Monday 27, February 2012
Welcome ...
Welcome to this my 113th news bulletin.
I know from personal experience how adoption can transform the lives of some of the most abused and neglected children in our country. It is a generous act - and it can achieve incredible results.
That's why I am delighted that the government are determined that adoption should happen more often and should happen more speedily. By changing our attitude towards adoption, reducing the unnecessary bureaucracy of the assessment process and freeing up professionals to rely on their own judgement, we can feel confident that we are able to create a more efficient and effective adoption system.
I know that some supporters of adoption will have heard this before, and will be sceptical. But they can be assured that the government will not settle for a modest, temporary uplift in adoption numbers, nor a short-lived acceleration in the process. Nothing less than a significant and sustained improvement will do. The most neglected, the most abused, the most damaged children in our care deserve nothing less.
Please remember, you can always contact me directly if you have any questions for me.
You can forward the bulletin on to your friends and family, who can sign up themselves by clicking here for my website.
Best wishes
Edward Timpson
Member of Parliament for Crewe & Nantwich
I have recently...
- Held an advice surgery in my Crewe office on saturday morning
- Spoke in the House of Commons during the Welfare Reform Bill. Click here for more.
- Made representations to a full meeting of Cheshire East Council calling for them to withdraw their application for a Gypsy and Travellers site on Parkers Road in Crewe
- Attended and spoke at the Rotary Day held at Crewe library where I learnt more about each of the 34 individual local charities supported by Crewe Rotary over the last year.
- Chaired a meeting of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Adoption and Fostering about adoption support
Westminster Report
Read my most recent Westminster Report
Click here or on the image
Photos & Video ...
Edward working at Leighton Hospital
You can view all my photos and video at edwardtimpsonmp.com
Community News
Community & Voluntary Services Cheshire East
Looking to find opportunities to help out in the community? CVS (Community & Voluntary Services) Cheshire East is a Registered Charity whose aim is to be valued as the leading support and development organisation for the Voluntary and Community Sector in Cheshire East.
The CVS's volunteer team can support you in several ways:
- Help you to find a suitable volunteer role
- Help organisations to find suitable volunteers
- Encourage best practice in volunteer management
- To promote volunteering and the added value that it brings to our community
To find out more visit their website by clicking here
Do you have community news to share? Email me and it could be here too!
Crewe gypsy site campaigners say they have concrete evidence of plan's flaws
Crewe Chronicle
CAMPAIGNERS against the council’s proposed Gypsy site in Crewe say they’ve found concrete evidence the plan is ‘seriously flawed’.
They believe they have come up with a ‘defining document’ to suggest the Parkers Road site is too small for its intended purpose, and could end up putting tenants’ lives at risk.
Members of Crewe Against Traveller’s Sites (CATS) are once again urging the council to withdraw the plans immediately.
Aided by Government guidance on good design practice for Gypsy sites, the document centres on the site’s unsuitability to house 10 pitches and an amenity block.
It states: “Using measurements on the plans, the pitch for each static is only seven metres long. Government guidance states the site should be capable of providing sufficient space for the average-size trailer of up to 15m.
“Thus, the pitches are of insufficient size to accommodate the average-size static caravan.”
Concerns are also raised surrounding the accessibility for the emergency services.
The plans show the site road is only 4.5m wide, meaning emergency vehicles would struggle to pass to reach some pitches.
The document concludes: “The Parkers Road site is by far the smallest of all proposed sites. We believe the assessment of alternative sites was a sham.”
Chairman of CATS Glenn Perris said: “We believe this is a defining document as to the serious flaws within the planning application.
“The overriding factor is that this site is too small for its intended purpose, to the point that tenants’ safety could be compromised.
“It’s now time for Cheshire East to stop its arrogant march on the good people of Crewe and bring a halt to this ill-thought out proposal. The taxpayer is seeing their money being wasted on a scheme that simply isn’t fit for purpose.”
Edward Timpson MP added: “This is a fascinating and devastating technical deconstruction of a flawed planning application.
“This is clearly the wrong location, and the council should ensure the plan is shelved as soon as possible for the good of my constituents.”
The council has always maintained the site is the most suitable location and submitted a planning application on January 18.
The plans are due to be discussed at the next meeting of full council on February 23.
To view and comment on the application visit www.cheshireeast.gov.uk.
MP Edward Timpson champions Cheshire cheeses in Parliament
Nantwich News
Nantwich MP Edward Timpson has called on Parliament to promote local produce by championing the cause of Cheshire cheese.
Mr Timpson called on Leader of the House of Commons, the Rt Hon Sir George Young MP, to hold a debate on produce.
He said: “Members may be aware Nantwich plays host to the world’s largest cheese fair, which showcases outstanding local produce including the unbeatable Cheshire cheese.”
The Leader of the House replied: ”He (Timpson) has drawn attention to the wide range of cheeses that are available in this country and available for export, and I commend what he has done to promote that fine product.”
Mr Timpson added: “Demand for cheese in this country is still high, we spend more on cheese per week than we do on charitable giving, yet we still import from France despite having a rich domestic dairy industry of our own as in the south of my constituency.
“This is really an effort to support the local industry and remind people of the hidden gem that is Cheshire cheese.”
Local cheese producers like Joseph Heler sell more than 1,000 tonnes of Cheshire cheese a year, and are capable of producing 9,500 tonnes a year.
© 2012 Nantwich News
Official re-opening of Crewe Library
Cheshire East Council
MP Edward Timpson was joined by a host of Cheshire East Councillors for the official re-opening of Crewe Library on Saturday, February 3.
The Crewe MP was welcomed by staff and members from the local authority, following a recent refurbishment programme.
The library was partially closed over the Christmas and New Year period, with improvements made to many aspects of the well-used facility.
Self-service terminals, a new cafe area and a bigger children’s library are just some of the improvements library-users can look forward to.
New shelving, carpets, ceiling panels and energy-efficient lights have also been installed.
Cheshire East Councillor David Brown, Cabinet member with performance and capacity said:
“Here at Cheshire East Council, we recognise the importance of our libraries; they are no longer simply a place to borrow books, they are a place to find information, use the internet and to meet people.
“I would like to thank Edward Timpson for his support and all the staff who have worked so hard to keep the library up and running through the refurbishment.
“I hope that the improvements are welcomed by the local community and it encourages more people to use this much-loved library.”
Edward Timpson backs work of still birth and neonatal charity
Crewe Chronicle
SANDS, the stillbirth and neonatal death charity, believes as many as 1,200 stillbirths every year in the UK could be avoided.
Edward Timpson MP has attended a parliamentary reception in the House of Commons organised by Sands for the launch of its new report, Preventing Babies’ Deaths: what needs to be done.
About 6,500 babies are stillborn or die shortly after birth every year in the UK.
The charity’s report proposes that hundreds of babies’ lives could be saved every year through a combination of more research, better care and greater awareness of the risks of stillbirth and newborn baby death.
Mr Timpson said: “I was shocked to discover the scale of baby deaths in the UK. 17 babies are stillborn or die shortly after birth every day, with stillbirth being the largest contributor to child deaths under the age of five years.
“These deaths have a devastating impact on parents and their families, and I fully support Sands in their call for urgent action to prevent baby deaths in the future.”
The report highlights that advances in neonatal medicine have led to small but welcome reductions in the number of newborn babies dying.
However, Sands remains extremely concerned by the UK’s persistently high stillbirth rates – stillbirth numbers in the UK are the same today as they were in the late 1990s, with one in 200 babies being stillborn.
The UK has one of the highest stillbirth rates when compared to similar high income countries, yet Sands strongly believes that with the appropriate commitment and investment in research and improved care, a reduction in these rates is achievable and should be a key focus for all those concerned with maternity services.
ŠNeal Long, chief executive of Sands, addressed MPs and said: “A third of stillborn babies – about 1,200 babies – are perfectly formed and born at gestations when they might safely be delivered.
“But routine antenatal care is failing to detect far too many babies who need help.
“These babies’ deaths are those that Sands, researchers and clinicians working in obstetrics, believe are avoidable deaths.
“We want lives saved and families spared the desperate heartbreak of losing their precious baby.”
5 ways to contact Edward Timpson
- By email: timpsone@parliament.uk
- On the web: edwardtimpsonmp.com
- By phone: 01270 501 725
- By post: 30 Victoria Street, Crewe CW1 2JE
- In person: Click here to see surgery times
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