Building for the Future

Earlier today I attended a Seminar on the Tees Valley Devolution and the VCSE Response to Devolution. I managed to get a few points across and these where as follows (Key ones).

Environment - Local authorities have to build an environment that is, in the long term sustainable and one in which will boost the local economy and job creation/retention.

Young People - The young people of Teesside have an important part to play in structuring how local government and the Devolution Deal works for all sections of society. Young people are the future and without there input, it is impossible to create a movement for change within the many levels of politics. The VCSE Sector by working together can reach out and act as a catalyst for young people to have their views heard about their future.

Skills & Employment - I pointed out that the apprenticeship scheme has many flaws and that, in some cases is causing more damage to young people than achieving its original goal. We can't live in a society that is using "Cheap Labour" as a platform to save costs. I highlighted the fact that many young people on apprenticeships are left out of employment with the original authority/business at the end of the appointment.

Decision Making - The VCSE Sector had to made its voice heard and with authority. If the sector is to have any influence it needs to be stronger in its case for being "at the table" - We can't afford to allow the VCSE Sector to sit there with its hand up begging to be involved, when it should be there in its own right.

Unfortunately the Devolution Deal will not be looking at Health, this somewhat angered me as I feel that, as we live in an area with the many issues that we face (Deprivation, social inequalities etc) Health needs to be a key priority when it comes to Devolution of power. We need to have a say on the health issues that affect Teesside and have the resources to tackle the issues head on. I feel this is an area that should have been covered by the new combined authority and the eventual Tees Mayor, when we go to the vote in May 2017.

Comments

Darlington Library

So Darlington Council have to make huge savings and doing so it seems their first target is the Crown Street Library. The plan is to sell the building and relocate services to the Dolphin Centre on a much reduced scale. This is to come at the cost of 25 jobs within Library Services and I am appalled that when the going gets tough, the council's get cutting. Instead of reducing the costs to the upper hierarchy of said council, it is the front line staff that are being sent packing. In my opinion services such as libraries should be the last thing to be hit when making cuts. Libraries have an environment that encourages thinking, reading and writing and allows imagination to run wild. Darlington Council will make their decision this Wednesday in a Special Cabinet meeting and I hope for the sake of learning and culture, they see fit to save this building and better still save the creative environment that comes with libraries.

Social Media

For those that don't know I have been blocked by Facebook, this has happened 3 times in as many days. Facebook says that is due to being reported and in my opinion I most probably know who by. But never the less, I will continue to inform people of what I do and what I think by other means. Twitter and Blogger are to become my main source of communication and to be truthful Facebook was beginning to get on my nerves anyway. Fake news at its finest. So from now on I will get family members and friends to post the links up to this blog and if you are on twitter you can follow me at @LukeJohnFrost where you can also send me private messages if you so wish to do so. I know there was a lot of people who relied on this on Facebook. But not to worry, if you are not on Twitter you can still request my email or catch me as some do in the Town Centre or Library.

Putting The Record Straight

Just to make something clear, I am not against investment in our area, far from it. I have signed many support comments for developments such as Aldi, Parade of Shops on the Industrial Estate and even supported the Hotel proposal and the Student apartments on Mandale Triangle. Saying that I have also objected to a few, such as the Mcdonalds on the centre and recently the two takeaways that where planned for Lanehouse Road, along with the proposal for 150 homes at the Barrage. In fact I am still the only objector on the Stockton Council Planning portal. I believe investment is great, when it is in the right area and with the right amount of demand, access and need. Over the years we have had a bombardment of planning applications go through Stockton Borough Council for south of the Tees developments that has seen the population swell and the infrastructure buckle under the weight of bad management and developers who constantly cut corners to make a quick pound or two. In the pas...

Luke John Frost

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