Freeze for River Ward Council Tax

Councillor John Jones voted against the Conservative budget on Thursday night. A budget which will sadly hurt local residents across the ward comes as a result of the Conservative Government £23.5m cut to our services.

The Conservative cuts include to front line services:

• 15% cut in library budgets, closure of Dockyard Centre and increase in rental charges
• 5% increase in concessionary fares
• Increase in fare revenue from CCTV cars and traffic enforcement mechanisms.
• £2.6m cut to the Early Intervention Grant which includes Connexions, Youth Opportunities Fund and Mental Health Services. Sure Start funding unclear with no inflationary increase or real terms budget freeze on 2010/11
• £3.5m floor-damping mechanism to continue despite pledges by Conservative Councillors. This will see money gerrymandered to safer Conservative shire councils
• Medway Tunnel liability expanded to £3m cost on Council from 2012/13. This is a medium-term liability on the tax payer books. The purchase of the tunnel was opposed by Medway Labour in what was a back-room deal undertaken by the Conservatives
• Cuts to bin services including wheelie-bin provision. Continuation of the blue and white straw-bag system.
• Cuts to safer communities budget coupled with support for 20% cuts to Kent Police and the creation of an elected tier of politicians at the expense of bobbies on the beat
• Huge budget cut to road-resurfacing budget, despite pot-holed residential streets, and loss of staff in the ranger and green spaces department which cares for local parks

The Medway Labour team recognise that families are suffering because of the Conservative cuts to local services, train fare rises, fuel price hikes and the struggle around home budgets caused through concerns around the economy.

Local business is also suffering from the chaos caused by the traffic system changes in Chatham and the poor consultation with local residents. It has led to insufferable delays and cost on business with now weekly changes to the road system in parts of Chatham leading to gridlock and paralysis.

The Tories have also fibbed. They pledged not to increase VAT, and increased it. They pledged not to increase train fares, and increased them. They pledged no NHS re-organisations; and have introduced a wholesale privatisation.

Both River Ward candidates are backing the Labour commitment for a two year freeze in Council tax to help people at a time when budgets are tight.

Alleygating and working with Police

Councillor John Jones and Adetomi Yemi are working with residents to fund community alleygating schemes for River Ward.

Pictured on the alley between Meadow Bank Road and Hillside Road in Chatham the alley-gating scheme reduces the risk of crime and makes residents feel safer.

Coucillor John Jones was successful in securing the alleygate after speaking with local residents on Hillside and Meadow Bank Road from prior to his election in 2010.

The area has a strong communuty spirit but does suffer from anti-social behaviour.

Commeting on the scheme, Cllr John Jones said

"River ward is the most diverse of any in the Medway towns and there are a number of areas which have been neglected by the Conservatives over the years. I have been working with local residents in this area to deliver on alley-gating"

"Anti-social behaviour blights areas of the ward and it is time we had a tough policy on kerb-crawlers and continue to support the Safe Exit Scheme which has seen success"

"The Tories locally have cut the Kent Police budget, cut magistrate services and have introduced soft sentencing for criminals. We need local representatives that work with the Police and not try and politicise them."

Medway Labour are working to stamp out anti-social behaviour which does impact particular communities in Medway.

Please do get in touch with John if you would like an alley-gating scheme for your road.

Caroline Flint MP meets Adetomi Yemi

Candidate Adetomi Yemi meets Caroline Flint MP

Caroline Flint MP, the Shadow Local Government and Communities Minister visited Gillingham yesterday to join our campaign and listen to the community.

The Fresh Ideas event was attended by a number of senior local representatives including those from charities, youth organisations and faith groups. All expressed grave concerns at the cuts being inflicted by the Conservative Government.

A key issue raised were the cuts on young people and the future impact of worklessness that will impact future generations.

Adetomi Yemi is currently a student at a local University and he feels passionately that the local community and specifically families living in Brompton or St Mary's Island are being hurt by Conservative Policies.

The Tories have cut the Education Maintenance Allowance, cut the Future Jobs Fund, risen tuition fees to £9,000 and have cut local Connexion and youth services. All of these are having real impacts on the ground from All Hallows, Hoo to Rainham and Watling.

Labour is standing a candidate under 30 in every target ward in Medway reflecting a generation of change for Medway Council. The future for our towns against a tired and out-of-touch Conservative front bench.

Caroline met with a number of residents close to the Gillingham train station from Brompton, including a number of former Conservatives, who feel angry about the train fare increases.

River is being let down by Conservatives. Time to stand up for your community

Pentagon Toilet Charge needs review

Councillor John Jones and Adetomi Yemi have been supporting shoppers and local residents in their campaign to flush out charges at the shopping centre's toilets.

Chatham's Pentagon Centre has introduced a 20p fee-for-a-pee for anyone needing to spend a penny at its modernised loos, which opened last year.

There have been repeated questions in the Council chamber from angry local residents who feel it is unacceptable that this charge has been introduced because the toilets were upgraded with a £200,000 government grant, paid for by tax-payers.

The Centre have also introduced a paid member of staff to police the toilets. Taking into account costs this is something which needs urgent review.

Councillor John Jones stated

"The issue of the Pentagon Toilets has been raised by the independent Medway Pensioners Forum and also other local campaigners who feel passionately that this is another disgrace against the public purse" "This toilet fee needs to be reviewed urgently by senior management"

The toilets were council-owned toilets until they were handed over to the centre's management a year ago, when bosses were given £200,000 from the Homes and Communities Agency to give them a facelift.

Standing up for Sure Start

Adetomi Yemi and Councillor John Jones

Councillor John Jones and Adetomi Yemi believe that Sure Start centres are a vital asset to Medway and its families and are concerned by the lack of clarity from the Medway Conservatives about future funding.

Sure Start centres have a proven track record of improving the early years development of children, offering support and advice to families and providing a safe and welcoming community space.

Labour councillors are concerned that the Government’s introduction of the new Early Intervention Grant replaces money ring-fenced specifically for Sure Start. This money will now be in the hands of local authorities, who effectively have less money to spend on a broader range of areas; this can include, but does not necessitate, spending on Sure Start.

Cllr Teresa Murray (Rochester East) says

“We are deeply concerned that the promise made by David Cameron to safeguard money for Sure Start has been broken, and seriously urge the council to sustain its funding for the scheme”,

Cllr John Jones (River) stated that

“As a god parent, I am increasingly concerned by the threats seen elsewhere in the Country with Tory funding cuts. We will stand up for these centres and work with mums and dads to ensure their children get the best opportunities in life.”

Medway Labour submutted a motion to full Council in January, proposed by Cllr Teresa Murray (Rochester East), urging the council to ensure that Medway’s Sure Start centres are kept safe from the round of cuts expected.

This motion was opposed by the Conservatives and watered down. This raises the real spectre of a real-terms cash cut in funding.

How much has a Tory traffic jam cost?

Four years of bodged Road Closures and poor consultation

River Ward Councillor John Jones and Adetomi Yemi are challenging the current Medway Council Conservative administration on the total failure to manage road improvements in Rochester, Chatham & Strood.

Over the last four years, Medway residents have experienced unprecedented and infuriating delays to their journeys and small business has suffered through lost trade, delays to goods delivery anda reduction in foot fall.

Any one driving through Medway can not have failed to have been impacted by a lack of co-ordination on roads.

We are interested in hearing of your experiences of roadwork chaos in Medway and highlighting your suggestions for improvements in future.

The road changes have been so badly mismanaged that trade in Chatham has decreased by up to 20% and many residents are simply put off from travelling into our town centres because of the delays.

We have had numerous incidences of traffic light failures and indeed Council staff being used to re-direct traffic.

In Rochester, during the Christmas Market, residents and tourists were not served well after many were stuck in unacceptable traffic jams during a key trading period.

It highlights how small business in Medway is ill-served by an administration which is out of touch with the mainstream majority.

There is no point regenerating an area if you alienate the same public you seek to serve and it is clear the Conservatives locally have lost touch with the public.

We will continue to raise serious questions on the £2.5m Chatham two-way system which Labour opposed. We will continue to challenge the nature of works in Rochester which though a key junction in Corporation Street, appears not to be a priority for the Conservatives. We will continue to scrutinise and challenge the Conservative lax regime which does not challenge major gas and water works.

Residents are also angry that whilst millions are spent on major road programmes that residential streets have been left mired with potholes which are leading to damage to vehicles. We will seek to refocus the attention onto your street.

In May, you can send a message to the Conservatives in Gun Wharf that the four year incompetence on roads must come to an end

Standing up for Commuters

As a regular commuter into London John Jones knows well the cost of the average commute into London.

The River Ward Labour team are working with Medway Labour colleagues across Strood, Rochester, Gillingham and Chatham stations to campaign against the 9% increase in rail fares which stings commuter in the pockets.

The Conservatives in Medway campaigned against fare increases prior to May 2010 but have supported the government's great train robbery.

Cllr Paul Godwin, Leader of the Labour Group says

“We believe the Conservatives have targeted the squeezed middle class commuter and have undertaken a u-turn on promises to voters. Considering the Tories campaigned on this issue, and promised commuters fares would not increase, this is hugely hypocritical”.

“We are now presenting a motion to full council to challenge these false promises calling on the Tory administration to stand up for Medway’s train users”

The Labour Group is concerned about the potential impact of prohibitively high fares for Medway.

Cllr Vince Maple says

“We believe this government’s imposition of year-on-year rail fare increases for Kent’s commuters threatens to damage the Kent economy, deterring visitors, commuters and businesses from coming here”

John Jones and Adetomi Yemi will continue to fight for fair fares.

Welcome to River Ward Labour

Councillor John Jones and Adetomi Yemi

Welcome to the River Ward Labour blog for Councillor John Jones and Labour candidates Adetomi Yemi.

We believe and care passionately for our community and we believe the area is being let down by the Medway Conservatives through rushed regeneration schemes, support for government cuts and local Councillors who are standing silent as rail and commuter fares sky-rocket.

We believe the community deserves a strong voice to oppose the Conservative-led cuts and a voice which will speak up for our communuty.

We hope you enjoy reading our blog of campaign activity and updates for our community.