Kent MP Tracey Crouch gets tough on drinking

A group of MPs led by Chatham MP Tracy Crouch, have concluded that drink-driving rules should be much tighter than they currently are, also suggesting prices increase again, is it me but it always seems that poorer people, have to take a disproportionate amount of blame and punishment for everything, since dare I say  MPs who come up with these ideas are no doubt considerably better paid than your average working class so such proposals are meaningless

Still that said the proposed drop from 80 mg to 50 mg grams per hundred millilitres in the blood alcohol level seems like not a bad idea to me, as in my industry we have a much lower level of 35 mg and frequent random testing, perhaps that is an element that also should be bought in with a lower blood alcohol level. 

Such proposals always a bring about fears of the nanny state however anyone who's ever visited the A&E department at the Margate hospital during the weekend, or for that matter any nights would appreciate that maybe we do need a lot more education on sensible drinking. 

Still if you read press reports they will focus on the drink driving aspect but if you would like to click here and read the report from the All Party Parliamentary group on alcohol misuse it offers some sensible suggestions, concerning educateing people, protecting our children from marketing, as well as placing warning advice on labels for alcoholic beverages to deliver a public awareness campaign on alcohol related issues.

Anyone fancy a drink you might need one if you're going to read the 11 page report.

Police commissioners who needs them?

The answer controversially is we do, we need someone awkward enough to tell, Kent's senior police officers when things are clearly in need of improvement, now don't get me wrong I'm not anti police as a default position but there have been times in the last few years, when I've thought who holds our Kent police to account, when things go wrong.

Well some would say that the Kent police authority, has held that role, and I would say that rather than a regulator, they've acted more like a fan club or supporters club. On the whole Kent police officers are as far as I can tell, in the main honest people doing a tough job, not a career many of us would be suited.

Still from time to time, there have in my opinion been times, when Kent police have got things badly wrong, such as heavy handed treatment at the climate camp, at Northfleet, a few years ago,along with other questionable occurrences.

It is my impression that over my years, of looking at events in Kent, that on the odd occasion Kent police, have shown themselves to have let us down, no big deal really, but I just wonder if members of the police authority, have ever held the chief constable to account, in any serious way, such that the post holder has had consider revising their CV.

It's fair to say that, as it has been reported in the local press, there is little public awareness, that in November, elections will take place for the new PCC position. Interestingly for me came news last week, that the current head of the police authority Anne Barnes, who has after devoting some considerable criticism of new police and crime commissioner role, has now decided to become a candidate.

Still my biggest criticism, of the current police authorities, is the question of what do they actually do, back last year I wrote how Kent police had concluded that thirty percent of reported rapes were in fact non crime, it seemed rather an extraordinary idea that almost one in three women would, go to their local police station to report a fictitious rape.

I think at the time, this was met with some disbelief in the community and yet as far as I can tell the police authority did nothing, apart from forget about it, Kent on Sunday, this weekend highlighted the lack of interest in the police crime commissioner on the front page and sadly reporting a ten percent rise in sexual offenses, could all this be related?

Maybe it's a question Anne Barnes could answer during her campaign for the commissioners job?

Finally if any one has a few grand to spare I wouldn't mind standing myself.

HACKED OFF - WHAT DOES KENT PRESS OFFICE DO?

The thought occurred, not for the first time, just what the hell do Kent Councils Press Office do? 

What prompted this? some long time ago, as a regular blogger, commenting on matters in Kent on my original blog Bignews Margate, I often felt the need to comment on some of the more note worthy issues that are dealt with by the county council in Maidstone, and for reasons of accuracy I have from time to time felt it prudent to check or at least attempt to check facts with the counties well resourced public relations department.

As you can appreciate, numbering readers probably in the tens or hundreds, rather than thousands and perhaps hundreds of thousands of say the KM's, KOS and Kent Regional News, I don't expect to be taken too seriously but I do expect a bit of courtesy.

Much as I can tell readers of my Bignews blog are either fellow bloggers, nutters and or local politicians with sweat FA better to do with their lives.

Anyway what has prompted the the launch of this new blog, well I'll tell you, whether you need to know or not, its my view that Kent County Council does it's upmost to keep, local taxpayer in the dark, over matters which they wish to keep "confidential".

Consistent with that view, is the lack of a response to an inquiry I recently made concerning, KCC's legal department, I sent an email a couple of weeks ago and nothing, not even a curt reply, telling me they're unable to help.

So this afternoon I thought I'd ring, and spoke with someone who only give a first name, I commented that I didn't think KCC had to indulge in MI5 levels of security, still since they had no sense of humour I shall refer to them as R, in passing I suggested to R that the Press Department of KCC were generally unhelpful which was fiercely denied, I pointed out that colleagues of R had frequently, said they'd reply and rarely did. 

Still a promise has been made to answer or get back to me this afternoon, I will of course let you know. I know that London is pretty much under occupation with the Olympic Organising Committee and Locog given emergency powers but what the heck is going on in Kent that the press office cannot answer straight questions.

Anyway here's my original email, Eyes only! Careless talk cost lives! Loose lips sink ships! and all that Malarkey Oh and facts embarrass politicians.

My email dated 9/7/2012  to pressoffice, Geoff.Wild 


Hi 


I spoke with E H (redacted) ( not sure I've got that right), earlier, I wonder if you could explain how Kent, or it's community benefits from having a legal practice of over a hundred lawyers, as reported on your web page.


I'm sure, Kent needs a legal team, perhaps you could include in your reply, examples of how residents have been helped and what financial contribution accrues to local taxpayers.


cheers tony flaig Bignews Margate 


Finally if they let me know I will do my best to let you know, it's not like I asked why Jane Clarke ( a previous boss of PR) had to take KCC to an employment tribunal, which they surprisingly settled out of the public domain. Still maybe that's my next post.