Labour gets tough with fly tippers

 

Labour Secretary of State Steve Reed has called on councils to get tough with fly tippers who blight our communities by illegally dumping rubbish like this, spotted recently in Upper Northam Drive, Hedge End.

This example was cleared up promptly by Eastleigh Borough Council, but all councils need to do more to prevent fly tipping. This will include:

• Working with the police to identify the criminal fly tippers
• Using drones and mobile cameras to identify the vehicles used
• Seizing and crushing the vehicles used
• New penalties of up to 5 years in prison

The Labour government will reduce red tape to make it easier and less costly for councils to seize vehicles used for fly tipping.

Secretary of State Steve Reed said:

"Waste criminals and fly-tippers who blight our towns and villages have gone unpunished for too long.
That ends today. The Government is calling time on fly-tipping. I will not stand by while this avalanche of rubbish buries our communities.
Under the Plan for Change, this Government will seize and crush fly-tippers vans’ to clean up Britain’s streets."

These measures will help deliver the Labour Government's key mission of Safer Streets for the public, restoring people's faith in efforts to combat anti-social behaviour. 

Labour: Helping in Hamble Valley

Councils need to do better to protect Hedge End Centre

 

Yet another example of how the various Lib Dem and Conservative councils in southern Hampshire fail to protect the amenity of Hedge End centre.

There are huge mega building sites all round Hedge End. Traffic - including HGVs - is directed through Hedge End. 

This has a huge impact on the air quality, noise pollution and safety of Hedge End for pedestrians and cyclists. Our village centre should be for people not the convenience of big business hauliers. 

Traffic from the M27 to Whiteley Meadows, Boorley Gardens and Oaklands should be directed via Charles Watts Way and the A334. But the signage at Junction 7 "Hedge End Interchange" is not fit for purpose.

One of the problems in getting anything done about this is that planning decisions taken in Winchester, Fareham and elsewhere in Eastleigh do not take into account the impact of developments on Hedge End's infrastructure.

What's the solution? An elected mayor with strategic planning responsibilities for all of Hampshire (and the Isle of Wight). And a larger, sustainable unitary local authority to stop Lib Dems and Conservatives passing the buck backwards and forwards when things go wrong.

Hedge End Labour Party (re)launches consultation on old Budgens Car Park site

Labour's campaign team has just finished delivering our leaflet for the Hedge End South by election.

In response we have received email comments from voters. I thought my reply to one in particular might be of interest to a wider audience:

"Old Budgens site

The temporary car park on the old Budgens site is clearly well used and popular. However, it is a temporary arrangement, and the ruling Lib Dems want to do “something” on the site. Although they are keeping their plans secret at the moment, I understand they have told existing businesses on the site they should be ready to move in the next year or so.

My choice would be to retain the old supermarket car park with some additional planting on the boundaries to screen neighbouring properties and Greta Park. The old supermarket building footprint could then be used for a small mall with retail units on the ground floor and offices on the first floor to provide affordable space for small local businesses, start-ups and charities.

Consultation

However, I am serious about consulting with local people about what they want. In fact the local Labour Party already has an email – ConsultHedgeEnd@gmail.com – ready to receive people’s views on a variety of local issues.

HGVs going through Hedge End

The preferred route for HGVs going from Botley to the M27 is already via the A334 Grange Road and there is a brown sign on the Maypole Roundabout to this effect which is currently ignored. We are requesting improved signage at both ends of Lower / Upper Northam Road and some kind of enforcement as requests for voluntary compliance have fallen on deaf ears."

Looking back, it is six years since the ruling Lib Dems demolished the old supermarket building, and four years since they bought the properties on the edge of the supermarket site.

It does make it look like Hedge End is not a priority for the Lib Dems. Even though the Budgens site is in the top five "worst performing assets" on the council's books:

Eastleigh News - Council Asset Deficit Audit Warning

It is also four years since we kicked off a consultation about what voters want to see done in the centre of Hedge End. Perhaps the publicity around the current by election will encourage even more people to respond to ConsultHedgeEnd@gmail.com

My blog from 2021

Supporting speed reduction in Kings Copse Avenue

As Labour's candidate in the Hedge End South by election, I support the campaign by local people to reduce the speed limit on Kings Copse Avenue to 30mph.

We borrowed a privately owned speed gun to understand the size of the speeding problem on Kings Copse Avenue.

The majority of motorists kept to the current 40mph limit, but on average one car a minute was going faster than 40mph. The highest speed recorded was an incredible 70mph.

We were close to one of the bus stops where pedestrians cross regularly.

The risk of a person dying after being hit by a car at 42mph is 50%. The risk of fatality is halved at 32mph.

The local petition to reduce the speed limit to 30mph is still open at https://www.change.org/p/kings-copse-avenue-to-30mph

You know what to do to help make Hedge End's roads safer for all road users.

 

 

In Hedge End South, kicking off Labour's campaign to get Labour supporters to turn out and vote on 22 May. After the photo shoot we went talking to voters in Ratcliffe Road. People feel let down by the Lib Dems over the state of our roads and pavements, maintenance of children's play areas, uncaring social housing landlords, and rat-run traffic in Ratcliffe Road. Labour is listening.

 

 Following the death of veteran Lib Dem Councillor Jane Welsh, we find ourselves having a by election for her Eastleigh Borough Council seat of Hedge End South.

Jane will undoubtedly be much missed in Hedge End, but Lib Dems have been in control at Eastleigh for 30 years, and it is surely time for a change.

I am honoured to be selected by the Labour Party to stand in the by election. I am sharing this statement to kick off my campaign on this blog:

Labour’s candidate for Hedge End South in the by election on 22 May is Keith Day.

Keith has lived in Hedge End for over 40 years and recently retired after a career in both private and public organisations. He has been active in local politics all that time and has served as a borough and town councillor. He contested the Hedge End South ward most recently in May 2024.

Keith moved to Hedge End from Southampton in 1983, the year Jane Welsh was first elected. “Jane has been a constant all the time I have been involved with Hedge End politics. I recognise and salute her service to Hedge End. Her passing leaves a huge void in our public life.”

“However, this year marks 30 years of the Liberal Democrats running Eastleigh Borough Council. I wonder if voters think Hedge End is a better place to live after three decades of the same party in charge?”

“We are entering a period of great change in our local government and the Lib Dems seem to have run out of ideas of their own. It’s time for a fresh start.”

Keith backs Labour’s plans for an elected mayor for Hampshire and a single unitary authority to replace Eastleigh Borough Council and Hampshire County Council. The proposed changes will bring stronger strategic leadership, improve the financial sustainability of local councils and bring decision-making closer to local people.

Keith’s priorities are:

• ·     Fix our roads and work with local residents to make them safer for motorists, cyclists and pedestrians.

• ·     Revitalise Hedge End centre and consult residents on what is to be done with the old Budgens site.

• ·     Manage and maintain our remaining green spaces for people, wildlife and the environment.

• Improve bus and train services in an integrated public transport system which meets people’s needs.