Manifesto launch!

Finally the Labour manifesto is online - enjoy!

http://www.canterburylabour.org.uk/CCC2007/manifesto2007.pdf

Please note we also have a specific green manifesto, including real measures that Canterbury City Council can take with the powers they have. If you would like a copy, please email mf72@kent.ac.uk or am305@kent.ac.uk

Election Address

How exciting! Our election addresses have just been published! Watch out campus, one of these will be coming under your door soon! Check out our election address in doc or pdf.

Let's Talk

What would you ask if you met Tony and Gordon?

I had the opportunity to take part in this promotional video for Labour, who as far as I know are the only party in the UK to seriousely consider policy suggestions from any member of the public. If you've ever thought "why don't they just..." or "wouldn't it be great if..." then go to www.labour.org.uk/letstalk and your comments will be read and will be considered.

Canterbury would collapse without students

I have just this minute travelled home in a taxi, and have come away from the journey more focussed than ever on our campaign to get two students elected to Canterbury City Council. I have an annoying habit of always talking to cabbies (as I do cleaners and bartenders too) and he told me how work for taxi drivers plummets by around 70% during the Easter holidays. Of course, the lack of students also has an effect on many other trades in the City, such as bars, restaurants, pubs, clubs and take-aways. In fact, many small businesses in Canterbury RELY on the student pound for survival, and many others RELY on the flexible labour they can provide too. Simply put, students are the economic lifeblood of Canterbury.

That said, the Lib Dems have started a new crusade to oppose any new late night licquor liscence applications (according to their latest leaflet drop in St. Stephen's) and have put up a candidate that is totally opposed to any more student properties in Hale's Place (an area popular with Kent students due to it's close vicinity to campus).

Vote Labour on May 3rd! The only choice students can trust!

Best recycling in rates in Kent, thanks to Labour

The clear sack recycling scheme has been a fantastic success in Canterbury, with recycling rates recently hitting 47%. Back in 2003 a Lib-Lab coalition-led Canterbury City Council introduced the scheme with alternate fortnightly refuse collections. At the time it was completely opposed by the Conservative Group, with scaremongering allegations that the scheme would encourage rats and flies or that simply people wouldn't understand it. So far, the wheelie bins provided to all householders have proven their qualities in safeguarding against rats and flies, and the vast majority of Canterbury are intellectually capable of alternating the type of rubbish they put out in successive weeks.

It would now seem that the Conservatives have completely flip-flopped and are even claiming the credit for the schemes success! The Tories want a "Vote Blue Go Green" image, but image is no use when they vote against green measures in the chamber.

As students representing Campus we will work with the Executive, the University and Kent Union to get the clear sack recycling scheme extended to all of campus. The trials in Puchass Court have been highly successful and this provides us with an opportunity NOW. We must capitalise on that success before the momentum fades.

If you value it, vote for it. Vote Labour on May 3rd!

50% Population, 0% Councillors

It's official - students now make up HALF of Canterburys population, which makes our campaign to get two students elected to Canterbury City Council all the more important!

The last council elections were in 2003, but unfortuneately many students simply didn't vote at all. This could have been because they didn't know they were entitled to vote, or more likely no-one engaged them and asked for their vote. We've got to change the anti-student language too many councillors continue to use, and make sure the student voice is heard in all City Council decision making and policy.



This is a great shot we got from the level 4 Computer Room in the Templemann showing campus overlooking old Canterbury. Students make up 50% of Canterbury, give students a voice on May 3rd!

Record grants keep council tax raise low

Canterbury residents will not have to face big council tax rises in the next financial year, thanks to unprecedented grants from the government. Labour leader on Canterbury City Council, Cllr Pepper said, "Generous grants and a winfall for early completion of the Whitefriars complex will ensure below inflation council tax rises for next year."

Keep an eye out: how long will it be before the Tories, who control Canterbury City Council, take the credit?

Supporting Student Accommodation

As student representatives, we understand what it's like to live the student life, and that includes living in a house! The Labour Party has the Student Landlord Charter in the manifesto - an agreement that sets out exactly what students can expect of their landlord and vice-versa. This is essential to help restore community relations, because all too often landlord neglect is the cause of friction, rather than students themselves.

It is also paramount that more on-campus accommodation is built to ease pressure on houses in Town. One such development currently going through the City Council's planning procedure is the brand new college destined for Darwin fields which could provide over 500 new accommodation rooms as well as a whole new conference suite providing an extra income for the university.

Some of the objections the council have received are constructive and pertinent, such as concerns over parking, drainage or the stability of the disused tunnel that runs under campus. But other objections are wantonly offensive. The "Blean, Hackington and Tyler Hill Society" object on the basis that it will "increase the student population". Firstly, their point is incorrect. How on earth does building more accommodation equate to an increase in students? Transferring post-grad students to the new Darwin extension will help to relieve the student demand for off-campus housing by around 70, and not serve to increase their number at all. But more importantly, why would somebody object to something they feel might bring more students?

It's about time we had students fighting our corner as elected members of Canterbury City Council!

Break Free From KCC!

One of our key manifesto commitments for Canterbury is the creation of a unitary authority for East Kent. What does this mean and why should we care? Currently Kent operates an archaic two-tier system of local government whereby some local services are administered in Canterbury, but other important ones such as schools, roads and social care are administered in Maidstone. More worryingly, over 70% of council tax is swallowed up by Kent County Council, and after deductions for Police and Fire, Canterbury City Council are left with a very small budget to play with.

What we are proposing is to abolish KCC altogether, and merge some city and district councils leaving Kent split into four unitary authorities - each responsible for all local services. We believe that this will bring power closer to the people, increase democracy, simplify the structure and be far more cost efficient to run.

This would also put a stop to parties deliberately misleading the electorate on irrelevant issues, such as the LibDem city council candidates endlessly lamenting the state of pavements in Canterbury (as city councillors have no power to change this, it's all done at County level)!

**UPDATE** 09/03/07
Today it emerges that the managing director of KCC earns £229,000 a year - that's £40k more than the Prime Minister! Come on everyone, let's get behind the campaign to abolish this wastful institution!

Supporter's response

Our campaign is up and running and the responses we have had at the doorstep has been unbelieveably positive, with people wanting to listen to our message and support our campaign. People have emailed us with their questions and we have been impressed with the response, that people have a real desire to live in partnership with the local community. We have been out and about meeting people and the overwhelming support we have had symbolises the desire to change the way students are perceived. We know it will be a tough fight, but the early signs are good.