GENERAL ELECTION CALLED FOR MAY 6TH

BRIDGWATER LABOUR CANDIDATE KATHY PEARCE SAYS "WE CAN WIN HERE"

With the General Election now confirmed as May 6th and Opinion Polls today showing Labour up 4% and narrowing the gap on the shaky Tory lead, Bridgwater and West Somerset's Labour candidate Kathy Pearce took a break from campaigning to rally the troops with a bold call that Labour can take the Bridgwater seat.

Kathy said " Although the General Election won't be won or lost in this constituency we have been out campaigning for the best part of the year and the reaction we're getting back on the doorstep is positive and shows that the Tories locally might be in for a shock. People are massively dissapointed with their MP's failures and see Labour as the best way to cause an upset locally."

Labour came 2nd in the 2005 election in Bridgwater and West Somerset and now has 12 district councillors in the constituency compared to the Lib Dems who have dwindled to a solitary 1.

"People are extremely upset about what the Tories have done in this area." Kathy added " They won't forget the closure of the Sedgemoor Splash and Liddell-Grainger's total inactivity. People are realising just what it means to have Tories in power and in control of their Public Services!"

The ICM Poll in the Guardian today shows Tories on 37% (down 1%) and Labour on 33% (up 4%) with the Lib Dems way down in 3rd place on 21% (down 2%).

Kathy Pearce,who was born, educated and raised a family in the constituency, says "The Lib Dems are a spent force here and a wasted vote. If we seriously want to beat the Tories don't let them split the vote. Labour came second here last time and we are in the best position to take this seat."

Kathy, who is out and about canvassing and leafletting this week, will be officially launching her campaign at a fundraising Quiz Night at Unity House this Saturday 10th April.

To contact Kathy Pearce you can phone her on 07732736999 or email her on kathypearce2010@gmail.com or drop in to her Friday morning surgeries at Unity House (11am-1pm)

SOCIALIST HEALTH FOUNDATION SAYS “LABOUR HAS DELIVERED ON IT’S COMMITMENTS ON HEALTH AND GIVES PLEDGES ON FUTURE FUNDING”

Information supplied by the Martin Ratfelder, Director of the Socialist Health Foundation proves that Labour has stood by it’s pledges made in Labour’s 2005 manifesto to sustain investment in the NHS to deliver it’s commitments to:

*Reduce waiting times
*Expand the NHS workforce
*Improve buildings and facilities
*Triple spending compared to 1997 levels

NHS spending increased from £33.5 billion in 1997/8 to £76.4 billion in 2005/6 and is expected to have reached £96.4 billion for the financial year 2008/9.
Expenditure in real terms will have increased by nearly 7% each year between 2000/01 and 2010/11, compared to average increases of 4% over the lifetime of the NHS. This represents the highest sustained increase in funding since the NHS was established.
The current Labour government has pledged to stick to its planned increase in NHS spending in 2010/11, which will take the total NHS budget to £105.8 billion. Thereafter, ‘frontline’ NHS spending will rise in line with inflation in 2011/12 and 2012/13.

The Conservative Party has not given any details about how it plans to protect health funding.

Kathy Pearce, Labour Candidate for Bridgwater and West Somerset says “Don’t forget what the Tories did to the NHS when they were in power. They cannot be trusted with our NHS”.

KATHY WELCOMES LABOUR ANNOUNCEMENT ON COUNCIL 'NEW BUILD'

Bridgwater Labour candidate Kathy Pearce has welcomed the Labour Governments new initiative on Council housing as "A great move which could provide a new way forward to deliver decent homes and New Council build."

"Housing Minister John Healey has announced a radical new deal to offer councils more freedom to fund and run their council homes, with more autonomy to self-finance" said Kathy "This is something the Labour Group on Sedgemoor has long been calling for. "

In announcing the deal, Mr Healey set out plans to dismantle the current (HRA subsidy) system of funding council housing in 177 local authority areas.

The deal will release at least ten per cent more money in every council for maintaining and managing their homes. And it will create the funding capacity to build over 10,000 new council homes a year.

"Above all it will mean 4 million people living in 1.8 million homes will get better homes and better housing services from their council."

"Tenants whose homes have been upgraded through the Government’s Decent Homes programme will have the guarantee that their homes will be funded and maintained to this standard for the future, backed by the new national regulator – the Tenant Services Authority."

"Under this new self-financing system councils will keep all the rent they collect from their homes and all the receipts from any sales of houses or land. Not a single penny will go to Whitehall and not a single penny will subsidise other councils as the current system dictates. In return councils will accept a share of an additional £3.65bn debt. No council will take on a level of debt that is not sustainable for the long term."

"This is also a good deal for central government by removing the complex annual round of cross-subsidy decisions, making the funding system clearer and fairer. It also devolves from Whitehall the funding, management and standards of council housing in future to elected local councils."


John Healey said: “This is a once and for all settlement between central and local government. It will bring council house funding up to date – replacing a system which was introduced before the Second World War. Councils will get the freedom to fund and run their council homes, without central Government subsidy. Not a single penny from rents or sales will go to Whitehall and not a single penny will subsidise other councils as the current system dictates.

“The deal will release at least ten per cent more money in every council for maintaining and managing their homes. And it will create the funding capacity to build over 10,000 new council homes a year. Above all it will mean 4 million people living in 1.8 million homes will get better homes and better housing services from their council.

“This is a change which councils have been calling for and is an opportunity for radical change which will allow councils to do much more to provide better services and better meet the needs of local people.”

Cllr Tony Newman, LGA Labour Group’s lead on housing, said: "Today's announcement shows that only Labour is taking the initiative on housing and making sure extra money goes into building much needed homes for the future. This deal lets councils get on with the job by providing more freedom and capacity to deliver.

“Councils are well placed to respond to the needs of their communities and Labour Groups across the country are committed to providing more homes, which are affordable and of a high quality. The LGA Labour Group has long argued for greater flexibility and autonomy for local government, and we applaud John Healey for rolling up his sleeves and initiating radical reform that enables councils to deliver for their communities.

“This approach is in stark contrast to the lacklustre Tory proposals on housing which offer weak incentives for councils to build homes and undermine the principles of social housing.”



In light of these announcements, Kathy Pearce has posed four key questions for the Tories:

1. Are the Tories now committed to the Decent Homes programme?

2. Do Sedgemoor Tories agree with the Tory frontbench proposals to remove security of tenure for social housing tenants?

3. Do the Tories now agree that the proceeds of sales of council housing stock should go back into building new council housing, in contrast to the previous Tory Government’s refusal to allow councils to use receipts to replenish stock?

4. What is Tory policy on rents from council housing?

Kathy said " We have seen Labour take the initiative on housing, in partnership locally and nationally. It would seem appropriate that the Tories now respond by clarifying how they propose to meet the demand for increased affordable and high quality housing, and what role councils will play within that. The public deserve to know.”

LABOUR CANDIDATE CONDEMNS BNP CONTEMPT FOR BRIDGWATER

The Far Right BNP have announced that they will stand a candidate in Bridgwater at the forthcoming General Election and have immediatly run into a storm of condemnation. The BNP candidate-Donna Treanor (Far Right) a Scottish woman who lives in Croydon, has admitted she has never been to Bridgwater, knows nothing about the Sedgemoor Splash and didn't realise Admiral Blake was from the town.
Labour candidate Kathy Pearce (left)- born and bred in the town, currently in second place in the campaign and hot on the heels of unpopular Tory MP Ian Liddle Grainger, has condemned the BNP and their contempt for her home town "By cynically standing a candidate who knows nothing about Bridgwater and has never even been here, the BNP are showing themselves up for what they really are - a party with no concept of democracy or engagement in local communities other than to stir up hatred and division. They are beyond contempt, are a racist party as constantly proved through the courts and their roots can be traced back through all the twists and turns of the British neo-Fascist movement and it's offshoots since the 1930s.The people of Bridgwater should reject them out of hand and I call on other candidates to show their disgust by refusing to share a platform with them ."

Brian Smedley, who organised Bridgwater Against the BNP when they stood at the County Council elections last year also condemned them " Last year people were dissilusioned with mainstream politics and many people didn't bother voting. The result was that the BNP won 2 seats in Europe on the low turnout and a number of seats on local Councils. Now they are trying to get their first seats in the British parliament. Last year in Bridgwater people came together and leafletted, organised, demonstrated, held meetings and events and raised awareness of the truth about the BNP. The result was they were smashed. They are now trying to stand again but from the safe distance of Croydon. They are a despicable bunch and the people of Bridgwater now see them for what they really are and we call on everybody to be aware of what they really stand for and to get out and vote against them at this election"

WHAT THE BNP REALLY STAND FOR;-

* The BNP would kick out all those people who were not born in Britain. What if every other country in the world kicked out the Brits? A staggering 5.5 million people would be sent back here – far more than would leave our shores. This includes 800,000 from Spain, most of whom are pensioners.
* What if ... In a BNP BritainIf non-white people were ordered out of Britain then the NHS would collapse overnight. 16% of nurses are from minority ethnic communities, as are 40% of new dentists and 58% of new doctors!
* The BNP would introduce apartheid into Britain. The BNP call for whites to be given first preference in housing, education and jobs. This is no different from apartheid South Africa, a racist regime which the BNP supported.
* Mixed-race relationships would be outlawed. The BNP constitution opposes any racial integration. Articles in BNP journals condemn mixed-race relationships as “mongrelising the white race”.
* The BNP’s answer to violent crime is to allow every household to have a gun. We kid you not. This barmy idea was in the BNP’s 2005 general election manifesto.


To find the truth about the BNP go to the HOPE NOT HATE website;-
http://www.hopenothate.org.uk

LABOUR & TORIES NECK AND NECK IN POLLS

Labour and the Conservatives are neck and neck in the marginal seats that will determine the outcome of the general election, raising doubts over David Cameron’s ability to win a clear overall majority, according to a special poll for The Times.

The survey was carried out in 100 key seats currently held by Labour and targeted by the Conservatives. Although more voters are switching to the Tories in these areas than in the country as a whole, the results suggest that the shift is well below the hopes and expectations of Mr Cameron’s strategists.

Bridgwater Labour Candidate Kathy Pearce said "Clearly many voters still have doubts about the Tories. This latest Poll puts the two main parties on about 38 per cent in the marginal seats and Labour is still just ahead, on 38.2 per cent to the Tories 37.6 per cent-which is a remarkable backtracking from any predicted Tory landslide!"

Kathy is pictured calling in at the Hamp Knit and Natter Group, which meets every Monday afternoon at the Hamp Information Office at 1 Edinburgh Road. Whilst learning how to 'cast on' Kathy had an opportunity to talk to local residents.

Kathy said "The Hamp Information Office was funded by the Government's Single Regeneration Budget (SRB) funding and is the venue for many of the groups on Hamp, including the Organic Veg and Fruit Scheme, Healthy Cooking and the weekly Citizens Advice Drop In."

KATHY STEPS UP THE CAMPAIGN AS TORIES FALTER

As the Cameron Campaign runs out of steam Nationally with a sharp drop in the Polls, local Tories in presumed 'Safe Seats'are being left to sink or swim leaving unpopular MPs like our own (and they can keep him) Ian Liddle-Grainger high and dry.

Lord Ashcroft, the multi-millionaire Tory backer, has had his £5 million pound donation split up between the 'marginals' Cameron needs in order to win the 119 extra seats to take power. This means ILG is being left to his own wits (..oh dear..)to hold onto his presumed safe Bridgwater seat.

Labour candidate Kathy Pearce has seized the opportunity and has stepped up her campaign to oust the Tory Toff. After putting out 20,000 leaflets in the Bridgwater area , which were well received, she has now immediatly taken the campaign to the Tory heartland of West Somerset only to find high levels of support. Kathy says "We have started putting out a further 7,000 leaflets from Stogursey to Williton to Minehead and down to Dulverton.I want to show people I am deadly serious and that they have a candidate who can finally get the Tories out in this Constituency!"

Kathy, hard at work in her Unity House office, is the first woman candidate in more than 30 years and the response on the doorstep show the Tories could be in for a shock.

Ian Liddel-Grainger received a further set back last week when Sedgemoor Tory leader Duncan McGinty appeared to contradict claims from his MP's website. The website claimed ILG had presented a 2,000 name petition to save the Splash. When Cllr Brian Smedley asked if he had received this,McGinty replied "I'm not aware of this."

LABOUR BID TO SAVE TOWN CENTRE SWIMMING

Sedgemoor District Labour Group today attempted to save Town Centre swimming in the face of Tory plans to build a new pool out of town at a packed meeting which was dominated by supporters of the pressure group Bridgwater Forward who spoke passionately against the Tory plans to squander this opportunity to regenerate the town centre in favour of what would essentially just be a school pool.

The Ammendment, proposed by Cllr Brian Smedley (shadow Health & Well Being) & seconded by Cllr Kathy Pearce (shadow Regeneration) -both Hamp Labour councillors, read as follows;-

"The Council give notice to withdraw from the Chilton Trinty BSF scheme and seek instead to procure a new public swimming pool and fitness centre as part of a flagship redevelopment of the Northgate site in the interests of regeneration and sustainability, such to be financed through disposal of the remainder of the Northgate site including potential planning gain and/or other capital assets as well as potential capital and revenue contributions from EDF should planning consent be granted for Hinkley C, and with full community engagement throughout the process."

Cllr Brian Smedley said “We're putting this motion today in support of the long and proud tradition in our town of public swimming. Which has existed in one form or another from the corporation baths of the 1890s to the borough councils flagship Lido project -still very popular in folk memory here – to the Splash - which the Tories were so proud of they got princess diana to open it- yet when demolished they seem to be surprised at the massive public outcry and the strength of this is that the campaigners still here today 6 months later”

He added “we believe the case for the chilton pool site doesnt stack up as theres very little provision for community use and almost no sedgemoor influence on it apart from an annual bill to the taxpayers for what is clearly just a school pool. This is a major policy mistake while theres still a chance to keep public swimming and keep it in the town centre -which is where the people want it”

Cllr Kathy Pearce seconding the ammendment said “ In July they told us that we could not afford to borrow enough to fund the £4 million that they told us it would cost to refurbish the Splash. They demolished the Splash with such haste so that councillors were denied the opportunity to explore whether

funding to refurbish it was possible through Tesco or EDF as part of the Northgate regeneration. Here we are 7 months later with a proposal to fund a pool for £6.3 million and we are now told that we are in fact able to borrow in total £5.3 million.“

She went on to say “Just 40 hours are being committed to community use, out of a total of 105 hours and that includes the primary school learn to swim times. This means that community use falls way below 50% of the available time, and yet the community, through Sedgemoor are bearing all the revenue costs. From the outset of this scheme we have been dancing to the County’s tune in terms of timescales which do not suit us, committing us to funding much sooner than we can be assured of capital receipts and therefore which we cannot with confidence afford. It is madness.I fully support swimming in the town and will support whatever it costs to provide it – but only for the right scheme – and this is NOT the right scheme. It is a costly school pool on the edge of town, which will do nothing to regenerate the town and will cost us dear in the process.“

Splash campaigner Angela Tarr told the meeting “Whilst I fully support rebuilding Chilton Trinity School and it's sports centre I cannot in all conscience support building Bridgwater's replacement public swimming pool at Chilton street. Everyone knows there are severe highway congestion problems and child pedestrian safety concerns already. This will just be a school pool as only 40 hours community use is being guaranteed compared to 70 to 80 hours at Splash “

Bridgwater Forward member Bob Cudlipp said “Is this Council running on thin air? Reserves are being depleted and services are being cut.”

Linda Brigg, a disabled swimmer, presented members with a list of 16 disabled swimming groups affected by the Splash closure and said “Please have a rethink, there is a site within costs and in the centre of town”

Chair of Bridgwater Forward Sally Jones spoke up for the traders in the town and said “You can;t blame the recession alone for the state of Bridgwater .It's also all the bad decisions made in the past that are effecting the economy and the destroying of the Splash being the worse..Traders have noticed a serious drop in footfall since closure, people are leaving town to shop elsewhere and we don't have tourists bringing their money into the town!”

Pete Smith summing up for Bridgwater Forward said “it is hardly surprising Somerset CC is granting a loan on such apparently favourable terms when they are getting Sedgemoor to pay the full cost of the school pool of £6.3m and fund its revenue deficit of up to £400,000pa for the next 25 years! “

The ammendment was lost with all Conservatives voting it down and all Labour members (and the 1 Libdem) voting ito save town centre swimming. The Tories then used their overwhelming majority to push through the plans for the Chilton site.

Tory Councillor Neville Jones (Burnham) accused the protestors of “Biting the hand that feeds you” and of showing “a lack of gratitude”

On a lighter note , Cllr Smedley asked if claims on Tory MP Ian Liddle-Graingers website that he had personally got together a petition of 2000 signatures to save the Splash were true . Tory leader Cllr Duncan McGinty said he “was not aware of it”.