Imagine a country...

Imagine a country where almost 90% of people describe themselves as satisfied with their lives.

Where 95 per cent say they are close to their families and 76 per cent are confident about their personal futures.

A country that is markedly better off than a decade before, with 600,000 fewer people in poverty and 1m fewer on out-of-work benefits.

A country with universal free healthcare and the highest recorded level of satisfaction with that service, with waiting times the lowest for 40 years.

A country which most people think is a good place to raise children and where most children are felt to have far better prospects than their parents had before them.

That country is Great Britain after eleven years of a Labour government. Now it's time to start help making St Helens a Labour town again and reverse the growing problems of the past two years.

The Labour Party - best for Great Britain, best for St Helens.

The Labour Party's 50 top achievements in the last 10 years

1. Longest period of sustained low inflation since the 60s.
2. Low mortgage rates.
3. Introduced the National Minimum Wage and raised it to £5.52.
4. Over 14,000 more police in England and Wales.
5. Cut overall crime by 32 per cent.
6. Record levels of literacy and numeracy in schools.
7. Young people achieving some of the best ever results at 14, 16, and 18.
8. Funding for every pupil in England has doubled.
9. Employment is at its highest level ever.
10. Written off up to 100 per cent of debt owed by poorest countries.
11. 85,000 more nurses.
12. 32,000 more doctors.
13. Brought back matrons to hospital wards.
14. Devolved power to the Scottish Parliament.
15. Devolved power to the Welsh Assembly.
16. Dads now get paternity leave of 2 weeks for the first time.
17. NHS Direct offering free convenient patient advice.
18. Gift aid was worth £828 million to charities last year.
19. Restored city-wide government to London.
20. Record number of students in higher education.
21. Child benefit up 26 per cent since 1997.
22. Delivered 2,200 Sure Start Children’s Centres.
23. Introduced the Equality and Human Rights Commission.
24. £200 winter fuel payment to pensioners & up to £300 for over-80s.
25. On course to exceed our Kyoto target for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
26. Restored devolved government to Northern Ireland.
27. Over 36,000 more teachers in England and 274,000 more support staff and teaching assistants.
28. All full time workers now have a right to 24 days paid holiday.
29. A million pensioners lifted out of poverty.
30. 600,000 children lifted out of relative poverty.
31. Introduced child tax credit giving more money to parents.
32. Scrapped Section 28 and introduced Civil Partnerships.
33. Brought over 1 million social homes up to standard.
34. Inpatient waiting lists down by over half a million since 1997.
35. Banned fox hunting.
36. Cleanest rivers, beaches, drinking water and air since before the industrial revolution.
37. Free TV licences for over-75s.
38. Banned fur farming and the testing of cosmetics on animals.
39. Free breast cancer screening for all women aged between 50-70.
40. Free off peak local bus travel for over-60s.
41. New Deal - helped over 1.8 million people into work.
42. Over 3 million child trust funds have been started.
43. Free eye test for over 60s.
44. More than doubled the number of apprenticeships.45. Free entry to national museums and galleries.
46. Overseas aid budget more than doubled.
47. Heart disease deaths down by 150,000 and cancer deaths down by 50,000.
48. Cut long-term youth unemployment by 75 per cent.
49. Free nursery places for every three and four-year-olds.
50. Free fruit for most four to six-year-olds at school.

More days off work for St Helens workers

This month, new regulations to boost the minimum holiday entitlement from 20 days a year to 24 days come into force. The new legislation will benefit up to 3.5 million women and 2.5 million men, including part-time workers, who will gain extra holidays on a pro-rata basis.


Jim Fitzpatrick MP, Labour's Employment Relations Minister said:

This extra time off will make a real difference in the lives of hard-working people - a proper rest from work and more time to spend with their families and friends.

Businesses will benefit too - from reduced absenteeism and a workforce who are more motivated and productive.

New age limit on buying cigarettes

As of 1 October 2007, the legal age for purchasing tobacco has risen from 16 to 18. Dave Watts is urging people to help retailers implement this positive change for the health of our children.

The St Helens North MP said:

From October 1 retailers are only be allowed to sell tobacco products to those over 18 years of age and I wish to stress the importance of raising awareness of this age change in order to avoid any confrontation and problems between retailers and young adults.

The local community and general public must support their local retailers in implementing this change in order to crack down on not only under-age drinking but smoking from an early age and I would advise young people to carry proof of age if they wish to purchase any tobacco products after October 1.

A big thank you from Moss Bank Labour Party

As reported in this week's Star, Moss Bank's St David's Church is the grateful recipient of a £4000 grant from Candis magazine to help refurbish the community kitchen on its grounds.

As the Star reports,

A number of groups use the church's popular facilities, including a softball club, St Helens Youth Service, a junior rugby club and crime prevention organisations.

Rev Tom Thomas, vicar at St David's said: "We are very grateful to Candis for providing this money as it is a major step forward in our fund-raising efforts to improve our church building. Lots of people will benefit from better kitchen facilities."

The editor of Candis, Debbie Attewell added: "This venue fulfils a vital role in helping to bring people from a large community together and we are really pleased to help with the refurbishment programme."

So here at Moss Bank Labour Party, we're sure you'll join us in saying a big thank you on behalf of the whole community not only to Candis magazine, but also to Doreen Dixon whose work in nominating the church for a cash award should not go unacknowledged.

Labour's £4bn investment in our children's future

The Labour Government has underlined its determination to improve the lives of children across England with a cash injection of more than £4bn for children's centres, early years education and childcare.

The money will go towards:

* Providing a Sure Start Children's Centre in every community

* Outreach work to reach the most disadvantaged families

* Training and support for the early years workforce

* Ensuring there are sufficient childcare places in each Local Authority

* Ensuring every nursery and children's centre has a graduate to lead children's learning and development

The £4bn grant, spread over three years, will make sure that there will be a Sure Start children's centre for every community in England by 2010. Some of the money will be targeted at the most disadvantaged areas to enable children's centres to employ extra people to visit parents in their own homes and encourage them to take advantage of the services on offer.

Sure Start Children's Centres will give all parents and their children a place to go and a one-stop shop to find the services they need - from maternity checks to childcare to advice on getting back to work.

Ward Committee Meeting, July 2007

ward committee details

The next Ward Committee Meeting is being held on Monday 23 July at Chain Lane Community Centre. Feel free to turn up to hold your three Lib Dem councillors to account for the lack of investment the Lib Dem/Tory Council has put into Moss Bank, Laffak and Haresfinch over the past 12 months.

Smoke Free St Helens from 1 July 2007

With just ten days to go until St Helens becomes smokefree, the latest public opinion research shows that support for smokefree has never been higher with eight out of ten people supporting the introduction of the Labour Party’s hugely important new law.

On Sunday 1 July virtually all enclosed public places and workplaces will become smokefree. Shops, offices, factories, pubs, cafes, restaurants, membership clubs, public transport, and work vehicles used by more than one person will all be smokefree.

The latest public opinion research also shows that 95 per cent of people are aware of the new law, with unprompted awareness of the 1st July date as high as 83 per cent, compared to 55 per cent in April. Around 73 per cent of regular pub-goers, support the introduction of the legislation.

Caroline Flint MP, Labour’s Public Health Minister said:

A smokefree England will see the single biggest improvement in public health for a generation. The scientific and medical evidence is clear - secondhand smoke is a killer. There is no safe level of exposure. This legislation means that thousands of lives will be saved and the health of everybody will be protected.

Extra holidays for St Helens workers

Six million workers across Britain, including thousands in St Helens, will, thanks to your Labour government, soon be getting up to eight extra days annual holiday with the first four coming in October this year.

The Labour Party has published new regulations to boost the minimum holiday entitlement from 20 days a year to 24 days this October, and to 28 days from April 2009.

The new legislation will benefit up to 3.5 million women and 2.5 million men, including part-time workers, who will gain extra holidays on a pro-rata basis.

Jim Fitzpatrick MP, Labour's Employment Relations Minister said:

"This extra time off will make a real difference in the lives of hard-working people - a proper rest from work and more time to spend with their families and friends.

"Businesses will benefit too - from reduced absenteeism and a workforce who are more motivated and productive.

Labour government gives new funds to St Helens care homes

www.liverpoolecho.com/sthelens

ST HELENS has received £225,000 to improve care for the elderly.

Care services minister Ivan Lewis announced the funding as part of a nationwide government package.

Cash will be used to replace worn out carpeting, upgrade dining rooms, bedrooms and bathrooms and improve gardens and outdoor spaces. Information technology will also be provided for residents. Mr Lewis said: “By distributing this funding to 27 care homes in St Helens, and to 7,000 throughout England, we are able to improve the lives of tens of thousands of people and their families.”

Dave Watts MP backs reduction in East Lancs Road speed limit

http://www.sthelensstar.co.uk/east lancs road

A RENEWED push for the speed limit to be slashed and a new crossing created on a stretch of the East Lancs Road is being backed by St Helens North MP Dave Watts.

He is supporting calls by a group of Moss Bank residents for the reduction of the 60mph limit and a traffic light controlled pedestrian crossing.

Campaigners want the local authority to drop the speed limit to 50mph and install speed cameras where the road runs past the Clinkham Wood and Haresfinch estates.

Mr Watts said: "It is still clear that the vast majority of motorists using this section of the East Lancs are travelling at high speed.

"I would strongly urge the council to take immediate action to control the speed of traffic on this busy stretch of road and to look again at the possibility of either providing a controlled crossing or a bridge to provide a safe crossing point for local residents and their children."

Mr Watts added: "It is still clear that many children and adults are very unwilling to use the Moss Bank, underpass in order to cross the East Lancs Road."

by Andrew Kilmurray.

Police Community Talkback event

http://www.merseyside.police.uk/sthelens

Merseyside Police Chief Constable, Bernard Hogan-Howe, will be in St Helens on Monday 11 June 2007 for a Community Talk Back Event.

Your views and opinions about the issues that impact on your feelings of safety and quality of life are important to us. By telling us about them, you can help us determine how we will deliver local policing.

The Community Talkback Event will take place at 7pm in the Touchlines Room, St Helens RLFC, Dunriding Lane, St Helens.

This event is your opportunity to get an update on policing in your local area and raise any issues or concerns regarding local policing.

Take the opportunity to come along and have your say.

Thank you to all our supporters

As we're sure you know by now, we failed to regain a foothold in Moss Bank yesterday. But please be aware that your local Labour team will not give in to despondency or defeatism, and that our good work in the community carries on, more effective and with greater determination than before.

So thank you for your support and your votes. And as Gordon Brown has said, have confidence in our principles. Have confidence that these principles can be advanced in Labour policies for our time. Have confidence that Labour values are the values of the British people.

Once again, thank you for your support over the last 12 months, and we hope we are deserving of your support over the next 12 months.

The Moss Bank Labour Team.

Moss Bank Rose, March 2007

Moss Bank Rose, October 2006

Click on the page for a larger version.

Moss Bank Rose, February 2007

Click on the page for a larger version

Roy Litherland - your local community campaigner

Your local Labour Party team member, Roy Litherland has, for several years, been at the forefront of local efforts to improve the area in and around the Moss Bank estate. Among the numerous successes he has been involved in are:

• £32,000 raised to provide a skateboard ramp in a local park
• Fundraising to purchase changing rooms at a local recreation facility
• Creation of the "Dream Team" scheme for local young people
• Setting up, along with others, "Activate", an effective support group for young people

Roy has campaigned effectively on many issues on the local estate and has been instrumental in building up a coalition of (among others) local campaigners, council officials, Helena Housing officials, local police in order to identify and deal with problems of anti-social behavious, environmental health, and funding for local facilities, etc.

Roy is now asking residents all over Moss Bank, Haresfinch and Laffak to get in touch with him so he can help you out with any issues you may have over local issues and the shoddy way your Lib Dem councillors are ignoring your problems. Please get in touch with Roy personally by emailing him at roy.litherland@merseymail.com.

Carr Mill Dam

Community champion Roy Litherland has received many messages of support from local residents following his ongoing battle with the Lib Dem led council regarding fly tipping at Carr Mill Dam. Roy said:

Carr Mill Dam is a jewel in the crown of our area and we should be protecting it for future generations, not encouraging people to dump rubbish there.

One local resident said:

Good on you Roy. It comes to something when residents are left to try and clear hazardous mess from well used public beuty spots.

Know of any other local grot spots you want tackling? Contact Roy on 22639 or email roy.litherland@merseymail.com

Coming Soon at Moss Bank Labour Club

Wed 20 December

Will Power (m voc) & Lisa Young (f voc)

Fri 22 December

Last Chance (5 piece group)

Sun 24 December

Unison (top group)

Tue 26 December

Prize Karaoke with Al. Come along and enjoy the evening.

Wed 27 December

James Devine (voc inst) & Kelly Barugh (fem voc)

Fri 29 December

Rave On (rock 'n roll group)

Sun 31 December

Talk Of The Town

Coming Soon at Moss Bank Labour Club

Wed 13 December

American Pie (top group)

Fri 15 December

Happy Dayze (top group)

Sun 17 December

Rare Fusion (BG duo) & Tony Garcia (m voc)