SENIOR SHADOW CABINET MEMBER VISITS SITE OF NETWORK RAIL TREE MASSACRE

Prospective Conservative MP Stephen Holland was so annoyed by Network Rail’s felling of trees in Heaton Moor that he arranged a visit by a Senior Shadow Cabinet Member. Today he took the Rt Hon Oliver Letwin MP to the site of the tree massacre in the Heaton Moor Conservation Area where they met with local residents and members of the Heaton Moor Conservation Area Group to discuss the handling of this issue.

Stephen said, “There seems to be no joined up working between the Department for Transport and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in terms of regulating tree felling along railway lines. This needs to be rectified.

“It is also essential that residents have their voices heard by larger organisations. Whilst we all want to have a safer railway, I am concerned for our local environment in Heaton Moor and the way the handling of this tree felling has impacted on the quality of life of local residents. That’s why I have repeatedly raised my concerns with Network Rail on behalf of residents.”

EURO ELECTION CAMPAIGN IN STOCKPORT

Stockport Conservatives have been out in force campaigning across Stockport for the European Elections. North West MEP Candidate Alex Williams joined Prospective Stockport MP Stephen Holland door-knocking and canvassing voters.

Stephen said, “We have been getting a great response. Thank you to everyone for your encouragement as we have been doing the rounds. We are trying to get round to see as many of you as possible. It is clear people are disillusioned with Labour and it is time for change.”

GIVE STOCKPORT’S RESIDENTS A FAIRER DEAL AND HELP FREEZE COUNCIL TAX

Prospective Conservative MP Stephen Holland has called for wasteful government spending on advertising and public sector consultants to be cut – in order to free up funds to help freeze council tax bills in Stockport. Local taxpayers in Scotland have benefited from a council tax freeze yet again this year.

Soaring council tax under Labour: Council tax in England has rocketed by 105% – or an extra £726 a year – since Labour came to power. In Stockport, council tax bills have risen by 80% or £667 a year. But Scotland is enjoying another council tax freeze this year; council tax bills are now £265 a year less in Scotland than in England on a Band D home.

Conservatives pledge to freeze council tax: A Conservative Government would follow the Scottish example and work in partnership with local councils, giving them extra support so that they can freeze council tax bills. Over two years, new analysis shows that this would save a typical family in Stockport £230 in tax. The cost to central government of reducing council tax would be met by spending less on government advertising and on public sector consultants.

Wages of spin: Despite the strain on public finances, government advertising shot up by 20% in 2008 alone. The Government is now the second biggest advertiser in the UK, just behind Procter & Gamble. Public relations, marketing and advertising now costs the taxpayer a colossal £400 million a year. Gordon Brown spent £54 million more of taxpayers’ money on advertising in his first year than Tony Blair in his last year. The Government is also planning to spend £4 billion on consultants over the next 3 years.

Wasteful advertising: Conservatives have put together a dossier highlighting examples of wasteful advertising, including: spinning a new ‘policing pledge’ at a time when many police forces are cutting police officers; running a ‘minimum wage Battlebus’ that only tours Labour areas; designing animated cartoons to sell discredited ‘eco-towns’; export campaign adverts that run in Britain rather than abroad; and neighbourhood policing adverts explicitly intended to prop up Labour’s local elections campaign.

Stephen said, “Under Labour, council tax has soared across the country, pushing up the cost of living and hiking bills in Stockport by 80%. Families and pensioners facing the economic squeeze just cannot afford yet more tax rises from Gordon Brown. It’s time to give Stockport’s residents a fairer deal.”

STANDING UP FOR STOCKPORT – MY LETTER TO NETWORK RAIL

Dear Mr Coucher

Proposed Tree Felling In Heaton Chapel, Stockport

Heaton Moor Conservation Area, Stockport

I am writing on behalf of local residents living next to and around the tree felling along the one-mile stretch of track in Heaton Chapel, Stockport.

You will recall that I wrote to you on 7 February 2009 and sent a copy of my letter of that date by email on 9 February 2009.  I attach a copy of my letter of 7 February 2009 for your convenience.

Local residents have kept me informed throughout this tree felling exercise.

You will recall I specifically raised my concern about the impact on the quality of life of local residents in my letter of 7 February 2009.  However I understand the shredding of trees/foliage has been taking place through the night from 11.30pm to 5.30am.  I note this has had a disruptive and detrimental effect on the quality of life of local residents living in the vicinity. I myself have seen video footage taken by local residents and consider the noise levels were unacceptable.  Will Network Rail now make an apology to local residents for this inconvenience?

You will recall I specifically raised my concern about the environmental impact on the Heaton Moor Conservation Area in my letter of 7 February 2009.  In her email of 11 February 2009 in reply to my letter of 7 February 2009, Emma Pemberton-Eccles Network Rail’s Public Affairs Manager for the North West stated:

“Network Rail instructed an independent consultant to undertake an ecology survey in the area.  As you may be aware it is not our policy to release reports to third parties.  I can however, inform you the report has identified certain areas on railway land where we need to be aware of certain species and has provided advice as to how this can be incorporated into our management of the site.  I can assure you where necessary Network Rail will apply for the required licences and will not contravene the relevant legislation.”

Please can you let me know what account has been taken of badger sets along this stretch by this survey and what legislation Network Rail must comply with in this regard?

I also have concerns about the number and extent of the trees/foliage that have been chopped down. I understand that any tree less than 6” (150mm) in diameter along this stretch is automatically axed.  Please can you confirm if this is the policy of Network Rail and how this diameter has been determined? My concern is that this diameter will catch young healthy trees.

I visited the site again last Friday and saw the extent of the tree felling on the embankment.  It seems that the trees which are furthest from the track have also been felled if they are less than 6” (150mm) in diameter.  Surely those trees which are closer to the road than the railway line provide a natural barrier between residents’ homes and the railway line in terms of visibility and noise. What criteria are in place for determining the range of the tree felling between the track and the road at the top of the embankment.

Finally I understand that there has been an on-site meeting between Derek Crook and Neil Strong and local residents, and agreement was reached with regard to the trees to be felled. Please can you confirm that this agreement was honoured?

I look forward to hearing from you and once again I wish to put on record my concern about the effect of this exercise on the quality of life of local residents.

Yours sincerely

Stephen Holland

Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Stockport