NHS direct

Imagine a service that saves the government money, is valued by patients and reaches people who otherwise might not get treatment.  This sounds like exactly what the current government is looking for.  I would expand it as it's a great example of 'more for less'.

NHS Direct is that service:

It diverts people from A&E and the doctors, unless they need to go (OK they may be precautionary but that's the right way around!).  I know that I really value the ability ot pick up a phone and speak to a nurse at 2am if my daughter seems ill and I know at least a couple of men who won't go ot the doctors but who will ring them (not sure if it is a gender thing, but it is only men in my expereince).

Surely the government will rethink scrapping it, the only reason I can think of downgrading the service is to keep up their 'cut a day' mentality.
There's a petition please sign it!

Wishful thinking at best

I am sure the libdems don't want anyone, especially low and middle incomes to be worse off as a result of their actions and certainly not disproportionately hit.  I imagine the Conservatives feel the same, although with some of them I wonder.

But the facts speak for themselves and to start trying to blame the IFS after having held them up as a benchmark of objectivity is to put it politely wishful thinking.  It made me question Clegg's integrity but on balance I think it's poor judgement.  I know it's hard to admit you've been wrong - I'm thinking about this in the Labour leadership election*. 

However surely he can see he's being dragged into making ludicrous statements.  Nick Clegg in this video clip says "We want to get people off benefits and into work.  That is a plan for real fairness".  Wanting something isn't a plan.

"I want Labour to win 500 seats in the next general election and to ensure that all bankers work for the good of society not for greed.  That is a plan for a real change in the political and financial situation"  NO IT'S NOT!


Come on, surely the Conservatives and Libdems between them can come up with a better defence of their actions than this?

*thought I would vote EdM now thinking Andy Burnham...

Don't forget to register to vote!

Everyone will be receiving electoral registration forms from Friday (Aug 20).

If you are not on the electoral register, it means you will not be able to vote in next year's local elections and therefore miss out on a good chance to have your say on how you think the Conservatives (with lib-dem collaboration) are doing at running the council!

Plus on the same day there is a referendum on the "Alternative Vote" system of voting.

Registration forms should have already arrived - mine did last week.  

Reading Borough council website has "You can complete, sign and return the form in the enclosed pre-paid envelope. If there are no changes to your family details you can confirm this by phone, SMS text, or internet, as explained on the registration form."

If you have 16 or 17 year olds in your house don't forget to add their (or your!) names to the register too, or you'll be kicking yourself for missing your first chance to vote.

Congratulations to GCSE students

Congratulations to all the GCSE students in Reading, hope you can celebrate the results of your hard work!  (and of course congratulations to their teachers as well...)

Congratulations to A-level students

Congratulations to all the student who got their A-level results today.  And also to their teachers who I know (from my household at least) have also been waiting with nearly as much anticipation to see how you all got on...

Dying for the loo?

Today is the last chance to sign wateraid's petition asking Cameron to make it a priority for our development funds to fund decent 'sanitation'.  A euphemism for toilets that don't spread disease.  This isn't a left/right issue - it's possibly the most basic need and rarely discussed: doesn't make as good pictures as water pumps or food parcels, but diarrhoea is one of the biggest killers of small children in many countries.

Sign it today!

Also don't forget that DEC's appeal for Pakistan.  I'm not able to make it to the fund-raiser tonight so have donated directly instead.

UPDATE:  link corrected (thank you to Adrian) and spelling (thank you husband!)

"The single biggest challenge facing Britain" - oh really?

Soneone once say "Ringo's not the best drummer in the world, he's not even the best drummer in the Beatles".  I'd dispute that and not just because to me he is the voice of Thomas the tank engine.  Yes that shows my age...

But I would say something similar today in response to Baroness Warsi "The deficit isn't even the single biggest economic challenge facing Britain".  For most of us I would say jobs and growth are the single biggest economic challenge facing us, and we're Britain not the banks or Whitehall full of monetarist economists.

Yes the deficit has to come down, but the deficit this year is now projected to be smaller than the original forecast.  Under Labour's policies jobs were being created and growth was coming as figures out today show - the figures are better than I expected actually, and I was a fan of investing to grow!  

Yet looking at the impact of Conservative policies the bank of england are now downgrading forecasts future growth, consumer spending has started to slow and house prices have slightly fallen.  Why?  Well we're not stupid, people are worried about their jobs and the economy with Conservative policy of slash and burn.  

Ironically actually the best (and painless) way to cut the deficit is to increase growth.  This actually includes the so-called 'structural' deficit which is an estimate not an objective figure.  The estimate is hugely affected by what you assume to be the long term trend rate for growth... and guess what?  Conservative policies that harm growth will also lead to the structural deficit being higher, which will probably make them feel they can justify further cuts, which will damage growth further.  I can see where this is going...

Baroness Warsi is getting lots of coverage by being rude to the Labour leadership candidates but is' a smokescreen for the real news of the day - Labour policies are not only fairer but were working and Conservative policies are already causing both the Bank of England and the ordinary punter to be worried about the future.

To me this is a reminder along with national and local attacks on council housing, cutting investment in play areas, attacking social care (not to mention a foreign policy that seemingly involves pointlessly winding up a country that we need to keep onside for the sake or our troops and currently has a huge natural disaster on it's hands) should be a wake up call to every Labour member and supporter. 

July councillor activities

Summary:

As  I predicted in my June report July was a quieter month on the council front partially as there has been less going on and partially due to the personal circumstances that meant I have taken some time out here and there.

Council work:

The only committee related to the council that met that I am a member of in July was the SACRE meeting on 1st July.  Due to unavoidable personal circumstances I sent my apologies for this. 


Out and about in the ward:


Jim Hanley and Mike Orton held a councillor's surgery/coffee morning at Whitley Advice centre 3rd July.  Our next formal surgery is on 3rd September.

I've continued to receive contacts from a number of residents and have been following them up - seems to be a lot of dog muck issues and questions about buses this month, as well as a number of residents with concerns about the mini-motorbikes that are such a pain in the summer.

I attended a meeting of the South Whitley NAG on Thursday 29th and the community fun day at the South Whitley park on Saturday 31st.

Other meetings:
Mike and I met with members of Friends of the Earth about the potential of 2 sites in the south of the ward on Friday 30th.

Labour party and campaigning

This section is not related to my work as a councillor but is something I do on a voluntary basis and is relevant to constituents.

This month I've been encouraging members to consider applying to be candidates for the council.  I've also been working with other party members on the internet presence of the local party, as an increasingly popular way of contacting us and finding out more about

The councillors also organised an away day on Saturday 3rd July to which we invited councillors from Slough and a campaigner from Birmingham to give us their perspectives.  It was a very useful day.  As councillors a number of us have also agreed to increase our donations to campaigning because we are serious about taking back control of the council as soon as possible.



Next month:

I don't currently have any scheduled meetings or activities for most of August!  I'm sure that will change and if not I plan to use the time to ensure that I am fully ready for September which is looking busy and to ensure that I am fully on top of local issues in Whitley.