This was something I put together to illustrate Mebyon Kernow policies before the Penzance Chamber of Commerce election hustings. I thought I'd share it here, it was originally going to go on the PZ Chamber website but I don't think any other parties put forward material, too busy slagging each other off and shamelessly claiming credit for anything good that has ever happened in Penzance, (if you've read their leaflets you'll know what I mean), leaving them no time to talk about actual policies. Me I'm a bit old fashioned I think politics is about policy and manifestos should mean a great deal more than they currently do. That we can talk about attracting investment, providing leadership and protecting the vulnerable until the cows come home but without a plan not much will change. All of the below is relevant to all of Cornwall, for those considering voting Mebyon Kernow in the Cornwall Council elections please read on.
A brief summary of the Mebyon Kernow manifesto
and an explanation of our principles
The Mebyon Kernow manifesto is online on our website
there you can read the summary and download the pdf versions of it.
Here is a short summary of the manifesto’s 10 points. As you’re
probably
aware Cllr Phil Rendle is standing in the Central division and Rob
Simmons in the East division, both are standing for Penzance Town Council and
Cornwall Council.
1. Working
to restore faith in local government
MK has committed itself to strong candidates in
this election who will work hard to champion their communities and promote and
protect good quality public services in their areas. They will work with
Penzance Town Council and represent the views and interests of that body at
Cornwall Council. MK wants devolution to Cornwall and within Cornwall, for town
and parish councils to take a bigger role. So more decisions are made where
they matter most, by people that will listen to the electorate in those areas.
2. Protecting
public services
MK will continue to oppose the austerity measures
imposed by central government that are wreaking havoc on both the Cornish
economy and our public services. In Penzance we have seen, hundreds of jobs
lost to centralisation by successive government and councils, the tax office,
the courts, Penwith district council, the downgrading of West Cornwall hospital
and Poltair’s recent temporary closure. Penzance’s economy does not benefit
from these job cutting measures and asset stripping measures and MK will continue
to fight against them.
3. Winning
fair funding for Cornwall
MK has long championed the right of Cornwall to
enjoy the same infrastructure and service spending as other parts of the UK.
The continued underfunding of our public services denys us millions of pounds
every year to our economy. The city of Sheffield has about the same population
as Cornwall yet has 3 major hospitals, not only does this situation effect care
but it also means less jobs here and people paying more to get to hospital.
Transport spending in Cornwall too is woeful, give or take tinkering with
roundabouts hardly any of our road tax is being spent here. Our train services
continue to get worse with time as elsewhere Labour built HS1 and the present
government plans HS2.
4. Protecting
the less well off and vulnerable
At the moment the people most in need of help are
the ones feeling the pinch most. Benefits are being cut, bedroom tax and
council tax benefit cuts. People in these situations need help and support this
is what MK councillors will work hard to do, we need to make people’s lives
better because it’s the right thing to do and putting people into poverty helps
no one. We think that voluntary and community groups need more help and support
for the excellent work they already do. MK believes that pay at Cornwall
Council is wrong, many council workers exist below the living wage yet at the
top wages have grown to eye popping figures, this needs to be better balanced,
MK will push to review pay at Cornwall Council.
5. Safeguarding
the Cornish economy
Cornwall’s GDP in 2009 was 72% of the EU average,
worse than Slovakia and Slovenia. This is before the full force of austerity
was felt. We believe Cornwall Council should take the lead on developing a strategy,
to seek investment, to use natural resources better and get investment in high
technology industries such as the renewables sector. We believe that the LEP
should be made accountable and controlled by elected politicians. That the body
should be doing more to aid small and medium businesses already in Cornwall as
well as seeking others to set up shop here.
6. Developing
Pro Cornwall planning policies
We do not believe in the logic of housing led
growth and have argued that the Core Strategy figures for the number of houses
over the next 20 years is too high. That the focus at the moment is too heavily
weighted in favour of profits at the expense of the needs of Cornwall’s
communities for proper local needs affordable housing. We do not want to see a
Cornwall where the interests of residents, communities and our countryside are
sidelined in favour of big business. Whether this be housing estates or the
worrying trend of out of town supermarkets and shopping centres.
7. Delivering
proper local needs housing
Local families should have a right to housing this
is something we believe firmly in. The problem that needs to be addressed is
the fact wages have not kept pace with house prices. We believe that smaller
scale developments across Cornwall is a better way of providing housing. That
the council itself and housing associations and trusts based here in Cornwall,
employing Cornish workers is the way to deliver it.
8. Protecting
the Cornish environment
The threat of climate change must be addressed here
in Cornwall. Cornwall Council must develop an Environmental Action Plan, to
reduce emissions and find ways we can save energy. We must also look to ensure
energy security in Cornwall by investment in renewables such as wind turbines,
solar panels on buildings, tidal energy and wave hub. MK will work to make
Cornwall self-sustainable in terms of food production, reducing food miles and
supporting Cornish food production.
9. Making
Cornwall Council democratic
Decision making at Cornwall Council has been
centralised to Cornwall and to a select few in the cabinet. This has resulted
in informal meetings where the majority of decisions are made behind closed
doors, with a handful of councillors and senior officers holding sway. This
does not serve democracy, accountability or openness. MK will work to make Cornwall
Council democratic and listen to people better. We believe that the council
should be ruled by committees so councillors from opposition parties and from
across Cornwall can take a part in the decision making process and question and
hold to account the leadership and the officers. People are not listened to by
the council, MK wants more participation with voters in the policy development
process, so people have a say in the decisions that affect them.
10. Winning
greater recognition for Cornwall
One of the core aims of Mebyon Kernow is to promote
Cornwall’s unique identity, history, culture and language. To promote pride in
our historic nation and win recognition for our identity by the powers that be.
We will continue to oppose policies that impinge on this, whether they be south
west regionalisation, Devonwall or the dreaded pasty tax. We want Cornwall to have a greater say in how
we are governed and we are the only party committed to creating a legislative Cornish
assembly. So decisions can be made in Cornwall and we can make specific Cornish
policies to help our economy grow and for it to be something one and all can
once again take pride in.
Any questions or comments, requests for posters, or to join, go to mebyonkernow.org or find MK on facebook https://en-gb.facebook.com/MebyonKernow and twitter https://twitter.com/MebyonKernow or on google +
As always thanks for reading, I'm really humbled by the thousands of visitors I've had over the election period to this blog and I hope people have come to realise despite what others might say MK and myself are serious contenders in this election.
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