This needs clarity

Bag for life scheme

South Tyneside shoppers will be given the chance to ditch plastic carriers and bag themselves a more environmentally friendly ‘bag for life’ next week.

Wonderful scheme, I’m all for us shoppers re-using a bag for life, we did it years ago and I’m sure we can do it again now. The use of supermarket carrier bags is extremely wasteful and damages our environment. However, I’d like to know if the scheme is being used to distribute the supermarket’s branded bags or whether South Tyneside Council has spent money to produce it’s own bags, the article isn’t clear on this. If the supermarkets have been encouraged to give away their own bags than I assume there will be a small cost to them,and I hope that the council tax payer is not reimbursing that cost. We could use some clarification here.

With the government hinting that it may legislate sometime in the future over plastic carrier bags and South Shields shoppers already becoming more aware of the availability of bags for life at the checkouts, I wonder if our ‘re-education’ is being achieved with our own money?

I note that Tesco who are to bring value to Hebburn town centre are only prepared to help out the first 400 customers- more reasons to shop at Jarrow?

:: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: ::

Smarten up

Tories to back dress codes for teachers

Michael Gove, the Conservatives’ education spokesman, has said that his party will back those schools which introduce a dress code for their staff.

I have a long memory (which sometimes is reliable and at other times is not) but when I was a pupil at South Shields Grammar School for Boys the teaching staff wore gowns and coloured capes, depending upon their degrees, it hardly seemed to bother them or the pupils. We had a certain amount of respect for them and we had a uniform of our own, and William Egner, the headmaster, even introduced short gowns for those sixth formers who were elected as prefects.

The staff at my children’s school in South Shields all appear to be well presented in a formal business like attire and I have yet to hear of any other school in South Tyneside where the teaching staff are allowed to wear denim or leather! So it comes as a little surprise to learn that sloppy dress codes are entertained in certain other educational establishments within the UK. My own view is that the teaching delivery and presentation is probably far more important than the £49 ASDA suit.

• I wonder if it ought to be the role of politicians to determine or favour dress codes for staff, whatever the profession?
• Whether parents would be overly upset if teacher wore jeans and a t-shirt?
• Should it not be the role of school governors and local authorities to determine the policy in these areas and then ensure that it is followed?
• If we agree that schoolchildren should wear a uniform, should it not be then commensurate for staff to dress in an appropriate business fashion?

What are your views?

:: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: ::

Alan Johnson’s email address

Odd search result

You occasionally see some odd search terms that resulted in the enquirer landing on your website, one such searcher was looking for “Alan Johnson Health Minister’s email address” and ended up in the Corner Shop here in South Shields - I kid you not!

Here, have a look for yourself.

Honestly, I don’t store any government classified email addresses, besides as a former postman he probably prefers a well written letter (just ask South Tyneside Cllr. Rob Dix!)

:: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: ::

Labour don’t get it

Bloggers4Labour waking up, Conservatives look at real change too.

Tygerland quoted on the front page of Bloggers4Labour

Liam Murray has an excellent post on how Labour - and the left in general - just don’t ‘get’ the reality that David Cameron’s new “compassionate conservatism” is real, rooted in history, and ideologically sound.

Of course it’s still hard, for those like me who grew up under Thatcher, to not be suspicious of the Tories, but maybe Liam is right. Maybe Cameron is serious about improving social justice.

I think he must be, even at Conservative Home they are introducing a series of posts looking at the health of the Tory right, and following a survey of it’s readers they found these responses within the first one hundred replies:

1. “Very weird/deluded”
2. It is not Right wing, it is Reactionary wing. Same people who resisted Thatcher, now resist new ideas again.
3. Somewhat out of touch with mainstream politics. Some of them verge on the dangerous.
4. Out of touch with the general electorate and who are far too vocal.
5. People who have forgotten that one can only win power by attracting votes from outside the ranks of core supporters.
6. A little too detached from the need to debate in private and stand together in public.
7. In danger of perpetuating the view of many of the electorate of wanting to bring back ‘Thatcher-style’ policies.
8. Out of touch and a hindrance to winning a general election.
9. As a group strategically inept.
10. The “saloon bar” party - appeals to our gut instincts but doesn’t realise that the world has changed.”

Remember these responses were from Conservative readers, folks in South Shields should be under no illusions, as both parties now agree, there has been a sea change in the thinking of Cameron’s Conservatives.

:: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: ::

I pray for this pension

“Altar” Post Office Plans

Peter Atkinson the Conservative MP for Hexham is calling for Post Offices to be allowed to operate from selected churches in rural areas, and it’s not that bad of an idea. In smaller villages and hamlets the Post Office is more than a business, it is in effect a community asset where local people regularly meet to exchange more than savings and pensions.

This summer the Post Office will begin to announce it’s plans for closures within Tyne and Wear and it is feared that many more sub-Post Offices will disappear, yet I’ve thought for some time now that the Post Offcice counter business ought to be franchised and marketed more effectively to allow other businesses to participate.

Come to think of it, since the closure of the Boldon Lane sub-Post Office in South Shields, what a good idea it would be to have a Post Office unit operating within the financially threatened West Harton Churches Action Station, where an anonymous donation of £10,000 has provided them with the equivalent of another month’s lifeline. Such a franchise could see the operator sharing a small part of the Post Office profits.

Perhaps we should offer a few prayers?

:: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: ::

Conservatives green plan

Mini manifesto for South Tyneside

The local government elections to elect one third of South Tyneside council take place on Thursday 1st. May, yesterday I published the local Labour Party’s plan, and today it’s the turn of the Conservative opposition group.

Here are their thoughts on how they would like to run our council.

CONSERVATIVES : A GREENER, SAFER, MORE PROSPEROUS
SOUTH TYNESIDE

POTTS. MILBURN, WOOD PROMISE CHANGE, PROSPERITY AND OPTIMISM

The South Tyneside Conservative Group believes in a greener, safer and more prosperous Borough. A Conservative Administration will work to protect our already dwindling greenbelt from over development, help and not hinder our excellent police officers, teachers, doctors, nurses and fire fighters and work wherever possible to free them from the shackles of red-tape and bureaucracy. We will also promote South Tyneside as an attractive base for both domestic and European business.

In a Conservative South Tyneside business and enterprise will be embraced and our entrepreneurs will feel valued and appreciated. This in turn will reduce unemployment and regenerate our Borough. Conservatives want people to be in control of their own lives; to have dignity and to feel proud of their achievements and of their community. We will embrace a ‘can do’ philosophy and our watchwords will be change, prosperity and optimism.

Our initiatives will be ambitious and innovative, whilst at the same time practical, costed and achievable.

Conservatives will ease the burden on local businesses by steadily lowering business rates. We will achieve this by working with, not against, the business community. By withdrawing from the £1.6B Joint Waste Management strategy which could see a pollution spewing waste incinerator sited in our Borough, we will instead offer financial incentives to business operators and residents to recycle more and set the green agenda for our region.

By attracting more business to the Borough we will in turn significantly drive down domestic council tax rates.

We will establish a new International Trade Office (ITO), administered by employed council officers but led by a board of some of our most talented local business people. The board will be bipartisan and will comprise soley of our brightest and best. The ITO will be charged with promoting our Borough as a gateway to the important regional central business districts of Newcastle and Durham as well as other regional and national commercial centres and emerging provincial markets. The ITO will liaise with and lobby UK and wider European Business representative bodies as well as individual corporations to persuade them to invest in and bring their enterprise to South South Tyneside.

Low cost, turn key commercial accommodation will provide attractive investment potential to both the domestic and European business communities. However, we pledge to do this without touching an inch of greenbelt land. We will utilise brownfield sites and regenerate our town centres. Local residents will be our first priority, and real consultation will ensure consensus.

Our education policies will ensure that no child is left behind. The admissions system will be reformed to ensure that parents have real choice over which school their child attends. Looked after children who are willing will be given the opportunity to sit an entrance exam to a regional boarding school. Should they pass then they will have the opportunity to enrol and enjoy a first class education paid for by the local authority. This will save money and that money will be invested directly into our culture and leisure services to improve South Tyneside’s appeal to tourists and ensure that local people have the services they need.

Conservatives believe that a strong South Tyneside is a South Tyneside based upon strong families and strong communities. That’s why we will work to ensure that, wherever possible, communities are strengthened, and where regeneration projects do take place, neighbours and families are not moved away from one another into areas they don’t want to live in. Flexibility and compassion will be reinstated within the system. The days of the robotic ‘computer says no’ attitude will end.

A comprehensive management and board restructure will take place within the totally discredited South Tyneside Homes to ensure that we have the brightest and best running the show. We will ensure that no tenant lives in sub standard conditions and will put a halt to politicians interfering in individual cases.

Under the Conservatives people will once again have trust in the system. It will be fair, competent, impartial and efficient.

The scandal of taxpayers’ money being manipulated for political gain will be ended. We will immediately scrap the “On View” publication, instead we will ensure that an annual statement of accounts in a plain and easy to understand format, not accountancy jargon, will be mailed to every resident. It will detail exactly how and where the council’s budget is being raised and spent and will not feature comment from any politician. This will ensure transparency and a truly bipartisan publication.

The money saved from “On View” will be invested in democracy promotion schemes. We will work to drive up participation in the electoral process, particularly amongst 18-25 years olds, traditionally the lowest turnout group.

Each and every ward will be given a fair and equal allocation of council resources for every day problems such as road repairs and other street scape schemes. There will be no cynical manipulation of the financial pot.

Conservatives believe that South Tyneside can become a regional centre of business excellence. We are proud of our Borough’s talent, ambition, cultural diversity, stunning natural scenery and potential for economic growth and regeneration. It’s time to utilise our assets and make South Tyneside a great place to live, work and visit. Only the Conservatives offer the real agenda and policies for positive change. Together we can do it, together we can make South Tyneside the jewel in the crown of the North East.

VOTE CONSERVATIVE ON MAY 1st AND BE PROUD OF SOUTH TYNESIDE!

COMMENT BY Cllr. DAVID POTTS
On behalf of South Tyneside Council’s Conservative Group

:: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: ::

Abolition of the 10p tax rate

5.3 million families hit

Gordon Brown and his Labour government seem to have been making a point recently that they have brought income tax down to 20p in the pound - what they don’t like shouting about is the abolition of the 10p tax rate by Gordon Brown in his last Budget. This simple little measure sneaked into the red book will hurt 5.3 million middle and lower income families in Great Britain.

Needless to say it’s The Corner Shop Staff who will get hit hardest, sales assistants on £8000 pa will pay £212 more every year!

Conservative Home has the full run down and a downloadable research paper, grab it will you can!

It’s Good Friday

That means (like a lot of South Shields folk) I’m off to see the parades, and queue for fish.

Be back later!

South Tyneside’s £5m bill for middle managers

Gazette and Taxpayers Alliance reveals profligate spending

See story here

Am I shocked - No

Did I expect it - Yes

Is it right and responsible - possibly, but probably not.

I even understand that within our Council we have certain employees who earn more than some of Gordon Brown’s Ministers - is the market that tight that we need to offer salaries of that magnitude?

Download The Tax Payer’s Alliance .pdf here

Key Findings:

• The average local authority is employing over nine times as many people on £50,000-plus packages as ten years ago – 66 people in 2006-07 compared with 20 people in 2001-02 and 7 people in 1996-97.
• By contrast, in the economy as a whole, the number of people earning more than £50,000 has increased by less than three times over the past ten years.
• The average local authority spent over £4 million employing people on £50,000-plus remuneration packages last year.
• The total bill for council middle and senior managers on £50,000-plus remuneration packages was almost £2 billion last year almost £1 in every £11 of total council tax revenues.
• The remuneration of local authority middle and senior management is racing past that of MPs. There were 12,600 local authority middle and senior managers being paid at least £60,000 last year – equal to or exceeding the £60,277 salary of MPs in November 2006.

Ten years ago South Tyneside employed one person at £50,000 p.a., now our council employs 80 at that rate or above. Ten years ago it cost £55,000 now those wage costs are £5million!

Despite the fact that the figures include a number of head teachers, it is not outside of the bounds of possibility to control the rate of growth in these salaries or the number employed. A thorough investigation ought to be launched to decide if we really need so many highly paid bureaucrats in South Tyneside.

Save Sayed Pervez Kambaksh

Afghan student sentenced to death for reading article

Please read this Independent article, it beggars belief that we are militarily propping up a regime that can execute someone simply for downloading and reading an internet article on womens rights.

In his blog, South Shields MP and Foreign Secretary David Miliband says;

“We have raised the case as members of the EU and with the UN, and we support strongly the UN Special Representative’s call for a review of the case.”

He also says;

“We are opposed to the death penalty in all cases….”

I guess that means all cases except those of Presidents named Saddam Hussein, and it begs the question of why we are making representations as part of the EU, surely the enabling legislation hasn’t been ratified yet? Do we already have a unified foreign policy that prevents Great Britain from speaking up for herself?

I trust you will all support the Independent’s petition and leave a comment on the Miliblog.