Gillingham and Rainham’s Regular Update
Paul Clark MP A local dad campaigning for common sense
Spring/Summer 2009
Success for Paul’s GP opening hours campaign Promoted by and on behalf of Paul Clark MP. House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA. Designed and printed by Public Impact ©2009. The Courtyard, 87 Southampton Street, Reading RG1 2QU. Paid for by the Communications Allowance, House of Commons.
After years of campaigning for better access to GP surgeries, Paul checked in to Gillingham and Rainham’s new NHS walk-in centre on Canterbury Street. Paul went to the new centre to meet with staff and to encourage local people to register to use the services on offer.
checked for free, and expert help is available from the centre’s GPs if follow-up treatment is needed.
The centre is led by 3 GPs and is open from 8am-8pm every day, meaning that busy commuters can access GP services at hours of the day when previously they might have visited Accident and Emergency at Medway Maritime Hospital.
Paul said: “All of Medway’s GPs make a fantastic contribution to health services in the local area.
The Government has been putting measures in place to make sure that extra funding is available to GPs who want to open for longer. Local people can also have their blood pressure and body mass index
This new GP-led health centre is not designed to replace the traditional GP service but will instead offer greater flexibility to people with more hectic lifestyles. Many people don’t return from work until after GP surgeries are closed, and the new walk-in centre will reduce pressure on A&E services, meaning those real emergency cases are treated faster”
Paul meets Centre staff
Your MP campaigns for fair fares Paul Clark is working right across Gillingham and Rainham to campaign for common sense on car parking charges. Parking charges have risen across the Medway Towns.
Paul calls for common sense on car parking
Paul said: “For local businesses to be supported during the recession we need to see more and more people coming on to Gillingham High Street. I’ve long supported extra cash for redeveloping the High Street and I’m determined to keep that campaign going. But increasing parking costs doesn’t
Paul Clark MP – Report to You
help at all. It’s just not common sense to make local businesses suffer during a recession by literally driving their customers to other areas like Bluewater.”
If you get one, please fill it in and return it to me so we can send out the message that regenerating the High Street starts with common sense parking charges!”
In some areas of Medway, parking charges have increased by 120% over the past few years. In parts of Rainham charges have increased by 90%.
Paul’s campaign will run throughout the year and he will be holding meetings with officials from Medway Council to pass on residents’ concerns.
Paul added: “Many local people are outraged at the cost of parking. I’ll be going around car parks in Gillingham with my team, putting my campaign postcards under your windscreen wiper.
To support Paul’s campaign online visit paulclarkmp.com. You can also make comments about how the parking increases are affecting you on Paul’s blog.
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Paul Clark MP – Report to You
Local Action a Successfully campaigning against the storage of ammonium nitrate at the Docks
Gillingham
Opening new endoscopy unit at Medway Martime Hospital Paul out on patrol with Medway Police
Campaigning around Gillingham High Street for more regular rubbish collection
Working with bus companies to extend the route of the 182 bus
Regular advice surgery at the Millennium Centre
Paul is now a Transport Minister
Your Field, Your Say! Paul Clark MP has joined with local residents in Gillingham to campaign for improvements to Queen Elizabeth Field. Paul and his team have distributed 5000 questionnaires to local people, asking what improvements they would like to see on Queen Elizabeth Field. Paul is campaigning for £3 million of funding to regenerate the site into a vibrant community parkland. To support Paul’s campaign and tell him what you want to see, visit paulclarkmp.com
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Paul Clark MP – working hard for Gillingham and Rainham
Paul and local residents want to hear from you!
Paul Clark MP – Report to You
all year round & Rainham
Success for Paul’s transport campaign
Working with the community to improve Queen Elizabeth Field
Credit crunch advice surgeries at Twydall Community Centre
Winning a campaign to prevent construction of a mobile phone mast
On patrol with police officers at Rainham Shopping Centre
Campaigning for new bus stop outside Healthy Living Centre in Rainham
As well as being a local MP, Paul is also a Minister at the Department for Transport. He works all year round to give Gillingham and Rainham the best possible public transport system. Paul has regular meetings with managers at Southeastern Rail and all local bus companies. This is to make sure that concerns about public transport are taken to the very top. Asked about public transport in Medway, Paul said: “there’s no doubt that the public transport on offer to local residents has improved over the years. The trains
are more punctual, the buses are more frequent. That said, there’s still a long way to go and I’m determined to push more changes through”. Paul has run an active campaign to improve Gillingham Station, asking for extra cash to refurbish the station interior. It has now been confirmed that this money will be made available and improvements are on their way soon. You can let Paul know about your experiences of public transport in Gillingham and Rainham. Contact him on his website at paulclarkmp.com
Paul fights another airport plan Paul is fighting another plan to bring an airport to the Thames Estuary. Paul is determined to oppose this new development on behalf of local residents. For many years now politicians have tried to build an airport off the Medway coast. Concerns about environmental damage, aircraft noise, and traffic congestion have all fallen on deaf ears. Now the Mayor of London is searching for sites for a potential new airport in the Thames Estuary. Paul Clark has consistently opposed plans to build an airport in the Estuary, and he is once again leading the campaign to prevent the Mayor of London’s scheme from going ahead.
Paul said: “It’s madness. I don’t know how many times we are going to have to tell people to get the message across, but I’m here for as long as it takes. The Thames Estuary is not the right place for an airport. The Government have already committed to expanding Heathrow and rightly so. Britain needs a major international airport to compete with European countries. I’m determined to send these politicians packing, and to make sure they get the message that putting Medway on a flight path will not fly!” For more info about Paul’s campaign, visit his website paulclarkmp.com
Paul meets Southeastern boss Charles Horton
Paul Clark MP – working hard for Gillingham and Rainham
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Paul Clark MP – Report to You
Victory for Gillingham regeneration
Real Help Now from Paul Real Help Now with finances is available to people living in Gillingham and Rainham thanks to Paul’s new guide to how the Government is helping people through the recession. The booklet covers a huge range of information and copies are being distributed to homes all over our area. Paul said: I’ve put together this booklet so people have a place to turn when they need support. I am always fighting for my constituents when times get tough.
Victory Pier is the new flagship scheme overlooking the River Medway in Gillingham. Paul went down to tour the site and see how the development is progressing.
benefit of lower Gillingham residents are on target to open in September 2009. The vision at Victory Pier is to create a new sustainable ‘waterside village’ where people can live, work and play, with future phases of development planned to include over 800 new homes; cafés; bars; restaurants; gym; leisure, offices; riverside walkways and public open space.
Accommodation for over 600 students at the University of Kent, including a new Tesco Express store, and other convenience retail facilities for the
Paul said: “Most people in Gillingham will know the Victory Pier site and the plans for its future. I jumped at the chance to be given an opportunity to go on to the construction site itself. The team at Berkeley First are doing a great job and they’ve made some fantastic progress so far. It’s great to see a lot going on and a lot still to come for Gillingham.”
Paul amongst web’s top MPs As well as campaigning on the doorsteps and delivering leaflets like this one to your home, Paul is one of the leading Members of Parliament at providing information to his constituents through the internet.
The site also features Paul’s new blog covering a whole range of local and national political issues. Visitors to the website can take part in the online discussion by commenting on the blog. Speaking about the new site, Paul said: “It’s remarkable that ten years ago the internet was in its infancy, and now you have Members of Parliament providing daily updates to constituents through email. I’m receiving some fantastic feedback about the new site and the conversation on the blog is getting pretty lively. So join the crowds and make a comment on the website – In case you haven’t noticed by now, it’s paulclarkmp.com!”
Paul has launched a new website that lets constituents follow his work whenever and wherever they want. It’s updated every day and even includes a new ‘Lunchtime Update’ bulletin to constituents. Anyone reading the website can sign up to receive bitesize news about Paul’s day during their lunch hour.
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Paul has also launched his credit crunch advice surgeries across Gillingham and Rainham. The surgeries are run with the support of Paul’s caseworkers and Citizens Advice Bureau. They provide extra support to people who need help during the economic downturn. Speaking after the latest surgery, Paul said: “I have been delighted with the numbers of people who have come along to these events. It’s about providing practical, useful help during the credit crunch, and I’m not aware of any other MPs doing anything similar. We must have a few dozen people through the doors each time and every single one receives expert help from my caseworkers and the team at Citizen’s Advice Bureau.”
Paul is one of the most active MPs campaigning online
To find out the time of Paul’s next credit crunch surgery, call 01634 574261 or check his blog at paulclarkmp.com
ways to contact Paul Clark MP 1
PHONE 01634 574 261
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EMAIL clarkp@parliament.uk
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FAX 01634 574 276
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web paulclarkmp.com
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WRITE to Paul Clark MP 62a Watling Street, Gillingham Kent ME7 2YN
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VISIT one of my regular advice surgeries. Call the office for details