Peter Kent-Baguley

SPEAKING FOR FAIRTRADE

Clough Hall Residents' Association at Kidsgrove invited me to speak about FAIRTRADE at their monthly meeting this evening. I was extremely warmly welcomed and enjoyed a most attentive and interested audience. It is never easy going into a situation "cold" not knowing how much the listeners already know. I am still refining my power point presentation (getting the right wording and most appropriate data and pictures is not as easy as it might seem!) but felt (at last) that it is approaching an acceptable level. (Could do better, however!)

I am always keen that I present a general context, covering 5 fundamental apects of Fairtrade, sketched initially with just several key dates and information, about: i) the establishment of the Fairtrade Foundation; ii) the emergence of the Fairtrade Towns campaign; iii) the heart of Fairtrade ie what the F/T agreement consists of and what it means to the Third World country producers; iv) Free Trade v Fairtrade; v) choice at the indidiual, community and societal levels.

These strands can then be brought together via a snapshot of our involvement during Fairtrade Fortnight.

SILENCE AFTER ALL!

Despite the apparent go-ahead that it was alright to continue to use this site while running my re-relection campaign I decided not to continue posting, just to be on the safe side. After all, I thought, if I were re-elected but then suspended for some innocent remark posted on this blog, how would I feel?!

LATE NEWS

I was re-elected! Somehow, the Friday morning count lacked the air of excitement and exhaustion experienced in past years when the count was conducted immediately the ballot boxes arrived at the Town Hall on the Thursday evening.

In my Leader's speech following the Returning Officer's declarations for all 20 wards, I thanked all those people who had supported me in the Ward and pledged to work for all residents in the Ward, and indeed for the interests of all City-wide. I once again emphasised my total opposition to any proposal to foist school Academies on the City. Prime Minister Blair is in his final weeks of office; when he finally goes let's hope he takes the grossly unfair academies with him, leaving the rest of us to do all we can to advance a truly comprehensive, equality of educational opportunity  for the benefit of ALL of young people. 

I once again emphasised the urgent need for Group Leaders to discuss major issues facing the City with a view to agreeing a common, united approach to as many key issues as possible. Until we actually sit down together and exchange honest views we cannot possibly perform in the best interests of the City.

At the last meeting of the Group Leaders with the Council Manager/Chief Executive Officer prior to the election I secured agreement for an early meeting of the Leader's Group following 3rd May. That meeting is on Friday 11th May.