Maybe instead of campaigning to save the NHS - we should have just has a whip round and bunged Dave 250 grand?
Sunday, 25 March 2012
Cash for Cameron
Maybe instead of campaigning to save the NHS - we should have just has a whip round and bunged Dave 250 grand?
Thursday, 22 March 2012
North East Ipswich Area Committee - 20th March 2012
This week we saw our second North East Area Committee meeting and the first to be held in the North East of the town. The venue was St Johns Church.
36 residents joined councillors, Officers and the SNT Police Sergeant to debate a number of issues.
The meeting started with an informative presentation on the benefit of the Olympics to Ipswich, this was given by Council Officer John Stebbings. Some useful feedback from Rushmere resident and owner of the Lattice Lodge B & B was given.
The main part of the meeting dealt with parking issues at the Ipswich Hospital and neighbouring streets. Useful input from residents, councillors and the police. Ipswich Hospital have not been the best neighbour in the past but at least this time they sent their Security Manager, who was very responsive and will soon have car parking as one of his responsibilities.
Residents from Orwell and Pearce Rd also highlighted the problems they face as their streets have become a 'rat run' for commuters hoping to avoid Foxhall Rd. We hope to have a public meeting in Foxhall Rd in the next few months to try and help solve the problem.
That last part of the meeting was important but failed to have resident participation, we agreed to a verge protection scheme in Lindsey Rd and also (good news for Rushmere residents) it was agreed to purchase new football goals for Dumbarton Rd Recreation Ground.
I was pleased that a number of you attended but would hope we can increase not only the number of residents who attend but also improve resident participation in the meeting.
If you have any ideas on how to improve the meeting, please let us know - such improvements could include,such simple measures on where we all sit to the location of the meetings.
36 residents joined councillors, Officers and the SNT Police Sergeant to debate a number of issues.
The meeting started with an informative presentation on the benefit of the Olympics to Ipswich, this was given by Council Officer John Stebbings. Some useful feedback from Rushmere resident and owner of the Lattice Lodge B & B was given.
The main part of the meeting dealt with parking issues at the Ipswich Hospital and neighbouring streets. Useful input from residents, councillors and the police. Ipswich Hospital have not been the best neighbour in the past but at least this time they sent their Security Manager, who was very responsive and will soon have car parking as one of his responsibilities.
Residents from Orwell and Pearce Rd also highlighted the problems they face as their streets have become a 'rat run' for commuters hoping to avoid Foxhall Rd. We hope to have a public meeting in Foxhall Rd in the next few months to try and help solve the problem.
That last part of the meeting was important but failed to have resident participation, we agreed to a verge protection scheme in Lindsey Rd and also (good news for Rushmere residents) it was agreed to purchase new football goals for Dumbarton Rd Recreation Ground.
I was pleased that a number of you attended but would hope we can increase not only the number of residents who attend but also improve resident participation in the meeting.
If you have any ideas on how to improve the meeting, please let us know - such improvements could include,such simple measures on where we all sit to the location of the meetings.
Wednesday, 21 March 2012
Golden Key - update
Greene King had their latest application to turn the Golden Key pub into a supermarket down. The application was refused at the planning committee at Ipswich Council this morning.
The meeting was not a pleasant experience and at one stage one of the Tory councilors seemed to think I should not be able to represent my residents. Fortunately I was allowed to speak and I highlighted the problems that extra traffic would cause.
I would not be surprised if Greene king appeal, but I will keep campaigning for what residents want.
Sunday, 18 March 2012
My week ahead 19- 25 March 2012
Monday 19th March 5pm- Rushmere Youth Club, committee meeting
6pm - Labour group meeting
Tuesday 20th March 7pm - St Johns Church, Cauldwell Hall Rd
Wednesday 21st March 10am - Planning committee
6pm - Ipswich Borough Full Council Meeting
Thursday 22nd March 5pm - Sidegate Primary School, Finance meeting
Friday 23rd March 7pm - Ipswich Labour Party attending 'The Ragged-Trousered Philanthropists' at the New Wolsey
Saturday 24th March 10.30am - Labour campaigning in East Ipswich
As you can see from above a very busy week ahead, Tuesday will give us a chance to introduce Area Committees to the residents of North East Ipswich. I hope a number of you can come along to the meeting.
On Wednesday as well as the Full Council meeting, I will be attending the planning committee to speak on behalf of residents about the Golden Key planning application, there has been a lot of rubbish written about this application but for me the main issue is the proximity of the proposed shop to a busy roundabout and a busy garage.
This week I attended a scrutiny meeting, we were meant to receive a presentation from an officer of Suffolk County Council but only a few hours before the meeting we received a written report (via email). This is not the first time that we have received this sort of response from the County Council. But to make this matter worse, the presentation was meant to be on what Suffolk is doing to improve skills of our young people and the Cabinet Member responsible for that portfolio is Cllr Judy Terry - who is also a member of our Scrutiny committee, no surprise then that she also failed to turn up for the meeting as it would have been quite embarrassing for her to explain why the Officer she is responsible for had failed to turn up in person.
6pm - Labour group meeting
Tuesday 20th March 7pm - St Johns Church, Cauldwell Hall Rd
Wednesday 21st March 10am - Planning committee
6pm - Ipswich Borough Full Council Meeting
Thursday 22nd March 5pm - Sidegate Primary School, Finance meeting
Friday 23rd March 7pm - Ipswich Labour Party attending 'The Ragged-Trousered Philanthropists' at the New Wolsey
Saturday 24th March 10.30am - Labour campaigning in East Ipswich
As you can see from above a very busy week ahead, Tuesday will give us a chance to introduce Area Committees to the residents of North East Ipswich. I hope a number of you can come along to the meeting.
On Wednesday as well as the Full Council meeting, I will be attending the planning committee to speak on behalf of residents about the Golden Key planning application, there has been a lot of rubbish written about this application but for me the main issue is the proximity of the proposed shop to a busy roundabout and a busy garage.
This week I attended a scrutiny meeting, we were meant to receive a presentation from an officer of Suffolk County Council but only a few hours before the meeting we received a written report (via email). This is not the first time that we have received this sort of response from the County Council. But to make this matter worse, the presentation was meant to be on what Suffolk is doing to improve skills of our young people and the Cabinet Member responsible for that portfolio is Cllr Judy Terry - who is also a member of our Scrutiny committee, no surprise then that she also failed to turn up for the meeting as it would have been quite embarrassing for her to explain why the Officer she is responsible for had failed to turn up in person.
Thursday, 15 March 2012
Sidegate Primary, a five star school!
On Wednesday I joined my fellow Labour Councillor Neil Macdonald in celebrating Sidegate Primary School being awarded the highest food hygiene standard you can get in Ipswich. Sidegate gained the 5 Star grade and are now featured in the on line brochure along with Ipswich Town Football Club and Suffolk New College promoting the Food Hygeine standard scheme in Ipswich.
Must admit the food did look very tasty- a far cry from school dinners in the 1970's!
Sunday, 11 March 2012
My week ahead 12 - 18 March 2012
Monday 12th March 4pm - Culture Portfolio meeting
6pm - Labour Group meeting
Thursday 15th March 6pm - Scrutiny meeting, Grafton House
Saturday 17th March 10.30am - Campaigning in West Ipswich
The highlight of the week was on Wednesday when Rachel Reeves MP from the Shadow Cabinet visited Ipswich and she was joined by Iain Wright MP plus members of the Labour Party National Policy Forum,
It gave Labour members and supporters a chance to contribute to a debate on British business and the economy. A number of new ideas were contributed from the floor and probably the best part of the day was that it was obvious that both Rachel and Iain were very open to the suggestions from the floor.
Not sure the Tory Shadow Cabinet ever held such meetings in Ipswich with Tory members - and they did have 13 years to do so. We have only been out of power since 2010 but have already held two such meetings.
Today has seen Clegg suffer a defeat from his own grass root supporters, but where do the Ipswich Lib Dems stand on the NHS Bill? Maybe the question should be where do the local Lib Dems stand on any issue?
6pm - Labour Group meeting
Thursday 15th March 6pm - Scrutiny meeting, Grafton House
Saturday 17th March 10.30am - Campaigning in West Ipswich
The highlight of the week was on Wednesday when Rachel Reeves MP from the Shadow Cabinet visited Ipswich and she was joined by Iain Wright MP plus members of the Labour Party National Policy Forum,
It gave Labour members and supporters a chance to contribute to a debate on British business and the economy. A number of new ideas were contributed from the floor and probably the best part of the day was that it was obvious that both Rachel and Iain were very open to the suggestions from the floor.
Not sure the Tory Shadow Cabinet ever held such meetings in Ipswich with Tory members - and they did have 13 years to do so. We have only been out of power since 2010 but have already held two such meetings.
Today has seen Clegg suffer a defeat from his own grass root supporters, but where do the Ipswich Lib Dems stand on the NHS Bill? Maybe the question should be where do the local Lib Dems stand on any issue?
Thursday, 8 March 2012
North East Ipswich Area Committee
Area Committees
We have introduced these as we believe they will give you- the residents of North East Ipswich, more opportunity to get involved in decisions that will affect you.
Our first meeting in North East Ipswich will be held on Tuesday 20th March 7pm at St John's Church Hall in Cauldwell Hall Road.
More on the meeting here: North East Area Committee
We hope there will be a chance of residents to ask councilor’s questions but if you want a very detailed answer it would be best to submit your question to the council this week, you can do that by sending your question to this address: janice.robinson@ipswich.gov.uk
Please attend if you can, the more residents who can attend the better, we are planning to hear what Ipswich has planned for Olympics and issues such as parking at the hospital will be discussed.
We have introduced these as we believe they will give you- the residents of North East Ipswich, more opportunity to get involved in decisions that will affect you.
Our first meeting in North East Ipswich will be held on Tuesday 20th March 7pm at St John's Church Hall in Cauldwell Hall Road.
More on the meeting here: North East Area Committee
We hope there will be a chance of residents to ask councilor’s questions but if you want a very detailed answer it would be best to submit your question to the council this week, you can do that by sending your question to this address: janice.robinson@ipswich.gov.uk
Please attend if you can, the more residents who can attend the better, we are planning to hear what Ipswich has planned for Olympics and issues such as parking at the hospital will be discussed.
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