Schools Sports Partnerships: Heartbreaking

“It is heartbreaking to see a country do this to its children”*

(* Quote from Andy Marchant, SSP co-ordinator for Brighton and Hove, in the Guardian, Saturday 20th November)

You may have heard that Tory Education Secretary Michael Gove made the decision, without consultation, to scrap Labour’s Schools Sports Partnerships.

This decision will affect every state school in Brighton and Hove. The city’s School Sports Partnership (SSP), co-ordinated from Dorothy Stringer School, involved all 72 schools in the city including schools for children with special needs. All £320,000 of funding for the scheme will be stopped.

Ten thousand children participate in the 64 additional activities added to the core PE curriculum by the SSP. The nationally acclaimed “sport for all” programme runs after-school clubs, inter-schools competitions and dance and sports festivals. Nineteen thousand children and young people took part in this year’s Brighton and Hove School Sports Festival.

In 1997, just one in four school children were doing two hours per week of PE. In 2010, 95% of children are participating in healthy sporting activities. The Government is pulling the plug on a highly successful scheme which works to reduce growing levels of childhood obesity and enhances children’s engagement with education.

Once again, the budget deficit is used as an excuse to make ideologically-motivated cuts.  The deficit was caused by failures in the financial system triggering a recession. It’s not fair, or necessary, for children to pay for these failures. Savings can be made without jeopardising the health and wellbeing of young people.

However you look at it, it’s a poor decision.

It was Labour which introduced Schools Sports Partnerships, and Labour will fight it in Brighton and Hove. Gove was forced to back down and return some of the funding he took away from Labour’s children’s playground refurbishment programme. We can do the same again for sport in schools. Our online petition attracted hundreds of signatures in just a few days. Add your signature by visiting tinyurl.com/37k89kx.

Read more about the work done by the SSP in Brighton and Hove, and what we will lose, at guardian.co.uk/education/2010/nov/20/schools-sports-funding-cuts-gove. And join the national Facebook group Save School Sport Partnerships.

Today, headteachers are launching a campaign of opposition to the move, as featured in the Observer: http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2010/nov/28/school-sport-partnerships-abolition-gove. Opposition really is growing, and there is a good chance with your support that we can get Gove to back down.

Bus Service Subsidies Cut

The Council revealed that they are planning to reduce subsidies to bus services across the city by £600,000. This money has been used to provide services which don't necessarily have enough usage to make them financially viable independently, but are vital for connecting neighbourhoods with the city centre. Services in this area under threat are the 21, 21B, 37, 81, 81A and 22. We will be challenging the Council on this. The previous Labour Council developed the excellent bus service that we have in Brighton and Hove today which is essential for reducing car usage and congestion, and we will defend it.

On the Doorstep, Saturday 27th November

Well, given the conditions, all I can say is how great it was that a few people dared to open their doors on what must surely have been the coldest day of the year! It was so cold it was hard to think straight. However, we managed a few streets before retiring to the Bib and Tucker, where I had an interesting chat with the manager about various issues around licensing in the city. Here we are, Pete Gillman, standing in St Peter's and North Laine on the left, myself on the right.

Lewes Road for Clean Air

Last night I went to the AGM of the Lewes Road for Clean Air, a community group started about a year ago. The Bike Train is a project within the same group, and most of the people at the AGM were regulars on the Bike Train. There was a lot of real enthusiasm for the Bike Train, which is great for students and staff at the universities who make the journey from Brighton to Falmer several times a week. Getting together into a group and cycling together makes for a safer ride. However, not everyone is a fan as the Bike Train can slow down the flow of traffic. The Bike Train highlights the need for a safer cycling experience, and the city needs to develop better cycleways, but what we really need is to do a variety of things so that cyclists and traffic can move freely without battling for the same space. That includes measures to reduce the volume of traffic like Park and Ride.

One idea discussed last night is the feasibility of using the university car parks as a weekend park and ride, along with bus services along the Lewes Road. This sounds like something really worth pursuing, since the costs are small and it would reduce traffic and emissions along the narrow, built-up Lewes Road.

Huge support for Labour in Brighton and Hove

This chart shows votes at May's General Election across all three Brighton and Hove constituencies. Although the Labour MPs lost their seats, all the results were close, and combined across the city Labour only won 500 fewer votes than the Conservatives.

Membership of Labour has soared following the General Election, and to date over 200 people have joined the Labour party in Brighton Pavilion alone. Activism is growing, as more and more people realise that something must be done to show opposition to the actions of the Tory Lib-Dem government.

Hanover Action for Sustainable Living

Last night was the first anniversary of Hanover Action for Sustainable Living, a community group that started up after a showing of The Age of Stupid at Hanover Community Centre.

HASL have got involved in a number of different activities, including film showings, composting initiatives, promoting the 10:10 campaign and running a Food Group. There's a lot of effort going in to keeping it fresh and encouraging new people to get involved. From the buzz last night it seemed to be paying off.

Caroline Lucas was the guest speaker, and her comments about sustainability and politicial will were interesting, although I would have liked to have heard more about how she feels she as a Green MP can make an actual difference in practice to the environmental impact of this country, or her constituency.

The event has certainly given me a few new ideas to think about over the next few months. Watch this space!

Sharon Hodgson MP

Shadow Education Minister Sharon Hodgson MP (left) was in Brighton last week, for a meeting regarding the Brightstart Nursery. She spoke to Labour members at a meeting at the Hanover pub, together with Labour Group leader Councillor Gill Mitchell. It was a great opportunity to hear about some of her values, and what she feels the challenges are for the Opposition over the next few years. Sharon was appointed by Shadow Secretary of State for Education Andy Burnham, whom we heard a lot about during the leadership election. I was impressed with Andy and felt he holds many traditional Labour values - and acted on them as Secretary of State for Health, including setting a tougher line against outsourcing.

On the Doorstep, Saturday 13th November

Concerns about the recent consultation on the controlled parking zone (CPZ) came up on Saturday. The vast majority were against the idea, as in much of the ward parking is not an issue, so it is seen as an additional expense with no benefit. It does appear that the Green Councillors who requested the consultation misjudged the views of local people across the ward.

Cycling safety was also mentioned - meaning the way in which cyclists ride being unsafe - cycling on pavements being a danger to pedestrians for example. But there was also the recognition that some roads just aren't safe enough for cycling, so it's no wonder they are resorting to pavements some of the time.

There are concerns about drug dealing and late licences, and also supermarkets selling cheap alcohol adding to the city's substance abuse problems.

And of course serious worries about the impact that budget cuts will have on services helping the most vulnerable in the city.

We will pass on feedback where we can, and get back to people who took the time to share their views.

On the Doorstep, Sunday 7th November

A few issues mentioned by Elm Grove residents today: the need for more cycle lanes and a safer experience for cyclists, particularly along Lewes Road. (We're focussing on transport as the Council is consultating on the city's transport planning strategy at the moment.) Speeding traffic in the area and unsafe parking - a fire engine called recently had to reverse out and go a longer route due to someone double-parked in the Shanklin Road area. There were some positive comments about the bus and train services. Anti-social behaviour including drug dealing and noise also came up.

The new "binvelopes" are popular on Newmarket Road, as they can be folded away after bin day so that rubbish in bin bags isn't left in the street. Some residents still need to get into the habit of taking them in though!

Council calls for public views on transport

What do you think about traffic and transport in your local area, and across the city?
The Council is asking for views about local transport policy. Have your say by visiting their website and completing the questionnaire.

From their web page:

"We are asking for views to helps us to shape the next Local Transport Plan for the city which will start in April 2011.

We are currently developing a new Local Transport Plan (LTP) for the city which will enable the council to prioritise how it maintains and improves the transport network for everybody. We are looking 15 years ahead to ensure that by 2026 the city can keep moving and will remain a place that we can all enjoy.

What is a Local Transport Plan (LTP)?

The LTP is a document that sets out how transport can improve our safety and health, support out local economy, protect our environment and reduce carbon emissions and pollution. It is also how the city council secures funding for transport improvements from central government.
Developing the new LTP for Brighton & Hove

An LTP should consider all forms of transport and will include a long-term strategy and short-term delivery plan for specific schemes.

It also needs to help deliver the government's policies at a local level. These are:

* Supporting economic growth
* Tackling climate change
* Promoting equality of opportunity
* Contributing to better safety, security and health
* Improving quality of life

How do I get involved?

We would like you to complete the questionnaire below. It will give us your views on transport issues and priorities for Brighton & Hove. The survey closes on 10 December 2010.

Further information is contained in the document attached which is available to download. If you would prefer a paper copy of the questionnaire please email: travel.planning@brighton-hove.gov.uk or telephone (01273) 294390."

Hanover and Elm Grove parking scheme could be revived

Green Councillors are still pushing for parking controls in the area:
Archive news from Oct 3rd, 2010 from: Brighton and Hove News
A controversial parking permit scheme for Hanover and Elm Grove could be revived.
The decision to scrap plans for controlled parking in the area has been “called-in” for review by four members of Brighton and Hove City Council.
The quartet of Green Party councillors, led by Pete West, said the original decision was flawed because it was based on a consultation which was skewed by opposition to the scheme from people who did not own cars.
They said this meant residents in some streets which had been in favour of controls were losing out.
Councillor Geoffrey Theobald, the council’s cabinet member for transport, decided in July not to introduce the scheme after opposition from three-quarters of respondents to the consultation.
There have since been reports some residents felt intimidated by others campaigning for and against the permits, with some claiming they had received death threats.
The scheme would mean the introduction of a mixture of pay and display and residents’ only parking bays. Residents would have to buy permits to use the spaces each year.
The “call-in” will be considered by the council’s Environment and Community Safety Overview and Scrutiny Committee at Brighton Town Hall at 5pm on Tuesday (October 5).
The committee will vote on whether to request Coun Theobald to reconsider his decision.
Coun West, who represents the St Peter’s and North Laine ward, was backed in his request by councillors Ben Duncan, Rachel Fryer and Paul Steedman, who all represent the Queen’s Park ward next to Hanover and Elm Grove.
None of the three Green councillors for Hanover and Elm Grove added their names to the call-in request.
http://www.brightonandhovenews.org/2010/10/hanover-and-elm-grove-parking-scheme-could-be-revived/

Labour moves in front in polls

The Labour Party has nosed ahead of the Conservatives since the coalition announced public spending cuts last month, according to an opinion poll published Monday.
Chancellor George Osborne outlined in October a five-year austerity drive, including major cuts to welfare and other government expenditure, to reduce a record peacetime budget deficit of 11 percent of gross domestic product.
The latest ComRes poll for The Independent puts support for Labour on 37 percent, up three percentage points since the most recent ComRes survey for The Independent on Sunday two weeks ago -- just before Osborne unveiled his spending cuts.
The Conservatives have dropped five points to 35 percent, while the Liberal Democrats are up two points to 16 percent.
It is also the first time a ComRes poll has put Labour ahead of the Conservatives since September 2007, when former Prime Minister Gordon Brown considered calling a snap election.

Welcome to the blog of Hanover and Elm Grove Labour Party

Welcome to the blog of Hanover and Elm Grove Labour Party!
This will be a site where we can let you know about our activities in the ward and what residents are telling us on the doorstep.
Feel free to contact us at our email address -- hanoverelmgrovelabour@gmail.com -- about any issue, or a question you may have.
We are dedicated to removing the Conservative-Liberal coalition government that is doing such harm to our community and the Tory council that's busy sacking staff and cutting essential services, which they are doing with a glee that is disgusting and immoral.
You'll get a chance to express you opinion on 5th May at the council election but why wait? Join the Labour Party now at https://secure2.labour.org.uk/join/, donate to the party or volunteer.
Your local community needs you!
More than 32,000 people have joined Labour since the general election, including 10,000 former Liberal Democrat supporters. In Hanover and Elm Grove, we've seen a 10% rise in membership since May -- we now have more than 100 members in the ward -- and many are former members, returning to the party.
Thanks,
Leo Barraclough, Tracey Hill and Jack Kiffin.
Your Labour candidates for the local elections on 5th May 2011.