ATTENDING HEATON MERSEY’S HARVEST FAIR AND FARMERS’ MARKET

Prospective MP for Stockport Stephen Holland attended the Harvest Fair and Farmers’ Market organised by the Heaton Mersey Village Conservation Group in Heaton Mersey Park, Stockport. Stephen was joined by local campaigner Bryan Lees.

Stephen said, “Congratulations to the organisers of this community event. The market was bustling with a variety of stalls and it was wonderful to see so many people enjoying the green space in Heaton Mersey Park.  Our green spaces are important across Stockport as they add to the quality of life of local residents.”

Local campaigner Bryan Lees added, “Heaton Mersey is a lush green suburb of Stockport and we must all do what we can to safeguard our green spaces from overdevelopment.”

LISTENING TO STOCKPORT’S RESIDENTS THROUGH SURGERIES

Today Stephen Holland, prospective MP for Stockport attended a local residents’ meeting in Stockport before joining local Conservative councillors at one of their regular surgeries to discuss issues with local residents and follow up any queries.

Stephen said, “By holding surgeries at community facilities, such as the local guide headquarters, this helps to use and safeguard key community buildings.  If I am elected as Stockport’s MP, I will hold regular surgeries in the different areas of Stockport so that everyone can access me with their problems and concerns.” 

Conservative councillor Jackie Jones said, “We believe direct access to councillors is important for our local residents.”

Fellow Conservative councillor Anthony O’Neill added, “It’s an opportunity for people to have their say and see us.  We deliberately hold our surgeries in different parts of our ward to increase accessibility.”

LABOUR GOVERNMENT’S SPENDING OUT OF CONTROL

Official Treasury documents, produced the day before the Budget in April 2009 and never released to the public, have revealed Labour’s plans to cut spending on public services by 9.3% in real terms over the period 2010-2014. These plans to cut spending on public services and capital projects were not published in the Budget Red Book, and were not mentioned in the Chancellor’s Budget speech.

It has also emerged that Chancellor Alistair Darling is set to hide £32 billion of Government debt from the public by keeping the majority of public/private partnerships and private finance initiatives off the Government’s books.

Meanwhile the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics have revealed that £16.1 billion was borrowed in August compared with £9.9 billion in August 2008.

Stockport’s Labour MP is the Parliamentary Private Secretary of Chancellor Alistair Darling and works closely with the Labour Government’s Chancellor.

Prospective MP for Stockport Stephen Holland said, “Events this week have highlighted the staggering scale of the financial mess created by this Labour Government. It is of real concern for Stockport’s families and businesses that a Government can borrow so much, plan secret cuts and try to keep debt figures off the Government’s books. This is reckless economic mismanagement and seems to take people for fools, whilst Stockport’s families and pensioners are struggling to tighten their own belts and make ends meet.”

SPEAKING UP FOR STOCKPORT’S TERRACED PROPERTIES – MY LETTER TO THE STOCKPORT EXPRESS AND MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS

After being consulted by worried residents, I wrote to Stockport Council on their behalf and I attended the Central Stockport Area Committee Open Forum to speak up for residents and listen to their views. I saw firsthand the shambles of the new wheelie bin system at Stockport Council. An urgent review is needed.

Areas like Edgeley, Cale Green, Shaw Heath and Heaviley have high concentrations of terraced housing with no capacity for four wheelie bins.

It has come to my attention that local Labour and Lib Dem councillors for these areas received a briefing document about the new wheelie bins dated 14 May 2009.  So why have these councillors failed to consult with local people over the past four months? They should have stood up for these people months ago. After all, that’s why they draw thousands of pounds of allowances every year at the taxpayers’ expense.

Consultation is vital on local issues. Earlier this year the Labour Government tried to introduce new taxes on bins without consulting local people. No wonder they had to be abandoned. Conservatives are committed to giving people a say on council tax increases, local planning decisions and council services such as what works for them when it comes to recycling. The people of Stockport MUST be heard.

STEPHEN HOLLAND
Prospective Conservative MP for Stockport

STOCKPORT CONSERVATIVES PUSH FOR COMMUNITY FACILITIES

Prospective MP Stephen Holland has been working with local Conservative Councillors to push for better facilities for a local community in the Marbury Road area of Heaton Chapel, Stockport.

Stockport Conservatives organised and personally collected a petition calling for:

 - A replacement community centre to be used by all residents, both young and old

 - Somewhere for local people to buy everyday groceries close at hand

 - A replacement post box on Marbury Road

Prospective MP Stephen Holland said, “I had a look at this neighbourhood myself at different times of the day and can see the difference that these local facilities would make for this local community in Stockport. I am concerned that when communities such as this area of Heaton Chapel lose local facilities, people start to feel isolated and disconnected, particularly the elderly and the young.

“Thank you to everyone who signed our petition and for making your views known to us when we called round.”

Local councillor Anthony O’Neill added, “As Conservatives we believe in helping residents at grass roots level and listening to their views. That’s why we were keen to hear local residents’ views and we will continue to press for these local facilities and speak up for the people living in this area of Heaton Chapel.”

COUNCIL REMOVES YOUR RIGHT TO ASK SUPPLEMENTARY QUESTIONS – IS THIS REALLY DEMOCRATIC?

Prospective MP Stephen Holland has condemned Liberal Democrat-controlled Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council after councillors passed a motion at Full Council to remove the right of members of the public to ask supplementary questions at Council meetings.

This motion was completely opposed by the Conservative Council Group.

Stephen said, “My colleague Hazel Grove Conservative Prospective Parliamentary Candidate Annesley Abercorn and I submitted an objection letter against this proposal on behalf of our residents.

“We are deeply concerned by what appears to be an attempt to stifle debate and disengage further local people from the decision-making process at their Town Hall.  As a result of this amendment we are concerned the Council will become less accountable to members of the public and to democratically elected representatives.

“The people of Stockport should be able to have their say about how their Council is run and ask the questions they want to ask on items under debate. It is essential the Council is seen to be as transparent and open as possible when it comes to council taxpayers’ money.”

STANDING UP FOR STOCKPORT – MY LETTER TO NETWORK RAIL

Dear Mr Coucher

Tree Replanting in Heaton Moor & Heaton Chapel, Stockport

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

I also refer to my previous correspondence to you of 7 February 2009 and 4 May 2009.

As you know, the stretch of track which suffered the tree-felling earlier this year falls within the Heaton Moor Conservation Area. The special character of the Heaton Moor Conservation Area partly derives from the trees and hedges which still reflect the leafy, rural character of the earlier agricultural use of this area. Also significant are views in the vicinity of Heaton Moor Park, along the railway, and along tree-lined roads which create vistas throughout the Area. Therefore the trees add to and are undoubtedly an essential part of the Heaton Moor Conservation Area.

I urge Network Rail to review the replanting of the trees along the one-mile stretch of track and extend the tree replanting to all four embankments as well as at Heaton Chapel Station. I understand that Network Rail has previously undertaken to carry out replanting along all four embankments which were devastated. In this case I want to see these promises upheld for the people of this area. There must be no backtracking.

Finally I am aware that local residents have been pressing for a meeting on site for some time. I am keen to see this meeting take place in order for Network Rail to hear firsthand from local residents as to why the replanting must go ahead given the impact on their quality of life. I am convinced there is a happy medium that can be reached to help both Network Rail and the local residents.

I am very keen to attend this site meeting with residents and I would also be grateful if you could please invite the Tree and Woodland Section Manager from Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Kind regards

Yours sincerely

Stephen Holland

Conservative Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Stockport

PUSHING FOR IMPROVEMENTS TO STOCKPORT’S ROADS AND PAVEMENTS

Whilst MPs have disappeared for the long summer break, prospective MP for Stockport Stephen Holland has spent part of the summer looking at the state of Stockport’s many roads and pavements.  Earlier this year Stockport Conservatives carried out a constituency-wide survey. Residents who responded said they were dissatisfied with the amount of money spent on their roads and pavements in Stockport.

Across the UK, highways budgets have suffered over the last decade under the Labour Government whilst councils do not always give highways priority when setting budgets even though council tax keeps going up. Back in March Liberal Democrat-controlled Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council increased council tax by an above-inflation 4.25% following years of similarly high council tax rises.

Stephen said, “Whenever I am out meeting local residents, they often tell me their main concern is the state of Stockport’s roads and pavements.  Having served as a councillor myself, I know how important these local issues are for people.  That’s why I stepped in instinctively to follow up a complaint with the local Council when a resident contacted me this summer about the state of her road and the chronic parking problems suffered in her street.

“I want to see more investment in Stockport’s highways budget to help sort out Stockport’s potholed roads and sunken pavements in order to provide safer routes to schools, safer routes for shoppers and safer access for the elderly and the disabled. The motorist – often the biggest victim of Labour’s stealth taxes – must not be forgotten as well.”