A flavour of things to come?

I have triumphed! Its only taken me an hour and a half, but I have beaten my computer. It seems to have some nasty something or other and so I had to go through the whole installing, cleaning etc. Technology eh?

As you'll know from last weeks blog, we held the Labour Party South East Conference here in Southampton. I did forget to mention that Southampton Labour Party won an award for the best campaigning team in the South East. Across the membership of our local party, across each and every ward, yes including our strongholds of Bitterne Park and Bassett, we are getting out there door knocking and leafletting at every opportunity. This is our city and we want it back! COYR!


The big show for the week was Wednesdays Full Council meeting. After a weekend of politics, Monday night was spent at our Group meeting, preparing for the Council. There are a lot of meetings and prepapration to undertake at the moment, and I think that this will only get worse. But being able to make Valentines evening this year was a big bonus (last year I was at a meeting) and my wife enjoyed her flowers and a home cooked meal by her husband.


So Wednesday was full council. The morning was spent preparing and re-reading the massive agenda, but not before taking my baby daughter to the doctors for her third round of immunisations. It was really nice to be able to go along with my wife and play the part of anxious father.


After that I dropped them both at my In-laws house so that they could take a spring walk back to our house, except they didnt have our dog. So I had to rush to get the dog, but then was held up by roadworks which had come out of nowhere (although let me guess that there was a tiny announcement in the Echo). So then back to the In-laws. And then off to council to check up on emails. At which point I sat down and had 5 missed calls from my wife. I had forgotten to drop of the wheels for the pram! So back home to get the wheels having to go through a separate diversion to get into the house to get the keys to open up the other car to get the wheels to drive to the In-laws to then drive back to the Civic Centre. Arghhhhh!


And then at 2pm it was Full Council, at which the budget is set. For months the Tories in Southampton have said that we have no ideas, no plans and just want to tax and spend. Wednesday was a real opportunity for politics to be put to one side and for parties to make the best for our city. We had a taster of the innovations we want to bring to our city. A bit more thought out than lets have free wifi in the city centre...


The following were things which we proposed to save, but the ruling Conservatives:

£100,000 towards Education Maintenance Allowance - REJECTED

£75,000 towards an Apprenticeship Scheme - REJECTED

£70,000 to save Mount Pleasant Language School for at least one year - REJECTED

£100,000 additional funding for SureStarts across our city for at least one year - REJECTED

£100,000 additional funding for Libraries across our city for at least one year - REJECTED

£200,000 to introduce a new Jobs Model for the Council so that we don't pay public money to stop people working for our city - REJECTED

Stop increases to Daycare and Extra care schemes - REJECTED

Stop £50,000 "cost saving" in our pest control service - REJECTED

Stop a £387,000 cut to the Parks and Street Cleaning budget  - REJECTED (Maybe the big spring clean they talk about will over these cuts? but at only £100k, it seems a bit of robbing Peter to pay Paul, except where you take a big cut and don't tell either of them!)

Instead of innovation, instead of fresh ideas, instead of change for the better, a number of services were worse off, at least 49 families faced P45's to discuss the following evening. And ultimately our plans would have meant less money spent than the other proposals put forward. For those sceptics amongst you, our plan was passed by the Chief Finance Officer as viable.

We were surprised that an adjournement wasnt called for after our proposals were put forward. I do think that one senior member of the Conservative administration twigged that our plans could be achieved and made real financial sense. However, maybe politics got in the way of a good idea by the way he was dragged back into the chamber by a more senior Tory frontbencher.

On a lighter note, whilst out with Team Millbrook yesterday in Maybush, we ran into the Tory Candidate (no sign of their current Councillor). But don't worry, he was'nt lost as I suggested to him. But out by himself posting direct mailshots. I guess Councillor Furnells letter into the Echo suggesting the Tories never cross Tebourba Way is paying off!

I'm not claiming that we have a monopoly on good ideas, but what I am trying to do is give a flavour of being outward looking; we have new ways of working; and we have a drive and enthusiasm to change our city for the better.