St Albans People’s Assembly 11 September 2013
Speakers were:
Owen Jones – columnist for The Independent
Roma Mills – Labour Councillor
Tracey Lambert – Unison East Region
Roma Mills – http://www.stalbanslabour.org.uk/?page_id=818
‘Roma Mills has extensive knowledge of health provision in St Albans through her work as a lay member of the former Community Health Council. As a former portfolio holder for housing, Roma has particular expertise in housing matters and has helped many residents with housing issues.’
She spoke movingly about the devastating effects of the current ConDem administration’s policies on ordinary people including a young family with a baby whose home had been repossessed as a result of the current low wages policy we have been forced into, and who ended up with the threat of homelessness. Fortunately, she was able to help them.
Tracey Lambert – http://www.unisoneastern.org.uk/about/staff-in-the-region/tracey-lambert-senior-regional-ficer
Tracey Lambert has direct experience of the disastrous waste of money the Health and Social Care Bill has foisted upon the tax-payer as the ConDem Government continues to privatize the NHS. This really means that an enormous amount of money is wasted on such things as writing hundreds of contracts for services to be bid for. CCG’s can be hauled into expensive legal wrangles by private firms for not following ‘contract procedure’ but who when awarded contracts, then turn around and FAIL due to lack of expertise. Tracey is an expert with all the facts and figures and has ‘seen off’ at least one privateer in her recent past.
Owen Jones backed up the main points made by the other speakers and raised issues which were happening on a national scale, but more importantly, he was keen to outline the alternatives to ‘more of the same’ and this then led to members of the gathering coming forward with initial steps that could be taken locally.
Owen Jones – http://www.independent.co.uk/biography/owen-jones
The meeting was attended by an interesting cross-section of St Albans residents including some more seasoned campaigners. A consensus was formed during the meeting that something must be done. Members of the audience and the committee then agreed to carry forward various proposals and actions suggested from the floor such as supporting the teachers on 1 October for instance and attending the KONP Film event at Hatfield on 24 September.
Keep up with the latest from St Albans PAAA on Twitter – https://twitter.com/StAlbansPAAA/status/377869814494425088/photo/1
WATCOR provided the music and Introduction Slide Show.
ukgovernmentwatch 