Elderly couple and insurance claim

I am absolutely over the moon that I managed to get DAS insurance to write off over 3,500 pounds they were demanding from a couple in their 80's. The gentleman was tearful when I told him the good news. This is what is really important making things happen that really matter to people's quality of life.

I am touched by the letter they wrote to me that said they could now sleep at night because I cared. It really does bring a lump to my throat. I was determined to win this case for them though because I thought of my own Mum and Dad and how worried they would have been.

Post office closures

The list of the Post offices scheduled for closure has now been out for a week. It has been really busy getting leaflets through the doors of those people most likely to be affected. Of course, as always it will be the elderly and most vulnerable who will lose out.

I have already held public meetings in Flushing and Truro - covering Flushing, Malpas, Uplands and Killigrew Street Post offices. Tonight I have arranged a meeting for Bar Road and Killigrew Street in Falmouth.

The post office has been systematically run down by both Conservative and Labour Governments. Under the Tory government 1992-1997 4 post offices a week were closed. It's interesting to see them campaign now locally to save them. Having been in politics in Cornwall for many years I have a long memory.

In reality it's probably true to say that it is the London centric view that Governments seem to take. Someone sits in a room and draws lines on bits of paper and says shut that. They probably wouldn't know how to get to Flushing so wouldn't realise that for a pensioner to go to Mylor Post office would mean a wait of 3 hours for a bus. And where would you wait in the wind and rain?

I have read up a lot on our policies and agree that in order to get the structure right (or more will be closing in the future) we must look at Royal Mail and sell some of its shares. That funding could then help restructure the post office network and allow some innovative ways of growing the business. Please read on below

Investing in the Post Office network
4.0.1 The investment fund that would be created from the sale of shares in Royal Mail will give
the Post Office the opportunity to enhance the branch network, open new branches and develop
new business.
4.0.2 The Post Office has already developed a number of commercial products for sale through
its branches, such as telephone services, insurance, travel services, internet access and even the
sale of flowers. These are welcome and since many have been developed in conjunction with
commercial operators, it illustrates the desire by many companies to have a presence in high
streets and town and village centres without having to maintain their own network.
4.0.3 One of the biggest growth areas in the mail and parcel market in coming years will be
the delivery of goods bought over the internet. Outside the Royal Mail Group, the Post Office
will be free to enter business agreements with other businesses in the mail sector. Branches could
act as mini-depots for the collection of parcels which could not be delivered for whatever reason
to the recipient’s home.
4.0.4 We further believe branches should be free to enter into business arrangements with other
firms on a branch by branch basis. This will require some degree of loosening of central control
by Post Office Ltd.
4.0.5 Nevertheless, we wish to see a number of changes introduced to ensure the vitality of the
Post Office network and to make use of the investment fund:
There should be a new statutory obligation on the Government to maintain the
network, recognizing its important social function. A framework for the network
would be set for a specified period of time - perhaps five years - which would set
out the number of outlets and service requirements.
Where there is a gap in the Post Office network, particularly in deprived areas, the
investment fund will be used to open new branches.
A wide range of services should be available in branches throughout the network.
These could include payment of vehicle excise duty, passport checking, bureau de
change, Government information services via computer terminals, banking and
other financial services, developing the police’s trial scheme (currently under way
in Norfolk and Scotland - reception points for reporting crime, anti-social behaviour
etc). Sub post offices could also act as agencies for the sale of tickets for bus and
train travel, theatres, cinemas and concerts and for adult education services. It is
entirely wrong that when the Government is preparing to open 70 new passport
offices across the country, Post Office Ltd, which wanted to bid for the contract, was
blocked from so doing.
Particular emphasis should be given to low income and deprived communities, with
the investment fund being used to support partnership arrangements between the
post office and local authorities and voluntary groups and to help provide
commercial services often denied to these communities. More use could be made of
the network for council and housing association tenants to report faults for repair
and to access other council services. Each branch could be the shop front for the
government and local councils in its community. Not only the police but also health,
social services and other public bodies could make themselves far more accessible
to the public via the post office network.
12 Securing Royal Mail and the Post Office
The investment fund could facilitate the training of existing and new sub
postmasters and postmistresses and the installation of new equipment for the
provision of new services to be rolled out across all branches wishing to provide
them, such as those activities carried out for the government.
The Investment Fund could be used to maximise opportunities that the rapid rise of
internet shopping has created and thereby attract a new group of shoppers to Post
Offices. For instance, an Ebay auction service similar to that in Germany could be
introduced. This would mean that Ebay would be accessible to even those without
computers. Customers will be able to bring objects for sale to the Post Office,
complete a form, and the goods then will be conveyed to a logistics centre for expert
evaluation before being made available on the internet. The customers will be given
progress reports on the sale of the item and, once sold, packaging, payment and
delivery to the buyer will be supervised by Post Office.
It is important to make clear that the investment fund would not be a panacea but it
would create a new pool of money otherwise unavailable to the post office network.
4.1 A one stop shop for public services
4.1.1 In addition to existing Post Office services, we believe the network should have an
additional main function as the shop front or one stop shop for public bodies and a point of call
for information on public services. Councils, police, health services and government
departments could operate government services from Post Office branches. In addition, there are
many quangos which could use the network to raise their profile and give them the opportunity
to have contact with residents, such as learning and skills councils and regional development
agencies. Indeed, the network could be tasked with the job of being the first physical point of call
for such organisations.
4.1.2 Examples of Innovative use of Post Office branches at home and abroad:
Devon County Council are considering Post Offices as locations for the ordering,
collection and return of library books.
In Norfolk, ‘Partners Against Crime’ helps deliver an increased police service to rural
communities by using a local Post Office. Norfolk constabulary has piloted eight joint
police and Post Office services, in both part and full time branches across Norfolk.
Services include: receipt of messages from the public; documentation and registration of
all property handed in; acceptance of payment for speeding and car-parking fines;
checking and recording driving documents; accepting and processing licences (such as
firearms licences); holding and handing out police information leaflets and offering
crime prevention products, such as burglar alarms. A 24-hour freephone kiosk outside the
branch provides a direct link to the police. The police visit the branch once or twice a
week.
The ‘pub as the hub’ initiative with Shepherd and Neame Brewery in north Kent includes
a part-time provision of Post Office services within the pub, offering a full complement
of services.
In Singapore, Post Offices offer a diverse range of services including; insurance services,
drop off and collection points for IBM ThinkPad’s - computers and printers that need
repair, HP Print cartridge recycling programme, money orders, renewal of licences,
payment of fines and bills and gift wrappers for parcels.
Securing Royal Mail and the Post Office 13
Deutsche Post in Germany is to introduce an Ebay auction service in Berlin that will be
accessible to even those without computers. Customers will be able to bring objects for
sale to the Post Office, complete a form, and the goods then will be conveyed to a
logistics centre for expert evaluation before being made available on the internet. The
customers will be given progress reports on the sale of the item and, once sold, Deutsche
Post will supervise packaging, payment and delivery to the buyer.
Without the fund that we wish to create from the sale of shares in Royal Mail, much of the
investment needed for branches to develop new markets and products will not happen.
14

Wet,windy and Wimbledon

Just finishing watching the amazing match between Federer and Nadal.  What fantastic players!  The stamina they both have and the mental power they must be using is awe-inspiring.

The weekend has been wet and windy pretty much all the time.  Julia Goldsworthy MP and I were both at Truro train station on Friday afternoon.  One of the first approved projects for the new Convergence funds are being spent on a Loop system to allow trains to run every 30 minutes between Truro and Falmouth.  This is a long overdue development to allow more regular transport between the two towns.

Earlier on Friday Sarah and I went out delivering some leaflets in Penryn until the rain stopped us!

Oh well it is July.

Call centres

I visited an elderly couple this week. They are having problems getting their insurance company to pay up on a claim.  I read through the paperwork and as far as I am concerned the insurance company are well out of order and they are demanding money off them!  The gentleman cannot sleep and has already been in hospital for high blood pressure.  This couple are in their 80's. 

 I rang the insurance company but of course the person you want is never around - on a training course.  And no-one has bothered to ring back even though they said they would.  I expect it will be days before I get through and then they will say I can't deal with it.  

Call centres pushing you around from pillar to post.  The funny thing is they call it Customer service.  I like a real person on the end of the phone who is really trained to be able to answer the questions.

I am determined to help this couple though as it reminds me of my mum and dad and the sorts of problems they had.  It's really hard for older people to deal with stuff like this.

Penryn Bowling Club

Had a chat with Susie at the Bowling club.  At last South West Water have come up trumps and put the cap on their sewage works in Penryn.  This means that the bowlers can now play without the awful smell they have had to put up with for several years.  But it still took time and I had to call them every month to put pressure on to make them do this work.  

Anyway must ring and say thanks for getting it all sorted.  Result!

Eating croissants at the French breakfast

Last week we had a successful late morning French breakfast.... croissants, french toast etc. It was even better as we were able to sit in the garden and enjoy the sunshine.  Leigh's boys had fun kicking a football around and playing hide and seek around the trees.

Nick Clegg visits Cornwall

Great day yesterday.  Nick Clegg came down and made various visits including one to Playing Place Post office helping with my campaign to save rural post offices.  I organised a March from Carnon Downs to Playing Place post office a few weeks ago and wanted his support on this issue.  In July we will know which post offices are due to be closed.  

Mrs Williams came along on her motorised scooter.  It is for people like her that we need to fight to save our post offices as they are so important in our communities.  The local Conservative county councillor also came along and was pleased to meet Nick.  He thanked him for coming and was impressed that a national leader of a political party gave support to these campaigns.

We then went on to Tremough campus and Nick was excellent in answering a number of questions from the students.  

In the evening we all ended up at Porthtowan village hall where Arwen and Annette had organised a full sit down meal of Cornish produce with music from the Cornwall Youth orchestra.  Great!

British Telecom surcharge

Last week I visited a pensioner in Truro who was fed-up that she had to pay extra on her phone bill unless she paid by Direct Debit.  

She likes, like many pensioners, to go up to the Post Office to pay her bills.  BT don't really want her to do this - they want everyone to pay by direct debit.  If you don't you get charged an extra £4.50 a quarter for their additional costs in 'processing' the cheque or cash.  This is £18 a year that I am sure a single pensioner could put to better use.  

BT say that they are keen to allow customer's choice of payment!

It also tells us a lot about why Post offices are losing business and being forced to close.

I would love to hear from anyone else who feels they have been denied real choice.

Liberal Democrats : Post Office

Liberal Democrats : Post Office

Vsiting farmers at Allet

It's hard to think that in April last year we were basking in sunshine.  On Friday I visited some dairy  farmers at Allet.  Although milk prices have gone up over the past year by about 8p a litre this is just about compensating for the huge increases in feed, energy and fertilizer costs.  Farming is never easy.  From my days down on a dairy farm I know that.  The milking starts early meaning that most dairy farmers start at about 5.30am and go on until late sometimes working via tractor headlights in the fields in the evenings.  Paper work tends to pile up and get done in odd meal breaks during the day.  I think that many also put off doing this task as it's not always the top priority and let's face it not much fun.  

I had not seen the paperwork and forms used in recent years.  Passports for all the cows, rip out portions if the cow moves anywhere off the farm - even to a neighbouring field. Forms to fill out if they die.  Huge colour manuals on what to do in every eventuality from wildlife to goats, pigs, sheep,cows.  All of this paperwork is costly and since it is constantly being updated most farmers have filing drawers full of information from the Government.

I was interested to hear that the nitrogen free zones (NFZ's) which prevent farmers from spreading slurry during the wet winter months is causing concern.  Many smaller South west farms do not have slurry pits.  This means they usually spread slurry every day.  With the milder climate and longer growing season this has always been the case. Now some are being faced with building slurry pits at a rough cost of £50,000.  There will be no grant aid towards this work.  The NFZ's are not in place everywhere so some will lose out and have to borrow heavily to comply.  No wonder that last year 3 dairy farmers a year quit!

Meeting with Cllr Doris Ansari Chairman of Cornwall County Council

I had a very productive meeting with the Chairman of Cornwall County Council Cllr Doris Ansari and David Whalley, Leader last week. I wanted their support to back a One stop shop approach hopefully incorporating some of our post offices. Since we will be getting a new single Council it is a perfect opportunity to use innovative ways of delivering local government services into our communities.
This Tuesday there is a motion going to the full Council to back this proposal from Joyce Mepsted who is also a member of Postwatch.
I am really pleased that this is being looked at in a positive manner

Post Office March from Carnon to Playing Place

I awoke to pouring rain and gales on Saturday morning. But the planned Post office march I had organised was going ahead whatever the weather. I was delighted to see at least 70 people turn out to brave the weather to show their support for their local Post offices. In July the Post Office Ltd will announce up to 40 Post office closures in Cornwall. No-one yet knows who is on the list. A Conservative government started the closures and it has continued under Labour.
I know that the modern world means new ways of paying benefits and the use of the internet means forms can be downloaded. But why oh why not look at how services can be delivered straight to the community by using these Post offices?
It was great to see children on the March along with grandparents. Cars were hooting and people waving on the buses showing their support for our campaign. The atmosphere was great - like a carnival.
I would also like to thank Ally who was our very helpful police lady.

Chancellor delivers budget today

Today we will see what Labour are going to do in the budget. I hope that Mr Darling remembers the thousands of pensioners who are struggling to pay their heating bills.
I remember knocking on one door and waiting a long time for an elderly lady to answer the door. When she finally opened the door she said, "I'm so sorry but I thought it was my son". I was a bit concerned thinking she may be being hurt in some way. "So why don't you want to see your son?" I asked. "Oh dear it's just that I have to turn my fire on and make sure the bar is red before I let him in."
She was obviously hiding the fact that she kept her heating off most of the time. Sad to think that our pensioners are frightened of their heating bills while the energy companies are coining in massive profits.
This generation of people were taught to pay their bills before anything else.

Nick Clegg speaking at Liverpool

Nick made an excellent speech at conference. I think the thing that did it for me was his sincerity. It made me feel proud that I was in the Liberal Democrats. Politicians are clever with their words. But here was a man who truly believed in what he was saying about social justice. His ability to roam the stage with no podium or notes for fifty minutes was pretty impressive too.

Considering the vote on the Treaty of Lisbon problems of last week Nick was completely upbeat. He has the ability to keep moving forward despite adversity. I like that. What really annoys me is that the press seem to forget that the Liberal Democrats were the only party wanting a Referendum on the European constitution - do you want in or out? But the Speaker would not allow that debate. It's a nonsense because neither the Labour party or the Tories want to come out of Europe in any way. It's just window dressing and a sop to their followers - particularly in the Conservative party. This nonsense about the Treaty of Lisbon vote is just not the issue at all. But the public are only given the 30 second sound bites. It is about time this country really understood the issues involved once and for all. The silly comments people make to me about Europe. I even had one man saying that its all a huge German plot and our gold bullion was being shipped to Germany!

Car parking charges at Treliske

In November last year I visited the hospital regularly to visit my sick mother.

Every time it cost £1.70 for 2 hours duration. Sometimes I just wanted to nip in quickly to see Mum and drop something off. No-one at any time told me that there were any special rates available. I understand that there is a slight discount if you pay for a month's parking. One lady I spoke to while out collecting my petition told me that she had paid for the month's parking. Her husband had died after 10 days but no refund was given. I think this is unacceptable.

I am currently collecting a petition to allow people to park for 30 mins for 50p and 1 hours for £1. I think this is a reasonable request for those people who do not wish to pay for the whole 2 hrs session. Please let me know of any problems you have had. Thank you. Terrye

Cornwall's fire service

The full time night fire cover in Falmouth has been retained. This follows some additional funding which means that £1.1 million has been put into the fire service in Cornwall.

Throughout Cornwall all the fire stations except those at Falmouth and Camborne, are run using retained firemen. The Chief Fire Officer is undertaking a complete review of the current situation. According to the Audit Commission death and injuries from fire are at their lowest level in England since the 1950's. House fires have

shown a steady decline since 1985.

Terrye Teverson & Julia Goldsworthy on march

Two thirds of all fire stations in the country are staffed by retained firemen.

The fireservice role has changed to focus more on prevention and protection work in local communities. This has resulted in a falling level of fires generally. I understand that firemen in Cornwall are increasingly being called out to deal with Road Traffic Accidents.

Conference at Bodmin

I enjoyed going to the Cornwall conference at Bodmin at the weekend. With a new unitary council scheduled it is important to start looking at Cornwall's future and priorities.

We had some very stimulating debates on environment, housing, and the structure of delivering services in Cornwall. The latter item doesn't sound very inspiring but unless the structures are right we won't get the delivery.

I chaired a meeting on affordable housing. Kate Tregunna from Cornwall needs Affordable housing was also on the panel. I liked her comment that really the words 'second home' are wrong. A second home is really an accessory. Like a 4x4. She works full-time at Treliske doing an essential job but cannot even register for 'affordable housing' as she doesn't earn enough!

Shock statistics

A recent housing report shows that 19,000 families are on council house waiting lists in Cornwall today.

Not surprising when house prices rose a whopping 274% between 1996 and 2006 in Cornwal and the average house price in Cornwall in Sept 2007 topped £231,400. To get a mortgage on the average house in Cornwall an individual would need to be earning over £66,000 – way above the average local wage of - £19,290.
With too few affordable homes to buy or rent, households on waiting lists for homes in Dec 2006 hit 19,728, a 128.7% increase in number of households on waiting lists since 2001.
Just 1030 affordable homes to rent were built across Cornwall between 2003 and 2006, whilst 600 were sold under Right to Buy. Over 10,000 affordable homes have been sold off under RTB since it was introduced in 1980.

The number of second homes in the County is 14,427. There was a 56% increase in second home ownership between 2000 – 2006, and many local communities are suffering as a result of under-use of local services due to second home ownership. Parishes said the official figures underestimate the numbers of second homes, and that as prices rise second home buyers are now turning to new builds and non-coastal locations.

Happy New Year

Happy New Year. I am glad to have got through some of the dismal days of last year and am looking forward to 2008. Two of my daughters came home for Christmas with family and that was great. My youngest daughter is touring Patagonia in a camper van! OK for some.

On the campaign front the Save our Post office petition will be arriving on the doorsteps during January. Successive Governments fail to recognise the unpaid work done by sub postmasters. Time is money and yet many of the staff in these post offices do hours of unpaid social work filling in forms and helping people out. The fact is they provide a real link for many people, mostly elderly, in our communities.

I hope you will back our campaign.