Paul Blomfield signs Holocaust Memorial Day Book of Commitment

Paul Blomfield MP has signed a Book of Commitment in the House of Commons, to pledge his commitment to Holocaust Memorial Day, and to honour those who died during the Holocaust.

Holocaust Memorial Day on Friday January 27th will be the 67th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the Nazi concentration camp which is the site of the largest mass murder in history. Ahead of Holocaust Memorial Day, the Holocaust Educational Trust placed a Book of Commitment in the House of Commons giving MPs the chance to sign and honour those who were persecuted and killed during the Holocaust.

In signing the Book of Commitment Paul Blomfield paid tribute to the extraordinary men and women who, having survived the Holocaust, now work to educate young people about what they endured, through the Holocaust Educational Trust’s Outreach programme.

Thousands of commemorative events will be arranged by schools, faith groups and community organisations across the country, remembering all the victims of the Holocaust and subsequent genocides. This year, people will be encouraged to take a stand against racism and prejudice today – and to speak out against hatred wherever they encounter it.

Paul Blomfield MP said: “I visited Auschwitz-Birkenau four years ago and it was a deeply moving experience. I was struck both by the scale of the horror that took place there, but also by the ordinariness of the surrounding villages and countryside. It shows how hatred can poison any community unless we stand up and challenge it.

Tackling fuel poverty at the heart of Sheffield’s Housing Investment Plan

Sheffield City Council will be outlining its plan for investment in council housing and tenant services over the next five years as the Housing Revenue Account Business Plan is set to be approved at a Cabinet meeting next week.

The report sets out the council’s vision for housing in the coming years and the provision of services to create sustainable communities, with homes and neighbourhoods where people want to live. In addition to this the council seeks to make the best use of council homes and to minimise the running costs.

Council housing was until now funded by the central HRA subsidy system. Under this system all rents go into a central pot which the Government distributes to councils based on their assessment of the council’s need using a national formula. Now the financing arrangements are changing meaning that councils will keep all income from rents, but will take responsibility for all the spending on council housing.

Whilst self-financing is on the whole positive for the council, providing the opportunity to take long term strategic planning about investment in homes and services. When allocating the debt settlements for local authorities, the Government failed to take into account the funding needed to address the maintenance backlog for work to be completed on council homes. As a result of this some elements of the backlog of maintenance work may not be completed until the later years of the plan. Sheffield has been left with a debt of £349 million.

Blomfield backs call for King Ecgbert School ballot, and asks Clegg to join him

Paul Blomfield MP is backing calls for a full ballot of parents to be held at King Ecgbert School before a final decision on whether the school becomes an academy is made. After the school appears to have rejected a request from local councillors for a ballot, Mr Blomfield has written to the Chair of Governors urging the school to reconsider their decision. The Sheffield Central MP has also written to Nick Clegg asking if he will join him in calling for the school to reconsider the ballot.

In his letter to the Chair of Governors Mr Blomfield writes:
“Many of my constituents will be affected if the school moved to academy status, and concerns have been raised with me about the short timescale of the consultation period, particularly with it being held over the Christmas period.

“I know that there have been well-attended consultation meetings, but given the short timescale of the consultation I think it would be right for all parents of children currently studying at King Ecgberts and parents of children in Year 6 at the feeder schools to be given their say in a democratic ballot on this decision.

“I’m concerned that the school appear to have rejected the request from local councillors for a ballot and would urge the school to reconsider this decision. If a ballot of each parent was held, with both sides of the argument clearly explained to them, then the Governors will be able to make their final decision knowing the full views of parents. I think this would be the right approach for the school to take and I hope that you will give it due and urgent consideration.”

Betts launches inquiry into electrical and gas installation and repairs regulations

* Are you installing or repairing electricity and gas supplies?

* Are the Building Regulations a help or a hindrance?

The Communities and Local Government Committee has decided to carry out an inquiry into the operation of the Building Regulations relating to electrical and gas installation and repairs in dwellings, including houses in multiple occupation.

Since 2010, the Government has been reviewing the operation and effectiveness of the Building Regulations and has signalled its intention to bring forward a programme of work to examine a number of areas and to develop detailed proposals for consultation, such as on Part P (Electrical safety – dwellings).

The Committee’s Chair and Labour MP for Sheffield South East, Clive Betts, said: “We are particularly interested to hear from home-owners, tenants, contractors, and councils on the adequacy of the operation of the current Building Regulations for electrical and gas installation and repairs in dwellings.

We especially want to know:

* Do the Building Regulations safeguard health and safety in domestic dwellings?

* What are the costs of complying with the Regs?

* Could they be revised, streamlined or made more effective?

Clive Betts calls for views on Park Homes

The Communities and Local Government Committee has decided to carry out an inquiry into Park Homes.

Earlier in the year the Government signalled its intention to carry out a consultation exercise on a package of measures, which have not yet emerged.

The Committee sees its inquiry as identifying key concerns and examining the need for legislative changes.

Clive Betts, Labour MP for Sheffield South East, who is also Chair of the all-party committee said: “We want to hear from everyone who has an interest in Park Homes – particularly those who live on one, site owners and councils with park homes within their areas – on the adequacy of the existing legislation.

We’re especially interested in issues like:

* site fees;

* the awarding and revocation of site licences;

* the regulation and enforcement of site license conditions;

* the need for the manager of a site to be a “fit and proper” person and the enforcement of this requirement;

* the regulation of parks owned by local authorities;

* the protection of occupiers of park homes against harassment and illegal eviction, and;

* resale of park homes and resale fees.”

Betts leads all-party demands for big changes to Government’s planning proposals

The all-party Communities and Local Government Committee chaired by Clive Betts, Labour MP for Sheffield South East, has told the Government it must make significant changes to improve its draft National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).

Clive Betts said: “The all-party Committee was unanimous in its view that the Government should change its proposals, after considering an enormous amount of written and oral evidence.

In particular, we agreed:

* The default answer of ‘yes’ to development must be removed from the NPPF;

* A definition of ’sustainable development’ – which requires consideration of environmental and social issues as well as economic ones;

* That the presumption that a planning application should be approved ‘unless the adverse effects significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits’ was a barrier to sustainable development and that ’significantly and demonstrably’ should be removed;

* The need to re-instate ‘brownfield development first’;

* Shop and office developments need to be concentrated on existing town and district centres, not on new greenfield or out-of-centre sites;

* That existing sportsfields needed protection and, that, if development was appropriate, like-for-like replacement would be required;

Blomfield urges Government to support small businesses to take on apprentices

Speaking in Parliament yesterday Paul Blomfield, MP for Sheffield Central, urged the Government to provide better support to small businesses to help them take on new apprentices. Mr Blomfield also spoke about taking on an apprentice to work in his own constituency office in Sheffield.

Paul Blomfield said: “I’m urging the Government to work with the Federation of Small Businesses and British Chambers of Commerce to provide support for SME and micro businesses to help them take on new apprentices. Despite the number of apprenticeships increasing, just 8% of small businesses took on an apprentice last year and over half of businesses don’t think apprenticeships are relevant to their business or sector. A million young people are now out of work, so it’s essential that greater action is taken to help remove the barriers that are stopping businesses from taking on new apprentices. This means practical information should be disseminated to businesses about both how to go about taking on an apprentice, and also the benefits of having an apprentice joining their business.

Paul Blomfield praises Sheffield’s hidden heroes of international development

Paul Blomfield, MP for Sheffield Central, has published a report into the remittance giving of Sheffield people, and has praised the generosity of Sheffield people. A remittance is money sent to individuals and organisations abroad. Mr Blomfield has called Sheffield’s remittance givers ‘the hidden heroes of international development’. The report was launched at the Sheffield and the Global Society Conference which was organised by the Sheffield Black and Ethnic Minority Network.

Paul Blomfield said: “Remittances are a vital and largely unseen contribution to international development. I hope my report helps to recognise the generosity of Sheffield people who are making great financial sacrifices to help the worlds’ poorest; they’re the hidden heroes of international development.

“Earlier this year I conducted a survey because I wanted to look at remittance giving in Sheffield. I contacted individuals and organisations across the city and their response shows that Sheffield people are making big financial sacrifices by sending money to family and communities overseas. In 2009 UK remittances amounted to £4billion compared to £7billion in UK government aid, and so I think its right to celebrate this practical commitment which our different communities here in Sheffield and across the UK are making towards international development.”

Blomfield: We’re winning the argument on pedestrian access through Sheffield station

Following his debate in Parliament on the issue of Sheffield station bridge Paul Blomfield MP says we’re winning the argument on pedestrian access through Sheffield station.

In the debate Mr Blomfield challenged the Rail Minister Norman Baker about how the Department for Transport’s policy of wanting ticket barriers to be installed at Sheffield station would block pedestrian access through the station. Mr Blomfield asked the Minister to come to meet with local campaigners to discuss solutions to this long-running issue and the Minister agreed.

Paul Blomfield MP says: “We’re winning the argument on maintaining pedestrian access through Sheffield station. Before last night the Department for Transport has seemed totally committed to installing ticket barriers across the bridge come what may. But, in last night’s debate the Rail Minister accepted the key point that there must be pedestrian access through the station. This is a significant step forward and good news for the city.

“The Minister responded to my demand for a meeting and I’m particularly pleased that he agreed to involve the local campaign group Residents Against Station Closure. I’ll be pushing to make sure this meeting happens quickly because we need to keep up the pressure to ensure that a solution to this long-running issue is finally found.

“I pay tribute to Residents Against Station Closure for their thoughtful, thorough and creative campaigning to keep pedestrian access. They have mobilised extraordinary support across the city and I will be joining them on Friday for their Christmas protest.”

Blomfield holds debate on pedestrian access through railway stations

Paul Blomfield, Labour MP for Sheffield Central, will today hold an Adjournment Debate in Parliament on the issue of pedestrian access through railway stations.

Mr Blomfield will use the debate to highlight the long-running issue of the Department for Transport wanting ticket barriers to be installed at Sheffield station. This would block pedestrian access through the station. He will also urge Ministers to rethink their ‘one size fits all’ approach to ticket barriers so that access through stations, where there are traditional pedestrian routes, is not blocked off by barriers.

Paul Blomfield said: “I’ll be using my debate to raise with Transport Ministers the long-running campaign to maintain pedestrian access through Sheffield station. Ticket barriers across the bridge would mean my constituents who live nearby would lose a safe, secure and accessible route into the city centre. Blocking off the bridge would also break up our city’s transport system and threaten the viability of the ongoing Park Hill redevelopment.

“The pedestrian bridge was built using public money and the needs of the public should be put first. I want Ministers to tell me why they are won’t look at other ways of stopping fare evasion, and why they want to cut our city in two. We’d secured a clear commitment from the previous Labour Government that there were to be no barriers unless access through the station was maintained. I want this Government to honour that commitment and I hope we’ll get some answers tonight.”