Archive for August, 2016
Thursday, August 11th, 2016
Christopher Pincher, MP for Tamworth, has drawn attention to the Constituency Road Safety Dashboard developed by the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety (PACTS) alongside Direct Line.
The PACTS Road Safety Dashboard was developed to compare and analyse road casualty data in order to consider the progress already made, and how it can be improved. It allows analysis of local areas to be run against national scores. The United Kingdom has a good road safety record but there is still more to do to reduce casualties nationwide.
Mr Pincher said, “It is reassuring to see that Tamworth’s KSI (Killed or Seriously Injured) index is 30% lower than the national average, and that the work being done across the constituency to improve road safety is taking root.
“There are still too many victims of motoring incidents and too many grieving families and we should not take accidents for granted. There is still work to do and this resource is invaluable to see where we can tailor our action as a community to stamp out road incidents in Tamworth and surrounding areas.”
To explore local results yourself using the Dashboard, visit www.pacts.org.uk/dashboard.
Thursday, August 11th, 2016
Tamworth’s MP, Christopher Pincher, wants to make sure local people are kept safe from fire and to inform of the new services provided by Staffordshire Fire’s new Community Advice Team.
In order to ensure your home is safe from the dangers of fire, you should make sure you have a smoke alarm installed on each floor.
The Community Advice Team has been set up to provide tailored advice on how to protect your home or business from fire. You can also book a risk assessment, which can include the fitting of equipment or smoke alarms. Smoke alarms are an important way to ensure extra time for escape in the event of a fire by providing early warnings.
Each death involving a fire is thoroughly investigated and costs the Fire & Rescue Service and other blue lamp services approximately £1million. So investing in fire prevention and awareness is not just the right thing to do, it is the cost effective thing for everyone to do.
Mr Pincher said, “I urge anyone with concerns about potential fire risks to contact the Community Advice Team now. The services they offer can allow local people to fireproof their homes and businesses, as well as locate any potential risks that may have been overlooked.
“Do not take the chance of a fire in winter. People should get their homes thoroughly checked this summer.”
Anyone interested in contacting the Community Advice Team can call 0800 0241 999 between 8am and 6pm from Monday to Friday.
Thursday, August 11th, 2016
As the nation marks the centenary of the Battle of the Somme, Tamworth’s MP has called on local residents to apply for Heritage Lottery Fund money to explore their local stories of the First World War.
Following the success of the Heritage Lottery Fund’s community grants programme ‘First World War: then and now’, an additional £4 million has been made available for communities looking to explore, conserve and share their local heritage from this period.
Grants are available between £3000 and £10,000. There are already 1,520 First World War projects taking place across the United Kingdom, with communities discovering interesting and inspirational stories of how events such as the Somme campaign impacted their local area.
Mr Pincher said, “It is remarkable to see such a range of projects emerging across the country, with such a variety of inspirational tales from the First World War. It is important that we remember the impact this war had on our nation, and it would be fantastic to see Tamworth’s heritage remembered as part of this campaign.
“There is still time to apply for National Lottery investment and I would urge anyone in Tamworth with an idea for a project to get in touch.
”My own great grandfather, William Pincher, was killed on the first day of the Somme fighting in the South Staffordshire Regiment. He came from Darlaston but he never went home. His body was never found and his name is commemorated on the Thiepval memorial to all those killed on the Somme but with no known grave.
“I hope other local people will see if the Heritage Lottery Fund can help Tamworth unearth more Somme stories from this town.”
