STEPHEN HOLLAND SPEAKS UP FOR STOCKPORT’S LOCAL COMMUNITIES

Prospective MP for Stockport Stephen Holland has spent part of the summer looking at how the Conservatives’ plans to give power back to local communities will help residents in parts of Stockport. Stephen looked at the range and type of facilities available for young people across Stockport.

This year the Conservatives published a major policy green paper ‘Control Shift’ which aims to put more power in the hands of local people.

The Labour Government’s target-driven, top-down government has discouraged civic pride in many areas across the North West where Labour seems to take the electorate for granted. A Conservative Government will make local government in Stockport more accountable and bring people closer to the levers of power. This will start to restore the trust that has been lost in our political system under Labour.

Stephen said, “At the moment if the local Council decides to stop maintaining facilities for young people, communities in Stockport have got no direct say thanks to the way local government has been organised under Labour.  I strongly support these new proposals because they will allow Stockport’s residents to push for the facilities they want to see in their local area.”

CAMPAIGNING FOR BETTER HEALTHCARE FOR THE PEOPLE OF STOCKPORT – MY LETTER TO THE HEALTH SECRETARY

19 August 2009

Rt Hon Andy Burnham MP
Secretary of State for Health
Department of Health
Richmond House
79 Whitehall
London
SW1A 2NS

Dear Mr Burnham

STOCKPORT’S RESIDENTS DESERVE BETTER HEALTH CARE

I was pleased to see you recently put your head above the parapet and speak about the NHS, for which you are responsible as Secretary of State for Health.

First of all, I want to pay tribute to all the doctors, nurses, staff and workers of the NHS for their dedication and sheer commitment.

Secondly, I want to draw to your attention two issues in my constituency of Stockport that I have been made aware of this summer as they fall directly under your portfolio and you are a Member of Parliament from the North West region.

1.    Ambulance – ingrained with dirt and stained with blood

It was reported last week that an inspection by the Care Quality Commission has revealed an ambulance at Stockport ambulance station had to be taken off the road as it was ingrained with dirt and appeared to be stained with blood. Another ambulance was found to be in a very poor condition with visible dirt.

The report by the Care Quality Commission following an impromptu inspection of North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust states:

“One ambulance at Stockport was seen to have stains, which appeared to be blood stains, on the walls as well as visible dirt on the floor and walls.

“The interior of the storage cupboards in this vehicle also had high levels of dust and ingrained dirt.

“The technician responsible for this ambulance stated that it was used primarily for low priority ambulance jobs, such as patient transfers and admissions of patients from GPs.

“This vehicle was removed from service by the Trust during the inspection to be deep cleaned.”

I am extremely concerned about the health care of the people of Stockport. Patients and staff should not be transported in such conditions in an ambulance. Government policy must be firmed up immediately in this regard.

2.    Health Inequalities across Stockport – worst in Greater Manchester

An independent report from Stockport’s Director of Public Health has identified that health inequalities in Stockport Borough are the worst across the whole of Greater Manchester.

A postcode lottery seems to operate from one ward to another across Stockport Borough and this is deplorable. The average life expectancy for a man living in Brinnington & Central (which forms part of my constituency of Stockport) is only 70.2 years, whereas in Bramhall North (which is only 5 miles away in a neighbouring constituency) it is 82.0 years. Even a Labour councillor has branded this death gap rate as unacceptable (Stockport Express, 24 June 2009).

In the six wards which make up my constituency of Stockport, there are five wards where the life expectancy for a man is below the average for Stockport Borough (77.4): Brinnington & Central (70.2), Davenport & Cale Green (72.8), Edgeley & Cheadle Heath (74.5), Heatons South (77.0), and Manor (75.2).

In the six wards which make up my constituency of Stockport, there are five wards where the life expectancy for a woman is below the average for Stockport Borough (82.2): Brinnington & Central (75.8), Davenport & Cale Green (78.7), Edgeley & Cheadle Heath (77.8), Heatons North (80.9), and Manor (81.8).

Do you agree with me that the above issues are completely unacceptable in today’s world and that the people in my constituency of Stockport deserve better?

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely

Stephen Holland

Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Stockport

SPEAKING UP FOR STOCKPORT’S RESIDENTS ON WASTE COLLECTION – MY LETTER TO MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS

Swamping small cul-de-sacs such as Crossgate Mews in Heaton Mersey, Stockport with four wheelie bins for every home beggars belief. It is both a waste of resources and goes against what the residents want.

As a Conservative I support recycling both to safeguard the local environment and to avoid Labour’s costly landfill tax penalties. However this must be done in a cost-efficient manner for the people of Stockport. Conservatives believe in listening to local residents and ensuring there is proper consultation so that residents can choose what works for them. Not all houses have room for four wheelie bins.

They should be allowed to have their say.

So why has Stockport’s Labour MP been silent over this important issue? Perhaps it is because her inept Labour Government is at sixes and sevens over its recycling policy. Why doesn’t she speak up for Stockport’s hard pressed council taxpayers? It’s high time the residents of Stockport were heard by their representatives. It’s time for change.

STEPHEN HOLLAND

Prospective Conservative MP for Stockport