Friday 12, July 2013
Welcome
Welcome to this, my 138th news bulletin.
The Government is doing all it can to help people in the current difficult economic climate. One of the issues that it is committed to tackling is the rising cost of energy. This is a cost that affects every household in Crewe and Nantwich – even in the summer we are now enjoying, when the weather is warm and the evenings light.
I was pleased to learn this month that in Crewe and Nantwich, 924 households are benefiting already from 'smart meters', rolled-out by one energy supplier.
Smart meters provide gas and electric customers with much more information about how much energy they are using, as they are using it. And by sending meter-readings to utility companies automatically, they will put an end to estimated bills. Energy companies will be required to supply smart meters to every household by 2020.
The Prime Minister made a personal commitment to help get energy bills down and the regulator Ofgem has recently announced that it is taking forward a package of measures to help reduce bills and make the energy market fairer, clearer and simpler - smart meters are just one example.
The Government’s goal is for consumers to get the best possible energy tariff and powers gained in the Energy Bill will be used to ensure this happens. Put simply, the reforms will make energy suppliers put customers on the lowest tariffs unless they choose otherwise.
This is real help for people worried about their energy bills and it is part of a wide range of measures the Government has introduced to address this issue. For example, the new ‘Green Deal’ will revolutionise energy efficiency in the UK by offering households up-front finance to make energy efficiency improvements, paid for by energy bill savings. This scheme will provide extra financial help for the most vulnerable, through an Energy Company Obligation (ECO), worth £1.3 billion, which will assist around 230,000 low income households each year.
Alongside this, the Government’s Warm Home Discount Scheme will provide over 2 million households, including over 600,000 vulnerable pensioners, with a £120 discount on their electricity bills. In addition, Ministers are maintaining the spending on Winter Fuel Payments, spending £2.1 billion this winter. Cold weather payments have been permanently increased from £8.50 to £25, helping the most vulnerable later in the year, when extremely cold weather does return.
Best wishes,
Edward Timpson
Member of Parliament for Crewe & Nantwich
Please remember, you can always contact me directly if you have any questions for me, or if there is anything I can do to assist you.
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Locally I have...
- Welcomed about 2,000 people to the second Crewe and Nantwich Jobs Fair, successfully matching local people who are looking for work with some of our area's biggest employers.
- Held an advice surgery in Nantwich, to give help and support to local residents. You can book an appointment to speak to me about any concern or problem that I might be able to help with, by contacting my office: details below.
- Met with local HR consultant and Looking After The Homeless (LATH) volunteer, Ann Baker, to talk about her project to assist homeless people in Crewe and Nantwich into work.
- Visited Weston Cricket Club, at the kind invitation of the Club's committee, as part of a national day co-ordinated by the League Cricket Conference, Club Cricket Conference and Midlands Club Cricket Conference.
Westminster Report
Read my most recent Crewe & Nantwich Talk
Click here or on the image.
Photo News
I was delighted to welcome so many local people to the 2013 Crewe and Nantwich Jobs Fair. There were more employers and organisations attending this year, including Apprenticeships provider ESTC Group.
You can see all of my photos by visiting my website.
Community News
Crewe woman calls on businesses to give homeless people jobs
HUMAN resources consultant Anne Baker was delighted by the support offered by local businesses for her initiative to get homeless people into work.
She said the response at the Crewe and Nantwich Jobs Fair at the end of last month was fantastic.
“I was fortunate to meet with Edward Timpson MP at the fair to discuss my ideas and he was very positive and supportive about the initiative,” she said. Anne was able to discuss details of her action plan with all local businesses at the fair.
“I wanted employers to have a radical re-think of how they see homeless people,” she said.
“Instead of seeing them as unsuitable employees with multiple problems they should see them as a uniquely valuable resource. Because of their experiences they are often much more keen to work hard and to show gratitude and loyalty for the chance to get back into employment.”
Anne volunteers for the YMCA and the Lath Group (Looking After the Homeless), a Crewe charity of which Edward Timpson is the patron, and which provides a twice-weekly drop-in centre at Christ Church. She provides support to homeless people to produce CVs and application letters as well as training in interview skills and networking.
Any company which might be able to help should contact Anne Baker on 07803 936 682.
Do you have community news to share? Are you involved in any projects that could be of help or interest to local people in Crewe and Nantwich? Email me and your news could be here too!
2,000 jobseekers flock to recruitment fair organised by Crewe and Nantwich MP Edward Timpson
NEARLY 2,000 people of all ages flocked to the Crewe and Nantwich Jobs Fair organised by local MP Edward Timpson.
The event proved even more successful than last year with hundreds queuing outside waiting for the doors to open at Crewe Alexandra’s ground on Thursday. Mr Timpson admitted he had been slightly apprehensive, worrying this year’s event would not be as successful as last year. But he needn’t have been concerned – the fair was well attended by employers and job hunters.
“After the success of last year there’s always the nervousness of coming and giving it another go but this has exceeded all expectations,” said the delighted MP. “It’s great to see so many of the businesses who exhibited last year coming back and we have more jobs on offer than last year.
“Expert Logistics have got 150 jobs here today and they want to fill them today if they can.”
The Conservative MP said he had met people who had gained employment and experience from last year’s event and ‘this year we’re hoping it will be even better with more people getting work’. He said the jobs fair gave people the all important advantage of being able to meet employers face-to-face rather than just sending in CVs.
During a speech at the opening of the event, the Crewe and Nantwich MP thanked the Chronicle and the South Cheshire Chamber of Commerce for supporting the event. He said he is pleased it has become a fixture in the calendar and will be holding it again next year.
One of the companies looking for enthusiastic workers at the jobs fair was Virgin Trains. The company has ‘frontline’ vacancies, working on the station and on board trains as well as opportunities on Redtrack, a new scheme whereby students who want to get a degree at Crewe’s MMU can do so while working for Virgin.
“We pay all their university fees and pay them £12,000 a year,” said Beckie Forrester, of Virgin. She said A levels were not a necessity but the candidates had to have an aptitude for learning because they would be taking a degree course at university.
Regarding frontline jobs on the station and trains, having people skills is the most important qualification. “We don’t look for qualifications, it’s all about having the right attitude,” she said.
Edward Timpson MP welcomes savings on energy bills for Crewe & Nantwich
Edward Timpson, Member of Parliament for Crewe & Nantwich, has welcomed news today that 924 households in his constituency are already benefiting from increased control over energy bills through British Gas smart meters, with average annual savings of £65 per household.
Smart meters mean for the first time that households can see how much gas and electricity they are using, as they use it, and how much that costs in pounds and pence. By gaining insight into what they are spending and where, consumers can take control over their energy use and consequently their bills. Smart meters also send meter readings to suppliers automatically, seeing an end to estimated bills.
All energy companies are required to deliver smart meters to every home and business in the country by 2020, with British Gas already installing one million smart meters – around 75% of the total currently installed in Britain today.
Edward Timpson said:
“At a time when many people are struggling to make ends meet, this is good news for the families in Crewe and Nantwich. Energy bills are a big worry for some households, and anything that can provide greater transparency and help people take control of their costs and reduce waste is welcome. Every home in Crewe and Nantwich will have a smart meter by 2020, and it’s good to see British Gas helping my constituents get the benefits of smart today.”
Stuart Rolland, Managing Director of Smart Metering at British Gas said:
“British Gas is working hard to make sure people are in control of their energy bills. That’s one of the reasons we chose to get smart meters to our customers earlier than everyone else. 924 of our customers in Crewe & Nantwich are already seeing the benefit of smart and we look forward to the rest joining them.”
Visit www.britishgas.co.uk/smartmeters to find out more
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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