Sunday 30 October 2016

Labour rejects SCAAP



Press Release





Labour rejects SCAAP


The Full Council meeting of October 20th, 2016, had an item on the Southend Central Area Action Plan (SCAAP).

Minute 329 (SCAAP) from the agenda and pack included this:

"On consideration of the report the Corporate Director for Place confirmed that, outside of the SCAAP process, it was the intention to develop a parking strategy and a tourism strategy for submission to a future meeting of the Cabinet".

This was of sufficient concern for the Labour Group that they unanimously voted against accepting the SCAAP. Labour believes that an incomplete SCAAP cannot be presented to the public or the Government inspectors. How can the public be expected to comment on a document with such large holes in it?

Deputy Leader of the Labour Group, Cllr Julian Ware-Lane, said: "This borough has historically had a number of part implemented plans - I hope the SCAAP does not follow this unfortunate trend. Since parking and tourism are huge issues for the town centre, how can we be asked to endorse this without detail in the interim?"

Cllr Ian Gilbert, Labour Group Leader added: " "There were, in our view, sufficient unanswered questions in relation to this document to merit going back and having another look at it. It would seem sensible to wait for the outcome of the parking and tourism review before passing this critically important planning policy. Although the Tories and UKIP hide behind the fact that it will be subject to statutory consultation, the fact is they have voted to make this document the official policy of the council, and they must take responsibility for that." 

The vote on sending the SCAAP back to Cabinet was defeated with all of the Conservative and UKIP groups voting to support the document as it is.

The promised consultation process is undefined at the moment.

Wednesday 26 October 2016

Oriented feature documentary (CAST)

This Sunday (30th) will be the final date for the 3rd Annual Film Festival for Black History Month. The film is called Oriented and is a feature documentary exploring the lives of three gay Palestinian friends in Tel Aviv.  It will be shown at 6.30pm at Crowstone St Georges .

Monday 24 October 2016

September's by-election summary


date
where
result
Lab % change
1st
Dorset CC, Ferndown
Con hold
-6.1

Lymington & Pennington TC, Pennington
LD gain from Con


Cornwall UA, Four Lanes
LD gain from UKIP
-5.7

Bournemouth UA, Kinson North
Con hold
+10.9

Otley TC, Ashfield (two seats)
Two LD holds
+4.8

East Dorset DC, Parley
Con hold
+4.6

Stockton UA, Grangefield
Con gain from Lab
-5.5
8th
Mansfield UA, Yeoman Hill
Lab hold
-4.5

Barrow-in-Furness BC, Parkside
Lab hold
-11.9

Sheffield CC, Mosborough
LD gain from Lab
-8.3

Maidstone BC, Shepway South
UKIP hold
-5.6
15th
Carlisle DC, Castle
Lab hold
-3.3

Newcastle CC, Blakelaw
Lab hold
21.3

East Hertfordshire DC, Puckeridge
Con hold
-8.9

Hackney LB, Mayoral election
Lab hold
+3.7

North East Derbyshire DC, Tupton
LD gain from Lab
-33.2

Shropshire, Bishop’s Castle
LD hold
+6.7
20th
Cardiff UA, Plasnewydd
LD gain from Lab
-0.3
22nd
Teignbridge DC, Teignmouth Central
LD gain from Con
-8.1

North Lanarkshire UA, Coatbridge North & Glenboig
Lab gain from SNP
-9.0

Hailsham TC, East
LD gain from Lab
Not contested

South Northamptonshire DC, Old Stratford
Con hold
Not contested

Gateshead MB, Chopwell & Rolands Gill
Lab hold
-3.7

Cherwell DC, Adderbury, Bloxham & Bodicote
Con hold
-0.3

Suffolk CC, Hadleigh
LD gain from Con
+5.8

Carmarthenshire UA, Cilycwm
PC gain from Ind
+17.0

North Warwickshire BC, Arley and Whitacre
Lab gain from Con
+33.7

Cockermouth TC, Christchurch
LD gain from Con


Allerdale BC, Christchurch
Lab gain from Con
+5.8
29th
North Norfolk DC, Glaven Valley
LD hold
-2.8

Eastwood TC, Hilltop

Not contested

Blackpool UA, Tyldesley
Lab hold
+10.0

Teignmouth TC, Central (two seats)
LD gains (x2) from Con


Blaenau UA, Brynmawr
Ind hold
-23.0

Derby UA, Allestree
Con hold
-5.8

Wellingborough BC, Finedon
Con hold
-7.7

Dacorum BC, Adeyfield West
LD gain from Con
-8.7

West Lindsey DC, Cherry Willingham
Con hold
+0.6

Hythe & Dibden TC, Furzedown Ward
LD hold
Not contested

Cotswold DC, Stow
LD gain from Con
Not contested


September's local authority elections present a mixed picture for Labour. Whilst they are some way from being a representative sample, it does give some indication of our popularity. Of course, every election is an individual story, but trends can be spotted.

·         Three Labour gains, as opposed to five losses.
·         Seven Labour holds.
·         Labour vote share went down on twenty occasions. It went up in eleven contests.
·         There were five contests with no Labour candidate.
·         The Liberal Democrats made thirteen gains.
·         Just the single Conservative gain. They loss ten seats.

In summary September looked like a good month for the Liberal Democrats, a poor month for the Tories, and an indifferent one for Labour.

St Luke's Voice Winter 2018/19 edition