News from March 2010

Wednesday, 31 Mar 2010

Moves in Parliament to Protect Local Cemeteries after Experience of Threat to Cherry Lane

I have just tabled a motion in Parliament to secure greater protection for local cemeteries after the distress caused to local families from the threat to Cherry Lane cemetery resulting from BAA’s plans for a road through the cemetery.I have been working with members of the Save Cherry Lane Cemetery Campaign to see how we can secure greater protection for cemeteries against the threat of major developments such as roads, railway lines and new buildings. We are now confident that we have fought off the threat to our local cemetery but we do not want to risk BAA or any other body threatening us again. At the same time we want to help others who in the future might also be threatened in this way in the future. That is why we have launched a campaign in Parliament to press the Government for a swift review of the existing laws to protect cemeteries and to bring forward proposals for a reform of the legislation to give greater protection and security. We do not want to have to go through all the distress again of the threat to our cemetery and we do not want others to go through this either.

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Saturday, 27 Mar 2010

West Drayton DotCOM Cafe

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I held a community tea at the West Drayton DotCom cafe this morning (Saturday). This is an excellent local community facility, providing a range of services to local families. The tea enabled local residents to drop in and have a chat about any local issues they were concerned about. It was good to see a number of members of the local community. I interviewed David Graham, who co-ordinates the cafe’s activities.

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Friday, 26 Mar 2010

High Court Judgement on 3rd Runway

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High Court Judgement on 3rd Runway

You may have heard that today (Friday 25th March) we have won a major victory in the High Court against the 3rd runway.

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Monday, 15 Mar 2010

St Patrick’s in Hayes Town Centre

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On Saturday I helped organise, with Hayes FM, a St Patrick’s music festival in Hayes Town Centre. This is all part of our campaign to attract more people into the town centre and use our shopping facilities. The festival included music from a local Irish band “Trim the Velvet”, community stalls raising funds for local charities and servings of excellent home made Irish stew, and Irish soda bread that I had baked that night. Over the coming months Hayes FM is hosting local bands and entertainment from the bandstand every Saturday in the town centre.

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Tuesday, 09 Mar 2010

Local Picket Line in Civil Servants’ Strike

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I joined the picket lines set up over the last two days by the PCS trade union at both the Hayes Job Centre and the HMRC offices in Uxbridge. I support the union in this national dispute and support my constituents in taking this industrial action. The Government has unilaterally imposed a significant cut in the compensation arrangements for civil servants who are made redundant. This tears up the contract on which the Government hired these workers. We know that the Government and opposition parties are all predicting large numbers of cuts in public sector jobs. This change in the compensation arrangements will mean that many civil servants who lose their jobs will now also lose large amounts of redundancy payments. I have laid an Early Day Motion before Parliament opposing this measure and gained the support of over 150 MPs. However the Government is refusing to hold a vote in Parliament on this issue and is now refusing further negotiations with PCS. I am calling on Government Ministers to return to the negotiating table to resolve this dispute. I interviewed PCS members on the picket line in Hillingdon.

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Monday, 08 Mar 2010

Petition For Bus Route to Hayes Working Mens’ Club

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Last week we presented a petition to the Deputy Mayor for London, Richard Barnes, calling upon the Mayor and Greater London Authority to provide a bus route that links up Pump Lane in Hayes, enabling people to access Hayes Working Mens’ Club and the various shops, offices and factories in the Pump Lane area. This is needed as more and more people are using this area and need public transport to reach its facilities.

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John Launches Shop Local Campaign to Save Heathrow Villages.

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The 3rd Runway has blighted not just homes but also local shops and businesses. This is a double whammy for local shopkeepers and publicans who live above their business premises. They are at risk of losing their homes and their businesses. I am making representations to BAA and the Government to compensate those who are threatened in this way and I raised this issue at Prime Minister’s questions. I have also launched a “Shop Local Campaign” urging all those who support us in our campaign against the 3rd runway to help us to save our local businesses and shops by shopping locally. In this way people can help our campaign to preserve our local village life. Please come and shop and visit our local pubs and restaurants in Sipson and the local Heathrow villages.

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