Archive for January, 2012
Monday, January 16th, 2012
Tamworth’s Member of Parliament, Christopher Pincher, last week called upon Transport Secretary Justine Greening to offer compensation to anyone suffering planning blight as a result of HS2. His intervention came in the House of Commons after Ms. Greening announced that she will press ahead with plans to build the new rail line. She was question by seventy four Members of Parliament about the proposals with many expressing reservations about the scheme.
Mr. Pincher said:
“My right hon. Friend [Justine Greening] will be aware that many people believe the present exceptional hardship scheme to be inconsistent and unfair. Can she confirm that her proposed refreshed hardship scheme will be consistent and will ensure that anybody affected by blight who wishes to move will be properly compensated? Those people should not be penalised for living in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
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Monday, January 16th, 2012
Tamworth’s Member of Parliament, Christopher Pincher, last week used Business Questions to ask Commons Leader Sir George Young for a debate on the state pension in the House of Commons.
Mr. Pincher said:
“There has been a great deal of debate recently about public sector pensions, but may we have a debate about the state pension, so that we can discuss the actions that the Government are taking to improve the lot of state pensioners and ensure that they never again suffer the indignity of the miserly 75p rise they got from Labour?”
Sir George Young responded:
“We would welcome such a debate. This year, pensioners will see the biggest cash rise they have ever seen, and under our triple lock the state pension will always be increased, year on year, in line with average earnings, prices or 2.5%, whichever is the highest. This year’s increase of more than £5 a week contrasts, as my hon. Friend has just reminded us, with the 75p that the Labour Government gave pensioners in 1999.”
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Sunday, January 15th, 2012
Last year Tamworth was reported to be the worst place in England for obesity.
However, the league table quoted is misleading because the data used dates back to 2008 and does not take into account what has been done during the last three years to combat obesity across Tamworth.
A report has been produced that looks at the various causes of obesity for all ages and highlights the initiatives put in place and the extensive work carried out by Conservative controlled Tamworth Borough Council and its partners to improve the overall health and wellbeing for all residents of Tamworth.
Both Tamworth Borough Council and its public sector partners are keen to promote an active and healthy lifestyle amongst our residents. In 2009, there were just over 9,000 adults in Tamworth enjoying active sport or exercise. Today it is over 11,000, thus we are moving in the right direction.
- All Tamworth Borough Council staff are offered regular help and advice on health and wellbeing
- In addition to the PE sessions in Schools, Tamworth Borough Council provides additional physical activities in the after school clubs and mobile activity sessions in the localities for children
- Staffordshire County Council actively supports the National Healthy Schools programme where schools are encouraged to achieve Healthy Schools Status using a whole school approach. All of the 32 schools (primary & Secondary) in Tamworth participated in the Healthy Schools programme. 26 of Tamworth’s schools have achieved healthy school status and the remaining 6 schools are working towards healthy school status
- South Staffordshire Primary Care Trust supports Change4Life – a nationwide movement to help our kids to ‘eat well, move more and live longer’
- All food provided by local authorities must meet national nutritional standards. These ensure that children are provided with a healthy, balanced diet. The new standards, introduced in September 2006, require the following: high-quality meat, poultry or oily fish regularly available, at least two portions of fruit and vegetables with every meal, bread, other cereals and potatoes regularly available
- Additionally, there are controls on the following foods: deep-fried food limited to no more than two portions per week, fizzy drinks, crisps, chocolate and other confectioneries removed from school meals and vending machines
- NHS LifeCheck is jointly promoted by Tamworth Borough Council and the South Staffordshire Primary Care Trust. NHS LifeCheck is a free online service designed to help improve the health of all, after answering eight simple questions, LifeCheck will give results and advice tailored to age, gender and lifestyle – www.nhs.uk/lifecheck
- Tamworth Lifestyle service has been up and running in Tamworth since July 2009 and is now well established with all local GP practices referring into the service. The Tamworth Lifestyle team is made up of eight Lifestyle Advisors who give motivational and behaviour change support to clients in the areas of weight management, health eating, physical activity, smoking cessation and reduced alcohol consumption
- Over the past 2 years there have been over 2400 referrals for the people of Tamworth. This has lead to around 10,000 contacts with clients, lasting between 30 minutes and an hour. Through working with a lifestyle advisor 69% of clients have either achieved or part achieved their
- On average people who have accessed the service have: increased their fruit and vegetable consumption from 3.4 to 5.3 Portions per day (meeting the government 5-a-day target), increased their level of moderate physical activity from 2.9 to 5.7 sessions per week (meeting the 5×30 minutes a week national recommendation), reduced their daily consumption of fatty snacks from 5.1 to 2.1 portions per day
The Borough Council’s Community and Wellbeing committee will review the report on obesity in Tamworth at its next meeting, due to be held on Wednesday 18 January at Marmion House, Lichfield Street, Tamworth.
Thursday, January 12th, 2012
click here to download the e-book, Human Rights, Making Them Work For the People of the UK by Robert Broadhurst.
Tuesday, January 10th, 2012
The Department for Transport has announced today plans to press forward with its proposal for a new high speed rail (HS2) link between London and the West Midlands. The high speed rail concept has cross party support with the last Labour government tabling the original proposals and claiming credit for the route.
I am disappointed with the detail of the announcement made today because, despite HS2’s own admission that considerable attention was given to communities around Hints, Weeford and Drayton Bassett during the consultation process, no meaningful change is proposed to mitigate the impact of the line around Tamworth. The detailed documentation still falls short of many of my direct questions about the need for local mitigations. We need to ensure that the next stage of review sees the best mitigations are included. Moreover, I want to see much more detail on the compensation arrangements the Department will put in place to redress the problem of planning blight. I am relieved that they at least recognise there is a wider problem than those residents and businesses that have property immediately on the route, but I want to know more about how the proposed “refreshed hardship scheme” will work. It cannot be right that people are financially penalised for simply living in the wrong place at the wrong time.
I will continue to represent my constituents’ concerns in parliament and will fight for the best possible outcome for them in terms of mitigation and compensation. And I will continue to question the business case which underpins the entire HS2 proposal.
I have regularly corresponded with many constituents and advocacy groups concerned about these plans and the impact they will have on our community. I do not believe the business case presented by HS2 stacks up and feel that other less intrusive alternatives must still be explored. Should any reader like to be added to my HS2 mailing list, please email me directly at christopher.pincher.mp@parliament.uk or write to me at the House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA.
I welcome constituents’ views on HS2 and will continue to raise these concerns with ministers. Due to the volume of letters I am currently receiving on this topic, an immediate response may not be possible so do please be patient.
Please be aware that I endeavour to respond to correspondence within 10 working days and letters are addressed in the order that they are received.
Should you wish to contact me about HS2, please either email Christopher.pincher.mp@parliament.uk or post a letter to my Westminster office at the following address:
Christopher Pincher MP
House of Commons
London
SW1A 0AA
For more detail regarding what I have done in Parliament to represent constituent’s views on HS2, please visit our dedicated HS2 page, here.
Monday, January 9th, 2012
Christopher Pincher, MP for Tamworth, met members of his constituency at a Parliamentary Reception held by the West Midlands Reserve Forces and Cadets Association which took place late last year at the House of Commons.
The event was hosted by Gisela Stuart MP and provided a briefing about the Reserve Forces (the Territorial Army, Royal Naval Reserves and RAF Reserve) in the West Midlands and the vital support that they provide to the Armed Forces – and within their local communities.
Mr. Pincher commented:
“I was pleased to meet many reservists from our area and to hear about their roles and responsibilities in the Reserves. I support the Coalition Government’s proposals to place more emphasis on the Reserves after many years of government neglect. Reservists provide an essential link between military and civilian life and strengthen our Military Covenant. I support local residents who join local reserve forces and encourage employers to take advantage of their unique skill sets – one of my staff members has a military background is looking to join up as a regular this year.”
The reception also highlighted the value of the Cadet movement as a youth organisation.
There are 3,000 reservists, 2,000 Cadet Adult Staff and 12,000 Young Cadets in the West Midlands alone, accommodated in 35 Reserve Centres and 200 Cadet Centres throughout the region.
Sunday, January 8th, 2012
New figures reveal that in Tamworth 5,500 homes are entitled to some form of assistance with their fuel bills. That help is worth an average of £250 per household and a free helpline is available for more information.
Lending his support to the Home heat Helpline campaign, Christopher Pincher MP said:
“A staggering 14% of homes in Tamworth are entitled to some form of support. Anyone who is concerned about staying warm should call the Home Heat Helpline and seek advice. I would also ask people to look out for neighbours, friends or relatives who may be in difficulty and make sure that they are aware of the Home Heat Helpline.”
The number for the Home Heat Helpline is 0800 33 66 99 or you can visit www.homeheathelpline.org.uk. It is a free service that provides independent advice to people on low incomes on how to get help with their gas and electricity bills as well as other help such as grants for insulation or a new boiler.
As well as supporting the campaign locally, Mr Pincher also heard from Dragon’s Den star Hilary Devey, who is backing the campaign to raise awareness of the Helpline and spoke of her experience of struggling to keep her home warm before she became a successful businesswoman.
Christine McGourty from the Home Heat Helpline also advises people to think about what they can do around the home to reduce their energy consumption:
“As well as calling the Home Heat Helpline to find out what financial assistance is available there are some other simple steps people can take. For example:
• turn radiators down in rooms which you only use occasionally
• switch your lights off when you’re not using them
• turn appliances like TVs and phone chargers off at the wall rather than leaving them on standby when they’re not being used
• replace normal light bulbs with energy efficient ones
• regularly defrost your freezer to make sure it’s operating at full efficiency
• draw curtains over windows at night to provide insulation for the room
• move furniture away from radiators and heaters to allow heat to circulate around the room
• open internal doors of any rooms which get more sun than others and let the warm air travel around your home”
Home Heat Helpline: 0800 33 66 99 or www.homeheathelpline.org.uk
Saturday, January 7th, 2012
Tamworth’s Member of Parliament, Christopher Pincher, travelled to Goodison Park to show his support for Tamworth Football Club in their FA Cup third round tie against Everton last Saturday. Mr Pincher said that he was proud of the players and they too should be proud of their performance especially considering the ninety five league places which separate the two clubs.
After the game, Mr Pincher said:
“All of the players and backroom staff should be enormously proud of their efforts in order to reach this stage of FA cup and were doubly rewarded with an opportunity to play a Premier League team for the first time in their history.”
Mr Pincher added:
“Despite the absence of a cup upset it was an emphatic performance by the Lambs players squaring up to a strong Everton starting XI full of international experience. The five thousand travelling fans also did their bit to rally the team singing loudly for ninety minutes making for a great atmosphere in the stadium.”
“The players worked hard for the entire game playing on a pitch which is much wider and much longer than our own ground and against top flight players. Everton’s boss David Moyes must also be congratulated by making a point of shaking hands with every Tamworth player as they left the pitch.”
Mr Pincher commiserated the team and wished them luck for the remainder of the season hoping that the end of the current season will not be quite a dramatic as the last.
