Clegg hits Sheffield with tripple whammy
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CLEGG KICKS SHEFFIELD WITH A TRIPLE WHAMMY Clive Betts MP (Sheffield South East) said: “The Liberal Democrats in the coalition government have kicked the City and people of Sheffield in the teeth today, with their triple whammy: cancelling the agreed loan to Forgemasters stopping regeneration of the city centre, and stopping the purchase of the Outukumpu site Liberal Democrat Ministers hold the 4 key government positions - Energy, Trade, Treasury, Deputy Prime Minister – who together have made these appalling decisions.” On Forgemasters, Clive Betts said: “It beggars belief that the government is rejecting...
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CARERS WEEK 2010 Local MP pushes for greater support and recognition of carers in Sheffield South East Local MP, Clive Betts is calling for the contribution of the many thousands of carers in Sheffield South East to be recognised by the local community and society at large after learning that more than three-quarters (76%) of people looking after an ill, frail or disabled loved one do not have a life outside of their caring role. The statistics, part of new research issued to launch Carers Week (14-20 June), also highlights that 75%...
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Betts elected as new chair for Communities Select Committee
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Sheffield South East MP Clive Betts has been elected as the new Chair of the House of Commons’ Communities and Local Government Select Committee. Select Committees were established in 1979 to oversee and scrutinise the performance and policies of particular government departments. For the first time ever this year, Chairs of Select Committees were directly elected by MPs. Clive was nominated for the position by a broad selection of MPs from all parties, including seven members of the Committee in the last Parliament. Clive Betts beat Nick Raynsford (a former Housing Minister)...
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Investing for the Long-term
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No-one should under-estimate the scale of the financial challenge arising from the global economic and banking crisis. However, it should be noted that government debt at the year end was 17% lower than was being predicted during the election and that the government’s shares in many banks – purchased to prevent a complete banking collapse – look capable of being sold, at a profit, over the next couple of years. In tackling the country’s finances, one of the key tests for the new Con-Dem coalition government will be whether it makes decisions for short-term, ideological and political reasons,...
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Sheffield Labour MPs keep up pressure on Forgemasters' loan
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Sheffield’s Labour MPs are keeping up the pressure on the Government to reach an early decision on the Forgemasters’ loan. Today, on behalf of Sheffield Labour MPs - Paul Blomfield, David Blunkett, Meg Munn, Angela Smith and himself - Clive Betts MP (Sheffield South East) has written to Vince Cable, the Business Secretary, urging an early decision to confirm the previous government’s decision to award an £80 million loan to Forgemasters towards the procurement and installation of a new forging press. The letter reads: Dear Vince It is with real concern that, as...
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We’ve been taken for a ride. Ever since de-regulation in 1986, when Margaret Thatcher effectively handed the control of local bus services to the private bus companies, we have seen a relentless increase in bus fares, dramatic reductions in bus passenger miles and massive increases in local congestion. Passenger miles have reduced by about 60%; the small recent reversals in that trend have been mainly due to the last Government’s introduction of free local fares for pensioners. Bus company arguments that the relentless fare increases have been essential to pay for increased fuel costs simply don’t...
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THE VOTERS HAVE SPOKEN The electorate has spoken, although everyone was a little confused trying to understand what they’d said! The Conservatives, who just 3 months ago had looked to be heading for a big parliamentary majority, finished with the largest number of MPs, but far from a majority. The Liberal Democrats, who looked after the first televised leaders’ debate to be leapfrogging to first place, ended with fewer parliamentary seats than they had in 2005. Labour, which had looked dead and buried, came back to finish as the second largest group...
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Reignhead Farm, Beighton Village, Sheffield Clive Betts MP (Sheffield Attercliffe) and Beighton Councillor Helen Mirfin-Boukouris have added their support to local residents in Beighton by asking English Heritage to give urgent consideration to the possibility of listing the Winnowing Barn at Reignhead Farm, Beighton Village, Sheffield. Clive Betts said: “There are very few historical buildings left in Beighton. I know that many local residents believe that, if possible, the Winnowing Barn should be renovated and not demolished. I have written to English Heritage to add my support to the request that it gives...
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Clive signs pledge on Student Fees
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CLIVE BETTS MAKES PLEDGE TO VOTERS ON STUDENT FEES Clive Betts MP today signed a pledge to voters ahead of the forthcoming general election that he will vote against any increase in fees in the next parliament. The National Union of Students (NUS) has launched the Vote for Students campaign to encourage candidates to pledge to protect student interests by opposing attempts to lift the cap on student top-up fees. The Vote for Students funding pledge states: “I pledge to vote against any increase in fees in the next parliament, and...
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 Clive Betts MP met with a group of mothers to discuss the benefits of paid maternity leave and Sure Start centres on their children. Paid maternity leave is of vital importance to allow mothers to maximise their time with their children as well as having an assurance of a job to go back to. Furthermore, the provision of free-part time nursery places allows parents piece of mind that they can work and be sure that their children are in safe hands. Here is what they had to say. Rebecca Reynolds Second baby due 20.04.10, son...
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Funding for Pothole Repair
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BETTS AND BLUNKETT CALL ON LIBERAL DEMOCRATS TO MATCH GOVERNMENT POTHOLE CASH David Blunkett MP (Sheffield Brightside) and Clive Betts MP are asking Sheffield City Council to match the government’s extra cash for repairing potholes, announced in yesterday’s budget. Clive Betts MP said: “Over the last 10 years, the government has trebled the funding to local councils for road maintenance – from £265 million in 2000/01 to £865 million in 2010/11. However, it is clear that even this increased level of investment has not managed to address the massive backlog of repair left...
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It now looks as though victory is in sight for local residents who have campaigned against the City Council’s proposals to build offices on the playing-fields at Waterthorpe Drive and move the bus-station further away from the Crystal Peaks shopping-centre. The Liberal Democrat Cabinet had agreed these plans without any consultation with local people. I organised a public meeting, supported by local Councillor David Barker and campaigner Isobel Bowler, attended by more than 150 local residents who were unanimous in their opposition to the plans. Subsequently, more than 2500 local people signed petitions opposing the Council’s...
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BETTS ASKS COUNCIL TO SUPPORT DARNALL POST OFFICE Clive Betts MP (Sheffield Attercliffe) has asked Sheffield City Council to assist the re-opening of Darnall Post Office. In a letter to the City Council’s Chief Executive today, Clive Betts says that · progress has now been made in discussions between the Royal Mail and Darnall Forum about finding new accommodation · it appears that none of the Council’s much-publicised fund to support post offices has yet been used · that the Council is declining to support the re-opening of Darnall Post Office because the fund has...
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TIME TO RAISE A TOAST I like my beer - real ale by preference, so the CAMRA Good Beer Guide is my favourite and most-used reference book. But, it has been impossible not to notice the number of pubs and clubs that have closed in recent years, as people have changed their leisure habits and the pubcos’ contracts have strangled local landlords. Several times I’ve searched out the Guide’s local recommendation only to find it boarded up. Last year, 2,365 pubs closed. I’ve been one of the MPs who have been persistently lobbying government ministers...
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I Stand For Children Campaign
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Betts supports NSPCC campaign to protect children Clive Betts MP (Sheffield Attercliffe) is supporting the NSPCC’s I stand for children campaign which aims to make child protection a priority for the next Parliament. The NSPCC’s campaign is calling for commitment to a range of child protection measures including: · Making the internet safer for children · Continued funding of helpline services for children and for adults concerned about the safety or welfare of a child · Tackling domestic violence from a child's point of view · Ensuring that vital child protection reforms are...
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Residents Reject Council's Crystal Peaks plans
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RESIDENTS REJECT COUNCIL’S CRYSTAL PEAK PLANS Local residents unanimously rejected the Liberal Democrats’ proposals to force through the sale of playing fields in order to build offices at Crystal Peaks at the South-East Area Assembly last night. Clive Betts MP (Sheffield Attercliffe) said: “This is the second large public meeting at which local people have unanimously rejected the Liberal Democrats’ proposals to force through – without any consultation - the sale of playing fields in order to build offices at Crystal Peaks. When are they going to get the message? We now need...
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Betts supports British Legion manifesto
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BETTS SUPPORTS BRITISH LEGION MANIFESTO Clive Betts MP (Sheffield Attercliffe) has signed up in support of the Royal British Legion ‘Do your bit’ manifesto. Clive Betts said: “The British Legion does great work for our Armed Forces: our serving personnel, our veterans and their families. I think it is very important that – with all that experience – the Legion should set out its aims and ambitions for serving personnel and veterans. I’m pleased to say that significant progress is being made on the vast majority of issues...
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Betts welcomes business growth cash
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BETTS WELCOMES BUSINESS GROWTH CASH Clive Betts MP (Sheffield Attercliffe) today welcomed the government’s announcement of an extra £50m funding for the Local Authority Business Growth Incentives (LABGI) scheme, which is given to councils for promoting economic growth. Clive Betts said: “Since 2005/6, the government has given more than £1bn through this scheme to local councils to promote local economic initiatives, particularly to help small and new businesses. In Sheffield, this grant has been used to fund the running costs of Creative Sheffield - the company set up by the Council...
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Sheffield Students runners up in Science and Engineering Competition
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Sheffield school students named runners-up in the National Science & Engineering Competition at The Big Bang Fair Rachael Drabble, Imogen Stennett and Nicol Ward, students at Handsworth Grange Community Sports College in Sheffield, have been named the runners-up in the junior age group in the Engineering & Technology Team Category of this year’s annual National Science & Engineering Competition presented at The Big Bang in Manchester. These awards celebrate the hard work and achievements of young people across the whole of the UK. Rachael, Imogen and Nicol’s project looked at using solar power to power a...
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Clive Betts MP gets on board with Guide Dogs’ Talking Buses campaign Sheffield Attercliffe MP calls for buses and coaches to have audible as well as visual announcements about next stop and final destination Sheffield Attercliffe MP Clive Betts has pledged their support for Guide Dogs’ ‘Talking Buses’ campaign, at an event held by the charity to raise awareness of how Talking Buses – which clearly announce the next stop and final destination – make bus travel easier and safer for passengers. Guide Dogs has found that many disabled and elderly people cannot...
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