HearFromYourMP

Messages for this constituency | Next message

1 February 2011

Posted by Alison McGovern, MP for Wirral South, at 16:41, Tue 1 February 2011:

Hi,

Thank you for signing up to hearfromyourmp.com so that you can find out more about what I am doing as your Member of Parliament. Recent months have been very busy, and since being elected in May my office has dealt with nearly 1000 cases, with many people affected by the drastic and unnecessary cuts made by our Conservative led Government and Council. A report by Centre for Cities, published last week (http://s.coop/centreforcities) revealed that Wirral and Liverpool were in the top 5 vulnerable cities, which just show how the Government’s counterproductive cuts are a false economy for Wirral.

Many people in Wirral this week will have seen the news (http://s.coop/wirralrespite) that Conservative and Lib Dem Councillors have chosen to close respite centres that help care for people with physical or mental disabilities. The homes affected – Maplehome in Birkenhead, Pensall House in Pensby, Poulton House in Wallasey, Meadowcroft in Bromborough and Fernleigh in Leasowe will be shut by 31 March.

This is a direct result of the position Wirral Council have been put in by the Conservative led Government. Local government across England is being asked to reduce spending by nearly a third over the next 4 years. This is more than most Whitehall departments, and shows the Government passing the buck for their ideologically driven approach to a balanced budget. George Osborne is not prepared to grow Britain’s way out of the economy, and he’s using the post-recession deficit as an excuse to cut the public sector. This is politics. Not economics. I’m speaking to the council offices, asking questions to try and get a better picture of how they are planning the transition, and you can get more information from my blog piece at www.alisonmcgovern.org.uk/blog/wirral-respite-and-residential-home-closures/

Recently, I hosted a productive meeting with senior civil servants and several other partners to try and secure the future of Bromborough Dock landfill site. I am delighted to say that the meeting was a success and that as a group we all agreed how vital it is for the area that we work together in order to put forward a new viable plan for regeneration. Once a credible business plan is established, we will be able to move forward and set in motion the regeneration of an area where local people have had to put up with a landfill site in their back yard for the last 20 years.

Work has already been started by Liverpool Biennial to look at how inspirational public art can be commissioned to capitalise on the site’s historic links to Port Sunlight and its incredible views of the River Mersey and the city of Liverpool. Whilst the site would be too unstable for the foundations of a large piece of sculpture, the vision for Bromborough Dock has the community at its heart and will be developed in consultation with local audiences to ensure that whatever goes on the site enhances the area for people who live nearby. It will also provide a tourist attraction for visitors from further afield, linking the waterfront, which is currently inaccessible, to the surrounding area. I will keep on pressing for investment for this scheme, and others locally, because regeneration of this area is an absolute priority. More on this is my blog at www.alisonmcgovern.org.uk/blog/a-bright-future-for-bromborough-docks/

In Parliament, we’ve also been working hard to protect young people from the worst of Government cuts. The withdrawal of the Education Maintenance Allowance means many students will have difficulty meeting travel costs to go to school or college. In light of this, I have been in contact with all headteachers and principals of colleges in our area and highlighted their concerns in the House of Commons. In December I managed asked the Prime Minister about EMA during PMQs and during a recent debate I got Michael Gove to agree that any discretionary funding that replaces EMA, will be able to be spent on transport.

Please do take the time to take a look at my website www.alisonmcgovern.org.uk , which is constantly updated with all the work that I am doing on your behalf. Whilst you are there why not sign up to my eNewsletter where you will get the latest new straight to your inbox. Just fill out the form at www.alisonmcgovern.org.uk/enewsletter

Please do not hesitate to contact me with any concerns – I would be happy to answer any questions you may have, so please call on 0151 645 6590 or you can send me an email via my website at www.alisonmcgovern.org.uk/contact

Best wishes,

Alison

Alison McGovern MP

Member of Parliament for Wirral South