E-Newsletter from Stephen Mosley MP – August 2012

Stephen Mosley
Member of Parliament for The City of Chester
 

Help to save our Greenbelt
 
As many of you will be aware, there are currently two major threats to the Chester Greenbelt and I am eager to gain as much support from local residents as possible to help protect our local Greenbelt for future generations.

Firstly, Cheshire West and Chester Council are launching a consultation on rolling back the Greenbelt around Chester to build 2,000 new houses.
 
Chester’s Greenbelt was created to prevent urban sprawl and to ensure that Chester retains its setting as a small, compact, historic city. Planning law states that development on Greenbelt land should only occur in exceptional circumstances and there is a great deal of local concern that Chester’s Greenbelt should be protected for future generations to enjoy.
 
I believe that large scale development in the Greenbelt will threaten the character of our City and development should be encouraged towards the plentiful supply of brownfield sites in West Cheshire rather than in the Greenbelt.
 
But what do you think? I will shout as loud as I can on this issue, but the more local residents we have backing the campaign to save our Greenbelt, the more chance we have of succeeding. A website www.chestergreenbelt.com has been set up to allow you to e-mail and lobby your local councillors and MP with your concerns. Why not use it and encourage others to use it as well.
 
For more information please see:-
 
http://www.chestergreenbelt.com

Secondly, a Planning Application for 2,300 student flats in the Greenbelt between Blacon and Saughall has been resubmitted to Cheshire West and Chester Council.
 
This Planning Application has not been submitted by the local Council or by Chester University, but has been submitted by a private developer to build on privately owned land within the Chester Greenbelt.
 
Full details of the application can be viewed on the internet here, or by visiting the Chester Planning Office at the Council’s Forum Offices.
 
You can make your views known by emailing planning@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk (please copy in stephen@chestermp.com) or writing to: Chester Planning Office, The Forum, Chester, CH1 2HS.
 
Even if you only object by writing one sentence, it is better than not writing at all.
 
Once the Greenbelt is gone, it will be gone forever.
 

A summer of action in Chester
 
Parliament’s Summer Recess is gradually drawing to a close and, as always, I have really enjoyed the extended period that I’ve been able to spend back at home in Chester.
 
Aside from my regular routine of door knocking across the City, and in addition to the usual advice surgeries that I hold, I have also been holding a regular programme of summer street surgeries across Chester, where I have been trying to meet as many local residents as possible to hear their views on a variety of issues.
 
I must admit that getting out and about in Chester is the most enjoyable part of my job. Being in Parliament for the majority of the year and debating the important issues of the day is of course an intriguing and important role for every MP, but it is always great to get out to meet local residents and to be able to offer help and advice.
 
One of the most interesting aspects of being an MP is the variety of issues that people come to you with; and the Street Surgeries have been a great success.
 
Street Surgeries also serve as an ideal opportunity to talk with local business owners and local PCSOs about issues that are affecting them and I have been pleased with the number of people who are keen to stop for a chat. And, the news I am hearing across our City is positive. Unemployment is down across Chester, and there have been a record number of business start-ups. The Government’s efforts to boost the economy, redress the North-South imbalance, and to improve our infrastructure appears to be bearing fruit in Chester.
 
Although the summer recess is coming to an end, I will continue to get out an about in Chester as much as time allows me. I try to give regular updates of where I am in the constituency through my Twitter page, @mp4chester, or you can contact my Chester office on 01244 458120 for further information.
 
In addition to my regular advice Surgeries and Street Surgeries across Chester, I also hold frequent meetings with local charities, businesses, schools and local community groups and can be contacted by phone, letter or emailed at stephen@chestermp.com.  
 
For full details of how to contact me, please visit www.chestermp.com.
 
An Olympic legacy to be proud of
 
Despite the nay-sayers, we did it! Team GB achieved, winning a record number of Gold medals, and Britain delivered, putting on a fantastic Olympic games. I would like to congratulate Chester’s very own Olympic medallists; Tom James, Beth Tweddle, and Chris Bartley, as well as all those who competed. Also the scores of volunteers, police, and members of our armed forces from Chester who helped make these such a successful games.
 
So, the races are over, the medals have been won, the athletes have all departed; but what is left after a fantastic two weeks of the London Olympics? What will the legacy be from these Olympics games?
 
Firstly, these games will help to create a sporting legacy, which will hopefully last well into the future. It is encouraging to see that so many people, of all ages, have taken such a keen interest and are now keen to get involved themselves. It is important that we harness this desire and potential, especially amongst young people, by encouraging them in sport. To this end, the Government is working to restore competitive sport back into our schools and has made a long-term commitment to sport by promising to continue to fund Team GB and high-level sport at London 2012 levels.
 
We have raised the profile of the UK across the world by putting on such a successful Olympics. London and the wider UK provided a fantastic backdrop to these Olympic Games, which were seen by a worldwide audience. The benefits that this will bring to our tourism industry cannot and must not be underestimated. Following the example of Sydney and Barcelona, we must build on this fantastic opportunity and ensure that we reap the benefits for years to come. I am confident that these games have helped to boost the UK to the top of the international ‘dream destination’ list.
 
Finally, we have demonstrated to the world the competency of the UK. We are a nation that can get the job done and deliver! Throughout the Games the Government launched the largest ever push for business, demonstrating to overseas companies and governments that ‘UK plc’ is very much open for business and the best possible place to invest.
 
The Olympic Games have put the UK very much back in the spotlight, we have demonstrated we are capable of great things, and hopefully we will reap the rewards for years to come.
 

Out and About in Chester

Since my last bulletin, I have…

• Been delighted by the appointment of John Dwyer as the Cheshire Conservative candidate for November’s Police and Crime Commissioner Elections
• Welcomed another fall in unemployment in Chester
• Attended a public meeting for residents concerned about proposals for Richmond Court in Boughton
• Presented awards to students at Advanced Employability in Chester
• Urged businesses in Chester to apply for the Queen’s Award for Enterprise
• Welcomed statistics showing a fall in crime in Cheshire and a boost to police numbers
• Spoken out against the Council’s plans to build 2,000 new homes in Chester’s Green Belt
• Launched my Summer Street Surgeries
• Teamed up with Councillor Adrian Walmsley to highlight the difficulties experienced by wheelchair users at bus stops
• Welcomed the record number of business start ups happening in Chester
• Visited Blacon Community Trust social projects
• Attended Guilden Sutton Fete
• Supported, and appeared on, Lache FM
• Welcomed the successful applications to create two new Free Schools in Chester
• Attended Dodleston Village Fete
• Attended the Blacon Festival
• Welcomed Cheshire West and Chester Council’s commitment to Free After Three
• Received a petition from local residents concerned with privacy legislation

 
Representing Chester in Parliament
 
I have since my last bulletin…

• Welcomed the announcement that £5.5 billion has been cut from Whitehall expenditure since the General Election in 2010
• Been pleased with the Government’s continued commitment to boost skills training
• Welcomed the Government’s investment in rail in the north
• Joined with charity Carbon Monoxide Awareness to highlight the dangers of taking barbecues indoors
• Teamed up with British Gas to highlight schemes offering free insulation
• Welcomed plans to speed up the adoption system
• Encouraged local groups to enter the TalkTalk Digital Heroes Awards 2012 competition
• Welcomed the Government’s commitment to revolutionising Social Care
• Supported National Transplant Week 2012
• Backed calls for stronger support for Armed Forces communities
• Supported a campaign to support victims of road crashes
• Been shocked by the Libor banking scandal and welcomed the Parliamentary inquiry into it
• Welcomed students from Christleton High School on a tour of Parliament

7 Ways to Get in Touch
 
By post:                                Stephen Mosley MP
                                             House of Commons
                                             London
                                             SW1A 0AA
 
Telephone:                           01244 458120
 
Email:                                   stephen@chestermp.com
 
Website:                              www.chestermp.com
 
Twitter:                                @mp4chester
 
Facebook:                            Stephen Mosley MP on Facebook
 
In person:                            Additionally, you can come and meet me at one of my regular surgeries in Chester. Call 01244 458120 to book an appointment.