And its not just local shops either. The last decade has seen a rapid decrease in the number and variety of locally available public services in many parts of Aberavon. Those who suffer from this the worst are those who live furthest up the valley's but it is also a significant problem closer to the town centre. New housing developments are cropping up that are quite some distance from the most basic of services. They lack a local shop, a post office, some dont even have pavements!
Developers and designers of these estates assume that all residents will have a car and can drive to access these services but that is only encouraging extra car use. And in a town where 31% of the population suffer from a long-term disability it is also impractical.
Surely we should be encouraging a fitter Aberavon, with residents able to walk to the majority of their public services thereby looking after their personal health as well as their local environment.
And what about the children? More and more small, local schools are at risk of closure due to dropping pupil numbers. With their closure comes an increase in the numbers of children being driven by car or bus to their place of education, hardly helpful when we are witnessing a dramatic rise in obese and unfit youngsters.
As Green Party candidate for Aberavon, I believe that everyone should have the choice of local public services, easily accessable to them. They should be able to walk, cycle or use a short bus ride to reach their place of work, education, and a choice of local shops providing healthy, nutritious food. They should not have to travel large distances to reach their post office or job centre and importantly they should be able to access health care locally. Why is it that when you call for health care advice outside of normal office hours in Aberavon you have to speak to someone in London or Birmingham? People at the end of the phone, hundreds of miles away, decide whether or not to send you a doctor or ask you to attend your local hospital.
Moving vital services like this away from the local area leads to situations such as one I heard of recently, where one lady in Swansea was informed that her nearest hospital was in Shrewsbury!
Lets face it - people and communities in Aberavon deserve better.
Miranda La Vey.
Monday, April 18, 2005
Saturday, March 12, 2005
So who is your candidate?
Miranda La Vey is the current Deputy leader of Wales Green Party and the Education spokesperson for the Green Party of England & Wales.
She is a founder member of the West Glamorgan Real nappy network, the campaign organizer for the campaign for a Welsh breastfeeding bill, a qualified nurse and mother of four. She currently lives with her partner and four children in Cimla, Neath.
Ms. La Vey spent a very happy childhood in Port Talbot, growing up on Baglan Moors, attending a local primary school and for a short period of time Sandfields Comprehensive School.
Most of her family still lives in the Aberavon constituency and it has always maintained a place in her heart.
“There are many environmental, health and social issues that I believe need to be addressed within Port Talbot.
As a nurse, I have many concerns about the health of the Port Talbot population.
The 2001 census figures revealed that nearly 31% of the population of the town suffered from limiting long-term illness, a figure which I doubt very much has receded since that date. The people of Port Talbot deserve more holistic health care and the industries which have created this ill health need to be made more accountable as for decades Port Talbot has been made a victim of environmental injustice. In addition, programs which encourage and educate about healthy living need to be implemented at all levels”.
“Port Talbot has a low Gross Domestic Product (GDP) compared with the UK as a whole, high and currently rising unemployment levels and increasing problems of social and economic exclusion.
As a town, Port Talbot was built upon and has relied on the steel industry and other heavy industries. These are now leaking jobs along with their toxins and it is time that cleaner, safer industries were assisted to operate within Port Talbot in order to create more sustainable employment. The town has relied too heavily on large multi-national companies and self-employment and small business has not been encouraged. The resulting unemployment when large companies cut jobs is of great concern.”
As education spokesperson for the Green Party of England & Wales, Miranda feels strongly that the future of Aberavon lies with the growing generation and the skills that they acquire through their educational provision.
“In the UK we currently have a ‘one size fits all’ education system when actually research into learning and education reveals time after time that this is a very ineffective way to teach. The Green Party believes that the practice of mass education still dominates, with increasing standardisation of a knowledge-based curriculum, and national testing. This completely disregards the importance of diverse learning styles.
“We have also become obsessed with academia, pushing all children in that direction regardless of their ability or desire. This has meant that some children who would be better suited to following a vocational path have been unable to do so and have been left feeling as if they have failed and that they have been abandoned by the education system.
“Children are a national asset, we must teach them well. We need to ensure that the education we provide is inspiring and supports the development of strong minded individuals with a desire to learn more”.
As a Green party parliamentary candidate Ms. La Vey would be campaigning for changes to ensure a healthier and more prosperous Port Talbot with improved public services.
She is a founder member of the West Glamorgan Real nappy network, the campaign organizer for the campaign for a Welsh breastfeeding bill, a qualified nurse and mother of four. She currently lives with her partner and four children in Cimla, Neath.
Ms. La Vey spent a very happy childhood in Port Talbot, growing up on Baglan Moors, attending a local primary school and for a short period of time Sandfields Comprehensive School.
Most of her family still lives in the Aberavon constituency and it has always maintained a place in her heart.
“There are many environmental, health and social issues that I believe need to be addressed within Port Talbot.
As a nurse, I have many concerns about the health of the Port Talbot population.
The 2001 census figures revealed that nearly 31% of the population of the town suffered from limiting long-term illness, a figure which I doubt very much has receded since that date. The people of Port Talbot deserve more holistic health care and the industries which have created this ill health need to be made more accountable as for decades Port Talbot has been made a victim of environmental injustice. In addition, programs which encourage and educate about healthy living need to be implemented at all levels”.
“Port Talbot has a low Gross Domestic Product (GDP) compared with the UK as a whole, high and currently rising unemployment levels and increasing problems of social and economic exclusion.
As a town, Port Talbot was built upon and has relied on the steel industry and other heavy industries. These are now leaking jobs along with their toxins and it is time that cleaner, safer industries were assisted to operate within Port Talbot in order to create more sustainable employment. The town has relied too heavily on large multi-national companies and self-employment and small business has not been encouraged. The resulting unemployment when large companies cut jobs is of great concern.”
As education spokesperson for the Green Party of England & Wales, Miranda feels strongly that the future of Aberavon lies with the growing generation and the skills that they acquire through their educational provision.
“In the UK we currently have a ‘one size fits all’ education system when actually research into learning and education reveals time after time that this is a very ineffective way to teach. The Green Party believes that the practice of mass education still dominates, with increasing standardisation of a knowledge-based curriculum, and national testing. This completely disregards the importance of diverse learning styles.
“We have also become obsessed with academia, pushing all children in that direction regardless of their ability or desire. This has meant that some children who would be better suited to following a vocational path have been unable to do so and have been left feeling as if they have failed and that they have been abandoned by the education system.
“Children are a national asset, we must teach them well. We need to ensure that the education we provide is inspiring and supports the development of strong minded individuals with a desire to learn more”.
As a Green party parliamentary candidate Ms. La Vey would be campaigning for changes to ensure a healthier and more prosperous Port Talbot with improved public services.
Welcome!
Welcome to my blog spot.
As Green Party Parliamentary candidate for the Aberavon constituency I am extremely concerned with how many people feel completely disengaged from politics. I am even more concerned, however, with how many politicians seem to keep the public at arms length, completely disregarding their opinions.
Here on this blog you will be able to follow my election campaign in Aberavon and you will find statements and news from myself and the Green Party.
You'll even be able to post comments and opinions yourself.
Please keep checking back regularly for updates.
Miranda La Vey
As Green Party Parliamentary candidate for the Aberavon constituency I am extremely concerned with how many people feel completely disengaged from politics. I am even more concerned, however, with how many politicians seem to keep the public at arms length, completely disregarding their opinions.
Here on this blog you will be able to follow my election campaign in Aberavon and you will find statements and news from myself and the Green Party.
You'll even be able to post comments and opinions yourself.
Please keep checking back regularly for updates.
Miranda La Vey
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