MAGGIE WELCOMES AUTUMN STATEMENT

 Maggie Throup, Member of Parliament for Erewash has welcomed the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s Autumn Statement in a debate in the House of Commons.  

On Wednesday, the Chancellor, Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt MP, delivered his Autumn Statement which laid the foundations for long-term growth. The Chancellor outlined 110 measures focused on growing the economy through reducing debt, cutting taxes, securing energy, backing British business, and developing a world-class educational system. Measures announced in the Chancellor’s Statement include increasing the National Living Wage to £11.44, raising benefits and the state pension by 6.7 per cent and 8.5 per cent respectably as well as a 2 per cent cut in the headline rate of National Insurance for employees. These measures will benefit residents across Erewash. The Chancellor also announced that he will cut business taxes by £11 billion. Following the Statement, Maggie participated in the Ways and Means (Day 1) debate. Maggie commented: 

 

“After what has been a testing year steadying the ship, the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement has laid the foundations for long-term growth and demonstrated that Britain is again on the right track back to prosperity. Whether its cutting taxes, increasing wages, getting people back into work, supporting businesses, cost-of-living support or freezing alcohol duty - I know that the measures outlined in the Statement will be welcomed by everyone across Erewash. Although there were some great proposals to help grow the economy, the Government can never claim to have truly succeeded in its mission to level-up the Midlands and the North if it fails to invest in places like Erewash. I urged the Chancellor to consider new funding to support major infrastructure projects in next year’s Budget, to help develop schemes such as my campaign to secure an additional motorway junction to support New Stanton Park and relieve the already congested local roads. During times of economic uncertainty, sound Conservative economics have always triumph over the reckless tax and spend policies of the Labour Party. It is in that spirt that the statement has been delivered and it is the British people who will prosper because of it.” 

ROAD REPAIRS

 Maggie welcomes £176 million for Derbyshire County Council for long-term plan to repair our roads thanks to the Government. Maggie Throup, Member of Parliament for Erewash has welcomed £176,114,000.00 of funding from the Government over the next eleven years in Derbyshire, meaning thousands of people across Erewash will enjoy smoother, safer, and faster road journeys. The funding follows the Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s announcement at the Conservative Party Conference that the £36 billion that would have been spent extending HS2 would now be spent on long-term transport improvements that will deliver better, faster journeys for far more people. New plans allow the Government to invest £8.3 billion, enough to resurface over 5,000 miles of roads across the country, saving motorists up to £440.00 on vehicle repairs and creating smoother, safer and easier journeys for all.  Across Derbyshire, local highway authorities will receive £3,014,000.00 this financial year, followed by a further £3,014,000.00 for 2024-25, as part of a long-term funding plan through to 2034. Maggie commented: 

“People across Erewash rely on our roads to go about their daily lives, and I know the inconvenience potholes can cause. I welcome the Government’s decision to invest in our roads, with the County Council set to receive £176,114,000.00 in total. This funding will greatly improve the day-to-day lives of Erewash residents – ensuring shorter, faster and smoother journeys.” 

This is one of the key cornerstones of Network North to improve everyday journeys. This funding comes on top of the local transport, road and rail budgets allocated at the last Spending Review and in addition to what local authorities were already expecting for the next decade. This announcement is only possible due to the long-term decision the Government has taken to redirect every penny of savings from HS2 in transport projects across the country – benefitting more people in more places, more quickly. 

CHRISTMAS TOY SOS

A crusade to get people buying an extra present this Christmas so the gifts can go to disadvantaged children gets two more donations – after big-hearted town hall staff chipped in. Jo Brown, left, who is community curator at the borough’s museum, was given the “secret Santa” prezzies by Suzanne Campbell, who leads Erewash council’s communications and customer services team. The toy bank at Erewash Museum proved a huge success last year. It is open to contributions of new unwrapped gifts until Saturday 25th November. Jo paid tribute to the generosity of local people. She said: “Last year’s toy bank brought Christmas joy to so many children.” 

Families struggling to afford presents will be invited to pick toys on Saturday 2nd December. The award-winning museum near Ilkeston’s Market Place is open Thursdays to Saturdays from 11am to 4pm. It will be hosting a Craftsmas Fair on Friday 24 November to coincide with the switching on of Ilkeston’s festive lights. Erewash’s Deputy Leader Becca Everett, who is Lead Member for Community Engagement, said:  “The toy bank is a fantastic opportunity to show the true spirit of Christmas – and I know our kind-hearted residents will want to bring a smile to the face of every child here this festive season.”  

25M TOWN DEAL

Huge improvements to Long Eaton after it clinched almost £25million of investment from the Government will soon see locals reaping the benefits – despite the National Audit Office warning that similar Town Deal projects across England are floundering. The man heading up the massive revamp told of his optimism that the place where he was raised is about to be transformed back into what he described as “an absolutely fabulous town”. 

Richard Ledger – a Cambridge graduate who studied physics with Stephen Hawking – said it was natural for townsfolk to want to see big changes fast. But strict Government requirements over the best use of public funds have taken significant time to satisfy. Four years of planning are now close to fruition. Richard, who is the Long Eaton Town Board chairman said: “After an immense amount of work to get the project to its current stage we will see the results coming with increasing speed.” 

The NAO warned in a new report that many local authorities were struggling to deliver Town Deal projects in time. Spiralling costs fuelled by inflation were blamed – together with contractors suffering from skills shortages. Richard admitted there had been hiccups locally but said Erewash Borough Council was working hard to overcome them. Work to transform the former stable block next to Long Eaton Town Hall stalled when the major building firm that was hired went into administration. A new contractor will be appointed imminently to continue turning the building into a state-of-the art business hub.  

A stunning new bridge across the Erewash Canal to link Broad Street to West Park is close to being commissioned. The park itself is getting new lighting at a cost of £245,000 – although work had to be paused due to flooding from Storm Babet. The town will also see a much-improved walking and cycling network. As part of this a second new bridge is planned for Britannia Road. There will be a new West Park Waterfront development with space for food outlets where people can relax. Meanwhile, crunch negotiations with Derbyshire County Council to revitalise the High Street are entering their final phase. On Derby Road there are plans for smart new housing and shops to replace the old cinema and the rest of Galaxy Row. Richard, 57, who is a former pupil at Grange Primary School, said:  “I was saddened to see the vibrancy of Long Eaton slowly ebbing away and this is a fantastic opportunity to turn things around.” 

He is a successful local businessman and inventor who was keen to bring his decades of expertise to the Town Deal initiative. The entrepreneur founded a Draycott-based firm that makes machinery for the food processing industry. As a child he had helped out in his dad’s engineering business, fixing machinery in local lace factories. Richard launched his firm Millitec in 2005 after a friend working in a food factory asked if he could build a machine to butter bread. 

Richard sympathised with other local authorities who have battled to keep their Town Deal projects on track. He said: “We have not been immune in Erewash. But the team has pulled together so we can truly deliver for Long Eaton.” 

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities said in the wake of the NAO report: “We continue to work closely with local authorities to support their delivery of their vital projects.” 

COUNCIL CRACKDOWN

A council crusade against troublemakers gathering to drink alcohol on benches and in other parts of Erewash’s town centres is being beefed up – along with a crackdown on irresponsible dog owners. The move follows the implementation of Public Spaces Protection Orders, which were brought in by Erewash council three years ago under new powers granted to local authorities. The council is to expand them to cover more of the towns after the measures came up for renewal. 

Breaching a PSPO can lead to fines. In ILKESTON, the area covered will be extended beyond Station Road to Rutland Road and Millership Way – taking in a zone covering the big Tesco and Wash Meadows. 
In LONG EATON, key areas of Petersham will be covered plus parts of the town towards the town hall and the centre. More than nine in ten residents in a council survey said drinking alcohol in streets and other public spaces fuelled anti-social behaviour and led to littering. 
Many wanted the existing PSPOs expanded to the other “hotspots”. Police joined Erewash MP Maggie Throup in backing the renewed blitz, which was given the green light at a meeting of the council’s executive. A borough-wide PSPO covering dogs will also be retained. It aims to bar them from children’s play areas and requires pets to be kept on leads in cemeteries. Owners can be instructed by authorised officers to not let pets run free – and those who do not clear up dog mess face fixed penalties. 
 
A council report said neighbourhood wardens will follow up reports of dog fouling. The dossier says this “continues to be a problem within the borough, with it being notably worse over the winter months”. A massive 99 per cent of residents in a council survey backed action against those who do not clear up after their dogs. Almost three in ten of the respondents were dog owners themselves. 
Many residents expressed frustration with people who bag dog poo but then leave it hanging in bushes. Erewash’s Deputy Leader Councillor Becca Everett, who is Lead Member for Community Engagement, said: “The order does not and will not affect responsible dog owners, but sets out to provide officers with additional powers to deal with the effects of anti-social dog ownership. And as far as anti-social drinking in public spaces is concerned – it is something the council is determined to stamp out.”