In Richmond, as across the Country, parents are discovering the reality of the Tories' policy of providing 30 hours of free Early Years and Childcare for all three and four year olds.
At Full Council last night, Labour Councillor Jennifer Churchill raised the issue. She says: "I asked the Cabinet Member for Education to declare publicly the advice being given to Early Years and childcare providers to create new charges for parents, given that the 30 "free" hours policy has come in without the funding to support it. She would only say that the Council were acting "within the law". The policy is a sham. 74% of respondents to a Pre-school Alliance survey said funding did not match the cost of the new policy. Providers are having to increase charges for products such as meals and nappies just to survive, and our officers are running sessions teaching them how best to do this. Either the proper funding should be put in place, or the Tories should admit that they have no intention of living up to their election promises, and the policy should be publicly dropped. The current situation is an untenable disgrace."
September 20, 2017
In Richmond, as across the Country, parents are discovering the reality of the Tories' policy of providing 30 hours of free Early Years and Childcare for all three and four...
Labour Councillor Jenny Churchill was the only Councillor to speak in favour of a petition, signed by over 2000 residents, presented to the Council meeting of September 12th, seeking to amend Tory proposals to reduce the number of dogs that dog walkers could exercise in the Boroughs parks and green spaces. The Tory proposals, contained in newly revised Public Space Protection Orders, will mean that anyone walking more than four dogs at a time will need a licence.
Dog walkers had concerns over the small number of licences that will be available, a number which was plucked from the air by Tory and Libdem Councillors in a prior Regulatory Committee. This fact was conceded by the Cabinet Member for parks Cllr Fleming, but who was unwilling to increase the number.
Members of the public speaking in favour of the petition pointed out that in seven years the Council had only received four complaints regarding dog walkers exercising too many dogs, and suggested that the clampdown was excessive.
Jenny argued: “We all, not least the professional dog walkers themselves, see moving to a licenced system as a positive move. As always, however, the devil is in the detail. The number of licences that will be offered is unreasonably low: this will push qualified, professional walkers out of business. Also, licences will only be available to residents, which is unfair for those who have established their work here whilst living on the border of the borough. I don’t understand why more efforts were not made to come up with a system that took into account local need.”
The liberals joined forces with the Conservatives leaving Jenny as the lone voice of reason; her efforts were however appreciated, with one resident commenting:
“You have my complete respect and utmost thanks for what you did tonight. You were the only person who was unafraid to speak out for what was right.’
September 20, 2017
Labour Councillor Jenny Churchill was the only Councillor to speak in favour of a petition, signed by over 2000 residents, presented to the Council meeting of September 12th, seeking...
RIGHTS CAMPAIGNER AND SHADOW ATTORNEY GENERAL SHAMI CHAKRABARTI VISITS TWICKENHAM LABOUR PARTY
Shami Chakrabatti visited Twickenham this week at the invitation of the Twickenham Labour Party to talk about Human Rights, Womens’ Equality Issues and how a Labour Government would address the challenges of the twenty first Century.
She is eminently qualified to discuss Human Rights. She was director of the Campaigning Human Rights group Liberty, from 2003-2016. She was appointed the Labour Party’s Shadow Attorney General for England and Wales in October 2016.
Speaking in the Turks Head Hall to a crowded meeting she discussed the appalling inequality in the world emphasised by the fact that the richest eight men in the world own the same wealth as the 3.6 billion people who make up the poorest half of
humanity* . She also observed that world- wide gender injustice was one of the greatest human rights abuses.
She discussed the lack of legal aid in the UK leading to a two class system of justice. She said the Labour Party will soon publish plans to re-instate the right to Justice, whatever income people are on as part of a wide ranging package to improve the
justice system.
Twickenham Labour Party’s Women’s Officer Cathy Driscoll commented:
“Shami spoke about issues directly related to people in Twickenham. On combatting racism, on ensuring human rights whatever happens with Brexit. We are very pleased that she will be the next Attorney General.”
September 05, 2017
RIGHTS CAMPAIGNER AND SHADOW ATTORNEY GENERAL SHAMI CHAKRABARTI VISITS TWICKENHAM LABOUR PARTY Shami Chakrabatti visited Twickenham this week at the invitation of the Twickenham Labour Party to talk about Human...
