HearFromYourMP

Previous message | Messages for this constituency

Felixstowe Star Column - 5th March 2013

Posted by Therese Coffey, MP for Suffolk Coastal, at 15:08, Thu 7 March 2013:

If I talk about governance, people normally glaze over. However, good governance is important to any organisation -holding the top bosses to account, monitoring performance, using controls - to achieve its aims. This is true for any business as it is for charities, schools, councils, hospitals and indeed, national government. Particularly in the public sector, we rely on our board directors and governors to undertake that scrutiny role as indeed as your MP, I must do the same of the Government.

I have two areas I am actively monitoring - our local schools, our ambulance service and a new issue which I am taking up - health funding allocation.

The new Health and Social Care Act made a significant change to how funding should be allocated - passing public health money to councils and the money for everyday NHS needs, primarily to the GP groups. Public health is often determined by wider social issues like good quality housing and employment. It is right, as has happened, that poorer areas in the country should get more money. Going further though, the other funding should be allocated according to needs and access. The Commissioning Board, responsible for this, has decided not to make any changes. That isn't fair for people in Suffolk with our sparsely populated population, with a high proportion of elderly people. Watch this space.

I am due to meet ambulance Board members and serving staff in separate meetings this week. The Board had to respond to CQC by Friday so I would hope the report will be published very soon. We know there are a number of factors that affect performance but it is the role of the Board to assess and ensure it is improved. I hope to update you in full next week. Our schools rely significantly on the leadership of headteachers, who in turn are held to account by governors on behalf of parents, the council and the wider community. I recall from my time as governor (about ten years on and off) that too often we spent times talking on policies rather than focusing on the children and teaching. Interpreting the various data produced by the school could be challenging. However, help is now on hand for governors and indeed parents and local councillors with a new dashboard. It gives a quick snapshot, including looking at results in more detail, progress made, attendance, a split between infants and juniors - the first time this has been done for primary schools. This was launched by the Chief Inspector of Schools, Sir Michael Wilshaw, last week. I have already looked up many local schools which adds to my insight. I recommend it to all readers. You can check your school online via dashboard.ofsted.gov.uk . I am glad Suffolk County Council has appointed a new head of Children's Services and I hope she will bring an increased focus on attainment working with our headteachers and governors. If you want to be a governor, contact your school or the county council.

At the weekend, I dropped in to Woodbridge Town Hall for the Eve Appeal - which raises money for research into various gynaecological cancers. I had no idea of the extent of the issue and how many women are diagnosed, often too late for successful treatment. Congratulations to Gay Neal and her extensive committee on raising awareness and for baking all those beautiful cupcakes (one of which was my Saturday morning breakfast!)

Finally, I had hoped to be passing on the good wishes of Suffolk residents to Her Majesty in person. The Queen holds a reception for MPs once during a Parliament but for obvious reasons, that is not possible this week. I wish her all the best for a full recovery