Maidstone Weald Labour Party

In order to use the interregnum between now and the General Election and the intervening local government elections too, as well as to ensure that you are well briefed to enter the final contest in 2009ish it would be desirable that news, opinions, facts specifically about our Constituency are revealed, for use in argument, propaganda, newsletters, manifesto; we have this new medium of being able to communicate with so many of our members, search in the remotest places and seek out those matters which effect the everyday life of and which correspond to the desires of our constituents. We know by extensive experience that few people are likely to, or often able to, attend 'meetings';
although we may wish to gather much information through door knocking and door stepping and much of that will always be good if only to present our face to our constituents; yet we have the means in this medium (web) to ensure that we garner information on which to base our local policies and reinforce the information we may get from the centre of the party.

Once upon a time we had reporting to local party meetings numbers of Trade Union delegates, (and it was the TUs which originally formed the backbone of the Party) alas now not very much in evidence; we had a youth section, and a women's section, alas defunct; there were activities between meetings ....other attractions have superseded them.
Because there is a need to be aware of those aspects of the politic agenda which have local relevance and be able to respond immediately and knowledgeably to critique of the other parties it would be helpful if we could, in an organised fashion, take on the task of being prepared by systematic reporting through e-mail and web in particular. The following is a list of the areas in which we could begin :
1. Public order - crime, justice and human rights. --For instance : Do we know how Maidstone compares with other towns - what is the state of anxiety in the town?

2. Governance - democracy/citizenship -For instance do we have a clear view of the advantages or otherwise of regionalism and all purpose Local Authorities?

3. Livelihoods - economy, business, transport - can we answer the questions on the numbers in employment, the extent of un and under-employment, in-work poverty, bankruptcies. Do we know the take-up/eligibility of free school meals in the local primary school near each of us - and how does it relate for instance to the current Shelter campaign about the one child in four in relative poverty and how is it in Maidstone?

4 Education and Training - there is much talk in the business pages of the KM and local papers of the difficulties in apprentices and training opportunities - do we know how that is affecting business as well as the young people of the Town?

5. Environment - global warming - are we up-to-date on the problems of the local incinerator and its future?

6. Health and social care - we are fortunate in that we have a number of specialists in these fields, but are we using their expertise for forming a policy locally?

7. Housing and Communities - we have a number of members who have been looking at the local scene and of course there are the Labour councillors who can inform us,

8. International matters - do we know how concerned local people are about the Iraq war, for instance? Are we aware of the world-wide hegemony of one state and the international competition for oil and energy products and the role of finance capitalism in this?

9. Migration and immigration - much is made of this subject in the local press - are the local people much concerned and to what extent is it real in our Town?

10. Taxes and public Finance - for instance is there any support locally for the proposals to tax land rather than the present local tax?

If we were to consider how to be best advised, say on a quarterly basis, on such issues as above, bearing in mind that no single individual can encompass the details of it and research all the local effects, we might look at the possibility of sharing the work between all and everyone of the members by asking them directly to take some responsibility for being Reporters (rapporteurs): that would involve actually asking all of them, first of all about their preferences and finally allocating areas of responsibility and times for reporting. It may well be a way of involving everyone ...............

Yrs Les Turner