June 17 2008
Cases against closure ready to submit
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Detailed arguments against closing three post offices in Batley and Spen will be submitted to the Post Office Ltd on Thursday (June 19 2008).
Mike Wood MP has organised the local campaign against the closures following two public meetings. These meetings created working parties in Batley and East Bierley to prepare submissions.
And on Saturday the draft submissions were made available to local people to scrutinise, comment upon and suggest amendments to at events in Soothill and East Bierley.
Mr Wood said: “Once again the strength of feeling about these proposals was made crystal clear by the number of people who turned out to offer feedback.
“The feedback was constructive and helpful and once the minor amendments suggested have been made the submissions will be presented to the Post Office.
“Once again I’d like to thank all those people who’ve played a part in this campaign. I hope the Post Office will listen to what we have to say and agree with us that these three valuable branches should not close.” |
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June 12 2008
Submissions available for public scrutiny
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The working parties set up to prepare arguments against the closure of three local post offices have completed their submissions.
The submissions will be used to convince the Post Office Ltd not to drive ahead with the proposed closure of branches of East Bierley, Soothill and Bradford Road (Batley).
Mike Wood MP, who has organised the campaign against these three proposed closures, completed the work on the submissions himself this week.
Mr Wood said: "I want to thank all those who have contributed to this process since the public meetings were held.
"We will make as strong a submission as possible for each of these branches and I hope we can convince the Post Office to see things our way."
The submissions will be available for local people to view and comment upon on Saturday (June 14) at Soothill Community Centre from 10am to noon and at St Luke's Church in East Bierley from 12.30pm to 2.30pm. |
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June 3 2008
Work underway on case against closure
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Work on preparing submissions to argue the case for keeping three local post offices open is underway.
Mike Wood MP called two public meetings to kick start campaigns to save the branches at Soothill and Bradford Road in Batley and at East Bierley.
The Post Office say the branches are losing money and there are alternative branches within a mile.
Overwhelming local feeling is that each of these branches is of value to the local community and needs to remain open.
The public meetings formed working groups to prepare the case against closure. These have met and are due to meet again this week.
Once the submissions are complete they will be sent to Post Office Ltd. Copies will be available locally for people to read before they are submitted. |
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May 19 2008
Post offices campaign UPDATE
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More than 250 people attended two meetings organised by Mike Wood to fight proposed post office closures at Soothill and Bradford Road in Batley and in East Bierley.
The two meetings, chaired by Mr Wood, allowed local people to air their views and make constructive comments to senior staff from Post Office Counters Ltd.
As a result, local residents have formed working parties which will lead the opposition to the plans and feedback to the formal consultation process.
Mr Wood said: "The threat to these three post offices is a major issue - the staggering turnout at these meetings demonstrates that very well and was very heartening.
"With this kind of backing and by working together I hope we can convince the Post Office to re-think and keep these valuable post offices open." |
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May 13 2008
MP launches campaigns to save Post Offices
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Batley and Spen MP Mike Wood has launched campaigns to save three of the post offices earmarked for closure.
Mr Wood feels there are strong arguments for keeping the post offices at East Bierley, Soothill and at Bradford Road in Batley open and is hoping local residents will get behind the campaigns.
Separate public meetings will be held for local residents on Thursday at Batley and on Friday at East Bierley.
Mike Wood said: “Batley and Spen has not seen the level of closures up to now that other areas have seen. This is because local postmasters and I have been vigilant and we have worked together to protect the local network.
“However, this latest round is not about voluntary closures it is about targeting the less viable post offices in the network – those that serve the fewest customers each week, that are the least profitable and that are in areas where there is an alternative branch.
“But the post offices at Soothill and Bradford Road in Batley and at East Bierley are valuable branches that serve distinct communities and I hope local residents will join me in a bid to save them.
“By working together over the last 10 years we have managed to keep our network reasonably in tact. We now face a different kind of battle but if we continue working together we can make the best case possible to maintain these amenities.”
Mr Wood added: “The proposed list has been compiled by Post Office Counters and the national federation of postmasters. The Government’s role in this is to provide what amounts to a redundancy package to postmasters and postmistresses.”
The Batley meeting will be at Soothill Community Centre on Thursday May 15 at 6.30pm. The East Bierley meeting will be at the First School on South View Road on Friday May 16 at 6.30pm.
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April 15 2008
Minister launches free national bus travel scheme
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A Government minister visited the area this week to promote the new free national bus travel scheme.
As of April 1 everyone who is disabled or over the age of 60 will be entitled to free off-peak bus travel anywhere in the country.
John Healey MP, the local government minister, visited the Spen Valley and met local MP Mike Wood. While here he took the chance to promote the new bus pass.
Mike Wood said: “This is a great scheme, introduced by the Government in response to what older and disabled people have said they want. A localised version of the scheme has been in place for some time but now those of 60 and those who are disabled can travel for free in every area of the country.
“This means that pass-holders visiting Batley and Spen can use our buses too, and that people from Batley and Spen can use their pass if they are visiting relatives or on holiday in other areas of the country.”
Mr Wood urged all those who are eligible for the pass to make sure they took advantage of the scheme.
If you are over 60 or registered disabled, and want to find out how to get your new bus pass, contact Mike Wood.
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March 18 2008
MP tables Commons motion praising police over Shannon hunt
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Mike Wood MP has today tabled a parliamentary motion congratulating West Yorkshire Police on their handling of the Shannon Matthews investigation.
As well as welcoming the safe discovery of the nine year old from Dewsbury Moor, Mr Wood also pays tribute to the hundreds of individual officers and staff who for more than three weeks worked round the clock to find Shannon.
Mr Wood, whose constituency includes the Moorside area of Dewsbury Moor where Shannon lives, said: “This has clearly been an extensive and complicated inquiry that has needed vast amounts of resources, time and sensitivity.
“Senior officers have directed the investigation well and spared no resource while the rank and file officers and staff have devoted energy and often their own time to finding Shannon.
“West Yorkshire police have been criticised for a host of different things by people far removed from the reality and complexities of the situation in Dewsbury Moor. But we shouldn’t lose sight of the fact that the local police have searched 3,000 houses and 360 acres of land and water and spoken to more than 6,000 people, as well as dealing with a complex network of extended family members.
“Most importantly, Shannon has been found, she is apparently safe and well and a suspect has been caught and charged. This sort of outcome in cases like these is virtually unheard of. This is a rare but extremely welcome conclusion and the officers and staff of West Yorkshire Police deserve our praise. I hope my parliamentary motion will allow Members of Parliament on all sides to echo this.”
The wording of Early Day Motion 1207
SHANNON MATTHEWS
That this House welcomes the discovery, apparently safe and well, of nine year old Shannon Matthews after more than three weeks missing from home in Dewsbury Moor; congratulates West Yorkshire Police for the way in which they have handled a complex and sensitive case; and pays tribute to the dedication and hard work of local police officers for the hours and the energy they have devoted to the investigation. |
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March 17 2008
Transport Minister announces cycle training funding from Cleckheaton
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Transport Minister Rosie Winterton visited Cleckheaton today to announce that over £3m would be dedicated to providing cycle training to nearly 80,000 school children by March 2009.
The minister was invited to Cleckheaton by Mike Wood MP to meet pupils taking part in Whitechapel's cycling training club and see the Spen Valley Greenway.
After watching the club in action and making the funding announcement from the school, the minister and Mr Wood cycled back to the centre of Cleckheaton along the Greenway.
£32,000 of the funding will be granted to Kirklees to train 800 new pupils locally.
Rosie Winterton said: “Encouraging cycling also encourages healthier lifestyles. Considering obesity now affects around one quarter of adults and 1 in 10 children, encouraging people to take exercise has never been more important.
“At the same time congestion is getting worse. If parents can be satisified their children can cycle safely they are more likely to let them use their bikes. And getting children cycling could even encourage their parents to dust off their own bikes.”
Mr Wood said "Training such as this being provided at Whitechapel allows children to learn essential road safety skills and gain greater awareness of the dangers on the road – giving parents reassurance that their children are suitably equipped to use the roads and enjoy their bikes."
"I am delighted the Transport minister chose to make this announcement from Cleckheaton and that she was able to see the Greenway, one of the country's most popular cycle paths."
Mr Wood was instrumental in securing the rail line and providing the impetus and political support for creating the Greenway. |
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February 13 2008
Employment of family members
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| Mike Wood does not employ any members of his family and has never done so at any point since he was elected as MP for Batley and Spen in 1997. |
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January 17 2007
Parliamentary debate secured
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Mike Wood MP has been granted an adjournment debate in Parliament next week to raise with Government ministers the death of David Burrows and events leading up to his murder.
Mr Burrows was murdered at M&B Haulage in Ravensthorpe in September 2005 by Gavin Hogg, who had repeatedly threatened and attacked Mr Burrows and members of his family. Hogg was sentenced to life imprisonment.
The incident was subsequently subject to an investigation by the Independent Police Complaints Commission. Mr Wood intends to discuss, among other things, the way in which the police and the CPS handled events leading up to the murder.
Mr Wood has been supporting and working closely with the family, who live in Batley and Spen.
More information will be available following the debate in Westminster Hall on Tuesday, January 22 at 12.30pm. |
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January 10 2008
Statement on planning consent for Tesco in Cleckheaton
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Following the granting of planning consent for a new Tesco store in Cleckheaton, Mike Wood said:
“I’ve spent a large part of the last 10 years attempting to convince Tesco to redevelop their existing site but it’s not unreasonable for the development to be right for the town and one local people and traders can live with.
“I am pleased that the committee and Tesco have taken steps to allay the fears traders and I share about the range of goods that will be on sale. I had been pressing for such a condition and in agreeing councillors are showing a willingness to protect Cleckheaton’s vibrancy and viability.
“I still have concerns about the scale of the development and the impact it will have on the streetscape but councillors were clearly satisfied by the reductions made and the application now moves on to its next stage.
“I look forward to seeing a new store on this site, which will continue to complement the existing town centre as the present one does.” |
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