Public Conveniences – Are they Fit for Purpose?
by jontandy on February 26, 2010
in Borough Council, Community, County Council, General, Local Council
Being born and bred in Shrewsbury I know and speak to many local residents every day, and one of the most regular topics to come up is the state of Shrewsbury’s public conveniences. A good range of well presented and maintained public toilets is a key part of any enjoyable visit to our town centre. Sadly the position is not all it should be.
Regularly I am told the standard of equipment and presentation is below what our residents and visitors have a right to expect. The image of Shrewsbury they portray to visitors is one of not caring whether they have a comfortable and relaxed visit at all. It is vital for the economic health of Shrewsbury that we make the most of the opportunities and income well planned tourism offers.
The current provision of public toilets in Shrewsbury is just not doing that.
What a massive shame it is that our Tory led Borough and County Councils instead chose to waste some £750,000 on the Darwin “celebrations” and the hugely costly Quantum Leap slinky sculpture.
Investing wisely in our basic facilities in my view would have been the sensible course, and would be far more likely to bring the repeat visits the Darwin fiasco has so conspicuously failed to produce.
Shrewsbury Town – A Team to be Proud Of
The news about Portsmouth FC going into administration has saddened all true football supporters. To crash from FA Cup winners to this state in a few short years is awful for their fans. With Crystal Palace also suffering the same fate it shows the financial rot in football is reaching higher up the leagues than ever before.
All this should make us even more proud of the achievements of the board, staff, players and fans of Shrewsbury Town FC. Under the leadership of Roland Wycherley and his team, Shrewsbury has one of the most financially sound clubs in the land. To build a fine new stadium, and be able to consistently challenge for promotion with two visits to Wembley at the same time is a great record. To able to do that while other clubs with far bigger fan bases fall into financial turmoil shows the scope of what Roland and his team have achieved.
STFC are well placed for the final run in to this season, and I’m sure they will do us all the greatest credit as they push towards the goal of automatic promotion.
FOX HUNTING-THE UGLY PICTURE
I was very disturbed to see the article in the Shropshire Star of 16 February, about the incident concerning the South Shropshire Hunt at Cruckton, near Shrewsbury.
The hounds, whilst supposed to be on a drag hunt, came onto private property and ripped apart a fox in the back garden of a local resident. Otis Ferry, joint huntmaster, said they had temporarily lost control of the hounds. The lady owner of the land had previously repeatedly warned the hunt not to enter her private land. This incident must have been extremely distressing for that lady, whose horses and pet cat were understandably terrified.
This unpleasant incident illustrates only too well the real practical problems hunting creates for us in Shropshire. This lady had every right, as all residents of country areas have, to quietly enjoy their property without such horrible acts as this being carried out on their land against their express wishes.
But it is not an isolated incident. A few years back the hunt got into the gardens of several houses in Condover village and caused chaos. A local resident recently found the A41-a main Shropshire Trunk Road blocked by the hunt at Tern Hill with all the resulting danger to other road users.
My question is, if a group of other outdoor pastime enthusiasts such as anglers, or rugby players, turned up in a private garden and killed a wild animal, the outcry would rightly be massive. So why are the hunting lobby allowed to do this infringing private property rights with apparent impunity?
The Police have said no laws were broken at Cruckton, and the incident just amounted to “Trespass”. I doubt the unfortunate lady landowner thought that.
Our MP Daniel Kawczynski went on record on Radio Shropshire to categorically state he would support a vote to reverse Labour’s ban on hunting with dogs.
I would ask him does he still support the pro-hunting lobby when they show such disregard for private property rights? Does he not agree that people who have worked hard to buy country property and land, and who do not wish the hunt to come across it, should have the total right to have that wish fully respected?
If the hunt were engaged in a drag hunt, why didn’t they plan a route well away from this lady’s land?
Erdington and Shrewsbury MPs under-fire for non-attendance
by jontandy on February 14, 2010
in Election, General, Labour Party, Parliamentary
Apr 9 2009 by Edward Chadwick, Birmingham Post
Two Midland MPs have been named as among the worst elected representatives in the country who have failed to show up for large numbers of Commons committees.
Sion Simon, the Labour MP for Erdington, managed to get to just 29.7 per cent of meetings of the treasury committee.
Although he became the Government’s Further Education Minister in October, figures released by Parliament show he attended only 11 of 37 meetings in the 12 months to November 2008.
Shrewsbury’s Tory MP Daniel Kawczynski is listed as present at just 12.5 per cent of the justice committee and 31.3 per cent of the international development committee.
He has claimed the figures are wrong.
At least 60 of 220 members on the most powerful committees examining public spending and services have missed at least half of all meetings in the last year.
The figure has sparked concern among select committee chairmen that MPs are shirking responsibilities and failing to properly hold government to account.
Phil Willis, chairman of the Innovation, Universities, Science and Skills Committee, said: “I think it is the job of members to attend.”
Commons committees are cross-party groups responsible for scrutinising public expenditure and policies. They are made up of mainly back-bench MPs.
Mr Simon said: ‘‘It is a ridiculous non-story. It’s like saying every MP should be in the Chamber for every debate. Select committees do not work like that. They are just one of a range of tools MPs can use. There is no reason whatsoever to priorities select committee meetings above the other work of an MP.
“I pick my meetings and was an active and effective member of the committee. I work for the people of Erdington and the Labour Government; not the Treasury Select Committee.’’
Mr Kawczynski did not respond to calls to his office but told The Times the figure for his attendance at the international development committee was wrong and that he had not attended the justice committee because the two clashed.
Meanwhile, Birmingham MP Gisela Stuart defended foreign trips by Commons committee members to sunny climes which have cost taxpayers £1.3 million in the last year alone.
Committee members have jetted off to California, Bali, Bermuda and the Cayman Islands on overseas “fact-finding” trips.
One MP went on 11 foreign visits last year. The Taxpayer’s Alliance has said the amount of money lavished on foreign trips seemed “excessive and frivolous”.
Edgbaston MP Mrs Stuart’s foreign affairs committee spent £231,023 last year on foreign trips, including the Caribbean holiday island of Bermuda.
But the back-bench Labour MP said her visit to the Falkland Islands as part of the committee’s work last May was modest and involved little luxury.
“We flew most of the way by military plane and stayed in fairly basic bed and breakfast accommodation,” she said. “It was far from lavish or excessive.
“The trip to Bermuda led to the suspension of the government in the Turks and Caicos Islands because of corruption.
“These trips cost a lot of money but if you were to ask me whether the trips provided good value, then the answer would be yes.”
Other trips included a £48,000 junket to South Africa by the justice committee to look at the role of the prison officer abroad.
Matthew Elliott, of the Taxpayers’ Alliance, said: “Every parliamentary trip should be scrutinised to see if it is really worthwhile.”
Meet the Voters 13th+14th Feb 2010
by jontandy on February 12, 2010
in Election, Labour Party, Parliamentary, Personal
Liz, Steve and I will be out campaigning this weekend and hope that you might be able to join us!
We will be meeting this Saturday 13th at 11am at frankwell carpark by the suspension bridge.
On Sunday 14th we will be out meeting the lovely voters campaigning from 11am meeting at the Onslow pub car park gains park.
We would be delighted if you were able to spare an hour or two. Please do text Jon on 07800 589 074 if you can make it!
Thanks
- Jon Tandy
