Saturday 16th April saw a national day of Campaigning across the country, billed as “Super Saturday”.
Chris Pincher & campaign team show their support for the No 2 AV campaign
Christopher Pincher, Member of Parliament for Tamworth, commenting on the “knock and run” visit to Tamworth by Labour leader Ed Miliband, said:
“I hope Mr. Miliband took the opportunity to congratulate Conservative-run Tamworth Council for freezing council tax whilst protecting front line services. I also hope he apologised for the last Labour government which presided over a terrible 94% increase in youth unemployment in our town. Sadly I think he did neither. His trip lasted less than 15 minutes. He knocked on just three doors one of which is the home of a Labour activist. When the third person told him she is voting Conservative, Mr. Miliband leapt into his car and drove away.”
Local Conservatives are delighted that local taxpayers will see more Borough Council deposits placed with Icelandic Banks returned, following a ruling by the country’s District Court.
This means the £3 million, including interest, deposited in Glitnir Bank could be returned to Tamworth Borough Council very soon.
Iceland’s District Court ruled in favour of local authorities being given ‘priority creditor status’, when it comes to organisations getting their money back.
Tamworth Borough Council – similar to more than 100 other local authorities across the country – had placed deposits with Icelandic Banks. Even the Labour governments much prized Audit Commission, had over a million pounds in the same banks.
The borough council has already received £2.4 million back from Icelandic banks. This extra £3 million, with interest, takes the total to £5.5 million.
Cllr Robert Pritchard said: “When local Labour says the money was lost they are wrong or telling lies. We have been working hard to get the public money returned and that hard work is paying off. All local Labour councillors voted for the council treasury policy, that saw the council depositing money in high yield accounts back in 2007-8 and before then. So if they want to blame councillors, they have to include themselves in the blame game.”
He added,
“It is widely accepted that when Gordon Brown froze the Icelandic Banks UK assets with anti-terrorism legislation it triggered the collapse. This is another example of Labours financial bungling costing the Tamworth tax payer dearly.
Christopher Pincher, Member of Parliament for Tamworth, has welcomed new figures which show that disadvantaged children in Tamworth are set to receive £853,000 this year under the Coalition government’s new ‘pupil premium’.
The pupil premium is a new policy promised by both the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats before the general election last year. It is an extra lump sum of cash which follows every disadvantaged child and is received by schools, allowing them to provide additional support such as one-to-one tuition and extra pastoral care.
The Government has announced that in the year from April 2011, the pupil premium will be worth £430 for every pupil on Free School Meals, £430 for every looked-after child, and £200 for every child who has a parent in the armed services. This means that in Tamworth this year:
Christopher said:
“This is fantastic news for children in Tamworth. The gap between the academic performance of children from deprived backgrounds and their peers is far too big and has been ignored for too long.
‘The pupil premium will tackle this disparity head on, providing targeted funding for those who need it most. This could mean extra one-to-one tuition or more pastoral support.’
‘The Coalition government didn’t create these problems but, even in these tough times, it is delivering a massive boost to the education of the most disadvantaged and vulnerable children.’
‘Service children also face unique stresses and challenges, whether in being separated from a parent who is fighting on the frontline or having to move school on multiple occasions. I am particularly pleased that the pupil premium will provide schools with dedicated funding to help meet service children’s needs.”
Tamworth MP Christopher Pincher has published an update of what he has been involved with over the last ten weeks of Parliament, including his thoughts on the Budget, Support for Local Soldiers and why he opposes the proposed tinkering with the Voting System.
You can read his update in full here.
Tamworth’s Member of Parliament and member of the Armed Forces Bill Committee, Christopher Pincher, questioned the Defence Secretary, Dr Liam Fox, in Defence Questions this week.
Mr Pincher spoke in support of the Government’s proposals to have more business with small and medium sized businesses – as highlighted in the Green Paper – however, he sought clarification from the Secretary of State to ensure small and medium enterprises (SMEs) get their proper share of Government contracts:
“As my right hon. Friend concludes his consultation on the security and technology Green Paper, will he ensure that he does not make the previous Government’s mistake of allowing MOD prime contractors to obstruct small and medium-sized enterprises in getting their fair share of the defence procurement pie?”
Dr Liam Fox, the Secretary of State replied by saying:
“It has been an aim of the Government from the outset when looking at defence technology and the procurement process to ensure that SMEs are given more than a fair crack of the whip. For too long, this has been about the prime contractors, with too little consideration given to the SMEs, which represent in this country not only vibrancy in technology and innovation but a major source of employment.”
Christopher Pincher commented after the question session:
“I am glad that this Government – in stark contrast to the former Labour Government – recognises the importance of SMEs to the Defence sector. They are also engines of economic growth, often providing specialised jobs throughout the country. In our own town of Tamworth we have Aspire & Alcon to name just two companies. The Government’s proposals will be good for these local small businesses and good for our economy.”
Christopher Pincher, Member of Parliament for Clifton Campville, Haunton & Tamworth has welcomed news informing concerned residents that an application for a wind farm has been withdrawn. The wind farm was to have been built on Hogs Hill near Haunton consisting of four huge turbines, each visible from up to 15 miles away –as far away as Nuneaton.
Christopher Pincher said:
“Generally, I support renewable energy, however, this wind farm proposal was not in the right location. Hoggs Hill is seldom windy and when it is windy, the velocity is not of sufficient speed to make the site economically viable. The annual average wind speed in Clifton Campville is only 4m/s and academic reports suggest at least 7m/s is needed for any turbine to offer value for money. So these turbines would have spoiled the landscape, especially the beautiful St. Andrew’s Parish Church, without contributing any benefit to the community. Common sense has prevailed.”
“I actively met with residents to listen to their concerns and I wrote a comprehensive consultation document for Lichfield District Council. Furthermore, I also wrote several letters to the Chairman of ProWind in Germany to make sure rumours that threatened appeals would be lodged – which would have cost the tax payers thousands – were unfounded.”
“I still mean to meet with the Chairman of ProWind, Herr Busmann, to make sure he is not planning to change his mind”.
Residents of Tamworth and the surrounding area are being urged to familiarise themselves with changes to the Environment Agency’s flood warning service.
The Environment Agency website now contains new flood warning information and alert information that will alert residents to flood warning for their estate in advance, via e-mail or text message. This is a completely free service.
Warning messages have also been updated so that people signed up to the Environment Agency’s free flood warning service will find the alerts easier to understand. They also provide more local information and give clearer guidance about what people need to do.
Christopher Pincher, Member of Parliament for Tamworth, recommends residents – especially in flood prone areas around the Rivers Anker and Tame – to sign up:
“It is vital that people know what the warnings mean, and what action to take. The new Government have looked at the issue of flood warning very seriously and want to ensure that the message gets out early to help people be prepared earlier. In addition the Environment Agency has improved the other parts of the flood warning service to include more locally specific updates such as County Drive, parts of Fazeley or Elford.
Mr Pincher is urging everyone to visit the Environment Agency website and sign up for the free flood warning alerts (Floodline Warnings Direct).
He added: “Flooding is likely to become more frequent as our climate changes so people who are eligible should not delay in signing up for the free service because warnings can give them extra time to take vital steps which can protect their family and property. I saw firsthand the effects of flooding in Fazeley a couple of years ago when I was helping evacuate people from their homes.”
The Environment Agency’s warning messages and website – www.environment-agency.gov.uk – also carry information specific to each area of Tamworth at risk, such as when flooding is expected and what locations will be affected. These are updated at least every eight hours.
To sign up click https://fwd.environment-agency.gov.uk/app/olr/home
In response to receiving a large number of petitions from concerned Tamworth residents regarding potential changes to police pension contributions, Christopher Pincher has acted by urging Ministers to take these concerns into consideration when developing the proposed changes. In a meeting with the Home Secretary, Theresa May, Christopher Pincher raised this specific issue, making it clear that police officers are concerned at the Hutton proposals to increase their pension contributions given the special nature of their job function.
Lord Hutton is expected to publish his final report on public sector pension reform next Thursday, 10 March. The report will lay out Lord Hutton’s recommendations to the Government on sustainable public sector pension arrangements, including police.
Christopher Pincher says:
“It is undisputable that the public sector pension funding system needs to be re-engineered for a sustainable future. Amidst these changes, it is important that Government consider the attributes of the distinct public service pension schemes within the context of existing contributions. Given the volume of letters I received, this was clearly an important issue for Tamworth, for which I was glad to raise with Ministers.”
He adds:
“I fully recognise the nature of police work and it is important that the overall remuneration package acknowledges their service. After all, our very own Sir Robert Peel founded the police force in 1829.”
Any proposed changes to the police pension schemes will be subject to consultation with the Police Negotiating Board.
During the month of March, Christopher Pincher will add a dash of colour to his lapel in the form of a yellow daffodil to raise awareness for the important work by Marie Curie nurses. Part of a larger campaign, The Great Daffodil Appeal, the daffodil is the emblem of the charity and throughout March, a number of iconic landmarks will turn yellow to promote greater support.
“I am delighted to supported such a worthwhile cause and encourage Tamworth residents to join in this spring by wearing yellow or requesting a pin. Marie Curie’s network of over 2,000 Nurses provide invaluable care for more than 31,000 terminally ill patients. We can easily shed light on their important work by adding a dash of yellow to our wardrobes this March.”
Marie Curie Nurses provide free nursing care to terminally ill people so that they can spend their final days at home or in a Marie curie Hospice surrounded by their loved ones. More information can be found at www.mariecurie.org.uk/daffodil.
Conservative Member of Parliamentary for Tamworth
Christopher Pincher was first elected MP for Tamworth in May 2010 with a majority of 6,090. Christopher was re-elected in 2015 with an increased majority of 11,302.
Born and bred in Staffordshire, and a Midlander through and through, Christopher is committed to representing Tamworth residents.
Christopher believes strongly in the power of local communities where people look after one another, support their local schools and hospitals and post offices, respect common traditions and stand together against the threat of crime and anti-social behaviour.
After becoming MP in 2010, Christopher worked conscientiously to get Britain back on track. Along with advocating issues relevant to Tamworth, Christopher specialized in national issues, including: energy, climate change, and defence. He was appointed to the Energy and Climate Change Select Committee and also served on the Armed Forces Bill Committee.
Click here to view Christopher’s full bio.
