Medway Commuters battered by Tories

But will Tories still deny the truth?

The news today that Medway commuters are to be fleeced by Conservative supported increases in train fares takes the proverbial biscuit as many residents struggle with cost of living.

The average employee in Medway, who unlike some Kent MPs do not have subsidised rail travel, are struggling with huge increases in fares.

The Conservatives - who campaigned openly against train fare rises - should be utterly ashamed that they have not only undertaken a massive u-turn but they have taken fares to an entirely new level.

The Evening Standard revealed tonight that some fares could peak £10,000 by 2015.

A great train robbery which will price huge numbers of low and medium-paid workers off the rail service.

In October 2010, the Campaign for Better Transport undertook a survey which revealed that Conservative plans to rise fares were both unpopular and politically dangerous. The lobby group revealed that 74% of commuters would change their vote on the basis of unacceptable rises in train fares.

The Campaign for Better Transport also revealed that an average ticket to Gillingham will cost £5,236 by 2015.

Medway Labour have consistently opposed the Conservative rises in train fares. We submitted a full motion to Council in 2010 and have campaigned at train stations.

The Tories have made a political choice to cut the deficit at pace. A decision which is both reckless and clearly hitting the buffers. As growth stalls, unemployment stagnates and real term wages decline v the cost of every day items.

It is folly that the Tories have cut the rail grant at the same time as increasing fares bite. Especially as workers face wage freezes.

The Conservatives have ignored the hard pressed tax payer. On crime, on the NHS, on the economy, on transport, on the climate - they are simply becoming more out of touch with the lives of every day people.

In addition to huge increase in fares, Medway residents will also have to pay at least £592-a-year for an annual Tube pass which is also set to go up with inflation-busting rises.

"With the cost of using the Underground, the cost of travelling into London to work is set to break through the eye-watering £10,000 mark,"

Shadow transport secretary Maria Eagle.

"For many the cost of getting to work is now the biggest single item in the monthly budget, bigger even than rent or mortgage payments. It cannot be right that people are expected to spend a such a high proportion of their income just to get to work."

She committed Labour to opposing the Government's decision for regulated fares - which include commuter, season and saver tickets - to rise by RPI inflation plus three per cent for the next three years.

Annual season tickets from Norwich to London are due to hit £8,395 by 2015, Bournemouth £6,962, Canterbury £5,556, Winchester £5,288, Oxford £5,268 and Guildford £3,743, according to the CBT.

Enough is enough.

The Conservatives are on the wrong track. It is time to read the signals and engage in an abrupt platform change.

Tory hypocrisy on transport

It seems the issue of train fares and fuel cost still vex the wider public in Kent and especially amongst those like me, who have to commute and pay through the teeth for the pleasure of it.

This blog has highlighted Conservative hypocrisy on fares and trasport before. Most of the public realise that the Conservatives campaigned against train fare increases prior to May 2010, and once elected, reneged on that promise, extended the 3% RPI increase whilst additionally cut the rail grant.

Many of our Conservative MPs have also stood by the hard-pressed car user and in many cases highlighted the price of fuel across Kent.

Many have also backed the Kent Messengers Commuter's Charter campaign.

Interesting therefore that a number of our local Kent MPs have run up sizeable travel expenses at the public behest according to IPSA, the parliamentary expenses watchdog.

In addition, whilst members of the public are expected to pay their own taxi or transport fares with the high fuel prices, our MPs can claim this back at the public expense. Many appear very happy to do so.

Remembering the average MP's salary is £68,000, well above average, people in Kent may be interested to read the below:

All of the below is accessible on the IPSA Expenses website under 'travel' expenses for (2010/2011 Financial Year):

Rehman Chisthi - Gillingham & Rainham

Rehman campaigned against Transport Minister Paul Clark MP from his selection as Conservative PPC. He also campaigned actively at train stations on a ticket against train fare increases:

According to IPSA he claims £345.30 for a monthly season ticket. In addition to other 'travel' costs, he has billed a total of £2,176 at the public expense.

Gareth Johnson - Dartford

A campaigner against the Dartford Toll, which was quickly rebuffed after the Conservatives took power in May 2010.

According to IPSA he claimed £3,168 for 'travel' since taking office, primarily by car.

Adam Holloway - Gravesham

Another transport and commuter champion who backs Kent campaigns to cut the cost of travel for residents.

According to IPSA he claimed £1,046 for 'travel' since taking office in May 2010.

Mark Reckless - Rochester & Strood

Mark was formerly and is still a regular commuter and knows better then most the campaign pitfuls and perils of transport.

According to IPSA he claimed £104 for 'travel'

Tracey Crouch - Chatham & Aylesford

Despite having admitted to debt problems as a researcher in Parliament, she unlike her colleagues has been able to travel without billing the public [at all]. Perhaps those elsewhere should take note.

Gordon Henderson - Sittingbourne & Sheppey

A former Wayfield boy from Medway, surely he should know the impacts of transport costs on normal hard working families in the area.

According to IPSA this is not so. He billed £7,211 paying on car travel and congestion zone charging.

No wonder he has supported cuts to fuel cost.

Julian Brazier - Canterbury

Apparently believes that complaints about train fares have not been a 'torrent' in Canterbury but does believe they should raise their game.

Interesting his transport bills; including train fare payments and travel stands from IPSA at £2,378

Roger Gale - Thanet North

Another MP who appears to be paying the Congestion Charge and billing it back to the taxpayer. Up until January 2011, it would appear he has billed the public purse a no small sum of £3,138 according to IPSA

Laura Sandys - Thanet South

Like Tracey Crouch, Laura appears to have cut the cost of her transport bill to a more fair £394.40 according to IPSA, even though her constituency in Kent is arguably the most distant from Whitehall. Her colleague in Thanet North take note.

Charlie Elphicke - Dover

Charlie has spoken eloquently about how fuel costs are too high for many of his constituencts in Dover, including how he is getting daily correspondence on the matter.

He claims that the 'the price of fuel is a disgrace.' Interesting therefore that according to IPSA he claimed £2,592, aligned primarily to his own car usage.

Damian Collins - Folkestone & Hythe

Damian replaced the former leader of the Tories, Michael Howard, who was known to enjoy the slashing of cost. He has backed the KM Commuter's Charter.

He has billed on 'travel' £2,846

Damian Green - Ashford

Despite HS1 and good train links. Mr Green has shown some respect for the public purse it would seem. Only billing £50.00 on travel costs

Hugh Robertson - Faversham & Mid Kent

A commuter champion. Another Tory who has billed £2,232 on travel expenses up until January 2011.

Helen Grant - Maidstone & Weald

A strong commuter advocate who has done a lot of work to improve rail services for local residents.

Interesting her travel bill stands at £1,215

John Stanley - Tonbridge & Malling

Like Tracey Crouch has not billed the taxpayer at all.

Michael Fallon - Sevenoaks

Michael has seemingly kept his pledge to the commuter. His travel bill comes at £180.76

Many Kent Conservative MPs are claiming for travel costs way above the average annual South Eastern train commuter

The range is also worth noting; with some MPs clearly operating on tight transport margins at below £1,000 whilst others running up signficant costs. Given MPs offices are broadly similar in terms of number of staff and requirement, and travel within constituencies required for all; the range of costs is therefore warrant of further scrutiny.

It is also not an argument of Geography - Laura Sandys MP low 'travel' costs vary with Gareth Johnson MP who bills more.

As a hard pressed commuter and car driver. Ill let the commuters of Medway, and wider Kent, decide whether this is a tad hypocritical.

If you signed up to the Kent Commuter's Charter for a fair deal for commuters perhaps not claiming off the same public large expenses on the same fuel, travel and train fares is sensible.

Credit cards and Councillor Allowances

It seems that despite the issue of cuts and value for money being at the forefront of the local election campaign we can now see proof positive that Conservative Councillors, not only cost the tax payers more, but are simply not willing to state a simple position; that we need to accept a universal reduction in allowances.

Some might say it is ironic that it is Labour leading on a reduction of Councillor allowances but then the opposition can see the staggering levels of money spent on 'non-jobs' and can not stand idly back as public money, your money, tax payers money, is frittered into the every groaning pockets of the Conservative administration.

The irony is that the Tories talk the talk on spending your money wisely, but time and again, they are seen severely wanting. Some might even claim that the Tories pay lip-service to the issue, and then continue spending.

Labour stood on a committment in the local election, led by Cllr Paul Godwin, that we would reduce Councillor allowances. A costed and sensible position which could have been universally agreed.

It was not.

Meanwhile, the finance chief Councillor Jarrett, who has been in charge of the finances of the Council accumulating the credit card 'bills' is also, ironically, one of the largest beneficiaries from the allowances and expenses system, some £29,852.

Labour has presented a consistent position.

Not only is our Council credit card spend on marketing above that of other authorities and needs to be justified to the public, but it appears whilst accumulating such sums the Tories are still not walking the walk on their own allowances and expences.

The Medway Tories it would appear are happy to accumulate large 'bills' whilst being paid what some may consider an above fair wage for the pleasure.

Food for thought for people who are struggling with their own personal finances in these austere times

Gaping hole of judgement?

Medway roads and an administration in abject denial?

It seems the parlous and disgraceful state of Medway roads are once again being raised in the press in what seems like a regular slew of news stories lambasting the Tory administration for a total failure to fix the pothole menace.

Labour have been challenging the Tory Council for years on potholes and even pledged a war on the pothole as part of the local election manifesto.

We have calculated that it will cost a staggering £35m to now repair our road network in Medway. A direct result of years of underinvestment in residential streets.

The public understands that over the last 10 years we have seen millions spent on large scale road schemes, whilst there has been a real lack of focus on residential streets. Coupled with two bad winters and Tory cuts from government, we are now in unenviable position of having poor roads for a long time to come.

Meanwhile this blog revealed the extent of road repairs for this year and how many appear to be in Tory wards which could lead to a suggestion that they have been prioritised.

The public expect the Tories to have a plan and be open about road repairs. Instead, we have a lack of a strategic plan and a portfolio holder in denial about the state of the problem, and the damage caused by years of underinvestment in our road infrastructure by the current Conservative administration.

John Woodcock MP has been on the offensive and has challenged the Tories to set a firm timetable for action against potholes. He has stood up for residents.

Instead of welcoming this suggestion in the interests of residents we continue to have words of denial from the portfolio holder.

He has appeared to dismiss the problem and failed to take into account a fair suggestion for a plan for road repairs.

All this blog asks residents; go out and look at your road and ask yourself - has it, under this Tory Council, got better or worse?

£35m to fix Medways' Roads

The issue of potholes and the state of Medway roads has once again reared its head.

The issue of potholes formed a major issue in the recent local election where many in the public have a perception, and correctly so, that the current Tory administration has spent the last decade concentrating on large-scale road schemes instead of residential streets. Coupled with two unusually cold winter snaps leading to greater deterioration and you end up where we are now.

This blog revealed two weeks ago the road resurfacing list for the Medway towns for 2011/12, and what is clear is that it is woefully inadequate, with some wards not even getting one road resurfaced.

There are significant number of roads across Medway which are in a very poor state yet the Tories are in abject denial about the true scale of the problem.

Medway motorists are not going to be hoodwinked by Tories in denial.

This week Shadow Minister for Transport, the ever affable (he really is), John Woodcock MP attacked the Medway Conservative administration for having its head in the proverbial pot hole whilst the roads suffer and motorists pay.

Although Mr. Woodcock has only been an MP for six months, his political career has seen him as an aide to John Hutton from 2005 to 2008, and a special advisor to Gordon Brown before being elected as MP for Barrow and Furness. He is a very appealing prospect for the next generation of Labour.

Mr Woodcock called for the Tories to get a grip and introduce a strategic plan to repair the increasingly scarred Medway roads because

"it could sace taxpayers a fortune in the longterm. The new figures reveal the worsening state of roads in Medway as a result of the government's cuts"

Labour have calculated that because of years of starved investment and skewed funding it will cost £35m to repair them all.

A staggering sum of neglect which will cost you, the tax payer, even more unless the issue is gripped and now.

The Tories have claimed to fix 10,000 potholes in one year. I ask you to walk outside onto your street and ask yourself the question.

Have Medway roads got better or worse?

Future health of Medway

It is quite common at the moment to listen to Tories waffle on about the Big Society and how anyone who volunteers for anything must be doing so under the grandiose title. It is of course total fiction.

I have volunteered for most of my adult life - from People & Planet and Fair Trade fashion parades at Durham University to getting involved in campaigning for a number of organisations. For my sins I was also briefly a Special Constable in the Police as well, alas all in a former life.

I support volunteerism and so do most rational and good spirited people.

The second problem with the concept of the Big Society is not only that it tries to politicise voluntary activity but it then starves it, in some cases by design, of resource.

So it is with much concern that this blogger has recently read the Medway Safeguarding Children's Board Annual Report, which is due incidently, to be discussed by the Council next week.

It is worth a read (though it is 100 pages) because it details the major health challenges of the future.

The Board is comprised of health, local authority and child care professionals who regularly meet to discuss the health outcomes for children and adults across Medway. It works with the state and voluntary sector.

Contained within the report are some major concerns in particularly deprived wards which currently have Labour representation such as, Chatham Central, Luton & Wayfield and Gillingham North:

To summarise the report

• Medway is deprived compared to the rest of the South East: 25 neighbourhoods in top 25% of nationally deprived areas.
• Medway has a higher level of child poverty than most similar local authorities (around 20%).
• High levels of smoking, obesity and poor diet.
• Life expectancy lower than average; at ward level the gap in life expectancy is 6.8 years.Teenage pregnancy levels remain high even though they have come down over the country as a whole. Particularly high in: Chatham Central, Luton & Wayfield, and Gillingham North.
• Gillingham North contains the highest number of people on housing benefit in Medway .
• Chatham Central, Luton & Wayfield, and Gillingham North are the wards with the lowest scores on the Child Wellbeing Index.

What is most concerning in the report however is that if you read between the lines the Board is waving a red flag about future funding. The implicit concern is clear; that the government cuts are driving even more responsibility for delivering services onto the voluntary sector, who are themselves starved of cash, and who potentially will not be able to deliver.

The results are therefore entirely predictable and also worrying for Medway which has some stubborn problems.

I have singled out two areas to highlight - Future investment in child care provision in Medway - where the report highlights increased pressure on children’s social care, where demand has risen 40-50% between 2008 and 2010 and where the budget for services is being cut by the Tories. Secondly, where Tory-led cuts to the Healthy Schools Programme, are pushing efforts to combat major social problems onto the voluntary sector. Meanwhole, Medway is one of the worst areas in the South East for childhood obesity and poor diet with 10% of children identified at reception age increasing to 20% of children being classed as obese by Year 6.

Next week the Children's Overview & Scrutiny Committee will discuss this report and the associated statistics for dealing with complaints in this sector. There is much food for thought here.

It deserves attention.

Credit Card Disclosure

For those that moan about Freedom of Information requests there are some that reveal something significant.

One such revelation is found in the Daily Telegraph this week with the details of spend on what can be defined as the Medway Council Credit card.

Some interesting figures lie within from this Conservative, 'value-for-money', Council.

What is clear though is that that without this Freedom of Information request the Conservative administration would not have revealed this information voluntarily to the public and it would have remained behind closed doors.

Medway Labour have rightly examined the figures and there are some concerns around the amount spent on marketing materials and on ‘online search engine advertising’ versus similar sized Councils, including Brighton & Hove.

The question must be asked whether this type of spend represents value-for-money?

That is for you to decide as a member of the public.