The News
Concrete or Countryside PDF Print
Friday, 07 September 2007 12:52
Released by: Tracey Crouch Date: 4 September 2007

CONCRETE OR COUNTRYSIDE? 

Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Chatham & Aylesford Tracey Crouch today announced plans to hold a referendum on Medway Magna’s proposals to build Europe’s largest housing estate in the Capstone Valley Park.

A letter will be delivered to 20,000 households across Chatham at the end of the month inviting people to take part in a consultative referendum on plans for 9000 new houses in one of Medway’s last remaining green spaces.  A ballot, to be supervised by independent scrutineers, will take place on Saturday 3 November. 

 Tracey Crouch said: “It is time to give the people of Chatham a real say in the future of Capstone Valley.  Let’s find out whether people prefer concrete or countryside. I urge everyone who receives a ballot paper to vote and let Medway Magna know what we really think of their plans”. 

Notes to Editors

1)  22,000 homes in Chatham will be invited to participate in a consultative referendum on the future of Capstone Valley  

2) Ballot papers will be delivered by Tracey Crouch’s Action Team during September.  

3) Twelve local shops throughout Chatham have agreed to hold ballot boxes for residents to return their ballot papers.  Papers can also be returned to any local Conservative councillor and by post to Tracey Crouch at 200 Canterbury Street, Gillingham, Kent. 

4) The ballot will remain open throughout October.  

5) The "count" will take place on Sat 3rd November (with independent scrutineers) and the result announced around mid-day.  

6) The "consultative referendum" is being organised by Tracey Crouch to give the people of Chatham a chance to comment on the proposals from Medway Magna to develop Capstone Valley.  The cost of the exercise is being financed by the Chatham & Aylesford Conservative Association.  

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Closure of Maidstone A&E 'will put lives at risk' PDF Print
Thursday, 23 August 2007 09:48

'The fears of local campaigners that the closure of Maidstone A&E will put the lives of seriously ill patients at risk by making them travel further have been confirmed by a study.

Researchers from Sheffield University found that the risk of death increased by 1% for every six miles travelled by a patient. This with breathing problems were most at risk. Their chances of dying were 13% if the distance they had to travel to a hospital was between six and 12 miles, but increased to 20% if they had to travel 12 miles or more. From Aylesford to Pembury is at least 18 miles and in traffic the journey can take 40 minutes by car.

'This research clearly undermines the Government's claims that closures are based on clinical needs. The campaign against the closure of Maidstone A&E has always been focused on concerns about the distance to the new unit at Pembury. I hope that the Health Secretary will now consider this study in his deliberations on the future of Maidstone A&E alongside the strength of local opposition to the proposal and rule in favour of keeping this essential lifeline for the community open.'

Tracey Crouch
Parliamentary Spokesman for Chatham and Aylesford Conservatives
 
Petition signatures to soar at kite festival PDF Print
Wednesday, 15 August 2007 20:30

Local Conservatives will be collecting signatures for their petition and handing out high-flying helium balloons to promote their campaign to Save Capstone Valley at this weekend's Kites over Capstone event (19 August).

Conservative Parliamentary Spokesman for Chatham & Aylesford, Tracey Crouch, local councillors and supporters will be at the event to raise the profile of their campaign to prevent Medway Magna building 9,000 new homes in the Valley. The number of signatures on the petition has now virtually equalled the number of homes that are being proposed and Conservative controlled Medway Council has said it will not sell any of the land it owns in the Valley for house building.

'There are enough Brownfieldsites in the Medway area to satisfy our housing needs, and we should be able to enjoy our countryside now, as well as protect it for future generations, without the threat of such development hanging over us,' believes Tracey.

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Conservatives lead call for child-friendly crossing PDF Print
Tuesday, 14 August 2007 10:22

30 July 2007 

Anxious local residents have supported a Conservative-led call for a new pedestrian crossing on Princes Avenue in Chatham.

Almost 100 signatures were collected on a petition calling for Medway Council to build a safe crossing at a convenient point on the busy Princes Avenue so that children can safely get to the Downland Park play area.

The petition, started by Conservative Parliamentary Spokesman, Tracey Crouch and Princes Park Conservative Councillor, Pat Gulvin, and was presented to a full meeting of Medway Council by Cllr Gulvin on Thursday 26 July.

'Residents have told me that they can't let their children go to the play area on their own, because they are too scared to let them cross the busy road. While there are two crossings already on Princes Avenue, they are in the wrong places for the play area and trying to cross the road ourselves on a Saturday morning convinced me something needed to be done,' said Tracey.

Cllr Gulvin added: 'Having collected so many signatures in support of a crossing I am now hoping to work with the Council's Officers to find a solutionto this problem.'

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