Having trouble getting the sound file up. Will set a web page and link to so you can hear the interview, bear with me while I do that.
matt
Wednesday, 6 June 2007
Issues
I have just completed a radio interview, with one on the most professional and hardworking charities I have encountered. Southampton Hospital Radio.
What a great organisation staffed by such enthusiasts, for what they are doing.
I have included the broadcast here on my BLOG, for your entertainment.
Thank you to Roy for the invite and what a brilliant organisation, I really enjoyed the interview the chance to tell people about being a councillor is all about.
Issues for me this week.
Issue 1
The Libdems say it is not their fault there is Tory authority in Southampton. Frankly it is not true; they could have, on realising that there was chance of a Tory administration voted against. Then they could have voted for the Labour leader and we would have done a deal on scrutiny chairs or similar appointments, as we did for them last year. However they sat back and let this council be penetrated by the Tory spear.
Issue 2
It is time for conciliation and for Labour and Libdems to find common ground to ensure the damage to council services that the Tories will deliver is prevented. I know this is going to be difficult considering how much our leaders despise each other. However we can not and should not let the Tory bulldozer that will start to knock down the service edifice of the authority.
The authority faces two or three years of Tory council because unless labour pull it off next May and gains another seat or two, then the Tories set to stay in control. How? Well lets speculate, the independent disappears next year but he Peartree seat has been traditionally Libdem (I was the last Labour Peatree cllr in 1995), this means that the scenario is 18 Tory, 18 labour and 12 Libdem, the Tories have casting vote of the Mayor and remain in power. Assuming the Libdems' sit on their hands. That is why I say it is so important the Libdems and Labour put some of their mutual distrust and hatred aside and establish a deal that works and keeps Southampton pinker than it is now.
Issue 3
The Frustration of being a local councillor. I have as group of constituents who have had their vehicles damaged as they are unable to park the vehicles in front of or even adjacent to their properties. Why damaged? The lack of sufficient targeted youth activity and complete lack of respect for property that many groups of young and young adults have result in damage to cars.
The Thornhill estate was designed in the late 1940s and built through out the 50’s and 60’s. The car ownership in this time was 1 in ten households on average now 6 out of ten households. Therefore houses not built to have off road parking or direct access to roads, have no parking. Cars end up being parked all over and very often away from the owner’s vision and sight. Damage is then caused by overcrowding of vehicles on the road or vehicles unable to be supervised.
The frustration is that since I have been a cllr I have been campaigning for green parking schemes, allowing vehicles to be parked near owner’s properties. So cars can be supervised, taken off the estates narrow roads and looked after. However not being the cabinet setting up projects for this type of spend, to convert verges, green areas and forecourts to surfaces that are still grassed but strong enough to park cars on, is near on impossible. We did get the Libdems to agree a project 3 years ago but that was spent everywhere it was not needed and not in the “estates” where this a real and everyday problem.
However all I can do is lobby, nag, ask questions at council, at scrutiny and suggest to officers but unless the ruling cabinet decide to put in the budget, find money or think it is important it will not happen. Now we have a cabinet not interested in social housing, working class issues or areas that where living is hand to mouth.
Unfortunately constituents believe I have the power to change and institute programmes for change, unless I am part of the cabinet or ruling group, councillors do not.
Certain residents in the area are coming to the end of their tether as ever increasing damage to cars is eating into limited incomes/budgets. All I can do is nag, get on to the local police, wardens and ask for change…………….
What a great organisation staffed by such enthusiasts, for what they are doing.
I have included the broadcast here on my BLOG, for your entertainment.
Thank you to Roy for the invite and what a brilliant organisation, I really enjoyed the interview the chance to tell people about being a councillor is all about.
Issues for me this week.
Issue 1
The Libdems say it is not their fault there is Tory authority in Southampton. Frankly it is not true; they could have, on realising that there was chance of a Tory administration voted against. Then they could have voted for the Labour leader and we would have done a deal on scrutiny chairs or similar appointments, as we did for them last year. However they sat back and let this council be penetrated by the Tory spear.
Issue 2
It is time for conciliation and for Labour and Libdems to find common ground to ensure the damage to council services that the Tories will deliver is prevented. I know this is going to be difficult considering how much our leaders despise each other. However we can not and should not let the Tory bulldozer that will start to knock down the service edifice of the authority.
The authority faces two or three years of Tory council because unless labour pull it off next May and gains another seat or two, then the Tories set to stay in control. How? Well lets speculate, the independent disappears next year but he Peartree seat has been traditionally Libdem (I was the last Labour Peatree cllr in 1995), this means that the scenario is 18 Tory, 18 labour and 12 Libdem, the Tories have casting vote of the Mayor and remain in power. Assuming the Libdems' sit on their hands. That is why I say it is so important the Libdems and Labour put some of their mutual distrust and hatred aside and establish a deal that works and keeps Southampton pinker than it is now.
Issue 3
The Frustration of being a local councillor. I have as group of constituents who have had their vehicles damaged as they are unable to park the vehicles in front of or even adjacent to their properties. Why damaged? The lack of sufficient targeted youth activity and complete lack of respect for property that many groups of young and young adults have result in damage to cars.
The Thornhill estate was designed in the late 1940s and built through out the 50’s and 60’s. The car ownership in this time was 1 in ten households on average now 6 out of ten households. Therefore houses not built to have off road parking or direct access to roads, have no parking. Cars end up being parked all over and very often away from the owner’s vision and sight. Damage is then caused by overcrowding of vehicles on the road or vehicles unable to be supervised.
The frustration is that since I have been a cllr I have been campaigning for green parking schemes, allowing vehicles to be parked near owner’s properties. So cars can be supervised, taken off the estates narrow roads and looked after. However not being the cabinet setting up projects for this type of spend, to convert verges, green areas and forecourts to surfaces that are still grassed but strong enough to park cars on, is near on impossible. We did get the Libdems to agree a project 3 years ago but that was spent everywhere it was not needed and not in the “estates” where this a real and everyday problem.
However all I can do is lobby, nag, ask questions at council, at scrutiny and suggest to officers but unless the ruling cabinet decide to put in the budget, find money or think it is important it will not happen. Now we have a cabinet not interested in social housing, working class issues or areas that where living is hand to mouth.
Unfortunately constituents believe I have the power to change and institute programmes for change, unless I am part of the cabinet or ruling group, councillors do not.
Certain residents in the area are coming to the end of their tether as ever increasing damage to cars is eating into limited incomes/budgets. All I can do is nag, get on to the local police, wardens and ask for change…………….
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