Subject: News

Bulletin from Aidan Burley MP #21 Date: Friday, 12 August 2011 11:21:57 United Kingdom Time From: To: Aidan Burley MP news@aidanburleymp.org

In this edition:
Aidan Burley MPs Diary Website of the Week: KONCAS Aidan organises first ever Cannock Chase Jobs Fayre Cannock Chase flying the flag for the Big Society August Volunteer Day: Aidan helps out at Newlife Photo news: Cannock Jobs Club High streets get boost from fairer parking in Cannock Chase Aidan backs B&Q Forest Friendly campaign Aidan finds out about potential bank support for local good causes Photo news: Chadsmoor Progressive Working Mens Club Bowling Green Aidan in Parliament: Aidan questions PM during riots statement Aidan in the papers: From lingerie to beehives, the 6M police card spree How to contact Aidan Burley MP

Issue 21 Friday 12th August 2011

Since the last edition, Aidan has:

Condemned the violence, rioting and looting which took place earlier this week across England. Attended the recall of the House of Commons for the Prime Ministers statement on the recent riots across England and questioned the Prime Minister about deporting those convicted of rioting who are not UK citizens. Attended and spoke at the Chase Community Showcase an event organized by Aidan Burley MP and Chase CVS at the Premier Suite to promote local voluntary groups and the services they offer. Visited Lionheart Martial Arts Club in Hawks Green to complete a workout. Visited Richmond Fellowship project in Chadsmoor which provides community based mental health services accross Stafford, Cannock Chase and South Staffs district. Visited Koncas Summer Scheme in Norton Canes. Conducted his August Volunteer Day with local charity Newlife Foundation for Disabled Children. Visited Chadsmoor Progressive Working Mens Club Bowling Green. Been quoted in the Daily Express criticizing quango the NPIA (National Police Improvement Agency) for expense abuses. Met with New Chief Executive at Mid Staffordshire Foundation Trust, Lyn Hill-Tout to discuss the Clinical Services Review. Attended the launch of the Cannock Jobs Club. Visited Cannock B&Q to back their Forest Friendly campaign. Conducted two help and advice surgeries one at the MP Help Zone in Cannock and one in Rugeley. If you would like an appointment at one of Aidans future surgeries please call 01543 502 447 or email aidan.burley.mp@parliament.uk.

Website of the Week:

www.koncas.org
The website of the Kids of Norton Canes Activity Scheme known as 'KONCAS', which is a charitable organisation set up in order to provide the young people of Norton Canes with a facility where they can undertake social, recreational and educational activities after school and during school holidays in a safe environment. They offer a youth club for 11-17 years old on a Monday night (during school term) from 7pm until 9pm for just 1. Also 7-11 years old, Tuesday afternoons (during school term); 4:30 till 5:45 for just 1. They also have an indoor Sports Court; for Football, Basketball, Hockey, Badminton etc, Arts and Crafts, computers, table tennis, football table and chill area.

Aidan organises first ever Cannock Chase Jobs Fayre

Aidan has announced he is organising Cannock Chase's first ever Jobs Fayre in order to help the unemployed back into work. The Jobs Fayre is to be held on Friday 23rd September 2011 at the Cannock Campus of South Staffordshire College, (The Green, Cannock, Staffs, WS11 1UE) and will be open to all local people (for free!) in Cannock Chase, from 10am-4pm. In organising the event, Aidan has personally written to over 100 local businesses, organisations and charities, inviting them to the Jobs Fayre. He is also publicly calling on businesses to get behind the event and has requested all interested companies with job vacancies to get in touch and reserve a stall. Employers will be able to book a table where they can have literature, leaflets, business cards and pull up banners, and local people will be free to drop by throughout the day and meet to discuss potential opportunities. There will also be seminars throughout the day, including CV writing and interview technique workshops. Commenting Aidan said: "As the local MP, many employers tell me they are looking to take on new people, either right now or in the near future, but that they do not know how best to meet those in search of a job. "Yet at the same time many local people who are out of work tell me how desperate they are to get a job, to get back into the workplace, but that they do not know which employers are looking to recruit. "That's why I am organising this Jobs Fayre it is my attempt to put those two needs together, by getting employers and potential employees in the same room so that they can meet each other, network and discuss what opportunities may be available." Aidan added: "I want companies to come along and back the Jobs Fayre. I want local people to spread the word tell your neighbour, friend or family. This will be a fantastic opportunity to network with employers, learn about roles and opportunities with companies looking to recruit and even get some useful CV tips. I urge businesses to get behind the fayre and support their local community." If you own a business, organisation or charity that either has posts available it is looking to fill or is likely to have vacancies in the near future, or is looking to develop a pool of potential recruits for a future date, then this is your chance to meet local people in search of a job. Please contact Claire Wixon on 01543 502 447 or e-mail claire.wixon@parliament.uk to reserve a place at the Jobs Fayre.

Cannock Chase flying the flag for the Big Society

Aidan with some of the voluntary sector exhibitors at the Community Showcase. Aidan Burley teamed up with Chase CVS recently to host a Chase Community Showcase at the Premier Suite in Cannock Town Centre. The event which was organised by Aidan and his Help Zone team was aimed at promoting and showing the benefits of the 'Big Society' here in Cannock Chase. The event, which took many weeks of organising, brought together over 45 voluntary and third sector organisations from across Staffordshire to offer the public an opportunity to showcase what activities and services are available to them in the local area. Some of the services offered at the event, which was opened by the Chase MP, included employment and training advice, housing information and guidance on how to get involved with volunteering in the local community. Soroptomists and Cannock Lions Club were also on hand to provide cake, tea and coffee with all proceeds going to local charities. Aidan and his Help Zone team were also on hand throughout the day to talk with constituents about what support is available through the MP. Commenting after the event Aidan said: "The community showcase was all about bringing together those who are working for the benefit of Cannock Chase, and letting the public know what's out there for them. I am extremely grateful for the work organisations like this do for local people, and am proud to be supporting them through the Big Society."

Aidan speaking with a Cannock Lions Club Representative at the Chase Community Showcase. For more photos from the Showcase, visit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/aidanburley/.

August Volunteer Day:

Aidan helps out at Newlife

Aidan recently spent a morning helping out at a prominent Cannock Charity. Newlife Foundation for Disabled Children, based in Hemlock Way in Cannock, helps to raise awareness and money to support families with disabled and terminally ill children. Aidan has taken a deep interest in the charity since his election last year, not only paying tribute to them on the floor of the House of Commons but also ensuring a visit to the charity from Disabilities Minister Maria Miller MP. Aidan also had the honour of opening their 'Newlife at Home' store with fiance Helen in October last year. And it was at this store where Aidan started his day by spending time meeting and greeting customers before serving on the till (pictured above). Following his stint on the shop floor, Aidan joined the Newlife Nurse team, reviewing equipment grant applications from families across the UK. Last year, Newlife awarded 1.2million in equipment grants to children throughout the UK. The charity is currently experiencing hugely increased demands on its resources; calls to the Newlife Nurse helpline 0800 902 0095 have shot up by 73 per cent compared to the same period last year. This is an average of 300 calls a week, with thousands more hits on the charity's website www.newlifecharity.co.uk Commenting after the visit Aidan said: "It was a real privilege being able to spend some time with Newlife helping out at their store and nurses department. What Newlife does is fantastic on so many levels providing employment locally, helping get the long-term unemployed and disabled back into work, raising huge amounts of money for disabled children and, of course, providing fantastic deals for local shoppers." Charity CEO Shelia Brown added: "It was good to see Aidan come back and volunteer in the Homestore that he and his partner opened a few months ago. Many customers enjoyed being served by him and he has added to his CV the ability to use a till! Aidan then went on to meet the Newlife Nurse team and reviewed real-life situations that families face. He was particularly concerned at the confusion surrounding pathways to funding equipment and has offered to raise this matter in the House of Commons."

Aidan helping out at Newlife Foundation for Disabled Children, based in Hemlock Way in Cannock, which helps to raise awareness and money to support families with disabled and terminally ill children.

Photo news:

Cannock Jobs Club

Aidan Burley MP at the Cannock Jobs Club launch. The club is aimed at job seekers to gain qualification for employment. They deliver Job search, CV writing and confidence building services.

High streets get boost from fairer parking in Cannock Chase

Aidan has welcomed new measures to provide more car parking spaces in town centres. Anti-car red tape imposed by Labour is being scrapped, tackling the parking misery faced by shoppers. Centrally-imposed limits on town centre parking spaces will be removed, helping to provide a big boost to struggling high streets and small shops, Communities Secretary Eric Pickles announced this week. National parking restrictions set by Whitehall have until now dictated the number of parking spaces a council is permitted to grant, often with a cap that limits the spaces town centres can offer even when they want to offer more. Commenting Aidan said: "The return of fairer parking is great news for Cannock Chase, its shoppers and businesses. "We are calling off Labour's war on the motorist. We want to see more parking spaces to help small shops prosper on local high streets and assist mums struggling with their family shop. "In addition to ripping up the red tape on parking, I am pleased the Government has scrapped Whitehall rules on town centres, doubled small business rate relief for two years and helped local councils by giving them more powers to tackle late-night antisocial behaviour".

Aidan backs B&Q Forest Friendly campaign

Aidan with staff at Cannock B&Q. Chase MP Aidan Burley paid a visit to Cannock B&Q this week to meet staff and lend his support to their Forest Friendly campaign. The company has become the first major UK retailer to achieve its goal of only buying timber products from proven responsible sources. During his visit to the store at Wyrley Brook Cannock, Aidan met with General Manger Steve Sprosen who told him of their campaign to raise awareness of the need for consumers to demand that their timber products come from well managed sources. Each of the retailers 330 stores are now covered by their own FSC and PEFC chain of custody certification and customers can see on their receipts which products are certified under which scheme as well as looking at the label on the timber product. During the visit Aidan also made time to go onto the shop floor and speak with some of the stores employees, some of whom live locally in Heath Hayes. Commenting after the visit Aidan said: It was a pleasure to visit B&Q to support their campaign and chat with some of the stores employees, many of whom live locally. I would like to pay tribute to B&Q who have led the way in ensuring that our forests are responsibly managed. I very much hope that other retailers will follow suit to ensure that our forests remain sustainable for future generations. For Governments part, we are committed to eradicating illegal timber from the European Union market and strongly support global efforts to tackle illegal logging and deforestation. Indeed, the Programme for Governments very first commitment on the environment was to make the import or possession of illegal timber a criminal offence.

Aidan finds out about potential bank support for local good causes
Aidan was delighted to find out about a brand new initiative which could provide valuable volunteer and financial support to local good causes when he hosted the Chase Community Showcase at The Premier Suite in Cannock. NatWest has launched CommunityForce, a new initiative to help local charities, organisations and groups raise publicity of their work and attract volunteers. The programme also provides the opportunity to receive funding through the NatWest CommunityForce awards. Through the initiative 158 individual CommunityForce areas have been created - one of which is available in the Stafford and Shropshire area, which includes the Cannock Chase - offering local projects the chance to win one of three 6,000 awards. Organisations and charities can apply for a CommunityForce award online at either www.natwest.com/communityforce or www.rbs.co.uk/communityforce between 25th July and 4th September 2011. An on-line public vote will then decide which three organisations will receive the awards, ensuring the winners are those that local people feel benefit their community most. The new CommunityForce initiative will offer organisations more than just financial support. By applying for the awards, charities and projects will become part of a local online network giving them greater visibility and the opportunity to attract volunteers from the local area. NatWest's people will also be volunteering their time and expertise, and supporting the bank's commitment to deliver 7000 days of community volunteering in 2011. Aidan Burley MP for Cannock Chase, said: "Last year one of our local charities - the West Chadsmoor Family Centre - was awarded 1,000 through the NatWest Community Fund, the predecessor of Community Force. It would be fantastic if a good cause from Cannock Chase was a winner again this year, so I would encourage officials from Charities and organisations to register so that local people can vote for them." Louise Williamson, the manager of NatWest Cannock branch, said: "NatWest has a long and proud history of supporting the community in the area and I'm delighted about the launch of CommunityForce. It is really gives the community the chance to vote for the award winners, ensuring these funds go to the organisations local people value the most." Louise added: "CommunityForce is part of our ongoing commitment to support the communities where we live and work; not just by donating funds, but also through volunteering our time and expertise."

Photo news:

Chadsmoor Progressive Working Mens Club Bowling Green

Aidan Burley MP with Mel Evans (talkingbowls TV & Radio) plus Andy Cowan (Staffordshire County Bowls President) at the Chadsmoor Progressive Working Mens Club Bowling Green.

Aidan in Parliament:

Aidan questions PM after riots statement

Click on the image above to watch Aidans question to the Prime Minister. The question begins at 2:44.32. The text of Aidans exchange with the Prime Minister: Aidan Burley (Cannock Chase, Conservative): Will the Prime Minister consider the suggestion that anyone who is convicted of rioting and who is not a UK citizen should be deported immediately and barred for life from returning to this country? David Cameron (Prime Minister; Witney, Conservative): My hon. Friend makes a good point. There are now much better mechanisms to ensure that people who enter the criminal justice system and who do not have a right to be here are removed more quickly.

Aidan in the papers:

From lingerie to beehives, the 6M police card spree

Alison Little Deputy Political Editor, Daily Express Monday 8th August 2011 Damning evidence of a police quangos spending on items ranging from lingerie to beehives provoked fury yesterday. Government-issue credit cards were used by top officers to splash out on lavish hospitality, karaoke equipment and taxi fares amounting to 100,000. The boss of training body the National Policing Improvement Agency admitted some spending had been wasteful. The figures intensified anger over civil servants use of the procurement cards to spend more than 1billion a year. Bills lower than 1,000 are not routinely audited. The NPIA is being phased out over the next year to reduce waste, the Home Office confirmed last night. Details of its card spending underline how bloated quangos became under Labour. The NPIA was set up in 2007. It racked up 6.5million on Government credit cards between 2008 and 2010 with 1.38million spent on travel, 673,000 on hotels, nearly 27,000 on leisure and entertainment and nearly 28,000 on restaurants and bars, including top London venues. There were also bills of more than 80 for designer lingerie, 55 on karaoke equipment which it said was for a student lounge 828 for judo outfits, 147 on rhododendrons and 1,800 for a beehive and cultivator to develop a kitchen garden at its college. NPIA chiefs said the lingerie from online retailer figleaves and high street shop La Senza was props for forensic training at our CSI training centre. But Tory MP Aidan Burley demanded to know why the college had bought the items from a designer online retailer and fancy high street shop? Matthew Sinclair, director of the TaxPayers Alliance, said: There have long been concerns about excess at the NPIA and these new revelations are further evidence they arent using their budget properly. Taxpayers will be shocked at some items. NPIA chief executive, Chief Constable Nick Gargan, said it was a national organisation with an operating budget of over 300million at the very heart of British policing. He said it had 10 UK locations including its heritage site HQ in Hampshire which it had to maintain hence the beehive and rhododendrons. He said it was legitimate and necessary in some cases for staff to use Government cards but taxpayers had an absolute right to demand efficiency. He admitted: In a few areas, though within guidelines, our spending was plainly wasteful. The NPIA had already cut card spending by over a third in the past year and launched a review. Local authorities and NHS trusts spent 220million on luxury cars, it emerged yesterday. One authority hired a Lotus Elise while another leased a Jaguar.

5 ways to contact Aidan Burley MP:

By Phone: 01543 502 447 By email: aidan.burley.mp@parliament.uk By post: Aidan Burley MP 6 High Green Court, Newhall Street Cannock, WS11 1GR In person: Click here for details of how to book an appointment at Aidan Burley MPs regular help and advice surgeries.

www.aidanburleymp.org
More news from Aidan Burley MP, coming soon Please forward this email on to anyone you think may be interested. If you have had this email forwarded to you and would like to be added to the mailing list, please send an email to: news@aidanburleymp.org with JOIN in the subject heading. To unsubscribe from this list, please return an e-mail to news@aidanburleymp.org with "UNSUBSCRIBE" in the subject heading.

Aidan Burley MP Putting Cannock Chase First!

Published & Promoted by Aidan Burley MP, House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA