Campaigns
Poole Labour is currently involved in a number of local campaigns:
Twin Sails Bridge
Poole Labour has spoken out at the Council's poor handling of the recent closure of the Twin Sails Bridge between Poole Town and Hamworthy. At the Full Council meeting in December, Labour asked how long the repairs would take and how much they would cost. The Council leader told us that they didn't know. When asked if they would compensate local residents for the inconvenience the closure of the bridge had caused, a number of Tory councillors laughed. They also admitted that the Council had no strategic traffic management plan to cope with the closure. Labour is the only party that is pushing for answers to residents' concerns.
Poole A&E and Maternity Services
Labour members led the campaign at the recent Council meeting to urge councillors to refer the decision to axe Poole A&E and maternity units, to the Secretary of State for an independent review. The Council's weak and timid approach to standing up for local residents resulted in them refusing to refer the matter directly, but instead chose to support the County Council's decision to refer the matter. Such unbelievable game playing shows how little they care for the people of Poole. A Labour government on the other hand will reverse the Conservative’s creeping privatisation of our NHS and return our health service into expert public control.
South Western Railways
South Western Railways have been proposing to stop through train services from Hamworthy to London, affecting stations such as Branksome and Parkstone. There is a fear that this could be the start of more reductions to come. Putting shareholder profit before services to the public. Labour has pledged to bring railways back into public ownership, putting public service first. Locally, our campaigning has made SWR think again.
School Budgets
Clear school-by-school figures on future Conservative reduction of funding to Poole schools. Schools have already suffered funding cuts and now the government is inflicting a further reduction in funding. This will impact on thousands of children/families in Poole. Labour national pledge to inject £25 billion into a National Education Service.
Housing
Poole Council is reviewing its Housing and Homeless strategy. Poole Labour is putting pressure on the council to better address a likely lack of affordable housing, empty homes in the borough, and the issue of rough sleepers. The latest policy is to criminalise rough sleeping in the town and the Labour Party has been leading the campaign against this. We are also scrutinizing nthe latest plans for new housing developments in the area - and are concerned that very few of the new properties will be affordable for local people to rent or buy.
