Tracey Crouch

There is an excellent article on the BBC website about photographers finding it harder to take pictures in public spaces and the various campaigns launched as a consequence. I was slightly amused when I tried to open the link on the page to look at the “I am not a Terrorist” gallery and a big warning sign popped up saying “Internet Explorer cannot open this page…Operation Aborted!” and then closed everything down – kind of made the point of the story!! If you can open the gallery, let me know what the pictures are like…

I have a new niece! Hannah Sophia was born on Sunday morning in Wellington, New Zealand weighing a healthy 7lbs 3oz. My brother Steve is over the moon with his first baby and I can’t wait to meet her when they hopefully return to the UK for a visit over Christmas.

Next Saturday, a photo walk will take place as part of a peaceful event to highlight the absurd arrest of local photographer Monaxle under s44 of the Terrorist Act which outlaws people taking photographs of policemen. I can’t be there as I head off for my summer break that day but I have sent a message of support and colleagues from Medway Conservatives will be there.

The Facebook event page can be found HERE but below for ease of reference is the background information to the event:

We had 32 people helping Tashi today – surely that must be some sort of council by-election record! As a result we delivered a leaflet to the whole ward and still had enough people left over to do some canvassing in Wayfield. As we regrouped over lunch it was clear that the reception towards Tashi on the doorstep is very positive but we’ve still got four more weeks canvassing to go.

After lunch I went with my sister, younger nephew and niece to see the brilliant and hilarious Ice Age 3 – they had been kicked out because my older nephew was building a hovercraft as part of his summer homework! I don’t remember my homework being that fun?

Medway Council have approved the budget for a variable message sign for Magpie Hall Road after residents signed my petition for traffic calming measures. The traffic speeds along the top of Magpie Hall Road and several accidents have been reported as a result. The residents raised this issue with me during a canvass session so I am delighted that we’ve finally got a result as these signs are proven to slow down traffic and reduce the likelihood of accidents. The new sign should be installed within the next two months.

Our Save Capstone Valley petitions have now received nearly 20,000 signatures and it remains one of the top issues raised with us on the doorstep as we continue to canvass in Luton & Wayfield. Tashi and I met local Luton residents at a coffee morning yesterday and it is clear that there is already genuine concern about traffic, school and hospital capacity so a further 9,200 houses is going to have a massive impact on the local infrastructure. So we need to keep the pressure up and make sure that the planning officials know the strength of local feeling against Medway Magna’s proposals to build in the Capstone Valley. If you have not yet signed the petition you can do so HERE.