Click here to return to home page

News

Children's Services Not Good Enough

(10 December 2009)

The County's Children, Schools and Families Services has been rated only as 2 "performing adequately". Nigel Bell, Labour's deputy leader on the County Council, recognises that they say that a higher than average proportion of primary and secondary schools are good or outstanding than are found in similar areas or nationally. However, he is particularly concerned that Ofsted can find: "the difference in the performance of children and young people whose circumstances make them vulnerable and others of the same age is larger than the national average. This is particularly noticeable for young people from lower income families who are not as successful in achieving level 3 qualifications, leading to fewer than average students progressing to higher education when they are 19".

He has called on the Council "to recognise (that this is no time for complacency) and properly act to improve outcomes for ALL children in the County".

Be Afraid ... Be Very Afraid ...

(6 November 2009)

... of a Tory Government. Johann Hari, writing in the Independent of 6 November 2009, suggests that the London of Boris Johnson is the laboratory of what a Tory Government's policies would be. He points out that half those working on carbon emissions have been laid off; plans to limit carbon emissions have been shelved; and the rich have been given a bonus by not extending the congestion charge to affluent west London, paid for by a 20% increase in bus fares.

Meanwhile, in David Cameron's "model authority" of Hammersmith and Fulham, twelve homeless hostels have been shut, the cost of meals on wheels have been increased by 60% and disabled people now have to pay £12.40 per hour for a home help. The leader of the council wants to abolish council homes and let rents rise to a market level.

Johann Hari goes on to say that:

• David Cameron will "casually write off British lives": he will not erect any more speed cameras, although the current cameras save 900 lives a year.

• He will give public money to any group of parents who want to set up a school: elsewhere this has meant mainly religious fundamentalist schools.

• He will promote "a fringe philosophy rejected by every other elected Government", namely paying back Government debt before the recession has ended.

• He will scrap inheritance tax, most of which is paid by the very rich.

• He will scrap the rules requiring commercial broadcasters to be politically impartial, "unleashing the rabid Fox News model against the British left".

• He will "abolish 10% of parliamentary seats, almost all in Labour areas".

(With thanks to Lord Kinnock for the heading.)

Read all of Johann Hari's article on the Independent website by clicking here.

Labour's Sure Start celebrated in Hertfordshire by the Tories

(14 September 2009)

One of the Labour Government's most important and widely supported policies of the Labour Government was celebrated across Hertfordshire in National Sure Start Children Centres' Week in September, including by the County Council. Jane Pitman, who is Executive Member for Children, Schools and Families in the Tory administration (and councillor for the Braughing division in this constituency), issued a press release to that effect. Nigel Bell, the Labour Group's deputy leader, said: "We know that the advice and support that parents and carers receive at the Centres is vital to the development of children from 0 to 5 years in our many diverse communities."

"It's ironic," he added, "that in the last week we have seen two organizations with links to the Conservative Party, the Taxpayers' Alliance and the Institute of Directors, float the idea of removing funding from Sure Start Centres."

Click here to return to home page

Click here to go to archived news