WARRINGTON South MP Faisal Rashid has pledged to support parish councils in the south of the borough.
He recently hosted a meeting for representatives from Appleton, Grappenhall and Thelwall, Lymm, Stockton Heath, Stretton and Walton parish councils.
Faisal called the meeting at his constituency office to discuss local issues and to offer his help to try to tackle them.
During the meeting a variety of issues affecting each of the Parishes were discussed. Faisal vowed to help address the issues wherever possible.
Discussion points included problems with litter and anti-social behaviour, housing and concerns about flooding.
A number of action points came from the meeting, and Faisal and his team are now working to address these.
Faisal said: “The meeting was a great opportunity to discuss and get a better understanding of community issues from across the south of the town. It was a very positive and productive meeting. I took away a number of actions and I have been working hard to try to tackle these on behalf of my constituents.”
“I have pledged to be an accessible MP and as part of this commitment I will also be meeting with Great Sankey and Penketh Parish councillors, community representatives and councillors from across Warrington South, to ensure that I represent every corner of the constituency.”
12 Comments
Gosh an MP having meetings with constituents in his office – well done some offices are shut tightly to the public for fear of attack.
Don’t they just. And don’t forget to add apathy and disinterest to the list. Commonly known as ‘Safe-seat and don’t have try-itis’
An understandable fear too Geoff, given the circumstances of Jo Cox’s death and the preponderance of insults, threats and even physical attacks directed at females (the vast majority) – nurses, paramedics, doctors going about the normal public duties. Most incidents are occasioned by men and directed at women. Presumably because they think twice when someone their size and gender is the object of their rage?
I was only threatened twice once potentially by a shovel (it was only when the planning officer pointed this out afterwards – this explained his nervousness and we drove out of Culcheth – as the guy drove behind us until just after Taylor Park – when he turned off to presumably go back to the site that we had been inspecting – we used to get a lot of vailed threats on the planning committee) Another was by a local resident who got be by the thoat – which I reported to the local inspector who told me that I had to make a complaint at the Risley Police Station. It was dealt with to my satisfaction but the police wanted me to take it further.
Then there was the time when I was Mayor chairing the Town Hall meeting after which I got four letters of complaint, simply for trying to bring the meeting to order. One was from an individual who wrote a 4 PAGE Epic with all sorts of threat embedded into it – however he was the only one of the 4 who came to the Mayor’s Parlour and heard me out, having said this I did have at least two other occasions when we had strong words and he did undermine a lot of councillors especially women… anyway he’s no longer a councillor – the things the public don’t know that go on 🙂
I am not arguing men do not suffer from being attacked and insulted physically, but I am saying women suffer the consequences of that unacceptable behaviour to a significantly greater degree.
“Violent crime against women massively understated, statistics agency told
Crime Survey of England and Wales fails to account for nearly half the attacks on women, particularly those where victim knows the attacker, warns professor.”
Nor am I. Just that a number of male politicians in this country have also been subjected to physical attack whilst carrying out their roles, Stephen Timms being fortunate to escape with his life after being stabbed a number of times by a female constituent of his.
I agree with you when I look at local councillors who were treated badly in my time they were women but little action could be proved against the person or persons that was undermining them. Its the old question of is it the nature of politics that attracts this dort of person or how politicians or members of the public feel that they should behave either way things need to change?
Agreed, something needs to happen for this to change. I came across this extract a few months ago which reinforces the point (apologies for the length of the quote):
“Women involved in politics around the world are constrained not only by the proverbial glass ceiling, but also by the quiet threat of violence they face—and the significant challenges they may face when attempting to report these threats.
Global surveys of female politicians confirm how pervasive violence, and the threat of violence, are in the lives of female politicians. A 2016 report found that more than 44 percent of elected female representatives have been threatened in office, including threats of death, rape, beatings, or abductions. Roughly two-thirds of those surveyed reported that “several times or often” they had been subjected to humiliating remarks of a sexual or sexist nature. Roughly eight in ten of the surveyed women reported being victims of psychological violence—which includes hostile behavior that causes fear or psychological harm. Other research, based on surveys of political candidates from the U.S., UK, and Australia, suggests that female politicians are subjected to significantly more abuse online than their male counterparts. While heated political rhetoric affects both male and female politicians, these studies suggest that women bear a disproportionate brunt of abusive language and threats.”
Not always female. Stephen Timms MP attacked by a female constituent. Ian Gow MP killed. Two examples of terrorist attacks on male MP’s alongside Jo Cox. Some MP’s will always shun the public if they can get away with it
Maybe WBC should set an example an start changing the culture so that these sort of things are less likely to happen at least there are more women councillors then there used to be follow changes in the selection process which is a step in the right direction for one of the parties.
Which party did you have in mind Geoff? There is a headline in the Observer today highlighting the problems for women in the Labour Party. And there is an article written by Jess Phillips entitled “I never felt scared in my old job. As an MP I feel it every day.”
There is only one party in Warrington that went for positive discrimination and a good thing at that.