Gordon Birtwistle & Burnley Liberal Democrats

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Gordon Birtwistle, MP for Burnley and Padiham visited Burnley Manufacturer Futaba-Tenneco UK Ltd on Friday 25th March for an extremely positive announcement about a major deal which Futaba has just landed.

Futaba-Tenneco UK Ltd has secured a major order from a major Japanese company to manufacture pressed and welded components. The order will effectively give the plant an almost full order book for the next few years, but importantly still leaves capacity for any other work that the Company secures.

The winning of this order shows that the Company’s drive, vision and long term strategy, coupled with the exceptional commitment of the entire workforce has successfully guided it through the recession and the re-structure that was necessary to ensure that the plant remained competitive. The re-structure persuaded Futaba and Tenneco (the Mother companies) to continue to invest in the plant, and also kept its major customers onboard.
The Company has an excellent safety and quality record as shown by recent awards received from Toyota for both quality and delivery, and has recently invested heavily in the training and development of its employees, one of the issues heavily discussed during the meeting.
Mr Birtwistle offered his full support and will be working closely to help the company access some of the government’s £1.4 billion apprenticeship schemes (which saw an additional £180 million in funding announced in the recent budget) to aid the company in securing not only its own future but that of its workforce, as well as providing a boost to local employment.

Assistant Managing Director Kevin Schofield says, “This is not only fantastic news for the Company and all its employees, but also for the Burnley area and our supply chain. There are not many other companies in this area that can boast of the prospect of several years work and is testament to the hard work put in by every single employee. In fact, production levels are higher than expected at the moment which has led to 23 temporary workers being employed through a ground breaking scheme developed between FTUK and Neville Gee Employment Agency.

About the visit Gordon said “Futaba Tenneco are a fantastic local company, and this is very positive news for Burnley’s economy. The hard work and exceptional commitment of Futaba’s entire workforce are an example to us all, and Futaba are a company which Burnley should be extremely proud of.”

Member of Parliament for Burnley and Padiham Gordon Birtwistle has welcomed the news of East Lancashire Primary Care Trust’s ‘Work Matters’ event to be held this Friday, 18th March at the CEDA centre in St Peters Health Centre, Burnley, from 10am to 3pm. The event brings together eleven key agencies that are involved in employment, training, voluntary service, and education, to give people a ‘one-stop shop’ for advice on working.
Commenting, Gordon said “It is a brilliant idea to get all of these providers in the same place, offering their help to local people trying to find work and other activities. There are so many organisations providing help that, quite often, people don’t know who does what or how much help is out there. Bringing it all together for this event will make it much easier for people to find the help they need to really change their lives.”
The event will be staffed by qualified medical professionals who are experts in helping those with health difficulties, and organisers are hoping for a good turnout.
Gordon added “The more people who come, the more likely it is that someone is going to find that key piece of advice, or that crucial new contact, that will help them make the move toward a more rewarding line of work, or voluntary activity. I hope as many people as possible take advantage of this wonderful opportunity”.

Lancashire County Council have announced plans to make all residential roads in the County into 20mph areas by 2013. The changes are estimated to cost £9million, and will roll out around schools initially.
Burnley Liberal Democrats have welcomed the announcement, and have a proven record of campaigning for 20mph limits across the whole of Burnley and Pendle.

‘Sound investment’ – Coun Martin Smith

Coun Martin Smith said, “I’m delighted with this. This is exactly what the Lib Dems called for first in 2007, then again in February last year. All the residential areas in Burnley need these speed limits applied. The County Council is right to start with schools.

“Even where the new limit applies there will still be accidents. Not everyone will comply with the limit. There will still be accidents on our rural roads, too.

“But this is a sound investment.

“The Department for Transport has estimated that an accident causing serious injury costs around £178,000. That covers investigations, ambulances, hospital treatment and so on. They estimated that cost of someone being killed was over £1.5 million.

“With the estimated £9m cost of the new limits being spread across the whole of Lancashire, you can easily see how the investment in signage will be repaid. That’s without even trying to place a value on the lives lost, which is incalculable anyway and comes over and above the savings.”

The area’s roads are the responsibility of Lancashire County Council, but since 2007 Burnley Council has been requesting improvements to road safety in residential areas, particularly around the town’s schools.

The move comes after a Lib Dem motion to Burnley Council in 2007 calling for the limits to be introduced. At the time, the call for blanket limits was blocked by Labour who instead wanted to see traffic calming, road-narrowing bollards and parking restrictions.

The new limits are to be introduced gradually over the next few years, starting with roads through residential areas near schools.

Gordon Birtwistle, MP for Burnley and Padiham is drawing people’s attention to the Government’s “Snow Code” which makes it clear that there is no law that stops people clearing pavements outside their houses.

“The Government has published some very sensible advice on how people can help in the snowy weather by clearing the pavements and areas outside their houses,” he said.

“If people do this with care and follow the advice that is given then there should be no reason why they should face legal action.”

In particular the Snow Code says that people shouldn’t use water to clear snow and ice as that can refreeze forming “black ice” which is considerably more hazardous.

MP for Burnley and Padiham, Gordon Birtwistle, is reminding people to check if they are eligible for Cold Weather payments following the recent cold snap.

Cold weather payments are made to people in receipt of Pension Credit and certain other benefits when the temperature drops below 0c for more than 7 days.

Pension Credit provides a top-up to pensioners on low incomes to ensure they have a minimum income.

A recent report by Age Concern suggested that between 27 and 38% of older people eligible for pension credit were not claiming it, either because they don’t know about it or don’t think they are eligible.
“Pension Credit is a ‘passport’ benefit which can provide access to a number of other payments such as this,” said Gordon. “It is important that people who might be eligible don’t miss out.
Age Concern run a helpline 0800 169 6565 which can provide people with advice. Alternatively people can contact the Pension Service direct on 0800 99 1234.

Protecting vulnerable youngsters is Burnley’s top priority, according to the town’s new community safety councillor.

The Liberal Democrats’ Coun Neil Mottershead has been in the job for one month. In that time Coun Mottershead has been out with licensing officers and the police to get the message across that under-age drinking is dangerous and will be dealt with seriously.

And, Coun Mottershead has been concentrating on getting more prosecutions against fly-tippers.

Coun Mottershead started the job on Burnley Council’s ruling Executive body one month ago (1).

Coun Mottershead said: “It’s been a tough start to a tough job.

“I don’t mean it’s hard work. I mean dealing with Burnley’s drinking problems needs a firm approach.

“Take my first Friday night. I spent 6pm to midnight with the police picking up vulnerable, drunken youngsters and taking them to safety. At least one girl was just twelve years old. The police then call social services and the parents in.

“The police confiscated vodka, beer and more. The kids often try to run at first, and beg for their parents not to be informed. But their parents do get informed, and they are nearly always extremely unhappy about it.

“This work is part of breaking the generational cycle of social problems that affect parts of our town and making it a better place to live.

“I want to thank the police and the Council’s MAPS team for the work they do. They’re magnicent. They’re putting in a huge amount of effort to save this kids from a lifetime of trouble.”

Coun Mottershead said that he has also been in action with the council’s licensing officers, talking to shopkeepers about off-licence rules. More test purchases are being made by police and trading standards officers. Any shops that fail the tests will be dealt with “extremely seriously”(2) by Burnley council’s licensing committee.

But Coun Mottershead said that by and large, after several years’ work started by the Liberal Democrats in Burnley, shops were mostly complying. Coun Mottershead said, “The problem now is not so much kids buying the drink themselves. What happens is older kids, those over 18, buy alcohol and hand it over to the younger kids.

“The police are now watching out for this and we have the co-operation of many of Burnley’s off-licences to catch out the law-breakers who are passing alcohol to children.

“Protecting vulnerable youngsters is my top priority.”

Also high on Coun Mottershead’s agenda is fly-tipping. Nationally, Burnley is now the fourth most effective local authority for prosecuting fly-tippers. But Coun Mottershead still wants more.

Coun Mottershead said, “There is absolutely no justification for fly-tipping. None. Last Friday I went out with our Street Scene team to a job on Accrington Road. All manner of household debris had been fly-tipped, from kitchen waste to a sofa.

“There is often enough evidence to bring successful prosecutions. People need to be careful to dispose of their waste properly. If you give it to someone else to get rid of for you, legally you’re still responsible. Put it in your bin, take it to the tip yourself, or call the council to collect it.

“If you dump it you’ll be fined. Sometimes that fine can be over £1,000. It’s just not worth it.

“Our new solicitor, Jonathan Jackson, has made a huge difference to the performance of the council on prosecuting fly-tippers. I’m really grateful to him and to the solicitors in our environment team for the work they’re doing for Burnley.”

Members of the public can speak about the problems of alcohol or fly-tipping at council meetings. Arrangements to discuss particular subjects can be made by calling Burnley Council on 01282 425011. The next Environment and Housing meeting is on 1st December at 6.30pm at the Town Hall.

A meeting between Burnley’s MP, a health councillor and an NHS chief about the town’s children’s ward has been described as ‘difficult’.

The Deerplay children’s ward has been earmarked for closure since 2006. It is due to close within the next few weeks. Arrangements have already been made for staff to move to Blackburn.

But campaigners are claiming that the move violates new rules introduced when the coalition government took office, and want it stopped.

Gordon Birtwistle, Burnley’s new MP, said that the closure had to be stopped because it does not have the support of the area’s GP’s.

The new NHS rules require that proposals “demonstrate support from GP commissioners”(1). The MP says that nearly all the letters he has received from GPs are objecting to the proposals, and only one has written in favour.(2)

Mr Birtwistle said, “When I was elected, people expected me to do something about the hospital, and I have. The new government introduced new rules to ensure that changes like this can only go ahead when they have the support of the area’s GPs. This closure does not have the support of GPs, so it has to be stopped.

“We met Mike Farrar, the regional NHS chief, to explain this to him ourselves. It was a difficult meeting. I cannot understand why the NHS management are still ignoring our evidence, so I am holding several meetings with ministers to ensure this is made clear to them from the top down.”

Coun Darren Reynolds, Burnley’s Health Scrutiny councillor, also attended the meeting. Coun Reynolds said, “I worry that the only way to give Burnley people the facilities we deserve is with directly elected health boards. These are a Lib Dem policy that is in the Coalition Agreement, but so far there is no sign of the Government implementing them.

“At first the NHS management wouldn’t accept that our letters represented a majority of GPs. We said to them, if we can prove that a majority of GPs object to the closure, will you accept that it has to be stopped?

“They said no, because the changes affect the whole of East Lancashire, not just Burnley.

“So we asked them whether letters from the GPs in the whole of East Lancashire would be enough, and they still said no, because the letters were about the Children’s Ward. The closure is only part of a wider programme of linked changes called, ‘Meeting Patients Needs’.

“The letters would need to consider the whole programme, they said, including Burnley’s new maternity unit.

“So we asked them whether letters from all the GPs about the whole of the Meeting Patients Needs programme would be enough, and they still said no.

“They said that the public had voted for the closure and they had to take that into account.

“At this point I’m afraid we became rather angry. The official consultation in 2006 gave the public a choice of closure or closure. To say this amounts to a vote for closure is a blatant misrepresentation.”

Mr Birtwistle was due to ask the Health Secretary Andrew Lansley about the GP rules this afternoon and will meet Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg about the matter this evening

Burnley Council’s opposition Labour group were accused last night of casting bizarre and bitter votes against routine Council reports that monitor the Council’s spending and allow it to function.

The reports note changes to council budgets that are necessary during the year and offer advice to councillors on managing public money.

During the meeting, Labour tried to prevent the Council from:

- revising the list of banks the Council invests money with, to keep the public’s money safe
- avoiding losing money on railway station refurbishments after an NWDA promise to provide the funding was withdrawn
- recording savings made after council posts were left vacant to save money.

Labour leader Coun Julie Cooper said her Councillors had voted against the reports because Labour disagreed with the coalition government’s strategy on public finances.

But Lib Dem leader Charlie Briggs said, “Political debate is right and proper, but the Labour group appears to have lost the plot.

“Their votes were bizarre. These reports have nothing to do with running the country and are all about Burnley. Luckily they were outvoted or there could have been financial chaos. How can Labour vote against making sure Burnley Council invests only in safe banks?

“Labour offered no alternatives on how to manage the town’s finances. They are relentlessly negative at the moment and have nothing of their own to contribute. They seemed to vote against everything in a fit of pique without even reading the reports.

“They have learned nothing from the mess they made of the national public finances.”

Burnley and Padiham MP Gordon Birtwistle has again been in contact with British Waterways regarding the damaged and dangerous Hapton Road Bridge over the Leeds and Liverpool canal. They have informed Gordon that repairs will start on the bridge on 8th November.

Gordon has been pressing British Waterways for action to repair this vital route into Hapton since August and is delighted that work is finally due to begin. The bridge will be repaired using the correct stone quarried for purpose to maintain the heritage of Hapton village.

Commenting, Gordon said:

“I am delighted that, after over 12 months of delays, stalling tactics and buck-passing by various public bodies, work is finally due to begin to repair this bridge. This is a vital connection for Hapton, and for far too long it has been a danger to all residents and motorists using the bridge.”

Liberal Democrat MP for Burnley & Padiham, Gordon Birtwistle has welcomed the announcement in yesterdays Spending Review that the national Apprenticeship scheme is to be expanded.

Spending on adult apprenticeships will be boosted by £250 million by 2014-15 providing an extra 75,000 apprenticeship places. The move has been welcomed by groups like the Federation for Small Businesses.

Commenting on the announcement, Gordon said
“I am delighted by this expanded commitment by the coalition government to the apprenticeship program. This will reverse the slide we have seen in apprenticeships over the last 20 years. We need skilled workers to help boost the economy and apprenticeships will help train people for these vital jobs”