raising the standard spring 2011 back-1

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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’t think so, and so far I have yet to meet a single constituent who believes that they should. A ruling by the European Court of Human Rights has meant that we are in danger of incurring substantial legal costs should prisoners decide to sue the Government, at great cost to the taxpayer, because they have not been enfranchised. It looked as though the Government was preparing to bow to such pressure However, when all looked bleak, along came the Backbench Business Committee. This innovation came about as a result of the Wright Committee on Parliamentary Reform, of which I was a member. Although I was a strong supporter, even I was surprised to see the new Committee playing such a key role so soon. The Backbench Business Committee has the right to set the agenda for part of the time of the House of Commons. This used to be the sole responsibility of the whips, whose brief is to ensure the passage of the Government’s business. Now backbench MPs, fresh from talking to constituents about the things which really matter to them, have the opportunity to choose what they want to debate. That is why Labour’s Jack Straw and Conservative David Davis, who both held the Home Affairs brief, chose to appear before the Committee on this subject and secured a debate on the floor of the House. The Government, sensing correctly that this would be one debate which they would have no hope of winning, decided to 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 Councillors In a recent report, Trafford has been identified as one of the most sought after locations to live in the North of England. Residents are provided with a high quality environment and a strong and diverse economy with efficient and integrated transport systems. The report states that the excellent education system in the primary, high school and grammar school sectors, achieves amongst the very best results in the country. Recent figures also show that more schools in Trafford have been recognised by Ofsted as being Outstanding, than in the whole of the rest of Greater Manchester. Another report stated that people in Trafford are safer than in any other Greater Manchester area and that Trafford has the lowest crime rates and highest reduction in crime. Local people are generally healthier and live longer than anywhere else in the North West. So, unlike many other Councils throughout the North that have chopped services without asking the views of the people, Trafford’s Conservative Council has gone to great lengths to consult with local residents throughout the Borough. Residents have said that they value the schools, libraries and other services, including the domestic waste collection. Despite Opposition Councillors’ claims, our libraries will not close and our excellent refuse collection will stay. School crossing patrols that ensure children cross our busy main roads safely will not be axed. Ashton-upon-Mersey Councillors Mike Whetton, Brian Rigby and John Lamb have spoken to very many local people to gain their views and have attended meetings to support the retention of local services. If you wish to discuss local services or local issues with your councillors please phone, write, email or visit them at their surgery – or ask them to visit you in the privacy of you own home. Contact details are on this leaflet. P r o m o t  e d  b y  J o h n  L a m b  o n  b e h l  f   o f   A s h t  o n  n  M r s e y  C o n s e r v a t  i  v e s ,  b o t  h  c /  o  T h  a t   c h  e r   H o u s e ,  G r  e e n  L  a n e ,  T i   m p e r  l   e y ,  W A 1  5   8  Q W  P r i  n t  e d  b y  P r i  n t  S v e r s  L t  d ,  3 4 3  W e l  l  i  n t  o n  R a d  o r t  h ,  S t  o c k o r t  ,  S K 4  4 Q G  PARK ERS LANE’ ? Barkers Lane Car Parking Local Councillors are in continuing talks with Trafford Council about the problems Barkers Lane residents are encountering as a result of office workers parking cars in this residential area. There are a number of possibilities and it is pleasing to note that some of the organisations that have moved into the recently refurbished office accommodation at Sale Point appear willing to co-operate as far as they can to ease the parking congestion. Cllr Lamb said that when the former IBM building was empty, residents noticed a real difference but now that the building is back in use the old problem has re-emerged. Talks with the Council have been about the possibility of consultation on parking restrictions and ‘residents only’ car parking along Barkers Lane and the roads that run off it. ‘But,’ said Cllr Lamb, ‘consultation will be important because a number of residents have concerns about the impact of imposing parking regulations in terms of the unsightliness of street signage and road markings which can detract from the residential appearance of roads.’ Scenes of weekday parking in the Barkers Lane area. Ward website update Ashton Conservatives website is getting a growing following. ‘Hits’ on the web address are rising steadily. The site features regular 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  are included on the site. The address is:- www.ashtonuponmersey.yourcllr.com

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Page 1: Raising the Standard SPRING 2011 BACK-1

8/7/2019 Raising the Standard SPRING 2011 BACK-1

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/raising-the-standard-spring-2011-back-1 1/1

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