GMB Milton Keynes Branch what is it's view Regarding Progress?

I have just written to the GMB Milton Keynes Branch Secretary Mr Jim Hiom seeking the Branch's  views as regards the GMB motion at their recent conference about Progress.

Please see the letter below:
 

Dear Jim

As GMB Milton Keynes Branch Secretary I thought I would write to you to seek the branch's view on the motion at GMB Conference to seek a change to the Labour Party rules regarding membership of Progress, which will be going to the next Labour Party Conference for a resolution. 

As you know I am a GMB member and proud of it, and I am also a member of Progress and attend their conferences, this years key note speech was made by the Labour Party Leader Ed Milliband MP who praised Progress for its policy debates and its foward thinking ideas to help bring a Labour victory at the next General Election, unlike Milltant who activetly worked against the party leadership, Progress has been supportive towards the leadership hence why every Labour Leader has made a key note speech each year.

Far from being a New Labour mouth piece Progress is about seeking policies for the new centre ground and is progressive and foward thinking and knows that what was a winning formula when the party was in opposition in the 1990's will not do for the 21st Century as society has moved on thanks mainly to the achievements of the last Labour Government.

I have a lot of respect for Paul Kenny as General Secretary of the GMB and was surprised that he made such an attack on Lord Peter Mandelson who defended Progress as normally Paul is very supportive and measured in his critisisms of the Labour Party.

As regards the accusation that Progress is training and seeking candidates for Parliamentary selections, this is the case for the Labour Women's Network and Emily's List and I am sure no one is seeking for these groups to investigated or banned.

I am amazed that the motion was moved by a delegate who has been a Labour Party member for only 24 months and is a marxist supporter and if I have read correctly no body spoke against which I find quite disappointing.

Also Lord Sainsbury who has chiefly funded Progress was an excellent Science Minister in the House of Lords in the last Labour Government and a regular and substancial donor to the party are we now saying when the party is in such financial straits that his money is now not good enougth?

Lastly I hope that this matter blows over as it is not the chief concern of party members or the voters who are struggling financially and worried about their jobs this disunity could be a gift to the Tories and effect our lead in the polls.

I would like to place on record that I do not agree everything Progress says and does but I will defend its right to exsist, like a lot of its members including myself I do not identify with a faction such as old or New Labour I am just a member and activist of the Labour Party.

I look forward to hearing from you. 

 

Kind Regards
Brian Barton

Re: Incidents on Netherfield

The Netherfield Local Centre, Farthing Grove, Netherfield in Milton Keynes

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I had my meeting today (Friday 22nd June 2012) with Inspector Colleen Lavery had had a good exchange of views, I want to place on record that I fully support the Police and Inspector Colleen Lavery in her teams efforts to improve the area.

This (although it may looked and felt like it) was not a personal attack just my frustration on how I saw things which living in a free Country I feel I am at liberty to express, although I doubt many people read my blog so I don't feel my post will have any bad consequences but just in case I want to say on the record please if you witness any incident please report it to the Police so that they have records of what is going on and can built a case, and eventually get matters in to Court.

I hope that clears things up.

No doubt in the future other posts of mine will be contriversal for which I make no apologies for I will always be robust and point out the failings of organisations and the things I disagree with it is not personal but as a famous saying goes for evil to prosper good men say nothing over the top I know but I am sure you know what I am getting at.

As in any walk of life if you want to improve matters you have to stand up for what you believe in and I know how uncomfortable that can be right now so we all have a collective responsiblity to not walk idlely by when services are not up to the mark and injustice has taken place.

This again applys to all public and private services this is not a personal vendetta against any particular group or organisation.   

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Since this post was published Iain Stewart MP, Cllr Hannah O'Neill and Inspector Colleen Lavery have come back to me including the Thames Valley Police Quality of Service Unit, who have charged Chief Inspector Barry Halliday to investigate my complaint.

Today (Thursday 21st June 2012) a local Police Officer has taken a statement from me regarding the incident that sparked my complaint.

I shall be meeting with Inspector Colleen Lavery at the Woughton Community Council Offices on Friday 22nd June 2012, I will keep you informed as to how things pan out!

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This is what I have written to Thames Valley Police Quality of Service Unit and copied in to Cllr Hannah O'Neill, Cllr Steve Coventry (Woughton Ward) and Iain Stewart MP (Milton Keynes South) and the Chair of Woughton Comhis is what I have written to the Thames Valley Police Qualitmunity Council Cllr Sue Smith and Keith Temple External Communications Officer at Woughton Community Council lets see what happens, I will keep you posted:

Dear Sirs

I am writing to make a formal complaint to yourselves regarding the lack of Police interest and activity concerning Netherfield and the Woughton area generally.

I had cause to see my former colleagues at the Woughton Community Council Offices on Tuesday 19th June 2012 at lunchtime to witness a group of drunken men urinating on the wall at the end of the Netherfield Local Centre on Farthing Grove. (I understand Keith Temple had reported the incident whilst I was there), sadly this is not an isolated incident, and I am sick to the back teeth (although this is putting it mildly but decency prevents me from really telling you how angry and frustrated that I am on this matter) of the lack of Police response.

Whilst I was employed by Woughton Community Council I had emailed and had meetings with Inspector Colleen Lavery and her team and all the time I have been soft soaped and given the spin that all is well well it is certainly far from the case to add insult to injury there was a Police office down the road, and still there was a lack of a Police presence, Chief Inspector Sara Thornton is always boasting about the front line not being cut so that cannot be a well worn excuse and for gods sake there is a Drinking Control and Disperal order in place!

I can only conclude that the more affulent areas are a priority as they shout the loudest but I do not want to see this great city develop in to having no go areas as the Police have given up in controlling crime and ant social behaviour in the more poorer areas, well this will not be case whilst I'm allive as I will be on the case until I hear things have improved.

As a simple soul here are my solutions and I would love to hear the excuses why this cannot be done.

Firstly whoever draws the rotas up for the beat why not make sure all local centres in the Woughton area are visted at irregular times on a daily basis and if anyone is seen drinking no excuses pour their drink away this would get the message out to their fellow drinking buddys.

Seconly even if technically they are not doing anything that is an arrestable offence just make their lives hell by just watching them and engaging with them and let them know in no uncertain terms that the Police will be making their lives uncomfortable from now on.

Thridly if they are at their regular slot at the bench at the Netherfield Local Centre move them on that way again certain messages are being sent.

Also if they then decide to go round their mates houses and cause havoc can you not put pressure on the Housing Office to move them out a local Parish Councillor is experiencing this on Netherfield and what a surprise after numerous calls to the Housing Office yes you guessed it right nothing is happening and even she has given up hope that anything will change.

I understand as well that a group of drunks are using the Alphabet Park on Farthing Grove doing the same thing using the place as an open air toliet and parents now are not allowing their kids to play their that is totally out of order that a section of society (if you can call them that) stop the silent majority from enjoying their environment with their Children.

I attended the Woughton Community Council Annual Parish Meeting and could not believe my ears when Inspector Collen Lavery suggested the bench is removed I thought we had moved on from such silly ideas that makes the residents lose facilities again from the irresponsible actions of such people I hope this will not happen as its a very lazy and simplistic solution.

I trully believe that if an organisation wants to turns things around even if there is a lack of resources it can do it if the will and hard work and thinking out of the box to find solutions is there sadly I have come to the conclusion in Milton Keynes the Police force want a quiet and easy life I have attended Home Office Conferences where similar good practise has been presented perhaps it might be an idea to share this good practise to Milton Keynes.

Well I am detirmined for the sake of such communities in Milton Keynes to fight for a better response as residents have given up reporting incidents for the lack of anything getting done, even though I and other employees of Woughton Community Council do tell residents to do so.

Hence why I have copied this email to the local MP and Councillors and the Chair of Woughton Community Council to ensure with enougth pressure from all of us is brought to bear so that things will only get better!

I will if this, is what it takes go to the local media on these matters as enougth is enougth! 

I look forward to recieving your earliest reply.   

 

Kind Regards 

Brian Barton