Dan Rogerson MP - Press Releases

MP visit to Royal British Legion

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Bude & Stratton Branch, Royal British Legion, were pleased to receive a visit from North Cornwall’s Member of Parliament, Dan Rogerson at their HQ (5 Burn View) during a coffee morning recently. He was accompanied by Nathan Bale, a local councillor.

They were welcomed by the branch chairman and several of the committee to view the premises and expressed interest in the progress made to rejuvenate the branch, which reopened 12 months ago.

Whilst enjoying a warming cup of tea Mr. Rogerson was questioned on a variety of subjects concerning the Royal British legion and the treatment of the armed forces.

Brian Parrott (chairman) enquired what the LibDems attitude toward injured service personnel upon their return to the UK. Godfrey Harrison (secretary) asked how he personally and the LibDems regarded the work of the Royal British Legion. Ken Hooper an Ex Royal Navy Artificer was keen to discuss the proposed single unitary authority and reported the doubts that many others had voiced. We were all pleased to hear his views, which were refreshing in their grasp of the situation and his obvious knowledge and concern for our area.

This was shown in the fact that George and Vi. Good, (both branch members) raised a concern at the lack of an acceptable stopping place for the local bus to Somerfield. No sooner said than done, both Dan and Nathan proceeded to the offending area to view the situation.

Mr. Rogerson was thanked for spending so much time with the members and promised that he would visit us whenever he is in the area. The chairman remarked to the committee, what a satisfactory and rewarding visit it had been.

MPs praise for community Speedwatch

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North Cornwall MP Dan Rogerson was out on the streets with the Whitstone Community Speedwatch team on Friday.

The group is working as part of a new Devon and Cornwall Police initiative spearheaded by PC Gary Watts and people in the North Cornwall area.

Last year the local MP wrote to the Chief Constable urging him to adopt this scheme which has been running in similar formats in Somerset.

The initiative involves local people recording the details of cars who speed through their town or village. Warning letters are then sent to offenders, urging them to take greater care with persistent offenders finding themselves at the top of the police list for action. In some areas, such as Whitstone, schoolchildren speak to those who have been pulled over by police officers to explain how they are concerned that they might be hit by a speeding car.

Commenting Mr. Rogerson said:

“When PC Watts and local people contacted me with the idea of a speedwatch scheme in North Cornwall I was keen to give it my support. Now the scheme has been in action for a number of months I can see the difference it is making.

“Far from being powerless to stop speeding in their communities, people can get involved in discouraging this behaviour and can literally take back their roads and streets for themselves.

“Here in Whitstone and across North Cornwall this initiative is helping the police to help the public, I congratulate PC Watts and his volunteer teams on their success.”

Lib Dems call for review of adult entertainment in Newquay

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Liberal Democrats in Newquay are to press Restormel Borough Council to review the number of adult entertainment licences in the town in response to a rapid growth in the number of venues offering nude dancing.

Dan Rogerson, the Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament for North Cornwall, and Stephen Gilbert, the Lib Dem Parliamentary candidate for Newquay, are to meet with Restormel Borough Council’s licensing department to express concern about the overall impact the growth in the adult entertainment industry is having in Newquay.

Dan Rogerson MP said:

“In my view we are seeing too many of these sorts of bars and clubs open in Newquay and I am very concerned about their overall impact on the town. I have set up a meeting with the local Council to discuss what steps they are taking to monitor the effect and what cumulative effect they think it is having.”

“Newquay needs to get the right balance of different activities and ensure that venues are in the right part of the town.”

Stephen Gilbert, the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary candidate for Newquay, said:

“This is not about being prudish or being a kill-joy but it is about ensuring that local residents are not ignored in a push for tourist spend.

“When I speak to people they want the town to be a more attractive and safer destination for family visitors, and I am not sure that the rapid increase in adult venues gives that image.”

Payphone cull is pointless penny pinching - MP

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British Telecom plan to remove 54 call boxes from North Cornwall, according to a list disclosed to the local MP, Dan Rogerson.

Mr Rogerson has today (Tuesday) written to BT’s Chief Executive branding the payphone cull ‘pointless’ and demanding an explanation as to the criteria on which BT have proposed the removals.

The company will give MPs a full briefing on their plans on 14th May.

Commenting, Dan Rogerson said:

“BT must understand that in rural areas, where mobile phone signal can be weak or non-existent, payphones can be essential to public safety.

“Moreover, visitors to the area, who have no access to their own landlines, are likely to find themselves unable to call family and friends.

“Since BT made £2.85bn in profit last year, I cannot see how this penny-pinching can possibly be necessary.

“I look forward to challenging senior BT executives on 14th May.”

Advocacy service to look for "hidden carers" in Cornwall

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North Cornwall’s MP, Dan Rogerson, this week visited some of the team behind Cornwall’s Older Carers Advocacy Service to learn more about the work carried out to help carers of those with learning disabilities.

The project which is part of the charity Origo, was established in July last year and is a free confidential advocacy service which helps older carers navigate the tax, benefits and healthcare systems to get the best support for themselves as well as those they look after.

Mr Rogerson met with Anne Pulford, the Chair of Origo and Lucy Betts, the manager of Older Carers Advocacy Service. The charity is gradually increasing the number of clients it can support, but there many more people across Cornwall who receive no support whatsoever.

Commenting, the local MP said:

“There are so many people in our community caring for a loved one 24 hours a day. The work they do takes considerable strain off the NHS and we should do all we can to ensure that their needs are met.

“It is so important that organisations like this are given scope to be able to help those whose sole priority is caring for others. Origo is a hugely commendable service, providing invaluable help and support to carers and their families.

Note:

More information on the work of this organisation is available from the Origo Cornwall website at http://www.origocornwall.org.uk/index.html

�1305 Bank refund for Bude resident

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A resident in Bude has secured a £1305 credit from Lloyds TSB following action from North Cornwall’s MP, Dan Rogerson.

Mr Deis-Horton, of Agnes Close, incurred charges and interest on his overdraft and credit card, despite repeated attempts to contact the bank and make arrangements for a structured repayment plan.

Dan Rogerson wrote to Lloyds TSB Chief Executive, Eric Daniels, to ask that the case be reviewed. The bank agreed to refund charges it had levied during the period when Mr Deis-Horton had made strenuous efforts to agree repayment.

Commenting, the local MP said:

“I’m obviously very pleased that Lloyds TSB have relented but they shouldn’t treat people like this in the first place.

“Anyone who is having trouble with their finances is well-advised to inform their bank as soon as possible, before matters worsen. Nothing could be more discouraging than to have those efforts ignored.

“There is an ongoing legal wrangle about whether banks should be able to levy such high charges at all. I hope that the outcome of that will see many thousands of people across the country get substantial refunds too.”

Mr Deis-Horton added:

“The actions of Lloyds TSB regarding my accounts over this period show an attitude of complete impunity and disregard for their customers. Their advice and communications directed at me amounted to nothing more than semantics.

“I would appeal to anyone in my position to contact their MP as I have done. I am delighted with what Mr Rogerson has achieved on my behalf, and everyone should be aware that they do not have to allow the banks to bully them into paying unfair charges.”

'Hobson's choice' for single parents

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Single parents in Cornwall face increasing pressure to leave their children for the workplace, according to two young mums in Launceston.

North Cornwall’s MP, Dan Rogerson, took part in a discussion with Coleen O’Brien and Sam Buckley this week, along with Cornwall’s Child Poverty Co-ordinator, James Hardy, as part of a video presentation.

Coleen and Sam made the film, Poverty Trap, in an interview style about the choices single parents face between working on minimum wage, and struggling to pay for childcare, or looking after their own children with state support.

The thirty minute piece was put together at the M-MAD CIC studio, which is funded by the Cornwall Community Foundation to open two days a week.

Commenting after the visit, Dan Rogerson said:

“Too many young single parents face Hobson’s choice.

“They can work on low wages, and pay high charges for someone else to take care of their children, or they can fall back on state benefits.

“Working is not always the best financial option for people in that position, and doing so can place strain on the children too.

“As a single parent, there are tough choices to be made everyday about how to balance supporting yourself and your children financially, and being there to see them grow up.

“As a society, we need to value parenthood itself much more highly, recognising the contribution mothers and fathers can make at home looking after their own children. We should support single parents back into employment at the right time, not shoehorn them away their families and into work for its own sake.”

Bude lines up with MP to support learning shop

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Over 600 people in Bude have signed a petition in support of their local learning shop.

North Cornwall MP, Dan Rogerson, and colleagues, Cllr Nathan Bale and Cllr Nigel Pearce, collected the signatures with local campaigners in just two hours. Residents took away petition sheets to collect further signatures from neighbours and friends.

Learning shops provide support for City & Guilds courses in word processing, databases, spreadsheets, desktop publishing, as well as access to the “European Computer Driving Licence”, a widely recognised qualification for getting people back into work. Another branch in Bodmin is also under threat.

Commenting afterwards, Dan Rogerson MP said:

“There’s been overwhelming support for the learning shop in Bude today.

“What’s clear is that local people use and value this service, so Cornwall College should think again about closing it down.

“Neither Bodmin nor Bude can afford to have educational services snatched away, when we know that Cornwall moves everyday towards a more knowledge-based economy.

“I’m running a petition about both locations, and would encourage anyone who wants to support the campaign to get in touch.”

Bude Councillor, Nathan Bale, added:

“Education is not about the opportunity to make a profit. It is about providing people with opportunities.

“In my area, the learning shop does that very effectively – it’s a vital local resource.

“Individuals gain personally from the chance to learn new skills, and the whole community benefits from having a skilled workforce.”

Newquay carbon monoxide tragedy

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Following news of a death at Great Western Hotel in Newquay from suspected carbon monoxide poisoning, local MPs have called for greater understanding of the effects of this silent killer. (CO)

North Cornwall’s MP, Dan Rogerson said:

“This is a real tragedy and our thoughts are with this unfortunate guest’s family.

“It’s long been standard practice to fit smoke detectors in hotels and other public buildings but carbon monoxide remains a silent killer because CO alarms are not nearly as widely fitted.”

Colin Breed, MP for South East Cornwall, and Director of the Charity CO-Gas Safety said:

“Many people remain poorly informed of the very real danger of carbon monoxide poisoning, not just in hotels but in their workplaces or even in their own homes. Despite numerous campaigns it is still up to charities to try and raise the funds to create awareness campaigns. Surely it has become clear that the industry which makes billions of pounds from consumers should pay for these safety campaigns.

“It is high time the Government took real steps to combat this sort of tragedy. This is not the first time it has hit the headlines, and until we see a change in thinking, it will not be the last.”

Note:

· CO Alarms are available in DIY stores for around £20
· Further information on CO is available from the Carbon Monoxide and Gas Safety Society website at: http://www.co-gassafety.co.uk/

MP meets sixth formers at Launceston college

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North Cornwall’s MP, Dan Rogerson, met with sixth formers at Launceston College this week for a Q&A session.

The students, who come from across rural North and South East Cornwall, raised employment and housing as key concerns for them as they plan their lives beyond their studies.

Commenting after the visit, Dan Rogerson said:

“As ever, it’s great to meet with young people in my constituency.

“It’s no surprise that rural services were a hot topic, with young people as keen as their grandparents are to save local post offices, for example.

“Soon, many of these students will be off to university and training in every part of the country.

“Our challenge is to make sure that they then return to Cornwall, bringing their skills and knowledge with them.

“To do that, we need urgent action on local affordable housing and on employment.”