c2c Weekend Update Andrew Fri, 06/24/2022 - 16:02

Ravensfield Primary School celebrated its success in the Morrisons ‘It’s Good To Grow’ scheme with a visit from Andrew Gwynne MP.

Gwynne, MP for Denton and Reddish, visited earlier this month to present the school with new gardening equipment secured through the scheme. The school received one of the highest numbers of tokens in the country and successfully secured new gardening kit including seed supplies, spades, trowels and compost.

The equipment will support pupils at the school in developing the school garden.  The work will allow children to develop a closer relationship with the natural world as they get hands-on experience of growing fruit and vegetables.

Morrisons launched the ‘It’s Good to Grow’ scheme last September to help inspire children to get outdoors and learn about where food comes from. Thanks to the scheme, over 71,000 pieces of gardening equipment are now being donated to schools up and down the country including:

• 12,000 trowels
• 7,600 forks
• 2,200 watering cans
• 15,000 packets of seeds
• 2,800 pairs of gloves.

Commenting, Andrew Gwynne MP said: 

“It was great to visit Ravensfield Primary School and celebrate its brilliant success in Morrisons ‘It’s Good To Grow’ scheme.

 

As a keen gardener, I understand the benefits that gardening can have on your mental and physical wellbeing. This new kit means that pupils can develop a beautiful school garden, and get hands-on experience of growing fruit and veg.

 

Well done to the students and staff at Ravensfield, and a big thanks to Morrisons for launching this scheme. It is a wonderful initiative, and will get so many kids engaged with nature!”

Ruth Dawson, Acting Headteacher at Ravensfield Primary School, said:

“It is wonderful how the school community has worked together to benefit our pupils. Thank you to all those who helped and to Morrisons for their generosity.”

Becky Teeney, Community Champion at Morrisons Dukinfield, said:

“It is very important to us at Morrisons Dukinfield that children understand where their food comes from. This equipment will allow the children at Ravensfield Primary School to build a fantastic knowledge base and grow their own food. The team at Morrisons Dukinfield look forward to seeing what the children grow over the coming weeks and months.”

For more information visit: https://www.itsgoodtogrow.co.uk .

 

The post Gwynne celebrates gardening success at Ravensfield Primary School appeared first on Andrew Gwynne MP.

Most PhD students take longer than the time they are funded to complete their research, and some don’t even earn a living wage.

This impacts working class people, women and people of colour most.

Minister admitted the government doesn’t even bother to monitor equity of PhD completion

HANSARD: 

https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2022-06-07/13705

 

Another busy week which was kicked off with a Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee (PACAC). This inquiry focused on how international arrangements could be effectively scrutinised in the UK, now that the UK has left the EU. We heard from Professor Lorand Bartels MBE, a professor of International Law and Trinity Hall, Cambridge and Professor Malgosia Fitzmaurice, a professor of Public International Law at Queen Mary University of London. There have been instances in the past of countries breaking international treaties in exceptional circumstances, for instance when the Soviet Union collapsed or when Argentina went bankrupt. Our questioning in the cross-party committee focused on whether this is proportional in the current circumstance. Technical, you bet, but these hearings are vital if we are to hold to the Government to account for their ‘oven-ready Brexit agreement’.

The Labour Party secured two Opposition Day debates this week. I was able to speak in the latter on the Independent Advisor to the Prime Minister on Ministers’ Interests Recently, PACAC heard from the then-Independent Advisor Lord Geidt on the leaking of legal advice on the breaking of the Northern Ireland protocol, a serious breach of the Ministerial Code. We know that this has a profound impact on the UK’s constitution and domestic politics as well as on our international standing. We know that the legal advice is disputed. We know that the doctrine of necessity provided in some of the legal advice is an extreme and controversial step to take. It was clear through questioning Lord Geidt that no one seems to have the responsibility to investigate such a clear breach of the Ministerial Code, which is unacceptable to those of us who wish to see decency and standards return to public life. The appointment of an Independent Advisor with the capacity to investigate breaches of the Ministerial Code is clearly necessary, especially with the scandals engulfing the current Government.

Was a pleasure to meet with a young care leaver from Bristol South for the Day of Action on the Care Review in Westminster Hall this week. The Independent Review of Children’s Social Care has recommended bold and broad action to improve the lives of children and young people in care. In order to ensure that we have the best care system we can have, we need to listen to both those who work in the children’s care system but also those children and young people with the lived experience of the care system. I want to thank all the young people who attended the event and who shared their experiences with all of us.

On Friday we had our constituency surgery. It’s clear that the cost-of-living crisis is a concern for so many people. With costs and bills rising across the board and wages not keeping up, many people are struggling and sufficient support is not forthcoming. There’s a clear message from Bristol South: the Government need to stop trying to pit different groups of people against one another and take the action that is required to support people and families across the UK. In the meantime, Citizens Advice are available for help and advice for constituents in Bristol South who need it. Visit the website at https://www.bristolcab.org.uk/.

If there are issues you want to raise with me as your local MP, please get in touch by emailing Karin.smyth.mp@parliament.uk or by calling 0117 953 3575.

The post Weekly Round-Up first appeared on Karin Smyth.

It’s good news that the Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Select Committee have decided to conduct an inquiry into exempt accommodation and even better they’ve come to Birmingham to take evidence.

I’ve been warning about exempt accommodation for a long time. It’s an issue which this newspaper has campaigned on and where virtually every Birmingham Member of Parliament has called for some sort of action.

It’s largely provided by private landlords at taxpayer’s expense but in too many communities, it leads to family homes being converted into ‘mini hostels’ as the landlords chase huge profits.

If properly commissioned, by local authorities, it can be a good idea and there are some excellent organisations and landlords out there but when it’s just about money, it often leads to intolerable anti-social behaviour and substandard accommodation.

I welcome the government’s belated recognition of the problem and their recent pilot involving Birmingham City Council but we need them to go much further.

Ministers refused to give time to my parliamentary bill which would have placed restrictions on the number of ‘hostels’ per neighbourhood; demanded background checks on those who own and manage such places; and an assessment of an individual’s suitability before being placed in an exempt establishment.

During last week’s committee hearing, in Birmingham, we heard evidence from people forced to live in this type of accommodation. There were harrowing tales.

Exempt accommodation is costing the taxpayer a small fortune. It’s proved a very ineffective way to tackle homelessness or help vulnerable people but has provided a very lucrative market for unscrupulous landlords.

I hope the minister will treat this select committee report seriously and start dealing with this terrible scandal.

My week in Westminster began when I joined the M&S and Prince’s Trust reception to celebrate the milestone of 10,000 young people completing the Marks and Start employability scheme. M&S is the Prince’s Trust largest partner, and since 2014 many 16-30 year olds have taken part in 4 week placement programmes to gain practical experience and skills whilst working alongside a buddy in an M&S store. People who successfully complete the placement are offered a 16 hour fixed-term contract and 81% go on to continue working permanently for M&S. I met wonderful young Neath Store Manager Darcie Price, who had been through the programme, and we spoke about how important the store is to Neath – the retail service it supplies and the job opportunities it provides to the people of the Neath constituency.

At my next event, I met Sir Bill Beaumont and former England RWC winner Will Greenwood at the Aramis Rugby and World Rugby World Cup Official Supporter of France 2023 reception and panel session. We spoke about the great Phil Bennett, who had very sadly passed away that morning, and the legacy that he has left to rugby, and to the people of Wales.

On Monday evening, I joined the Llafur100 Reception to celebrate the centenary of the Labour Party winning the popular vote in Wales for the first time in 1922, and which the Labour Party in Wales has achieved in every general election since. Speakers included Mark Drakeford MS, First Minister of Wales; Sir Keir Starmer MP, Labour Party Leader; Jo Stevens MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Wales; Wayne David MP, Caerphilly; and Baroness Eluned Morgan MS, Welsh Government Health and Social Services Minister, who is leading the Llafur100 programme. The reception was chaired by Carolyn Harris MP for Swansea East and Deputy Leader of Welsh Labour. Mark Drakeford spoke about the iconic life of Jim Griffiths, former MP Llanelli, and that there has only been 4 MPs for Llanelli since 1922: John Williams 1922-36; Jim Griffiths 1936-70; Denzil Davies 1970-2005; and current MP Dame Nia Griffith, who has held Llanelli for Labour since 2005.

The business in the Chamber was the Report Stage of the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill. I voted on New Clause 4 which would ensure that the Director of Freedom of Speech and Academic Freedom has not, and cannot whilst in office, donate to a political party and ensure they are only appointed subject to confirmation of an independent advisory panel, the Select Committee of the House of Commons, and a resolution of each House of Parliament. Labour lost by 150 to 282 votes. I voted on Amendment 17 which would ensure that other competing freedoms as found in the Equality Act, the Counter-Terrorism Act and the Security Act 2015 are considered in relation to complaints lodged under the Free Speech Complaints Scheme. Labour lost by 152 to 284 votes.

On Tuesday morning, I chaired the Committee Stage of the Online Safety Bill Line by Line scrutiny session. The opposition parties have tabled hundreds of amendments. The Committee Stage started on May 24th and we will be in committee until the end of June.

At lunchtime I attended the private meeting of the Petitions Committee in which members considered petitions that had attained over 100,000 signatures, Government responses, and planned future petition debates.

Then I rushed to Chair the Fourth Delegated Legislation Committee which considered the Draft Hovercraft (Application of Enactments) and Merchant Shipping (Prevention of Pollution) (Law of the Sea Convention) Amendment Order 2022. The UK Government Minister said that this Statutory Instrument (SI) performs a purely technical function of amending how the International Convention on Standards Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Fishing Vessel Personnel (1995) is transposed into UK Law. It is being considered under the Draft Affirmative procedure and will not come into effect if not approved by Parliament. This SI would extend regulations on marine pollution and the crewing of vessels that currently applies to ships so that they also cover hovercrafts. The SI would also authorise the UK Government to make further regulations punishing pollution from vessels with imprisonment of no more that 2 years instead of, or as well as, a fine. The Government requires this power to implement the Convention and to replace the Merchant Shipping (Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping) Regulations 2015. There was a lively debate about hovercrafts and I learnt that there’s only one hovercraft service remaining in the UK – from Southsea, Portsmouth to Ryde, Isle of Wight. There was cross party support for the SI and it passed without a division.

Then I attended the Colour-Blindness Awareness session, where I tried on simulation glasses through which I viewed a pie chart, which had been simulated to replicate severe colour vision. I discovered that I am not colour blind. I learned about the many everyday challenges faced by the one in twelve men and the one in two hundred women that suffer with colour-blindness in the UK, that’s three million citizens. I pledged my support to people and to my constituents who suffer with this challenging condition.

I then voted on our Official Labour Opposition Day debates. The first debate was a censure motion against the Minister for Future Borders and Immigration for his handling of the crisis at Her Majesty’s Passport Office, which directed him to come to the House no later than 20th June to apologise to the tens of thousands of people who have waited more than 6 weeks for their passport. Unfortunately, Labour lost by 198 to 295 votes. The second debate called on the UK Government to reverse its decision to sell Channel 4, as it will undermine the UK’s world leading creative industries and the delicate ecosystem of companies that support them. After a long debate where there was cross party support, the question was put and resolved.

On Wednesday morning I attended the Western Gateway All Party Parliamentary Group APPG and we listened to Professor Mark Barry speak about the importance of connectivity throughout the region and Wales. Mark emphasised the importance of public transport to the creation of jobs and skills, and I spoke about the Global Centre of Rail Excellence which is being developed in Onllwyn.

Then we dashed across to College Green for a photo and media session with stakeholders who have pledged to be partners in Western Gateway projects.

The Chamber business began with oral questions to the President of COP, followed by PMQs, and I spent the rest of the afternoon, patiently waiting with the other 19 MPs who have been fortunate to be drawn in the top 20 of the Private Members’ Bill Ballot to be called into the Chamber to present our PMBs and to specify a Sitting Friday date when our Bills will be debated. I chose the first Sitting Friday, 15th July 2022, and will be trying my best to persuade MPs and more importantly the UK Government to back my PMB to ban the import and export of shark fins into the UK.

The debate in the Chamber was a Government debate about Rail Strikes. I voted for Labour amendment (a) which stated that we did not want the rail strikes to go ahead, and therefore urgently called upon the Government, operators, network rail and the union to get around the table and resolve the issues on pay and cuts to safety staff to avert industrial action. Labour lost by 174 to 286 votes.

Back in Neath I visited Dwr-y-Felin school where I met the headteacher Penny Peet and pupils from years 7,8,9 for a Q&A session. We spoke about many topics including, Parliament, local government, social media, sport, arts, culture, and future careers. Every question I was asked was thought provoking and I really enjoyed meeting our stars of the future. I offered to host the pupils in Westminster and Ms Peet has promised to plan a visit to the House of Commons in the near future.

This morning we were notified by government that they are minded to appoint commissioners to oversee some parts of the City Council. The appointment of commissioners would be unjustified, and an attack on our local democracy. Under new leadership, Nottingham Labour have been making progress, being open about the difficulties we face and working hard to put things right. We have worked with the government appointed Improvement and Assurance Board to address all their concerns and they have reported positively to Government about our progress.

This work has resulted in the reduction in council debt, a transformation plan that will save the council £45m and improve services for Nottingham people. We have set a four year balanced budget, and have changed the culture and governance so that issues like the HRA are uncovered, shared transparently and sorted. The Council under the current leadership has made significant changes to the way it works, is open about the issues we face and is determined to get things right and this has been recognised by the Improvement and Assurance Board.

The Improvement and Assurance Board, headed by Sir Tony Redmond – the former Local Government Ombudsman – have described our progress positively to government and reported on our determination to succeed, so we are asking government what additional change they expect to achieve by bringing in people who know nothing of the City and our residents’ needs. Although we oppose the Governments’ intention to appoint commissioners the continuity provided by Sir Tony Redmond provides some assurance that our previous improvements are understood and can be built on.

But, we are asking what new actions would happen as a result of commissioners coming in that would improve the working of this council, or result in any changes that Nottingham people would want. We will use our opportunity to respond to this proposal from Government to ask these questions.

If it is the case that the government does take this action, this will be based not on what is best for the city, but what is best for the Conservative Party.

We will of course work positively and openly with commissioners, as we have with the Improvement and Assurance Board in the best interests of our city, but we will be straight with them, and straight with Nottingham people and will continue to fight for what Nottingham people need and have elected a Labour council to do.

The government cuts to our budgets means that it is more difficult to do everything we want to do to help our communities at this time but we have been fighting for Nottingham and protecting our services against the worst effects of Tory cuts. We made sure that Nottingham City Council – and our amazing staff – were there for you during the Covid crisis and we fought hard to get what we needed for our city to help keep people safe.

After more than a decade of Tory austerity – and the pandemic – we have managed to set a four year balanced budget. This has not been easy, but Nottingham Labour: Has retained 75 community protection officers Are still building council houses and have improved private rented housing through our licensing scheme Has kept ownership of our outstanding care homes Is still running six leisure centres Is supporting Welfare Rights advice services across the city because we defend what is needed by Nottingham people.

We are still supporting free events for families all year round, and you can still expect a regular bus service to get you there from our award winning city owned bus company. We have our own bus company because Labour protected it, when many others were sold off to private operators and they are now seeing more cancelled services and far higher fares. We invested in a tram that brings good jobs to the city and gets people to them. Our great public transport system has contributed to cleaner air than other cities in the UK and made people less reliant on a car.

The transformation of the Broadmarsh is underway after the shopping centre operator went into administration, a new central library will soon be fitted out, a green space in the heart of our city will be created and new developments creating jobs and homes will be coming in the next few years.

We are a city of hardworking people and Nottingham deserves better than intervention from an out of touch Tory government that is more concerned with protecting the profits of the energy companies than the people who can’t heat their homes or struggle to feed their families. We understand what twelve years of Tory austerity and now the cost of living crisis means to you, because we do not just represent our communities, we are part of them. We will carry on fighting for what Nottingham needs and will still be ready to help with the problems you are facing, or hear your views and hopes for the city.

The post Nottingham Labour Statement on further intervention appeared first on Nottingham Labour.

Commenting on today’s news that inflation to June has reached  9.1%, Catherine McKinnell MP stated: “Today’s figures show a deepening cost of living crisis for families across Newcastle North and the country. People are seeing living standards plummet as prices increase, wages stagnate, and the Conservatives increase tax on working people. “Inflation is rising at … Continue reading RAPID INFLATION DEEPENING COST OF LIVING CRISIS →

The post Bin strikes averted as union secures pay deal for workers appeared first on Toby Perkins Labour MP.

The moment it was announced that Bradford had won the City of Culture 2025 title is a moment I will never forget. The crowds gathered in City Park erupted in cheers and applause at the sheer joy and immense pride of winning the title. I have said it many times in the past three weeks but it deserves to be said again: Congratulations Bradford!

And while we are sure to enjoy all sorts of exciting cultural events across Bradford District during our year with the crown, that is just the tip of the iceberg. The City of Culture title is not just twelve months for Bradford to shine in the national limelight. It is a transformative opportunity for the city to unlock its potential and make sure Bradford’s light keeps burning brightly for years to come.

Previous title winners have seen tens of millions of pounds of long-term investment – and there is no reason why Bradford can’t do better. Bradford is the youngest, most entrepreneurial city in the country and study after study has shown it is the city with most to gain from levelling up and investment. Our City of Culture win is an unmissable opportunity to leverage investment, funding and ideas into the city. It is about raising Bradford’s profile and making the case that we are open for business. It is a chance to showcase Bradford businesses to the world and to show that if you’re a company, then Bradford is a thriving place to come and do businesses too.

But to make the most of this springboard opportunity, families and businesses need support with the day-to-day struggle of making ends meet right now. I know times continue to be hard today but, what is worse, is that the country is on track to face an even harsher energy and cost of living crisis this winter.

In January, Labour proposed a one-off windfall tax on North Sea oil and other gas producers who are raking in obscene profits while ordinary people struggle, as a way to fund help with soaring energy costs. It took five months for the Government to finally accept that this was the right thing to do.

From January to May, the Chancellor Rishi Sunak left families, older people and those already pushed to breaking point worried, panicking and stuck because the Government failed to act.

I have long been calling on the Government to take action. In September 2021, I raised my concerns regarding our dwindling natural gas reserves directly with the Business Secretary and challenged the Government’s decision to stop investing in gas storage. I was met with meaningless rhetoric about future energy diversification and no plan – right before an energy crisis caused by a surge in wholesale gas prices. Then in May this year, we heard how the UK had a huge surplus of gas – but that we had nowhere to store it, while announcements were made that as many as six million households could face power cuts because of gas shortages.

And it’s not just people here that are being hit by the cost of energy; it is affecting local businesses too. Some are facing astronomical energy bills as the energy price cap does not apply to businesses. I visited one energy-intensive manufacturer recently who told me their energy bills have skyrocketed from £7 million to £35 million a year. When I asked the Business and Energy Minister what plans the Government had to support businesses like this, the Minister simply dismissed this as an ‘extreme case’ – yet I am hearing that this is the story up and down the country. The government needs to listen to businesses and step in to help them.

This is important. Bradford’s manufacturing industry is part of the city’s heritage. Over 24,000 people in the city work in manufacturing, making it the fourth biggest city for manufacturing in the country. Energy intensive industries across the UK like steel, food production, basic chemicals and building materials are essential to our everyday lives. Hardworking workers plough in hour after hour to keep these industries going. How can we expect to be able to showcase the best of Bradford when rising energy costs means businesses and residents alike are fighting to keep their heads above the water?

To make the most of its City of Culture win, Bradford needs its residents and businesses to be thriving. We need the national Government to get the basics right on this: Act now to properly support businesses, not six months down the line when it reaches another crisis point.

Bradford is ready to build a City of Culture legacy that will last for decades to come, and I call for the Government to get on board with us too.

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An incredible example of the work that Leicester City in the Community’s fantastic team are doing in Leicester West, using the power of football to help children to be active, grow in confidence and develop essential life skills.

William, who attends Alderman Richard Hallam Primary School in the constituency, explains how the Premier League Primary Stars programme has helped him.  been nominated as a Premier League Primary Superstars programme has helped him:

"Football gave him his voice"

William is one of many children to benefit from #PLPrimaryStars, which celebrates five years this week@LCFC_Community are one of 105 professional football clubs funded by the #PL to deliver the educational support sessions pic.twitter.com/g1SmtF42Ut

— Premier League Communities (@PLCommunities) June 20, 2022

Last month William recently had the opportunity to play in the Premier League Primary Stars Tournament Finals held at Vicarage Road last month, scoring a goal on a Premier League pitch. He’s now been nominated as a Premier League Primary Stars Superstar – go William! 

 

The post Leicester City in the Community making a difference in Leicester West appeared first on Liz Kendall.

The post Joint Statement from the Members of Parliament for the Borough of Oldham appeared first on Debbie Abrahams, MP for Oldham East and Saddleworth.

Hardly surprising after two years of travel restrictions, that this year there would be more people than usual seeking to renew their passports, but the Home Office does not seem to have made any provision.

Passports are now taking more than the stated 10 weeks. I am busy chasing urgent cases via the MP’s hotline, but even that seems overwhelmed, and I would strongly advise, wherever possible, that you ALLOW CONSIDERABLY MORE THAN TEN WEEKS to get a passport application processed.

Google Classroom is a good idea. It’s going to help teachers create better lessons, keep students engaged and reach out to parents more. The real question is whether it’s worth the price of admission.

Google Classroom

The availability of free education is a gift, but only if it can come with high quality. Google Classroom has given students in classrooms around the country an online option to supplement their learning. A potential downside to these options is the inability to meet with professors and apply classroom learning. As a part of the University of Washington system, we have found the use of Google Classroom during the quarter distance courses produced good results for both parties. Distance learning is here to stay and has only grown over time. If you want to make sure you aren’t left behind in a digital world, you may want to consider your options and how they will help or hurt your future professional prospects.

Google Classroom is a reliable one-stop-shop for managing all of your coursework and communication. It is definitely worth checking out if you are in a distance learning program, or even just want to streamline some of your everyday communication tasks.

Benefits and Drawbacks

There are several other features that set Google Classroom apart from the competition. It is a free tool and it works on computers and mobile devices through the GAFE platform. The discussion features of Google Classroom do an excellent job at encouraging interaction between students and teachers, making it a very effective tool for working with groups of all sizes. The major drawback to Google Classroom is that it is a relatively new tool, so it does not work with iPads, Android tablets or Kindle Fires. The lessons created within Google Docs can be exported directly into Google Classroom on the computer, but in order to view or edit those documents or upload them onto the iPad tablet, students will have to use other third-party tools such as Documents 5 and iBooks Author.

Integration

If you are using Google Classroom for your teaching and learning, it is important to note that it does require integration with Google Apps for Education. This means that you are using Gmail along with Calendar and Drive (Docs, Sheets, Slides) etc., so the other school faculty members need to have access to all of these tools. The obvious way to do this is through the use of a domain. It is required that you have a domain in order to use Google Classroom or any other GAFE tool/application.

By going through a step by step process, one can easily move one’s entire digital repository into Google Classroom for easy organization and management; therefore, allowing access to all student work without having to worry about losing any data or files that are not needed for a current class engagement.

Google Classroom Future Prospects

According to the Scholastic Parent & Child list of the most popular educational apps , in 2015 Classroom wasn’t one of them, indicating that this tool is still relatively new and also relatively unknown. While the design is nothing particularly innovative, the new Google Classroom 2022 is a promising step towards more effective and efficient learning, especially in a classroom setting. Though it appears to be geared towards teachers, students will benefit from having access to Google Classroom, whether they’re in an online or a traditional classroom. With that said, it should be noted that it may take some time before this update fully penetrates into secondary schools and universities. But nonetheless, Google Classroom is off on the right foot, leaning further into an online world which we’ll all have to face sooner or later.

Bottom Line

Google Classroom has made a huge impact in the world of educational technology, especially for teachers who don’t have face-to-face access to students. It’s a powerful tool that will likely continue to be developed and improved upon, as educators keep gravitating towards it.

In the end, there is no one best way to teach and learn, but instead many valid options. Whether you are interested in the low-cost education of a MOOC or the high-end technology of Sketchfab virtual reality tours, it’s exciting to see that educational technology is progressing at a rapid rate. Let’s hope that as more schools begin to adopt innovative techniques like Google Classroom, we will continue to see positive changes in how students learn around the world.

The post Guide to Google Classroom distance learning in 2022 appeared first on Berger.

[Check against delivery]

 

Ladies and gentlemen, I am honoured to speak here this evening, on my home turf.

Now, before I begin, I understand there’s a sweepstake on the length of my remarks.

Let me just put everyone’s mind at rest… my money went on 82 minutes – so settle in folks!

Turning to what this evening is all about… Councillor Tattersall – our new Mayor – congratulations!

 

Madam Mayor, you will be an outstanding Mayor for our borough. You are a tremendous councillor and a force of nature!

I know you have big plans for your term.

Your theme – Educate, inspire and deliver and your charities typify you…

Romero Communities – a wonderful organisation, who have provided invaluable support to countless people in Barnsley.

And one of the friendliest places to get a brew in the borough!

And Hey! – who do so much for our children and young people suffering with their mental health by providing the care they need when they need it most.

 

The very first time I met Sarah was back in 2011. I was dashing about canvassing for Party members’ support ahead of the selection hustings for the forthcoming by-election.

I knocked on her door.

She kindly invited me in.

I hesitated.

I obviously wanted to take Sarah up on her offer – her endorsement would’ve been very useful, but it suddenly dawned on me this encounter was laden with risk.

The dilemma was such: coming in for a chat, meant taking off my shoes which in turn meant – to my great embarrassment – revealing a hole in my sock.

“Shall I take my shoes off” I said sheepishly.

“Yeah, you can just leave them at the door” was the reply.

“Oh dear” I thought – it was actually another 4-letter word, but you get the gist.

I saw coming clean as the best course of action…

“I must apologise in advance, but I have a large hole in my sock” I said.

Now, discussing and exposing my ragged clothing – as you can imagine – was not meant to form part of the agenda for this important tête-à-tête.

Sarah’s response however was both merciful and profound…

“People are more interested in what you have to say rather than the state of your socks. And anyway, lots of people round here have holes in their socks”.

She was right. A sage lesson and one worth remembering.

Madam Mayor – I’m very much looking forward to working with you over the next year.

I have every faith you’ll be a huge success and a fantastic champion for Barnsley.

Congratulations again!

 

Ladies and gentlemen, before I go any further I’d like to say a few words about the terrible situation in Ukraine because we are joined here tonight against the backdrop of the most appalling violence and misery.

I know we are all greatly inspired by the resolve, determination and spirit shown by the Ukrainian people.

The response to the crisis from our community has been incredibly moving – we opened our hearts and our homes.

Naturally I wouldn’t have expected anything less.

We are of course twinned with a proud coalfield community in Ukraine – Horlivka.

A town which is now fighting for its very existence.

A fight it did not start, but from which it will not back down.

A few weeks ago – along with my great colleague and neighbour, Stephanie Peacock – I learned I had been personally sanctioned by the Russian parliament – something I see as a badge of honour because Barnsley stands united against Putin’s illegal invasion and we send our solidarity to our Ukrainian brothers and sisters both here and those resisting his barbaric regime.

Slava Ukraini!

 

I do also want to say a word about the Platinum Jubilee – truly a milestone in our nation’s history.

The Queen – overseeing us this evening – has been the embodiment of service and stability, a constant in our lives and it is right we recognise her unwavering dedication.

 

Ladies and gentlemen… that brings me to another fantastic ambassador, albeit one closer to home – our outgoing Mayor,

Councillor Caroline Makinson.

Caroline… you have been a wonderful advocate for our community and helped see us through the pandemic. I want to take this opportunity to pay tribute to you for all the work you have done – and will continue to do – for Barnsley.

Thank you.

 

I’d also like to say something about another outgoing Mayor… me!

In all seriousness, the last time I had the honour of speaking at this event was for Councillor Steve Green back in 2018 – which was only a matter days after I had been elected the inaugural Mayor of South Yorkshire, or the Sheffield City Region as it was then.

I’m now back delivering this address but no longer as Mayor.

Let me be candid, many people were surprised at my decision to stand down, but I said from the beginning that being a Mayor and an MP wasn’t a long-term arrangement.

And I meant it.

Some thought that I would step away as MP and keep going with the mayoralty, but I have a fierce loyalty to our town.

You can’t choose where you were born but you can choose where you want to be – and I chose Barnsley.

I hope everyone knows what an enormous privilege it is for me to represent our community, and how seriously I take that responsibility.

Politicians come and go, of course – and if the people of Barnsley want to get rid of me as their MP, then that is their absolute right. But I am not walking away from them.

Let me tell you why… there is so much to celebrate about Barnsley – but above all, it is the enduring spirit of our people that sets us apart.

And why I hold this place so dear, and why I was never going to walk away from it.

 

Our community knows all too well the arc of history does not always necessarily steer to a better tomorrow. But we also know that together we have the power to bend it toward a more hopeful future.

When you walk through our town, you are walking through a chronicle of our past – lessons in who we are, voices reminding us of what we have achieved, inspiration for generations to come.

Just outside, we have our square dedicated to the Barnsley Pals battalions. Men who stepped forward to answer the call during the First World War.

Miners, glassworkers, stonemasons, clerics – many of them friends and neighbours. They joined-up together, trained together, fought together and ultimately, many of them died together.

It is a legacy that inspired some of Barnsley’s finest to serve. Tom Hicks who lived in Royston – a veteran of Arnhem who helped write the Airborne Forces into the annals of history.

And Sergeant Ian McKay, who was born in the borough – another member of that proud brotherhood, posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for his sacrifice on Mount Longdon 40 years ago next month.

From the First World War to the Second, to the Falklands and every other conflict beyond, Barnsley’s men and women have consistently stepped forward to answer the call.

Their story reminds us that the lone hero is a myth – we are all in fact, threads, woven together to create something much stronger.

Walk down the Huddersfield Road and you’ll find the head office of the National Union of Mineworkers – a paragon of our community built on coal.

While the Pals’ struggle took them to foreign soil, the miners’ struggle was brought to their very doorstep.

To their detriment, successive governments failed to recognise it wasn’t just coal that came out from the collieries, but community too.

Theirs was a bond forged over generations. Mineworkers and their families wouldn’t run at the first sign of hardship, they held their ground and withstood hunger, smears and violence.

Their fight is a lesson in the meaning of true solidarity.

Down in our town centre, we now have our COVID memorial sculpture – one of the first in the world.

It’s our tribute to those no longer with us, to those who lost loves ones and to those working-class heroes who sacrificed so much to keep us safe.

Barnsley's fierce love will hold you forever in its heart.

 

Our community was left devasted by the pandemic, I know everyone here this evening has their own story – me included.

That suffering will live long in the memory but so too should the resolve of those who pulled us through – our NHS

workers, carers, delivery drivers, shopworkers, posties, transport staff, and many others. Too often taken for granted but

whose true value was there for all to see during our darkest hour.

Men and women from Barnsley have fought, struggled and laboured time and time again for our tomorrow. Their journey is one we continue.

But our story isn’t just one of triumph over adversity. We are so much more.

Barnsley’s sons and daughters have a long and proud history of stepping out and shaping a better world.

Just look at who was awarded the Freedom of the Borough last month alongside our phenomenal Intensive Care Unit…

Mat Wright – the musical director of the outstanding Barnsley Youth Choir

Katherine Brunt – the world cup winning cricketer

Graham Ibbeson – the artist and sculptor

And Katherine Kelly – the acclaimed actress.

Inspirational figures, and every one of them Barnsley to their core.

 

And it isn’t just our people that are doing us proud, it’s our place.

Our town centre has undergone remarkable transformation in recent times – praise rightly goes to the Leader of our Council, Sir Steve Houghton and his team for the incredible progress we have seen.

I am however acutely aware not everyone always shares my enthusiasm for when the winds of change begin to blow!

I remember once being in complete awe stood outside our wonderful Town Hall by the newly installed fountains one summer morning – the sun was shining, children were paddling, laughter filled the air. It was a scene of pure joy.

I paused to soak up the experience when a gentleman appeared beside me.

We looked at each other, I could sense he was poised to deliver his judgement.

He then uttered the following – words that will stay with me evermore…

“It used to be a lovely little car park”

I believe Barnsley deserves more former lovely little car parks – we deserve the best because we are capable of the best.

Anyone who questions that ambition has a short memory, look at what we have achieved and how we have achieved it… as one.

 

In every direction, there is much to do. Just as we emerge from a health crisis, we have entered an economic one. Families facing hardship, businesses facing uncertainty.

The challenges we face today and those we face tomorrow are daunting but like the challenges of yesterday, they will be overcome.

You only have to walk around our community and speak to the people who make it so special to know that holds true.

Ladies and gentlemen, I hope you take comfort in knowing I still have holes in my socks just as I take comfort in knowing our people don’t care, they are still more interested in what you have to say.

Enjoy the rest of your evening. And Madam Mayor, congratulations once again. Thank you.

エスクリニック恵比寿は、恵比寿駅徒歩2分にある「医療レーザー脱毛専門クリニック」です。
全室個室で患者様同士が極力会わないように動線作りをしっかりと整備することで、ストレスのない快適な空間で医療レーザー脱毛を提供できるように全スタッフが努めております。
もしお気づきの点がございましたら遠慮なくスタッフにお申し付けください。

【サロン情報】

店舗名	エスクリニック恵比寿｜医療脱毛
住所	〒150-0013 東京都渋谷区恵比寿１丁目８番１号 サン栄ビル ３階
電話	0120-544-964
サイトURL	https://www.esclinic.jp//t
GoogleMAP	恵比寿の医療脱毛なら『エスクリニック恵比寿｜医療脱毛』
提供サービス	恵比寿【医療脱毛】 恵比寿駅徒歩2分の渋谷・恵比寿の医療レーザー脱毛なら医療脱毛専門のエスクリニック恵比寿

 

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The post Keuntungan Saat Memainkan Situs Judi Slot Online appeared first on Chrisleslie.

Carolyn Harris, MP for Swansea East, stood up for the thousands of Menopause Warriors in Wales during the Welsh Grand Committee debate earlier this week as she discussed the work of the menopause revolution and how it is benefiting women across the nation. 

 

A key success of Carolyn Harris’ Private Member’s Bill last year was the formation of the Menopause Task Force, of which Carolyn is co-chair, which will be holding its inaugural meeting in the coming weeks.  

 

Through the Taskforce, Carolyn aims to totally transform menopause support and services for women right across Wales and the UK with three key aims- to improve diagnosis and treatment pathways; to ensure women have the understanding and support they need from doctors, employers and their families; and to develop the school curriculum so the next generation are better educated on the menopause. 

 

Carolyn has also been working closely with the Welsh Labour Government, who have put the menopause high on the political agenda, to make the  improvements in healthcare and education so that women in Wales will be able to access the support and services they need when it comes to menopause care.

Carolyn Harris, MP for Swansea East, said:

“2021 saw the menopause revolution really take off.  We have already achieved so much in breaking down the barriers and getting people talking about the menopause, putting the menopause high on the political agenda.

 

“In Wales, we are so lucky to be able to access HRT free of charge thanks to the Welsh Labour Government, but I’m looking forward to working with Welsh Government colleagues to make further improvements to menopause support and services to ensure women across Wales can always access the support and services they need.

 

“Our combined efforts across the Senedd and Westminster are helping us revolutionise menopause care throughout the UK to help keep women wonderful.  There should be no politics in women’s health, and we must work together cross-party and with the devolved governments to make a difference to women’s lives and achieve our common goals.”

End Fire and Rehire Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 10/22/2021 - 16:02

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A&E @ the Glam – Strength in Unity

I have said from the very beginning that if we are to ensure a 24 hour A&E Service at RGH then we need to forget about Party Politics, and come together to work cross-party.

We need you to play your part too, by signing the below letter. If you wish to do so then please let me know by filling in the form at the bottom of this page:

 

The configuration of Emergency NHS services across Cwm Taf Morgannwg has changed over the years – and will continue to change along with medical advances and changes in the local population. We welcome, for instance, the development of the new Major Trauma Centre at UHW, which will almost certainly save lives and we recognise that for some specialist forms of care it will be necessary to travel to a regional centre of excellence such as the Burns Unit at Morriston. We also understand that there is a UK-wide shortage of Emergency Consultants. and that Cwm Taf Morgannwg is not in a unique position with the recruitment challenges it faces,but would note that 5 of the 7 LHBs in Wales have substantially increased emergency consultant numbers over the last 6 years whereas Cwm Taf Morgannwg has not. We would argue that the uncertainty created over the future of the hospital due to the South Wales Programme has itself created a self-fulfilling prophecy about recruitment problems.

Our starting point, however, is that all NHS services should be safe, efficient and delivered as close to people’s homes as is medically and logistically feasible. Time-critical medical interventions can make the difference between life and death in many emergency situations and we are concerned that if the A&E were permanently to close at any one of the three hospitals, significant numbers of patients in some of the most deprived communities would not be able to get to an Emergency Department in time. A&E cannot be seen in isolation from other services such as GP surgeries, local minor injuries units and out-of-hours support. Additional capacity in these services would almost certainly lighten the load in the Emergency Departments, but this must be put in place before any changes to the configuration of Emergency Care is considered, let alone implemented, with evidence that they have substantially reduced the load on Emergency departments required before any changes. Changes to A&E provision at any one of the hospitals would have serious implications for other services within the hospital, including ITU and theatre and might harm the recruitment of other specialists.

There would be significant knock-on effects if the A&E at the Royal Glamorgan Hospital were to be downgraded to a Minor Injuries Unit, as the hospital would almost certainly lose its Intensive Care Unit and operating theatre. This could jeopardise the long-term future of the hospital. The RGH’s Emergency Department is the most used in the area, with roughly 65,000 attendances a year, and ranked the best in terms of viable outcomes.  We fear the two other Emergency Departments would find it impossible to cope with the additional workload and that many patients will travel instead to UHW, which is also already over-stretched. We are also concerned that extra A&E admissions to PCH and POW would put additional pressure on not just their respective A&E depts but onwards and throughout the hospital system. We are determined to work with people of all political parties and trades unions (and none) to get the best possible outcome for the communities we represent. We believe the eventual decision should be informed by clinical best practice and local experience on the ground – and not by any partisan consideration.

We are calling on the Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board to do the following:
1) Rule out the closure of A&E at the RGH or changing it to a 24-hour Minor Injuries Unit.
2) Reinstate the option of maintaining a full consultant-led A&E at all three hospitals. This would require a serious new attempt at recruiting Emergency Consultants who would have secure full-time permanent posts working across all three hospitals. It would also require at least a ten-year commitment to RGH so that potential staff can apply with confidence.
3) Bring forward proposals to extend the opening hours of the Minor Injuries Unit at Ysbyty Cwm Rhondda and Ysbyty Cwm Cynon and make these units more readily accessible for walk-in patients.
4) Bring forward other proposals for community health services, including improvements in the out-of-hours GP service, that might alleviate the pressure on all three A&E departments
and bring services closer to local communities.

In addition, we are calling on the Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board to publish the following:
1) A socioeconomic and equality impact assessment of any proposed changes.
2) Detailed analyses of travel-to-hospital times, average ambulance response times and levels of car ownership, for all electoral wards in the area. that analyses such times during periods of poor weather.
3) Detailed statistics for levels of ischemic heart disease, diabetes, stroke and infant and adult mortality for all electoral wards in the area. and how they compare with the Welsh averages/wealthier wards in Wales.
4) An assessment of how many patients from each electoral ward would be affected by a proposal to move to an 8 to 8, and 8 to 10 and an 8 to midnight Emergency Department.
5) An assessment of capacity in the Emergency Departments at POW, PCH, and UHW and how they would cope with additional patients.
6) Statistics for the number of patients who are admitted on towards at each hospital from A&E.
7) An assessment of the impact to the Welsh Ambulance Service, Ambulance response times, handover response times, in terms of waiting times at hospitals, blue light trauma travel times
and non-emergency transport between hospitals.

The post A&E at The Royal Glam appeared first on Chris Bryant.

First of all, thank you to everyone who has sent such kind messages to me after last night’s result in Birmingham Northfield. Even though I never took this election – or any election – for granted, it is still a big blow to lose the seat I have represented for 27 years and which is […]

Labour has pledged compensation packages for millions of women hit by state pension age rises imposed by the Tories.

Pay-outs of up to £31,000 will be made, with an average payment of £15,000.

The scheme will be delivered within Labour's first full five year term of government.

Payments will go to women born in the 1950s who had their state pension age hiked.

David Cameron's coalition government presided over a change in the law that increased the women's state pension age to 65 in November 2018 - followed by 66 in October 2020.

Labour will introduce a compensation scheme as rapidly as possible for the 3.7million women hit by the changes, which Cameron's Tory-Lib Dem government imposed in 2011.

It comes after Boris Johnson u-turned on his pledge to help those affected.

He dismissed the concerns of a woman who has lost out on her pension, telling her it’s “not possible” to right the huge wrong she and so many others have suffered.

The next Labour government will compensate women who were unfairly hit by the rise in the state pension age and give them the respect they deserve.

They were not able to prepare and have had to suffer serious financial consequences as a result.

We have a historic debt of honour to them.