A fresh approach to Cornwall’s waste management

Labour’s prospective MP for Truro and Falmouth, Charlotte MacKenzie, today said that environmental issues are of prime importance to some people in Truro and Falmouth, and called for a fresh approach to Cornwall’s waste management.

Charlotte MacKenzie said: “Many people think Cornwall Council has got it’s waste strategy wrong. In 2005 local elections, my local Party called for more consultation before the Council issued a 30 year contract for Cornwall’s waste services. The incoming Liberal Democrat Council instead ploughed on with plans which included incineration as their preferred option, and contracted with SITA.

“The unitary authority brought together waste collection (previously a District responsibility) and waste disposal (previously a County responsibility). Despite the existing contracts, this should be an opportunity to develop a new waste strategy that works much better for local communities and Cornwall’s environment. Many people are disappointed that instead the Tory-dominated Council decided to continue the existing contract with SITA.

MacKenzie backs children’s charities in Cornwall

Labour’s Charlotte MacKenzie today lent her support to two campaigns to move children’s services to the top of the political agenda.

Charlotte said: “In Cornwall, we know that the investment in new children’s centres – which I warmly welcome – hasn’t always been matched by the effective co-ordination needed to make children’s services fail-safe. I am glad that the Ofsted inspection brought the urgent need for improvement to light before the communication gaps in Cornwall caused a preventable child tragedy. Leadership is vital and following the resignation of Cllr Sally Bain I hope Cornwall Council moves quickly to appoint a new portfolio holder in this area.

“I know how difficult it is for people working in front line children’s services – support for front line staff is vital and the Ofsted report also highlighted staffing needs.

Labour invests £69m more in Cornwall’s schools

Cornwall Labour Party has welcomed Labour’s £69 million investment in Cornwall’s schools, announced today by the Department for Children, Schools and Families.

Jude Robinson said: “We are proud of Labour’s investment in our children, our schools and our county. The best education is absolutely vital to providing a better future and more opportunities.

“From Penzance to Pool, Camborne to Curnow, Redruth to Poltair, Labour is providing funds so that our schools can be refurbished and improved.

“The Tories neglected Cornwall and our schools for 18 years. The Liberal Democrats have given us nothing but an expensive Unitary council. Labour is the only party to deliver real change and real progress in Cornwall.”

Through the Building Schools for the Future programme, the government intends to replace or refurbish all the 3,500 secondary schools in the country.

Cornwall’s Lib Dems run for cover after broken promises

Cornwall’s Lib Dem MPs should explain why their party’s promises of £71 million in savings at Cornwall Council have proved to be as much rubbish as the county’s growing waste mountain, says Jude Robinson, Labour candidate in Camborne, Redruth & Hayle.

Jude said: “Without the promised savings, taxpayers face higher bills and savage cuts. Government funding for Cornwall is still rising above inflation but we will not benefit because money has been squandered by the Council.

“The LIb Dem MPs lobbied for the change to Unitary and their councillors promised £71 million savings. Of this, they said £29 million would improve services and keep council tax down. The rest would go on £20 million transition costs and £22 redundancy payments.

“This is the promise made in the 2009 finance leaflet delivered by the Lib Dem administration to every home in Cornwall.

Labour has delivered for women in Cornwall

Ground breaking reforms by Labour have been especially helpful to women in Cornwall, says Labour Parliamentary Candidate Jude Robinson, speaking on International Women’s Day.

“The minimum wage put more money in Cornish women’s purses because our pay was so low and traditionally, many of the lowest paid jobs in tourism have been done by female workers. Most of us can remember the days of chambermaid jobs advertised at £1 or £1.50 an hour. Today the minimum is £5.80 an hour.

“Many women also work part-time because they have children or elderly relatives to look after, so it has made a big difference giving part-time workers the same rights as full-time.

“Most of the 900,000 pensioners lifted out of poverty were women as are 90% of the 1 million people who will start to build up a state second pension from 2010.

Cornwall Council’s cuts are the result of Conservative choices

The job cuts proposed at Cornwall Council are the choice of the Tory, Independent and Mebyon Kernow alliance, not the result of a cut in government funding, says Jude Robinson, Parliamentary candidate for Camborne, Redruth and Hayle, speaking on behalf of Cornwall Labour Party.

“Cornwall is getting a 4.5% increase in grant this year from the Labour government. That is more than £9m more, it is above inflation and it is again amongst the highest increases in the country.

“Listening to the Tory ’spin’, people get the impression the cuts are caused by government but the opposite is true.

“Government has increased the grant to Cornwall year on year and people in Cornwall were promised year on year savings from the change to Unitary status. Yet council tax is going up and the Tories are playing the same old tune of ’savage cuts’.”

New affordable housing now major reason to vote Labour in South West

Lee Jameson has said today that plans for new affordable housing in the South West show why people should vote Labour at the upcoming General Election.

Lee, Labour candidate for St Austell and Newquay, responded to news that the South West would benefit from over £54m to develop over one thousand affordable homes. That is more than any other region outside of the South East.

He said: “Labour has made house building and affordable homes a major part of its agenda in Government, and it recognises that the South West is an area in great need of support.

“Our house prices, when compared to local incomes, are among the least affordable in the UK. Yet while other parties complain about each building project and would simply dump our young people in flats in poor parts of major cities, Labour tries to fix the problem on our doorsteps.

Jim Knight stresses school freedom at Trewirgie School

Labour’s Parliamentary Candidate for Camborne, Redruth & Hayle, Jude Robinson took South West Minister Rt Hon Jim Knight MP to meet with local Headteacher Dave Simons of Trewirgie School during his recent Ministerial tour.

Jude said: “Jim Knight was the Schools Minister until recently and has lost none of his passion for education.

“Among the topics discussed was the Ofsted regime and Dave Simons has been very open about the pressure this places on schools. In future, where schools are rated outstanding, like Trewirgie, they will not have to undergo another inspection for five years as long as their results remain good.

“The Minister also highlighted the comparative freedom and independence of our schools’ Heads as in most other countries, government appoints teachers and sets out the curriculum in much more detail.

Jude only main party candidate to pledge ‘no return to cruelty’

Jude Robinson, Labour’s Prospective parliamentary candidate for Camborne, Redruth and Hayle pledged “no return to cruelty” as she backed an IFAW in Action campaign to protect the ban on the cruel sport of hunting with dogs.

Five years after the Hunting Act came into force in England and Wales, IFAW in Action, a part of the global International Fund for Animal Welfare movement, has published a new report ‘No Return to Cruelty’, and released a three-minute compilation of video footage showing examples of hunting cruelty before the ban.

The new report and footage were sent to MPs and prospective parliamentary candidates, urging them to remember the horrific cruelty inflicted on foxes, deer, hares and mink before the introduction of the Hunting Act and to work to protect the ban.

Jude said: “Having lived in a rural spot in Cornwall, I know that the strength of feeling against hunting is as strong in villages as it is in towns. The Hunting Act was brought in because the public demanded it and I am proud to have worked for it.

Fifth anniversary of the hunting ban celebrated in rural Cornwall

Five years ago, on 18 February 2004, the Labour Government’s Hunting Act became law, ending the cruelty and suffering of hunting with dogs.

Labour’s prospective MP for Truro and Falmouth Charlotte MacKenzie said:

“In this rural constituency, I hear both sides of the arguments for and against the Hunting Act. But the majority of people who have contacted me on this issue are asking me to confirm that I will vote against any proposed repeal that would allow the cruelty of hunting with dogs to return.

“The fifth anniversary of this hard won Labour law is a day of celebration for those who support animal protection, and believe it is an ethical as well as environmental cause. Rather than trying to turn the clock back on hunting with dogs, those seeking a sustainable future for rural communities, as I do, need to look to the future.