Gordon Birtwistle & Burnley Liberal Democrats

Posts Tagged ‘Burnley’

In Burnley and Padiham, 870 learners took on an apprenticeship in 2010/11, an increase of 73%.

Apprenticeships give people the skills and experience needed to succeed on the job market and create the skills necessary in the workforce for sustainable growth.

Liberal Democrats have long called for a significant increase in apprenticeships and Lib Dem Business Secretary, Vince Cable, has made this a priority.

To support more employers, especially small businesses, to take on apprentices, the Coalition Government this week announced a number of measures, including:

1. Offering employers with up to 50 employees an incentive payment of £1,500 to take on apprentices aged 16-24. This will encourage small employers to take on up to 20,000 apprentices.
2. Streamlining processes so that it takes just a month for an employer to advertise for an apprentice.
3. Ensuring that the National Apprenticeship Service better supports the needs of small employers – through more effectively targeted advice and guidance and helping training providers work more effectively with local SMEs.

Commenting, Burnley and Padiham MP Gordon Birtwistle said:

“Apprenticeships make companies more productive and give young people the experience and skills they need.

“Liberal Democrats are determined to tackle youth unemployment and get our economy back on track. Apprenticeships are a huge part of that.

“Apprenticeships are beneficial to all involved and the record rise in learners taking them up is great news for Burnley and the economy as a whole.

“Small businesses form the backbone of our economy and the announcements by Liberal Democrat Business Secretary, Vince Cable, are very welcome. They show the Coalition Government is determined to do the right thing and create sustainable growth, driven by our local employers.”

Commenting further, Liberal Democrat Business Secretary, Vince Cable said:

“The apprenticeships programme is a success story, with record numbers of learners starting an apprenticeship this year. But I have listened to employers, and will go further to ensure that investment is targeted where impact is greatest, delivering the specific skills businesses need to drive growth.

“Apprenticeships are proven to boost the life chances of young people, and are a sound investment in our future competitiveness. So when times are tough, it’s right that we provide additional support to help the smallest firms meet training costs.

“We’ll cut no corners on quality. Apprenticeships will remain the gold standard for excellence in vocational training – but where red tape serves no purpose, we’ll strip it away.”

Liberal Democrat Children and Families Minister, Sarah Teather has announced the extra money each school will receive through the Pupil Premium this year – more than originally expected.

In Burnley, schools will get a total of over £1.5m to support children from disadvantaged backgrounds.

The original plans for an extra £430 per pupil have been boosted by £100m, meaning that that every school in Burnley will now get nearly £500 for every child on Free School Meals.

News of the extra money comes after Sarah Teather recently announced that the total Pupil Premium funding for next year will rise to £1.25bn, double the amount in 2011-12.

Thanks to Liberal Democrats, it will rise again each year until 2014-15 when it will be worth £2.5bn.

Commenting, Gordon Birtwistle MP said:

“It is a shocking fact that pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds are three times less likely to achieve five good GSCEs than their more well-off classmates.

“Education is the best way to end the underachievement of disadvantaged pupils through supporting children comprehensively from early years straight through to secondary school.

“That is why Liberal Democrats have ensured that in Burnley, schools will receive over £1.5m as part of the Pupil Premium.

“This is more than expected and will make an even bigger difference for our children. I look forward to working with schools and teachers to make the Pupil Premium the success our children deserve it to be.”

Commenting further, Sarah Teather said:

“The Pupil Premium will benefit poorer pupils, providing extra money directly for those pupils who need it the most.

“This extra funding will help tackle inequality and enable schools to provide the extra support their pupils need to reach their full potential.”

Gordon Birtwistle MP has welcomed the new influx of funding for schools in Burnley and Padiham following the implementation of the ‘Pupil Premium’ policy. The Pupil Premium provides each school with an additional £430 for each pupil the school takes in who is on free school meals. This adds up to total funding of over £1.3m for schools across the Borough area.

Headteachers will have the power to spend this money as they see fit in order to improve the education of pupils in their school. This additional money goes straight into the schools budget and headteachers will be free to spend it in the best interests of children. Headteachers may wish to reduce class sizes, offer extra one-to-one tuition or provide for after school support.

“Within the Liberal Democrat election manifesto we pledged to invest £2.5 billion into a pupil premium to boost education opportunities for every child. We are now delivering on this promise in government. Labour left behind many schools that were failing our children – especially those from less well off families in Burnley.”

“Thanks to our actions in implementing the Pupil Premium, there is an extra £10.7m coming into Lancashire this year alone and over £1.3m coming into Burnley and Padiham schools. This figure will increase further still next year, giving a much needed boost to our schools and our children.”

Gordon Birtwistle, Member of Parliament for Burnley and Padiham, is fighting hard to ensure that you pay no more than what is fair for your gas and electricity. This is following the actions of yet more energy companies posting price hikes averaging a 19% increase a year after many reported record profits.

Having written to industry regulator Ofgem demanding action, they have responded with assurances that the issue is being pursued with demands that energy providers provide clearer and simpler price tariffs which are transparent and understandable to consumers. Further action is also being taken to break the stranglehold of the ‘Big Six’ companies which currently dominate the market and clear the way for further competition to help keep prices down.

Gordon has further supported plans which will keep energy bills affordable for local families, calling for social tariffs to be implemented to help provide those on lower incomes the energy they need to heat their homes. Gordon has also strongly stated his support for the British Gas initiative to provide more efficient boilers and free insulation to the homes of their customers to keep bills and energy usage down. As a part of this he has written to the other major energy providers demanding they introduce similar schemes to help residents of Burnley and Padiham.

Commenting, Gordon Birtwistle said: “As the weather is starting to turn colder as we head back towards winter, it is important that both the government and Ofgem as regulator continue to work closely together to ensure that energy companies put people before profit. These companies have a moral obligation to protect the wellbeing of their customers.”

“I recently had a meeting with British Gas at which they explained the steps they have been taking to help their customers save money and reduce their energy bills. I have since written to the other major energy suppliers asking them to follow their lead. It is indefensible for these companies to not help their customers in difficult times such as these, whilst posting record price hikes alongside record profits.”

“I am doing everything in my power to work with the government and the industry regulator to get the best deal for the people of Burnley and Padiham.”

Burnley Borough Council Leader Charlie Briggs today announced his concerns regarding the proposals put forward by the Boundary Commission for England. These proposals would see the existing Burnley parliamentary constituency split into two halves with the northern half of Burnley attached to Pendle and Colne while the southern half would be added on to Accrington.

The changes which have been put forward have raised concerns across East Lancashire that communities across the region will be badly affected if these proposals go through in their current state. With local authorities being forced to deal with more MPs and MPs having to divide their time over more local councils, the concerns are that local residents across Burnley and the rest of East Lancashire will ultimately end up with a much poorer deal.

Commenting, Councillor Charlie Briggs said: “I am meeting the leaders and chief executives of other local authorities in East Lancashire with the aim of leading a cross-party approach to the Boundary Commission for England. I believe it is vital that we work together to prevent our communities from being broken up.”

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.

Queensgate Councillor Darren Reynolds

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.”