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August 31st 2012 www.annasoubry.org.uk
Hello again,
You may be receiving my email newsletter for the first time – if you are then welcome; my aim is to keep you up to date with my work on your behalf as your MP and share some of my views on local and national issues. A number of constituents have contacted me over the “summer” (sorry but I am struggling to accept we have had one!) on a number of matters – full details of action taken below.
Notwithstanding the weather, the Olympics and now the Paralympics both following the Queens’ Diamond Jubilee have made this a summer we will all remember and cherish forever.
It’s back to school next week and that includes politicians as Parliament returns on Monday. I’ve used the last six weeks to meet a large number of constituents and catch up with local organisations - details below.
Hope to see you at tomorrow's Stapleford Carnival.
As ever,
Anna
Thank you to everyone who has lobbied me on this. I tabled a question for the Chancellor of Exchequer which didn’t provide much of a response so I have now written to the Minister, Chloe Smith. It is difficult to strike the balance between encouraging people to “green up” their lives but without overly punitive taxes which effect hard working families. In my view we need to get the balance right and I have always favoured more carrot and less stick. Save Our Green Belt!
Thank you to everyone who made a submission to Broxtowe Borough Council about their plans to accept a housing target of 6,150 thereby handing over huge swathes of our Green Belt to development.
As Toton residents know Peveril Securities have been circulating a leaflet about their “revised plans”. An application to build hundreds of houses on the Green Belt land opposite the tram terminus is expected in the next few weeks. Regular readers will recall how the Labour/Lib Dem coalition which controls Broxtowe Borough Council wanted the site to be on their “preferred sites list” until opposition from residents led by local Tory Councillors and myself forced them to change their minds.
Unfortunately, the damage was largely done and only compounded by the ruling groups insistence to accept the last Government's housing target despite Broxtowe only having enough brown field sites for three to three and a half thousand homes. GCSE exam results
I have written to all the heads of our secondary schools following last week’s GCSE results and concerns that English papers in particular have been unfairly marked down. I know that both George Spencer Academy and Kimberley School had results even better than last year. As yet I don’t know the situation at Chilwell and Bramcote Park Hills Federation; in any event congratulations to the staff and pupils at all our schools who did well in both A level and GCSE exams.Awsworth Post Office DVLA campaign/ Beeston Postie round!
Thank you to everyone in and around Awsworth who wrote to me asking for my support in the bid for Post offices to retain DVLA front desk services – as a result I have written to the Minister with responsibility for Post offices, Norman Lamb and the Secretary of State for Transport, Justine Greening. I will let you know their response when I receive them.
I spent most of a morning at the Royal Mail sorting office in Beeston and then out on a round with a postman. I’ve never doubted the invaluable service of hand delivered post by Royal Mail to homes and businesses and the hard graft of our postmen and women who do much more than deliver our post. My thanks to Steve for his guide to his Beeston round which was very similar to a leaflet delivery round I’ve done myself more than a few times. Tramworks Latest
I have posted the latest news on my web site please click here for the most recent update.Surgery
My next surgery is on Saturday September 15 at Greasley Parish Hall from 10am til 12pm. Please call the constituency office on 0115 9436507 for an appointment.Community Paedriatic Service
A number of constituents have raised concerns in the last twelve months or so about shortfalls in the community paedriatic service so I have held a meeting with the team leaders at the QMC. There were problems which i am confident have now been resolved and the service is restored as being the best in the East Midlands and arguably one of the best in the country. William Barnard and the death of John McGrath
You may well remember this tragic incident when Stapleford resident, John McGrath was killed by his grandson William who was profoundly mentally ill at the time. John’s wife Mabel was also badly wounded in the incident at their home in 2009. A hitherto secret report by the police has finally come to light and I have spent a considerable amount of time with John and William’s family in Stapleford following its eventual disclosure. I have managed to ensure a full Inquest and anticipate the contents of the report will attract considerable attention when the inquest opens. Most importantly it now appears both the police and the mental care team failed in their duty to William and to John and Mabel. The family and I are now of the firm view that had both organisations acted properly this terrible incident would not have happened.
We are all determined to get to the truth to ensure that no other family suffer as they have and lessons are drawn and learnt.
Bus Services in Kimberley, Awsworth and TotonI met with senior officers and Councillor Kevin Rostanace from Notts County Council to discuss Adult Social Care. The meeting was very informative and I was pleased to be able to raise the situation following the withdrawal of the Toton Connect bus. Having met residents at Lombardy Lodge it struck me as daft that “someone somewhere” couldn’t find a way to provide transport from that end of Toton to the shops, GP surgery and pharmacy opposite the retail park . As it turns out Notts County Council is looking at precisely this sort of scheme to make full use of their existing transport services and having put all parties together I hope a new service can soon be provided.
Meanwhile I had a meeting with Trent Barton and Borough Councillors Andy Cooper and Lydia Ball about the no. 27 bus service. Councillor Ken Rigby met them last week and as a result of everyone’s efforts Trent Barton have agreed to take a serious look at restoring the Friday and Saturday evening service. They may need some financial support from the Borough Council to kick start the service and I very much hope this might be considered at next weeks cabinet meeting.
The GambiaThere has been considerable concern about the situation in the Gambia in recent weeks with President Jammeh suddenly announcing his intention to execute all prisoners on “death row”. It was a threat he has made before but this time he began the process leading to particular concerns about the husband of a constituent who was sentenced to death two years ago and whose appeal is pending. I made a number of representations to Amnesty International and the Foreign Office and it would appear considerable pressure from a number of countries have halted the executions. As a long time opponent of the death penalty I would ask all Amnesty members to follow the “urgent action” requests issued by Amnesty in relation to events in the Gambia. Trent Vale playing fields
Thank you to all the residents of South Road who met me to discuss their concerns about the state of the Trent Vale Playing Fields. It does seem particularly silly that in the wake of London 2012 and so much enthusiasm for getting involved in sport, the tennis and netball courts are overgrown and abandoned and much of the site is underused and scruffy. The entire site – which includes the Beeston Business Park has been on sale with bids closing next week. Any sale will not be completed until next year so there is little that can be achieved at this stage to find a long term solution.
However. I have contacted the Council in relation to problems with rats and pigeons. County Councillor Eric Kerry is dealing with the problem of overhanging branches. The Club who lease much of the site, in my view need help and support to make sure its properly maintained. As the MP I will not hesitate to work with the new owners to make sure the entire site is invigorated to provide first class job opportunities, community and sporting facilities.Meeting with Vice Chancellor of Nottingham University
I had a very positive meeting with the Vice Chancellor of Nottingham University; their Olympian athletes came second in the University league table. We discussed concerns that the Government's policy on visas for students and the quite proper crack down on bogus colleges is sending out the wrong message overseas. It’s a very fair point and one I won’t hesitate to raise with David Willetts when Parliament returns next weekToton Matters!
Tesco entrance
I think a number of people will be pleased to hear that thanks to a group of residents at Calverton Close and Melbourne Court who contacted me I have written to Tesco’s in Toton to see if we can finally sort out the somewhat dangerous access opposite the Barracks. Tesco are making the right noises but as yet haven’t come up with the goods!
Flood petition
Residents of Nottingham Road signed a petition to me in protest at the Environment Agency’s decision not to provide a flood wall to protect their properties.
I contacted the Environment Agency, who have reassured us that these properties will be adequately protected. The EA is currently assessing whether a form of flood defence named “Individual Property Protection” will be feasible to prevent water damage to the small number of affected properties which have a flooding risk. Representatives from the Environment Agency plan to discuss this matter with residents at a Public Meeting in September and I will, of course, publicise the details of this meeting when I have them.
I have managed to attend a number of events in the constituency this “summer” though as we all know many were either cancelled or somewhat washed out. The Sunken Church Strawberry Fayre at Bramcote survived the heavy showers and my thanks to everyone especially the scone makers!Gilthill Primary needs stand in patrol!
Can you help? Gilthill Primary School's crossing patrol is not well enough to return for next week's new term. If you are interested in applying for the relief job please contact Notts County Council on 0115 9774865.And finally.....
Britain’s pubs have been closing on a regular basis but our Blue Monkey brewery based at Giltbrook (which I visited a few weeks ago) opens its second pub tonight. Blue Monkey employs three former Kimberley Ales brewers and such is their success they bought a somewhat abandoned pub in Nottingham last year (which is thriving as the Organ Grinder on Alfreton Road) and now have given a Loughborough pub that was about to close a new lease of life (also called the Organ Grinder). Blue Monkey get almost all their equipment, malts and hops from the UK and without being overly biased brew excellent ales of varying strengths and varieties of ales.
Anna Soubry MPBarton House
61, High Road
Chilwell
0115 9436507
www.annasoubry.org.ukUnsubscribe from this newsletter
