Club members were pleased to welcome Councillor Alex Kemp as a guest speaker at their March meeting.
Cllr Kemp has served as both a Borough and Council Councillor and her talk focused on the challenges and successes of both roles. In 2006 she was part of a campaign for full basic state pensions for women in West Norfolk. At that time only 12.5% of women in the area retired on a full state pension in their own right.
Cllr Kemp had worked with the Fabian Women’s Network, the Fawcett Society, female MPs, and was especially pleased with the improved outcomes for women with caring roles and those who had had part time or multiple jobs. In 2010 90-95% of women were accessing a full state pension on retirement.
In the past Cllr Kemp had been pleased to collaborate with SI King’s Lynn members on the issue of stopping violence against Women and Girls and was involved in the One Billion Rising campaign, where Loves Me/Loves Me Not bookmarks were distributed at the Mart.
Cllr Kemp resigned from the Labour Party to pursue her opposition to the Saddlebow Incinerator at County Hall and worked with other parties to oppose it. In 2014 the Incinerator was stopped when the County Council voted to end the Incinerator contract due to Planning Failure, pressure from the local interest groups which had been established, and from the public, as well as a sustained media campaign.
Cllr Kemp stressed the need for: –
- clear objectives,
- persistence to overcome the many barriers,
- the use of a variety of tactics in pursuing aims.
A discussion of the importance of local Government and the need for more female representation followed.
Members thanked Cllr Kemp for joining their meeting and such an interesting talk.
