Yvette Cooper will today launch a new Labour party review of anti-social behaviour policy

Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper will today launch a new Labour party review of anti-social behaviour (ASB) policy on a visit to Blackpool, amid growing concerns that the Tory-led government is weak on crime and anti-social behaviour. 

Yvette Cooper MP, Shadow Home Secretary, said: 

"The government is taking too many risks with crime and anti-social behaviour and local communities will pay the price. 

"It's not just the cuts to police officers that worry me, they are also tying the hands of the police and local communities who want to put a stop to anti-social behaviour in their area. 

"People want swift action against anti-social behaviour to nip it in the bud. Yet the Tory led government is trying to ditch powers for the police to act quickly in serious cases. 

"Interim ASBOs mean the police can act fast to stop harassment in serious cases, but the government wants to ditch them altogether. And their plans to replace other ASBOs with much weaker civil injunctions means that persistent offenders won't face the force of the criminal courts. 

"Labour's Respect programme and neighbourhood policing did help cut anti-social behaviour in many areas, but too many communities are still blighted by persistent nuisance, harassment or bad behaviour, and our priority now is to work with local communities on how to do more. 

"But when I talk to victims, residents, the police or community champions across the country, no one ever calls for fewer police, weaker powers or less youth services. This Government is completely out of touch on crime and anti-social behaviour, and it's unfair on victims and communities who are at greatest risk." 

Night Flights

by Peter Campbell

Labour will support the development of Manston Airport but will always be mindful of the impact on residents and the environment. To this end we will implement a policy of no flights during the hours of 23:00 to 07:00, except emergency landings and humanitarian flights.

We will work with the airport operators to ensure that a newly negotiated 106 agreement is properly adhered to, and also ensure that the council, once again, takes its own responsibility to enforce that agreement.

Labour is always mindful of the need for jobs within our community. However we have simply not been convinced that the economic argument has been made for night flights, particularly when the airport is so underused during the day. 

Some questions need answering

By Jennifer Matterface


Can anyone give me the answers to the following questions relating to Pierremont Park and the planned community centre?


Firstly, who owns the park, the town council or the district council or perhaps even the people of Broadstairs?


Secondly, who will own the community centre? Will the trust be the legal owners or do they have a lease from the town council or the district council for a specified period of time? Is it perhaps an example of Thanet District Council's asset-disposal scheme?


Thirdly, what is the plan for running the centre? Will there be a paid manger or a volunteer to oversee the day-to-day management? Who sets the rental charges? Maintains the building?


Fourthly, what is the trust's exit strategy should the scheme not be a success? Will the building be sold off or handed back or left empty? A white elephant for all to admire whilst still paying off the loan? Since trustees of a charity are responsible in law for the way a charity is run, what safeguards are in place to ensure due diligence has been carried out on all involved with the scheme?


Finally, I think I've only ever met one person who is in favour of the scheme and he was a town Councillor. Everyone else I've spoken to sees merit in using one of the many other venues in the town like the new centre at the Baptist Church or in one of our local schools and church halls. I agree with them. Why build something else when all the other venues would benefit from the income to be generated from regular lettings?

Thanet's Green and Open Spaces

By Alan Poole

We recognise that our green and open spaces are vitally important to the people of Thanet and we will do whatever we can to maintain and, if possible, improve them. It is very important for our communities to have local facilities that can be used and enjoyed by all.

It is our policy to resist attempts to build on well-used community green and open spaces and we will ensure that wherever possible only ‘brownfield sites’ are developed.

It is our policy to protect and improve our current tree stock and we will proactively encourage the planting of more trees. It is our policy that for every tree removed three replacement trees will be planted within Thanet.

It is our policy to work towards improving public parks and open spaces, making them cleaner and safer places for the residents to enjoy.

It is our policy to protect animal rights and we will seek to increase our current wildlife habitats.

Thanet Local Labour Manifesto 2011

By Clive Hart / @CliveHart

For the past eight years Thanet has suffered badly from a Conservative-led district council. Deprivation, empty properties and poorly kept streets are sadly all too common in our main towns and villages; the neglect is clearly visible for all to see. Our main High Streets have too many boarded up shops and prime attractions such as Ramsgate Royal Harbour & Marina and Margate Harbour have been badly neglected.

The visible signs of neglect are bad enough, but what has gone on behind the scenes is probably much worse. In a desperate bid to raise money, the Conservatives have tried to sell many well-used and much-loved community assets.

Whilst the Conservative political leadership have been busy bungling decisions, leading council officers have been even busier reorganising TDC from the top down. This situation was more fully exposed during the February 2011 meeting of TDC when Labour councillors suggested a cap on leading officers pay whilst other members of staff were being made redundant. The Conservatives didn't just vote against the idea, their leader went a step further and publicly ordered his Conservative members not to discuss the issue.

Through our policies, Local Labour will take firm action and bring back pride in Thanet!

Download our manifesto here

South East Labour Election Campaign

A group of local young people affected by Tory-led Government cuts joined Labour Shadow Health Secretary John Healey in Brighton on Thursday 31st March for the launch of Labour’s South East election campaign.

From the 19 year-old whose Connexion’s youth worker has been made redundant, to the 18 year-old with three A-levels unable to find work, to the 23-year old new father facing benefit cuts and unemployment, to students who can’t afford university due to soaring tuition fees, the message was spelt out clearly on placards made up by the group: “Vexed Generation”, “Un-sure Start”, “Another Unemployed Woman”.

Shadow Health Secretary John Healey: “The Tory-led Government is kicking away the ladder for young people across the South East. 3,950 people across the region were kept in work by Labour’s Future Jobs Fund, which the Tory-led Government has now scrapped.”

Tory-led cuts hit Thanet hard

As the Labour Party launches its 2011 South East election campaign today with a pledge to be people’s voice in tough times, new research shows the Tory-led Government’s cuts to local authorities will hit the average two-adult household with children by £182 in 2011/12.

The research also reveals that in Thanet, the Tory-led Government’s average cut per person will be £38.94.  (Tunbridge Wells - £21.60. Sevenoaks - £19.88. Maidstone - £19.70. Tonbridge & Malling - £19.40).

As the cuts made in Downing Street begin to bite in streets and communities across the South East, Labour councillors will today pledge to speak up for their local areas against the Tory-led Government’s unfair policies.

Clive Hart, Thanet Labour Leader said "The Tory-led Government constantly say 'we're all in this together' but the figures clearly show that the cuts cost our residents here in Thanet much more than other people in relatively wealthier areas, in some cases twice as much. Thanet Local Labour will campaign tirelessly to be the people of Thanet's voice in tough times".

Ed Miliband MP, Leader of the Labour Party, said “Labour launches our election campaign with a clear pledge to people across the country: we will be your voice in tough times. Cuts designed by David Cameron and Nick Clegg are coming direct from Downing Street to your street. Families in every part of the country will be hit by these unfair cuts.  Areas with the greatest need are being asked to bear the greatest burden. The worst off areas are being hit the hardest while the average family will be hit much harder than people in David Cameron’s constituency. Labour will be your community’s first line of defence against the damage being done by a Conservative-led Government and their Liberal Democrat allies".

Notes: 

• Tory-led Government cuts to funding to local authorities mean that in 2011/12 the Revenue Spending Power (RSP) of local authorities will fall by £2,480,900,000.
  
  
• The population in England is 51,809,000.
  
  
• The average cut per person in Thanet this year is £38.94.
  
  
• The cut for the average family with two adults and children is £182.
  
  
• Meanwhile, analysis of local authority council tax charges for 2011/12 shows that Labour councils charge council taxpayers on average £207 less than Tory councils and £40 less than Lib Dem councils.