ELECTION WEST

Apr 21 2010 by Matt Hurst, Heswall News

Labour will continue to invest in children’s centres, schools and youth provision.

Every young person will be guaranteed education or training until they are 18.

Labour will expand apprenticeships and open up opportunities for young people from families on low incomes by expanding paid internships and widening access to higher education.

I am very aware of the problems and concerns affecting young people.

I am a school governor, a committee member of a local cadets’ unit and a proud grandfather and I cannot help but worry about what the future holds for future generations.

It is a terrifying thought that they have been saddled with a national debt that will take decades to pay off.

Young people are our future powerhouse for Britain.

The best education in my opinion is based on the 3Rs and classroom discipline without useless targets.

I would direct higher education towards worthwhile qualifications.

I would also make available university-style grants to fund a proper indentured apprenticeships in local businesses.

I hope that as a parent and a businessman, I have a strong understanding of the issues concerning young people.

I believe in our education system providing the best opportunities for all.

Equally important is the need to provide small businesses with the greatest possible support to help them create job opportunities for school leavers and graduates.

When someone votes for you, they are placing trust in you and your abilities to represent them.

Over the last 7 years I’ve successfully workedwith a wide cross section of people in Wirral West fighting the closure of the libraries and leisure centres.

I would also want voters to know I’m approachable, make time to meet with people and I’m discreet.

I believe that I’m in a position to appreciate the issues that affect young people as I am a mature student at Liverpool John Moores University.

As a result, I have a lot to do with young people and I see the things that matter to them, like tuition fees and student loans – of course, Liberal Democrats want to phase out tuition fees, starting with fees for final year students.

I would like the tunnels to become part of the national road network and be funded by government from national taxation.

This would allow tunnel tolls to be removed.

I would not support funding this from council tax which would, in my view, impose an unacceptable burden on local council tax payers.

Mersey tunnels should become part of the national motorway system.

The toll charges are yet another tax raising exercise that has a major impact on our cost of living.

They do not need their own over-manned police force that appears to spend an inordinate time moving traffic cones around.Š

Tunnel fees are a direct tax paid only by users, it is a toll road in all but name.

The CommonSense solution is to give the tunnels to the government on the condition that the tolls are scrapped.

The use would increase, the queues would reduce and trade would prosper and benefit us all.

I would support moves for the tolls to be abolished or at the very least discounted heavily in order to end this tax on Wirral residents and businesses.

In the meantime, I would like to see much greater transparency in terms of exactly how the money taken in tolls is reinvested in our transport infrastructure.

The tunnels can not and should not be allowed to become a cash cow placing an extra tax burden on the people of Wirral.

I have been a strong opponent of unfair rises and excess charges that penalise the people and businesses of Wirral.

No government seems willing to take responsibility for the tunnels and unless one does we simply have to live with the tolls.

Personally, I’ve always commuted by train or bus and if I’m going further than the city centre I normally use a motorbike (I’ve never driven a car) so I’m not directly affected.