I'd like to say a great big "thank you" to all the 1,500 people who voted for Liberal Democrat candidates in the Stourbridge, Cradley, Quarry Bank and Dudley Wood areas. And a particularly big "thank you" to the 478 who voted for June Collins, and the 435 who voted for me, in Wollaston & Stourbridge Town.
We had an excellent set of local policies, and in Wollaston & Stourbridge Town we had a great campaign of "Focus" leafleting, personal letters, garden posters and knocking on doors. June and I found that many people recognised us, were glad to be called on, and thanked us for keeping them in touch via our "Focus" leaflets.
Stourbridge and Halesowen Liberal Democrats would love to be able to mount better and more effective campaigns over a wider area. Please contact our Chairperson, Margaret Hanson, atmhanson@blueyonder.co.ukif you would like to help by:
joining the Liberal Democrats;
donating money;
delivering "Focus" leaflets in your area;
doing clerical work for the party;
knocking on doors for the party;
helping put up posters at election time;
having a poster in your garden at election time;
meeting to discuss local, national or international political issues;
campaigning all year round;
standing for Dudley Council,
standing for Parliament, or the European Parliament.
Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg announced on Monday that there will be up to £10m additional support for Pupil Premium children who leave primary school without Level 4 literacy - the expected level.
In a keynote speech to teachers and school leaders, he said that the Education Endowment Foundation will be awarding the money to pilot projects to help disadvantaged pupils make the transition from primary to secondary school. The money will be targeted at struggling Year 7s from deprived homes.
"How can a child start secondary school unable to read with confidence?" declared Nick. "That is a basic building block of a good education and no child should begin the race so far behind the starting line. We need to do everything we can to help these children through this transition to get them up to speed.
"That is a responsibility the government takes extremely seriously. And I can confirm that the Education Endowment Foundation will shortly be inviting groups of local schools, in the areas that suffer most with this problem, to bid for extra funds for struggling Year 7s from deprived homes to help them get their reading and writing up to scratch. Extra 'catch up cash', if you like.
"We envisage that schools will want to use it for small catch up classes, or one-to-one tuition, or vouchers for literacy tuition that parents can spend. We will run a proper evaluation, sharing what works with all schools not just those areas taking part in these pilots. It's likely this kind of targeted support is the best way to crack this problem - next year we'll know.
"Of course, we hope as few pupils as possible need it, thanks to the Pupil Premium. And I know primary and secondary schools up and down the country are determined to make this work.
"Some are using the money for breakfast clubs; homework clubs; or to provide one-to-one-tuition. Some are funding counselling services, so troubled kids are in the right place, emotionally, to learn. Some are using it for educational visits to places like museums: the sort of experiences middle class children take for granted but poorer child might rarely enjoy."
Nick also announced that he wants to "strike a deal between the Coalition government and our schools and teachers. Teachers who help these children unlock the doors that otherwise hold them back ... they are the key to an open and fair society ... the key to the opportunity Britain I am determined we build."
The best teachers will be offered incentives to work in schools that have large numbers of disadvantaged pupils. The government will ask the School Teachers Review Body to look at giving other schools the same flexibility Academies currently have to use pay to hold on to the best teachers.
Also, from next year, there will be Pupil Premium Awards for the 50 schools that do the best to boost the performance of their poorest pupils and narrow the gap - with cash prizes of up to £10,000 for the best of the best.
Battery hen cages will have been eliminated from every EU country by the end of the year, EU Health Commissioner John Dalli has announced.
Speaking at a meeting of the European Agriculture Committee in Brussels this week, Dalli also said that 16 Member States are now expected to be compliant with the ban on sow stalls - small boxes where pigs can stand but barely move about - by the end of this year.
Members of the LDEG executive including George Dunk, Carol Weaver and Jonathan Fryer took part in the ELDR Party Council meeting in Yerevan last weekend soon after Armenia's parliamentary elections. LDEG chair Phil Bennion MEP also spoke at a fringe event on 'Making Liberal Climate and Resource Policies Work'.
Ian Swales MP for Redcar is continuing his campaign on behalf of ME sufferers by hosting a drop-in event for MPs and Peers today in Parliament. The event, in conjunction with the charity Action for ME, will give Parliamentarians the chance to learn more about the condition and to meet some people affected by the disease.
"This is a very popular idea which would give the public something back for bailing out the banks.
"I welcome the Treasury Select Committee's review into what to do with the Government's holding in RBS and Lloyds and hope that it furthers the case for giving the public their share."
Planned changes to disability benefits will go ahead, the Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith has said, insisting that reform is needed. It has emerged half a million people are to lose the Disability Living Allowance over the next four years. But Mr Duncan Smith told the Daily Telegraph the number of people claiming it had risen by 30% in recent years, with many people "allowed to fester". Labour said he was approaching reform with "contempt and carelessness".
In http://ianswales.com/en/article/2012/586760/labour-run-redcar-and-cleveland-council-penalise-blue-badge-holders
Redcar and Cleveland Labour Run Council have announced that they are considering charging all disabled blue badge holders to park in all council run off street car parks. Of those 25 car parks, there are 79 bays that are specifically marked for disabled badge holders only. All residents who hold blue badges were notified of this possible change by letter today (14th May 2012).
Wollaston & Stourbridge Town Candiates
