20th December 2015.
South Thanet Employment Charter.
Dear Craig,
Thank you for taking the time to meet with South Thanet Labour Party representatives on Saturday 12th December. As you will no doubt recall we had wide-ranging discussion. Whilst realistically we didn’t expect agreement on all points raised, you challenged us on the issue of what can be done in Thanet, and South Thanet in particular to create jobs. We believe the focus should be on the creation of secure quality employment leading to sustainable prosperity and regeneration. As our local MP we expect leadership and action from you.
We are working on a charter and will share this with you. However it must be pointed out that the stemming of any job losses will be paramount.
Since our meeting events have overtaken us all. Thanet has been hit by a number of events, which have had the impact of further weakening an already fragile labour market. In particular it is now clear that the closure of the Royal School for Deaf Children Margate has not only a marked local impact but is also of national significance.
As previously stated we will not use this opportunity to outline the impact on the children and adults that rely on RSDCM, as we believe this to be a ‘given’. It’s clearly understood that despite assertions that those using RSDCM can be integrated into mainstream education or employment that for very many this will not be a suitable or realistic outcome. On this basis we asked you to consider the wider implications. We expect to see our local MP taking a far firmer and proactive lead on this closure and the state of the labour market locally.
1. The cabinet office has announced a 1billion pound fund to support ‘worthy’ causes. Can you immediately and publically lobby for this?
2. The scale of the job losses associated with the school is industrial. 500 direct jobs lost, many more in the supply chain and many parents now unable to continue to work. Can you confirm that you are asking the DWP and the Prime Minister to intervene to put into place extra support to enable the impact of these loses to both be fully assessed and also for a full range of support for those involved to be offered? (Further job losses are expected at Cummings Power Generation and Kent Potato Company.)
3. What are you doing to protect the unique skills and expertise that are a feature of the area to ensure that these are not dissipated?
We look forward to your urgent response
Karen Constantine
Susan Kennedy
Mark Nottingham
Jane Hetherington
Simon Warley
Sonja Biggs
Stuart Atkinson
Jeff Levy
Jane Ellison
Kerry Keating
Chloe Ralph-Harding
Becky Wing
Fiona Crawford
Jodie Hibbert – Scobie
And very many more local South Thanet Labour Party members and residents.