Archive for December, 2013
Friday, December 20th, 2013
During yesterday’s latest Parliamentary debate on transport in the House of Commons, Tamworth’s MP Christopher Pincher asked the Department of Transport to look at improving the rail links between Tamworth and Birmingham airport.
Christopher Pincher said, “The Secretary of State made it clear yesterday that he hopes that Birmingham airport can expand. Currently, the 15-mile journey between Tamworth and the airport takes 45 minutes by rail.
“Does he therefore agree that infrastructure projects such as the Whitacre rail link, which would reduce the journey time to 18 minutes, could be beneficial to my constituents and the airport?”
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport, Stephen Hammond MP, replied, “My hon. Friend is right that good service access is essential for airports. He is right to point out that the Secretary of State said on Tuesday that we regard Birmingham and Manchester not as regional airports but as important national airports in their own right.
“I am happy to look at the Whitacre link proposals. I encourage my hon. Friend to continue to discuss the development of the business case with the local enterprise partnership and Centro, so that it can be brought forward.”
Thursday, December 19th, 2013
As I look back over the last twelve months, I think we have had another busy and memorable year in Tamworth.
2013 has seen some fantastic outdoor events in the Castle Grounds such as St George’s Day celebrations and Bonfire night. Tamworth has also seen a sporting boom this year with the Olympic legacy inspiring young people to become active in sport, many of them for the first time. Primary schools have received additional ring-fenced sporting funds and Landau Forte Academy QEMS recently opened their new sports hall and many local clubs have received Lottery money to improve and sustain facilities. In other education news, it is very encouraging that GCSE and A level results have improved across the town with some schools showing really excellent results. On the sporting front, Tamworth FC was the lowest ranked club left in the FA Cup when they welcomed Bristol City to the Lamb in the FA earlier this month (sadly the result did not leave us cheering).
This year has seen the economy start to turn a corner. In Tamworth JSA claimants are 48% lower than 12 months ago with just 1,000 job seekers in our town. Nationally 1.4 million new private sector jobs have been created bring the unemployment rate to its lowest level since 2009. In October I held a Jobs Fair at South Staffordshire College where up to 400 jobs were on offer to the 150 people that attended – it was striking to see there were more jobs on offer than jobs seekers. The deficit inherited by the last government is down by a third, and 2 million of the lowest paid workers have been taken out of tax all together. All of this has resulted in the Britain becoming the fastest growing economy in Europe and only 0.1% behind America. I believe this Government has taken the hard choices necessary to get the economy moving, giving the opportunity for hardworking apparitional people to get on in life. There is no doubt it has been tough and not all the decisions have been popular, but I think they have been the right ones and the results of them are now showing their benefit.
Sadly not everyone will be able to spend Christmas with their families this year due to bereavement and the engagement of our troops in Afghanistan, which thankfully is now drawing to its close. This Christmas the 3rd Battalion the Mercian Regiment will be on tour in that country and my thoughts go out to them and their families this year. Before the battalion departed for their tour we aimed to provide every soldier with a beanie hat to wear under their Kevlar helmets. We received over 700 hats, which were generously donated or knitted by people from as far afield as the US. I want to thank all of the wonderful knitters who put so much effort in to ensure that every soldier got a hat. I would also like to extend thanks to all of the very generous people who have donated to the Support Our Soldier shoebox appeal. Many individuals, charity groups and schools have donated items to ensure that every soldier from our battalion has a gift box to open this Christmas in Afghanistan.
Finally I would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and all the best for 2014. I hope you are able to spend time with your families and friends. If anyone has any issues they would like to raise with me then please call 01827 312 778 or email christopher.pincher.mp@parliament.uk.
Tuesday, December 17th, 2013
Merry Christmas from everybody at Tamworth Conservative Association
Tuesday, December 17th, 2013
A safety campaign aimed at providing useful help and information, as well as reducing crime, will be taking to the streets of Tamworth on the night of Friday December 20.
Operation Safer Nights Plus will see more than 50 staff from organisations including the police, fire service, domestic abuse groups and Conservative controlled Tamworth Borough Council patrolling the streets of Tamworth town centre from 7pm until 10pm.
The operation is aimed at informing and educating revellers about how to stay safe, while at the same time supporting the town’s nighttime economy by making Tamworth a much safer place to be at night.
During Safer Nights Plus, a mobile police station will be set up in St Editha’s Square as a focal point where people can get help and advice on a range of services including domestic abuse, sexual health services, alcohol counselling and general safety advice.
Staff in the CCTV control room will be monitoring the streets of the town centre and will be in constant communication with the organisations involved to alert them to unfolding situations.
Similar events just before Christmas in previous years were a huge success, with around 200 people spoken to or asking for information.
Cabinet member for Community Development, Cllr Jeremy Oates, said, “The aim of the Safer Nights Plus Operation is to make people more aware of their safety when they are out for the night. Tamworth is a safe place to be at night and this operation will help the show people to huge amount of work which goes into ensuring that safety.”
Tuesday, December 17th, 2013
Shoppers are being reminded by Conservative controlled Tamworth Borough Council that parking in all Tamworth town centre car parks is free all day on Saturday December 21, the last Saturday before Christmas.
Parking will be free in all borough council-run car parks and Ankerside. The car parking fees are being waived in a bid to boost town centre trade by encouraging more people to come into Tamworth to shop.
Traders and shopper have already been given a Christmas boost with free parking on Saturday December 7. The first free parking day was chosen to coincide with Small Business Saturday, which aimed to encourage shoppers to support small independent traders in the town centre.
Tamworth Borough Council Deputy Leader, Cllr Rob Pritchard, said, “”We are keen to support the town centre, especially at important times like Christmas. We made the decision to waive parking charges on these two very busy shopping days because we want to support traders and boost town centre trade.
“There was a lot of support for Small Business Saturday, and I hope that a lot of people will take up the opportunity of free parking on December 21. Please tell your family and friends so we can make this the busiest Christmas for the town centre ever. Please come out and support YOUR town centre.”
This will be the ninth Christmas in a row that car parking fees will be waived, since Conservative controlled Tamworth Borough Council first gave free car parking in December 2005.
Thursday, December 12th, 2013
Following this week’s announcement that the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) will be recommending that MPs salaries should be increased by 11%, Tamworth’s MP Christopher Pincher spoke out against the proposals.
Mr Pincher said, “I cannot see how this increase can be justified in this time of continued austerity. IPSA have promised a further consultation before any change is implemented in two years so rightly it will be looked at again.”
IPSA was set up in the wake of the expenses scandal in 2009 to take MPs remuneration decisions out of their own hands. It acts independently of Parliament and its decision follows a consultation and review of MPs pay and conditions. It has promised that its proposals will not be implemented until after the General Election in 2015 and it will open up its recommendation for further public consultation before any final change is made.
Friday, December 6th, 2013
During yesterday’s Autumn Statement debate in the House of Commons, Tamworth’s MP Christopher Pincher praised George Osborne on his proposals to clamp down on tax avoidance and evasion across the UK.
Mr Pincher said, “I congratulate my right hon. Friend on doing the right thing and clamping down on tax avoidance and evasion, that will add a further £6.8 billion to Treasury revenues over the next five years, but can he estimate the extent of the revenues that were forgone because of avoidance and evasion during Labour’s supposed boom years? Is this not another example of our having to clean up after Labour’s failure?”
The Chancellor of the Exchequer replied, “We are increasing yield by £40 billion over the current Parliament. It is not just a question of the specific measures that we take to deal with tax avoidance; it is also a question of the resources that we provide for the fraud and tax avoidance units of Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs. Let me take this opportunity to praise HMRC for the incredible job that it has done.
“We must ensure that we collect the revenues that are due. Of course, we want to live in a society in which people pay lower taxes, which is why we raised the personal allowance in order to cut income tax, and why I have announced measures to cut business rates for shops and the like. However, people must pay the taxes that are due because they cheat the rest of the country when they do not, and that is why we have taken action to deal with tax avoidance.”
Friday, December 6th, 2013
Members of the public planning on getting a tattoo are being urged to think before they ink – and ensure that the studio or artist is properly registered under the Local Government Miscellaneous Provisions Act 1982.
Conservative controlled Tamworth Borough Council’s Environmental Health department is responsible for the inspection and registration of all premises where tattooing, piercing, acupuncture and electrolysis is carried out – and all such studios must be registered before they can operate, to ensure that they are safe, hygienic and comply with the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974.
Once the premises has been inspected and approved, the council will issue a Certificate of Registration, which must be prominently displayed. If a tattooist is not displaying a valid certificate, they are operating illegally and should be reported to Tamworth Borough Council’s Environmental Health department on 01827 709709.
Members of the public are also being warned that it is an offence to tattoo anyone under the age of 18 – even if they have the consent of a parent.
A number of tattoo studios in Tamworth have reported a rise in the number of underage people asking for tattoos – in many cases, bringing a parent along with them. It is a criminal offence to provide a tattoo for anyone under the age of 18 – regardless of parental consent. Tamworth Borough Council is urging anyone who is aware of underage tattooing being carried out to report it directly to the police on 101.
Cllr Stephen Doyle, Cabinet member for Environment, said the Environmental Health department regularly visits all tattoo studios in the borough and works with the businesses to ensure the risk to public health is eliminated by good practices, safe environments and competent people carrying out the procedures.
He said, “We take a very strong line on unlicensed tattooists, as safeguarding public health is a top priority for us. We would encourage anyone planning a tattoo to make sure they go to a reputable, registered tattooist, and to report anyone they know of who is carrying out tattoos without being properly registered.
“We are also keen to stamp out the unlawful tattooing of people under the age of 18, and call on the public to report this to the police.”
Thursday, December 5th, 2013
During today’s autumn statement, Conservative Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne announced increases in business rates in England are to be capped at 2%, instead of being linked to inflation.
Business rates were set to rise by 3.2% next year, based on September’s Retail Prices Index measure of inflation. Mr Osborne said he planned to encourage small businesses on to High Streets by cutting £1,000 from their rates bill.
Firms will also be allowed to pay their rates in monthly instalments. The chancellor said the cap could save businesses up to £3,375.
The £1,000 discount will apply to retail premises, including pubs, cafes and restaurants, with a rateable value of up to £50,000 for two years. He also pledged help for the High Street by introducing a “reoccupation relief” – halving business rates for businesses moving into vacant premises.
In a separate move, the chancellor announced he would abolish employer National Insurance contributions for the under-21s from April 2015, with the exception of those earning more than £42,285.
Mr Osborne also promised to look at reforming the business rate system for 2017, a move many business lobby groups, including the BRC, have been calling for.
Thursday, December 5th, 2013
Prime Minister David Cameron has paid tribute to former South African President Nelson Mandela, who died aged 95 at 20:50, local time, tonight Thursday 5th December 2013.
Mr Cameron said, “A great light has gone out in the world. Nelson Mandela was a hero of our time.”
The Prime Minister also said that the flag above Number 10 Downing Street is currently flying at half-mast as a mark of respect.
Mr Mandela led South Africa’s transition from white-minority rule in the 1990s, after 27 years in prison. He had been receiving intense home-based medical care for a lung infection after three months in hospital.
During yesterday’s latest Parliamentary debate on transport in the House of Commons, Tamworth’s MP Christopher Pincher asked the Department of Transport to look at improving the rail links between Tamworth and Birmingham airport.
