Charlotte MacKenzie

Posts Tagged ‘schools’

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The Tory pledge to Cornwall: cuts, cuts, cuts

In news on January 26, 2010 at 11:23 am

Cornwall Council leader Alec Robertson this morning confirmed yesterday’s Cabinet decision to agree to cut the Council budget and services by 20 per cent. With a warning that 1,000 jobs may go, he refused to be drawn on possible specific cuts.

It was inevitable that last year’s Council reorganisation would lead to streamlining of backroom administration in areas like IT and finance. There have already been some job losses as a direct result. Now the Council says it is looking to contract out some of this administration.

Labour’s prospective MP Charlotte MacKenzie said: “The Council’s Tory dominated leadership must now tell people in Cornwall which one in five of our schools, firestations, one stop shops, libraries, community and voluntary sector funding, and other services they intend to cut.

“The Council’s three year funding settlement from central government – which supports most local services – increased by more than 4 per cent this year, well above inflation.”

Independent reports previously concluded that the former Liberal Democrat administration lacked effective political leadership in it’s handling of issues such as proposed cuts to local fire services.

Charlotte MacKenzie added: “Now the new Tory dominated leadership seems to be following the Liberal Democrats’ poor example. Everyone who works for the Council and relies on their services now fears what these plans will mean for them.

“By refusing to take up the invitation to work as part of the new Council’s leadership, the Liberal Democrat group has placed itself in the position where they can only do what they sometimes seem to enjoy most: complain loudly, be ignored, and then blame somebody else.”

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Charlotte challenges Tory on priorities

In news on January 18, 2010 at 2:08 pm

Labour’s prospective MP for Truro and Falmouth, Charlotte MacKenzie, today challenged the local Tory candidate to make known her real views on local priorities. ConservativeHome today published the top priorities of Tory candidates.

Charlotte MacKenzie said:

“This is a coward’s charter and it is not what Cornwall needs. The Tory candidates who responded to this survey put Cornwall’s priorities last.

“The issues they ranked as least important include affordable housing, better transport, new schools, protecting the countryside from over-development, and tackling climate change. Most people see these as some of their top priorities for Cornwall. I challenge Sarah Newton to confirm whether she replied to this survey, and if so to publish her response.

“Everyone can ask MPs and candidates for their views on climate change through Ed Miliband’s website .

“This is an own goal for local Tories – it is hypocritical to make promises they lack the clout to deliver, even within their own Party.” 

 

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Labour makes the difference for Cornwall

In news on October 11, 2009 at 4:00 pm

Labour’s prospective MP for Truro and Falmouth, Charlotte MacKenzie, spoke in the children, families, and schools debate at the Labour Party conference.

Here’s what Charlotte said:

‘When I went into my Twitter account this morning there was a tweet from someone in Cornwall saying:
“Hmm, I like Gordon’s new policies… Maybe I should actually vote Labour.”

All of us campaigning for Labour to win have our track record of achievements backing us. Where I live before the minimum wage was introduced four out of ten jobs were advertised at below the level at which it was first introduced. I’m delighted to be speaking to you conference the day before this year’s increase to the minimum wage, which has made a difference for thousands of people in my home constituency.

I am going to talk about education – because we all know there is a connection between low wages, lower expectations, and the Tories’ educational failures which meant many children left school with few or no qualifications.

Labour’s investment in education in Truro and Falmouth means we now have 11 children’s centres, mostly purpose built. In Truro, where I’m a councillor, this helped to support the development of three new community centres.

There are new primary school buildings, a new secondary school, new college buildings, a new university – which means that the number of 18-24 year olds in Falmouth has increased by 80 per cent since 2003 – a new medical school based partly at Cornwall’s main hospital site in Truro, alongside which a new dental school is being constructed to provide the NHS dentists Cornwall needs.

None of this would have happened without Labour thinking big, investing in our future, and supporting Cornwall’s case for the European funding which helped to build the new university.

All of this happened despite rather than because of the local authority – whose Liberal Democrat leadership until 4 June presided over deteriorating reports on children’s services which still have some serious issues to address. One of the first acts of the incoming Tory majority executive on 4 June was to place Cornwall Council’s schools for the future bid on hold – they have since decided to proceed with the bid.

Locally and nationally, let’s say clearly to people “if you want change, choose Labour’s continued investment in public services”.’

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Cash boost for schools in Cornwall will help local economy

In Uncategorized on March 3, 2009 at 2:43 pm

Charlotte MacKenzie has welcomed news that schools across Cornwall will get extra funding this year. As part of the Government’s efforts to support local businesses and jobs through the recession, millions of pounds of spending on school buildings and repairs are being brought forward from 2010/11 to 2009/10.

Every school in Cornwall will benefit with £3,889,148 of funding brought forward from next year to this year – a total of £13,612,017 of spending this year. The funding will go direct to headteachers and schools can choose how to spend the money as they see fit, from building new classrooms or science laboratories to fitting out new gyms or ICT facilities.

In addition, the Government has allowed Cornwall County Council to bring forward £3,000,000 for larger school building projects co-ordinated by the local authority – making a total of £16,066,374 of spending this year. This week’s announcements mean a total of £29,678,391 will be spent on school buildings and repairs in Cornwall from April £6,889,148 of it brought forward from the following year.

Charlotte MacKenzie, Labour‘s prospective MP for Truro and Falmouth, said: “It’s vital that we support the economy at this difficult time, so I’m delighted that every school in our area will benefit from this injection of extra funding this year.

“This is all part of the Government’s efforts to put extra money into the economy this year to help the country through the recession. So I hope local schools will get on and spend the money – not just to improve facilities for pupils but to support small businesses and jobs in our area too.

“But I urge the Lib Dems on Cornwall County Council to look again at their response to the Government’s offer to bring forward spending on school building projects co-ordinated by the Council. It’s a shame that they’ve only decided to bring forward 15.8% of the total available to them to support jobs and businesses in our area.

“It’s also disappointing that the Tories oppose our plan to bring forward spending on school buildings. Just at the time when we should be supporting the economy the Tories say they would actually cut spending, including billions of pounds from our school rebuilding programme. This would be bad news for local schools and bad news for local businesses.”

For more information please contact Charlotte MacKenzie 01872 261675.

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