Labour Party | Karen Bruce

New Year message for 2012

Carlton, Labour Party, Leeds City Council, Liberal Democrats, Older People, Oulton, Rothwell, Woodlesford Comments Off

Jan 052012

Councillor Karen Bruce and Rothwell Labour campaigner David Nagle I’d like to start by wishing everyone in Rothwell, Woodlesford, Oulton and Carlton a very happy New Year!

So 2011 was a fantastic year for the local Rothwell Labour Party team. On Thursday, May 5 I was proud to help to make history for the local party by becoming the first Labour councillor to be elected in Rothwell in the 21st century, defeating Steve Smith, the sitting Liberal Democrat who had represented Rothwell for the last eight years. The results were Labour Party 2889, Liberal Democrats 2365 and Conservatives 1018.

People of Rothwell, Woodlesford, Oulton and Carlton put their faith in me and I pledged to do my best for local people. It’s been hard, being the only Labour councillor when there are two opposition councillors, but local people tell me they think I’ve got off to a great start working hard on their behalf. Some of the biggest issues have been successfully lobbying the council and working with the Labour team to save Dolphin Manor and fighting to keep the Victoria and Reservoir allotments in Rothwell.

I’ve been contacted by many individuals and community groups and have been able to take up local issues on their behalf, as well as holding my popular advice sessions in Morrisons (at 10:30 every third Saturday in the month) and attend many residents and community meetings throughout the ward. The first six months provided me with the opportunity to forge even stronger local links between the Labour Party and the community.

It has been great to be involved in so many great community initiatives such as launching the Woodlesford Park Fun Day organised by the Woodlesford and Oulton Action Group, working the local Rothwell neighbourhood police team, taking part in the Rothwell bible readathon, lighting the Rothwell bonfire, attending the Remembrance Sunday service, helping to save the Rothwell Christmas lights . And it is a good job I had an early summer holiday as August was also busy.

I’m also busy with lots of official council meetings and committees such representing Rothwell on the Leeds City Council outer south area committee.

It was also a big year personally with my little girl starting at Carlton school. I was a very proud mum taking her to school on her first day – she’s loving it and it’s great to see her coming on wonderfully with her reading, writing and sums already. My husband Stuart has changed direction with a more independent career concentrating on some really interesting projects which means he is spending more time at home with our daughter. It has been an excellent Christmas with a little help from Santa of course and the school who helped to make it special for the children.

Pam Clarkson and her wonderful team of helpers once again put on a wonderful Christmas Dinner on Christmas Day at Blackburn Hall to make sure no local person missed out on Christmas day celebrations and I was pleased to give a MICE contribution towards the event. I was delighted that Pam was honoured on ITV’s Text Santa at Blackburn Hall and that ITV helped make the occasion even more special. I really enjoyed going on Christmas Day with my husband and daughter to chat with everyone who came for their Christmas dinner, which looked great, along with carols from Rothwell Temperance Band.

I look forward to working even more closely with local community campaigner David Nagle as he fights to win a second seat for the local Labour Party this May in the local elections. David is a hard worker and has already been busy taking up issues on behalf of local people.

If you’d like to help me, David and the local Labour team work for our local area then please get in touch.

Update on Dolphin Manor care home, Rothwell

Family, Health, Housing, Labour Party, Leeds, Older People, Rothwell Comments Off

Nov 302011

Dolphin Manor Rothwell The news that we had saved Dolphin Manor from imminent closure was reported in last month’s edition of Rothwell Record. As a result of local people’s hard work a new proposal was developed to create a new social enterprise company that could become responsible for running Dolphin Manor in the future. This was as a result of me lobbying both the leader of Leeds City Council Cllr Keith Wakefield and Cllr Lucinda Yeadon, Executive Board Member responsible for adult social care to persuade them to back the social enterprise plan and we have gained the support of the council in our bid to be allowed to put together a plan to run the care home locally.

Making sure the momentum is kept up at Leeds City Council level myself and James Normington, the local Labour Party member who is taking a lead the social enterprise plan, went again this month to see Councillor Lucinda Yeadon, the executive member for adult social care, to explain how the plan will now develop. It was agreed that enough time should be allowed to enable a full plan to be developed and that this will be more than a year until the practical proposals would be ready to be put into place. A local steering group has now been set up to put the plan together for the council to approve and it is hoped to have it in a position to run in April 2013.

I’m delighted that local people are being given the chance to save Dolphin Manor by setting up the social enterprise. I have every faith that the commitment and hard work of local people can make this plan work. The hard work has already started to create a practical social enterprise that will keep Dolphin Manor open for residents and for future generations in Rothwell.

Philip Gould tribute

Campaigning, Labour Party Comments Off

Nov 072011

My thoughts go out this morning Philip Gould’s wife, Gail Rebuck and daughters, Georgia and Grace. Philip Gould, who was a key strategist and adviser to the Labour Party and former prime minister Tony Blair, has died from cancer. at the age of 61 yesterday.

Blair paid tribute to Lord Gould:

an "indispensable" member of the political team that secured three election victories.

He was Labour to his core, and today, as the Labour party, we mourn for one of our own.

He was rightly known as a path breaking political strategist. His friends will also remember an extraordinary human being: warm, funny, engaging, deeply emotional and loving to all those he knew.

Nowhere was he more extraordinary than in the final years of his life: battling his cancer like a political campaign that could be mastered and won, then accepting death with courage and bravery.

His contribution to Labour politics was enormous. His work and commitment helped change the lives of millions of his fellow citizens for the better.

Council is outbid for Victoria allotments

Environment, Labour Party, Leeds City Council, Liberal Democrats, Rothwell 1 Response »

Nov 052011

Local Labour Party campaigner David Nagle and Councillor Karen Bruce inspecting the Victoria allotments site

Late yesterday afternoon I received the devastating news that Leeds City Council had been outbid in its attempt to buy the Victoria Road allotments. All that I know at the moment is that despite the council putting in a very competitive bid somebody else offered more and that the higher offer has been accepted.

Ever since I discovered the allotments were up for a sale I’ve been lobbying council officers, the leader of the council and the executive councillor in charge of leisure to ensure the council bought the allotments to protect the allotment holders.

The site has been leased by the council from the estate of Lord Mowbray since 1908 and has been used as a community allotment ever since. We still don’t know who the new owner is going to be and what it or they plan to do with the site. My priority will be to work with the local community, allotment holders and local Labour Party campaigners to ensure that the land can continue to be used as an allotments for ever.

It won’t be easy for the new owner to develop the land or change its use as that will require them to get planning permission which won’t be easy to obtain. In Leeds we have something called the ‘Unitary Development Plan’ which is basically the framework and rules that have to be followed in making planning decisions. The plan says that land that is currently used for allotments can only be changed if their is an alternative site available locally or that there is already sufficient green space. This means any initial planning application for say development of housing is likely to be be turned down/refused.

However, the danger is that the owner can appeal this decision and then the decision will be taken nationally. The Conservative/Liberal Democrat government is currently ripping up the planning law that protects our environment and the likely result could be to make it easier for developers to build new houses on previously protected land.

But the important thing is we’re not giving up. I’ve already got the support of Councillor Adam Ogilvie, the executive board member for Leisure, who said: “It is very unfortunate that the Victoria Allotments have been sold to another bidder, despite the very competitive bid which was submitted by the Council. However we are determined to do all we can to convince the new landowner that the area should remain as allotments.”

Update on Victoria allotments, Rothwell (karenbruce.co.uk)

New Rothwell ‘drop in’ advice sessions take off

Community safety, Crime, Environment, Family, Housing, Labour Party, Rothwell Comments Off

Sep 172011

This morning I held another of my new style councillor advice sessions, which I started back in June, in the foyer at Morrisons in Rothwell. It was a good session with many local people stopping to talk about a range of local issues. PCSO Niccolo Sto Tomas joined me so he could help constituents with any issues concerning crime or anti-social behaviour. The sessions are proving popular with residents many who perhaps wouldn’t go out of their way to go to a traditional councillor’s surgery but who appreciate that I’m there and available to talk to in passing to raise any concerns whilst they go about their daily business. I received some lovely supportive comments like “it’s about time we had a Labour councillor in Rothwell” and “I voted for you”. Whilst it’s nice to have such comments as the elected representative for Rothwell I am available, of course, to all my constituents in Rothwell, Woodlesford, Oulton and Carlton whenever they may need help or advice. It was good to talk to constituents who were off to do their shop or had just finished their shop, then it was time for me to go into Morrisons with husband Stuart and daughter Esme for our shop.

Latest news on Dolphin Manor

Health, Housing, Labour Party, Leeds City Council, Older People, Rothwell, Social Care Comments Off

Aug 252011

Yesterday I had a busy day of council activity. I spent the morning catching up on paperwork and case work to help local residents and then in the afternoon was out and about with lots of meetings.

First I went into Leeds to the Civic Hall where I had yet another meeting with Councillor Lucinda Yeadon, the executive member for Adult Social Care to further discuss the possibility of how Dolphin Manor in Rothwell could be saved. I’m really enthusiastic about the proposals to run the home as a charitable trust – put to Lucinda last month by James Normington (another Rothwell Labour Party member) and myself. I’ve also had meetings with Councillor Keith Wakefield, the leader of the council and other executive board members to ensure they understand the importance of Dolphin Manor and seriously consider the proposals put forward by James.

After that I dashed back to Rothwell for a wonderful visit to Dolphin Manor where I’d been invited to enjoy afternoon tea. Some delicious scones were served and I had another lovely chat with residents and staff – it was lovely to see them all again. Visiting her gran there was Tracey McAndrew (better known as Nell McAndrew) so I also had a good chat with her, she is very supportive and offered to help in our efforts to try to save Dolphin Manor.

As a newly appointed member to the board of Aire Valley Homes I also had a good meeting with Simon Costigan, the chief executive. It was interesting to catch up with what’s happening with the ALMO and to find out a bit more ahead of the board meetings.

Overwhelmed by messages of support

Campaigning, Labour Party, Rothwell Comments Off

May 082011

I’ve been overwhelmed by the amount of good wishes and congratulations on our Labour victory in Rothwell on Thursday – a huge thank you to everyone who’s left messages, phoned, sent texts, emailed, on Facebook and on Twitter. It’s great that we can all share in the good news after working hard for several years to win back Rothwell for Labour. These are just a small selection of the messages of support I’ve received, Thank you everyone.

Some Facebook messages of support

It was fantastic to be congratulated in church this morning, Esme and I usually attend Rothwell Baptist Church on a Sunday – the very place where the count took place. There’s loads going on at the church and as well as there being a great bunch of people, all kinds of community groups and events take place in the great new building.

Carnival in the air in Rothwell

Campaigning, Carlton, Labour Party, Rothwell Comments Off

May 022011

Karen Bruce and Esme at Rothwell May Day fair 2011 Had another great bank holiday weekend in and around Rothwell. It started on Friday with an official road closure outside The Unicorn in Carlton for our very own street party to celebrate the Royal Wedding. There was loads going on including \ barbeque, home made cake stalls, hook a duck, fun fair rides for the children and several live bands playing in the car park with a vegetable delivery lorry from Dobson’s pressed into service as a stage. The first band on was Defender, which was not only surprisingly good but had the added bonus that the dad of one of Esme’s friends was playing bass guitar. And what else would you expect in the jewel of the Rhubarb triangle than the Rhubarb Olympics – our daughter Esme made a valiant effort in the Rhubarb chucking managing to at least hit the bucket and being rewarded with a commemorative William and Kate china bell!

Saturday and Sunday saw more #labourdoorstep with us out campaigning in Rothwell, delivering leaflets and talking to people about the local elections on Thursday. It’s so inspiring to see how riled people are at what the Liberal Democrats have done to them. It’s interesting to see that it’s not just Labour and Liberal Democrat voters who are angry, but even some Conservatives. I met one woman who traditionally votes Conservative in the general elections and Liberal Democrat in the local elections – she was saying how she couldn’t bring herself to vote for either the Tories or Lib Dems as she was disgusted at what the coalition government are doing and in particular she was worried about her three grandchildren and whether they would be able to go to university at £9,000 a year each. It was also great to hear so many local people saying they’ve already voted for me with their postal votes, many making a point of coming out of their homes to tell me and other Labour members whilst out campaigning.

Today it was more campaigning this morning, swiftly followed by the Rothwell May Day festivities. The highlight for me was bumping into and talking to so many people I know, both friends and voters that I’ve met while out campaigning. The highlight for Stuart, my husband, was probably the traditional Punch and Judy show – something you rarely see these days. It also appeared to enthral Esme who especially loved it when the crocodile came on. But the real highlight for Esme was her ride on a little white donkey called Sally and having her face painted as a ladybird. I thought the Morris dancing was great as well!

Rothwell local election campaign gains momentum

Campaigning, Education, Elmet and Rothwell, Labour Party, Leeds, Rothwell, Young People Comments Off

Apr 102011

Another fantastic day on the campaign trail in Rothwell, we’re getting a fantastic response! It’s been a busy week campaigning, including with John Healey. the shadow health minister, door knocking in Rothwell on a beautiful sunny day! The campaign is very positive and upbeat. Time and again people are telling us that they want to send the Lib Dems a message as they feel totally let down by their blatant betrayal of the very people that voted for them. On so many issues from VAT to EMA and tuition fees and of course the NHS and even cutting winter fuel allowance for the older people who need it most. People on the doorsteps of Rothwell are telling us loud and clear that they won’t stand for such double standards.

One example is a guy who I remember speaking to before in a recent election who had told me in no uncertain terms that he wasn’t voting Labour, but he was voting for the Lib Dems. He is now very angry at the Lib Dems and told me that he thought they were nothing more than ‘opportunist’. He also told me that he has so far been impressed with Ed Miliband and he thought that I would make a great hard working councillor for Rothwell and he would definitely be voting for me on May 5.

I want to say a big thank you to everyone who has chipped in to help with the campaign so far – I really appreciate it!

Thanks to Leonie Mathers for the great photo of some of the team with John Healey.

Rothwell Labour fighting for local people

Campaigning, Carlton, Environment, Labour Party, Leeds, Liberal Democrats, Oulton, Rothwell, Tories, Woodlesford Comments Off

Nov 182010

I’m very excited to have been chosen by Labour Party members in Rothwell, Woodlesford, Oulton and Carlton to be their candidate in the May elections and helping to take Rothwell Labour Party into a new era. This is a very serious job for serious times.

These are tough times and there will be tougher times to come - at the top of my list of priorities will be fighting to protect local people against the Conservative and Liberal Democrat government’s cuts. The most vulnerable in our community must be protected from the savage cuts which will be imposed on to Leeds City Council.I will do everything I can to protect local older people, those with disabilities, our young people and our children – in fact everyone who relies on our essential public services.

I am already fighting to protect our local environment where there are threats to our local area such as the Yorkcourt Properties planning application on Newmarket Lane towards Methley and potential development on Oulton Hall Estates land. Local residents can be assured that Rothwell Labour Party will always fight to protect the greenbelt.

I know from speaking to people locally that many feel that they have been ‘sold out’ by the Liberal Democrats as when they voted for them they weren’t voting for a Conservative government, but that’s what they’ve got along with the most savage cuts ever. Rothwell Labour Party understand how people feel and we are on your side!

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