Worthing West Labour parliamentary candidate Ian Ross is back on the warpath against local authorities using outside consultants. And this time his target is West Sussex County Council, which he says has spent £41million on external consultants during the past four years.
Ian Ross, who obtained his information from a Freedom of Information request, said: “The amount of money spent on external consultants illustrates that those councillors with budgetary responsibilities need to get real.”
“Public spending will inevitably be tightened as the next government attempts to reduce the budget deficit.”
“However, it’s about time some of our councillors live in the real world and take responsibility on council issues they were elected to do, like ensuring value for money for local council taxpayers.”
“Don’t be fooled by the BNP” – let’s the measure from Emily Benn, Labour’s Parliamentary Candidate for East Worthing and Shoreham, and Ian Ross, Labour’s Parliamentary Candidate for Worthing West.
Both Emily Benn and Ian Ross have joined forces to expose the British National Party’s plans to put up parliamentary candidates in Worthing for the forthcoming General Election, expected on May 6th.
Ian Ross said:
“The BNP has never cared about Worthing or its people. They will say anything to get votes. Many BNP activists are fascists whose ideal society is Nazi Germany and have criminal convictions for race hatred, homophobia, terrorism and violence. They may pretend to support democracy but like all fascists, they would use political power to destroy minorities, smash all opposition and abolish our democratic freedoms.”
“They say that they stand for the ordinary worker, but the BNP would abolish free trade unions given the chance. Racism is at the very heart of the British National Party. It is this racism which separates it from any normal political party. And it is racism which attracts many of its members. The people of Britain fought for freedom against Hitler’s Nazi Germany. No decent British citizens want home-grown extremist thugs destroying our country.”
It has been revealed that Sussex Police experienced a 173 percentage point increase in the number of hoax 999 calls received between 2008-2009. In 2009 the police force received 12,121 hoax calls according to a Freedom of Information request response, submitted by Ian Ross, Labour’s Parliamentary Candidate for Worthing West.
The divisional area of Worthing saw a 102 percentage point increase from 203 hoax calls in 2008 to 410 hoax calls in 2009. Chichester saw the biggest increase in hoax calls from 118 in 2008 to 674 in 2009, representing a 471 percentage point increase.
Ian Ross, Labour’s Parliamentary Candidate for Worthing West, said:
“I was extremely alarmed by the scale of hoax 999 calls we have seen increase in the last few years. Hoax calls not only waste valuable police time but also endanger the lives of people experiencing genuine emergencies. Having spoken to those front line officers it is clear a lot of the hoax calls come from young people messing around. I want to see schools doing more to make young people aware of the consequences of making a hoax emergency call.”
David Hanson, Minister of State for Police, added:
“Hoax 999 calls to the police cause the wasteful misdirection of their resources which are better used in serving the public. There are a range of measures available to the police including prosecution under the Communications Act 2003 and the Criminal Law Act 1967, the issue of fixed penalty notice for disorder and the issue of antisocial behaviour orders.”
“Police forces can and do make use of these measures. Nationally, the National Policing Improvement Agency provides central advice and guidance to the police.”
Ian Ross concluded:
“Parents also need to play their part too by making their child aware of how serious it is to waste police resources. Whilst it might seem like a laugh at the time, it is no laughing matter when a life is lost elsewhere due to someone’s stupidity of making a hoax call.”
Ian Ross, Labour’s Parliamentary Candidate for Worthing West, has welcomed the announcement of a £2.6 million Christmas High Street Fund for empty shop revival.
The cash will see over £52,600 go to each of the fifty hardest hit areas. Worthing is one of the areas which will benefit from this money. This extra funding is in addition to £3m funding already announced in August. This money is the latest in a package of Real Help the Labour Government has put in place to assist town centres and businesses through the recession.
Ian Ross said:
“This money will mean councils can put their creative ideas to work and transform those boarded up eyesores into attractions that bring the shoppers back to the high street. This additional money comes on top of the wider support available to help ease business pressures including the Government’s town centre revival guide, capital loans, discounted rate bills for small businesses and tax deferments.”
John Denham, Secretary of State for Communities, said:
“We know that the downturn has really hurt some English high streets. But, through Real Help Now the Labour government are giving is making a difference to keeping town centres vibrant.”
“Today I am announcing a further £2.6m to help councils revitalise empty shops. There is no need to let parts of our high streets go to waste, especially when we know that it doesn’t take a lot to turn them into something useful for the community.”
Ian Ross, Labour’s Parliamentary Candidate for Worthing West, has called for Conservative-run Worthing Borough Council to get its ‘mitts’ off Cissbury Downland over the proposed sale of the land.
It has emerged that Worthing Borough Council is proposing to sell off 57 acres of land forming Mount Carvey next to Cissbury Ring, with the sale of a further 132 acres at Tenants Hill to follow. The Cissbury Downland was acquired by Worthing Borough Council as a public resource for public purposes and is heavily used by dog walkers, ramblers and bird watchers.
Ian Ross said:
“I find it very disappointing Worthing Borough Council is even considering selling off the land, which is owned by all local council tax payers. Many of us enjoy using the land weekends. I want to see proper public debate and consultation before any decisions are made. The last thing we all want to see is Worthing Borough Council selling off this land to plug short-term gaps in the council’s coffers.”
Ian Ross met with representatives from The Royal British Legion at the recent Labour Party conference in Brighton where he was presented with a copy of the Legion’s manifesto for the next general election.
The manifesto sets out priorities for the next Government to improve conditions for the British Armed Forces past and present and their families. It encourages MPs and parliamentary candidates to “do their bit” for Service Personnel and their families, the bereaved, veterans and dependants.
Ian Ross, Labour’s Parliamentary Candidate for Worthing West, has called for an end to the “compensation culture” that exists in the UK and for independent regulation of “no win no fee” intermediaries and organisations who introduce consumers to legal processes.
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents predicts that around 2.5 million people in the UK sustain accidental injuries every year. Between 2000-2004 a million personal injury claims were taken up on a Conditional Fee Agreement, otherwise known as “no win no fee”.
There has been a substantial growth in the number of claims management companies in recent years with over a thousand providers ranging from large claims handling operations to very small businesses.
The Pearson Report estimated that in 1973 approximately 250,000 personal injury claims were pursued through the tort system. In 2008/09, 812,348 cases were registered with the Compensation Recovery Unit, part of the Department for Work and Pensions, with a staggering £138,165,560 registered as being paid out in compensation. The biggest proportion paid out in compensation was from employers, totaling nearly £81m.
Ian Ross said:
“It is not surprising we find ourselves living in a nanny state with everyone being paranoid about health and safety when we have a compensation culture. During the weekend, whilst shopping, I was approached by a salesman on the street offering me a „no win no fee‟ compensation service. I was even encouraged to take one of his cards and to have a think about any injuries I‟d been involved with.”
“I want to see an end to consumers being subjected to high-pressure sales tactics by unqualified intermediaries introducing them to a legal process. I’ve written to Jack Straw, the Justice Secretary, calling for these “Dell Boy” salesmen to be outlawed.”
“Few consumers seem to understand the risks and liabilities they are exposing themselves to as the risks of “no win no fee” agreements have not been clearly explained to them at the outset by salesmen. Loan financed insurance premiums can often erode the value of claimant’s compensation. In some cases consumers even owe money at the end of the process. This turns the whole claims process into a zero-sum gain for consumers and denies effective access to compensation for the most genuine cases.”
“I think it is unacceptable that these salesmen encourage people to claim for even the pettiest of injuries. I would even go as far to say that these people are partly to blame for the „compensation culture‟ we currently live in, which leads to the fun being sucked out of community activities with over cautious organisers.”
The Labour Government’s new National Strategy for Climate and Energy sets out a path to a low-carbon economy, making Britain a cleaner, greener and more prosperous place to live.
By leading the world in low carbon industry, technology and energy, Britain can reap the benefits. Labour’s plans will see 1.2 million people employed in green jobs by 2015. Labour also plans to make ‘going green’ pay for people - cash back for locally produced green energy, pay-as-you-save home refurbishments and smart energy meters will all help shave hundreds of pounds off bills for green households.
The Tories routinely oppose new wind power, have flip-flopped on nuclear and opposed the new planning laws brought forward by Labour which will help make new low carbon energy a reality.
Ian Ross said:
“Renewables, nuclear and clean fossil fuels are the trinity of low carbon and the future of energy in Britain. Under the plans we will get 40% of our electricity from low carbon energy by 2020 and more in the years afterwards.”
“The UK has the potential to generate large amounts of clean electricity from the sea and tides. The proposed Severn Barrage Scheme, which I am fully supportive of, could generate 5% of the UK’s electricity demand from exploiting the tides.”
Labour’s Health Secretary Andy Burnham has set out a vision to build the first National Care Service in England - a service that is fair, simple and affordable for everyone.
The proposals are some of the most fundamental reforms ever in this area. The National Care Service will create a level playing field and end the postcode lottery of care services. Everyone in England will be guaranteed:
· Prevention services - the right support to stay independent and well for as long as possible and to delay care needs getting worse.
· National assessment - care needs will be assessed and paid for in the same way across the country.
· Joined-up services - all the services will work together smoothly.
· Information and advice - the care system will be easy to understand and navigate.
· Personalised care and support - services will be based on personal circumstances and need.
· Fair funding - money will be spent wisely and everyone will get some help meeting the cost of high care needs.
Ian Ross said:
“These proposals are a radical reform of care. A National Care Service would finish off the work that Aneurin Bevan and Clement Attlee started in forming the NHS and a welfare state in 1948.”
“More of us are living longer - life expectancy is going up and advances in medical science mean that people with a disability are living longer. This is worth celebrating but does mean we need to radically change the way care is provided and paid for.”
Ian Ross, Labour’s Parliamentary Candidate for Worthing West, has welcomed the announcement that the National Minimum Wage will increase from October 2009, benefiting a million low-paid workers.
The National Minimum Wage for low-paid workers aged 22 and over will rise from £5.73 to £5.80 an hour; the rate for 18-22 year olds will increase from £4.77 to £4.83; and for 16-17 year olds it will go up from £3.53 to £3.57 an hour. From October 2010 the top rate of National Minimum Wage will be extended to 21 year olds.
95,000 workers in the South East are estimated to benefit from the October 2009 National Minimum Wage uprating.
To date, the National Minimum Wage has had no discernible negative effects on the economy. And the Low Pay Commission has found no evidence that the National Minimum Wage has damaged employment levels in any of the low-paying sectors.
Labour introduced the National Minimum Wage ten years ago against Conservative opposition.
Ian Ross said:
“The National Minimum Wage has been in place for 10 years and remains one of the most important rights for workers introduced by a Labour Government.”
“I am very proud of the difference it has made to the lives of the UK’s lowest-paid workers. It protects them from exploitation and also creates a level playing field for business, making a huge contribution to the UK’s economic success.”
“This increase is a fair deal for people who work hard, extra help for almost a million of the lowest paid.”
