August 2009 - Newsletter from Margot James

 August newsletter

Keeping you up to date with my latest activities in Stourbridge. The latest campaigns, letters to the press and events in and around Stourbridge.

Dear Supporter,

We have had a busy month in July. Along with many other members of the party I visited Norwich North to support Chloe Smith in her by election campaign. She achieved an outstanding result and proved that an honest and straightforward campaign can be a winning campaign.

(Photo: Margot on the campaign trail in Norwich North with Mid Worcesterdshire MP, Peter Luff)

I would like to thank all of my supporters for their hard work in recent months and wish you all a good Summer holiday.

Campaigning 

• We completed delivery of our ward newsletter in Lye.
• A ward newsletter has been produced for Pedmore & Stourbridge East for distribution this month
• We canvassed in Lye and Cradley
• We petitioned and met residents in the monthly Farmer’s Market on Stourbridge High Street.

Out and About 

• 
  It was a long time in the planning but my ‘Animal Action Day’ with the RSPCA finally took place on July 7th and was a great success. We are now looking at making this an annual event in Stourbridge. Read more
• I met the deputy head of Redhill School, were I am a governor, for an in depth discussion about the curriculum and exactly what pupils are studying for their GCSEs.  I am keen to get to the bottom of the reasons for the widening gulf between the prospects of children educated in the state sector and those educated in the private sector. Former Labour minister Alan Milburn published a thought provoking report on declining social mobility this month, and I think some of the causes are to be found in what children are encouraged to study in secondary school.
• Still on education I attended a seminar led by John Dunford, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders on accountability in schools.  How to improve on the system of league tables so they become less of a blunt instrument.
• I attended a Governors Meeting of Stourbridge College and the end of year staff party. The governors gave 100% support to principal Lynette Cutting in her bid to raise the shortfall in funding for the development in Brierley Hill left by the Learning & Skills Council’s mismanagement of the capital funding budget for colleges.
• 
  Our local vicar of St Mary’s in Oldswinford approached me for help to save the ‘Coach House’ a wonderful educational resource for adults with learning disabilities. I am lobbying Dudley Council who are proving to be very receptive so we are hopeful of a package of measures that will enable the ‘Coach House’ to continue its excellent work. Read more
• Cllr. Liz Walker and I visited the amazing Sunfield charity in Clent. Sunfield is a residential care home and school for children with autism, severe and complex learning needs. Read more
• Nick Herbert, Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs visited to speak to members and guests from neighbouring more rural constituencies. Read more
• I attended the public meeting on the future of our glass collection and the possible transfer of it to the Red House Glass Cone organised jointly by Stourbridge and Brierley Hill Area Committees.

Media 

• 
  The Stourbridge News have covered our Animal Action Day, my position on MP’s expenses and my reaction to the capital funding of Colleges debacle, and how it has affected our StourbridgeCollege in particular.
• I appeared on BBC Question Time.
• I gave a Saturday morning interview to ‘The Bridge’ radio station.

Feedback

Please forward this campaign update on to any fellow Conservatives in our area who you think would be interested. If there is any further information you would like, or if there is something you would like to let me know about, please do get in touch.

If you would like to help the campaign in Stourbridge then please do contact me:

margot@stourbridgeconservatives.com. We are always grateful for support.

Best wishes

Margot