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News From Your Local MP

Posted by Dawn Primarolo, MP for Bristol South, at 13:50, Fri 15 October 2010:

WELCOME!

Here’s the latest edition of my regular newsletter.

VISIT TO ASHTON PARK SCHOOL

I was very pleased to be asked to open the new teaching block at Ashton Park School this morning. Ashton Park School’s new facilities are fantastic. My son went to school there, and the transformation from his school days really is incredible. The rebuild was possible thanks to the previous Labour Government’s Building Schools for the Future programme. Unfortunately, as you may have seen in the media, the new Government have cut the Building Schools for the Future programme. Thankfully, Bristol was well on the way to completing all of its schools before the election, so there was no time for the Government to cut here.

The new facilities are only a part of a continuing improving picture at Ashton Park. GCSE and Post 16 results have increased again, and the school (along with Luckwell Primary, Ashton Vale Primary and Compass Point) is now working in partnership with the Cooperative group. A recent Ofsted report showed that the school is rated ‘Good’. This is great news, and it’s no surprise that Ashton Park has had more applications than places for some years now.

BRISTOL CITY FOOTBALL CLUB'S NEW STADIUM

Bristol’s MPs have united behind Bristol City’s plans for a new stadium in Ashton Vale. Myself and Labour colleague Kerry McCarthy, Conservatives Charlotte Leslie and Chris Skidmore and Liberal Democrats Stephen Williams and Tessa Munt have put aside our political differences and released a statement in support of the development.

The statement was issued on Monday, when a delegation of club officials came to Parliament to discuss the new stadium. I am a long-term supporter of the club’s ambitions, and submitted a statement of support when the planning committee first looked at this issue last year. The stadium development would create and support thousands of jobs, and result in hundreds of millions of pounds of investment in Bristol South. I am delighted to support the A City United campaign, and am very pleased that all of Bristol’s MPs are on board too.

READING RECOVERY

Many children and parents in Bristol will know about the highly successful Reading Recovery programme which operates in 43 of our city’s schools. The scheme provides support to children who are falling behind with their reading at primary school and is funded through the previous Labour Government’s Every Child a Reader initiative. I am very concerned that, faced with the Government’s avalanche of public spending cuts, this valuable programme may be a casualty, so I have written to Education Secretary, Michael Gove, ahead of the Governments Comprehensive Spending Review, asking him not to cut this vital scheme. This is a programme which delivers results – helping to ensure all children learn to read well at primary school. Projects like this are vital to Bristol’s, and Britain’s, future. I hope that the Government will see sense and decide to protect, and expand, Reading Recovery.

KNOWLE WEST REGENERATION FRAMEWORK

I was interested to see the latest regeneration proposals for the Knowle West area, available to view at http://urbaninitiatives.co.uk/kw/. Consultation with local residents is now underway regarding the various options for investment in the area over the next 20 years. I know there is a strong sense of community in Knowle West and many residents are very proud to live in the area, however there are also very high levels of deprivation and extra investment could help to transform the area. I believe it’s very important for local residents to have their say on the plans which will affect their community and I’m pleased they’re being given this opportunity.

CHILD BENEFIT CUTS

Given the number of parents in the area, you won’t be surprised to learn that lots of people have been in touch about the Government’s plans for child benefit. It cannot be fair that a householder with one person earning £45,000 will lose out, while others with two parents with a joint income of over £80,000 will still receive the benefit. My own view is that Child Benefit should remain a universal benefit. It reflects the extra money needed to have children. It’s important that some benefits, like the state pension, remain universal – not means tested. Unfortunately, the Government seem determined to press ahead with this cut.

75 & 76 BUSES

First Bus recently made changes to the routes of the 75 & 76 buses, with the revised routes now serving the new Skills Academy at Hengrove Park. It’s very important to have good public transport links to Hengrove Park, especially with the hospital and leisure centre on the way, but unfortunately the new routes mean that bus stops in the Teyfant area are no longer served by both services. Many local residents in this area have been left isolated by the changes and they can no longer get to the health centre, doctors or local shops using public transport. I’ve been working with Helen Holland, Labour Councillor for Whitchurch Park, on this issue and we’ve asked First Bus and the City Council (who agreed the new routes) to revisit the changes with a view to keeping the new link to Hengrove Park while ensuring that all bus stops in the Teyfant area are served by the 75 & 76.

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.