Ipswich Prefabs - No cause for concern

Myself outside the prefabs in Inverness Road with local campaigner, Sandra Gage.


At the North East Ipswich Area Committee this week, a number of residents from the prefabs in Rushmere Ward attended, many to inform Tory Cllr, Judy Terry that they were not happy with her comments about their homes. Certain Ipswich Tories have since accused me of delivering a leaflet to the area of Inverness Road to invite residents to the committee meeting. Below is a copy of the leaflet and you can see there is no mention of the Area Committee - another Tory statement made without any evidence to back it up!

Dear Residents,

The highly-publicised call by Tory Councillor Judy Terry for the prefabs to be demolished, calling them ‘not fit for purpose’ has caused unnecessary alarm and anxiety among residents.

We want you to know that there is no cause for concern.

We agree with the statement made by Councillor John Mowles, the borough council’s Housing spokesman, on learning of Cllr Terry’s outburst:


“The prefabs are some of the council’s most challenging properties to maintain and as a responsible landlord we are constantly reviewing how best to keep them up to modern standards.

However, we know that the vast majority of our tenants living in these houses love them. Whatever we do in future will be done with their best interests in mind and in full consultation with them.

It is deeply irresponsible of Councillor Terry to start waving her ill-thought out plans around in public without any thought about the effect it would have on residents. It has caused a lot of distress for many elderly and vulnerable residents.”



What Cllr Terry got wrong:

• Her condemnation of the prefabs was made at a meeting of Suffolk County Council, who have no responsibility for housing

• She said the homes were unfit and even got her Tory colleague, Colin Noble, the county council’s Health and Adult Care cabinet member, to say that Ipswich Borough Council ‘should be ashamed to have these prefabs in their stock’

• She has obtained from architects a plan for redevelopment of the site

• Her insults have smeared the community and worried elderly residents.
What we say:

• The prefabs are fit for purpose

• They are very popular with residents

• Cllr Terry should know that when she comes out with her unconsidered thoughts about these houses she is talking about your homes.

New Politics, Fresh Ideas

On Monday, I attended an event at the Ipswich Corn Exchange, organised by the Local Government Association, looking to get more people interested in being a councillor, was very disappointed by the attendance, only 11 people from all over Suffolk. I hope poor promotion was the reason rather than a lack of interested people. If it is because a shortage of people, does not leave much hope for 'Big Society'.
There may have only been 11 people at the event, but it turned into a good meeting, as they had an opportunity to listen to then question a councilor from all the three main parties plus an independent. What was interesting is that a number of those there wanted to know what were the fundamental differences between the policies of the main party's.
Cllr Cenci mentioned 'Big Society' but those there seemed to be as confused as the rest of us to what the term actually means. At least three of those I spoke to afterwards want to be local councillors and Labour did seem to be their preferred party.

Last night, I attended another 'political' meeting with a much larger attendance, it was a chance to debate politics and policy with the public and also in the presence of Deputy Labour Leader, Harriet Harman.
This meeting at the Suffolk New College was all part of Ed Miliband's plan to listen to the public to help us create a new way of doing politics, the project goes under the name of 'new politics and fresh ideas'

I came out of the meeting really enthused, the people there were not Labour members, many were Labour voters but there was 'floating voters' 'non voters' and Lib dems, maybe even a couple of Tories but the table led discussions were just what was wanted- 'fresh ideas'.

I would urge you to get onto the website that goes alongside the meetings and register, it really does give you the opportunity to help bring fresh ideas to the table, and many will find their way into future Labour policy.

The website is here - new politics and fresh ideas

Labour have always been the constitutional reformers. And we passionately believe in the value of our public services. Throughout our history we have striven to put power in the hands of people. We believe that world class public services help people achieve much more in life. Widening access to power is as important as widening access to prosperity and opportunity.

Labour worked hard to change the way politics and public services were run. But most people feel the changes did not go far enough and that further radical reform is still needed. Decisions still feel as if they were being taken too far away. On the decisions that really mattered, many did not feel they were allowed either enough control, or enough influence.

Tell us your fresh ideas