A Local hero deserves a Gong by Ben Gummer

This is a delightful newsletter from our MP Ben Gummer. He so rightly and richly gives praise to Sally Wainman - A woman I admire and respect greatly too! From Ben:   You know those moments so embarrassing that when you look back you slightly shudder at the memory of it all?  Well, I’ve had mercifully few as an MP but the worst was served – justifiably – on me by well-known local campaigner Sally Wainman.   Sally was one of my opponents in the 2010 election – standing not for a mainstream party but one a platform of saving Broomhill Pool.  Now, that may sound like a quixotic exercise: no one, not even Sally, thought she would win the seat, but she stood nevertheless because she was absolutely serious about her cause.   I had met Sally before and liked her: she is a determined campaigner and has an enormous heart.  During that election campaign I bumped into her in the Warren Heath Sainsbury’s, late at night just before it was due to close.  She asked how things were going and I said I thought it would be very close and that every vote would count.  In fact, I joked, if she endorsed me I would happily support her Broomhill Pool campaign – even though I only had the deep end in my constituency.  She laughed at me, quite rightly, and we finished our shopping.   A few weeks later, I was in the church hustings in Christchurch Tacket Street and someone asked the candidates from the floor what they thought of the Broomhill Pool.  Now, Sally was not on the stage, as the organisers had restricted it to the main parties.  But she was there alright.  So when I gave an equivocal answer, saying that I supported the campaign but that I thought there were other priorities that I would campaign first, Sally repeated from the back our conversation in Sainsbury’s.  I will forgive her quoting me out of context, because it was an expert move: in the parlance of politicos, she “burned” me.  Even now when I think about it, I think “oohh… ouch!”   So, I hope you can see why I have a particular respect for Sally Wainman.  Some might have dismissed her six local and general election attempts, on a Save Broomhill Pool ticket, as eccentric – not least because she has spent several thousand pounds on lost deposits in the process.  People giggled at her but it is Sally who has had the last laugh, because when the idea of reopening Broomhill Pool had few supporters in Ipswich, she kept the idea alive by standing for elected office and thereby forcing the issue onto the agenda.   Thanks to her stoicism and to the whole committee of the Broomhill Pool Trust, two otherwise under-enthused councils were persuaded to put aside capital money – in honesty, believing they would never need to spend it.  But the Trust did its part and secured a private operator and between them they have secured lottery money to take the project to fruition.  There is one more hurdle to jump but they now have a clear run at it.  It is a remarkable achievement and a real credit to genuinely brilliant community campaigning.   Don’t take my word for it: on Wednesday Sally was a finalist in the Mirror Pride of Sport Awards, as Local Hero of the Year.  That is precisely what she is.  I genuinely do not believe that Broomhill Pool would have happened without Sally keeping the idea alive election after election.  She deserves every ounce of praise she now gets.  Getting burned by Sally was worth the pleasure of seeing her succeed in this great local ambition.

Opening Sailmakers last week.  This Morning I opened the new building for Chantry Academy. The happiest, proudest moment of my time as Ipswich's MP. Welcome to Ben's regular newsletter. If you have any comments or concerns, please get in touch with my team.  Email: Ben can be contacted directly at ben@bengummer.com Ben's office address is: 9 Fore Street Ipswich IP4 1JW 01473 232 883

More Web Scams to beware of From Action Fraud

This is a message sent via The Neighbourhood & Home Watch Network (England & Wales). This information has been sent on behalf of Action Fraud (National Fraud Intelligence Bureau) (Please do not reply directly to this email, please use the Reply button at the bottom of this message) Message sent by Action Fraud (Action Fraud, Administrator, National) Fraudsters have set up a high specification website template advertising various electrical goods and domestic appliances. These goods are below market value and do not exist. The fraudsters will request your card details via the website; however the purchaser will then receive an email stating the payment failed and they must pay via bank transfer. The fraudsters entice the purchaser and reassure them it is a legitimate purchase by using the widely recognised Trusted Shop Trustmark. The fraudsters are using the Trustmark fraudulently and have not been certified by Trusted Shops and therefore the purchaser is not covered by the Trusted Shop money-back guarantee.  Protect yourself: Check the authenticity of the websites before making any purchases. Conduct a ‘whois’ search on the website which will identify when the website has been created, be wary of newly formed domains. You can conduct this search using the following website - https://who.is/. Carry out online research in relation to the website, company name and the business address provided to identify any poor feedback or possible irregularities. Check the Trusted Shops Facebook page where warnings about websites using their Trustmark are published. If you are in doubt about the legitimacy of a Trustmark then you can contact Trusted Shops on 0203 364 5906 or by email service@trustedshops.co.uk. They will confirm whether they have certified that website. Payments made via bank transfer are not protected should you not received the item. Therefore always try to make the payment via PayPal or a credit card where you have some payment cover should you not receive your product. If the item advertised seems too good to be true, then it probably is.  If you believe that you have been a victim of fraud you can report it onlinehttp://www.actionfraud.police.uk/report_fraud or by telephone 0300 123 2040.

Winter Workshops For Suffolk Residents

Are you prepared for winter? 

This is your chance to find out how to be totally prepared for the nasty winter days that are surely coming our way soon.

Attend a Winter Workshop by Suffolk County Council.

Come and listen to the experts discussing how to best prepare yourself.

Experts from the Meteorological Office, Environment Agency and Suffolk County Council Highways will provide vital information on winter preparedness to the local community and existing and new Winter Gritting Volunteers.

Friday 27th November 2015 10:00 am - 12:00 Noon
Endeavour House, Suffolk County Council
Britten Room 8 Russell Road, Ipswich IP1 2BX

or

Monday 14th December 2015 10:00 am - 12:00 Noon Endeavour House, Suffolk County Council – Elizabeth Room 8 Russell Road, Ipswich IP1 2BX


Suffolk Joint Emergency Planning Unit – Welcome and Introduction
Met Office – Weather Warnings & Being Prepared
Suffolk County Council Highways – Winter Gritting
Environment Agency – Flood Warnings

To book a place, please contact Agnes Jung: agnes.jung@suffolk.gov.uk 01473 433 431

Agenda 09:50 Coffee and registration 10:05 Joint Emergency Planning Unit – Welcome and Introduction 10:20 Met Office - Weather Warnings and Being Prepared 10:50 Suffolk County Council Highways – Winter Gritting 11:20 Environment Agency - Flood Warnings 11:50 Questions

Beware - Distraction thefts – Ipswich

Warning from Suffolk Police

Following two incidents in Ipswich, Suffolk Police are issuing a warning for the public to be vigilant about distraction thefts especially in supermarket car parks in the run up to Christmas. 
The first took place on Friday 13 November around midday in the car park of Sainsbury’s supermarket, Warren Heath, Ipswich. A 73 year old lady was sitting in her car in the car park when a woman accompanied by a man knocked on her window asking for directions to London. The woman suspect then opened up a map in front of the victim. Whilst this was happening it is believed that the man stole credit cards from the victim’s purse. These cards were later used to withdraw £250 from a cashpoint. It is possible the victim was watched whilst using her card at the supermarket cashpoint and the PIN noted by the suspects. 

The second incident took place shortly afterwards at just after midday on Friday 13 November in the car park at Tesco supermarket, Copdock, near Ipswich. A 68 year old lady who was putting goods into her car was approached by a man and a woman. The woman asked for directions to Cambridge. As the victim got a map to assist her, the man opened the car door and removed three bank cards from her purse which was on the car seat. As the suspects left the car, the victim realised what had taken place and shouted at the man who dropped the cards and walked away. 

Police believe the suspects in each case to be the same. The woman suspect is described as being in her early twenties, wearing a belted jacket and trousers and had a darkish scarf on her head. The man is described as also in his early twenties with dark facial stubble and was wearing a beanie. Both are described as speaking with foreign, possibly East European, accents. 

Police are appealing for anybody who witnessed either incident or who has any information to contact Ipswich Police on 101, reference 14757/15 (Sainsbury’s car park) 14917/15 (Tesco car park).

It takes seconds to protect your valuables: 

Be vigilant when entering your PIN - make sure you cover the keypad on both chip and pin machines and at cash points every time you enter your PIN number 

Be aware of who is around you and make sure people stay a good distance away from you. 

Don’t let anyone distract you while you are using the cash machine or making a card payment. Cancel the transaction if you are worried. 

Be aware of who is around you and make sure people stay a good distance away from you. 

Keep your valuables secure - never leave them unattended, even for few moments. Keep your belongings tucked away safely in a zipped pocket or bag and use a purse chain if you have one. 

Report stolen cards - if you lose your wallet, report it to your bank immediately. 

Mobile phone tracking - if you have a smart phone install the app that helps you trace your device if it gets lost or stolen. Contact your service provider for details on what is available.

What Labour won't tell you about the Employment statistics

Key statistics

·         Employment: 31.21 million (up 419,000 over the past year and up over 2.1 million since 2010).

·         Employment rate: 73.7 per cent (up 0.7 points over the past year and up 3.5 points since 2010).

·         Unemployment: 1.75 million (down 210,000 over the past year and down 760,000 since 2010).

·         Unemployment rate: 5.3 per cent (down 0.7 points over the past year and down 2.6 points since 2010).

·         Claimant count (Jobseeker’s Allowance and Universal Credit not in work): 795,500 in October (down 139,100 on last year and down 699,300 since 2010).

·         Wages: average total pay rose by three per cent over the last year. Inflation over the same period was close to flat.

·         The employment rate is at the highest in our history - at 73.7 per cent of people aged 16-64.

·         Unemployment has fallen to a seven year low – at 5.3 per cent

·         There are more women in work than ever before with 975,000 more women in work since 2010, and the number of unemployed women down by 80,000 over the year.

·         Youth unemployment is at its lowest level since early 2006, and the employment rate for young people who have left full-time education is up to 74.3 per cent, the highest in more than a decade

·         Among older people (50-64), employment is up 72,000 on the quarter and 234,000 on the year to a record 8.3 million.

·         The number of long-term unemployed people has fallen by 25 per cent in the last year to 514,000 – the lowest level in six years.

·         Vacancies were at 736,000 in the three months to October, up 37,000 on the year and 274,000 since 2010.

Labour always try and tell Britain that all these jobs are part-time, insecure and poorly paid – in fact:

·         Three-quarters of the growth in employment since 2010 has been full-time.

·         Only 2.4 per cent of people in work are on zero-hours contracts. Unlike the last Labour Government, who did nothing, we have taken action to clamp down on abuses by banning exclusivity contracts.

·         Real wages are rising strongly. 

It was Labour that left people with fewer jobs and fewer opportunities:

·         The number of unemployed people increased by one million in Labour’s last term in office.

·         The number of people on unemployment benefit rose by 82 per cent in Labour’s last term.

·         Youth unemployment rose by 45 per cent under Labour – meaning young people were not getting the skills they need to get on in life.

·         The number of households where no member had ever worked nearly doubled under Labour.

World diabetes - the importance of the flu jab

World Diabetes Day - Get A Flu Jab

This week's World Diabetes Day (14 November) is a timely reminder to all those with diabetes to protect themselves this winter with a free flu jab.

Those with diabetes (types 1 and 2) have a hard time fighting flu if it’s caught.  The virus can put added stress on the body affecting blood sugar levels.  Even those who manage their diabetes well can be at risk of serious complications from flu, resulting in hospitalisation and in some cases it can be fatal.

In 2014 the number of people diagnosed with diabetes in the UK grew to more than 3.2 million.  It’s likely we all know someone with diabetes who we want to be safe and well over winter. 

Dr Christopher Browning, a GP in Long Melford and chairman of the NHS West Suffolk Clinical Commissioning Group said: “Catching flu can make diabetes worse because the immune system is less able to fight infections.  This can make it harder to control your blood sugars, causing them to rise or fall and increases the chance of serious health problems, such as pneumonia.  

"To be fully protected you need to be vaccinated every year because the virus can change and the previous year's vaccine may not offer the right protection against the virus in circulation this year. The flu jab cannot give you flu as there are no live viruses in the vaccine.

"I would urge all those with diabetes to make an appointment with their GP practice for their free flu jab."

For more information visit the Healthy Suffolk flu page

http://www.healthysuffolk.org.uk/healthy-you/flu-vaccination/ 

​​

• World Diabetes Day is a global diabetes awareness campaign that focuses on particular themes for education and prevention - http://www.diabetes.co.uk/World-Diabetes-Day.html

Ipswich Vision Promoted and Ben in The Pub

Herewith latest article from Ben Gummer

Please note that Ben is in the pub this evening to talk to residents with local conservative councillor Lee Reynolds - details at the end of the article:

Every year, the unglamorous convene in the capital of glamour when property developers descend on Cannes, the jewel of the Riviera.  OK – that’s a little unfair on property developers but the contrast is not lost on the legions of property-connected people who make their way to the south of France every year.  Architects, international estate agents, landscapers, developers, construction executives, planners, urban environmentalists – anyone who is anyone in big property goes to Cannes for this jamboree.   What’s it all about?  It’s called MIPIM and it’s a bit like the motor show for property: from development companies seeing opportunities to the big architect firms showing their latest plans, it is an opportunity for property people to see and be seen.  Lately, another group have come to this show – and in increasing force: cities.  Rio, London, New York – they put up enormous stalls to show the world big land development opportunities and invite people to invest.   Now MIPIM has come to London.  No sun in Olympia but the opportunities are as big.  This show, made especially for Britain to show itself to the investment world, was something we knew precisely nothing about until a brilliant government official suggested to the Ipswich Vision Board that Ipswich should go.  That was in July, with only three months before the stand had to go up.  We pondered for about thirty seconds and then threw our hat in the ring.  The Borough and County Councils cashed up and the Local Enterprise Partnership, representing local businesses, helped to bring it together.  Last week, I went along to see how it was all going.   This is where you will be proud.  Amongst stalls for Leeds, Manchester, Sheffield, Liverpool, Cardiff, the Scottish cities and London boroughs was our stand.  Why would it make you proud?  For three reasons: first, it looked very good, despite the short timescale that the team had to bring it together; secondly, it showed to terrific effect the amazing opportunities our town has to offer – great even by the standards of far larger cities elsewhere in Britain – just as I and others have been banging on about for so long; and thirdly, because it was a genuine team effort.   We all know the difficult relationship that has persisted – for decades – between our county council and our borough.  But recently, in large part because of the Ipswich Vision, the two have worked with a closeness that has surprised everyone, including the councils themselves.  Both are collaborating with the LEP, which is proving itself a real force for good in our town, county and Anglian region.  Some of us are from different political parties but all of us are working together for the town.   Is it some comfortable charade?  When we started this process back in May, it was clear that the old feelings of distrust were still raw: I, as much as anyone, was guilty of that fact.  But since then, through working together, we have formed a genuine partnership that is already delivering results, one of which is that when we now meet – as in MIPIM – it is as comrades in a common cause.   One thing that I had never anticipated in this great crusade for the renewal of Ipswich is that it would make our politics and our relationships better.  Yet that is the first thing that has happened, which is a marvellous thing for the town.  Long may it continue, because we will be able to encourage people to invest in our town, making it better for everyone who lives here now.  Our presence at MIPIM helped that goal come closer, even if Olympia is less glamorous than Cannes.

Ben In The Woolpack This Friday (6th November) I will be in The Woolpack from 19:30-21:00 with local Councillor Lee Reynolds. Please come along to discuss any issues you might want to raise. Welcome to Ben's regular newsletter. If you have any comments or concerns, please get in touch with my team.  Email: Ben can be contacted directly at ben@bengummer.com Ben's office address is: 9 Fore Street Ipswich IP4 1JW 01473 232 883