Stockton North - local issues

A future MP for Stockton North needs to be aware of the local issues - the ones which directly affect people's lives. That will be my aim - to remain in touch with the local issues and work in partnership with the Council, Health and other organisations to get the results that local people want. The list could be endless but the following are the principal issues I believe I will need to concentrate on.

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Education in Stockton North

I have had the privilege to be the Cabinet Member for Children and Young People driving change and improvement in our schools - I hope to champion the area at national level and win even more resources. The Building Schools for the Future programme will see a new Academy to replace Norton and Blakeston Schools, a new St Michael's School, and major refurbishment for the other schools our children attend
  • We have seen years of improvement in the education of our children and young people in the constituency - but we must fight to ensure the investment that has been made continues;
  • The Building Schools for the Future programme will pour tens of millions of pounds into new schools and redesigning others for the 21st century. We must ensure our children get the educational benefits now and when they are built;
  • Millions have also been invested in new colleges to serve our community - we must fight for investment at Stockton Sixth form college to give students there similar facilities to those at Riverside and Bede;

Health and the new hospital

As a Non Executive Director of the North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust I have enjoyed being at the centre of helping plan and deliver excellent health care in our area. The reduction in hospital waiting times has been stunning - most operations are done now within 12 weeks when under the Tories many took more than 12 months.

I've also worked closely on the planning of the new hospital to replace North Tees and Hartlepool. It's an exciting time but much more needs to be done to make it happen.
  • We must ensure nothing gets in the way of the new hospital being created - yes there are matters of concern to the community like the site and transport so people must be provided with clear information about what is planned and what it will mean to their lives;
  • The plans for the new health and social care centres in Billingham and Stockton are now in place - we must ensure that no planned spending cuts stop these critical services being delivered;
  • Much more needs to be done within our community to tackle ill health and the causes of ill health - particularly in the areas of greatest deprivation;
  • We must all fight to ensure that the tremendous progress made over the last 11 years in cutting waiting lists for operations is sustained. Thousands of people are benefitting from major surgery - like new hips and knees - which are now available within weeks of patients being referred to the hospital.

Support for older people/pensions

I support the Government's proposals for older people - with the specific intention of helping them decide what services they want - and assisting them to live in their own homes as long as they wish to do so.
  • No older person should be forced into residential or nursing accommodation if they don't want to go and there are alternative ways of supporting them in their own homes;
  • The law and services for older people need to be further developed to safeguard them in whatever situation they find themselves. They and their families need to know that they are safe, respected and being properly cared for - not bullied, harassed or left to cope alone;
  • The value of the state pension has risen sharply under the Labour Government - its value must be sustained;
  • Older people should be better supported to ensure their voices are heard - on everything from the matters affecting them to those affecting their community. We need to exploit their knowledge and expertise.

Young People

Young people need to have a strong voice in our community - helping to shape it for their and our future. Please click to move to the Youth Manifesto page which shows the pledges I am making to young people - pledges which they themselves have developed.

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Town Centres - Stockton and Billingham

Much needs to be done to rejuvenate and redevelop our town centres at Stockton and Billingham. The large numbers of empty units does nothing to inspire confidence in them as shopping centres.
  • I will work with the Council and potential developers and even potential store owners to encourage development and the kind of shops we need to give our town centres a new lease of life - and better serve our communities;
  • The Council has done lots of positive things for Billingham to encourage development - the £15 million renovation of The Forum and the planned integrated health and social care centre will increase the number of people in the town centre. Its now time for the owners of the Town Centre to do their bit and deliver the vision for the area.

Housing - stock transfer

Tens of millions of pounds have been spent on bringing the vast number of Council owned houses up to the Government's Decent Standard. But the Council recognises that much more needs to be done and believes that tens of millions more could be invested if the houses are transferred to a Registered Social Landlord - a move I personally support.
  • The transfer must have the confidence of local tenants and deliver for them the improvements they want;
  • There must be a clear plan as to what will happen when and to the houses with those which have had the least investment in recent times first in the queue for the new refurbishment works

Regeneration

The continued regeneration of Stockton, Billingham and the surrounding villages like Stillington is essential if we are to improve our area, make it a better place to live and attract even more investment for homes, businesses and jobs. My work as a Board member at the Regional Development Agency has contributed to the planning of major investment like the North Shore of the River Tees.
  • The North Shore with its new housing, leisure and other development is a flagship driving the next stage of Stockton's development. But, it must deliver a dividend for all our communities - like those in and bordering the Town Centre;
  • More needs to be done to get work started on the several hundred new homes planned for the former joinery site in Norton Avenue;
  • We've seen major regeneration at Hardwick and in Stockton South but action - already being talked about - is needed in areas like Victoria, Portrack, Tilery and the Swainby Road area.

Jobs and work

We've seen a tremendous change in the kinds of jobs in our local economy from shipbuilding and heavy engineering to white collar jobs in many cases. But many of our traditional industries do remain and they and new ones need to be supported to provide our people with rewarding employment. The Working Neighbourhoods Fund is creating jobs and 50 apprenticeships are planned at the Council but so much more needs to be done.
  • We need apprenticeships in our heavy engineering firms - like fabrication - to provide the kind of workforce that will attract jobs to our areas along the river;
  • Our colleges need to work even closer with employers to develop the courses and then train the people, young and old, to fill the jobs that will be created into the future;
  • Stockton North needs an MP who will be a key player in the work to bring new jobs to the area - and be a champion for the various organisations that work together to do that.

Villages

There are a number of villages in Stockton North from Longnewton in the South to Wynyard in the North. They have different needs - and I'd like to work with communities to help them realise their ambitions for their areas.
  • Villages must continue to be protected from over-development or they are no longer villages and I'll support campaigns against unwanted building;
  • Transport remains a real issue - since buses were privatised services have been appalling in the more rural areas. We need to campaign and even change the law to provide the services that are needed.

Derelict land and buildings

The former headquarters of ICI at Billingham remains an eyesore for the local community who have been disappointed that the many promises to demolish it or redevelop it have been broken time and again.
  • The scheduled prosecution of the owners of Billingham House for failing to demolish the building is welcome but its action we want from them - not the payment of a relatively small fine if they are found guilty;
  • The law needs to be changed to stop developers buying sites and then allowing them to deteriorate as vandals move in and the weather takes its toll. Where local authorities require building such as Billingham House to be demolished, and where the developer fails to carry out the work, the Council should be able to take possession of the site and do the work and charge it to the owners;
  • Developers who buy sites speculatively ought to have a responsibility for keeping them clear and safe.

Anhydrite mine

Many local people, some of them amongst our oldest residents, have told me that the Anhydrite mine in Billingham is no place for waste of any sort.
  • I am totally against the proposal to bury any type of waste, low level hazardous, nuclear or anything else in the mine. If it ever re-opens for whatever reason who knows what will end up down there?

Roads

Congestion seems to be the order of the day in many parts of our area - and soe of our residential areas continue to suffer from both heavy traffic flows and heavy vehicles.
  • The right solution much be found to solve the problems at Wynyard before the new hospital opens. I will work with both Government, Council and others to make sure residents' views are heard;
  • The newly agreed £5 million scheme to take the heavy industrial traffic away from Marsh House Avenue, Cowpen Estate and Cowpen Village will see £1 million spent this year and £4 million next year. We've waited long enough for it - no spending cuts must be allowed to stop it becoming a reality.
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