Toby Perkins MP

Chesterfield Community and District Transport, a locally based charity which delivers bus services for hundreds of elderly and disabled members of the community, has warned that a government decision to axe vital grants could lead to its closure. Local Member of Parliament, Toby Perkins, is writing to the Coalition to demand that charities such as this retain their grants so that vital services reaching the most vulnerable citizens often in rural areas can continue.

The Bus Service Operator Grant, worth around £70K to the charity based on New Street, near Queen’s Park, is needed to provide buses capable of assisting people requiring wheelchair access. The charity is also reliant on grants for petrol and training for drivers. In the last 12 months Chesterfield Community Transport has made over 180,000 passenger journeys and hopes to deliver a service to over 20,000 people in the Chesterfield area this year. In his letter to the Department of Transport, Mr. Perkins warned that taking away the much needed funding would mean dozens of people, many disabled and with mental health issues, would  become isolated and left unable to afford regular transport services to Chesterfield and other towns for appointments.

Mr. Perkins said:-

“Chesterfield Community Transport is the lifeblood for many elderly and disabled members of our community, and provides an outstanding service in areas without regular bus services. Without the Bus Service Operator Grant the charity would be hit hard, and those who rely on the work of its hard working staff and volunteers would suffer”.

Patrick Dawson, Chief Executive of the charity said:-

“We had an excellent meeting with Toby Perkins who showed genuine concern. It’s very encouraging to see that our new MP is truly behind us.”

Toby Perkins, Labour Member of Parliament for Chesterfield, has congratulated A-Level students for achieving the best ever results nationally. However, Mr. Perkins has warned that the Coalition Government is undertaking one of the biggest and most dangerous gambles with the lives of young adults in living memory. The Tory and Lib Dem coalition has reduced the number of extra university places, cut the Future Jobs Fund, and has refused to renew the Young Person’s Guarantee.

The situation facing school leavers, those looking for places at university and graduates was always going to be tough but the policies of the government will exacerbate youth unemployment and future prosperity. The decision to make these cuts this year could result in a ‘lost generation’, and will hit the poorest in society. 

Mr. Perkins said:-

“This government has taken an axe to the life prospects of this year’s school leavers that will damage their prospects for years to come. By cutting university places and the Young Person’s Jobs Guarantee this government will start too many young people on to the wrong track from the outset. In congratulating our school leavers on the record results, I also recognize the difficulties they will face. Any young people who want to join our campaign against the cuts to their futures should contact my office”.

Following widespread opposition and public protest from the community in the Dunston and Moor Areas, Chesterfield Borough Council’s decision to close seven of the Borough’s twelve community rooms was referred to the Council’s Scrutiny Panel for review.  

At its meeting last week the Scrutiny Board recommended that two of the community rooms originally earmarked for closure, those at Monkwood Road and Wimborne Crescent, should be kept open and the use of these rooms by tenants and the community monitored over the next twelve months. 

Graham King, spokesperson for Dunston and Moor Residents and Tenants Association said, “ as the public demonstrations we held in front of these two community rooms last month showed, the community is very angry that the Council’s Cabinet decided to include two of the best used community rooms in their closure and conversion programme in the first place. Nobody can seriously believe that the only possible way that the Council can provide additional bungalows is by closing two of the best used community rooms while other community rooms that are little used are to be kept open! It just does not make sense. We therefore welcome the Scrutiny Panel’s recommendation and urge the Cabinet to accept it ”. 

He went on to say, “ Of course, the Council should have identified all the community groups that use all of the community rooms and monitored the level of use of each room carefully in the first place i.e. before the Cabinet made its decision! They should also have identified and consulted all the affected community groups properly before making the decision”.

Members of the Association are, however, worried about reports that there are planned proposals to increase the rental on the community rooms from the current  £5.50 plus VAT per hour (or 50% of this in the case of bona fide community groups) to a minimum charge of £20 for up to three hours of hire! 

Mr King said, “ I sincerely hope that the Cabinet does not entertain this idea. If implemented it would make hiring of the rooms uneconomic for most, if not all, community groups.  There can be few such groups that ever hold meetings that last for three hours anyway! Imposing a rental of this nature would make the cost of hiring the rooms prohibitive and therefore make the results of the monitoring exercise recommended by the Scrutiny Panel a foregone conclusion. We welcome the Scrutiny Panel’s recommendation but if the Council were to introduce a higher scale of charging at the same time it would make a mockery of any monitoring exercise not to mention causing outrage among the community of user groups.” 

Member of Parliament Toby Perkins MP, who spoke at two demonstrations outside the affected Community Rooms against their closure, welcomed the news about the Scrutiny Board’s recommendations by saying:   

“I am pleased that the Scrutiny Board recognised the strength of the argument put forward by the community.” 
 
However proposals aired by Council Housing officers during the Scrutiny Board meeting were viewed less positively by Mr Perkins. He added:   

“I hope that there isn’t a plan to pretend to be reviewing the situation, whilst introducing charges that will actually depress demand for the premises rather than increase it. We want a fair review period and a real attempt made by the Council to increase the take up of these community facilities over the twelve month period.” 

Labour Member of Parliament for Chesterfield, Toby Perkins, hailed Hunloke Gardens as a “ten year regeneration success story” in Birdholme at the 10 Year Anniversary Celebrations event on Sunday 25^th July. During the last decade the gardens have expanded, opening a shop on site, growing a wide range of fruit and vegetables, and attracting school visits.

Starting life as a derelict field, Hunloke Gardens is now a fully operational nursery growing and selling vegetables and plants. The community garden has become a haven for wildlife, birds, butterflies, hedgehogs, wildfowl and pond life. The garden was designed by Rother Community Action Partnership and it includes a pond, a meadow area, a vegetable growing and composting area, poly tunnels, an orchard and some formal flower beds. Mr. Perkins praised Treasurer Maggie Dolan, Marion Wilcockson and colleagues for all their hard work in transforming waste land into a much loved facility for the community. He also paid tribute to the work of founders Carol and Ray Ellis.

In his speech, Mr. Perkins said:-

“The team has worked wonders over the last ten years in maintaining such a fantastic facility. Hunloke is a ten year regeneration success story and I am proud to be one of its biggest fans. Ten years ago I don’t think any of us imagined such a diverse and creative area right in the middle of Birdholme, and now we have one. This is down to the sheer hard work and dedication of local people who have fought to make Hunloke what it is today”.

Maggie Dolan, Treasurer of Hunloke Community Gardens added:-

“I was delighted when Toby accepted our invitation to speak at the 10 Year Anniversary event on Sunday. It was a great opportunity for him to speak to our members and for us to thank him for all his support over the years. We hope the next ten years are as successful as the last!”.

Toby Perkins, Labour Member of Parliament for Chesterfield, last week visited the Derby Tup on Sheffield Road as part of The Publican’s Proud of Pubs Week. Mr. Perkins met with the Tenant of ‘the Tup’ pub to champion the role it and many others play in the community, and to highlight the serious concerns of many local landlords and managers who fear dozens more may be forced to close.

The local MP met with Tenant Landlord Brendan McConville to discuss threats to the pub industry badly affected by the recession. Many pubs have closed in Chesterfield and the UK, with Mr. McConville expressing serious concerns about huge supermarket chains having an unfair advantage by selling vast quantities of alcohol at irresponsible prices.

Mr. Perkins said:-

The Derby Tup is an excellent example of a community based pub, a place where local people come for a good pint and a chat. Brendan has highlighted ways in which I can represent the pub industry in both Parliament and the constituency to try to buck the trend of pub closures all over Chesterfield. We need a level playing field that protects the role of the publican society, and reduces the binge drinking associated with alcohol price promotions”.

Brendan McConville, Tenant of the Derby Tup added:

“It was good to welcome Toby to the Derby Tup to chat about the problems we face as pub managers and owners across Chesterfield and the UK. It’s great to know that in difficult times our local MP is listening to our concerns”.

History was made last week when pupils from primary schools across North Derbyshire attended the Chesterfield Children’s University graduation ceremony at Chesterfield College.  Toby Perkins, Labour Member of Parliament for Chesterfield and Vice Chancellor of the University, presented the youngsters with certificates for outstanding achievement.

Chesterfield Children’s University is the first of its kind in Derbyshire. Youngsters from Brimington Juniors, Inkersall, Springwell, Norbriggs, Woodthorpe and Heath received the awards after completing between 60 and 90 hours of extra curricular activities outside their normal school day. The presentation also gave over 200 parents the chance to see their children receive certificates in the traditional university dress.

Mr. Perkins said:-

“The Chesterfield Children’s University is a fantastic initiative and I was delighted to present the certificates to youngsters who have worked tremendously hard to get that far. This event proves just how much young talent we have here in Chesterfield. The kids have been rewarded for all their dedication and commitment to a course which develops their skills ready for secondary school and eventually the workplace. As the Vice Chancellor of the CCU I hope to give every 10 year old in our area the chance to get involved and learn new skills”.