Suzanne Fletcher's Blog

The Christmas letter is controversial.  Many people mock and scorn the "round robin" scattered as ours is of pictures of dear grandchildren and news of our year.  However there are 2 simple facts.  One is that we just do not have time to write a personal letter to everyone we have not been able to see during the year - so it is round robin or nothing.  Second is we are always so pleased to hear from old friends as to what they are doing and how things are going for them.  There is always a tinge of disappointment at a card with no news at all in it.  Round robins are despised by some as they are full of boastful conquests, but maybe it is because they are our friends that we just don't get that sort of letter.  Also I communicate whether by ward newsletter to constituents, people I meet, or by the rest of the world by blog, so this afternoon it was writing the letter and finding the photos to go on it.  Yes, Christmas is coming, and it is advent Sunday today.

Traffic crunch overtook credit crunch today.  Seeinga gap in the diary I thought it a good time to make a rare visit over to Middlesbrough to do some Christmas shopping at the Traidcraft  Shop (open Monday to Saturday, 10 - 5 until December 20^th).  However there had been a traffic crunch at the new Aldi junction bringing everything to a standstill.  It meant time was limited in the splendid shop, run by Jenny Medhurst and her band of wonderful volunteers.  The profits from everything sold goes back to the people who have produced it, so I do try to buy as much a possible from the shop each year.  A lot of fuss is being made about the effects of the global economic situation here, but the producers of these goods are the one's that are really affected.  An enormous amount of time was spent sitting in a huge jam waiting for the accident to clear, and I am not a patient person.   Considering how much is being said about nobody doing any shopping - there must have been a lot of people who just like sitting in traffic jams !!

I was glad to be able to get out of the car and do what I do enjoy - meeting a number of people in the ward on different issues.

It is good when different aspects of life come together, and they did this morning.  It was the first planting in Butterwick Wood, in Newham Grange Park.  Trees were being planted by people in memory of loved one's who had died, or just to celebrate an event.  The cost was only £20 with the profits, of course, going to the hospice.  The outreach service of the Hospice had been one of my charities whilst mayor; Newham Grange Park is in my ward and I am proud of it and the work done by the Friends of Newham Grange Park.  And, of course, I believe in planting more trees!

At tonight's Council meeting we were formally adopting the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as John wants to be able to sign the Declaration on the 60^th anniversary of its adoption.  I spoke to remind people that this wasn't just about the need for human rights in places far away with no recognisable civilisation.  It was about what was happening on our doorsteps too.  I spoke of the indignity asylum seekers here suffered.  Particularly how in the midst of our "civilised" way of life people were snatched in the early hours to be sent to detentions centres before being deported, often back to Countries that we all knew were unsafe for those people to go back to.  How this could happen when people were still going through the judicial process.  How children could be cooped up in a detention centre as our Country has not adopted the Declaration for children who are not British.  All on our doorsteps.  Many of us feel completely powerless whilst this is going on under our noses, but at least we all need to remain vigilant, to keep on trying and to press for Human Rights to be genuinely adopted right here.

This is what John's charity, Justice First is working hard to do.

I'm still coughing but do they really think those high earners are going to cough up the extra tax after the many months they have to plan how to avoid it - I don't think so.  And as for the VAT cut announced - no savings for those in low incomes in essential items like gas and electricity; lots of savings on the big expensive imports for the better off.  I know I am not well, but I cannot see any "socialist" left in this Government.

Locally I am very disappointed in a partnership meeting on housing issues, and dealing with the issues around homelessness.  A great opportunity of some real action by all the necessary partnerships around locally lost.

Better news at home when I have a message offering some really good items for homeless people.  At least there is some humanity left around.

First day trying to work again, but it is slow and rather a lot of coughing.  But have the whole Government succumbed to something slowing them down ?  Just what do they think they are doing planning to cut VAT by 2 ½ pence ?  if it means that people will pay less fuel bills that will be welcome though. I'll wait and see.

Feeling much better now and so off to the switching on of Stockton Christmas Lights.  I was lucky to travel with Father Christmas, Emanuel Pogatetz ( Captain of Middlesbrough Football Club) and Charlie Hardwick (Val Pollard in Emmerdale) on the only steam bus in the Country, Elizabeth, from Whitby.

The switch worked and on came the lights.  Brilliant.  The High Street lit up,  fireworks set off.  I don't approve of either Sunday shopping  or Christmas starting so early, but there were a lot of thrilled children, happy adults and good atmosphere.    Also I was impressed by the celebrities taking the time to have photos taken with people and sign autographs.  It didn't take them long, but made a difference.  I was glad that our family could come and enjoy the day too.  I used to joke (sort of!) that I only saw my husband at Council meetings, and now I'm seeing our family at the Town Hall.

On a more sombre note there was a lot of concern that Woolworths may be going under.  A store giving decent value for many people and one the biggest stores in Stockton High Street.  A huge gap, and none of us really know why.

Wednesday to Saturday 

A number of days merged into one, as I went down with a nasty bug straight after the Thornaby Chains handover and didn't emerge till today.  Cough, headache, stiff joints, exhaustion - at least you cannot catch it via the internet!  Some thoughts though.

One morning I was feeling terrible and as John had succumbed too and was fast asleep I was wondering how I was going to pick up the milk on the doorstep.  The doorbell rang and I peered round in my dressing gown.  I couldn't believe it, there was the Red Cross ! it quickly dawned on me that he hadn't come to help but was explaining the need for money for the organisation.  It made me realise that if seeing that person on the doorstep cheered me, what sort of effect must it have for someone in a war torn or impoverished country for the Red Cross to arrive with essential supplies.  Yes he picked the milk up for me.  Yes - they do deserve a donation!

On a different slant altogether (or is it ?) I was too tired to read anything and too aching to lie down anymore so did something very unusual for me - sat in front of the TV and switched it on.  I rarely watch it and have no idea what some of the programmes were about so here was my chance to find out what the rest of you do.  "I'm a celebrity get me out of here" was on.   Was I hallucinating ? Do people really pay to vote and then sit and watch the victim be tortured with rats, ants, snakes slivering in unmentionable places and cockroaches ? and do it for entertainment ?  There is so much real torture around how on earth can we think of making a "safe" form into enjoyment.  It gets worse though.  I felt I had to put it on next day to see how they were getting on.  I didn't even like it and was addicted.  Winning a meal by going open mouthed into a tank of rats, and another one into a tank of something else.  The comparison with real famine is so obvious, but it appears I am the odd one out in not enjoying the "entertainment".  Where is the "off" switch.

Before I succumbed to a an awful virus I was so pleased and proud to be part of a ceremony to hand over the Thornaby Mayoral chains back to the people of Thornaby.  The detailed history of these is on the official Mayor's Blog, and it is worth getting the background if you are interested.  I wore the chains as both Deputy Mayor and then Deputy Mayoress, and did so with pride on behalf of the whole Borough.  However I knew that they belonged to the people of Thornaby, who had been asking for them back for years.  When John became Mayor he worked out a way of altering the use of chains around, so the Thornaby Chains could be returned and the very good Rural District Council Chains used by Deputy Mayors of the whole Borough.

The chains looked good on Thornaby Mayor Mick Eddy, and Mayoress Delia Eddy and I am sure they will wear them with pride too for the good of their own Town, Thornaby. 

There has been so much acrimony and upset over this whole issue for so many years, and all it needed was someone to be able to sit down, look at what there was, and come to a sensible solution.  Well done John.

A lesson for many other issues too.

I had to get home as quickly as possible to get my head down with the awful bug knocking me out, and am sorry I couldn't witness the proud procession back to Thornaby.  Some people may think this is a fuss over nothing, but a sense of identity, proper recognition of our heritage, and pride in our own area are all part of making a good community working together for the future.

Tuesday 18th November 

A 15 hour day, so I write little.  I was inspired at the Teesside University graduation ceremony today to see so may young people graduating with degrees to go into the unsung but crucial part of Health Care - Physiotherapists, occupational therapists, radiologists, nurse practitioners, and so on.   Surgeons and doctors can do very clever things but people like the physios make all the difference between being alive and living !

An inspiring speech by the Vice Chancellor too - ending with the quote from Emerson - "To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment."   Emerson, Ralph Waldo

Go on, be yourself, and make the most of it

A special Housing meeting this morning focussed on the attempts locally to deal with the worst effects of "Credit Crunch".  We all know the bad news, the good news is that there is a team of Council officers who are determined to do whatever they can in many different ways to alleviate the situation locally.  It won't make big changes necessary to solve the situation, but it is good to know people are trying in the face of all sorts of other obstacles too, like the Government cutting the expenditure for some crucial parts of the housing department.

Two important messages for individuals I want to put over.  First is if people are in trouble with either mortgage or rent arrears, then it is crucial to go and seek independent advice.  Those that do so, even if they have to go to court stand a much, much better chance of being able to stay in their home.  Second is do not even think of taking up some of the offers you see for firms to buy your property and rent it back to you.  It will probably end in tears, so please only do so if you seek expert and independent advice.

I am still hoping and pushing for us, either as a Council or in the Tees Valley, to have a scheme called "reverse staircasing" to allow people with a mortgage in financial difficulties to be able to stay in their homes, with a Housing Association buying the equity and renting back to the occupier.  If circumstances get better and their income increases they can go back to buying again.  It is more complicated than that of course, but a way of helping people to avoid eviction, and as the money goes round in circles eventually, it would be self financing over a period of time.  It works in York, where it was pioneered by the Rowntree Trust - so why not here ?

Two things I picked up today.  On September 23rd, I read, humanity used up the last of resources provided by nature this year, and so we slipped into "ecological debt".  Haven't we learnt from the economic crisis that the world is in that if you borrow more than you pay back .........

The grey backed gull survives so well as it forecasts what conditions are going to be and adapts before other creatures.  So we have a chance, if only we take it.

So you read it here - but will we ever learn ?

For many years we have been campaigning for a "Bus users Forum", ending with a question being asked formally at every full Council meeting. However we are now there, and today was the 3^rd meeting, now chaired by John. The public were able to ask questions and make points, Council officers could explain what they were doing and what plans they had, and bus operators were there to deal with issues too. There will not be an easy solution to many of the problems raised, but a number of issues could, and will be (or else!) dealt with quickly. Not everyone will have gone away happy, but at least there was a good airing of issues.

The finale of months of work, with the John Owen Tournament for schools. Six Stockton Schools took part along with a team of African youngsters that Apollo trains. Apollo, a former professional goal keeper in his native Burkina Faso, had done what might be grandly called diversity work, but for the youngsters in was interesting and exciting insights into world football. Where various famous footballers had come from, with a theme of uniting, with fun, through football. John's mayoral chain caused quite a stir when he arrived, a number of the youngsters clearly amazed that they were going to be presented with medals from the Mayor. The medals had been kindly sponsored by Connexions and Apollo, and it clearly meant a lot to them as each child who took part was awarded one, and John happily did a presentation of 70! There are more facts on The Mayor's Blog, and also photos that will appear on Monday. I was particularly pleased to see the Cup awarded as it was one that I had donated whilst I was Mayor.

There were the usual disputes that arise after a match about the ref! But one hard thing that youngsters have to learn is that much in life is, sadly, unfair.

In the evening it was the Daisy chain dinner dance (again see Mayor's Blog  for details and pictures). I just love the "Wild Cats of Kilkenny". However I am concerned at how Charities like this are beginning to feel the pinch because of "credit crunch", and I do wonder how many people cutting back are actually affected by all the talk of it rather than actual effects. And if people are needing to spend less what goes first ? As in the previous item life can be very unfair, and I do feel that charities like this should not be having to raise as much money as they do and should get more help from Government towards the basics of work they do.

13th November 2008

A wonderful evening attending the open evening at Stockton Sixth Form College.  Lots of really interesting subject to do; brilliant displays; keen and eager prospective students as well as existing one's and staff.  Gives me some hope for the future, but I was reluctant to leave and would happily have spent the night in the library (or the more modern word (resources room).

However home to deal with numerous problems related to the Council.  I see from tonight's Evening Gazette that my MP, Dari Taylor has been fined for misuse of parliamentary stationary.  This makes me angry.  On behalf of upset and confused constituents we sent letters and envelopes to the Sergeant at Arms in Parliament that were on official stationary with postage paid in 2006 and 2007.  She should have known from the response she had to those complaints that she should not have done it in the future, but clearly has done, and is pleading that the rules are confusing.  Maybe an excuse to do it once, but not again and again.  I believe passionately in democracy and am angry at how this incident reflects badly on all elected politicians.

I must make it clear that ALL our Liberal Democrat Focus leaflets and literature is produced and paid for by ourselves.  Council stationary is only used when there is absolutely no political content.  We have never ever used Council paid for envelopes.

It was 27 years ago today that I made history - I was the first Liberal to be elected to Stockton on Tees Borough Council.  What a shock for everyone, including me.  It really did shake up the establishment.  Many battles have been fought, many won eventually, and quite a few to go!

I'll put a photo on if I find one, but I was young and not a grey hair to be seen!

Tonight was Cleveland Police's very first "Cuppa with a Copper" in Stockton at Elm Tree Community Centre.  One of our PCSOs came along to our usual surgery.  She made a "cuppa" for our first customer in special mugs.  The new idea by Cleveland Police is to make the police more accessible and encourage people to call in and have a chat about issues.  The Medina House Police Office which covers West Stockton had taken the initiative and organised the session tonight. 

We and the first customer enjoyed our "cuppa" in special mugs for the occasion.

Although tonight was a joint venture, future "Cuppa with a Copper" sessions will be held at a different time to our ward surgery.

This followed an estate "walkabout" in the afternoon where we, as we regularly do, joined up with housing officers, police, and Care For your Area to walk around and pick up problems to deal with.  The beauty of it is that nobody can say "not mine"! and we have many heads for difficult problems.  Another excellent way of working together at grass roots level.  It was very cold and very windy and we walked quite a way getting rather muddy in places, and yet when I got home I was keen to tell hubby what a great afternoon I had had!

Night time involved looking at a very bad (well appalling) development that shall be anon for the world wide web with the PCSO to see just what can be done to improve safety in a very badly planned estate.  I called on people to get more of their views and finished the night off with a "drive around" the same estate as this morning to get a better view of one of the problems, and had some really useful conversations with people arriving home late.

The sort of day I like - on the patch, listening, doing, sorting.

I have just this minute received this e-mail from a friend from the Congo.  I've edited the names out.  Please also hold our friend who was deported back to the Congo from here in February in your hearts.  Please sign the petition too

It's just beginning. Nkunda and his supports are looking for the balkanisation of DRC.   More people will be killed 

Date: Lundi 10 Novembre 2008, 21h38

Human Rights Watch is calling for a military intervention along the lines of the British Sierra Leone actio, to strengthen and support the under equipped MONUC, so very badly served by its' member nations' paymasters......   Write to your MP asking them to write to David Milliband please....   And forward to others.....

I will say not more today than share what I saw.  Amongst all the wreaths laid at the Cenotaph at Stockton a small girl placed a little basket of poppies.

Her daddy had been killed in Afghanistan last year.

We remember.  We give thanks.  We must learn too.

Thorpe Thewles local history group had put on a splendid exhibition of work that they had done, and were launching their DVD of the history of the village spoken through it's residents.  The work they had done was brilliant and really interesting.  There is a full account on The Mayor's Blog and also a number of pictures  taken by Robert Cooper.

One of the displays that really interested my from a political point of view was the story of the Thorpe Thewles WI Jam.  Just before I got onto the Council in 1981 there was a huge row as Stockton Council made national and even international news by banning the sale of WI jam if made in member's homes.  All was resolved eventually but .......

I saw later in the day an article telling us that the Government is telling all Councils they must have a "toilet strategy".  Local Councils don't need Government telling us what to do - that is for local people to tell local Councils what the need is.  It is all very well for the Government to send out such dictats - who exactly is going to pay for the extra toilets ?  well they won't be spending their pennies, that is for sure!

And how do these 2 thoughts on jam and toilets connect.  Both smack of "big brother" and interference where it is not needed.

Can you see my halo ?  I've tidied and filed for most of the day, not having any Council, ward or mayoral functions.  I've also cleared hundreds of old e-mails.  However there have been a large batch of e-mails sent off because of matters left open waiting for responses and far too many loose ends.  The "to file" pile has almost disappeared, but the "to do" pile has expanded somewhat.  I won't be the most popular person amongst Council officers when they get in on Monday morning, but then it isn't my job to be so!

And I dealt with a complaint of a dead fox in the road.  Every day is different!

Spending money can be great fun - but it helps to have enough!  Julia and I met to sort out exactly what we were going to spend out Small Environmental Improvement Budget on.  It is brilliant having this budget (it was of course a Lib Dem idea at the budget meeting before it was brought in!) but the £13,000 we have a year is going to take 30 years to spend on what we already have on the list. Thankfully we are imaginative and willing to work with anyone or anything else to stretch the funds further.  On the other hand the Council keeps adding to what we need to pay for out of it - unadopted roads being the latest possibility.  However something is better than nothing, and it is the right principle to have more say over our local areas.  We couldn't make many firm decisions as we are still waiting for more information on detailed costings, but at least a beginning was made.

Enter the weird world of the planning system as modified by the Government to make it "simpler" with The Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (Amendment) (No. 2) (England) Order 2008.  This so called simplification is to allow householders to make all sorts of changes to their dwellings without the need to apply for planning permission.  However, it is full of contradictions, vague words that could mean different things to different people, and is generally confusing.  I went to a Council training session today to learn more about it and I don't think any of us came out of it any the wiser.

Worse than that it is going to mean that there are less planning applications, so the Council will get less money for the planning department.  Fair enough you may say, but because the legislation is so woolly people are highly likely to get it wrong and if they do not want to get it wrong and ask the planning department it will create a lot of extra work.  Because there will be so much confusion there will be a big increase in complaints from the public about what their neighbours are doing.  Exactly who will pay for the staff to do the explaining, and to carry out the enforcement ?  Well it won't come out of planning fees as they will go down, and it won't come out of planning grant as that won't go up.  So which Council service will get cut ? and who will get the blame ?  you have guessed right - you pay, you suffer the cuts, Councillors get the blame. 

Whatever you do though, don't ask a Councillor for advice on whether planning permission  is needed - we won't know.  Have a look at the website above and see if you could work it out!

Optimism culminating in triumph.  We heard Sir John Hall speak at Wynyard Hall at the afternoon tea held for the Sedgefield  Borough Mayor's fundraising.  Full of optimism and pride in our area and the North East.  He had been determined to put us on the map and has done a lot to do so.  Also, in the process, not lost his roots in his home town of Ashington, inviting friends from long ago to visit him still.

Then a launch of Mincoff Jackson solicitors now covering the region.  The launch was at Mima Institute of Modern Art and again both the firm and gallery were full of optimism, planning for the future, and I won't go into the detail of the artwork, but keeping to their roots as well as branching out.

The best was yet to come.  I had been listening to the radio on and off via the MP3 after going to bed, on tenterhooks about the result of the election in America.  Surely he would do it, but would he really ?  I even managed to get the TV turned on for the McCain speech conceding victory.  It was a great speech, I must say, and tears rolled down my face with the relief that at last there was some hope for the future there.  I had to wait for the Barack Obama speech, and there are only some things that are worth having eyes and ears open for a 5 in the morning  - this was it!  So much joy and optimism.  So much to celebrate.  So much to look forward to, and some real hope of progress of peace in our world.  He wasn't fortgetting his roots either.  I had a good weep at it all.  Can he do it ? it is going to be very difficult indeed, but can it be done ? "yes we can".

We need that same spirit of optimism in the North East, where we have so much to offer, so much that is good, yet credit crunch and all the other problems loom.  Can we do it ? "yes we can"

A good residents  meeting tonight where we were able to sit round the table and thoroughly discuss issues around facilities for young people in Bishopsgarth from ages 0 to 19.  We haven't any answers yet, but a combination on keen residents, the police, the school, us Councillors and an officer from the new Integrated Service Area must be a cocktail for progress? and none of us has a reputation for giving up!

Please do click and sign this petition for Congo: "Stand For Peace - Save Our Souls" at http://www.petition.fm/petitions/save_our_souls/1000/   There is a brief but full explanation on the website.

Don't get jealous, but for the first time since I don't know when we had no appointments, no meetings, a completely clear day.  So no politics, time to wake up properly and just some nice shopping in a nearby market town and then home to make the Christmas Puddings.  Well I did do some casework e-mails as well, but that is life as a Councillor.