Charlotte MacKenzie

Archive for 2009|Yearly archive page

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A cleaner, greener Cornwall

In Uncategorized on July 15, 2009 at 9:07 pm
A huge expansion of wind power, home insulation and “smart” electricity meters are among measures being planned by Labour.
 
Labour’s prospective MP for Truro and Falmouth Charlotte MacKenzie has given her support for the Government’s Energy White Paper, which was released on Wednesday.
 
“I welcome moves to help us cut emissions – it is our responsibility as a country to do our bit. 
 
“But what is vital is that these moves are not just good for the environment. More fairness for bill payers and more jobs in green industries are vital. I am pleased that there will be more help for people to make their homes greener and save money.

“The boost for green industry is good news for jobs in Cornwall – we are the UK’s first low carbon economic area.”
 
Ed Miliband said:
 
“I want to thank Charlotte MacKenzie for all the campaigning she has done pushing the government to take action on climate change.
 
“Our Transition Plan pushes the pace of change. We’re providing new ways of helping people be smarter with the energy they use and enabling UK firms to grow by leading the world in advanced green technologies.  We will protect people on low incomes and reduce our dependency on fossil fuels imported from unstable parts of the world.
 
“I want the UK to be the first major developed country to convert to low carbon living, and the first to reap the benefits.  With less than 150 days left until global climate talks in Copenhagen, and with the challenges of coming out of recession, our Transition Plan will build a better, cleaner, greener UK.”

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Cornwall – meet the need for affordable local homes.

In Uncategorized on July 15, 2009 at 8:40 pm

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More homes for Cornwall

In Uncategorized on July 2, 2009 at 1:24 pm

Labour’s prospective MP challenges Cornwall Council to meet the need for affordable local homes.

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On the day that Cornwall Council appointed its new portfolio holders for Housing and Planning, Charlotte MacKenzie asked Councillor Mark Kaczmarek and Councillor Graeme Hicks to meet her to discuss how the new Council will meet the need for local affordable housing.

Hundreds of people have signed Labour’s petition (on and offline) to meet the need for local affordable homes. The petition will go to Cornwall Council.

Following the meeting on Monday 29 June, Charlotte MacKenzie said:

‘We had a good discussion in which I pressed the new portfolio holders on the need for positive action by Cornwall Council to deliver more affordable homes despite the challenging context.

‘It’s vital that more homes are made available for the 18,000 households on waiting lists in Cornwall. The Council is already committed to completing over 2000 homes each year up to 2011, it will take positive leadership to make that happen in the present climate, and with Government backing more could be achieved.

‘I’m delighted for everyone who is waiting for a new home in Cornwall that on Monday the Government announced it is increasing investment in housing. So that more new homes are completed and more jobs are created in the construction industry.

‘Cornwall Council is a major landowner. The challenge to the new Council is to bid for funding, build, release their land, give go ahead to planning permissions, and adjust allocations policy to meet local needs for affordable homes.

‘Cornwall Council has said it wants to provide more strategic leadership locally. This is their opportunity to make a real difference for people with local housing needs.’

For more information contact Charlotte MacKenzie 01872 261675.

Notes

1. The £1.5 billion housing investment outlined in Building Britain’s Future includes:

o Extra funding for councils and housing associations – to build around 15,500 new affordable homes, of which over 11,000 will be available for social rental and the rest will be affordable housing. More may be built if greater value for money can be achieved.

o Extending the Kickstart programme – to get stalled housing sites back on track, with the aim of delivering an additional 13,000 homes, of which 4,000 will be affordable.

o Investing in the development of public sector land – owned by the HCA, local councils and other public sector bodies to deliver up to 1,250 units of which 500 could be affordable.

On top of the Government’s existing housing commitments and recent announcements in the Budget, the new investment will deliver an additional 20,000 new affordable energy efficient homes over the next two years. 45,000 new jobs will be created in the construction and related industries to build the extra new homes.

2. The investment will be matched with reforms that deliver value for money and recognise rights and responsibilities for those in social housing. While preserving security of tenure, reforms will include:

o Changing the current rules for allocating social housing – not changing those previously required for people in serious housing need (the ‘reasonable preference’ categories) but by enabling councils to manage better local pressures on their waiting lists, and to give more preferences to those who have spent a long time on a waiting list.

o Expanding Choice Based Lettings – to help residents to move nationwide, and support to tenants who need to move to take up the offer of a new job.

o Clamping down on sub-lettings fraud – freeing up more homes for those in need. o Reforming the council house finance system – to allow councils to keep all the proceeds from their own council house sales and council rents.

3. Housing and Planning Minister John Healey MP confirmed that the Government wants local Councils to act. He said: “Together these announcements signal my intention to get local authorities involved in delivering more housing that their local area needs. Councils haven’t built significant numbers of housing for a long time, but with this extra cash and an overhaul of the council house funding system I am giving councils the green light to start building more homes in their area. And we are putting our money where our mouth is to fund new Housing Association developments, get mothballed housing projects back on track, and free up public land for more affordable homes.”

Photo: Charlotte MacKenzie with John Healey MP at County Hall in July 2008.

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Fighting climate change in Cornwall

In Uncategorized on June 27, 2009 at 8:40 am
Labour’s prospective MP calls for Britain to lead the way at UN climate change summit.
 
On 26 June the Labour Government published “The Road to Copenhagen”, Britain’s pitch for what the deal should include at the UN climate change summit in Copenhagen in December. This makes clear that Britain will be on the side arguing for action.
 
Labour’s prospective MP for Truro and Falmouth Charlotte MacKenzie said:
 
“Climate change is something we all need to be concerned with. People across Cornwall have got in touch with me on this issue. Worried about what kind of planet we are going to leave for the next generation.
 
“But if we do act, instead of these changes and what they mean for our homes and countryside, we could have a more stable climate and new jobs in Cornwall. Instead of it being treated like a government secret, the Road to Copenhagen document will be sent to schools, libraries, citizens advice centres and other places across Cornwall.
 
“I’ll make sure I get your opinions on what needs to be done. I’m playing an active part in developing the Cornwall climate change action plan. And I’ll make sure I tell Ed Miliband, Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what people in Cornwall are saying.”
 
Ed Miliband, Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, said:
 
“This is make or break time for our climate and our future. With less than six months to go before crunch negotiations in Copenhagen, it’s clear that there is no ‘plan B’.
 
“The world’s got no option but to work together to get a global climate deal that’s ambitious, effective and fair.
 
“Our climate manifesto puts the British public in the front and centre of our efforts to get a climate deal.
 
“For people in Britain, getting a global deal now will mean reducing the risk of devastating future climate impacts and the huge extra costs that would bring.  But it will also open the door to big new opportunities to create green jobs and economic prosperity.
 
“So here is the challenge for Britain: we need to show the way to a low-carbon future, but we also need to get all countries signed up to acting as well. We can help tip the balance by our own actions and by persuading other countries to join a global deal at the UN meeting in Copenhagen, this December.”
 
For further information visit http://www.actoncopenhagen.decc.gov.uk

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Labour’s prospective MP pledges to clean politics

In Uncategorized on June 25, 2009 at 4:54 pm

Labour’s prospective MP for Truro and Falmouth, Charlotte MacKenzie, today pledged to maintain high standards as an elected representative and politician.

Charlotte MacKenzie said: “I would like all our elected representatives and politicians to help to clean up politics by subscribing to this pledge. There are too many examples – including some local ones – where MPs have let down their constituents and seem to have put self-interest ahead of the people they were elected to serve.”

The Labour pledge reads, “As a Labour candidate:

I seek elected office for the honour of serving the public and our democracy;

I will subscribe to high standards of integrity, transparency, accountability and prudence with public money;

I will publish online my full salary and parliamentary allowances;

I believe it a duty to hold regular meetings, engagement events and surgeries with my community and constituents and will do so;

I will communicate regularly with my electorate and will be available through email, telephone and other means to my constituents;

I will regularly report back to my constituency party as well as to my constituents.”

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Recycle for Cornwall

In Uncategorized on June 23, 2009 at 2:31 pm
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A Labour parliamentary spokesperson for Cornwall is supporting national recycle week June 22-28.
 
Recycling has never been more important.
 
Labour’s prospective MP for Truro and Falmouth Charlotte MacKenzie commented:
 
“Cornwall needs to greatly reduce the amount of waste collected in black bags as we pay landfill tax on every one of them and it is estimated this will cost local council tax payers £160 Million.
 
“Four out of ten households in the former Carrick area don’t use the kerbside recycling scheme which collects glass, plastic bottles, cardboard, paper, tins and other recycling from your doorstep. There are also recycling points at some supermarkets and car parks, and tubes to collect batteries for recycling at several local post offices.
 
“A lot of people are worried about the cost of living at the moment and recycling and reducing waste can help to save you money.
 
“I hope lots of people will support the recycling week events being organised by Cornwall Council or find out more at the Go Green event being organised by the Rotary Club in Truro on Saturday 27 June.”
Picture: Charlotte MacKenzie with representatives of Transition Truro, Truro City Council, and the Post Office delivering the battery recycling tube to Truro post office at High Cross. 

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Digital Cornwall

In Uncategorized on June 16, 2009 at 2:44 pm
Labour prospective MP says let’s put Cornwall on the Digital Britain map
 
Commenting on the Digital Britain report launch this afternoon, Charlotte MacKenzie said:
 
“Digital industries are one of the keys to growing Cornwall’s sustainable economy. There is an expanding community of high-skilled IT and media workers growing this business sector while enjoying the fabulous quality of life that Cornwall offers for one and all.
 
“Act Now used European funding to strengthen Cornwall’s infrastructure, but this industry does not stand still. I welcome the Government’s commitment to ensuring that every home and community in Cornwall has reliable, high-speed access to the internet.
 
“There also needs to be investment through the EU convergence programme in digital businesses as well as renewables.
 
“New media are part of the long term answer to cuts in regional TV programmes including local news. I hope we will see the development of more community video and radio content from Cornwall online, as these have the potential to give local people and communities a stronger voice.”

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Falmouth docks dredging needs positive backing

In Uncategorized on June 8, 2009 at 11:25 pm

Today’s announcement of the South West RDA budget for 2009-11 does not include funding to progress the planned dredging of Falmouth docks.

Labour’s parliamentary spokesperson for Falmouth Charlotte MacKenzie contacted the RDA to find out more.

Charlotte MacKenzie said:
“I welcome the fact that investment over the next two years has been confirmed for strategic investment frameworks for Falmouth, Penryn, and Truro, including the planned Environment and Sustainability Institute at Tremough. And that there is a commitment to look at economic opportunities for Falmouth in marine renewables linked to the Wave Hub.

“But people in Falmouth need to know whether the proposed docks dredging and cruise terminal development is being put on hold for two years because of the financial pressures facing the RDA, or whether a strategic decision has been taken not to back the project. I asked the RDA for an answer to this question. It is clear that they are now looking more broadly at how to regenerate Falmouth’s economy.

“Most people in Falmouth see the future of this development as critical to the town’s future success. I will be contacting newly elected Cornwall councillors and others to ensure it continues to get the positive backing it deserves.”

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Cornwall Council election results

In Uncategorized on June 5, 2009 at 8:52 pm

The newly elected Cornwall Council has no Labour members.

Speaking after the elections count at Richard Lander School, Labour’s parliamentary candidate for Truro and Falmouth Charlotte MacKenzie said:

“I’m absolutely gutted for Gerald Chin-Quee, who has been a very hard working representative for Falmouth Penwerris for the last ten years. Gerald has always been an honest and straightforward representative of his local community, and helped the Draecena Centre dream become reality. Gerald has played no part in the national issues that many potentially Labour voters are unhappy with at the moment.  

“This hasn’t been Labour’s day. We will listen to what people are saying locally, and we have always recognised that the national issues need to be resolved.

“I welcome the fact that there is now no one Party or Group in overall control of the Council after four years of Liberal Democrat mismanagement. This always means that decisions get fuller and more open discussion than is sometimes the case with one Party in control, and Labour will continue to hold Cornwall Council to account for its decisions.

“I would like to thank everyone who came forward to be Labour candidates at these elections and all our hard-working Party activists who leafleted and spoke to people on the doorstep.”

Call for local action on affordable homes

In Uncategorized on June 3, 2009 at 9:57 pm

A Truro councillor for Trehaverne ward today hit out at the Liberal Democrats lack of support for affordable local housing.

Charlotte MacKenzie represents Trehaverne ward – which includes the former Richard Lander School site – on Truro City Council. At a recent meeting, Truro City Council agreed to write to the consultation on the Truro and Threemilestone action plan calling for a fifty per cent target for affordable housing in all new developments. Liberal Democrat councillors voted against increasing the target, with one exception.

The draft action plan includes a target of 30 per cent for most developments and 50 per cent for land transferred from public to private ownership before development takes place.

Agents acting for the Liberal Democrat administration at County Hall wrote to the consultation asking for the target for affordable housing on the former Richard Lander School site to be reduced from fifty per cent. A previous sale of the site fell through when the developer pulled out.

Charlotte Mackenzie said: “I think Cornwall Council should retain ownership of all or most of this site so that it can be used entirely for social and low-cost housing. At the moment the Liberal Democrat led Council is behaving like a private sector landholder using commercial agents to try to undermine the community’s wish to meet the need for affordable local housing. If developers didn’t need to purchase the land, the development could start sooner and provide more social and low-cost housing at a lower unit cost as the price of land would be taken out of the development costs. The land would remain in public ownership as an asset for future generations.

“While the Council sits and waits for the future use of this site to be resolved, they are also not making best current use of the land which includes playing fields and other green spaces which could be used more as a local amenity.”

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