Gordon Birtwistle & Burnley Liberal Democrats

Posts Tagged ‘padiham’

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.

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.”

Victims of the Equitable Life collapse can finally expect compensation as Liberal Democrat MPs push forward new legislation.

Liberal Democrat MP for Burnley, Gordon Birtwistle described the announcement as a “massive relief” for the millions of people who lost up to half their pensions in the collapse.

The Equitable Life Bill, which was outlined to the House of Commons yesterday [Wednesday], will give the Treasury the authority to make payments to policyholders or dependents who have been fighting the Labour Government for compensation since 2000.

A previous Liberal Democrat motion to get compensation for the millions of people involved was defeated in October 2009.

Gordon Birtwistle, Liberal Democrat MP for Burnley said:

“The previous Government continually ignored the millions of people who lost their savings.

“People in Burnley lost up to half their pensions in the fiasco yet Labour failed to act, ignoring Liberal Democrat advice, ignoring the High Court and ignoring an Ombudsman report.

“This Bill is a massive relief to thousands of pensioners and is long overdue.

“I am delighted that something the Liberal Democrats have been calling for can now finally happen. We are using our position in Government to give policyholders the money they deserve.”

The full text of the written statement to the Commons is available here: