Crewe News

Friday, 29 January 2010

MP's News Bulletin

Welcome ...

Welcome to this my thirty-eighth electronic news bulletin.

Remember, you can always contact me directly if you have any questions for me.

You can forward the bulletin on to your friends and family, who can sign up themselves by clicking here for my website.

Best wishes,

Edward Timpson
Member of Parliament for Crewe & Nantwich

I have recently ...

Launched British Heart Foundation 'Love Notes' Campaign, in Crewe
Met with local business, Energy Communications, in Crewe
Held constituency surgery, in Crewe
Patrolled with Cheshire Police in Crewe town centre
Visited Hungerford Primary School, in Crewe
Spoken at South Cheshire Harriers annual awards dinner, in Crewe
Met with North West Ambulance Service regarding emergency first-responders, in Nantwich
Met with 4Children regarding children & families in United Kingdom, in Parliament
Met with InsightPA regarding social care provision, in Parliament
Hosted North West Rail Campaign Parliamentary dinner, in Parliament
Introduced Private Member's Ten Minute Rule Bill, 'Ambulance Response Times, Local Reporting', in Parliament
Sat on Children, Schools & Families Bill Committee, in Parliament
Sat on Children, Schools & Families Select Committee, in Parliament
Asked Secretary of State for Communities & Local Government about the Government's proposed council tax revaluation, in Parliament
Spoken in debate on Royal Mail Industrial Relations regarding mail staff in Crewe & Nantwich, in Parliament

Photos & Video ...

You can view all my photos and video at edwardtimpsonmp.com

I have recently...

Introduced Private Member's Ten Minute Rule Bill, 'Ambulance Response Times, Local Reporting'. view
Asked Secretary of State for Communites & Local Government about the Government's proposed council tax revaluation. view
Spoken in debate on Royal Mail Industrial Relations regarding mail staff in Crewe & Nantwich. view

Anger at Crewe tax office closure

Crewe and Nantwich Chronicle

UNION bosses have accused the Government of ‘betraying’ workers following the announcement Crewe tax office is to close in March next year with a loss of 22 jobs.

Treasury Secretary Stephen Timms has just confirmed in a letter to Crewe and Nantwich MP Edward Timpson that only 30 of the 52 staff working in the Oak Street office have been redeployed – leaving 22 facing life on the dole.

Colette Smith, the West Cheshire branch secretary of the Public and Commercial Services Union, said this week: “Management said they’d help our members in find jobs in other government departments – but in reality there are no jobs available locally.

“Many of the staff in Crewe have given 20 to 30 years of committed service to the HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and that commitment has been betrayed.”

The 22 staff affected are unwilling or unable to be redeployed as they live outside what is considered a reasonable daily commute. Ms Smith said: “There are people who cycle to work who don’t have cars. We have a woman whose husband drops her off but he can’t drop her off in Stoke before going to his own job in Manchester.”

She added many of the workers were carers or mothers with young children who needed to work near their homes.

Workers at Crewe have fought a lengthy campaign backed by Mr Timpson to stop the closure of the Crewe office.

Mr Timpson accused the Government of showing a complete disregard for the Crewe workers and said they were also removing a valuable local service.

“We’ve become quite famous in the Treasury for our campaign against closure, staving off the decision for 20 months and resulting in them sending not one but two very senior officials to bear the bad news,” said Mr Timpson.

“My sympathy goes to those who have enjoyed long careers at Crewe tax office, only to have them spoiled by unnecessary relocation to Hanley or voluntary redundancy.”

Joan Patrick, of Gainsborough Road, who had just received help with her tax at the Crewe office, told the Chronicle as she left: “I think it’s a terrible shame it’s going.

“The staff in there have been wonderful and helped me.”

James Duddridge backing Parliamentary bill on ambulance times

SouthEnd Echo

AN MP is supporting a Bill calling for more localised reporting of ambulance response times.

James Duddridge, MP for Rochford and Southend East, is backing the Bill put forward yesterday by Edward Timpson MP to introduce requirements for ambulance services to provide more accessible and localised reports of their response times.

Crewe and Nantwich MP Edward Timpson is loud and clear over bowel cancer screening

Crewe and Nantwich Chronicle

CREWE and Nantwich MP Edward Timpson is helping to raise awareness about bowel cancer.

Mr Timpson met representatives of Beating Bowel Cancer at its annual Be Loud Be Clear reception.

Bowel cancer is the UK’s second biggest cancer killer. Of the 100 people diagnosed every day, almost half will die from the condition. But more than 90% of cases can be treated successfully if diagnosed early enough.

All people aged 60-69 in England are invited for screening every two years through the NHS bowel cancer screening programme. Yet in Crewe and Nantwich only 57% of people have taken part in screening.

Mr Timpson said: ‘I was pleased to learn today that 767,034 people in the Midlands and North West screening hub have taken part in bowel cancer screening to date.

“However, too many people are still dying from this curable disease. If 77% of people in the Midlands and North West screening hub took part in bowel cancer screening in the next two years 1,796 cancers could be detected. That is why I am being loud about the importance of screening to ensure that people in Crewe and Nantwich stay clear of bowel cancer.”

Hilary Whittaker, chief executive of Beating Bowel Cancer, said: “We are delighted that Edward Timpson is supporting Beating Bowel Cancer’s call to action on screening.

“While significant improvements have been made since the start of the programme, we know more lives could be saved if participation in screening increased.

“That is why Beating Bowel Cancer is calling for policymakers and the NHS to commit to ensuring one million additional people are screened by 2012 and urges the Government to extend the age range for screening in England to those in their 50s so that more people at risk of bowel cancer have the opportunity to be screened for, and beat the disease.”

Letter from Nantwich MP Edward Timpson

Edward Timpson, The Holly Holy Day Society

When I became MP for Crewe and Nantwich one part of the job that I was looking forward to most was the chance to represent people that I know to be rightly proud of their area and its traditions. One of the most memorable and impressive displays of this came when my wife and I had a great time at last year's Holly Holy Day and the re-enactment of the 1644 Battle of Nantwich. And since then I was kindly invited to become a patron of the event, which of course, I was delighted to accept.

Since the revival of Holly Holy Day in 1972, it has become much more than just a recreation of that famous battle. It is now a day not just for local people to enjoy, but also for people from across Cheshire and the UK to come to Nantwich, and see what all the fuss is about.

From what I can tell 2010's Holly Holy Day promises to be even bigger and better than last year, with a market, various performances and street entertainers spread across the town, as well as a safe area dedicated to children. It should be another fantastic day.

And not only is it an excuse to have a day out and celebrate a bit of our shared history, it will also hopefully provide a welcome boost to businesses in the area, who might otherwise be suffering from the post-Christmas slump.

The organisers have told me that this year they are particularly keen to expand the event, in an effort to attract as many visitors as possible, and really put Nantwich and Holly Holy Day on the map. And finally- just a word to say a big 'Thank You' to the Holly Holy Day Society, the Sealed Knot and to all the other volunteers whose hard work makes all the festivities possible, and to all the people of Nantwich and the local councils and businesses for supporting them.

Kevin wins progress award

Crewe and Nantwich Chronicle

EX-WORLD champion boxer John Conteh and local MP Edward Timpson were among the the VIPs at a celebratory charity dinner at Haslington Cricket Club.

The boxer and the MP are both patrons of Supported Community Business, a therapeutic workshop based on Crewe Gates Industrial Estate for people with learning difficulties who wish to explore the world of work in a safe and controlled environment.

The trainees carry out real work tasks for local businesses, ranging from mail shots to packing components for flat packs, enabling them to experience work first-hand while gaining confidence and life skills.

The highlight of the evening, attended by most trainees, was the presentation of this year’s David Hough Trophy.

It was awarded to Kevin Schofield, the trainee judged to have made the most significant progress over the past 12 months.

Christine Hough and Paul Edwards received certificates of merit in recognition of personal goals they had achieved during the past year.

All three winners were delighted their progress has been recognised in an official way.

MP in talks on adoption

Crewe and Nantwich Chronicle

Crewe and Nantwich MP Edward Timpson was on a panel discussing fostering and care at the Royal Society of Arts in London last week.

The talks were part of Barnardo’s ‘Counting the Cost of Care’ conference, addressing obstacles to fostering and adoption in the UK.

The charity says that80% of people have never even considered fostering – contributing to a national shortage of 10,000 foster carers.

Before becoming an MP in 2008, Mr Timpson was a barrister specialising in family law and his family has fostered more than 80 children.

Crewe-based Fujitsu workers strike in row over jobs and pay

Crewe and Nantwich Chronicle

WORKERS at Crewe- based Fujitsu are to strike again this week in a row over jobs, pay and pensions.

Staff at the Crewe site of the technology giant, who took part in strike action on Friday, are expected to walk out again this Friday.

Further strike action is also earmarked for next month.

Crewe and Nantwich MP Edward Timpson visited staff at the Crewe Business Park site last week after being contacted by the unions.

He has also signed a motion in Parliament calling for a dialogue to be established between Fujitsu's management and the Unite union.

Speaking after his visit Mr Timpson said: “The staff here are all highly trained and work very hard, as seen by the fact that Fujitsu Services’ profits more than doubled last year. The workers here have told me their concerns and Fujitsu needs to sit down with them and negotiate to resolve this dispute and avoid further strike action.”

Last year Fujitsu announced it was to lay off 1,200 employees.

This number has now reduced.

Unite says about 70 UK workers are now at risk of compulsory redundancy.

Union bosses say a pay freeze imposed earlier this year and plans by the company to close the main final salary pension scheme to future accrual, reduce the total pay package of each affected employee by around 20%.

Fujitsu employs 260 workers at Crewe.

Peter Skyte, Unite national officer for IT and communications, said: “We still believe this dispute can only be resolved by Fujitsu sitting down with us to address the issues of jobs, pay and pensions.”

NHS data hides real picture, says MP

Civil Service Network

The NHS should publish detailed data to show the wide variation in ambulance response times, an MP has said.

Conservative backbencher Edward Timpson, MP for Crewe and Nantwich, said the data nationally published gave patients no real indication of how long they might wait for the emergency service.

Department of Health (DH) targets dictate that ambulance trusts must reach 75 per cent of serious call-outs within eight minutes.

Timpson told the Commons on Tuesday that the NHS in his own area, the North West, had managed 74.3 per cent of scores, but that hid the fact that ambulances were only meet the target time for 14.3 per cent of calls in some postcode areas.

The MP, who was introducing a bill demanding local reporting of response times, said such a low figure was "unacceptable", even in rural areas.

He also said more detailed data was available "at the push of a button", but was currently only published in response to freedom of information requests.

"What I hope my Bill will do is to begin to address the absence of proper local accountability that exists across the ambulance service, and in doing so help to improve the outcomes for patients wherever they may happen to live," he said.

Although Timpson's bill will not make into law due to lack of parliamentary time, it does have cross-party support.

A DH spokesman said the department has no plans to change the level at which ambulance data is collected. "The department regularly reviews the level of data that it collects to ensure that it is able to adequately monitor NHS performance without placing an unreasonable burden of reporting on the NHS," he said.

""It is a matter for the local NHS to ensure there is appropriate provision of emergency services that are responsive to people's needs.

"Many local NHS services already look at localised performance data, but whether and how they do this is up to each trust to decide.

"The Department of Health only collects national data at ambulance trust level. SHAs and PCTs have the responsibility for ensuring that national response time standards are delivered and maintained by trusts."

MP highlights worrying bowel screening figures for Nantwich

Nantwichnews

Only 57% of people aged 60-69 in Nantwich and Crewe have had bowel cancer screening since it became available on the NHS, figures show.

Everyone aged 60-69 is entitled to take part in the NHS bowel cancer screening programme every two years.

Nantwich MP Edward Timpson recently met with the charity Beating Bowel Cancer at their annual ‘BE LOUD BE CLEAR’ reception at the House of Commons.

The charity aims to highlight the importance of screening and hopes to screen one million additional people in the UK over the next two years, which could save more than 2,000 lives through early diagnosis.

Bowel cancer is the UK’s second biggest cancer killer. Of the 100 people diagnosed with bowel cancer every day, almost half will die from the condition. Yet over 90% of cases can be treated successfully if diagnosed early enough.

Mr Timpson said: “I was pleased to learn today that 767,034 people in the Midlands and North West screening hub have taken part in bowel cancer screening to date. However, too many people are still dying from this curable disease.”

And Hilary Whittaker, Chief Executive of Beating Bowel Cancer, said: “Whilst significant improvements have been made since the start of the programme, we know more lives could be saved if participation in screening increased.”

Ambulance response times 'should be published'

ePolitix

Data on local ambulance response times should be published, according to a Tory MP.

Introducing a ten-minute rule motion in the Commons this afternoon, Edward Timpson (Con, Crewe and Nantwich) said his Ambulance Response Times (Local Reporting) Bill would require ambulance services to provide more "accessible and localised" reports of ambulance response times.

He told MPs that regional ratings were "distorting and disguising enormous variations within a region" as smaller localities within larger areas could be neglected.

The MP, who took the traditionally Labour seat in a by-election in April 2008, said because of this the public has no meaningful way of establishing how their local service is performing.

Timpson said he had managed to acquire figures only through submitting a freedom of information request.

But the data was available on ambulance service computers at the "push of a button" so should be published as a matter of course.

And he hoped his Bill would begin to address the absence of "proper local accountabilities" in the ambulance service.

Fujitsu strikes to escalate

Socialist Worker

Fujitsu workers are escalating their fight for jobs, pay and pensions with five more days of strike action set to take place.

More than 1,450 Unite union members at the IT company struck solidly for the seventh day on Friday of last week.

They are angry at plans to make workers redundant, the imposition of a pay freeze and management’s desire to close the final salary pension scheme.

The compulsory redundancies are to take effect from Sunday, so there is an urgent need for other groups of workers to back this fight.

The attacks are coming from a profitable company.

Action

Fujitsu staff in Northern Ireland struck on Tuesday of this week, while those in England, Scotland and Wales were to take action on Wednesday.

They were to lobby their MPs in parliament on the day.

The union has four more days of strikes – on Friday of this week, Monday and Friday of next week, and Monday 8 February.

Pressure is being stepped up on the company in other ways.

Twenty two MPs have signed an early day motion supporting the workers. Unite sponsors over 160 Labour MPs.

Strikers received their first visit from an MP last week.

Incredibly, the MP in question was Edward Timpson, the Tory MP for Crewe & Nantwich.

Many are wondering why Labour MPs haven’t visited picket lines.

The union last week fought off an attempt by Fujitsu to force it to withdraw the notice of action on a legal technicality.

Workers are demanding that Fujitsu negotiates properly with Unite.

They are determined to keep up their fight until a deal, acceptable to members, is reached.

Alan Jenney, a Unite rep in Crewe, said, “The strike is gathering pace. We had the largest number of people picketing yet on Friday of last week, with 24 members outside the building.

“People feel that the company has not really responded to us.

“We could do with a bit more publicity from the national side of things.

“Edward Timpson MP attended our picket line on Friday to get the views of members on the dispute.

“In some ways that’s surprising, but it’s a shame that that the local Labour candidate hasn’t been down to talk to us.”

Profitable

John Garvani, a Unite rep in Wakefield, said, “The strike has opened a lot of people’s eyes. They see a profitable company that is not negotiating with the union about the issues behind the dispute.

“The next few days have an extra importance as the remaining compulsory redundancies take effect on 31 January.

“There are less than 100 people at risk from this now, and you would think that a company with 11,500 staff could absorb that number of people.

“It’s not as if we’re short of work for people to do.

“The strike is having an effect on the company. In Wakefield some of the desks for customers are being staffed by a small amount of people on strike days.

“This will be having an effect on the major high street retailers we do work for.”

Unite needs to make this dispute, which is about issues that matter to millions of workers, a key priority for the union.

It should also be putting pressure on its sponsored MPs to support the early day motion and the workers’ fight.

Fujitsu workers are planning campaign and solidarity meetings around the country on 8 February, which should be a key date in trade unionists’ diaries.

James supports bill calling for more localised reporting of ambulance response times

Politics.co.uk

James Duddridge, Member of Parliament for Rochford and Southend East, is today supporting a Bill put forward by Edward Timpson MP to introduce requirements for Ambulance Services to provide more accessible and localised reports of ambulance response times.

Regional Ambulance Authorities currently publish Ambulance Response times for the entire region but not on a local level.

James said:

“I am very pleased to be supporting this bill today. Regional ambulance authorities currently collect response times at a local level, but it is not published. The East of England Ambulance Trust may have met their targets for response times in most months, but these figures do not tell the full story.”

“It is clear to me that rural areas, like Foulness, are likely to have a longer response time than for an emergency call out in central Southend. I have written to the East of England Ambulance Trust asking for a breakdown of ambulance response times in Rochford and Southend by postcode, in order to fully assess the response times of ambulances in our local area.”

Crewe MP Meets Fujitsu Workers

Crewe and Nantwich Guardian

WORKER'S at Crewe's technology giant Fujitsu had the opportunity to air their grievances to local MP Edward Timpson last week.

On Friday Mr Timpson paid staff a visit at their site at Crewe Business Park, which employs around 300 people, after he was contacted by union bosses.

Last year Fujitsu announced that it was to lay off 1,200 employees, although this number has since been reduced.

Despite this staff have since taken industrial action over grievances involving redundancies, pay cuts and changes to their pension plans.

Mr Timpson has also signed a motion in Parliament calling for a dialogue to be established between Fujitsu's management and the Unite union.

Speaking after his visit Mr Timpson said: "The staff here are all highly trained and work very hard, as seen by the fact that Fujitsu Services' profits more than doubled last year.

"The workers here have told me their concerns, and Fujitsu needs to sit down with them and negotiate to resolve this dispute and avoid further strike action."

Radical Plans To Fight Crime

Crewe and Nantwich Guardian

CREWE and Nantwich MP Edward Timpson has strongly endorsed radical new plans to tackle crime and restore confidence in Britain’s ‘broken’ criminal justice system.

He said the importance of the new Conservative plans is underlined by analysis revealing that there were 1,693 violent attacks on people across Crewe and Nantwich in the last year.

This represents a rise of 148% per cent in the last decade.

But Mr Timpson said the new plans will give Crewe and Nantwich citizens greater protection if they have to defend themselves against intruders in their homes, or if they stop a crime being committed in the street.

He said: “We will give new powers to Cheshire East Council to fight booze-fuelled antisocial behaviour and stop supermarkets selling alcohol at below cost-price which is destroying law-abiding local pubs and fuelling low-level crime."

He also says his party will publish detailed street-by-street crime statistics online every month, in an open and standardised format, so people know the real level of crime in their neighbourhood.

Mr Timpson added: “Over the last decade the Government has launched endless initiatives and top-down schemes which have made little difference.

"Their broken promises have undermined people’s trust.

"We can’t go on with the police filling in forms instead of fighting crime.

“Our hard-working police officers deserve the highest praise.

"But many people across South Cheshire are hugely frustrated with our criminal justice system.

"They feel that it’s just not on their side anymore.

“These major proposals will help put the law back on the side of local people in Crewe and Nantwich and give our police the full support they so richly deserve.”

MP Backs Cancer Screening Event

Crewe and Nantwich Guardian

CREWE and Nantwich MP Edward Timpson last week met with representatives from the charity Beating Bowel Cancer, at their annual Be Loud Be Clear reception.

The event, at the House of Commons, aimed to raise awareness of early screening for bowel cancer, the UK’s second biggest cancer killer.

Mr Timpson said: “I was pleased to learn today that 767,034 people in the Midlands and North West screening hub have taken part in bowel cancer screening to date.

"However, too many people are still dying from this curable disease.”

Hilary Whittaker, chief executive of Beating Bowel Cancer, added: “We are delighted that Edward Timpson is supporting Beating Bowel Cancer’s call to action on screening.

"Whilst significant improvements have been made since the start of the programme, we know more lives could be saved if participation in screening increased.”

Haslington Charity Evening

Crewe and Nantwich Guardian

PATRONS of a South Cheshire charity John Conteh and Edward Timpson MP have joined trainees, staff and guests for a four course celebratory meal at Haslington Cricket Club. Supported Community Business is a therapeutic workshop, based on Crewe Gates Industrial Estate.

It was created to help people with learning difficulties who wish to explore the world of work in a safe and controlled environment. The trainees carry out real work tasks for local businesses, ranging from mail shots to packing components for flat packs, enabling them to experience work first hand whilst gaining confidence and life skills.

The highlight of the evening was the presentation of this year’s David Hough Trophy, which was awarded to Kevin Schofield, the trainee judged to have made the most significant progress over the past 12 months. Christine Hough and Paul Edwards received certificates of merit in recognition of personal goals they had achieved during the past year.

Crewe and Nantwich MP says Tories 'will fix broken criminal justice system'

Crewe and Nantwich Chronicle

CREWE and Nantwich MP Edward Timpson has strongly endorsed radical new plans set out in the Conservatives’ draft election manifesto to tackle crime and to restore confidence in Britain’s ‘broken’ criminal justice system.

He says their importance is underlined by new analysis which reveals there were 1,693 violent attacks on people across the constituency last year, a rise of 148% per cent in the last decade.

Mr Timpson says the new plans will give people greater protection if they have to defend themselves against intruders in their homes, or if they stop a crime being committed in the street.

“We’ll give new powers to Cheshire East Council to fight booze-fuelled anti-social behaviour and stop supermarkets selling alcohol at below cost-price which is destroying local pubs and fuelling low-level crime,” he said.

He says his party will also publish detailed street-by-street crime statistics online every month so people know the real level of crime in their neighbourhood.

He says: “Over the last decade, this Government has launched endless initiatives which have made little difference. Their broken promises have undermined people’s trust. We can’t go on with the police filling in forms instead of fighting crime.

But the MP reserved praise for the area’s police officers, saying: “Our hard-working police officers deserve the highest praise. But many people across South Cheshire are hugely frustrated with our criminal justice system. They feel that it’s just not on their side anymore.

“These major proposals will help put the law back on the side of local people in Crewe and Nantwich and give our police the full support they so richly deserve.”

Nantwich MP meets Cheshire Fujitsu staff over job fears

Nantwichnews

South Cheshire workers of technology giant Fujitsu aired their grievances to Crewe & Nantwich MP Edward Timpson.

The MP visited staff at their Crewe Business Park office, which employs around 300 people, after he was contacted by unions.

Last year Fujitsu announced it was to lay off 1,200 staff, although this number has since been reduced.

Despite this, staff have taken industrial action over grievances involving redundancies, pay cuts and changes to their pension plans.

Mr Timpson has also signed a motion in Parliament calling for a dialogue to be established between Fujitsu’s management and the Unite union.

Mr Timpson said: “The staff here are all highly trained and work very hard, as seen by the fact that Fujitsu Services’ profits more than doubled last year.

“The workers here have told me their concerns, and Fujitsu needs to sit down with them and negotiate to resolve this dispute and avoid further strike action.”

38th "Battle of Nantwich" wows thousands of visitors

Nantwichnews

Thousands of people watched on as the 38th Battle of Nantwich Holly Holy Day took over the town.

The annual event, which this year was free to spectators, saw members of The Sealed Knot re-enact the great Civil War battle.

Mayor of Nantwich Cllr Edith Williams and Nantwich MP Edward Timpson and his family were also present.

Spectator Jonathan White, who took these photos, said: “It was a little muddy in parts, but a very well organised and well attended event.”

5 ways to contact Edward Timpson

By email: timpsone@parliament.uk
On the web: edwardtimpsonmp.com
By phone: 01270 501 725
By post: 30 Victoria Street, Crewe CW1 2JE
In person: Click here to see surgery times

Thursday, 28 January 2010

Message from Cllr. Brian Silvester

Now that the snow has melted and it seems like the worst of the cold spell is over I would like to record my thanks to the Cheshire East Council staff and the local emergency services for the excellent way they reacted to the worst cold spell for almost 30 years. Staff worked literally around the clock to keep the main roads open, to keep the vulnerable members of our community safe and to maintain the waste collection service . Many Council employees went well beyond the call of duty and I would like to say 'thank you' to them. I am sure their wonderful efforts have been appreciated by all local residents. We have many unsung heroes in our community and these workers were certainly heroes during the recent freezing weather.

Yours faithfully,

Cllr. Brian Silvester

Rope Ward

We are very pleased that an extensive refurbishment and fencing of the Parish Council's children`s play area on the Wybunbury Road playing field in Willaston has now been completed. New items of equipment installed include an All Ability roundabout, a Pendulum Swing suitable for use by disabled children, and an exciting SMP climbing unit, together with new safety surfacing. The play area is now of a standard fit for a new generation of children in the village and is safer to use because of the new fencing.

The Parish Council has been working on this project for over 12 months and it has finally been made possible thanks to a generous £30,000 grant contributions from Cheshire East Council and a grant from the Waste Recycling Group (WRG) administered by the Environmental Body WREN. We would like to thank the Parish Council for bringing this worthwhile project to fruition and the Cheshire East Council and WREN for helping to fund it.

Yours faithfully,

Cllr. Margaret Simon

Cllr Brian Silvester

Cllr.Ray Westwood

Rope Ward Cheshire East Councillors.

Cheshire East Pauses To Commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day

Commemorating Holocaust Memorial Day are (left to right) Tania Nelson, daughter of a holocaust survivor, Helen Oakes of Wilmslow High School, John Weeks, Strategic Director of People for Cheshire East Council, Cheshire East Mayor Margaret Simon, Catherine Howard of Wilmslow High School and Jack Aizenberg, camp survivor.

A Holocaust survivor joined people from across Cheshire East to remember and reflect upon some of the most terrible events in recorded history.

Cheshire East Council invited Jack Aizenberg to be a guest speaker at the event to commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day on the 65th anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi death camp at Auschwitz-Birkenau.

Pupils and teachers from local schools joined members of community groups from across the area for the event at Macclesfield Town Hall.

Mr Aizenberg described his harrowing experiences at Buchenwald and Theresienstadt camps and how he was among only 60 inmates from 600 to survive a death march.

He was liberated in May 1945 but lost his mother, father and brother in the atrocities.

Guests heard next from Tania Nelson, daughter of camp survivor Mendel Beale, who recounted her father’s imprisonment at Gerlitz and Auschwitz.

Catherine Howard, Religious Studies Teacher at Wilmslow High School, recalled her visit to Yad Vashem in Jerusalem, the world centre for research, education and commemoration of the Holocaust.

Wilmslow High School pupil Helen Oakes gave her experiences of a recent visit to Auschwitz.

The event featured choir performances from pupils from North Cheshire Jewish Primary School and Ash Grove Primary School and music from All Hallows Catholic College.

Cheshire East Mayor Margaret Simon said: “Very sadly, the evils that created the Holocaust have not entirely passed away with history.

“The tragedies of Cambodia, Bosnia, Rwanda and Darfur show that the international community – and each of us as citizens – have still to understand and apply the lessons of the atrocities of 65 years ago.

“The experiences of the survivors were terrible to listen to but it is vitally important for people to understand what happened in the Holocaust, so that they can prevent the same terrible things ever happening again.

“We must all share the difficult responsibility for getting that message across.”

The commemoration was based around the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust’s 2010 theme of ‘A Legacy of Hope’.

Karen Pollock, Chief Executive of the Holocaust Educational Trust, said: “This year’s theme ‘The Legacy of Hope’ highlights the importance of bearing witness to Holocaust Survivors.

“At the Holocaust Educational Trust, we endeavour to impart the history of the Holocaust to young people, across all communities, to ensure that we honour the memory of those whose lives were lost and take forward the lessons taught by those who survived.”

First Bridge back at Queens park

The first bridge is back at the Park. It was on site at 10 am and after adjustments to the crane. it was lifted in place by 1:30. It was a lot bigger than we first thought

For a full report read the news on the Queens Park Site

Tuesday, 26 January 2010

Valley Park

On the way back from the park I came past the Valley Park were I find there is all new play equipment installed. There is the big zip wire for the older kids and some new landscaping with rocks and new climbing frames and other new stuff for people to play with. The area is looking good and a lot of facilities are now there

Friday, 22 January 2010

Distraction Burglary

Please be aware of the following distraction burglary that took place in the Ruskin Road area of Crewe at approx 12:15pm on Thursday 21/01/2010.

Unknown male offender knocks on front door of premise and states that he is from the council. He proceeds to say that there is a burst pipe in the street and he needs to turn the water off due to it being contaminated. The house occupant took the offender into the kitchen area and whilst he is looking under the sink, a second unknown offender enters the premise without the occupant's knowledge. The second offender goes upstairs and makes a tidy search of the main bedroom and steals a large quantity of cash before exiting the premise separately from the first offender.

The offender that was seen by the occupant was in his 20's with dark hair, he was not wearing a uniform but wore a jacket and trousers and he is reported as having an accent

Please make members aware of this incident and ask them to make their friends and family aware. If anyone has any elderly relatives of neighbours please make them aware as unfortunately elderly people are often the target of these types of crime. With recent new stories in the local paper about the high levels of chlorine in the water some people may be more believing of someone knocking on the door asking to check for contaminated water. If anyone has any elderly relatives please try to encourage them to refrain from storing large quantities of money around their properties. I appreciate that some people are reluctant to use a bank but offenders are well aware of all the common hiding places for money such as under the bed, floorboards, kitchen cupboards and drawers, in or on top of the wardrobe, hidden amongst clothing in drawers, in empty tins and behind dressers/units. In these types of burglaries the second offender can often locate cash and valuables quickly from looking in a few key places.

Many people are quite clued up about door to door sales now and generally follow the message not to buy from the door. However, we still have issues with when individuals knock on a door claiming to be of an official nature such as from the council, from the water board, from a gas company etc. It is often in these cases that someone is persuaded to allow entry to their home generally because they are convinced that there has been some sort of emergency or situation and their utilities need checking. Clearly, people are often concerned about being without utilities, especially in this weather and therefore often trust the individuals and allow them entry. I appreciate that is is a hard message to get across but please try and press the following key messages:

* Always check an individuals ID thoroughly. It is a good idea to take their ID, shut the door on them, go into your property and find a contact number for the company in question and ring to enquire if someone should genuinely be in your area for the reason stated and check the employees details from the ID. Don't feel rude doing this, a genuine company operative should not take offence at this as it causes them as much concern that people misuse their companies name to commit crimes.

* Many utility companies operate a password scheme. It may be worthwhile contacting your providers to see if you can sign up to this. This would mean that anyone knocking on your door who is genuine should be able to provide you with your password (or certainly obtain it from their company).

* If practical you can ask the person to go away and make an official appointment to attend at your property in writing. This allows you the chance to ask someone to be with you at your property during the visit. If the person isn't genuine they are highly unlikely to follow up. If you do receive a letter you have adequate time to double check with the company in question that it is genuine.

* Remember if at any time you are unsure or uncomfortable you do not have to allow entry to your property to anyone. If in any doubt, keep them out.

Tuesday, 19 January 2010

MP's News Bulletin

Welcome ...

Welcome to this my thirty-sixth electronic news bulletin.

Remember, you can always contact me directly if you have any questions for me.

You can forward the bulletin on to your friends and family, who can sign up themselves by clicking here for my website.

Best wishes,

Edward Timpson
Member of Parliament for Crewe & Nantwich

I have recently...

* Met with representatives from the Association of Train Operating Companies
* Met with senior representatives of Royal Mail Group
* Met with the Executive Cabinet of Cheshire East Council with North West Members of Parliament
* Attended the launch of the Sunbeds Bill for the protection of under 18's
* Attended a Conservative Friends of Poland reception
* Spoken in Parliament on the Children, Schools and Families Bill, second reading
* Sat on the Children, Schools & Families Select Committee, in Parliament
* Sat on the Joint Committee on Human Rights in Parliament

...This weekend I will be attending Crewe Bangladesh Welfare Association reception with Shadow Minister, Baroness Warsi.

Crewe Hosts VIP Birthday Bangladesh Bash

Crewe Town Blog

Traditional Bangladesh dancing, food and hospitality will welcome around 300 guests to the Victoria Centre on West Street in Crewe, between 11am and 6pm.

The colourful event will celebrate the achievements of the Crewe Bangladesh Welfare Association (CBWA) during its first year in existence.

The VIP list includes:

• Rt Hon. Baroness Warsi (Shadow Minister for Community Cohesion and Social Action)
• MP for Crewe and Nantwich, Ed Timpson
• Rt Hon Sajjad Karim MEP
• Mayor of Cheshire East, Councillor Margaret Simon.

Councillor Margaret Simon, Mayor of Cheshire East, who will be giving a speech at the event, said: “The achievements of the Bangladeshi community in Crewe is a wonderful example of successful cultural integration.

“The association has helped the Bangladesh community to tap into the many resources that Cheshire East Council has to offer, such as adult learning in areas like ICT, which ultimately leads to better job prospects and a more active participation in the wider community.”

Claire Wilson, Community Development Manager at Cheshire East Council, commented: “One of the biggest challenges within the community is getting women involved in events and activities. We hope that by engaging with the group they will have improved job opportunities and develop other new interests and activities.

“Children and Young People are also a priority in terms of the Bangladesh community and positive engagement will ensure that we build future cohesive communities. ”

Councillor Brian Silvester, Deputy Leader of Cheshire East Council, said: “I spoke at the launch of the Welfare Association last year and I am delighted that it has become an annual event. The Association does a lot of good work locally and the Council continues to work closely with them

“The Bangladeshi people are incredibly hospitable with so much warmth and energy to offer.”

© 2010 CreweTownBlog

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Crewe and Nantwich MP Edward Timpson welcomes Conservative pledge to create a supermarket Ombudsman

Crewe and Nantwich Chronicle

CREWE and Nantwich MP Edward Timpson has welcomed a pledge to create a supermarket ombudsman to curb abuses of power by the major food retailers.

The Tories say they would create the ombudsman as a dedicated unit in the Office of Fair Trading.

This is particularly important for Nantwich dairy farmers who can struggle to get a fair price for their milk.

Mr Timpson said: “Supermarkets deliver real benefits but some aspects of the way they treat their suppliers can harm consumers as well as producers.

“We have a new code of practice which outlaws unacceptable practices such as retrospective discounting, but this isn’t worth the paper it is written on without effective enforcement.

“While the Government dithers the Conservatives are clear: we will introduce an ombudsman to curb abuses of power which undermine our local dairy farmers and act against the long-term interest of consumers.

© 2010 Trinity Mirror North West and North Wales Ltd

MP calls for more ambulance scrutiny

Crewe and Nantwich Chronicle

MP EDWARD Timpson aims to introduce a Bill in parliament to make it easier for people to scrutinise the performance times of their local ambulance service.

Current rules mean response times are only published by region and can mask the true picture.

The guidelines mean poor response times in rural areas, such as Audlem, are averaged out by better response times in urban areas.

Services are currently required to respond to 75% of the most urgent ‘Category A’ calls within eight minutes.

In November North West Ambulance fell just short of this target, managing to respond to 73% of Category A calls within eight minutes, but in some areas the figure was much lower. In Nantwich the service achieved just 53%.

Mr Timpson gave notice to introduce a Bill as part of the ongoing campaign to restore blue light abilities to Nantwich First Responders.

Speaking afterwards Mr Timpson said: “Ambulances in the rural areas of Crewe and Nantwich are responding much more slowly to emergency calls than those in urban areas.”

He added: “Significant improvements could be made in Nantwich if the town’s trained First Responders were allowed to drive under blue lights.”

© 2010 Trinity Mirror North West and North Wales Ltd

Words from Westminster

Edward Timpson, Crewe and Nantwich Chronicle

My Party has consistently fought to protect the NHS from Labour’s cuts and reorganisations.

We understand the pressures the NHS faces and are committed to protecting health spending in real terms.

But when you’re more likely to die of cancer in Britain than in most countries in Europe – and when the number of managers in the NHS is rising three times as fast as the number of nurses – the question isn’t whether the NHS should change, it’s how.

Our plan is based on decentralisation, accountability and transparency. By publishing the information about the results the healthcare providers are achieving, we’ll make sure there’s no hiding place.

This is why I’m introducing a Bill to make our ambulance service report its local response times for Crewe and Nantwich. They’re not good enough, but many people don’t know this.

When the patients have the information to make an informed choice, then hospitals and GPs that don’t provide good care will have to raise their game.

© Trinity Mirror North West & North Wales Limited.

Boys from Cheshire Academy of Integrated Sport and Arts in Crewe get Parliamentary visit

Crewe & Nantwich Chronicle

TWO youngsters from the nationally renowned Cheshire Academy of Integrated Sport and Arts in Crewe were given the treat of a lifetime when they visited the Houses of Parliament.

Ryan Moore, 11, and Christopher Brown, 14, both from Crewe, were invited to London by Crewe and Nantwich MP Edward TImpson.

Mr Timpson took two hours out of his very busy schedule to show the boys round the historic building, arrange refreshments by the Thames and explain the way Parliament works.

The youngsters, who were accompanied by Jane Whetnall and Kate Shackleton from the Macon Way centre for disabled children, were “incredibly impressed” with the effort made by the local MP on their behalf.

Kate said: “I cannot thank Mr Timpson enough for his valuable time and the effort he put in.

“He was very relaxed with the youngsters and explained things really simply and pitched things exactly at the right level of understanding.

“He was incredibly generous with his time. ”

© Trinity Mirror North West & North Wales Limited.

Charity licensing blow

Crewe and Nantwich Chronicle

Churches, village halls, charity shops and sports clubs across Crewe and Nantwich face a new £20 million tax from Gordon Brown’s Government, says local MP Edward Timpson.

"In the small print of new regulations, the Government is abolishing charities’ and voluntary groups’ long-standing exemption from music licensing rules– hitting them with unexpected new bills just for holding events with recorded music or for playing a radio," says Mr Timpson.

Voluntary groups do not have to pay for a performance rights licence to play recorded music.

"This exemption is now being abolished by the Government. This will affect church worship, charity discos, tea dances, youth clubs, dancing groups, sports clubs and even charity shops," says the MP.

The levy will come into effect in April if ratified by Parliament, though the Conservatives have said they will strongly oppose the measures.

"The Government admits that the new levies will cost voluntary groups £20 million a year," says Mr Timpson.

“This is another assault on the fabric of British community life. Having effectively shut down post offices and local pubs across Crewe and Nantwich, Whitehall bureaucrats now have our village halls, scout huts, charity shops and churches in their sights."

© 2010 Trinity Mirror North West and North Wales Ltd

Road closure warning during Nantwich Holly Holy Day

Nantwichnews

Drivers in and around Nantwich are urged to be patient when the annual “Battle of Nantwich” Holly Holy Day arrives in town.

Police will put diversions in place during the event on Saturday January 23.

Members of the Sealed Knot Society will parade through the town, before re-enacting the civil war Battle of Nantwich on Mill Island.

After the battle they will form up again and march back to Malbank School.

Derek Griffiths, events planning officer with Cheshire Police, said there will be some closures in place during marches.

Drivers are urged to plan journeys and cooperate with directions from officers on the day.

During the parade at 1pm, Welsh Row, from Malbank School to Waterlode, Oatmarket, from Waterlode to Beam Street, Beam Street, from Oatmarket to Manor Road and Waterlode, from Mill Street to Oatmarket, will be closed.

During the battle between 2pm and 3pm footbridges and footpaths on Mill Island will be closed except for the footbridge from Waterlode.

Local MP Edward Timpson is Patron of the Holly Holy Day Society and has urged residents and traders to get behind the event, which this year is free.

He said: “Some local businesses have already supported the event through sponsorship, advertising or practical assistance, and we are hoping that local shops will add to the festive spirit by dressing up their staff or through window displays.

“The event should bring in lots of visitors, which will be a big help to our shops at this time of year.”

Click here for original article

© 2010 Nantwichnews

MPs speak out against Government proposals for home education

The Home Education Campaign News

The Government delayed the official response to the public consultation on registration and monitoring of home educated children until the Second Reading of the Children Schools and Families Bill.

The official response is somewhat perfunctory and does not make a persuasive case for change.

The following MPs spoke on home education in the Second Reading debate: Denis McShane, Rotherham
Jim Cunningham, Coventry South
Graham Stuart, Beverley and Holderness
Mark Field, Cities of London and Westminster
David Chaytor, Bury North
Kate Hoey, Vauxhall
Barry Sheerman, Huddersfield
Edward Timpson, Crewe and Nantwich
Tom Levitt, High Peak
Michael Gove, Surrey Heath
David Laws, Yeovil
Annette Brooke, mid Dorset and North Poole
Andrew Turner, Isle of Wight
Elfyn Llywd, Meirionydd Nant Conwy
Andrew Miller, Ellesmere Port and Neston
Sandra Gidley, Romsey
Brian Jenkins, Tamworth
Nick Gibb, Bognor Regis and Littlehampton

Over 200 MPs voted against the Government Bill.

Minister Diana Johnson who has responsibility for home education did not speak in the debate.

The Bill will now pass to Committee stage which will conclude on February 4th before the Bill is returned to the House of Commons for the Third Reading.

© 2010 Freedomforchildrentogrow

MP Welcomes Supermarket Pledge

Crewe and Nantwich Guardian

CREWE and Nantwich MP Edward Timpson has welcomed a pledge to create a supermarket ombudsman to curb abuses of power by the major food retailers.

He said a future Conservative government will create a supermarket ombudsman as a dedicated unit in the Office of Fair Trading.

Mr Timpson said the issue is particularly important for Crewe and Nantwich dairy farmers who can struggle to get a fair price for their milk.

He said: “Supermarkets deliver real benefits but some aspects of the way they treat their suppliers can harm consumers as well as producers. "We have a new code of practice which outlaws unacceptable practices such as retrospective discounting, but this isn’t worth the paper it is written on without effective enforcement.

“While the Government dithers the Conservatives are clear: we will introduce an Ombudsman to curb abuses of power which undermine our local dairy farmers and act against the long-term interest of consumers. “As the Competition Commission has made clear, failure to do so could result in reduced investment by suppliers, lower product quality, and less product choice, with potentially higher prices in the long run for Crewe and Nantwich consumers. "It is time to act.”

© 2001-2009 Newsquest Media Group

Bangladeshi Birthday Bash

Crewe and Nantwich Guardian

LOCAL dignatories will be supporting the Bangladeshi community in Crewe on Sunday, during what promises to be a feast of delights.

Traditional Bangladesh dancing, food and hospitality will welcome around 300 guests to the Victoria Centre on West Street between 11am and 6pm.

The colourful event will celebrate the achievements of the Crewe Bangladesh Welfare Association (CBWA) during its first year in existence.

Amongst the VIP guests will be Baroness Warsi, Edward Timpson MP, Sajjad Karim MEP and Cheshire East Mayor Margaret Simon.

Clr Simon said: "The achievements of the Bangladeshi community in Crewe is a wonderful example of successful cultural integration.

“The association has helped the Bangladesh community to tap into the many resources that Cheshire East Council has to offer, such as adult learning in areas like ICT, which ultimately leads to better job prospects and a more active participation in the wider community.”

Claire Wilson, community development manager at Cheshire East Council, said: “One of the biggest challenges within the community is getting women involved in events and activities. "We hope that by engaging with the group they will have improved job opportunities and develop other new interests and activities.

“Children and Young People are also a priority in terms of the Bangladesh community and positive engagement will ensure that we build future cohesive communities. ”

Brian Silvester, deputy leader of the council, added: “I spoke at the launch of the Welfare Association last year and I am delighted that it has become an annual event.

"The Association does a lot of good work locally and the council continues to work closely with them.

“The Bangladeshi people are incredibly hospitable with so much warmth and energy to offer.”

Crewe is home to around 500 Bangladeshi people who settled here 50 years ago and are now third generation.

The community has its own Mosque in Walthall Street and is currently in the process of obtaining new premises in Electricity Street.

Members of the Polish, Iraq, Turkish and ethnic Black community have also been invited.

© 2001-2009 Newsquest Media Group

Fuel poverty alarm

Crewe and Nantwich Chronicle

Crewe and Nantwich MP Edward Timpson last week turned up the heat on the Government when he demanded to know what plans are in place to tackle fuel poverty.

Recently released figures show that fuel poverty is at its highest level since 1998 with 13.3% of households in Crewe and Nantwich living in fuel poverty. During the 2007-08 winter there were 50 ‘excess winter deaths’ attributed to the cold.

Mr Timpson highlighted the alarming figures in the commons saying: “Just over one in eight households in my constituency live in fuel poverty.

“In attempting to tackle that growing problem, energy suppliers have committed collective social assistance spending of about £150m in 2010-11. But what commitment have they made beyond 2011?”

Responding, a minister for the Department for Energy and Climate Change said: “We do indeed intend to put the voluntary agreement for social price support on a statutory basis, and we propose to double the amount of support under that scheme.”

© 2010 Trinity Mirror North West and North Wales Ltd

MP Backs Holly Holy Day

Crewe and Nantwich Guardian

CREWE and Nantwich MP Edward Timpson is urging the South Cheshire community to support the Holly Holy Day Winter Fayre in Nantwich on Saturday January 23.

Mr Timpson is the patron of the Holly Holy Day Society which stages the annual commemoration of the 1644 Battle of Nantwich.

The event was a victory for the forces of Parliament which ended the Royalist siege of the town after a miserable Christmas with precious little food or other supplies available.

The colourful event which culminates in a re-enactment of the battle on Mill Island is organised by the society and supported by Sealed Knot and Crewe and Nantwich Rotary.

There is a programme of events and entertainments in the town for the whole family from Saturday morning onwards, including a dedicated area for children.

In view of economic conditions, the organisers have made the event free this year.

Three years ago the event nearly folded due to lack of funding and practical support.

Since then, people have rallied round and organisers expect this year’s event to be the biggest Holly Holy Day yet.

Mr Timpson said: “Holly Holy Day in Nantwich is a tradition that has been enjoyed by many generations of local people now.

“Some local businesses have already supported the event through sponsorship, advertising or practical assistance, and we are hoping that local shops will add to the festive spirit by dressing up their staff or through window displays.

"The event should bring in lots of visitors, which will be a big help to our shops at this time of year.

“I would encourage everyone in South Cheshire to try and attend the event to show their support and to help it continue into the future – as well as giving themselves a great day out!”

© 2001-2009 Newsquest Media Group

MP Demands Fuel Poverty Plans

Crewe and Nantwich Guardian

CREWE and Nantwich MP Edward Timpson has turned up the heat on the Government as he demanded to know what future plans were in place to tackle fuel poverty.

Recent figures show that ‘fuel poverty’ is at its highest level since 1998 with 13% of households in Crewe and Nantwich living in that condition.

They further revealed that that during the 2007-2008 winter there were 50 ‘excess winter deaths’ attributed to the cold.

Speaking in the house of Commons Mr Timpson said: "Just over one in eight households in Crewe and Nantwich are living in fuel poverty.

"In attempting to tackle that growing problem, energy suppliers have committed collective social assistance spending of about £150 million in 2010-11, but what commitment have they made beyond 2011?”

Responding, a minister for the Department for Energy and Climate Change said: "The answer to his question lies yet again in the deliberations of the committee that is considering the Energy Bill, about which we have heard so much today.

"We do indeed intend to put the voluntary agreement for social price support on a statutory basis, and we propose to double the amount of support under that scheme."

Afterwards Mr Timpson commented: "I was shocked by the figures revealing the extent of fuel poverty in Crewe and Nantwich, a problem which is even more acute as we are experiencing one of the harshest winters in living memory.

"Conditions here in Crewe and Nantwich are some of the worst in the country and people need to know that the Government is doing as much as possible to help them pay fuel bills both now and in the future."

© 2001-2009 Newsquest Media Group

Nantwich dairy firms could benefit from Tory Ombudsman plan

Nantwichnews

A supermarket Ombudsman will benefit Nantwich dairy farmers and consumers, the town’s MP Edward Timpson claims.

The Conservatives have pledged to create the Ombudsman position in a bid to curb what it sees as abuses of power by major food retailers.

The Ombudsman would be a dedicated unit in the Office of Fair Trading.

Crewe and Nantwich dairy farmers, such as Hatherton-based Joseph Heler, face a constant battle to achieve a good price for their products.

Mr Timpson said: “Supermarkets deliver real benefits but some aspects of the way they treat their suppliers can harm consumers as well as producers.

“We have a new code which outlaws unacceptable practices such as retrospective discounting, but this isn’t worth the paper it is written on without effective enforcement.

“The Conservatives are clear: we will introduce an Ombudsman to curb abuses of power which undermine our local dairy farmers and act against the long-term interest of consumers.

“Failure to do so could result in reduced investment by suppliers, lower product quality, and less product choice, with potentially higher prices in the long run for Crewe and Nantwich consumers. It is time to act.”

© 2010 Nantwichnews

5 ways to contact Edward Timpson

* By email: timpsone@parliament.uk
* On the web: edwardtimpsonmp.com
* By phone: 01270 501 725
* By post: 30 Victoria Street, Crewe CW1 2JE
* In person: Click here to see surgery times

Take a Walk on the Wild Side with Cheshire East Council

Outdoor lovers with a taste for adventure are urged to head for Cheshire East’s parks and countryside as the weather begins to brighten up.

That’s because caving, kayaking, climbing, bushcraft and even GPS training are among the more unusual activities on offer from the Council’s Ranger Service in 2010.

Anyone interested can find out more details in the newly launched Open Air guide, a 50-page directory packed with more than 200 events and activities – most of which are free.

Those who prefer their adventures a little less energetic will find plenty to suit their tastes, including wildlife watches, orienteering, pond dipping and nature walks.

Or, they can get creative with activities such as bird box building and willow weaving and learn new skills like hedgelaying and woodturning.

Children can try their hand at mask-making, tree decorating and even creating a home for the countryside’s ‘mini beasts’.

Walkers are well catered for, with more than 70 ambles, wanders, treks and hikes listed, all with different themes.

Councillor Andrew Knowles, Cabinet Member with responsibility for Health and Wellbeing, said: “We are fortunate in Cheshire East to have such wonderful countryside on our doorstep - and the Open Air programme offers a fantastic variety of ways to explore and experience it.

“All the activities promise fresh air, good company, and interesting subjects or a wonderful view, guaranteed to make you feel uplifted and refreshed.

“There is something for everyone, regardless of age, and many activities are suitable for the whole family.

“My sincere thanks go to our Rangers who have excelled themselves this year, putting together the biggest and best events listing to date.

“I would also like to express my appreciation to the many volunteers who have contributed to the running of this year’s events programme.”

Copies of Open Air are available from all Cheshire East Customer Information Points, libraries and Ranger offices.

It can also be downloaded from www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/rangers or simply sign up for the email newsletter to get a reminder of the latest events.

Monday, 18 January 2010

WEAR RED DAY ACROSS CHESHIRE 28TH JANUARY 2010

When I heard the news of the earthquake in Haiti, I was shocked by the immense scale of suffering this earthquake has inflicted on the people of Haiti. The people of Haiti are living out in the open, many with no food and very little water.

I decided I had to do something to help. Knowing how generous the people of Cheshire can be, and with the help of British Red Cross, I came up with the idea of Wear Red Day Across Cheshire on Thursday 28th January.

We are asking the people of Cheshire to wear something red and donate a £1 to help the Victims of The Haiti Earthquake.

So far we have a fantastic response from local councillor s and many Schools, colleges and local businesses across the county agreeing to take part in this event.

People are planning to make it a fun day and are organising raffles and selling cakes, etc.

Those wishing to take part can contact Cllr Derek Bebbington, on 0270 522902 or Eirlys Jessop at the British Red Cross Office on 01565 682309 or 01565 650201

Derek Bebbington

Cllr Derek Bebbington
Crewe North Ward
Cheshire East Council
Crewe Charter Trustee
Tel: 01270 522902
Email: cllr.derek.bebbington@cheshireeast.gov.uk

The easiest way of getting the money to us is to ask each School/college to pay the money in directly at any bank or post office.

The Disaster Emergency Committee (DEC) have launched an appeal and we are members of this organisation so all money goes direct to them.
See below how they should pay the money in.

• via post cheques payable to ‘DEC Haiti Earthquake’ and mail to ‘PO Box 999, London, EC3A 3AA’.

• at any high street bank

• at a Post Office by quoting Freepay 1449.

Or they can donate indirectly via the usual BRC channels:
Eirlys Jessop, Senior fundraiser, British Red Cross, Memorial House, Northwich Road, Knutsford, Cheshire WA16 0AW.
Tel 01565 682309
fax 01565 633885

Thursday, 14 January 2010

Crewe Hosts VIP Birthday Bangladesh Bash

High profile political figures will be supporting the Bangladeshi community this Sunday, during what promises to be a feast of delights.

Traditional Bangladesh dancing, food and hospitality will welcome around 300 guests to the Victoria Centre on West Street in Crewe, between 11am and 6pm.

The colourful event will celebrate the achievements of the Crewe Bangladesh Welfare Association (CBWA) during its first year in existence.

The VIP list includes:

• Rt Hon. Baroness Warsi (Shadow Minister for Community Cohesion and Social Action)
• MP for Crewe and Nantwich, Ed Timpson
• Rt Hon Sajjad Karim MEP
• Mayor of Cheshire East, Councillor Margaret Simon.

Councillor Margaret Simon, Mayor of Cheshire East, who will be giving a speech at the event, said: “The achievements of the Bangladeshi community in Crewe is a wonderful example of successful cultural integration.

“The association has helped the Bangladesh community to tap into the many resources that Cheshire East Council has to offer, such as adult learning in areas like ICT, which ultimately leads to better job prospects and a more active participation in the wider community.”

Claire Wilson, Community Development Manager at Cheshire East Council, commented: “One of the biggest challenges within the community is getting women involved in events and activities. We hope that by engaging with the group they will have improved job opportunities and develop other new interests and activities.

“Children and Young People are also a priority in terms of the Bangladesh community and positive engagement will ensure that we build future cohesive communities. ”

Councillor Brian Silvester, Deputy Leader of Cheshire East Council, said: “I spoke at the launch of the Welfare Association last year and I am delighted that it has become an annual event. The Association does a lot of good work locally and the Council continues to work closely with them

“The Bangladeshi people are incredibly hospitable with so much warmth and energy to offer.”

The Bangladesh Community

Crewe is home to around 500 Bangladeshi people who settled here fifty years ago and are now third generation.

The community has its own Mosque in Walthall Street, Crewe, and is currently in the process of obtaining new premises in Electricity Street.

Many of the community’s high profile political figures will be attending, such as Councillor Abdul Jabbar, who is former mayor of Oldham (2004/5);

Members of the Polish, Iraq, Turkish and Ethnic Black community have also been invited.

To capture the event, Bangla TV will be filming for coverage on several Sky stations.

Social Care Staff ‘Go The Extra Mile’

Tributes have been paid to social care workers who have ‘gone the extra mile’ to maintain services to Cheshire East’s most vulnerable residents during the prolonged cold spell.

Stories continue to emerge of Council staff and external care providers going above and beyond the call of duty to keep people with disabilities and older people safe, warm and well fed.

Despite plummeting temperatures and the threat of snow and ice, they have continued to deliver essential services such as home care and meals on wheels.

Following an evening of heavy snowfall, staff at Heather Brae in Congleton, which supports people with learning disabilities, spent the night at the Council-run centre to ensure the morning shifts were covered.

Meanwhile, members of the hospital social work team in Macclesfield worked on the wards to cover for health colleagues who could not travel into work.

Across Cheshire East, staff with 4x4 vehicles have offered to drive care workers to the homes of service users where snow and ice have made roads impassable to other vehicles.

Staff from the Council’s hot meals provider Sodexho left their vehicles behind and delivered on foot where road conditions were treacherous.

On days when some staff have been unable to travel into work, colleagues have covered their shifts or worked extra hours to ensure that no service was disrupted through lack of staff.

Councillor Roland Domleo, Cabinet Member with responsibility for Adult Social Care, said: “Our care staff do a tremendous job all year round and their magnificent response to the challenges of the past week has demonstrated what an enormous credit they are to Cheshire East.

“They have gone the extra mile – sometimes literally – to maintain services to our most vulnerable residents throughout the most extreme period of wintry weather in 30 years.

“When the weather has prevented us from operating non-essential services such as day centres, our staff have regularly updated service users and made alternative arrangements wherever possible.

“Our services have to focus on the people with the greatest needs and we are grateful to the carers, family members, friends and neighbours who have stepped in to provide meals and social contact to our less vulnerable service users.

“My sincere thanks go to all care providers in Cheshire East for their exceptional commitment and resourcefulness –they have shown how much they care.”

Councillor Domleo added: “As the cold snap continues, I would like to take this opportunity to remind people to remain vigilant to ensure that elderly and vulnerable family members, friends and neighbours stay safe and warm.”

Wednesday, 13 January 2010

Vile water update

Cllr Silvester

I am being kept up to date on this situation by United Utilities on a twice daily basis at the moment.

The issue is that chlorine is used to disinfect the water to ensure bacteriological safety. Due to the run off of additional water from snow and ice melt, and in particular from fields and roads, the normal concentrations of chlorine added are having to be increased to meet targets. This is because higher levels of ammonia in the water are stripping out some of the free chlorine that is being added so that additional concentrations are needed to achieve the target disinfection level. You will be pleased to know that this addition is controlled and is not a case of indiscriminate amounts being added for ease - once the disinfection target is met then dosing automatically stops - so it is as you would like, being kept to a minimum.

Obviously this is not an ideal situation in terms of aesthetic quality of the water for residents, but the alternatives are the distribution of water that does not meet microbiological standards and therefore could create even bigger problems.

My contact at UU will update me with any further information as it is received and I will pass this on to you directly.

CAR PARK MANAGEMENT – THE LATEST FROM CHESHIRE EAST COUNCIL

Cheshire East Council today announced that after careful consideration changes to existing car parking charge proposals are being looked at.

Council Leader Wesley Fitzgerald today said: ”We have listened to representations from ward members, the public and from traders and we understand better the issues that affect specific areas.

“Cheshire East Council has, all along, tried to assure residents that it was listening to their concerns. It is to be hoped that local people are reassured that they have been listened to and that their views have been taken into account.

“I would like to thank everyone who responded to the consultation and helped make a difference.

“As a result, the Council will consider modified proposals that if accepted, will mean the arrangements for the individual town areas will be as follows:

Alsager - no charge for car parking at the current time. The position will be reviewed on the completion of the local supermarket development.

Holmes Chapel and Middlewich - car parking will remain free at the current time and any need for further controls will be monitored.

Sandbach – no charges will be introduced at this time, until there is resolution to the legal issues surrounding the main town centre car parks.

Congleton - From the week starting Monday February 15, car parking charges will be introduced to the major town centre car parks. Details of these car parks can be found at the bottom of this media release.

Plans are also in place to transfer the legal responsibility for enforcing control of on-street parking from the police to the Authority.

Cheshire East Council has also set aside funding to provide a Residents Parking Scheme across the area over the next 12 months. Ward Councillors will be fully consulted through all of the scheme’s design.

The following car parks in Congleton will remain free to use:

Blake Street/Edgerton Street
Rood Hill
Royle Street
Thomas Street

From Monday February 15, charges will be made in the following Congleton car parks.

Chapel Street (50p for up to two hours)
Antrobus Street (30p for up to one hour)
Princess Street (30p for up to one hour)
Fairground (30p for up to one hour)
Back Park Street (50p for up to two hours)
West Street (50p for up to two hours)
Park Street (50p for up to two hours)

Roe Street – car parking will be free at the current time and any need for further controls will be monitored.

With regard to Ropewalk – No charges will be introduced until legal issues are resolved.

Crewe & Nantwich News - December 2009

Partnerships Pay The partnership approach to maintaining law and order and improving people’s lives will become even more significant in 2010, says the Cheshire Police Eastern Are Commander, Chief Superintendent Mick Garrihy. “By working closely with local councils, housing associations, the probation service, schools, watch organisations and community groups we are making tremendous strides. Most types of crime have been reduced dramatically since Cheshire Police re-organized along neighbourhood policing lines in 2005. The Local Area Partnerships which have now been set up are beginning to produce results. They will provide new opportunities to tackle the root causes of crime and disorder.”

Christmas Spirit Police Officers and Police community Support Officers worked with watch organisations and CCTV centres to tackle pre-Christmas crime in all parts of Cheshire Police Eastern Area. They carried out extra uniformed and plain clothes patrols in town centres, deterring and arresting shoplifters, purse dippers and criminals who target parked cars. Many of the area’s most prolific thieves were arrested.

None for the Road On the roads, patrols targeted drivers who had been drinking or taking drugs. In the first two weeks of the pre-Christmas campaign 28 people were arrested in East Cheshire for drink-driving and three for driving while impaired by drugs. Roads Liaison Officer Mike Jones said, “Despite our warnings it seems some people are still taking risks on the roads.”

Sneaking into Prison A man was sentenced to four years and three months imprisonment after he admitted committing 32 sneak-in burglaries in Crewe. Police Officers say the case underlines their warnings to people to lock doors at all times. Detective Constable Darren Harper said, “This man simply walked into homes, usually while the family were asleep upstairs, and walked out with laptops, mobile phones, other electrical goods, cash and cards. There are other burglars out there who specialise in the same type of crime. Locking your door is the most basic crime prevention measure you can take.”
For two months officers across Cheshire Police Eastern Area have expressed concern that one in three burglaries is currently a “sneak –in”. They have repeatedly urged people to keep doors locked while they are in or out of the house.

More Charged Two men arrested when their car was stopped in Crewe appeared in court two days later charged with drug dealing offences. They were both committed in custody to Chester Crown Court. One of the men is from Crewe, the other from Nantwich.

New Appeal on “Callous” Murder Police Officers are following up a hundred pieces of information as a result of a Crimewatch reconstruction of a murder carried out near Congleton fifteen years ago. Tracy Mertens was found dying from burns on churchyard steps at Eaton on Dec 23rd 1994. She had been abducted from a house in Birmingham, doused in petrol and set on fire. Detective Chief Inspector Paul Bailey said, “The reconstruction made real the full horror of what was done to Tracy. It took a cold, callous and cruel mind to plan her murder.” The Crimewatch programme included a picture of her, taken in hospital during the 12 hours before she died and never previously published. DCI Bailey said it was part of an appeal aimed directly at anyone who might know her killers. He added, “Her eyes clearly show her pain. I would ask you to look into Tracy’s eyes and search your conscience. If you know anything about who did this to Tracy, and why, tell us. Tell us now. It is not too late.” Anyone with information is asked to contact the Operation Eaton Incident Room on 0845 458 0000 or information can be left anonymously on the Crimestoppers line 0800 555 111.

Yellow Card for Fast Action A “Yellow Card” system intended to fast track action which prevents young people drifting into anti- social behaviour will be evaluated in the New Year. Police Officers, Police Community Support Officers and Cheshire East Council Community Wardens who break up groups of teenagers enter the names, addresses and schools of the young people involved on the Yellow Cards, together with details of why they took action. Cheshire East Anti Social Behaviour Unit then sends a letter to parents, inviting them to get in touch for further details. Parents of young people listed a second time are sent a “Final Letter” before intervention measures begin. The number of letters being sent has increased since the pilot project began and the response from parents has been positive.

Violence Charges A 24 years old man from Nantwich has been sent to Chester Crown Court charged with three offences of violence. He is accused of wounding another man with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, assaulting a woman, and causing an affray. All the offences are alleged to have been committed in Crewe on the same occasion.

Tuesday, 12 January 2010

Vile Water

Have you drank the water lately or thought your tea or coffee tasted funny well Brian Silvester is on the case and has sent the memo below to get United Utilities to do something as they seem to be adding chlorine to combat the salt

I have received complaints about the vile taste of tap water in the Crewe and Nantwich area. United Utilities are adding more chlorine to the water because supplies have been polluted due to the run off from the salt and grit used to keep our roads open. Residents can't even drink the water after it has been boiled and are being put to the extra cost and inconvenience of buying bottled water. Can you urgently contact United Utilities to ensure that the chlorine added is the absolute miminum so local residents can again drink their tap water?

With best wishes,

Brian Silvester

Another side effect of the salt is the footpaths in Crewe that were slated are now lifting and are all over the place so there are more problems in that area as well

Friday, 8 January 2010

Frozen Crewe

Crewe like everywhere else is in the grip of snow and ice. A bit of snow and people go crazy and start doing stupid things. The amount of people you see driving on icy snow on the phone you need full control of the car in these conditions. Then there are the stupid one throwing snowballs at cars which is dangerous for everyone.
The amount of cars going to fast in icy conditions is evident down by the LMR and Derby St were they go racing down only to find themselves coming back as they skid on the ice.
Tuesday night was bad with no gritters out at 8 o'clock at night when the snow came. I went to Sandbach and could only manage 20 mph. It was strange to see 2 Police cars on the Derby Dock smashing up a 6 ft snowman(Police brutality) as it was getting closer to the rd and could have been a danger.

They have now gritted most of West St but many side pavements and roads are lethal as the frost continues.

Down at Tipkinder it looks like a nice winters scene

I spotted the ducks in the snow at the Queens park and this one caught my eye its not our normal duck we get in the park. It looks like some sort of wood duck can anyone tell us what it is and is it rare in the Park?

MP's News Bulletin

Welcome & Happy New Year...

Welcome to this my thirty-fifth electronic news bulletin.

Remember, you can always contact me directly if you have any questions for me.

You can forward the bulletin on to your friends and family, who can sign up themselves by clicking here for my website.

Happy New Year

Edward Timpson
Member of Parliament for Crewe & Nantwich

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Severe Weather Information...

With temperatures as low as minus 20 degrees Celsius in some areas, make sure you know how to keep safe and warm during the severe weather. You can also find weather forecasts and travel updates for road, rail and air at www.direct.gov.uk

For local information please contact Cheshire East Council on 0300 123 55 00 or visit http://www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/about_cheshire_east/winter_weather.aspx

For Cheshire Police non-emergencies, calls should be made to 0845 458 0000

Further Health Information can be found at http://www.nhs.uk/livewell/winterhealth/pages/verycoldweather.aspx

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I have recently...

* Questioned the Secretary of State for Energy & Climate Change on how to tackle fuel poverty in Crewe & Nantwich through social assistance with fuel bills
* Met with the No2Parking Charges campaign representatives in Crewe
* Visited local business Car Transplants in Nantwich
* Met with the Headmasters' & Headmistresses' Conference to discuss education provisions
* Met with respresentatives from Quintus regarding Social Housing in Crewe & Nantwich
* Sat on the Children, Schools & Families Select Committee, in Parliament

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Crewe and Nantwich MP Edward Timpson angry at extension of ID card applications

Crewe and Nantwich Chronicle

CREWE and Nantwich MP Edward Timpson has hit out at the Government for extending the ID card scheme to Cheshire this week.

As of Monday, people living in Lancashire, Cheshire, Merseyside and Cumbria have been able to apply for ID cards.

The cards were made available to people living in Manchester at the end of November.

The introduction of ID cards will see almost 30 separate pieces of personal information – including previous addresses, signature, fingerprints and other biometric details – stored in one place.

Mr Timpson said the potential for another data loss disaster is huge.

He said the Conservatives will scrap the ID cards scheme and use some of the savings to build more prison places, provide more drug rehabilitation for those in custody and create a dedicated border police force.

“This is nothing short of a deception of the people of the North West and of my own constituents in Crewe and Nantwich,” said Mr Timpson.

“We now know the Chancellor of the Exchequer is planning to scrap ID cards, yet the Home Office is still encouraging people to sign up for a card. It’s blatant mis-selling.”

© 2010 Trinity Mirror North West and North Wales Ltd

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Edward Timpson, Tory MP for Crewe and Nantwich, signs pledge to give troops a fair deal

Crewe and Nantwich Chronicle

EDWARD Timpson, the Tory MP for Crewe and Nantwich, has signed up to the Royal British Legion's election manifesto.

The manifesto is a series of pledges designed to make sure our troops get the nation’s support across a range of key areas.

These include fair compensation when they are injured in the line of duty, to make sure guidelines to reduce family separation and breakdown are not breached and that families receive independent legal advice during inquests.

The pledge also seeks support for veterans and their families.

It calls for priority NHS treatment work for veterans with injuries caused by military service and a promise to tackle poverty among older veterans and widows.

Mr Timpson said: “In a constituency like mine that contributes so many young men and women to our armed forces, it’s important we pledge to do our bit for the whole armed forces family beyond the next General Election. That is what I have now done.”

Kevin Shinkwin, the Legion’s head of public affairs, said: “We’re really grateful to Mr Timpson for pledging to do his bit.

“The entire armed forces family needs the support of politicians from all parties and our manifesto outlines practical ways the next Government can help.

“We hope all the parties will give it serious consideration and that every MP and candidate standing at the General Election will pledge to do their bit.”

© 2010 Trinity Mirror North West and North Wales Ltd

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ID cards for Nantwich people blasted by MP Timpson

Nantwichnews

People in Nantwich will be able to apply for ID cards from January 4, despite plans to scrap the scheme.

Nantwich MP Edward Timpson has criticised the move, claiming the Government is “deceiving” local residents.

ID cards will store about 30 separate pieces of personal information, including name, date of birth, previous addresses, photograph, signature, fingerprints and other biometric details.

The Conservatives, who have vowed to scrap the scheme if they get into power, say the potential for data loss disaster is huge.

Mr Timpson said: “This is nothing short of a deception of the people of the North West, and of my own constituents in Crewe and Nantwich.

“We now know that the Chancellor of the Exchequer is planning to scrap ID cards. Yet the Home Office is still encouraging people to sign up for a card.

“It’s blatant mis-selling.”

© 2009 Nantwichnews

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Gym club's facilities fit for purpose

Crewe Chronicle

CAMM Street Gym Club in Crewe has welcomed local MP Edward Timpson as a special guest for their annual Gala Christmas display.

The club has been in existence over 30 years and currently has over 350 active gymnasts of all abilities, and currently has representative teams both nationally and internationally.

It aims to provide a high standard of coaching at minimal cost through the efforts of volunteers and staff.

The club also coached world champion gymnast Beth Tweddle for the first five years of her career.

After a tour and performance, Mr Timpson gave a short speech thanking the young gymnasts for the show, praising the club for the work it does, and outlining the importance of charitable and voluntary work in Crewe and Nantwich.

He said: “I’ve been really impressed by the display this evening. The club’s got some really talented young people. Hopefully one of them may be the next Beth Tweddle at the Olumpics in London in 2012.

“This evening has emphasised to me once again just how important and dedicated our charitable and voluntary organisations are here in Crewe and Nantwich. This was a spectacular display of all their good work.”

© Trinity Mirror North West & North Wales Limited.

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Boys from Cheshire Academy of Integrated Sport and Arts in Crewe get Parliamentary visit

Crewe Chronicle

TWO youngsters from the nationally renowned Cheshire Academy of Integrated Sport and Arts in Crewe were given the treat of a lifetime when they visited the Houses of Parliament.

Ryan Moore, 11, and Christopher Brown, 14, both from Crewe, were invited to London by Crewe and Nantwich MP Edward TImpson.

Mr Timpson took two hours out of his very busy schedule to show the boys round the historic building, arrange refreshments by the Thames and explain the way Parliament works.

The youngsters, who were accompanied by Jane Whetnall and Kate Shackleton from the Macon Way centre for disabled children, were “incredibly impressed” with the effort made by the local MP on their behalf.

Kate said: “I cannot thank Mr Timpson enough for his valuable time and the effort he put in.

“He was very relaxed with the youngsters and explained things really simply and pitched things exactly at the right level of understanding.

“He was incredibly generous with his time. ”

© Trinity Mirror North West & North Wales Limited.

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Plea for action before a child drowns at frozen former pub basement in Nantwich

Crewe Chronicle

A HOUSING developer has come under fire from community leaders who claim it’s only a matter of time before a child drowns on one of its building sites in Nantwich.

Ploverdale Ltd has not fenced off the former Millfields pub on Blagg Avenue, which it demolished after gaining planning permission to build 14 houses on the site.

And families complain that a large hole, where the pub’s basement used to be, has filled with water which has frozen over.

Cllr Bill McGinnis said: “We now have two ice rinks in Nantwich along with the one at the Residence. It must be at least 4ft deep and children have been throwing stones at the ice.

“It won’t be long before a child is hurt or worse. It’s unacceptable and something must be done now.”

Nantwich town councillors have been in contact with planning chiefs at Cheshire East Council to take action. But when the authority reported the matter to the Health and Safety Executive, the HSE said it was satisfied that the state of the site does not pose a problem.

Now, the HSE says it is down to the council’s environmental health team to deal with it because it is not a building site at present.

Crewe and Nantwich MP Edward Timpson said: “The council cannot enforce further safety measures as the site does not contravene planning regulations.

“They have, however, written and spoken to the site owners, Ploverdale Ltd, but still nothing has been done.

“The HSE have also viewed Blagg Avenue site, but have not requested further action.

“I’m writing to Ploverdale to ask them to be more responsible in their dealings with local communities, and to take action as soon as possible.”

James Stott, of Ploverdale, based in Burland, said building work cannot begin until houses on another of its developments in Damson Drive, Nantwich, are all sold.

He said: “I don’t believe it’s dangerous. There are other water features in the area. It is private land and people should not be going on there anyway.

“The water isn’t very deep and the former pub basement will be used to store ‘grey’ water which is environmentally friendly. If we filled in the hole, we’d have to dig it out again.”

© Trinity Mirror North West & North Wales Limited.

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5 ways to contact Edward Timpson

* By email: timpsone@parliament.uk
* On the web: edwardtimpsonmp.com
* By phone: 01270 501 725
* By post: 30 Victoria Street, Crewe CW1 2JE
* In person: Click here to see surgery times

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Friday, 29 January 2010

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Thursday, 28 January 2010

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