Ayfer Orhan & Hemel Hempstead Labour Party

Labour’s Million Pound Plan for Jobs and Prosperity

Ian Laidlaw-Dickson, Herts County Labour Leader said, “The credit crunch is affecting Hertfordshire and the County Council needs to rise to the challenge of creating employment and supporting working people.  For too long the Tories in Hertfordshire have been complacent about the economic health of our county, actively opposing the growth the county needs.  Labour has proposed that one million pounds that the Conservatives wanted to give to local councillors would be better spent on economic development, both to sustain local small businesses and help create new ones, and to ensure that our citizens get all the advice, support and skills training they need to get jobs. Increasing pressures on families mean that services, aimed at preventing children and young people becoming at risk of harm, neglect, offending or underachieving, would be under increased strain and this should be recognised in the County Council’s budget.  If Tory Essex can have imaginative and innovative schemes why can’t  Hertfordshire?”

Sharon Taylor, Labour’s Resources Spokesperson said,” Herts County Council should set up a funding pot for a county wide apprenticeship scheme with further funding to be sought from employers, including public bodies like local councils.  It should set up a loan guarantee scheme for small businesses and explore the Essex County Council post office scheme to see if there is potential to re-open Herts post offices that have closed, particularly those that have had a specific impact on small businesses.  In times of economic hardship the Council should give further support for the voluntary sector, particularly Citizens Advice Bureaux.  The County’s own money advice unit should be given more funding to allow them to do more work on benefits take up and debt management.”

Labour Government Grants More Money for Herts Schools and Early Years Education

From April 2009, Hertfordshire will put funds for all forms of pre-school provision on a ‘level playing field’, at an extra cost of £3million, as a result of increased money from the Government – this now covers nursery schools, nursery classes in primary schools, four-year olds in primary reception classes, and private pre-schools.  All private providers will gain money from this, as will the large majority of nursery classes and nursery schools.  The Government is also providing more money from April to support eligible two-year olds (whose families receive benefits) in nurseries, to double the hours per week to 15 and to extend this through the whole year. 

This year, also the money from the Government dedicated to all Herts’ schools has been increased by 3% to £641million, and an extra £4.6million is being provided to target additional support to those children who most need it, for example those in care, certain ethnic groups and those with special educational needs.

David Billing, Labour’s spokesperson on Children, Schools and Families, says “we welcome these increased Government education grants for our Hertfordshire children and young people, and particularly the initiatives to improve and extend under 5s education.  It is so important that all our children, and especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds, get the best possible start in life.”

Nigel Bell, Labour’s Education spokesperson, added ,"I am particularly pleased that in addition to the increase in the Government grant for schools, Herts is also getting an additional £4.6million in 2009/10,and a further £8.9million from 2010/11; this money is specifically allocated by the Government to make sure all children are making good progress, and for early intervention to prevent children falling behind, - especially those at risk of underachieving.  Once again the Labour Government, even in difficult economic times, is taking steps to invest  in our children’s futures.”

This links with the Government's continued support and funding of Children Centres across the County - linked to the much praised Sure Start policy, and the Extended Schools programme.  It contrasts with the stated policy of David Cameron to phase out and not guarantee any of these innovative and successful initiatives.