Island MP’s Office Now at Riverside Centre

This in from Andrew Turner’s office, in their own words. Ed

Andrew Turner, the Island’s MP has announced that from the 1st April his office has now relocated to the Riverside Centre in Newport.

Riverside CentreThe move will mean that rent previously paid to the landlord of his offices at the Mall (where his office had been located since his election in 2001) will now go to support the work of the Riverside Centre, who along with other local charities, are facing funding challenges.

Osel helped with removals
Mr Turner also paid local charity Osel to move the desks and equipment into his new office.

Mr Turner said, “I am very pleased that my office is now based at the Riverside Centre and although it was a big upheaval we are settling in well and everybody has made us feel very welcome. There were a few teething problems with the transfer of telephone and internet services but that has all now been sorted out we are doing our best to get back on top of the day to day work.

“I am grateful for the understanding of Islanders while that happens. I would like to thank everyone who helped us with the move including Osel and my excellent office manager Kath Harvey who worked so hard in recent weeks to organise everything.”

Delighted to have MP office here
Adrian Bolton, Facilities Manager for the Riverside Centre commented, “The Riverside Centre is delighted to have the local MP’s office based here and we look forward to forging a long-term partnership for the benefit of existing Riverside users and all other residents of the Isle of Wight.

“Andrew’s office being based here fits in well with our ethos of being a hub for the Island community and other charitable and voluntary organisations. Andrew has always been an accessible MP and this will make him even more so!”


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Jonnyhotrod
6, April 2011 12:40 pm

Sounds pretty good. Well done, unless I’ve misread…

Meursault
Reply to  Jonnyhotrod
6, April 2011 12:44 pm

Hear Hear!

Don Smith
Reply to  Jonnyhotrod
6, April 2011 9:14 pm

Not a very good location for people who rely on public transport. At least his last offices were easily accessible by bus. Just how would people get there by bus? A taxi is a none starter. It is obvious that the ever increasing cost of petrol was not taken into consideration either; however, his staff and himself will get a travel allowance, as is the norm. I… Read more »

Ed
Reply to  Don Smith
6, April 2011 10:50 pm

By getting the bus to the ‘old Police Station’ stop on route 9 or 5, and toddling down the little road that links the Quay to Fairlee Road.

Don Smith
Reply to  Ed
7, April 2011 1:39 am

Thank you Ed. I was not aware of that route,
most of my traveling is done from the West of Newport. Then you must allow for my age.
I can get lost in a supermarket:-)

Harry
6, April 2011 1:01 pm

Although never having voted for Mr Turner, moving his office to help the Riverside as well as him standing up to those so called self important people in County Hall has raised my view of him. Well done.

Mr. Wednesday
6, April 2011 1:47 pm

While it may be good news, has anyone considered the following points: Does this news affect the Riverside Centre’s ability to act as a polling station? – I suspect that there may be an issue with an MP’s registered office also acting as a polling station… …and as far as I know, the Riverside Centre is owned by the IW Council. Aren’t there rules which prohibit a… Read more »

someone else
Reply to  Mr. Wednesday
6, April 2011 1:53 pm

Not sure about the second point but the first is a very good point!

Mr. Wednesday
Reply to  someone else
6, April 2011 7:00 pm

Can anyone at VB find the answers to the two questions I posed above? – I’ve just been told that former Lib Dem MP Lodi Brand was restricted/prevented from using the Riverside Centre in the past because of potential political sensitivity. If this information is correct, what has changed to allow Andrew Turner to do it now?

someone else
Reply to  someone else
7, April 2011 11:12 am

Ok i have checked into this and can confirm that the council are now looking at moving the polling station from the riverside to another location (unknown to where yet) and the second point is being looked into as we speak.

Mr. Wednesday
Reply to  someone else
7, April 2011 1:19 pm

…thank you ‘someone else’ – I’ll be interested to know if your enquiries lead to the same conclusions/answers provided by Victor ;)

Victor Meldrew
Reply to  Mr. Wednesday
6, April 2011 6:54 pm

A couple of points. The polling station is in a different part of the building and no “party” advertising is part of the agreement. Also, of course, during a general election there is no MP from the proroguing of par,iament until the member is elected. The office is for the member of parliament democratically elected and not for a political party. As an aside, one reason for… Read more »

Mr. Wednesday
Reply to  Victor Meldrew
6, April 2011 7:03 pm

Thank you Victor… ;)

Peter
Reply to  Mr. Wednesday
6, April 2011 8:25 pm

Yeah – is it true that the IW Council wrote to teh Riverside Centre and told them they’s sue them if they rented an office to Andrew Turner, but changed their mind when they found out that Newport Parish Council also already has its office their too. How the Tory Council must hate the Tory MP. Whose name was at the bottom of the letter!?

someone else
Reply to  Peter
7, April 2011 1:33 pm

IWC knew very well that Newport Parish Council was in there because they also made a fuss when they wanted to take the office, but the difference is one is an authority and the other a political group.

someone else
6, April 2011 1:52 pm

i wonder if the county hall objected so much about him having his office there like they did before Newport Parish Council moved into the Riverside??

ABC
6, April 2011 2:29 pm

Cleverly, Andrew Turner does not claim the motive for moving his constituency office from The Mall to The Riverside Centre is to give the money he pays in rent to a private charity rather than to a private landlord but that is the impression he hopes to give and to earn kudos from it. No-one argues that The Riverside does not benefit financially but it would be… Read more »

ABC
Reply to  ABC
6, April 2011 2:35 pm

Sorry, did not intend calling The Riverside a ‘private’ charity in the comment above, as far as I know it is a very public charity.

Tom Simple
6, April 2011 3:04 pm

And is it true that on 1 April next year he will vote against further cuts to benefits for chronically sick people?

Lilly
6, April 2011 3:29 pm

Sadly we can’t take anyones word for doing anything without self interest at heart these days, we’ve been bought up in the age of WOMDs and the REAL (WORDS of mass DECEPTION)are stilled being spewed out by marketing PM Cameron & Clegg. So although it would be nice to give Andrew Turner the benefit of doubt it needs to be weighed against his voting record and answers… Read more »

daveq
6, April 2011 4:03 pm

Surprise surprise, for once I’m not joining in the critisism. For despite the fact that I have never voted for Andrew Turner, he has assisted my family on a number of occasions, he has always been helpful and friendly and I wish him well.

ABC
6, April 2011 5:26 pm

‘Money for old rope,’ a centuries-old idiom now used to describe a reporter’s job on the County Press. Compare the press release (above) from Andrew Turner’s office (acknowledged by VentnorBlog to be written by his staff) and the article on the County Press website purportedly written by a named reporter. They are almost identical apart from a few words shuffled around. This is happening more frequently and… Read more »

someone else
Reply to  ABC
6, April 2011 6:28 pm

I would totally agree with you, and being in an opposition group to the tory led council, i know from 1st hand that this is the case.

Martin william wareham
Reply to  ABC
6, April 2011 7:03 pm

ABC it’s easy don’t buy the County Press it isn’t compulsory donate the seventy pence to VB.

Billie
Reply to  ABC
7, April 2011 7:29 am

Ventnor Blogs where CP Edits!

lido
6, April 2011 5:41 pm

I’m not quite sure I’m ready to feel the love with AT just yet, but I am pleased to read that his parliamentary expenses are finally being put to a good cause. I personally feel that this story says more about the brilliance & hard work of the team that run the Riverside Centre – a Centre with a fabulous mix of users & activities, indeed an… Read more »

No.5
Reply to  lido
6, April 2011 6:22 pm

great …now he do nothing but jumpon bandwagons from his new office whilst looking out the window at a collapsing Island

healthy sceptic
6, April 2011 8:35 pm

“At least VentnorBlog allows almost unbridled comment and healthy scepticism”

lol is only ABC knew how many comments you moderate (censor)

Simon Perry
Admin
Reply to  healthy sceptic
6, April 2011 9:51 pm

The number of people we have blocked from commenting on VentnorBlog can be counted on the fingers of one hand. Because of your past behaviour over many years, we will continue to do everything in our power to stop you commenting here. Your continued obsession with trying to commenting on VB – using things like impersonating people – even when we’ve made it very clear that you’re… Read more »

No.5
Reply to  Simon Perry
7, April 2011 12:19 am

just post the idiots details up for everybody to see..the poor chap obviously has some form of persecution disorder

Janet Scott
Reply to  Simon Perry
7, April 2011 10:59 am

Ah! VB’s Forensic capabilities ‘to the fore again’.

Thank goodness.

lilly
7, April 2011 8:14 am

Just had another cynical thought about change of premises, could be that Andrew Turner is trying to think ahead to when the Government cuts really kick in and people come literaly hammering on his door, by moving to the Riverside Centre he can hide safe in the knowledge that no one will attack this worthy Centres premises. A bit like the way some military commanders use women… Read more »

out of touch theconmag
7, April 2011 12:19 pm

Foe once I AGREE with Andrew Turner much easier for the public to access.A very healthy income for the strapped for cash Riverside centre.And it really upset Pugh and his gang who I can assure everybody were very much against it.

Asite2c
7, April 2011 2:13 pm

Pugh is probably against the plan and getting a bit worried because AT will be working in close proximity to him at County Hall.

Pugh is not going to want AT breathing down his neck or keeping a watchful eye on his motives. Sparks might fly in Newport.

ABC
7, April 2011 3:06 pm

The plot thickens. Less than a year ago Riverside Centre trustees and staff were expressing concerns that the Isle of Wight Council cutbacks threatened the centre’s viability and it could close. At the time the council’s chief executive, Steve Beynon, pooh-poohed the idea and said such public discussion was ‘not helpful’. From there the trail went cold and I cannot remember or discover what happened next. Were… Read more »

adrian nicholas
8, April 2011 1:37 pm

If, ABC suggests, AT is acting as a ‘human shield’ against Pugh’s IWC and the cut or near halving to the Riverside Centres annual funding it may, given the well known and recorded antipathy between the 2 may incure a more vindicative Pugh directed budget cut for next autumn? Whilst, all incomes and revenues to assist the plight of the originally iw public private donations for it’s… Read more »

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