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Ashton upon Mersey Conservatives
Raising the Standard the newsletter from your Conservative Councillors
COUNCILLOR CONTACT DETAILS
Brian Rigby 0161 912 2633 [email protected]
John Lamb 0161 928 3664 [email protected]
Mike Whetton 07752 667442 [email protected] Votes for Prisoners?By Graham Brady MP
Should prisoners be given the vote? I don’tthink so, and so far I have yet to meet asingle constituent who believes that they
should. A ruling by the European Courtof Human Rights has meant that weare in danger of incurring substantiallegal costs should prisoners decideto sue the Government, at great cost to the taxpayer,because they have not been enfranchised. It looked asthough the Government was preparing to bow to suchpressure However, when all looked bleak, along came theBackbench Business Committee. This innovation cameabout as a result of the Wright Committee on ParliamentaryReform, of which I was a member. Although I was a strongsupporter, even I was surprised to see the new Committeeplaying such a key role so soon. The Backbench Business
Committee has the right to set the agenda for part of the timeof the House of Commons. This used to be the soleresponsibility of the whips, whose brief is to ensure thepassage of the Government’s business. Now backbenchMPs, fresh from talking to constituents about the thingswhich really matter to them, have the opportunity to choosewhat they want to debate. That is why Labour’s Jack Strawand Conservative David Davis, who both held the HomeAffairs brief, chose to appear before the Committee on thissubject and secured a debate on the floor of the House.The Government, sensing correctly that this would be onedebate which they would have no hope of winning, decidedto back off. The Backbench Business Committee, largely
unsung and unheralded, is something which, on the quiet,will make a real difference to our democracy.
Your Trafford - Your CouncillorsIn a recent report, Trafford has been identified as one of themost sought after locations to live in the North of England.Residents are provided with a high quality environment and astrong and diverse economy with efficient and integratedtransport systems. The report states that the excellenteducation system in the primary, high school and grammar school sectors, achieves amongst the very best results in thecountry. Recent figures also show that more schools in Traffordhave been recognised by Ofsted as being Outstanding, than in
the whole of the rest of Greater Manchester. Another reportstated that people in Trafford are safer than in any other Greater Manchester area and that Trafford has the lowest crime ratesand highest reduction in crime. Local people are generallyhealthier and live longer than anywhere else in the North West.So, unlike many other Councils throughout the North that havechopped services without asking the views of the people,Trafford’s Conservative Council has gone to great lengths toconsult with local residents throughout the Borough. Residentshave said that they value the schools, libraries and other services, including the domestic waste collection. DespiteOpposition Councillors’ claims, our libraries will not close andour excellent refuse collection will stay. School crossing patrolsthat ensure children cross our busy main roads safely will not be
axed.Ashton-upon-Mersey Councillors Mike Whetton, Brian Rigbyand John Lamb have spoken to very many local people to gaintheir views and have attended meetings to support the retention
of local services. If you wish to discuss local services or localissues with your councillors please phone, write, email or visit them at their surgery – or ask them to visit you in theprivacy of you own home. Contact details are on this leaflet.
‘PARK ERS LANE’ ?
Barkers Lane Car ParkingLocal Councillors are in continuing talkswith Trafford Council about the problemsBarkers Lane residents are encounteringas a result of office workers parking cars inthis residential area. There are a number of possibilities and it is pleasing to notethat some of the organisations that havemoved into the recently refurbished officeaccommodation at Sale Point appear willing to co-operate as far as they can toease the parking congestion. Cllr Lambsaid that when the former IBM buildingwas empty, residents noticed a realdifference but now that the building is backin use the old problem has re-emerged.Talks with the Council have been aboutthe possibility of consultation on parkingrestrictions and ‘residents only’ car parkingalong Barkers Lane and the roads that runoff it. ‘But,’ said Cllr Lamb, ‘consultationwill be important because a number of residents have concerns about the impactof imposing parking regulations in terms of the unsightliness of street signage androad markings which can detract from theresidential appearance of roads.’
Scenes of weekday parking inthe Barkers Lane area.
Ward website update
Ashton Conservatives website isgetting a growing following. ‘Hits’ on theweb address are rising steadily. The site featuresregular news and comment from the Ward councillors.Also featured are details of the three councillors as
well as events that are run by the Ward.Back copies of Raising the Standard areincluded on the site.
The address is:-
www.ashtonuponmersey.yourcllr.com
