As posted previously our next meeting is from 3pm on Thursday 14 June 2012
The place is the lounge at the Eastern Good Companions Club
Le Marais
St Clement
There is car parking and ALL are welcome to attend.
We did try to post a picture here of a notice that has been appearing in States housing blocks in the Le Marais area but for technical reasons this has had to be witheld.
This notice claims that a convicted sex offender has moved into the area and names the person etc.
We think that this raises particular matters of concern that might be discussed at our next meeting especially since it relates speifically to the Le Marais area.
Before the next meeting on 14 June we will try to contact Housing Minister Deputy Green to find out what is the official policy regarding housing such persons in areas where there are children and we will also try to obtain the comments of Senator Le Marquand, the Minister at the Home Affairs Department and the Law Officers regarding the legal aspects of displying such notices etc.
SSTAG has not formed any policy on this matter but at this stage is simply making enquiries to discover information and we will be interested to receive any comments on this or suggestions for other matters to be discussed in future.
WE hope to invite specialist speakers from the Housing, Health and Social Security Department to answer questions during the next few months so please let us know which issues concern you most - and don't forget to join SSTAG if you want to be an active participant .
Membership is only £5 if you are working and FREE if not.
Sunday 27 May 2012
Friday 11 May 2012
Unsocial insecurity in May 2012
Previous interviews with Sam Lally will be found on tomgruchy.blogspot.com
We publish this update so that he can express his views on the priorities of life for him in Jersey and offer no further comments or observations here.
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We have been asked about progress and our first public meeting two days ago. Patience!
We had a successful inaugural AGM and appointed a Secretary so that we should be able to function properly over the coming months. We now have a full Committee and it was agreed that our plan will be to appoint people - States Members where available or appropriate - to lead in specific areas of concern such as Income Support, or Housing issues, or to ask questions in the States or put forward views there.
But we agreed that we prefer States Members to be more in the role of consultants and advisers and not on the Committee. We shall see what happens - because we as tenants or welfare/health users and suchlike also need active involvement from them and we want to be effective as a lobby group - just as lawyers, estate agents, accountants, doctors and dentists atc all have their own effective voice.
The general discussion part of the meeting was extremenly good inspite of a poor public attendance (about a dozen for the benefit of those who have asked).
Six States members attended - including three Constables - so perhaps Senator Bailhache has the right idea after all. We aren't proposing to join that particular discussion but it made us think about how we shall have to extend the scope of our work into the country parishes too. An informal suggestion was made that perhaps the Constables Committee might be better used in this respect.
As we expected, several people had specific matters to raise about their own circumstances or experiences and it is always useful to be reminded how tough life can be for those who have to rely upon "social housing" and other public or even charitable provision to survive.
We want to provide a more suitable forum for such discussions at future meetimgs and we also want to spread knowledge around more.
After all - what is the point of gaining a favourable policy decision (such as a back dated payment) if others with the same needs do not know of it?
We discussed many other things such as the whole question of making complaints against the "system" in Jersey and how things are going to get so difficult once the major reforms planned in Health, Housing and Social Security are implemented. So, if you are interested in such matters you had better make the effort to join in. Fill out a form (£5 membership for the waged - Free to the unwaged) and participate in whatever way you can manage.
The six States Members present were refreshingly supportive - did your representatives attend? We could publish their names here but would hope that you might contact your own Deputy, Constable or any of the Senators to check it out for yourself and so spread the word.
We are up and running and our next meeting is AS BELOW on Thursday 14 June. The format be different. Keep watching this space for any news and make contact if you want to give or receive help.
You do not have to wait until the 14th to get involved.
NEXT MEETING
is
3pm on THURSDAY 14 JUNE
at
EASTERN GOOD COMPANIONS CLUB
Le Marais
St Clement
It would be helpful if any people who know that they will attend could make contact ASAP with SSTAG so that we do not waste resources on adverts etc and they might like to offer ANY assistance.
We would appreciate any suggestions for a central venue at minimal cost that is wheelchair (and people) friendly and whether a daytime or evening time is better.
This next meeting will be in the lounge. There is car parking.
ALL ARE WELCOME
Friday 4 May 2012
SSTAG and YOU and Thursday 10 May 2012
SSTAG Social Security and Tenants’ Action Group
SSTAG is a new and improved STAG (the former States Tenants’ Action Group)
but with much wider terms of reference and interests.
SSTAG is now concerned with ;
SOCIAL SECURITY issues for ALL claimants, employees or pensioners
ALL TENANTS – whether in public or private accommodation and lodgings
HEALTH related welfare issues
We are a self help and lobbying group set up to challenge such policies as ;
The 20% - 40% rent increases of the States Housing Department
The devaluing of retirement pensions
Ever increasing doctors and dental charges
A witch-hunt against income support claimants
We support a fairer society where welfare support is available to those in need - as of right - not on a charitable, discretionary basis.
We believe that the dignity of ALL people in Jersey should be respected
This year (2012), immense changes are planned in Jersey to control housing, work and immigration opportunities.
A Population Register will be compiled in December this year and Identity (ID) Cards with details of work and housing status for ALL residents will be issued.
These new and far reaching controls will be administered by a new section under the Chief Minister’s control. The Housing Department will be replaced by an Association.
Employment opportunities for some existing and potential residents will be restricted.
At the same time, anti-discrimination laws are promised to be approved this year so that greater equality of opportunity can be achieved for ALL residents of Jersey .
SSTAG will seek to monitor the new policies as they develop, to publish information and lobby if and when changes are seen to be necessary.
Contacts :
Denise Carroll MBE (Acting Chair) 15 Le Clos St Andre, St Helier, Jersey JE2 3JH tel 01534 876727
Mike Dun (Information Officer) 208 Le Marais, St Clement JE2 6GG tel 01534 862929
e-mail mikedunjersey@gmail.com
Temporary blogsite SSTAG sstagjsyblogspot.com/ SSTAG website is under construction
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