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News from Your Local MP

Posted by Dawn Primarolo, MP for Bristol South, at 15:10, Mon 19 July 2010:

WELCOME!

Here’s the latest edition of my regular newsletter. Readers may notice that this is a shorter edition than usual. Unfortunately, I have been unwell in the last couple of weeks, so have been unable to carry out many of my usual visits and meetings. I returned to the office on Friday, and was pleased to hold my regular surgery, as well as catching up with letters, emails and phone calls from local residents.

LEISURE CENTRE TURF CUTTING AND SWIMMING CUTS

It was great to see work start last week at the new leisure centre in Hengrove. The leisure centre, which will include a gym and Olympic sized swimming pool, was given the final green light early in the new year by the previous Government. Thankfully this project has escaped the new Government’s cuts programme. The leisure centre, along with our new hospital and skills academy, are part of the hugely important Hengrove Park development. It seems odd then, that with health and exercise top of the agenda in Bristol South, that the Government have cut free swimming sessions for young people and the over 60s. The health benefits of swimming are widely known, so it is perverse that the Government has stopped its funding. However, a number of council all over the country are stepping in to fill the gap. I’ll certainly be calling on the Council to fund free swimming, despite their Government’s cuts. Given the Council can afford £144,000 for a ‘place-shaping director’ (no, I don’t know what it means either!) surely they can invest in free swimming for young and older people. You can sign a petition to keep free swimming in Bristol here: http://epetitions.bristol.gov.uk/epetition_core/community/petition/911.

PRIMARY SCHOOL FUNDING

Readers may have seen the Education Secretary’s apology for a catalogue of mistakes following his scrapping of the Building Schools for the Future programme. The bungled announcement meant that many schools whose rebuilds were cancelled were first given false hopes that they would be protected. Thankfully, thanks to prioritising by the former Government, all of Bristol South’s secondary schools either have already been or are being extensively refurbished or rebuilt. I am, however, concerned that extra funding for our primary schools may not escape the Government axe. It is not yet clear whether proposals for improvement, as part of the Council’s primary review process, will go ahead. I am seeking clarification from the City Council, and will keep you updated.

LOCAL SUCCESS STORIES

Local residents regularly contact me to ask for help with issues in their neighbourhood – for example, problems with pot holes, fly-tipping etc. I thought I would share with you some examples of some recent success stories in Bristol South where I have worked with local residents to lobby the Council to make improvements. Within the past few weeks we have seen the former petrol station site on Bedminster Road cleared and secured; a promise from the Council to cut back overgrown bushes in the well-used footpath connecting Cutler Road and Highridge Common; and the Council is also looking into the repair of a broken turnstile in the Inns Court area to prevent motorcycle access. These may seem like small things but they can make a big difference to people’s lives and our local neighbourhoods. Please do not hesitate to get in touch if you think I can help with any similar problems where you live.

COMMUNITY PROJECT VOLUNTEERS

I have been contacted by the energy company, Southern Electric, who are offering a team of hands, minds, ideas or skills to a local community project for a day, free of charge. This is part of the company’s “Community at Heart” programme where Southern Electric employees work with local organisations, charities and groups. If this is something of interest to you, more details are available on the following website: www.southern-electric.co.uk/aboutus/helpinghands (Please note I am happy to pass this information on although this shouldn’t be seen as a recommendation of any particular organisation).

ANY QUESTIONS?

If you have any queries about these issues, or have a question you would like to ask about anything else, please do not hesitate to get in touch. Just email primarolod@parliament.uk, phone 0117 909 0063 or write to me at PO Box 1002, Bristol, BS99 1WH.