Let's build on this for 2015

Last week's local election gave the people of Redditch a choice on the future of our town. 

Night after night, weekend after weekend, Labour candidates, councillors and volunteers knocked doors and delivered leaflets to let voters know what they could expect if they voted for a Labour run Redditch Borough Council.

Frequently people said on the doorstep, "What's the point in voting, you're all the same" or "As soon as your elected you won't stick to your promises".  I felt proud to let people know that Labour had delivered on our pledges last time we were voted in - re-instating free swimming and the pre-9.30 free bus pass after the previous Conservative led council had cut them.  Scrapping council car parking charges that the Conservatives had imposed and working with business to create apprenticeships - something they voted against.  And if they voted Labour this time we would concentrate on job creation in the town, work experience, frontline services and the mortgage rescue scheme.  Priories for Labour given all areas are under strain due to the Conservative coalition.

People did vote Labour and the results demonstrated that trust is increasingly coming back to Labour.  With national policies such as the energy price freeze, increased free childcare and rises in the minimum wage, people are starting to vote for the party with policies that will help them have a decent standard of living.

Historically Redditch voters have always made room for a third party and traditionally that has been the Liberal Democrats.  Currently this has emerged as UKIP.  I have watched over the years as the third party in British politics has had the luxury of making promises that they cannot deliver. 

As I type these words one of the two new Redditch UKIP councillors is facing a backlash for racist, sexist and homophobic views on Facebook.  There is no room for such views in today's society, a society that has made such tremendous strides for equality and one that continues to do so.

The job for Labour is have the best offer for Redditch and the country on 7th May 2015 and then to deliver it, we've done this locally, now we must do it nationally.

Rebecca Blake

 

#VoteBlake4MP

 

Too many people in Redditch are not feeling the effects of the recovery

It's not enough to simply be told the economy is recovering people want to feel it.  And I'm afraid too many people in Redditch are not feeling the effects of the recovery.

In Redditch there are 355 young unemployed people, 5,500 people in fuel poverty and hundreds feeling the effects of the desperate shortage of affordable housing.  Labour will not stand by and tolerate this. 

Young people leaving school need access to training and skills. That's why the Labour council's apprenticeship scheme was set up to help tackle youth unemployment which stands above the English and county average.  I am angry that local conservative councillors did not support this scheme.

Energy companies should not be allowed to hike up prices year after year for bill payers, throwing more people into fuel poverty.  I wrote to the Redditch Conservative MP Mrs Lumley asking her to support Labour's energy price freeze to help families afford to heat their homes.  Instead she voted against the price freeze - against measures to help people in fuel poverty in Redditch and voted in favour of increased profits for energy companies.

Last week there were 183 bids made by local people for just 8 available homes across the social housing providers.  We simply need more affordable homes as people are trapped unable to afford to buy and often paying too much in private rent. 

A labour government would build 200,000 homes each year of the next Parliament and wants to immediately reduce private rents.  Yet yesterday Mrs Lumley once again voted against helping her constituents, this time those who are renting, by not supporting measures to reduce private rents for people in Redditch.

I want everyone to be better off and while those who are doing their best still cannot afford the cost of living crisis I cannot be a cheer leader for the economic recovery.

Labour Call for Maternity Review

Andy Burnham MP, Labour's Shadow Health Secretary came to Redditch last Thursday ahead of the forthcoming Local & European elections to lend his support speaking to voters in Winyates and listening to their concerns about the cost of living crisis. 

Rebecca Blake, Labour's parliamentary candidate for Redditch especially wanted him to hear from local people about how recent proposals calling for maternity to be cut at the Alex and moved to Worcester would affect them.

Andy heard from local mums, NHS staff and points made by the Save the Alex campaign.  Andy said "I've heard from local mums that one of the problems for people in Redditch having to travel to Worcester Royal instead of the Alex is geography.  I've just come from Worcester and experienced the road works and delays for myself and I understand public transport between Redditch and Worcester is infrequent and takes too long.

"As Health Secretary I would want to know the implications for neighbouring hospitals if births were cut from the Alex.  Hospitals shouldn't be dealt with in isolation because changes to one have knock effects on neighbouring hospitals.  The people of Redditch and its neighbours deserve a detailed review of services across the wider health economy and to be properly consulted before any decisions are made".

Rebecca has written to NHS England requesting a review of maternity capacity.  Rebecca stated "If births are cut from the Alex women will go out of county to have their babies.  I have requested NHS England initiate a review of maternity capacity that extends Worcestershire Acute Trust and takes in all hospitals that would be effected by cutting births at the Alex.  I want to see in black and white just how 2100 births a year will be safely accommodated when neighbouring hospitals are already short on maternity beds".

Bincy mum of two, who had both babies at the Alex said "If the Alex maternity ward is cut it would not be fair and it's a big price for future mums in Redditch to have to pay".

Copy of my letter to NHS England

As you know I do not support the latest recommendation from the Independent Clinical Panel that maternity should be taken from the Alex in Redditch and move to Worcester Royal.

Maternity in Redditch, Worcester and Birmingham is already under pressure, with mums in Redditch and Worcester regularly being taken by ambulance to a hospital further away due to lack of beds.  This state of affairs is a strong reason for consultant led maternity to remain in Redditch.

It is universally agreed that currently there is not enough provision to absorb the 2100 births that take place each year at the Alex.  Any extra investment to rectify this would be better spent on going towards funding existing arrangements.

What underpins my concern about losing maternity in Redditch is that the travel times and distances to what would be the nearest consultant led maternity departments are too long & too far.  In addition as a principle I believe that a DGH such as the Alex that serves the populations of Redditch, Bromsgrove, South Birmingham and West Warwickshire, a population of approximately 225,000 people requires a CLU.

I would like to request that NHS England initiate a review of maternity capacity that extends Worcestershire Acute Trust and takes in all hospitals that would be effected by cutting births at the Alex.  Including Birmingham Women's, Solihull MLU & Heartlands and if mums from West Warwickshire would have used the Alex, the review may need to take in Warwick Hospital too. 

I consider this to be crucial knowledge that must be evidenced prior to any decisions to cut maternity services at the Alex. 

The current decision making process is missing the strategic overview that is necessary to serve the local health economy in terms of maternity and I fear grave consequences of these decisions made in isolation. 

In my view there is time for this work to take place, while the affordability of the Independent Clinical Panel's recommendations are worked up and given the consultation on them is still to be had.  Finally, if this has already taken place, the results must be put into the public domain.

I look forward to your reply.

365 days until the 2015 general election - BRING IT ON!

I and the Labour team are working hard on getting the Tories out in Redditch. 

Those who voted for the Tory & Lib Dem government tell me they feel very let down and the undermining of the NHS is just one example of why.

We cannot take the risk of another 5 years under Cameron. Vote Labour on 22nd of May and send the Tories a strong message ahead of the general election - 1 year away today.

A promise of things to come if enough people vote Labour

Maternity at the Alex

Andy Burnham MP, Labour's Shadow Health Secretary came to Redditch to listen to the concerns of Mums, NHS staff and Save the Alex over a cup of tea in Winyates. 

Having himself travelled from Worcester to Redditch, including road works on the M5 he could see that geography played a major role in our fight to keep services at the Alex.

Andy stated that he wants to know the impact upon surrounding hospitals if births are taken away from Redditch and that he was unconvinced that this was being done.  In his own area, there is a review of Greater Manchester hospitals and he said we deserved the same wider review in Redditch and to look only at taking services away from one hospital does not address the bigger picture.

In addition Andy restated that a Labour Government would repeal the Health and Social Care Bill brought in by this government that has seen an increased marketisation of the NHS which must be stopped.

In Redditch we have been battling to keep services at the Alex since it was announced in June 2012.

Despite it being well over two years since the review started and £1.3 million already having been wasted on the review, we are still to find out what services will remain at our hospital.

The latest turn of events was January when we learnt that A&E has been recommended to stay at the Alex and maternity, paediatrics and emergency surgery recommended to go to Worcester.  Since these proposals I have been speaking to parents and local people updating them on the latest recommendation - no more births at the Alex.  Like the majority of people I do not believe that this can work safely for mother and baby and I oppose cuts to maternity. 

I will continue to campaign long and hard with local people to keep births in Redditch.  

 

Andy listening to mums, NHS staff and Save the Alex in Winyates