Letter from Stephen Cummins, candidate for Belfairs Ward, to the Southend Echo, March 2024
James Allen, the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate for Southend East and Rochford asked in your letters page last week "So, Anna (Firth) - which 'hard workers' have you helped?"
I think we know the answer already don't we? Water firms have borrowed £60bn since they were privatized and given £65bn to their shareholders. Look what that's done to our water in Southend
The government gave £47bn to private companies during the COVID crisis. Look how that's affected our local hospitals and queues for surgery
The solution is to make them give some of it back. The Liberal Democrats recently at their conference promised to put in place a tax on share buybacks like the Biden government has done in the USA. This will raise over £2bn and make these companies put this money back into our economy. That includes our local communities. It is only a start, but we have to fund our national and local services somehow and the 'hard workers' have been squeezed hard enough!
The people of Southend West and East have not only been squeezed enough, the money we pay in taxes is not being sent from Westminster back to Southend. We received £40m a year 10 years ago and now it's next to nothing. How are we to maintain our services for the young and vulnerable, not to mention our roads, street-lights, waste collection, parks, cultural activities and libraries.
What can we do about this? Join us! We're standing up for a better deal for Southend: we need money and to keep local hospital services like the neonatal unit. Politics is not for the privileged, it is for everyone and for everyone's common good, we have to get our city back under our management for our benefit.
Stephen Cummins, Chair, Southend Liberal Democrats
Leigh Focus - March 2024
Please click to download the Leigh Focus for March 2024 - introducing Jean de Tourtoulon's campaign for Local Election 2024
- Jean has a wealth of experience in serving others in social care, fostering and hospital support
- Jean was nominated for a “Good for Leigh Award” from Leigh Town Council
- A founder member of the Looking After Leigh-on-Sea campaign and an advocate for our Town Council and what it means to Leigh
- Jean also has compassion for those who need help, such as her Ukrainian guests, and OAPs and patients at a local surgery
- Jean has always lived in Leigh. Everything she does has Leigh at its heart.
West Leigh Focus - March 2024
Please click to download the West Leigh Focus for March 2024 - introducing Cllr Peter Wexham's campaign for Local Election 2024
- Peter is a champion for all aspects of our environment
- Peter worked hard for improvements to Bell Wharf so fishermen could land their catches
- Including Levelling-Up money to build a new quayside and to dredge Leigh Creek
- Peter has worked hard with like-minded residents for local amenities
- Peter campaigned to set up Leigh Town Council - now it is in danger of being destroyed by local Tories
- Peter says: “Climate change and heavy rain contributed to the latest slips [on Belton Hills]... I will be keeping a close eye on your behalf.”
Eastwood Park Focus - Spring 2024
Please click to download the Eastwood Park Focus for Spring 2024 including items on:
- Dave Poulton Standing To Be Eastwood's Next Councillor
- Conservative Budget Puts Pressure On Parking Charges
- Threat To Our Parks From The Tories
- Tories To Cut Family Centres?
- Conservative Proposed Budget Cuts For 2024
- Conservative's U-Turn On Rubbish Collection
- Good News For Kent Elms Junction and Whitehouse Road
Eastwood Park Focus - Winter 2023/4
Please click to download the Eastwood Park Focus for Winter 2023/4 including items on:
- Dave Poulton Stands Up For Residents
- Councillor's Allowances
- Kingsdown School RAAC Concrete - Update
- Budget Cuts Coming From The Tories?
- Car Thefts In Eastwood
- New Trees
- School Streets
- Council Elections
