Councilbust

Conservative MP for Southend West David Amess was approached by Echo reporters yesterday.

Reporters wished to speak to Mr Amess regarding his expenses claims. Mr Amess has claimed £400 per month for food over the past four years, which is the maximum amount allowed in the current expenses system.

This adds up to £19,200 in total over the four year period.

When approached by reporters whilst out canvassing, Mr Amess refused to comment on his expense claims. He then ‘ran away’ from reporters and took refuge in a nearby hairdressing salon.

Mr Amess has refused to comment at length on his expense claims, saying that during his long stint as an MP he has only claimed money ‘in good faith’ and that all details of his expenditure will be publicly available in July, when all expenses must be published.

Mr Amess has further commented in a speech to Parliament on his regret that MPs did not make changes to the expenses system years ago when MPs’ working hours were changed to become more managable.

Mr Amess’ fellow Conservative MP, James Duddridge, has published the details of his expenses online for constituents to inspect. He has since come under fire for claiming expenses for two different properties in London.

Blaine Robin, Conservative councillor for the Kursaal ward in Southend, has rallied behind Tory MP James Duddridge over the latter’s expenses claims.

Mr Duddridge published his expenses online earlier this month and has since received criticism for using his expenses to pay for refurbishments and mortgage payments on both his homes.

Cllr Robin, who is also the deputy chairman of Rochford and Southend East Conservative Association, told the Echo:

“James is our MP and puts people first. James is really active with surgeries he holds and answering people’s inquiries.

“The association back him, but we also want improvements and quick changes to the expenses system. Change is needed to help restore confidence. Joe Bloggs has been put off politics and politicians, but hopefully it will get better.

 “I can understand their anger. People I have spoken to about it say if it was them, it would be counted as fraud. MPs will now have to account for their expenses and the sooner the Kelly report recommends a modern, tighter system, the better.”

 Cllr Robin did not express a specific opinion when it came to the question of the legitimacy of second home allowances for MPs, and said:

 “The intricacies of the system are bigger than me and a special committee will look at that.

 “If MPs need to be in the House until 2am and can’t get home, it needs a system in place to support those people, but it’s got to be practical.”

 Cllr Roger Hadley, Conservative representative for Shoebury, however, had more radical views on MPs’ second home allowances. He said:

 “I believe there should be accommodation in London, purpose-built or acquired for MPs. It could be run by Parliament with heating and bills paid for.

“That way everyone is on an equal footing and we can do away with the second home allowance.”

 Conservative MP for Rochford and Southend East James Duddridge has published on his website the details of the expenses he has claimed.

 In particular, Mr Duddridge has explained in detail his reasons for keeping a second home in London and claiming for it on his expenses.

 He writes:

 “A number of constituents have asked me why I have a second home in London considering that the commute from Thorpe Bay to Westminster is just under two hours.

 “I appreciate that a number of constituents do not find this appropriate, and that over 20,000 people commute from Southend everyday, many of whom do not work a traditional working day.

 “Members of Parliaments’ working hours are unfortunately not very commuter friendly, as my work demands very early starts and I often finish work at midnight, or later.

 “To use last week as an example the House sat until 10.30pm on Monday, until 2am on Tuesday and on Wednesday I was in House of Commons until 10pm.

 “In all candour this example is an exceptional week, however I rarely expect to leave much before midnight on Mondays or Tuesdays.

 “That Thursday I had appointments in both London and Southend and so returned from London earlier to attend these meetings.

 “Fridays are reserved for a full day of constituency engagements, as are most weekends.

 “Most mornings when I have stayed in London overnight I get into the office around 7.30am in order to prepare for the day and clear my email.

 “Overnight I review a box of constituency casework and any mail that I have not had the chance to deal with during the day.”

 The Labour Party prospective parliamentary candidate, Kevin Bonavia, has published a series of pledges to constituents on expenses.

 Mr Bonavia claims that he will make good on these promises if he is elected as MP for the area in the next General Election.

On his blog, Mr Bonavia writes that constituents have a right to be angry about the current perceived misuse of MP expenses and should challenge their MPs to be transparent.

 He also said:

 “For myself, I have no record of expense claims, but it is right that voters know where I stand.

 “So, at the next election I will make the following 5 pledges to the people of Rochford and Southend:

 “I will live in Southend in a home that I buy or rent out of my own money.

 “I will only rent overnight accommodation in London for the purpose of being able to work late in Parliament; I will not claim for a second mortgage. 

 “I will not claim any living expenses, except rent, council tax and utility bills for London overnight accommodation and travel to/from Southend. I will not claim for food or furnishings in either Southend or London.

 “I will publish details of all expense claims, however small, on my website at least once a month.

 “I will not have a second job, but will be a full-time MP.

 “I will honour these pledges regardless of what I am allowed to claim.  MPs should be grown up enough to realise that they can’t hide behind the system.”

 Meanwhile, current Conservative MP for Rochford and Southend East James Duddridge has published on his website the details of the expenses he has claimed.

 In particular, Mr Duddridge has explained in detail his reasons for keeping a second home in London and claiming for it on his expenses.

 He writes:

 “A number of constituents have asked me why I have a second home in London considering that the commute from Thorpe Bay to Westminster is just under two hours.

 “I appreciate that a number of constituents do not find this appropriate, and that over 20,000 people commute from Southend everyday, many of whom do not work a traditional working day.

 “Members of Parliaments’ working hours are unfortunately not very commuter friendly, as my work demands very early starts and I often finish work at midnight, or later.

 “To use last week as an example the House sat until 10.30pm on Monday, until 2am on Tuesday and on Wednesday I was in House of Commons until 10pm.

 “In all candour this example is an exceptional week, however I rarely expect to leave much before midnight on Mondays or Tuesdays.

 “That Thursday I had appointments in both London and Southend and so returned from London earlier to attend these meetings.

 “Fridays are reserved for a full day of constituency engagements, as are most weekends.

 “Most mornings when I have stayed in London overnight I get into the office around 7.30am in order to prepare for the day and clear my email.

 “Overnight I review a box of constituency casework and any mail that I have not had the chance to deal with during the day.”

 Rochford and Southend East MP James Duddridge has published details of his expenses online.

 Candidates from other parties have used the new information as ammunition against the Conservative MP.

 The details published show that Mr Duddridge claimed £7,000 redecorating a London flat, before switching his claim to another, larger property worth £397,500, also in the capital.

 Mr Duddridge said he originally stayed at a friend’s property near Westminster when necessary, but then decided to use a small flat in the capital that he had owned for some time.

Once his wife became pregnant, Mr Diddridge said, a larger property than the original one-bedroom flat was necessary to house him and his family, and so he took out a mortgage for another property.

Mr Duddridge claimed £22, 975 in the financial year 2007-2008.

Labour candidate for Rochford and Southend East Kevin Bonavia told the Southend Standard:

“If I am elected I would pledge to only rent and not have a mortgage for personal gain and I would live in Southend.

“I would keep any living expenses to a minimum.”

Meanwhile, Southend independent councillor Ron Woodley said that he would stand against Mr Diddridge in the next General Election. Of the expenses details, he told the Southend Standard:

“The expenses issue just shows how MPs now are putting the party first, themselves second and the residents very much third.

“My wife commutes to London every day and uses the same tube station as James Duddridge and if I were to stand I would pledge only to use expenses to do my job.”

MPs have caused outrage in Southend by claiming for second homes in London, despite the relatively short distance between their constituency and the capital.

 Last week in Parliament, Southend Conservative MP David Amess expressed his regret that, when MPs altered their working hours to start and finish at more standard times, the second homes allowance was not reviewed properly.

Following the outgoing mayor Gwen Horrigan’s comments that small theatre groups and charities cannot afford to use local theatres, the chairman of a local theatre group has spoken in support of Southend Theatres.

Steve McCartney, Chairman of Lindisfarne, a local theatre group that has been running in Southend for 40 years, said: 
 
“Lindisfarne used the services of Southend Theatres back in February this year when we hired the Dixon space for our production of A Doll’s House. 

“I would just like to say not only was the hire rate very acceptable, but the
staff were very helpful.  

“We sold more seats than we expected and had we staged our show at our normal regular venue, at the Focus centre, we would not have received anywhere near as much support and professionalism as was displayed by the
Palace Theatre staff.  
 
“We have just visited the Dixon in preparation for our next show in June and once again I am impressed by the service we have received.   

 ”I think the Dixon space most suitable for small performing groups and more importantly, in this tough financial climate, not too much of a drain on our meagre budgets.”

 Mrs Horrigan, said:

 ”I would urge the theatres to look at their charges for charities. It is difficult to raise money in the current economic climate.

 ”I’m grateful to members of my own charity committee who were prepared to underwrite events we held at the Cliffs Pavilion and the Palace Theatre.

 ”It is increasingly difficult for many small groups to be able to pay the ever increasing charges.

 ”The loss of the New Empire Theatre in Alexandra Street was a blow to many of the smaller organisations, which struggle to pay the higher hire charges.

 ”We have two wonderful theatres in the Palace and the Cliffs Pavilion. I would just urge them to be more sympathetic to small groups.”

 The general manager of Southend Theatres, which owns both the Cliffs Pavilion and the Palace Theatre, is Ellen McPhillips. In response, she said:  

 ”Our charges to local groups are already reduced by 20 per cent compared with commercial hirings.

 ”Only a few days ago, we held a special hirers’ meeting to discuss any problems they have.

 ”We are anxious to help local groups and work with charities but we cannot subsidise them.

 ”Southend Theatres has to make money or we would not be here.”

UK Independence Party candidate for Rochford and Southend East James Moyies has utilised social networking site Twitter to raise the profile of the UKIP campaign in the run up to the European elections on 4^th June.

Politicians all over the country have been jumping at the chance to use the microblogging site to connect with the electorate. In April, Parliament’s very own Twitter site www.tweetminster.co.uk was set up by Alberto Nardelli, who claimed that the site would help voters “gain a greater insight into the lives of people that make up UK politics.”

Alternatively, Tweetminster could be used as yet another avenue for politicians to bombard internet users with party messages, but this should come as no surprise. For James Moyies, however, Twitter seems to be backfiring a little.

Whilst Moyies has used the site to discuss the progress of UKIP in the local area, his Twitterfeed – the constantly-updated stream of posts he creates – alludes to criticism from other Twitter users.

A leisurely scroll through Moyies’ page reveals increasingly angry comments at other users who have criticised UKIP on one policy or another.

Gary Williams, CEO of charity Soundseekers (providing facilities for deaf and hard-of-hearing people) received a snappy telling off from Moyies, who posted “shame on you! Why are you telling lies?” after Williams made references to UKIP’s appearances on TV over the past few weeks.

According to Moyies, there has been quite a bit of fibbing on Twitter. He accuses Gordon Hodgeson, Eudinburgh Green Party activist, Rupert Read, Green Councillor in Norwich, and EU09TwitLife, an EU election twitter service, of lying about UKIP as well.

This aside, Moyies’ tweeting is full of insults to other users. He refers to other users as “dimwits”, “Mr Pedantic”, “stupid boy”, “immature”, “infantile” and “you strangely violated person” when they challenge his views or statistics.

To add further to the bizarrely negative image the tweeting creates, Moyies presents readers with inconsistencies. A post from 16^th May, for example, reads “It encourages me that every attack on UKIP uses swear words and infantile toilet humour. The potty mouths have lost the argument.”

Further on in the week, however, Moyies indulges in a little lavatorial word-play himself, saying:

“The parliamentary expense cistern [sic] is seemingly what needs sorting. Flush it out and get rid of the Brown stuff.”

It seems that Moyies hasn’t really got the ethos of Twitter down. The idea of Twitter is to use the short space available for posting to create pithy comments that will amuse, entertain or inform other users, or post quick links to interesting stuff online.

So far, Moyies seems to have used it mostly to hurl abuse at other users, or endlessly post the same three statistics: “EU costs UK £40M a day, imposes 75% of our law, & allows unlimited immigration” (tweeted 10 times in the last week). From the looks of things, it doesn’t seem like Moyies, despite his 2,000 followers, will be rivalling Twitter heroes like Stephen Fry and Ashton Kutcher any time soon.

 Southend West Conservative MP has condemned the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) following a series of questions to various ministers.

 Mr Amess said he was moved to speak on the IPCC in the House of Commons today due to the number of complaints he has received about the body.

 ”I get any number of complaints about all sorts of issues involving the police,” he said.

 “The journey through the IPCC can go on for one, two, three, four and five years. At the end of it, the IPPC’s powers to gain anything, such as apologies, compensation or change in police force practice, are zilch.

 “In Essex, there is a high turnover of police officers, especially at a senior level. That is not a particularly good thing. They all seem to retire early, for all manner of reasons. That shows the difficulty in conducting IPCC inquiries.

“I have the highest regard for the Minister for Security, Counter-Terrorism, Crime and Policing. He said in a written answer to me that the IPCC is not responsible for imposing disciplinary sanctions on police forces or individuals.

 ”What is the point of the IPCC if it cannot impose discipline on police officers who are found guilty of abusing their powers? When a police officer has a complaint upheld against him, he is offered “words of advice”—would not Members of Parliament like to be offered “words of advice”?—from a senior officer.

 “What message does that convey? More important, what deterrent is that? I suspect that I was one of the few Members of Parliament who responded to the consultation process to try to give the IPCC more power so that, when people’s complaints were successful, at least small amounts of compensation could be paid and public apologies could be made.

 “The Public Accounts Committee, which my hon. Friend Mr. Leigh admirably chairs, has done a splendid job in investigating the IPCC.

 “In its 15th report, which was published only in March, the Committee made some excellent recommendations, including that the Home Office should clarify who is responsible for monitoring the implementation of IPCC recommendations.

 “I have been in constant correspondence with Ministers about it, and the replies are just not satisfactory.”

  Mr Amess has made a series of inquiries into the IPCC over the past few weeks. In a written question, he asked the Home Secretary: “what funding she plans to provide to the IPCC in each of the next three years, and what discussions she has had with the IPCC on its future funding since January 2009?”

 He received a response from Vernon Coaker, Minister of State for Policing, Crime and Security, which read:

 “The Home Office is providing funding of £36.7 million to the IPCC for 2009-10.

“This includes funding for its remit in respect of serious complaints made against staff of the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA).

 “In addition, the IPCC also receives funding from the UK Border Agency, and HM Revenue and Customs to fund its complaints investigation work in respect of those organisations.

 “Funding levels for future years have not yet been determined.”

David Amess, Southend West Conservative MP, has commended the local authority on its approach to curb binge drinking in the area.

Mr Amess told the House of Commons in a speech today of Southend Council’s many measures to combat binge drinking through educational preventative work. He said: “I want to praise Southend council’s measures against excessive indulgence in alcohol by young people.

“In Southend, we have a very strong record of preventive work in encouraging young people not to develop bad habits with regard to alcohol.

“That forms part and parcel of the healthy schools programme, which we deliver in partnership with the primary care trust.

“A high proportion of our schools have received healthy schools accreditation because of the strength of their work in that area.”

The MP bemoaned a lack of funding from central government to help local authorities prevent binge-drinking, particularly amongst young people.

“There seems to be a problem with the funding of our schools generally,” he said.

“A number of our schools are struggling with the funding formula at the moment.

“There is certainly a funding problem in education generally, but putting that aside, Southend council has been proactive in the initiative to deal with alcohol abuse and encourage young people not to go down a particular path.

“Ofsted inspections of schools in Southend comment that a very high proportion deliver outstanding work in encouraging children and young people to be healthy.

“The impact of that work is demonstrated in what young people tell us through the so-called ‘tell us survey’, which indicates that 5% fewer young people in Southend misuse alcohol than is the case nationally.

“The ‘Getting on with the Blues’ project at Southend United football club—the club is starting work on its new stadium, which we hope will be available for various sporting activities during the Olympic games—is an initiative aimed at primary school age children.

“It being very well received and focuses on reducing alcohol misuse and antisocial behaviour, and more than 1,500 pupils have taken part in it. Evaluations of the project have found that most pupils, and all their teachers, rated it as excellent.

‘The SOS bus and alcohol misuse outreach work have responded effectively to alcohol misuse by young people, and the alcohol misuse outreach worker has been effective in reducing reoffending and alcohol use by young people.

 “Over the past 18 months, the work of our drugs and alcohol action team has strengthened further, and its work in supporting young people who need support and treatment because of alcohol abuse is now very effective.

 “We also have further programmes to launch, so I hope that the Government are pleased with what Southend is doing in that respect.”

In a speech before the Whitsun recess in Parliament today, Southend West Conservative MP David Amess outlined to the House of Commons his reservations over the expansion of Southend Airport.

Mr Amess explained that he had received a large volume of complaints from constituents opposed to the expansion plans:

“In all my time here, I have never had as many individual, handwritten letters from constituents as I have on that issue.

“I am talking about individual, handwritten letters, not just e-mails.

“It is obvious that residents of Southend, West are very exercised by the airport issue.”

 Mr Amess went on to explain his personal objections to the expansion project.

 ”When I first went to it, I wondered how on earth an airport could be in the middle of such a heavily built up urban area with such narrow roads leading to it.

 ”Never mind house building programmes, the Government have issued papers about the expansion and importance of regional airports, and that is how the whole process started.

 “I think that I speak for all my constituents in saying that everyone wishes Southend airport well because of the jobs that it provides for local communities.

 ”However, when some years ago the then owner suggested that the airport should expand, there was meltdown.

 “The then manager suggested that the beautiful 1,000-year-old church of St. Laurence be put on wheels and moved so many yards to allow the runway to expand and roads to be closed.

 “English Heritage had something to say about that barking mad proposal, which caused huge upset in the constituency.

 “My hon. Friend James Duddridge and I work closely together on Southend issues, but there is a huge divide about the airport issue.

 ”The reality is that the airport expansion will not affect Rochford and Southend, East. Any expansion of the facilities, particularly the runway, will impact only on Southend, West, and the aircraft will take off entirely over the area that I represent.”

 Mr Amess continued to criticise the method Southend Borough Council used to consult residents on the expansion project:

 “The local authority has been under huge pressure. It has done the best that it can to consult and engage with the general public on this issue.

 “However, I represent the highest number of centenarians in the country, and expecting senior citizens to e-mail replies and use that sort of technology is a complete non-starter.

 “Having gone through the consultation document, I think that it raises more questions than it answers.

 “We have not been given anywhere near enough detail about developments such as the new railway station, which will apparently bring people to the airport so that we do not have to worry about road expansions and closures.

 “The proposal that the increased flights should take place from as early as 6.30am until 11 o’clock at night is absolutely ludicrous.

 “Unless I am missing the point, that means that my constituents will have complete freedom from any noise, pollution and all the rest of it only when they are asleep. That is complete madness.”