted conspiracy theories.

Then you have their leader, Farage who man who seems to be happy to support both Trump and Putin!

But we cant just hope they will implode, we need to get our message over to voters - and with little help from the national press, we will have to do that on our own, so almost every weekend in 2025 you will Labour politicians knocking on doors listening t0 Ipswich residents, whilst the Tories will still be in hiding and the other 3 groups- Lib Dems, Greens and Reform will probably only make their first a appearance on Ipswich streets next April.

So plenty for the national Labour Party to do, as well as us local politicians, however I voted Labour last July to give Keir Starmer a 5 year mandate to do what ever is necessary to get this country back on the right track after 14 years of Tory chaos and a disastrous Brexit, i am not going to give up on him or my party after just 10 months! 

Never forget this generation

D day, 80 years ago - we must never forget the sacrifices this generation made to give us peace in Europe - We will remember them

I hold Rushmere Ward

 2024 Ipswich Borough Council Election result:

Result for Rushmere Ward:

Lib Dem - 146

Reform UK - 188

Green - 221

Tory - 626

Labour, Alasdair Ross - 1,163

Turnout - 38.2%

A great night for Ipswich Labour, with 5 gains off the Tories

Cutting out the truth

Slightly shocked this week to find a Tory leaflet arrive through my letterbox, normally we are lucky to even get one just before an election but to receive a leaflet in early March is a real shock.

What was less shocking was that the leaflet had very little to do with the truth. The main story (fiction?) was focussed on the reasons why the Tory County Council are now cutting our verges in Ipswich. Debbie Richards, our Tory candidate, decided to tell Rushmere residents that the Tories were now mowing our verges after we had refused because our a 'black hole' in our finances.

Our Tory candidate, Debbie Richards forgets to mention a number of things, including that it is their statuary duty to maintain our roads and verges. The County used to pay the Borough to do it for them, but each year they reduced how many cuts they would pay for, so the Labour run Borough Council had to subsidise the service. In the end we could no longer go on like this, so we gave the County 12 months notice that we would not continue with the contract. 

Debbie Richards also declares that the County has purchased new equipment that will do the job of weed removal better, however one of her fellow Tory County Councillors has already declared the new procedure does not work.

Seems Debbie Richards may be great at cutting out the truth but has little knowledge on cutting out weeds.

I am sure Rushmere residents would have been more interested to hear why she has chosen to stand in Rushmere, rather than in either of the seats she represents on the County Council?

Just think, only 13 months till our next local Tory leaflet!!

Has he?

Homelessness is a big issue throughout the UK, and Ipswich is no different to other similar towns in having such a problem, made worse recently, by more people struggling to pay rent or mortgages and others unable to get the support for mental health issues or substance misuse.

In Ipswich, helping people keep off the streets is one of our key priorities and we have been very successful in not only gaining funding from central Government but then using that funding to assist many residents to gain accommodation.

Not that you would know that if you have received the latest email newsletter from our Tory MP, Tom Hunt. He talks bout other local authorities sending many of their homeless people they're responsible for to Ipswich. This is not something new, it has been happening for a number of years, we even had other neighboring authorities block booking bed and breakfast accommodation, even if they did not need all the rooms at the time. The local authorities may be seen to be shirking their responsibility, but they are doing nothing illegal - only people who could stop them doing this - are the Tory Government .Mr Hunt does seem to forget to mention that none of the local authorities sending people to Ipswich are Labour run. 

When we assist homeless residents, we do our upmost to keep them in Ipswich, that is not always possible and if we do have to accommodate people outside Ipswich, we ensure we speak to our neighboring authorities and explain why and where these residents are being housed. It is called working in partnership!

We currently have an old hotel in the town being used by others to accommodate those who otherwise would be without a roof over their heads, we do not use it as we do not believe it is the right place or that the accommodation is suitable, we have made sure other authorities area ware of our opinion about the location. 

According to Mr Hunt, we are not concerned about the situation and are doing nothing about it. Mr Hunt states: " The Labour led, Ipswich Borough Council are aware of this al and have done nothing to stop it. I have encouraged them to make their opposition clear to neighboring authorities, but they have refused to do so."

Now this is news to me - and I am the portfolio holder responsible for housing and assisting those who are made homeless, and i have never received any correspondence from Mr Hunt- so who has he spoken to? Not that I am surprised about his comments, he often made similar claims about the Borough response to fighting crime, when he had never spoken to me once, when I was portfolio holder for Public Protection. 

So if you are fortunate/unfortunate enough to receive a weekly newsletter from Mr Hunt, I would suggest you tale what is written with a pinch of salt as it seems Mr Hunt does not always have his facts correct and would rather use his newsletter to bash the local Labour run council than give residents the true facts about the situation.

What his newsletter fails to mention is that the Tory run County Council is proposing cuts to their budget that will see Ipswich lose over 300 bedspaces, those that are used by some of our most vulnerable residents, it may be that it will be the Ipswich council tax payer who will have to pick up the bill, and some of those 300 may find themselves without a home - maybe something Mr Hunt, would wish to take up with the failing County Council rather than bashing a council, doing their best to help those who are made homeless. 

A community remembers

Yesterday, I was given the privilege to speak at the unveiling of a mural to remember a Westbourne Academy pupil, and a  Whitehouse Estate, Ipswich resident, who lost his life in Afghanistan in 2007

Aaron McClure will be remembered by his comrades from the 1st Battalion of the Royal Anglian Regiment, but also by his friends and family from this close knit part of Ipswich.

Well done to his mother, his friends, and the school for keeping his memory alive.

500th solar panel installed on council home in Ipswich

Ipswich Borough Council has this week installed its 500^th solar panel as part of its commitment to providing its residents with sustainable energy solutions.

 

Installed on a home in Maple Close, the news demonstrates the Council’s ongoing effort to use more renewable energy in the town, using local firms for the scaffolding and panel installation.

 

This initiative is part of Ipswich Borough Council's dedication to combat climate change, supporting carbon neutral ambitions, paving the way for a greener and more sustainable future for residents, whilst helping to reduce energy bills.

 

By reaching the 500 milestone, this shows the great strides forward being taken by the Council, harnessing the power of renewable resources on its housing stock in Ipswich.

 

Solar power offers numerous benefits, including decreased dependence on fossil fuels, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, and cost-effective energy solutions for community benefit.

Is it worth commenting?

The last few weeks have seen the Tories continue to focus on immigration- or illegal immigration as they would call it, however without addressing the failings in the asylum system. Happy to promote their willingness to accept refugees from the Ukraine and Hong Kong but remaining silent on the Tory Government's  failure to secure a 'safe route' for those who served alongside  British troops in Afghanistan and now wish to flee the Taliban.

Here in Ipswich, it seems Tom Hunt, our Tory MP could not be happier, it seems to be his favourite subject and he was quick to jump onto his Facebook page (where most critics, even if constituents are blocked). Happy to highlight his visits to refugee camps in Bangladesh but at no time willing to accept some of those in the Ipswich Novotel may be legitimate refugees. 

In the last week he has criticised Labour politicians by using unsubstantiated comments from others, maybe  thinking he is being clever. If he can not factually back up the comment/accusation, he should not have repeated it.

He has got into needless spats about the failed right wing demo at the Novotel, I have not commented on the demonstration as I was not there as I had spent the morning talking to residents in Bixley Ward, he has also found time to be critical of Gary Lineker. Then yesterday, I became the subject of one of his Facebook rants. 

I was not going to reply to his rant but in the end there are a few facts that need to be highlighted, after that he can continue his Facebook discussions/rants with those he has decided not to block.

Facts:

Mr Hunt has highlighted his concerns about public safety in Ipswich on various social media platforms, but has not once asked to speak to the Borough Community Safety Partnership, to ask for our views or for him to highlight his concerns.

Mr Hunt has attended a Night Time Economy Visit, when we requested but it took a number of requests before he could/did attend

However it is one of his comments in his recent emails to residents that I need to reply to. - he has been critical about the CCTV system in Ipswich - 

Mr Hunt wrote in February: "There also some issues with CCTV in certain areas. I've spoken about this with a  number of business owners and constituents and have specific examples that i will be raising"

Well 6 weeks later, and neither myself or the Community Safety Team at the Borough have heard from Mr Hunt - so when is he going to pass on his concerns? He claimed to residents he would!

The point is to help make Ipswich safer, we all need to work together and I think most of us understand that and do work together, the Labour run Ipswich Borough council, Tory run Suffolk County Council, the Tory Police and Crime Commissioner - all have supported our 'Safer Streets' bids and along with the Suffolk Constabulary continued to work hard for our residents, the only person who seems happy to continue to just be critical without offering any assistance, is our Tory MP.

I would not expect to agree on much with Mr Hunt - my views on the refugee system are much closer to Gary Lineker's than to his, but I do understand that many of our residents have concerns about the perceived levels of immigration. However when it comes to public protection in Ipswich, i am willing to listen to anyone, to understand their concerns and then work together to improve public safety in the town, but we are not helped, when our Tory MP would rather rant on Facebook or make statements on important issues such as CCTV reliability but not inform us of those concerns.

I would ask that if he has concerns  - come and speak to the Community Safety Partnership, if he believes our CCTV system is not 'fit for purpose' - tell us, so can look to see if we need to improve our service. However, please do not just rant on Facebook for selected audience. 

Happy Christmas 2022

2022, we thought the COVID crisis was over, and we could hope for better times but the war in Ukraine then a Tory Government in self destruct mode has made this a terrible year for many.

But let us hope that many of us do get the chance to spend the time with  friends and families over the festive period and that in 2023 we get closer to the end of this terrible Government.

Do they live in the real world?

We now have a Prime Minister, who has had to sack her Chancellor after just a few weeks in power,  and then appoint a new Chancellor - who has scrapped nearly all her economic plans within 72 hours.

Most of the plans he has scrapped are the same plans she won the Tory leadership election on! Must wonder why she is still sitting in Number 10.

It would be funny if it was not the fact that her disastrous plans have meant millions will now be playing more for their mortgages, household bills and basic foods.

So what do the local Ipswich Tories think?

Nadia Cenci, has gone from supporting Truss to saying she must go , another leading Tory just seems bothered that she may now lose her seat and Tom Hunt continues to tweet and post about anything other than the economy.

Maybe no surprise to go into hiding when their party is in such trouble, but then today they post an amazing review of their recent conference on their own website - you do wonder who pressed the publish button - we know they have issues with the use of social media with one councilor expelled and another suspended for some of their previous posts.

Their latest post may not be racist, or supporting Putin but it does make you wonder what parallel universe the local Tories live in, they now need to come out of hiding and start talking to residents, they may then start to understand the concerns of may of our constituents.

Here is a sample of what their latest post states:

"As Liz Truss so well demonstrated in her closing speech"  

"That is the overwhelmingly positive message emanating from the entire conference."

When talking about two national journalists - "Their attempts to talk down the Prime Minister’s speech failed so spectacularly by the supportive and positive crowd around them, meant that they were unable to talk above the cheering and applause and therefore those particular scenes from their intended slamming commentary could not be used. They in turn omitted to mention the exceptionally long standing ovation the PM got at the start of the speech, let alone throughout and at the end."

"It’s time for growth and we do that by cutting taxes for everyone."

"We finally have a Prime Minister and Chancellor whose laser focused aim is on destroying the anti-growth coalition"

Remember this was posted after Kwasi was sacked and just hours before Hunt tore up the whole Liz Truss economic plan!!

We are now all going to suffer thanks to a 32 days Far Right Tory economic experiment!

Time for a Labour Government and this local Tory posts, also indicates that the local Tories do not understand (or care about?) the issues that are worrying our Ipswich residents.

If you wish to play politics, maybe best to check the facts first.

On Wednesday, the Tory Group on Ipswich Borough Council proposed a motion asking the Council to lead on the production of a comprehensive knife crime strategy for the town.

Who could disagree with that? However the Tory Group knows as well as anyone else, that much of the power to fight knife crime lies with the Suffolk Police and the Tory run County Council. Any strategy we produced would be reliant on the Police and County doing much of the work.

They also seemed to forget or not admit that the police struggle at times to carry out their tasks due to underfunding of the service over the last 12 years of Tory Government.

That does not mean we do not need a strategy, however if the Tories had asked or just opened some of their own council papers, they would see we already have a strategy. A strategy to fight the rise of drug supply in the town, a strategy that looks to stop 'County Lines' drug operations working in the town. The Police are quite clear in both their messages to the public and to elected officials that most cases of crime involving knives are linked to this drug trade.

Our Labour run Council led on the 'County Lines' strategy and we have worked with partners to ensure it has the funding and resources to defeat the drug gangs. It works because the Tory Police and Crime Commissioner, the Tory County Council and ourselves are not 'playing' politics, but just getting on with the job - together - a job that is producing positive outcomes. 

The strategy has seen a drastic reduction in the number of 'County ;Lines' operating in the town, and the police continue to crack down on those involved in the trade, so much so that in the last 12 months in Eastern Ipswich (that is the whole of the east of the town plus Felixstowe and Woodbridge - there has been a 39.5% reduction is crime involving serious violence or knives. I call that a good start and something we can work on.

The Tories accused us of playing political games, however they submitted a motion that did not stand up to the facts that they all should of been aware, two of the Tories who spoke at Council had been sent the North East Area Committee papers, that highlighted the latest statistics on crime, showing the reduction in knife use. Had they read the report?

That does not mean we can't do something to help in the fight against knife crime, it is obvious that we (and the police) need to get the message over to the public that we are cracking down on violent crime and getting good results, and it is obvious we can do more with our partners and those involved in education to get the message across to our younger residents, that carrying a knife could lead you to spending a considerable time behind bars, or even losing you own life.

So maybe if the Ipswich Tories want to bring another motion to Full Council, they should check their own facts first and maybe try and work with us rather than playing 'politics' - a type of politics that seem to come straight out of the Trump 'Playbook'. 

Ipswich secures Safer Streets Funding to combat and prevent crime

More good news for Ipswich - and this would not have happened with a Tory Council - it happened as we have great Officers and staff at Ipswich Borough Council and that in conjunction with good political leadership from Ipswich Labour, has allowed us to bid for more Government funding.

The final piece of the jigsaw, is working with partners and we had great support in securing the money from Ipswich Central, the Suffolk Police and Crime Commissioner, Tim Passmore and Ipswich Police. Our bid also had the backing of the County Council plus our neighboring districts.  

Ipswich secures Safer Streets Funding to combat and prevent crime

 

Ipswich Borough Council is pleased it will be becoming an even safer town, with new improvements to be made in respect of the safety of women and girls and a reduction in anti-social behaviour, such as violence, theft and criminal damage.

 

£500,000 has been awarded to Ipswich Borough Council from the Home Office’s latest round of Safer Streets Fund. The Council with its partners Suffolk Constabulary, Suffolk Police and Crime Commissioner, Ipswich Central and Suffolk County Council are also supplying a matched contribution of officer time and funding totalling £432,000 leading to a combined total project of £932,000.

 

These improvements will be in the town centre and Waterfront areas, including the main retail, hospitality and business districts as well as at the university area. Our consultations identified these locations as where members of the public and community groups wanted improvements. The focus will be on countering Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) and Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) with initiatives will target crime related to sexual assault and harassment and ASB including violence, criminal damage and theft.

 

The remedies will include smarter CCTV with improved monitoring that will lead to swifter responses but also greater coverage for the cameras. Along with better signage, lighting and landscaping these will act to deter crime and give people more confidence when traversing the town, particularly at night.

 

Safe spaces/hubs with help points will be created and the ‘Ask for Angela’ campaign will be enhanced to include all town centre licenced premises and publicly accessible buildings, including libraries, retail & food outlets. Barwatch is a scheme that helps pubs and bars share information about the perpetrators about anti-social behaviour and this will be enhanced.

 

There will be better lighting in the subway at St Matthew’s Street. Townlink radio coverage, used by retailers and others to keep in touch with the police and security, will receive new radios for new premises. Personal Safety Alarms will be given out and Body-Worn cameras for door supervisors will be distributed.

 

Cllr Alasdair Ross, Ipswich Borough Council Portfolio Holder for Community Safety, says:

 

“This winning bid by your Council will mean we can make many improvements in Ipswich that will make people feel more confident, particularly at night, in some of our central areas. We have overseen many improvements to make Ipswich  safer but we can always do more and these new anti-crime measures will make Ipswich better for all – except criminals.

 

Tim Passmore, Police and Crime Commissioner for Suffolk, says:

 

"I am absolutely delighted to hear we have been successful in our bid for Safer Street 4 funding.

 

"It's really important that people feel safe in their homes, businesses and their communities, so I am pleased to see this investment in our county town, which will help reduce crime and the fear of crime.

How much longer can this man embarrass our town?

Ipswich Labour are currently in the process of selecting their candidate to fight the next General election in Ipswich, the short list contains 3 strong candidates- all with a strong link with the town and all proven campaigners. Alex Mayer, Elizabeth Hughes and Jack Abbott.

I am supporting Jack, however I know all three would make great MP's for this town - and that is what we need now. Never before has this great town had such an embarrassing Member of Parliament.

Someone who would rather be on GB News ranting about migrants crossing the Channel or on the BBC Politics show embarrassing himself when he seemed confused where exactly Rwanda is rather than dealing with matters that Ipswich residents are concerned about.

Even when Mr Hunt does decide to talk about Ipswich issues he often quickly seems to wish to blame certain communities, to cause division instead of building bridges.

Yesterday he decided to join two East Midlands Tory MP's for a stupid photo stunt - one that has backfired, I think that he chooses to spend time with Lee Anderson, a person who was suspended by the Labour Party, tells you all you need to know about Tom Hunt.

Once we have selected our Labour candidate, we can then get out on the doorstep to pass on our positive message to Ipswich residents - and start the process of getting rid of this embarrassing MP 

This is what Ipswich needs > 

Not this >

Then again , other versions may make you smile, but unfortunately still embarrassing to think he is our MP.

Ukraine - Ipswich stands in solidarity

We knew Putin was dangerous, however Johnson and the Tory Party got closer to him by taking more Russian money, The Far Left of my own party found it hard to be critical of anything Putin did and most others just thought it was idle threats.

Now we have seen a major European country invaded, similar to World War 2? Possibly, but certainly it has the possibility of being far more of an issue for the whole world than the Balkan crisis was.

I visited the Ukraine , not long after it gained independence and spent two weeks in the Crimea, the Russians certainly never left that part of the country. We can't do much as individuals and now rely on our Government to act - however I fear that Johnson/Truss/Wallace are incapable of doing the right thing.

In Ipswich, we can show our solidarity with the Ukrainian people.

Cllr David Ellesmere, Leader of Ipswich Borough Council, says:

 

“Lit by blue and yellow from tonight will be our Town Hall in the heart of Ipswich. I know many Ipswich residents are deeply concerned about what is happening in Ukraine and worried about the safety of its people as they fight back against the illegal invasion by Russia. We are joining with councils around the world as we stand in solidarity by displaying the blue and yellow of the Ukrainian flag.”

Unfortunately, one local Tory Councilor decided to post on Facebook his support for Putin and the invasion of the Ukraine. He had formerly been a UKIP member, and it just indicates again that the local Tory Party now acts just like a branch of UKIP. 

Please listen - the last words of Rifleman Thatcher (RIP)

In 2009 in Sangin, I was always impressed by the bravery and humour of the young Rifleman. Maybe as I was a stranger to many of them taht seemed happy to chat, in the queue at lunch or waiting for the weekly phone call, running round the helipad or looking for a book in the makeshift library. one thing i did notice was that even if the type of conflict had changed, the weapons and the threat - Rifleman are still rifleman and for every young man I met in 2009, I could see in them the same attributes taht I had seen in young Rifleman I had served with in Cyprus, Germany, Belfast, Crossmaglen, Bosnia or Kosovo. The same willingness to question, to laugh, mischief always close but also you knew taht your could depend on them.

I never wrote a letter like Rifleman Thatcher did, I did not need to, most of my time was spent in the slightly safer surrounds of the Operations Room in Sangin, but if I had I am not sure my words would have been as passionate, eloquent or thoughtful as those of this young man.

Please listen here as Benedict Cumberbatch reads the last letter from Cyrus to his family, no doubt that if he ad survived taht summer of hell, he would not have been a senior NCO within the Rifles, our Regiment lost a future leader, his family lost a son and brother.

Ipswich Tory MP - 'Twisting the facts?'

Somehow, I have ended up on the Tory MP for Ipswich, Tom Hun's mailing list - and in my inbox today arrived his latest effort.

Talk of the football, no mention this time of his criticism of players 'taking the knee'. Other pieces are on worthwhile visits to schools, YMCA and Felixstowe Docks, then I got to a piece about a recent visit by Mr Hunt and the Tory Police and Crime Commissioner to Maple Park in Ipswich.

It seems either Mt Hunt was not aware of the facts of the recent successful bid for Home Office funding or he was deliberately 'twisting' the facts. so he would not have to give Ipswich Labour run Ipswich Borough Council any credit for the work they did.

Mr Hunt, stated that " Recently Tim (the Tory PCC) led a bid alongside the Borough Council to secure money from Government (and was successful in securing £4000,000) to invest in the area to fund more work to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour problems."

I would have thought Mr Hunt was aware that is not what happened. Mr Passmore, the Police and the Borough Council put in a bid for Home Office funding, but were unsuccessful. The Home Office then  asked would we like to bid again (we were given very little time to bid). Mr Passmore decided that he would not bid this time but was happy to support any Local Authority that did. Only Ipswich Borough Council put a bid in, our Officers did most of the work with significant input from Ipswich Police.  Mr Passmore supported our application. The other (Tory run) Local Authorities did not bid.

So no way is Mr Hunt correct in saying that Mr Passmore Led the bid alongside the Borough Council!! All the leadership on this successful bid was from Ipswich Borough Council - from our Labour Laeder, David Ellesmere, myself as Portfolio Holder and from our Officers with much needed valuable support from the then Head of Policing in Ipswich, Kerry Cutler.

I have to believe in this case Mr Hunt is deliberately twisting the facts to suit his own agenda.

Was pleased to see that Mr Hunt believes the work the Borough is doing in the area is working, but again he seems to imply that much of the work that is being done is because he asked us. Where in fact the council and in particular the three Labour Westgate councillors have been working hard to improve the area with the local community for a number of years.

Mr Hunt may be just saying he was expressing his own views but I for one am not sure an MP  stating that Maple Park was the most sinister arear in the town that he visited helps anyione, in particular those who call the area their home.

Good news for Brunswick Road Recreation ground - new play area

Brunswick Road Recreation Ground - You said - We listened - Many local residents they would like there to be more for children to do on our local park - We spoke to local people and two messages came across, loud and clear.

Small children need their own space, where they can play and explore in safety. So the Labour run, Borough Council is going to renew the equipment in the toddlers' play area, with swings and a slide and new things to do, and a new safe surface to help prevent any injuries.

Older children need something to challenge them, where they can hang out - literally! The Firefox climber (see picture below) has proved really popular with youngsters on Cobham Rd Rec, and so we will also have something similar installed on Brunswick Road Rec.

We want to know what you think of what is planned? Can you let me know by 14 July, please send vires to alasdir.roos@councillors.ipswich.gov.uk

The plan is for the current play area to close on 1st September 2021, and the new area to be open by 1st October.

We will also be looking at installing some 'outdoor gym' equipment for older teenagers and adults, possibly early next year, and we would welcome your views on that proposal.

You can now follow your local Rushmere Labour team on Facebook - here

Save our trees!

Over the last few months, man residents have contacted us about Tory run Suffolk County Council and Network Rail cutting down trees.

Ipswich Labour run Ipswich Borough Council have a policy of replacing any tree cut down by planting two new ones in it's place. Unfortunately , Suffolk County Council don't allow for trees to be replaced on residential streets.

Often, we as the Borough Council get the blame as the County Council sub-contract to us the inspection of and then felling of the trees.

We fully understand that trees many not be suitable to be re-planted in some streets however they could be planted somewhere else in the Borough, the Tory County Council have promised substantial tree planting throughout the County but it seems in Ipswich they just want to remove as many trees as possible.

Network Rail, do replant trees but they could be re-planted anywhere in East Anglia, not just in the town they were knocked down in - again, this is not good enough.

Trees are vital for local wildlife, cleaner air and improving the local street scene, if you agree, please sign our petition, calling on the County Council and Network Rail to replace felled trees in Ipswich and to follow the example of Labour run Ipswich and replace every one felled with two new trees.

Petition is here

More good news for Ipswich

More good news for Ipswich residents with the Council’s bid to improve safety in Maple Park having more success with £422,200 awarded from the government’s Safer Streets Fund. The money awarded will look to reduce crime and make people feel safer.

The Home Office were so impressed with the Maple Park project that they are now using it as an example of ‘best practice’ – the success of this ongoing project is down to the hard work of Ipswich Borough Council Officer, Ipswich Police, the three Labour Ward councillor’s for Westgate Ward, however the biggest thanks must go to the local residents who came forward to be involved. 

 

Improvements will include better CCTV – more cameras as well as improving sight-lines; alley-gating that will prevent access to the backs of house and flats; improving currently unused space to make it feel owned and used by the local community; better street-lighting and other measures. There will also be regular surveys of people’s perceptions of the success of these measures and other community-building initiatives.

 

Ann Clarke, Treasurer of the Friends of Maple Park residents group commented;

 

"There is a lively and vibrant community around the Maple Park area and it is fantastic to see that the Council have obtained this funding which will go to improving the safety of the residents in the neighbourhood and

 those visiting. Increased security measures and better lighting will be really appreciated by the community." 

 

As the Portfolio Holder for Public Protection, I am very proud of the team of Officers who have worked on this project , disappointed that (as of yet_) our Tory MP, Mr Hunt and the vast majority of the Tory Councillors in Ipswich have failed to comment on this good news. 

 

The Borough Officers, the local Police team, local Ward Councillors and residents deserve praise from all of us who are elected to represent Ipswich residents, whether you are Labour, Tory or Lib Dem.