Letter from Parliament

Reporter: Paul Rowen
Date online: 03/01/2008

May I take the opportunity of wishing you all a Happy New Year. 2008 is an exciting time for our Borough and I hope that we will see considerable progress on a number of issues affecting our Town. With the exciting regeneration of our Town Centre, coupled with the proposed Metrolink extension to the heart of our Town, a new Bus Station and Kingsway Business Park - we're aiming high for Rochdale!

At this time though, it is important to recognise the efforts made by many of our Independent Traders. I know first hand from my colleague, Councillor Greg Couzens, who owns a business, of many of the frustrations. That is why a meeting was held on Thursday with Traders, The Police, the Town Centre Management Committee and Council Officers. I hope this meeting will be the start of continual dialogue aimed at partnership working between everyone affected.

The continuing problem with lead thefts is something that needs dealing with. Ofcourse, this is a problem faced by many across the country. I know, though, that the police are working hard to try and sort this situation out. I hope that all industrial units and businesses are being urged to examine their security and ensure they have effective lighting, CCTV and high perimeter fencing in place to deter offenders. For those who cannot afford these measures lead can also be coated in grease or a non-drying paint to make it less desirable. I was also concerned to see that recently people have been affected in their own homes. I will be pushing in Parliament to increase the penalties for scrap yards that are selling and receiving stolen metal.

Talking of our Police Officers, they do an excellent job but I’m afraid that the service is in crisis. Officers, already suffering a lack of morale from their pay dispute, are now facing increasing budget pressures. In December, I quizzed John Healey MP, a Government Minister on the fact Greater Manchester Police, the second largest force in the country, is severely short of funding. His answer was basically that it’s up to our Police Authority to deal with the "pressures and challenges’ caused by chronic under funding. This year, one of my priorities will be to get both a better deal for our Police Officers and work with my colleagues, including Councillor Barbara Todd, our Police Authority Member, to reverse the cuts in police funding.

Nick Clegg MP, our new Leader, spelled out in his New Year message his opposition to the costly ID Cards Scheme. Surely it would be better to scrap the scheme and put the money into frontline policing. This would end the budget crisis and lead to more full time police, with full powers of arrest. The Home Office expects the cost of the introduction of ID cards, together with the development of biometric passports, to be £6billion over 10 years (Other estimates have put the total cost at £20bn). Home Secretary Jacqui Smith MP is penny pinching with Officers' pay while wanting to waste vast sums of our money on the unpopular ID Card. This is at a time when we're seeing scandal after scandal about the Labour Government's loss of our personal details. They cannot be trusted with such a massive and expensive scheme.

I am happy to see Rochdale Company "Zen Internet" plans to move to Holiday House on Sandbrook Park. I have written to the North West Development Agency asking them to approve the move that is great news for Rochdale and will provide much needed employment opportunities for local people.

I don’t make New Year’s resolutions but just to say that my staff and I will continue to strive to get the best deal for Rochdale. Please note that my office is open 9am-5pm Monday-Friday and my Weekly Advice Surgeries can be seen at my website:

• www.paulrowen.co.uk