Another reason to abolish Key Stage Two Tests

The BBC is reporting that one in eight pupils were rewarded the wrong level in this year's end of key stage two tests. The one big flank of the political parties' argument is that the Key Stage Two tests are a consistent test to demonstrate standards across the primary phase. But if marking isn't consistent, then the results are not consistent and the league tables are not consistent. So let's abolish the tests. Let the teachers make the assessment. Create local groups to check the consistency and let us get rid of the tests once and for all.

Civic Service

Today I attended the annual Civic Mass, this year at St Joseph's Church in Leyton. There were many Mayors representing other London boroughs as well as the Chairman of Essex County Council and some councillors of the London Borough of Waltham Forest. The Principle Celebrant Father James Boothman gave the Homily. It was great to see such a large congregation in which is an obviously a very busy and proactive parish.

One way to change the BNP

So the BNP are going to ballot its members on a constitutional change to allow anyone to join the party. Maybe anti-fascist parties should encourage its members to join the BNP. If enough do they can bring the BNP quickly to its knees, but voting out the party leader, changing policy and contest elections standing up for all Britons.

Can banks learn something from local councils?

A couple of weeks ago I hadn't noticed I was sent a new bank card (to come to my own defense I had only just received a new card after my previous one had come to the end of it's life) so when I used it, it was swallowed up by the cash point machine. I couldn't access any of my money as all my accounts worked though the one card. I decided there and then I would set up a simple savings account with a card so if this happened again, I would still have access to some of my money and would remain self sufficient. Setting up an account was harder than I thought.

I first went, during half term, to Halifax where all my accounts are and asked to set up an account. I couldn't as I had to make an appointment. The earliest I could make was yesterday. Luckily I got an appointment earlier at the Abbey and so my account is set up.

I still kept the appointment as Halifax had changed the way they award interest and I had to upgrade my account. Again, I couldn't do this during half term as there were no appointments were available. This process took less than 10 minutes, but because I have only upgraded the account now, I have to wait to January before i benefit from the £5 a month! If I was able to spend those 10 minutes with a member of staff when I called in during half term, I would be get the interest paid in December. In simple term having to wait for an appointment cost me money.

I questioned this and the lady said it was because not everyone at the back was authorised to upgrade accounts. Of course having specially trained staff should mean that as customers we get better advice, but it lead me to thinking that banks need to listen to local councils

We are always quick to shout abuse at local authorities, but there is one service that is expanding fast across many councils. The idea of a 'One-stop' shop is a good one. It is where residents can into and speak to a member of staff who can deal with a number of issues. People, whether seeking advice from their local council or through their bank, should be able to speak to one person who can deal with their problem as quickly and efficiently as possible. This is not happening at out banks at the moment and one more change that needs to happen to help empower the customer.

Mayor of Sothwark's Quiz Night

Last night I accompanied Dad to the Mayor of Southwark's quiz night. We were on a table with a couple of past Mayors of Southwark, Cllr Columba Blango and Cllr Eliza Mann. Sadly, we did not win but fortunately we did not lose either.

It was a fun evening with loads of teams, too many in fact they had to house some teams in the room next door! In all over £1,400 was raised for the Mayor's charity, Help our Heroes. Another great charity with the aim of helping our brave men and women who serve in our armed forces. You can donate to the charity through the Mayor's just giving website.

BNP has nothing local to 'brag' about

I received the BNP's latest leaflet the other day. It is a glossy national one with an image of a family that they have probably purchased (the picture not the family) off the web. In the leaflet they have highlighted the 'successes' of 3/4 BNP councillors. The striking thing is that not one of the councillors is local to Loughton or to Epping Forest. Is this because they have nothing to brag about? Maybe they should concentrate on making the local area better rather than complaining about local groups who are trying to get them kicked off the local council.

Why I am voting Yes, Yes, Yes

My union, the NAHT, is currently balloting its members on 3 questions. The first is whether schools should boycott the administration of the 2010 end of key stage two tests. The second whether we want to abolish the testing and the third whether we agree with a phased reduction of the tests. I will vote Yes, Yes and Yes.

The end of key stage two tests leads to a restrictive curriculum, knocks teachers' confidence about making a judgement regarding the standards in their class and leads to a data driven society. Secondary schools do not use trust the results and often retests the children once they have entered their school.

We need to restore trust in our teachers. They know our children best and know what level they are working towards. They know the next steps and we need to empower them to make sure their assessment is valued. Rather than testing, working with neighbouring schools moderation could take place to ensure that there is consistency.

Not one of the political parties in the UK is calling for SATs to be removed from the end of key stage two. It is time for school leaders across the country to set the agenda, we are the experts, not government ministers.

We will remember them!

Across the country millions of people fell in silence to remember those who have died in battle and those who have died since who fought for our freedom. This year I went to the Remembrance Sunday service in Leyton, where Dad laid a wreath on behalf of the residents of Waltham Forest.

This is the first time our family attended the Leyton service (we attend the Walthamstow act of remembrance usually), but we all very impressed with how the British Legion organised the event and the amount of residents who turned out to pay their respects. Well done to all who were involved.

The local guardian website has more information on the service in Walthamstow here.

Remembrance services this Sunday

This Sunday people across the country will stop to remember those who lives were lost in battles across the world. With so many young men still dying in Afghanistan, thoughts will be with families of those who have lost love ones and whose love ones are still in danger. A list of services in Waltham Forest can be found here (I believe Dad as Deputy Mayor will be at Coronation Gardens in Leyton) and services in Epping Forest can be found here.

Leaked Kelly report welcomed but could be open to further abuse

The BBC are reporting that some recommendations of the Kelly report into MP expenses have been leaked. One particular proposal is welcomed inparticular, that MPs living close to London will be banned from claiming the second home allowance.

I have long argued that the second homes allowance should be based upon whether public transport allows an MP to return home rather than the distance they live from Parliament, as present. It seems that Kelly agrees with this and will form one of his recommendations.

This will will go a long way to relieve tension in my neck of the wooods. During the election campaign in June many residents couldn't understand why their MP does not commute to Parliament when many of them do day in day out.

At the moment the recommendation will be MPs can travel 1 hour. I think this is low and should be raised to 1 hour 30 mins.

However, I feel this will still be open to interpretation and could be abused further. Will an MP be able to choose a slow train (stopping at more stops) to prove that their commute is more than an hour? For instance, today I travelling down to Guildford to spend some time with my friend and my godson. The fast train from Guildford to Waterloo takes 34 mins with a 10 min walk (From TfL website) to Westminster. Total journey 44 mins. Whilst the slow train takes 1 hour and 5 mins, with the 10 min walk totalling 1 hour 15 mins. Even if you take the 2 min tube ride from Waterloo to Westminster (again from TfL website), the slow train journey will still take over an hour.

Therefore, the MP could claim her journey is over the 60 mins that is stipulated and claim for a second home, costing the tax payer another £25,000 pounds. I think this is one area that needs to be clarified when the report is out next week.

How long does it take to work out what your job is?

12 years if you are my local MP, Eleanor Laing. There have been some mutterings that Eleanor Laing is sending around a rather glossy brochure/ leaflet. I haven't received mine yet, but you can actually view it here. A few things sound out.

First of all, it leads with a headline 'So what does your MP do?'. Surely after 12 as our local MP Eleanor should know what she does. Or is she beginning to find out now that the parliamentary expenses fiasco?

Second, this is the first time we have heard from Eleanor since the last election. Each MP has a communication allowance (I will come to that next) that they can use to keep us up to date with what they are up to. Why are we only hearing from Eleanor now? Is it because the general election does not look so certain now? Is it because she has lost touch with the average Epping Forest resident?

Then to the communication allowance. See has used the communication allowance to pay for this leaflet. OK she is entitled to and I am sure there are many MPs who do use it. But most MPs also use own party funds to keep in contact all year. Why won't Eleanor do this? Is this a problem of a 'safe seat', the MP just doesn't want to know.

Now to point 2 and 3. She has known about the communication allowance before. She used £46 pounds of it on 1/07/09 for website hosting. The question now is why hasn't she used it before to communicate with the people who elected and who she represents in parliament?

One quote that she chooses to stand out is 'being an MP is not just a job, it is a way of life'. If it is such a way of life. Make of that what you like!

Epping Forest MP Survives

So the BBC, the local newspaper and local website are reporting that Epping Forest MP Eleanor Laing has survived another day and will remain the Conservative candidate at the next general election. Now it is down to the electorate to decide her fate.

For one, I will not be voting for her. I believe she has used the expenses system to her own gain. She doesn't need a second home because her constituency is within commuting distance to the Houses of Parliament. Many residents have to work long hours and commute to and from London each day, so should our MP.

Secondly, she claims the second home allowance from parliament, then designates the house as her primary residence to avoid having to pay £180,000 in capital gains tax. But then still goes on to argue she always treats it as a second home.

Well Eleanor, if you always treat it has a second home and a second home allowance from Parliament, then you should treat it has a second home for tax purposes.

Eleanor Laing has never really been a 'campaigning' MP, more of a party prob at local fetes. We need to elect a strong local candidate. My vote is for Ann Haigh. Ann has an ongoing petition to get Eleanor Laing to apologise, pay back the money and step down. You can sign it here.

Decision day for Eleanor Laing

So it is decision day for Eleanor Laing. Will the girl who Cameron refused to sack although she earned the most out of any of the Conservatives live to fight another day? Or will Di Collins get her way for second time and make a space for her son to be adopted in a winnable seat?

Let's turn off at 10:40pm tonight

So the BNP are going to get a platform on tonight's Question Time on the BBC. The campaign to get the BBC to change it's mind has been unsuccessful so the programme is going ahead. What can we do now?

Well the simplest thing is for us to turn off come 10:40pm. By watching the programme we are telling the BBC that we are eager to hear the BNP's view and this may well encourage the BBC to ask the BNP back onto the programme. Turn off and prove to the BBC that we do not want to extreme views and that there is no place for these in Britain.

Eleanor Laing: Jump, push or stay?

So our local MP's expenses have once again hit the headlines. with news that she still hasn't paid back £25,000 she decided to pay back of the £180, 000 that she profited from the sale of her 'second' home (for parliamentary expenses purposes), but sold as her primary home (for tax purposes). She still stands by this decision, forgetting the moral issue here. Local Lib Dem Leader Jon Whitehouse has a good commentary on his blog.

I slightly disagree with the Liberal Democrat view that MPs can not use their expenses to purchase a second home. I would allow this but change the arrangement so when the MP sells the second home, a percentage of the profit (depending on what the Tax Payer has paid towards) would return to the public purse. Just like Key Workers do when they get help purchasing their first home.

Anyway back to our local MP. Today her leader has said any MPs who don't pay up (Eleanor Laing hasn't yet) would not be able to stand again. Yesterday it was reported that the local Tories are holding a vote of confidence in their MP. So is it a matter of time that Eleanor Laing jumps before she is pushed or will she stay to fight another day?

100 Years of Girl Guiding

I accompanied Dad yesterday to another event to help celebrate 100 years of Girl Guiding. This time it was held at the Walthamstow Town Hall. After a lot of pressure, the local council allowed the two divisions that make up Waltham Forest to have a garden bed each to plant rose bushes to help commentate the year.

Kay Bibbey and her team did another great job organising the event. Each section was given a rosebush with a similar colour to their uniform to plant. In turn each group will look after the garden bed in the first year, helping to earn their Gardening Badge.

Kay will soon be taking some of the older guides off to Prague as part of further celebrations. Then on 20th October 2010 at 20:10 hours all the girls involved in guiding will meet again at Walthamstow Assembly Hall to renew their promise around the fountain. Keep the date free!

Update: The local guardian website now has a report on the day.

Civic Dinner

Along with my mum, I accompanied Dad to the Mayor's Civic Dinner at Walthamstow Assembly Hall this evening. It was a great evening with over 200 people attending helping to raise money for the Mayor's charities, Whipps Cross Hospital’s Big Push project and the Special Care Baby Unit.

The entertainment was great and included, a comedian (who picked on me to sing along- the hall emptied very quickly!), children from a local church singing and dancing and a raffle. A disco ended the evening. I spoke previously about the importance of real local heroes leading in the community. Well the Mayor certainly did lead the dancing, pulling up the Deputy Mayor (aka Dad) for the first dance.

Vince Cable in Walthamstow

I went over to Walthamstow last night to hear Vince Cable speak. It was at an event organised by Walthamstow Liberal Democrats to celebrate Black History Month. Vince, as per usual, was a great speaker introducing the event. He is so knowledgeable and spoke elegantly on the history members of other races settling in Britain, reminding us that black and Asian people were here long before the Windrush of the 1950s, many serving and dying for our freedom in the second world war.

Following Vince members of the black community of Waltham Forest spoke to the gathered audience. Each and everyone of them, a magistrate, a youth worker, a Gospel singer and a member of a local church, played an active part in the local community.

It brought home to me the importance of having local 'heroes' in the community. We so often criminalise our youth, of all races, instead of nurturing their dreams, guiding and supporting them enabling them to achieve their full potential. Putting in place strong local champions who can they look up to and respect is something we must all help to do.

Pot calling the kettle black

Just watching highlights of the days proceedings of the Conservative Party Conference. William Hague is making a Stirling speech, eagerly watched and enjoyed by the Tory Party faithful, busy attacking the Labour Party. More of a leaders speech rather than one in his 'Shadow Foreign Secretary' hat on.

He accuses Peter Mandelson as bouncing back. This from the guy who stepped down after failing to turn the Conservative Party's fortunes around.

Common sense for our charities

Good news! The Government has intervened to stop the 'rain tax', charges to charities and other organisations for draining away water. The Scout press release is below:

We’re delighted The Government has announced today it is going to intervene to stop Ofwat’s rain tax and introduce a sensible social water charging regime.

This announcement today will be welcomed by all community groups across England and Wales who have been frustrated by Ofwat’s failure to understand the damage and financial hardship their policies were causing to the clubs and groups that we The Scout Association, The Football Association, Lawn Tennis Association, the England and Wales Cricket Board, the Rugby Football Union and the Church of England represent.

We are therefore delighted that the Government has worked with us collectively to resolve this matter and we will be seeking assurances from all of the main political parties for wide ranging cross party support to make sure these measures become law in the Floods and Water Bill to protect community and voluntary groups which are the life blood of many communities.

Eighteen-year-old Scout Leader Nancy Ibrahim said: 'It’s great news to find out that the Minister has kept his promise to Scouting to stop the rain tax. We were really worried about where we were going to find the money to pay these charges and the cuts this would mean for our activities as a result.'

Chris Lilley, Treasurer of Penrith Rugby Club said: 'We fully welcome the news that DEFRA have recognised the contribution that sports clubs make to both their local communities and the health of all participants in porting activities through this announcement which will remove.'

General Synod Member Martin Dales said: 'With over 16,000 places of worship, Church of England parishes and cathedrals were facing an annual bill of several million pounds. Today's announcement is very good news for them. We look forward to the early implementation of what has been promised.'

The cheek of Eleanor Laing

The gloves are off and Eleanor Laing has started her re-election campaign knowing the fight will be between the local Liberal Democrats and Conservatives whenever Gordon calls the General Election. She has spoken out about the Liberal Democrat's proposed policy of taxing homeowners who live in houses valued over one million pounds. What a cheek!

This is the same MP who despite her continuing pleas that her London home was a second home for her parliamentary expenses, chose to deem it her first home when selling it. But don't worry. Despite not paying £180,000 in capital games for this 'second home' she paid back only £25,000 and kept her job when others around her were being culled by Tory leader David Cameron for using the expenses systems for claiming far less than our Eleanor.

Do I feel how a Labour member feels after the Iraq war?

Looking at the latest news, there is beginning to be a backlash to Nick Clegg's comments that the Liberal Democrats will abandon it's policy on tuition fees. Thank you God! Since the BBC reported Nick's comments last night I have been quite depressed and been at a crossroads in my political views.

I believe that education should be free to all and that education should be delivered locally and should be at least good.

The local party recently held a pizza and politics evening to discuss views and positions before conference. Linda Jack was our guest speaker and due to an injury her niece brought her. Asked whether tuition fees put her and her friends off attending university, her reply was no it was just accepted that they would leave with a huge amount of debt.

Is this what we want to nurture? Generations who are o about getting into debt and accepting that they will be paying back their fees for a long time. The same generation who will leave university, take on huge mortgages and huge amount of credit. We have seen this recently with the uptake in borrowing from banks before the huge crash.

I accept that money is tight. But as soon as the downgrade this from being a policy we lose our vision. We lose out direction.

This policy is certainly making me think whether I want to be a member of the Liberal Democrats. Let's join together and help save our policy!

It's the casual use of language with the BNP?

My usual trip around local and national news sites and local political sites saw this complaint by the local BNP. They are complaining that a local news website is not allowing them to advertise, although the local Liberal Democrats and Conservatives are. After attending the Holocaust exhibition at the Imperial War Museum yesterday, maybe the government does need to do more to protect us from fascist parties such as the BNP.

But it was a throw away comment on their website that made me investigate more:

we polled a total of 4,000 votes. Probably not much less than the Liberal Democrats

The use of the word probably is enough to put doubt in the mind, helping to making the BNP look slightly naive and the issue needing great support. In fact, looking at the actual votes cast the BNP figures just don't add up.

Across the Epping Forest District votes cast in county elections are as follows:

Lib Dem- 6921 (almost double than the BNP)
BNP- 3811

When you add the two by-elections to that total (just to help the BNP get to their total of 4,000 votes) you get:

Lib Dem- 7718 (again almost double than the BNP)
BNP- 4183

And even if you look at the European results, the BNP were nowhere near the Lib Dems.

Lib Dem- 4113
BNP- 2863

The challenge now is whether the BNP changes their report, citing the real votes that were cast.

Don't do it Nick!

With great disappointed I looked for the latest news on the BBC website and I see that Nick Clegg is thinking of dropping our policy on tuition fees. Yes we do need to look at where we can make cuts from the public purse, but allowing our young to start off their working lives with tens of thousands of debt is not what we should be doing and is part of the problem that got us into this mess in the first place.

Start of Centenary of Girl Guiding

Two engagements in one day. For the second time in one day I accompanied Dad (Deputy Mayor of Waltham Forest) to an event, this time it was a Girl Guide Party at the Michael Mallison Centre in Highams Park to help celebrate the start of the centenary celebrations of the Girl Guiding Movement.

Kay Bibbey and her team in the Waltham Forest South District did a fantastic job in organising an afternoon of fun for over 100 girls including a visit by Terry Cole and Brooks Farm as long as arts and crafts and lots of bouncy castles.

The afternoon finished a remediation of 'Happy Birthday', a speech by Dad paying a well deserved thanks to all the leaders who support the Guiding Movement in Waltham Forest and a performance by a young 12 year-old girl Jeorgia who has a great voice and an even greater aspiration of singing at the opening ceremony at the London 2012 Olympic Games.

We also met a guide who has achieved The Queen's Guide Award, the highest award in the movement. Well done!

A few interesting facts:

• Girl Guides started after a delegation of girls turned up at a London meeting of Scouts to ask Lord Baden-Powell to set up a movement for girls (now that is real girl-power)
• Girlguiding UK members could fill Wembly Stadium more than six times
• 50 percent of women in the UK have been involved with guiding at some stage in their lives
• Dame Kelly Holmes, J K Rowling and Cat Deeley have all been Brownies or Guides

Being a Scout my self, I couldn't resist helping and taking a tent down, the first time I have taken a one down in a suit! If you want to help visit http://www.girlguidinglaser.org.uk/

Great River Race

Yesterday I attended my first official engagement as Consort to the Deputy Mayor of Waltham Forest (aka my Dad). The event was a breakfast with fellow London Mayors and Deputy Mayors to watch the start of The Great River Race which started this year at the London Docklands.

The race has been going for 11 years and is dubbed the 'London's River Marathon' due to the extraordinary 22 miles from the Milwall Slip on the Isle of Dogs to Ham in Richmond (although this is quite unique as it usually run in reverse, but due to tidal patterns it was run this way this year).

Over 280 entries took place and set off in a very scientific way depending on class of boat, amount of rowers etc. Some crews attended in fancy dress and we had our pictures taken with some 'hippies' who made their way from Wales. There are over 30 trophies.

Some of the Mayors present (Mayor the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead pictures) accompanied the crews in the boats along the course, viewing some of London best sights. The chosen charity this year was The Sea Scouts.

MPs shouldn't solely benefit from selling their second homes

So Nick Harvey thinks that MPs should benefit from their taxpayer-funded second homes going against the party line set out by Nick Clegg. Yet again a politician appears to see being a MP as a way to earn a quick buck.

I have no problem with the tax payer providing the second homes allowance to MPs who are unable to commute daily from their home. However, I do disagree with Nick Harvey that MPs should solely benefit from the purchases they make.

I believe that any money used to purchase a second home should be paid back in equal proportion. This is similar to the key worker loan scheme. That way the tax-payer enjoys the benefit of a rising market, although they also share the burden if the prices go down.