Wear your Poppy with Pride

Remembrance Sunday in Pontefract is set to see one of the largest gatherings to acknowledge the sacrifice made for us by previous generations. See you there?

Post by West Yorkshire Police - Pontefract and Knottingley.

Better together?

The vote to stay together in the Scottish Referendum set in train further advantages for the people of Scotland.

Now its time that we see greater say in what goes on in England. Time we saw English votes for English Laws and the end of the undemocratic practice that allows Scottish MPs to vote on matters that concern us but rightly blocks English MPs voting on core Scottish matters.

What do you think?

26th August 1914 KOYLI Le Cateau - Hold - Stand and Fight

On the 26th of August at the Royal Armouries, The Rifles, successor to the Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry commemorated the Holding Action at Le Cateau where soldiers from the KOYLI stood and held-back a German attack that was designed to roll back the British Expeditionary Force and turn a stubborn retreat into a rout. 

Mobilise - August 1914

In August 1914, households across the country received a Post Office Telegram with the short message to mobilise. An instruction for reservists to report to Barracks. In Pontefract KOYLI and the Yorks & Lancs Regiments commenced their mobilisation to bring unit numbers up to a war footing.

Yorkshire Day - Pontefract Friday August 1st 2014

Post by Geoff Walsh.

1st of August - Yorkshire Day - See you in Pontefract?

Post by Geoff Walsh.

A better deal for local communities

Sponsored silence?

Jobs and skills for our future

Wanted - 21 Council Candidates

Over the next four years there will be 21 local council seats contested in the Parliamentary Constituency Area of Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford. All of them currently occupied by Labour Councillors.who are apologists for the Labour controlled Wakefield Metropolitan District Council.

There are people who have already come forward to contest some of those seats on behalf of local communities.

Do you believe that you can make a contribution to a better local council?

Do you want to represent people from your local community, focusing on their needs and interests?

Do you believe that it is time to call a halt on WMDC's 40 years of Labour control?

There will be seats in Pontefract South and North, Normanton, Airedale and Ferry Fryston, Ferrybridge and Knottingley, Castleford Central and Glasshoughton and Altofts and Whitwood.

To explore what becoming a Conservative Local Candidate means please get in touch.

Geoff Walsh

Chairman - Normanton Pontefract and Castleford, Conservative Associsation.

Backing Small Business - Progress Made - Securing a better future for Britain

Doing the right thing is not always easy. But for some elected members in Wakefield it is time that you did!

Post by The Optimism Revolution.

I wonder when the six Pontefract Labour Councillors are going to push back at their colleagues to ensure that Pontefract gets the attention that it deserves and needs. I suspect there may be some heart searching going on about the plans to close the three swimming pools that are serving the five towns. I also suspect that there are some difficult times ahead when they ignore the 7000 person petition raised by the Pool Users Group organised by Jeff Allinson

Real Job Growth and Real Jobs

Post by Geoff Walsh.

Only remembered for what we have done

Post by Geoff Walsh.

Lest we forget

Lest we forget

🇬🇧 Please RT 🇬🇧 96 year old War Hero George Thompson has no one to attend his funeral - http://t.co/kL3KCMl1vc #hero pic.twitter.com/mqGe3E0pf2
— Carl (@AirForce_Carl) May 26, 2014

He fought so we could vote. 

Vote UKIP get Labour? Well that's what you get in Pontefract.

Firstly thanks ever so much for the kind words and encouragement from so many people. 

It looks very much as if I have been part of a national trend. In Pontefract a number of voters used their votes presumably to get rid of the status quo and to see a change in the local elections, to send a message maybe?

Well they certainly achieved that and by voting Ukip we now have six members of the Labour controlling group representing Pontefract.

The reality at this election was vote Ukip get Labour. I hope that my former Labour colleagues find their voices and turn the volume up for Pontefract to see we get the resources that we need for the Towns survival it is time that they did.

For the 1434 who voted with me I really appreciate your vote of confidence. I promise that if I should get the chance I will do my best to stick up for Pontefract whenever and wherever I can.

Now the electorate have given me the opportunity to take it easy for a while, even so please say hello if you see me around.

Geoff

Today is Polling Day come out and vote!

Remember to vote today. Generations before us fought for the right to vote. #HaveYourVoiceHeard pic.twitter.com/b3ZZOHn49d #Vote2014
— Mark Fox (@MarkFox__) May 22, 2014

If you have already voted, Thank you!

Polling stations stay open until 10 pm. If you can please come out and vote.

Geoff

Say NO to the Wakefield Labour Party on Thursday!

Simply put. I need your help!

As your Pontefract South Local Councillor since 2006. I have worked to see improvements & to challenge the 40 years of Labour lack of care in Wakefield that all to often damages Pontefract and its interests.

Speaking to local residents, they share my concerns about lack of investment in our town & the dash for more housing without the infrastructure to support it.  

We already see Pontefract Hospital failing to reach its potential despite our MPs promises & the challenges of air quality & congestion at Town End still unresolved. The impact of new houses on the Prince of Wales site & the resulting traffic chaos on Park Road have been mentioned, as have the closure of local swimming pools to be replaced by a £13million new build at Glasshoughton or in Pontefract Park, with less than half the current  capacity.

In addition to investment in Pontefract, we need to see first class education for our children and tackling of local low level crime early, improvements that will make our town a better place to live in.

I work with, support, promote and endorse, the Pantomime Society (Oh yes I do!), The Lions & Lionesses, Scouting & Cadet activities, Pomfret Nursery, the Pontefract Education Trust, St Giles, St Marys, Central Methodist & the work of the Saviour Trust. Community & Friends Groups, the activities of Darrington & East Hardwick Parish Councils & Pontefract Civic Society. I promise to continue  with this work if you trust me with your support in Thursday’s local election.

If you have already voted by post, Thank you!

If you prefer the traditional approach of a visit to the ballot box, please come out and VOTE. Thank you, Geoff

How will they spend your money?

Some parties lavish cash on campaigns. We are all still in austerity, imagine how they will spend your taxes. http://t.co/M82eUNi87z
— Morley & Outwood (@mandoconserv) May 20, 2014

Its interesting, in Pontefract, the Labour Candidate has access to a phone bank to run a telephone canvassing campaign. Although there are questions as to if they are running their data through the Telephone Preference Service to ensure that they do not ring TPS registered phone numbers, (£5000 fine per call for infringements).

I am aware of one person whose number is TPS registered who received a call from no less than our Mp's office Manager which was suddenly terminated without explanation. Maybe they realised.

Labour Controlled Wakefield Council fails Wakefield District again!

Wakefield's Labour Council routinely complains about government cuts.

Yet has a bigger budget in 2015 than 2010.   Labour talks about a cost of living crisis yet they raised Council Tax in Wakefield this year and they want to put it up again next year.

The Labour Council  spent £3 million on a new indoor market in 2008 which it now wants to demolish.

Last November Labour Councillors en masse forced through a 321% pay rise for a Labour Committee Chairperson using local taxpayers money, challenged by the Conservative and recorded for posterity as first webcast of a Wakefield Council meeting.

The Labour Council spent £1.4 million of its road budget last year on an insurance premium and to settle claims for damaged vehicles, rather than spend the money on the backlog of road repairs

The Labour Council pays £227,000 of tax payers money a year to fund 6 full time Union Convenors

The Labour Council spent over £1.2 million last year on outside management consultants, because they can't make their own decisions?

The Labour Council plans to spend up to £450 thousand pounds of local tax payer's money on purchasing and repairing the Wakefield Crown Court building, empty since 1994, but claims it cannot justify maintaining swimming pools in the 5 Towns or in the South East of the district.

The Labour Council plans to spend up to £663 million pounds of tax payer's money and Council reserves this coming year (source Labour Councillor's elections address) but claims it cannot justify maintaining front line or leisure services, yet still intends to spend money on funding political cronies.

The Labour Council is spending £2 million pounds of tax payer's money to refurbish Wakefield Town Hall, says it cannot justify maintaining swimming pools, but still intends to spend money on funding political cronies.

The Labour Council is spending £4.1 million pounds of tax payer's money on the Northern Relief Road, people have already labelled it "the road to nowhere" the money could have been better spent on reducing the £68 million pound backlog of road repairs across the district.

The Labour Council paid the former Chief Executive £545,000 as a payoff when he stopped working for Wakefield Council.  He says he was paid to leave Wakefield because of a "political decision by the Leader of the Council."  You may wonder how often this happens but details of special payments such as this one are typically blocked using gagging clauses or confidentiality agreements. 

Freedom of information requests are rejected, the Council really does not want you to know. Is your money used wisely? 

How do you know?

Tell them NO in the local elections on the 22nd May, help us to help you!

Vote for your Local Conservative Candidate for the local issues.

Delivering Real Change in Europe

For all those who voted for the Credit Union of States in the first place and for all those younger than 57 who were not around to vote.  Here is the plan to deliver real change in Europe. It involves you and this will be your best chance to sort things out..

Action. Renegotiation. Referendum. I'm backing the @Conservatives' plan for #RealChangeInEurope: http://t.co/SnjT1kIEcJ
— Geoff Walsh (@Geoff_Walsh_npc) May 19, 2014

Keep pushing on to get that important result...

Post by Geoff Walsh.

Between now and Thursday like other people all over the country, I will be meeting as many people as I can to explain what I have been doing and what I intend to do to help my community.

In my case to see that Pontefract gets its fair share of the more than half a billion pounds Labour controlled Wakefield Council spends each year.. that we don't see.

If you see me say hello!

If you can support me please come out and vote on Thursday and I will keep supporting you in the times ahead.

Thanks 

Geoff

Appearing on a Doorstep near you?

Thanks for the well wishes and encouragement over the last weeks. The local elections typically vanish beneath the rhetoric of the European elections but you also get the chance to vote on who you want to represent you in Wakefield. I for one with your support on the 22nd pledge to keep sticking up for the people of Pontefract as we fight to get our share of the more than half a billion of taxpayers money that they spend each year.

If you see me out and about and have a question please ask, but in any case say hello. I am the one with the sunblock and a hat ;)

Geoff

Labour Fails Wakefield District Again. Yet another example of waste of resources and little will to resolve it.

At the December Council Meeting I asked the Portfolio holder for Communities and Environment to detail the amount the Labour Controlled Wakefield Council spends on picking up and disposing of litter She undertook to provide an answer. I  finally had a definitive answer at the April council meeting, actually two depending on who you listen to. Is it £3 or £4 million pounds? Whichever figure is right, this figure is nearly as large as the annual amount spent on highway and footpath maintenance. 

This money could have been put to much better uses. It would cover the costs of several nurseries, swimming pools or a couple of primary schools. It would allow us to further fund neighbourhood policing to help bear down on anti-social behaviour. We could renovate and improve War memorials across the district, better maintain parks, support youth groups and community organisations, help  to improve education services or care of the elderly. We could buy books for our libraries, better support local institutions like Pontefract Museum tourism events such as the Pontefract Liquorice Festival and complete improvement work at  Pontefract Castle  OR we could reduce the tax load on local residents.

It is time that we made it clear that littering, graffiti, fly-tipping and other sorts of environmental anti social behaviour is just not acceptable or welcome. 

We can use the money for other things!

Interestingly the Dog Warden service issued only 4 penalty tickets for dog fouling in November and again in March and April. 

You could not make it up.

Proud of colleagues across the district standing up for their communities

The Horbury Conservatives are canvassing today..fighting for #horbury votes. Still no sign of UKIP or the Lib Dems. pic.twitter.com/5TpYGm588p
— JDearnshaw (@JDearnshaw) May 11, 2014

@JDearnshaw #Conservatives have track record of delivering for #Horbury - Margaret Holwell will fight hard for the town, please support her
— Simon Wilson (@SimonFWilson1) May 14, 2014

Did they ever intend to deliver the Pontefract Masterplan?

For those who have asked me for more detail about the Pontefract Masterplan, you may wish to have a look at it. Here. Alternatively I can send you a PDF of this public document, send me an email.

Those of you who live in Pontefract, have a really close look. The remarkable thing is that there is no single element that has been delivered or for that matter looks like it will be in the foreseeable future.

Magna Carta in Pontefract

We will be working with Pontefract Magna Carta Group towards 2015 - 800th anniversary celebrations! It will be fun @civic_voice
— PonteCivicSocietySec (@PCSSecretary) May 14, 2014

Celebrating our heritage and history. "Pontefract Castle is the Key to the North"

22nd May 2014 Why vote.

Delivery over talk. Plans over gimmicks. Optimism over pessimism. Why you should vote Conservative on 22nd May: https://t.co/QkWewcTkUX
— David Cameron (@David_Cameron) May 11, 2014

Labour Fails Wakefield District Again - 11 - £545,000 settlement paid to former Chief Executive.

Wakefield's Labour Council complains about government cuts, yet the Labour Council paid the former Chief Executive £545,000 as a payoff when he stopped working for Wakefield Council.  He says he was paid to leave Wakefield because of a "political decision by the Leader of the Council." 

You may wonder how often this happens but details of special payments such as this one are typically blocked using gagging clauses or confidentiality agreements. Freedom of information requests are rejected, the Council really does not want you to know. 

Is your money used wisely? How do you know?

If you think that is wrong, tell them NO in the local elections on the 22nd May, help us to help you!

Vote for your Local Conservative Candidate for the local issues.

Labour Fails Wakefield District Again - 10 - £4.1 million spent on a "road to nowhere" rather than fixing existing roads.

Wakefield's Labour Council complains about government cuts, yet the Labour Council is spending £4.1 million pounds of tax payer's money on the Northern Relief Road, people have already labelled it "the road to nowhere" the money could have been better spent on reducing the £68 million pound backlog of road repairs across the district

If you think that is wrong, tell them NO in the local elections on the 22nd May, help us to help you!

Vote for your Local Conservative Candidate for the local issues.

Support a brilliant local business

Post by Geoff Walsh.

BBC Question Time - Truest Comment last night

This rather says it all pic.twitter.com/ZrN9EsVfdJ
— Colin Bloom (@Colin_Bloom) May 9, 2014

Nigel Farage Told 'I Have No Time For You Sir' By Question Time Audience Member (VIDEO) http://t.co/EUP9zIzTpk via @HuffPostUKPol
— Geoff Walsh (@Geoff_Walsh_npc) May 9, 2014

Labour talk about a cost of living crisis but only too happy to spend more of your money.

Grant Shapps: If Miliband is so worried about prices, why is he happy to see Council Tax rise? | Conservative Home http://t.co/MFlmgI8X1j
— Geoff Walsh (@Geoff_Walsh_npc) May 9, 2014

Labour Fails Wakefield District Again - 9 - £2 million spent to refurbish Wakefield Town Hall

Wakefield's Labour Council complains about government cuts, yet the Labour Council is spending £2 million pounds of tax payer's money to refurbish Wakefield Town Hall, yet says it cannot justify maintaining swimming pools, but still intends to spend money on funding political cronies.

If you think that is wrong, tell them NO in the local elections on the 22nd May, help us to help you!

Vote for your Local Conservative Candidate for the local issues.

Gold Reserves? What Gold reserves?

It's 15 years today since Ed, Ed & Gordon sold the gold. Don't let them crash Britain again pic.twitter.com/uHwTC2KGXM
— Matt Hancock (@matthancockmp) May 7, 2014

Daily Telegraph and Thomas Pascoe's view Gordon Brown sold our gold at a knock down price

Boris Johnson on Ed Milliband, the game is up?

The economic sunshine has left Miligoblin groping in the dark | via @Telegraph http://t.co/5LXZ77uovQ
— Geoff Walsh (@Geoff_Walsh_npc) May 7, 2014

Labour Fails Wakefield District Again - 8 - Plans to Spend £663 Million in coming year on what?

Wakefield's Labour Council complains about government cuts, yet the Labour Council plans to spend up to £663 million pounds of tax payer's money and Council reserves this coming year but claims it cannot justify maintaining front line or leisure services, yet still intends to spend money on funding political cronies.

If you think thats wrong, tell them NO in the local elections on the 22nd May, help us to help you!

Vote for your Local Conservative Candidate for the local issues.

Labour Fails Wakefield District Again - 7 - Using Public Money to bail out developers.

Wakefield's Labour Council complains about government cuts, yet the Labour Council plans to spend up to £450 thousand pounds of local tax payer's money on purchasing and repairing the Wakefield Crown Court building, empty since 1994, but claims it cannot justify maintaining swimming pools in the 5 Towns or in the South East of the district.

If you think thats wrong, tell them NO in the local elections on the 22nd May, help us to help you!

Vote for your Local Conservative Candidate for the local issues.

Labour Fails Wakefield District Again - 6 - Paying outsiders to make decisions for them

Wakefield's Labour Council complains about government cuts, yet the Labour Council spent over £1.2 million last year on outside management consultants, because they can't make their own decisions?

If you think thats wrong, tell them NO in the local elections on the 22nd May, help us to help you!

Vote for your Local Conservative Candidate for the local issues.

Labour Fails Wakefield District Again - 5 - Council Taxpayers Money Funds Union Convenors Payroll and Expenses

Wakefield's Labour Council complains about government cuts, yet the Labour Council pays £227,000 a year to fund 6 full time Union Convenors

If you think thats wrong, tell them NO in the local elections on the 22nd May, help us to help you!

Vote for your Local Conservative Candidate for the local issues.

Labour Fails Wakefield District Again - 4 - Money to fix roads used to settle road damage claims

Wakefield's Labour Council complains about government cuts, yet the Labour Council spent £1.4 million of its road budget on an insurance premium and to settle claims for damaged vehicles, rather than spend the money on the backlog of road repairs

If you think thats wrong, tell them NO in the local elections on the 22nd May, help us to help you!

Vote for your Local Conservative Candidate for the local issues.

Labour Fails Wakefield District Again - 3 -Too busy looking after their own perks.

Wakefield's Labour Council complains about government cuts, yet the Labour Councillors forced through a 321% pay rise for a Labour Committee Chairperson using local taxpayers money. 

In it together? I don't think so.

Tell them NO in the local elections on the 22nd May, help us to help you!

Vote for your Local Conservative Candidate for the local issues.

Labour Fails Wakefield District Again - 2 - Wakefield Market fiasco.

Wakefield's Labour Council routinely complains about government cuts, yet spent £3 million on a market which it now wants to demolish.

Tell them NO in the local elections on the 22nd May, help us to help you!

Vote for your Local Conservative Candidate for the local issues.

Labour and the Lib Dems won't. UKIP can't.

Labour and the Lib Dems won't. UKIP can't. Only the Conservatives can and will give you an EU referendum. pic.twitter.com/9Gp1dZ0NGi
— Geoff Walsh (@Geoff_Walsh_npc) May 1, 2014

Tax cut for 25 million people, do you support it?

If you support our tax cut for over 25 million people, join us for as little as £1 today: http://t.co/WUAttFGgg3 pic.twitter.com/lsCXmYbjxn
— Conservatives (@Conservatives) April 30, 2014

Labour Fails Wakefield District Again - 1 - The Wakefield Council budget up

Wakefield's Labour Council routinely complains about government cuts, yet has a bigger budget in 2015 than 2010.   Labour talks about a cost of living crisis yet they raised Council Tax in Wakefield this year and they want to put it up again next year.

Tell them NO in the local elections on the 22nd May, help us to help you!

Vote for your Local Conservative Candidate for the local issues.

WMDC Local Elections May 22nd - Why vote?

Wakefield Conservatives are campaigning for a “Better Deal” for the people of the district from Labour Run Wakefield Council.

Labour has run Wakefield into the ground since 1974, despite spending billions of pounds.  People wonder, where does that money go, is it well spent? All too often we see grand gestures, gaffes and political favours, we really need to see a fundamental shift in the way things are done.

We must see better value for money and quality local services delivered at lower cost, we continue to support local residents and oppose Labour’s cynical plans to hike Council Tax without a referendum. We will push our campaign for a freeze in future years but with money better spent.

We rigorously oppose the local Parking Tax, which Labour deceitfully plans to implement immediately after these elections. We will fight to put an end to Labour’s legacy of neglect of our roads, our swimming pools and leisure facilities.  Local Conservatives will invest more in our crumbling road network and oppose Labour’s plans to close our swimming pools

Reinvigorating our town centres and working to support local small businesses, we will provide support to stimulate our local economies across the district.

We will continue to fight for real educational improvements for all our children and reverse Labour’s disgraceful “INEFFECTIVE” verdict issued by government inspectors

Please use  your Local Vote in the Local Elections on the 22^nd and let your local Conservative Candidates help you!

Geoff Walsh 

30^th April 2014

Wakefield run into the ground by Labour?

#Labour has run #Wakefield into the ground since 1973, a walk on #Kirkgate proves that. Are #Box & his cllrs proud? #Wakefielddeservesmore
— Simon Wilson (@SimonFWilson1) February 15, 2014

 People frequently say that they believe little gets spent on this side of the district. Now we see our swimming pools under threat and the council plans for up to 4000 new houses in and around Pontefract and the new large out of town retail proposals will only work if the infrastructure issues we are already struggling with get resolved first. Huge amounts have been spent in Wakefield over the years and the question still is "has it been well spent?" Big decisions typically get made in Wakefield about our town by people who know little about our heritage, challenges or issues we as local Councillors need to ensure our voices get heard.

Local Elections Over to you?

There are 21 WMDC wards up for re-election in the local elections on 22nd May. For the last ten days we have been proposing and nominating our local candidates for each of the 21 wards. Subject to confirmation by the Electoral Officer from this afternoon the 25th of April there will be a local Conservative Candidate in each of the wards allowing those who wish to have a local representative speaking up for them in Wakefield they can use their vote to see that happen. Thank you for all the people who signed nomination and assent forms in doing so you helped with one of the first checks and balances. Polling cards have started to fall through peoples letterboxes soon to be followed by postal votes for those who prefer that. On the 22nd there will be an opportunity for others to go out and vote. At that point over to you, happy with the way things are, or time for a change in Wakefield and more local accountability?

Details of Candidates are HERE

Town End problems still to be addressed more of the same looming..

Town End Folly still unresolved - Pontefract's Choke Points about to get worse

Following on from Mr Griffin's letter in the P&C Express 23rd January 2014, it looks like yet another plan for Pontefract has stalled. For the last 40 years most of the big decisions for Pontefract have been made by people that do not know or understand the town and whether it be those that proposed Town End lights in the first place or those like Cllr Denise Jeffrey who promised back in 2011 to resolve the chaos and congestion that this caused, we are still no further forward. 

We still have unacceptably long queues, compromised air quality which exceeds national limits caused by standing traffic, and the looming problem of additional traffic as up to 4000 more houses are added around the edges of town. 

The next potential "Folly" we need to be aware of is Cllr Box's much vaunted Northern Relief Road. Relief from what, may I ask? This will add to congestion by the railway bridge/motorway junction on Park Road as it cuts off towards Skinner Lane, which, in itself, is not really suitable to take extra traffic. Costing taxpayers up to £4.1 million, this road was originally intended primarily as access to the Prince of Wales site The plan was then undermined by Wakefield planners who are allowing Harwood Estates to give traffic from the first 540 homes direct access to Park Road from the old colliery road by the roundabout meaning that there will now be two new junctions and two new choke points.

Over recent years there have been promises of improved infrastructure for Pontefract but we still have rat runs, pollution, congestion, potholes and uneven footpaths. We need to see meaningful improvements and where there is additional housing, good sustainable development to make the town more viable, hopefully the powers that be are listening.

Cllr Geoff Walsh

Pontefract South

Its the way that you do it.

Post by The Optimism Revolution.

So true!

Good news with employment strengthening.

Long-term unemployment down 93k on year- largest annual fall since 1998 according to @ons stats #GetBritainWorking pic.twitter.com/HwKy55aMTy
— DWP Press Office (@dwppressoffice) April 16, 2014

Interesting considering the debate in the council chamber on Wednesday. One of the limiting points in Wakefield has been the number of youngsters who have not had access to a good or outstanding primary or junior school and the impact that has on the aspirations of our young people later in life. The local education authority has been labelled as INEFFECTIVE by OFSTED and the Authority is towards the very bottom of the national table with no great improvements despite spending up to double the amount on school improvements.

Part of the Wakefield problem relates to a conscious decision made in 2005 to put education in the hands of social care professionals a flawed policy that resulted in some Wakefield schools loosing their educational focus. Only recently being remedied but somewhat late for the thousands of young people who could not get the best start in a good or outstanding primary school.

Resulting in our poor local jobs performance and a couple of generations who have been actively discouraged from achievement, by forty years of a Labour administration averaging down.

Good Friday at St Giles

Good Friday in Pontefract and people start to gather for the Churches together open air service, ultimately with about 200 people. Excellent service with hot cross buns to follow.

Remploy Pontefract two years on 16/4/2014

Today in the Council Chamber as a parting shot to prior to the elections the Labour group decided they wanted to use their block vote to pick over the closure of Remploy and Remploy Pontefract in particular. They decided that politically they needed to blame the Conservatives on Wakefield Council and apparently me in particular.

So who did fail Remploy - Pontefract?

Well it certainly was not Lord Lofthouse, who fought, and kept open the Pontefract site which was recommended for closure by the Labour Government in 2008. Interestingly, our MP was very silent, perhaps little surprise there, considering she was a Minister in that Government at that time, she showed as much drive and determination as she is in relation to the Kellingley closure question. Plenty of photos of her looking glum but not much action on her part. 

No, it would appear that the local Labour Party have decided that it was me and they are using the taunt at every video opportunity they get in the Council Chamber.

Interestingly the House of Commons Library published a comprehensive report on the 24/2/14

The Sayce report which triggered the initial Labour Government Remploy closures concluded that the closed factory model that was used to give disabled people employment was a poor way to help. That it was more of an investment in bricks and mortar than helping people. In the financial year 2011/12 Remploy employed more than 2,150 disabled people in its factories, but made an operating loss of £49.5 million.

At the same time Remploy Employment Services still offer face-to-face advice and support to disabled jobseekers through its 64 branches in city and town centres around the UK, as well as working with employers.  In 2012/13, Remploy found 17,835 jobs in mainstream employment for “disabled and disadvantaged people”, including 14,700 for disabled people.

Pontefract was selected for closure in 2008 and again in 2012 because it was judged that it could only function with a subsidy that meant a reduction in money available to support other disabled jobseekers. 

The local Labour Party and GMB Union in 2011 set out resist the closure. In a debate in the Council Chamber, Cllr Travis the Union's representative on the Council said that the Pontefract plant had work that made it viable. We asked to see the figures and business plan that backed that up and undertook to make representations of the business case to Government Ministers with a view to see if we could make the case to keep the factory open. No figures or plan were forthcoming. At a further meeting where an item was put forward to discuss Remploy I repeated the offer.

To this day there have been no figures or plan put forward and I am starting to wonder if there was ever the case they spoke of.  Now it seems that the controlling group on the council see this as their electoral strategy to deliver six Labour Councillors for Pontefract.

Local people in Pontefract know me better than the Labour Group do.

So back to the question who did fail Remploy Pontefract? If there really was a business case we could have helped if given the chance. So by politicking in the Council Chamber and not following through, Cllr Travis and his Labour Group colleagues used a national closure programme in an attempt to score political advantage, but failed the people they were claiming to help.

As the Leader of the Council has said from time to time, "Thats Politics"

Action Day in Pontefract and Castleford

Thanks to the team who helped me getting the message out today. You know who you are, it is much appreciated and a grand bit of exercise.

Geoff

Larks Hill deliveries and discussions Part 1 Kellingley comment

Out with colleagues delivering latest In Touch across Larks Hill. Some interesting and supportive conversations including a Kellingley Miner, sad about potential closure and the dispute that could arise. I agree we need to ensure that we have local production available, we still have coal fired power stations and need energy security, witnessed by William Hague's comments on Putin and his use of energy supplies to keep the EU in check.

We discussed our MP's television performance and how she ducked the challenge about the number of pit closures that she and her colleagues stood by and watched during the last Labour administration. He also commented that part of Kellingley's problems stem from lack of investment to keep the pit functional and managements tendency to pass through quickly without getting to grips with the operational issues. Even so its sad because by all accounts Kellingley is one of the most effective, efficient pits and when they extract coal and ship it 7 miles to a power station who pays in dollars and can buy it significantly cheaper from the US then this is just barmy.

As a local councillor I intend to at least pass the message back to government ministers that we need to have a blend of energy.

Europe? Let Britain decide

The choice couldn't be clearer pic.twitter.com/N446n3Okui
— Let Britain Decide (@BritainDecides) March 12, 2014

Friends of Valley Gardens - Lets keep an eye on their good work.

Post by Geoff Walsh.

There have been examples of people stealing flowers and plants that have been planted paid for by public subscription to the Friends. However people may seek to excuse it is a theft of time goodwill and property.

Valley Gardens is a much loved resource. Enjoy it.