Food for Thought

Politician’s argue sharpening their knives. (UB40: Food for Thought)

In less than 48 hours polls will open allowing you to cast your vote in the General election. There are eight candidates to choose from.

Before the doors open here are some things to consider.

Our incumbent MP, Damian Collins, has been in the top three most expensive MP’s in Kent since he entered parliament in 2010.

Shepway Foodbank use in 2018 saw an increase of 22.3% (yoy), or 2,082 people provided with three days worth of food. In 2017, 1,702 people were provided three days worth of food, and of this figure, 826 were adults and 876 were children. The reasons for this increase are varied but benefit changes or delays were most common along with redundancy and relationship breakdown.

The child poverty trend in our district has risen by nearly 10% in six years. All districts in Kent have shown a marked increase of child poverty across the whole of Kent.

Our local NHS trust is struggling with an underfunded A & E, according to the East Kent Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust,  Board of Directors minutes. of the 14 November 2019. The agency spend is climbing due to the challenges of recruiting permanent staff.

We have all witnessed and experienced the growing waiting times to get a GP appointment, or a dentist appointment over the last five years. Mental Health services are stretched to the limit as the waiting list grows.

Access to the local housing market in the district is an issue as the average house price is more than seven times the average household income. Meaning many will not got on the housing ladder for the foreseeable future, if ever.

Between 2013 and 2018 over two thousand nine hundred and fifteen (2,915) business have been born in our district.  However, eighty seven percent, or two thousand five hundred and twenty five (2,525) of these business have closed their doors. Eighty seven percent death rate is damning and shocking. What it shows is how we are turning more to online retailers and hollowing out our high street.

We could go on about offshore companies, the environment and the hollowing out of public services and more, but for brevity we won’t. Above are just some of the issues to bear in mind when you put your X on the ballot paper on Thursday 12th Dec.

We wish all the candidates the best of luck.

The Shepwayvox Team

Dissent is NOT a Crime