Latest news from Bolton West and Westminster
Posted by Ruth Kelly, MP for Bolton West, at 14:27, Tue 2 December 2008:
Dear Constituent,
I am writing to keep you updated regarding developments both in my constituency and at Westminster.
Bolton West
Update on planning application in Blackrod
As many of you may already read in the local press, I have recently written to the Planning Inspectorate in Bristol to ensure that the concerns of residents are taken into account.
The issues which I raised in my letter included traffic considerations, health and safety fears as well as recent reports of the similar plant in Huyton. I also included a wide range of emails and letters from local residents who have expressed their objections to me in recent months.
Bolton signs up to be a ‘Pioneer Area’
I welcomed the news last month that Bolton has signed up to become of the new Neighbourhood Crime and Justice Pioneer Areas. Bolton is one of the sixty areas across the country which have signed up to become new pioneer areas.
The government have made £5.6million available for new Neighbourhood Crime and Justice Co-ordinators in each area. Areas were invited to bid to become pioneer areas on the basis of a various factors such as deprivation, population size and crime information.
The areas were also chosen by demonstrating a clear determination to work with local communities to address concerns about crime, anti-social behaviour and justice. I am pleased that Bolton has signed up for Pioneer Area status as crime and anti-social behaviour are amongst the main concerns which constituents raise with me. Bolton will appoint a Neighbourhood Crime and Justice Co-ordinator to ensure that residents are given a greater say in the way their local areas are policed and how offenders should be dealt with.
The new Neighbourhood Crime and Justice Co-ordinator will work to let the public know their entitlement in the new Policing Pledge so that they know their rights, know who their neighbourhood policing team are, how they can hold them to account and the level of service they should expect. They will also ensure that adequate services and support for victims and witnesses are provided.
New safety measures for M61
I have expressed my support to improved safety measures announced by the Highways Agency this week. I contacted the Highways Agency earlier this year on behalf of several constituents who had concerns regarding the safety on the M61 motorway, particularly between Junctions 3 and 6.
I am pleased that the Highways Agency has responded to local concerns and that they have outlined several measures which will be introduced shortly. I am sure that they will provide reassurance to the constituents who have contacted me. I am particularly glad that the agency is liaising with the emergency services to highlight the dangers that can occur on this busy motorway.
The measures which will be introduced include wire-mesh and palisade security fencing at eleven locations between Junctions 3 and 6 of the M61, which will preclude easy access to the motorway at vulnerable locations. This work is expected to be completed by the New Year. In addition to the fencing will be warning signs which clearly indicate the start of the motorway and the renewal of white lining and road studs between Junctions 3 and 6. There will also be local education and poster campaigns to warn of the dangers of walking along or crossing the motorway, especially targeting young people.
TIF Referendum
Through the Transport Innovation Fund (TIF) proposals, all of the train stations in my Bolton West constituency would benefit from improved seating facilities, CCTV, public announcement systems, real time transport information and new signs. 80% of the improvements to public transport will be in place by 2013 before the limited peak time only congestion charge is implemented.
Westhoughton train station would benefit from improved services to Manchester as well as extra capacity. Bus services in Westhoughton would also undergo improvements with more frequent services to Hart Common and the Hoskers/ Eatock Way areas. An extra platform would be erected at Lostock train station to improve links to Manchester and extra capacity introduced to the car park.
There would be new priority bus lanes for Horwich to reduce bus journey times with the majority of bus services to Horwich increasing from hourly to half-hourly services. An additional 94 car parking spaces would be made available at Horwich Parkway train station. Blackrod would benefit from a new network of bus services starting earlier in the morning and finishing later at night.
If the proposals were implemented, 90% of Bolton’s population would live within a five minute walk of a bus service operating at least every 20 minutes during the day. 95% of residents would live within a five minute walk of a service operating at least every 30 minutes during the day. By 2013 there would be 30 yellow school buses in Bolton, ensuring a safe school-to-home service for children.
I fully support the proposed improvements in public transport which the TIF bid offers. 9 out of 10 residents in my constituency, as well as Greater Manchester as a whole, stand to benefit from the £3 billion of extra investment on offer and lower-income families in particular stand to gain from 20% discounted fares. I urge residents to consider the real benefits of these proposals over the next fortnight.
The ballot papers have started to be delivered to voters across Greater Manchester and must be returned by 10pm on 11th December.
Events
I handed out leaflets outlining the proposed investment in public transport across Greater Manchester at Westhoughton train station with campaigners urging residents to vote ‘yes’ to the TIF proposals.
I recently visited a local pharmacy to meet the staff and discuss the issues which they face. I also took part in a ‘Questions & Answers’ session with local school children at St Mary’s Primary School in Horwich which was very enjoyable.
Westminster
Credit Card Summit
The government held a ‘credit card summit’ last week to tackle unfair credit card practices. Business Secretary Lord Mandelson and Gareth Thomas, Minister for Consumer Affairs, called in the credit card companies to call on them to stop unfair massive interest hikes that we are seeing from some lenders. Whilst most credit card companies act responsibly, there have been recent examples of bad practice where some lenders have been hiking up peoples’ interest rates massively without adequate notice or any justifiable explanation claiming that they now pose a higher risk. Ministers have urged credit card companies to stamp out these unfair practices and warned that the Government will refer them to the Office of Fair Trading – the consumer watchdog who has recently been given tough new enforcement powers to outlaw unfair lending practices. I am pleased that the government is acting to stop such practices, particularly at a time when families are struggling through this economic downturn.
I would urge any of my constituents who have been affected by these unfair practices to get in touch with me and I will immediately pass this information on to the Financial Ombudsman Service. I will also pass on your evidence to the government so that ministers know what is happening on the ground.
Card Account boosts local Post Offices
I was delighted that the Government decided to award the contract for the Post Office Card Account (POCA) service to the Post Office. The card account is an important source of income and brings customers through the doors of post offices across the country. The National Federation of Sub Post Masters had said that without POCA 3,000 post offices would close. The news will be welcomed by local post offices who rely on the business that people picking up their pensions or benefits through the Post Office Card Account brings into branches.
I welcomed this development which is great news for post offices locally. Many constituents had raised this issue with me and I have been contacting parliamentary colleagues on their behalf in recent months.
I know that this news will reassure residents and I am pleased that the government has listened to the concerns of local people. There are 5,110 POCA accounts held by local residents in Bolton West.
‘Warm Homes’ Campaign
I was glad to throw my support behind a campaign to raise awareness of energy efficiency measures. The annual Warm Homes Campaign is organised by fuel poverty charities National Energy Action (NEA) and Energy Action Scotland (EAS) to raise awareness of the problem of fuel poverty and the various grants and schemes that are available to vulnerable households struggling to heat their homes.
I believe that it is important at this time of year to highlight the help which is available for vulnerable households. I would urge residents to contact the Warm Front team on 0800 316 2805 to find out whether they are eligible for funding. 3,650 pensioners in Bolton West claim Pension Credit and therefore may be eligible for a Warm Front grant.
The campaign aims to cut the number of excess winter deaths and reduce cold-related illnesses by raising awareness of the help available to people who cannot afford to heat their homes in winter. The Campaign is organised in association with eaga, and supported by the newly formed Department of Energy and Climate Change
Diabetes UK Campaign
I have given my support to a nation-wide campaign by Diabetes UK to raise awareness of the condition.Diabetes UK, the largest organisation in the UK which works for people with diabetes, recently launched their “Silent Assassin campaign”.
The campaign aims to increase awareness of diabetes by highlighting the seriousness of the condition not being treated– it can cause heart disease, stroke, amputation, kidney failure and blindness. Diabetes UK estimates that there are more than half a million people who are unaware that they have diabetes. One of their main concerns is that the Primary Care Trusts across the UK make screening for the condition a priority. NHS Bolton has one of the best records of Primary Care Trusts in the North West.
Diabetes UK is currently working with Bolton PCT in preparation for a 'Living with diabetes day' that will take place in February 2009. I am very pleased that NHS Bolton are performing so well in integrating primary and secondary care for diabetes and that they have been instrumental in sharing best practice. I am glad that the Trust are continuing to work with Diabetes UK to improve services for local residents.
The Bolton Diabetes Centre (BDC) opened in 1995, and with this a new way of managing diabetes specialist care was put into place. There are placements for health professionals at Bolton Diabetes Centre so that staff can do observational learning with the specialists.
Many local GPs in Bolton also run diabetes clinics in addition to this service which had led to greater access of care for patients. For more information, please visit www.diabetes.org.uk
Kindest regards,
Ruth Kelly
MP for Bolton West
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