Minister joins Mums and Dads across the East Midlands to Save Our Sure Start

Campaign takes to the streets and online at www.saveoursurestart.com.

David Cameron’s cuts to Sure Start children’s centres would deal a devastating blow to families in the East Midlands who are on middle and modest incomes – that was the message from Labour’s Regional Minister, Phil Hope MP, as local ‘Save Our Sure Start’ campaigns against Tory plans to take £200 million from Sure Start were launched.

On the same day that Labour announced it has delivered on its pledge to build 3,500 Sure Start centres across England, campaigns across the East Midlands against Conservative plans to cut Sure Start for families on middle and modest incomes gathered pace with local campaigns and online at www.saveoursurestart.com.

Phil Hope MP, Regional Minister for the East Midlands said:

“There are hundreds of Sure Start centres here in the East Midlands and when I talk to local families, they make it very clear to me just how vital their Sure Start centre is to them. While Labour will guarantee that investment in Sure Start will continue to rise, there is a real risk that centres in the East Midlands, which have become so valuable to the community, would have to close under the Tories.

New figures reveal Car Srappage Scheme’s success in the East Midlands

New figures released today show that the Labour Government’s Car Srappage Scheme has been a huge success in the East Midlands. Since its introduction in April 2009, 15,980 new cars have been bought from local dealerships under the scheme.

Phil Hope, Labour’s Regional Minister for the East Midlands, said:

“I am delighted that many local dealerships here in the East Midlands have benefited from the scrappage scheme and that thousands of local people have had the opportunity to trade in their old car for a new, safer and more environmentally friendly model.

“In stark contrast to the Tories, Labour is committed to helping people through these difficult times. We know how important it is to keep the economy moving when times are tough and the scrappage scheme is doing just that.”

It would be great to see “football coming home to Nottingham”

The FA today selected Nottingham to be one of the host cities if Britain’s bid to hold the World Cup Finals is successful.

Labour’s Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Ben Bradshaw MP said:

“The Labour government is working hard to support the FA’s bid for England to host the football World Cup in 2018. It would be great to see football coming home to Nottingham.”

For the next ten years, Britain will experience what the Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, has called a Golden Decade of Sport. Britain has already successfully bid to host the ATP Tennis World Tour finals, the Ryder Cup, the Football Champions’ League Final, the Olympic and Paralympic Games, the Rugby league World Cup, the Rugby Union World Cup, the Commonwealth Games and the Cricket World Cup.

Housing projects in the East Midlands short-listed for welcome cash boost

Housing projects in the East Midlands could soon be receiving a cash boost to help them get back on track and boost local employment after being short-listed to receive a share of £550 million as part of the Labour Government’s Kickstart Scheme.

In total 36 stalled housing projects, with over 1,900 homes, in the East Midlands could be set to benefit including Derby Road in Ripley, Halls Lane in Giltbrook, Monks Road in Lincoln and The Meadows in Sherwood. And with half of the short-listed homes set to be for affordable rent or sale, this will provide a welcome boost for first time buyers and prospective housing association tenants.

Phil Hope, Labour’s Regional Minister said following the announcement: “Labour knows that our construction industry has found it tough during these difficult economic times, but we are committed to doing all we can to help.

Tory councillor quits party, brands budget plan “a disgraceful attack on the elderly and vulnerable”

The Nottingham Evening Post has the news that a Conservative county councillor for Hucknall East, Robert Rankin, has resigned from the Tory party in protest of the council’s proposed budget, describing it as “a disgraceful attack on the elderly and vulnerable”.
Commenting Labour’s Communities and Local Government Secretary, John Denham, told Labour Matters:
“Cameron says his councils are a blueprint for a Tory government. This is another Tory Town Hall hitting those who need local services and shows the Conservative Party hasn’t changed. It’s about the wealthy few not the majority.
“Tory Town Halls mirror Cameron’s plans for central government – do as little as possible, block the recovery, don’t build for [...]

Fight against anti-social behaviour gets welcome cash boost

Labour’s Regional Minister for the East Midlands, Phil Hope MP, is urging local councils to make full use of new funding to tackle anti-social behaviour, which has been announced today by Labour’s Communities Secretary John Denham and Housing Minister John Healey.

Northamptonshire, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire, Leicestershire, Derby, Bolsover and Leicester councils will all receive a share of the £10 million fund which can be used on a variety of measures. This could include measures to ensure local residents know exactly how to report anti-social behaviour, funding for local community action projects and training for front line staff to equip them to deal with anti-social behaviour.

Phil Hope has welcomed the news saying: “Here in the East Midlands we are only too aware of the devastating impact that anti-social behaviour can have on a community and people’s lives.

East Midlands benefits by over £500,000 raised from seized assets

Over £500,000 raised from the assets and goods seized from the country’s wealthiest criminals is being re-distributed to worthy community groups here in the East Midlands.

It is part of the £4 million Community Cashback Scheme where members of the public were asked to vote for which community groups they wanted to see receive a share of the cash. In total 30 projects in the East Midlands will each receive a share, news that has been welcomed by Labour’s Regional Minister for the East Midlands, Phil Hope.

Phil said:

“The Community Cashback Fund has given local people a direct say on how they wanted the money raised from criminal assets to be spent and I am delighted that the public have voted for 30 projects here in the East Midlands to receive a share.

“The Tories have dismissed these schemes as gimmicks but I think the community groups and the people that use them will know that this is not a gimmick and they will look forward to using this money.”

Nottingham school caretaker receives outstanding contribution award

The outstanding contribution that a local caretaker has made to a Nottingham school where he works has been recognised today when he was presented with an award by Eddie Izzard and Labour’s Secretary of State for Schools, Ed Balls MP, at the Labour Party conference.

Kevin Catton, a caretaker from Seagrave Primary School in Nottingham, was chosen to receive the award after the Labour Party requested nominations from its members for those people who work tirelessly in our schools and communities to give every child the platform they need to make the best of themselves.

On receiving the award Kevin said:

“I am honoured to have been recognised for the work that I do. I am very lucky that I have a great job that is extremely rewarding. The staff and the children at the school are delightful and a real pleasure to work with.”

East Midland charities could lose out on share of £100 million

Charities and voluntary groups in the East Midlands could lose out on a share of £100 million worth of vital financial support under plans announced by the Conservatives.

Labour’s East Midlands Regional Minister and MP for Corby, Phil Hope, today warned that local groups in the East Midlands including groups for over 50’s, parent and toddler groups, sports associations and groups for disabled people, who have all benefited from government grants to help them support local people will face an uncertain future if these grants are no longer available.

Phil said:

“Young people, parents and people with disabilities in our community rely on these organisations run by hardworking local volunteers. It would be a tragedy if Cameron’s short sighted cuts meant that groups cut back or are forced to close because they lost grant funding. I am determined to stand up for the East Midlands and I will oppose these Tory cuts which will put our local groups as risk.”

“East Midlands NHS could face repossession under Conservative plans” – East Midlands Minister

Labour’s East Midlands Regional Minister and Care Minister, Phil Hope MP, has today warned that the Conservative’s controversial plans to abolish current limits on hospital debt and give NHS hospitals unlimited scope to borrow money secured against their buildings and equipment could put essential NHS services in the East Midlands at risk of repossession.

In challenging senior local Conservatives in the East Midlands to say whether they agreed with these controversial plans Phil Hope said:

“For all David Cameron’s warm words about the NHS, the truth is that his Conservative Party would let hospitals right here in the East Midlands go bust.

“The Labour Government has given the NHS the investment and support they need to improve quality and bring waiting times down. The Tories want to use hospitals as collateral for raising unlimited debt, putting essential NHS services at risk of repossession.