Archive for January, 2013
Thursday, January 31st, 2013
Christopher Pincher, MP for Tamworth, together with Lichfield MP, Michael Fabricant, met Patrick McLoughlin MP, Secretary of State for Transport, this week to personally submit their Property Compensation Consultation responses to the HS2 announcement.
The consultation follows the government’s announcement on the HS2 Long Term Hardship scheme and voluntary purchase rules last year. They also discussed the announcement yesterday of the HS2 northern extension through Lichfield District and the route to Leeds which passes close to Hockley between Tamar Road and the M42.
Mr Pincher said afterwards, “I met Patrick McLoughlin to personally deliver my compensation submission as well as letters from my constituents making clear their support for a property bond. I agree that this is the best way to ensure people affected by HS2 blight receive fair compensation and get the property market in blighted areas moving again. I want all residences affected by HS2 to receive the best mitigation and compensation package available. I made this point again to the Secretary of State.
“I also discussed the impact of the proposed Leeds extension on local communities in Tamworth. In his speech on Monday, Mr McLoughlin stressed three times that this announcement is his “initial preferred route” and there is a long way to go before a final decision is reached. He said, “This is the start of the process not the end.”
“I have secured a full meeting with Mr McLoughlin in mid February where I will discuss with him in detail the potential impact on Tamworth if this route is finally chosen, particularly on Hockley and the huge disruption that will be caused to the A5 by rebuilding of the M42 junction. I will ask him to look at less harmful alternatives.”
The second phase of HS2 was published on Monday 28th January, which will see high-speed rail extend to Manchester and Leeds.
Responding to the Transport Secretary’s announcement, Mr Pincher said in the House of Commons, “I became aware that the proposed Leeds alignment will run just a few hundred yards from Wilnecote and Stonydelph in my constituency when I looked at the HS2 website this morning. Will my right hon. Friend agree to meet me to discuss mitigations in the Tamworth area if his initial preferred alignment becomes his final preferred alignment? More particularly, can we discuss other, better alternatives?”
Mr McLoughlin replied, “I am certainly prepared to meet my hon. Friend and discuss alternatives that he may wish to put forward. I hope that he will realise that in deciding on the route through his constituency we have tried to follow an existing major road network. Of course, I will meet him and listen carefully to any representations he has to make.”
Wednesday, January 30th, 2013
Staffordshire County Council has announced an additional £500,000 of funding to repair the county’s potholes, on top of the £43.5m spent on repairing and improving Staffordshire’s roads every year.
Making the announcement, Mike Maryon, Staffordshire’s highways chief, said, “We are constantly working to improve our roads to keep them safe. The extra half a million pounds allocated to repairing potholes, is testament that the county council is a well-run, responsible authority, that puts the safety of Staffordshire’s people at the forefront.
“Well maintained highways are vital to Staffordshire’s economy and for the past three years, we have successfully reduced the number of potholes on our roads. However, in the last six months, we identified 6,500 potholes – a 50% increase on the previous year, which followed the county’s wettest year on record and which will have increased further, because of recent heavy snow and a further deluge of rain.
“The severe weather we’ve been experiencing has taken its toll, but once conditions allow, our dedicated highways team will be out and about repairing the potholes. We are doing all we can to fix the problem but will have to prioritise. I’d ask people to be patient as this is a huge job and will take some time. In the meantime, please continue to report any potholes by phoning our hotline.”
Staffordshire County Council has invested £50m to improve the state of its roads, to keep them well maintained and extend the life of the carriageways. The additional money announced today will be used specifically for the repair of potholes.
People can help by reporting potholes or damaged roads to the County Council by phoning 0300 111 8000, by email highways@staffordshire.gov.uk or via their website.
Tuesday, January 29th, 2013
Conservative controlled Staffordshire County Council is planning a budget for the next financial year that helps protect the incomes of local people and continues to make the creation of new jobs a top priority.
Staffordshire’s “budget for families and jobs”, published yesterday, Tuesday 228 January, ahead of next week’s Cabinet meeting, shows how the council is investing in important areas for the county despite the cuts in public spending nationally. It also demonstrates the council’s aim to reduce where it can its share of council tax bills over time.
The proposals will be considered by councillors next week as part of a debate on the council’s Strategic Plan and Medium Term Financial Strategy. The strategies outline the county council’s plans for the year and how it will pay for its work – and recommend the new levels of council tax for 2013-14. Recommendations go to the Full Council on 15 February for a final decision.
It is proposed that the county council share of the tax bill for a typical Band D property will be £1,027.25, a real terms reduction over the last four years once inflation and the county council’s tax freezes are taken into account.
The proposals reflect input and ideas from local residents, businesses and trade unions. Business people have welcomed the council’s priority on improving economic prosperity locally – and schemes such as providing loans for small business.
Staffordshire County Council’s cabinet member education, finance and transformation for Ian Parry said, “This is a good and balanced budget for families and jobs.
“It reflects what local people and business have told we are the most important things for them: more money in their pockets, supporting business to create jobs and helping those individuals in most need of support.
“We have worked extremely hard to keep council tax as low as possible. Maintaining a well-run council enables us to focus on the top priorities, cut waste and not to burden the taxpayer with any increases. We have achieved efficiencies through transforming how Staffordshire County Council operates, not by cutting services.
“We have shown innovation in how we work; from setting up a joint business venture to deliver education support services to making careful investments to bring jobs and economic growth to Staffordshire.
“Challenging times undoubtedly lie ahead and the county council faces the same pressures as other local authorities nationally. We have received less money directly from the Government, as we thought, and expect further reductions in the future.
“However there are opportunities; for example business rate retention, where councils can retain and invest rates where they demonstrate an ability to bring in business and inward investment. This is an area where we have already made great strides.”
Friday, January 25th, 2013
Conservative controlled Lichfield District Council is celebrating after its funding bids for around £170,000 to tackle fuel poverty were successful.
The local authority has been awarded almost £30,000 by the Department of Health through its Warm Homes, Healthy People Fund. On top of this, it will receive nearly £140,000 from the Department of Environment & Climate Change through its Fuel Poverty and Green Deal Pioneer Places funds.
Working in partnership, the council will spend the money on a number of projects to improve the energy efficiency of local homes, and to prepare for the government’s flagship Green Deal project, which launches later this month.
The Warm Homes, Healthy People Fund was set up to support the most vulnerable people in communities from the effects of severe winter weather due to cold housing. Thanks to the funding, local vulnerable people will be able to apply for Emergency Heating Grants to repair or replace their broken heating systems.
The Emergency Heating Grants are available for Lichfield District residents that fulfil one or more of the below criteria:
Over 65 years of age Suffer from a health condition exacerbated by the cold On benefits
The grants do not have to be paid back and will cover all the costs of the work, which could include installing a new boiler.
Cllr Ian Pritchard, Lichfield District Council’s Cabinet Member for Housing, Health and Environmental Protection, said, “It is great news that we have secured this funding as it will mean we can help many of our most vulnerable residents to afford to keep their homes warm. The funding must be used by the end of March 2013, so if your heating is faulty, please contact our energy advice line to apply for an Emergency Heating Grant as soon as possible.”
The Warm Homes, Healthy People funding will also provide winter technicians that can do lots of free jobs around the homes of vulnerable residents, as well as Home Energy Advice Visits and benefit entitlement checks.
Possible jobs include, winter home safety checks, gritting paths, installing grab rails, resetting heating controls, supplying and fitting key safes, checking energy tariffs, delivering temporary heaters and more.
Cllr Pritchard added, “If you are struggling in your home this winter, call our energy advice line to see if we can help you to make your home warmer and safer.”
To find out if you are eligible for an Emergency Heating Grant, the services of a winter technician or a Home Energy Advice Visit, please call Lichfield District Council’s energy advice line for free on 0800 677 1543.
Thursday, January 24th, 2013
The next Conservative general election manifesto will give details about how the party would approach a renegotiation of Britain’s membership of the EU, Europe Minister David Lidington has said.
David Cameron has promised to hold a referendum on whether the UK should stay in the EU or leave and Mr Lidington has said that his party would make its position clear before the next general election. He said Mr Cameron had spelt out a vision for Europe as a whole.
Mr Cameron’s speech on Europe on Wednesday received a warm reception from most of his MPs. Although he talked about returning powers from Brussels to national governments in areas such as the environment and social affairs, there were no details on this.
Now Mr Lidington has suggested that the next Conservative manifesto will outline exactly how the party would try to renegotiate looser ties with the EU. It raises the prospect of some tense wrangling among Conservative MPs as they try to find agreement over just how far the party should go in its quest for a new settlement for Britain.
Mr Cameron’s referendum pledge would be dependent on him being prime minister after the next election, and on new terms with the EU. The prime minister has rebuffed criticism at home and abroad of his commitment to hold a referendum.
Wednesday, January 23rd, 2013
Conservative controlled Staffordshire County Council is celebrating the successes of its 428 apprentices and its highly successful apprenticeship scheme, which has seen it, ranked in the top 100 companies in the country for the second year running.
2012 was a good year with over 72 young people starting an apprenticeship with the Council, with plans to take on a further 80 in 2013. Staffordshire as a county is also making great headway on recruiting apprentices with over 13,561 apprentices working in a wide range of roles, which is 41% higher than 3 years ago.
To recognise and celebrate the achievements of the county’s apprentices, 2 special Recognition Awards Ceremonies will be held in March. The Awards are being supported by the Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Local Enterprise Partnership and nominations are now being accepted, with employers being encouraged to put their best apprentices forward. Nomination forms are available from chris.bamsey@staffordshire.gov.uk the closing date is the 8th February 2013.
Staffordshire County Councillor, Ben Adams, Deputy Leader of Staffordshire County Council and Cabinet Member for Employment and Skills said, “2012 has been another exceptional year for our apprentices and our apprenticeship programme, which has provided even more opportunities to young people this year.
“A further indicator of our success is making it into the top 100 companies in England for the second year running which we are extremely proud of. The training and placing of apprentices is one of our top priorities as a Council, and is a vital part of our strategy to bring growth and prosperity to Staffordshire.
“I’m very encouraged with the number of apprentices working in many sectors in the county which now stands at just less than 14,000. As well as developing our own programme even further we will also be turning our attention to helping other employers realise the benefits of taking on an apprentice through the recently launched Apprenticeship Helpline, available on 0300 1118002.”
The New Year has got off to a great start with 24 Advanced Apprenticeships and 8 Intermediate apprentices starting in January taking the programmes apprentice numbers to 428. Placements include, business administration, Teaching Assistants, Chefs, catering staff, ICT technicians and social care assessors. The programme aims to reach the 500 milestone in 2013.
Further encouraging news for young people on the Council’s apprenticeship programme is that nine out of ten apprentices go on to gain permanent employment with the Council which is a further indicator of the quality of the programme and apprentices coming through.
For more information on Staffordshire County Council’s apprenticeship scheme, please visit www.staffordshireapprentices.org.uk.
Wednesday, January 23rd, 2013
Britons will be able to vote to leave the European Union by the end of 2017 if the Conservatives win the next general election, David Cameron has pledged.
The Prime Minister has promised to negotiate a new settlement with Brussels and then stage a straight in-out referendum on British membership if he stays in power.
In one of the defining speeches of his premiership, he declared, “It is time for the British people to have their say. It is time to settle this European question in British politics.”
He told business chiefs that the Conservative Party manifesto will include a pledge to reach a fresh agreement, to be put to the vote within the first half of a five-year Parliament.
Mr Cameron insisted that he does not want Britain to quit the 27-nation bloc and would “fight with all my heart and soul” for a yes vote when the time comes. But he conceded that public mistrust of the EU is growing and democratic consent is now “wafer thin” because its role has snowballed since the last referendum in the 1970s.
The Prime Minister said, “I never want us to pull up the drawbridge and retreat from the world. I am not a British isolationist but I do want a better deal for Britain.”
Mr Cameron wants a new treaty to reshape the EU, resolve the eurozone crisis, increase the group’s flexibility, accountability and competitiveness and allow the return of powers from Brussels. His “strong preference” is to push through reforms for the whole of the EU but he vowed to negotiate for the UK alone if other member states do not join him.
He continued, “The next Conservative manifesto in 2015 will ask for a mandate from the British people for a Conservative government to negotiate a new settlement with our European partners in the next Parliament. It will be a relationship with the single market at its heart.
“And when we have negotiated that new settlement, we will give the British people a referendum with a very simple in or out choice: to stay in the EU on these new terms or come out altogether. It will be an in-out referendum.
“Legislation will be drafted before the next election and if a Conservative Government is elected we will introduce the enabling legislation immediately and pass it by the end of that year. We will complete this negotiation and hold this referendum within the first half of the next Parliament.”
Mr Cameron rejected claims that he is undermining the British economy by tabling a vote, insisting that an exit was more likely if the issue was ignored.
In a move set to delight many Conservative MPs, he also signalled a referendum would go ahead even if he is forced into a second coalition. “If I am prime minister, this will happen,” he vowed.
Effectively issuing an ultimatum to Brussels, Mr Cameron declared, “The danger is that Europe will fail and the British people will drift towards the exit.”
He called for “fundamental, far-reaching change” as he admitted that the “EU is seen as something that is done to people, rather than acting on their behalf”.
The Prime Minister insisted that now was not the time to make a “momentous decision about the future of our country” because the EU is still reeling from the eurozone crisis. He said Britain’s exit was a question to be approached with “cool heads” and full consideration of whether it was the best move for the country.
He accepted that the scale of his task was vast but declared, “Over the coming weeks, months and years, I will not rest until this debate is won.”
The referendum pledge should help the Conservative Party combat the growing threat from UKIP and many Conservative MPs hope it will be a turning point in the battle to win power in 2015.
Mr Cameron’s speech has been months in the planning, with the delay an indication of the difficult balancing act he is attempting to achieve. It was eventually scheduled to happen in Amsterdam last Friday but was postponed because of the Algerian hostage crisis.
Monday, January 21st, 2013
Cllr Ben Adams with Graham Houghton, Penny Evans and children outside the Assembly Rooms
Cllr Ben Adams this week paid tribute to the trustees and supporters of the Mercian PACT and Residents community group for raising valuable funds to allow children living in and around the Leyfields a night at the Panto.
For the sixth year in a row, Mercian PACT Chairman, Graham Houghton, led the fundraising campaign, which paid for tickets for over 250 children to attend the Pantomime at the Tamworth Assembly Rooms two weeks ago.
Cllr Adams, who represents the Leyfields on Staffordshire County Council, said, “I would like to congratulate and thank all the trustees and supporters of the Mercian PACT and Residents community group that once again helped make this a special Christmas for people living in and around Mercian and The Leyfields.
“Their fund raising and hard work this year meant that over 250 children enjoyed the pantomime at the Tamworth Assembly Rooms on Saturday night. Over the past 6 years, this local group have arranged for over 1100 children to visit the Pantomime. It was fun to hear the excitement building up outside the venue on Saturday, I wonder if the performers were able to make themselves heard?”
The Mercian group also made two visits to the Food Bank, provided 40 harvest festival parcels and 30 Christmas hampers to make these celebrations special for other local people who might otherwise have missed out.
Cllr Adam continued, “I have been delighted to help the group out with contributions from my County Councillor’s Local Community Fund. This voluntary organisation is always first on my list because I know the funding will go a long way and it is put to good work along with contributions the tenants and residents of Leyfields, local shop keepers, staff at the Tamworth Information Centre and the pantomime organisers themselves.
“Thanks again to everyone and especially Graham Houghton and Penny Evans who work all year round to generate so many smiles.”
Friday, January 18th, 2013
Yesterday in the House of Commons, Christopher Pincher, MP for Tamworth, called on the Leader of the House to hold a debate on the Government’s new traineeship programme.
Mr Pincher said, “Some 1,080 people from Tamworth started apprenticeships last year. May we have a debate in Government time on the new traineeship programme so that we can explore how we can further help young people successfully to compete for jobs and avoid the welfare trap that all too many of them endured under Labour?”
The Leader of the House, Andrew Lansley, replied, “Yes, I hope we might find an opportunity, by one route or another, for further discussion of the announcements made by the Minister for Schools. Traineeships are a welcome addition to the armoury, so to speak, to ensure that all young people get access to the right skills and that all employers find young people in this country who have appropriate skills and attitudes in order to go into work.
“My hon. Friend is right. Since the election, more than a million people have started apprenticeships. The budget has been increased, and even where apprenticeships are not appropriate, through the youth contract work experience and other support to the young people who most need skills have been growing under this Government.”
Thursday, January 17th, 2013
Conservative controlled Fazeley Town Council announced a freeze in its share of local council tax for the fourth successive year at its latest meeting held on Monday 14 January.
Fazeley Town Council receives its share of council tax from Lichfield District Council via the annual Precept and following prudent management of the Town Council’s finances by all Town Councillors, the Precept has again been set at £57,872.00.
Reserves in the Town Council’s annual budget have risen to £16,750.00, an increase of £6,402.95 over the same period, and Business and Town Works Committee expenditure for 2013/14 has increased by 1.7% to £70,332.00, 1% lower than the current UK inflation rate of 2.7%.
Town Mayor, Cllr Rebecca James, said, “For the Town Council to yet again freeze its council tax is good news for the whole of Fazeley. We are pleased to be able to present a balanced budget for the coming year with a frozen precept, an increase in reserves and a below inflation rise in expenditure.”
The 2013/13 budget was proposed by Cllr Richard McDermid, seconded by Cllr Andrew James and voted through unanimously by all councillors.
Christopher Pincher, MP for Tamworth, together with Lichfield MP, Michael Fabricant, met Patrick McLoughlin MP, Secretary of State for Transport, this week to personally submit their Property Compensation Consultation responses to the HS2 announcement.
