Stephen Metcalfe MP supports the Letter Box Club

Last week Stephen Metcalfe, local MP for South Basildon and East Thurrock, wrote to Basildon Council asking them to support a fantastic initiative managed by the Booktrust known as the Letter Box Club.

The programme provides enjoyable educational support for children in the care system aged between 7 and 13. Each child enrolled by their participating local authority is sent a parcel of books, maths activities, stationary, and other materials once every month for six months from May to October.

Over the six-month period the parcels will also include other items such as a library joining card or information about how to join a library, name plates, bookmarks and letters from a selection of children’s authors.

Mr Metcalfe commented: “Research shows that children in care underachieve in education. We should be doing everything possible to change this. The Letter Box Club provides a fun, personal, and exciting means of doing so and have thus far shown it to have a demonstrable impact, helping many children make significant improvements in their standardised score in reading.”

Over 121 local authorities signed up for the 2013 scheme and it is hoped that more will follow suit in 2014.

Mr Metcalfe added: “I would urge both Basildon and Thurrock Council to sign up for next year’s programme so that more children in the local area can benefit from this fantastic opportunity.”

The Letter Box Club is also available for children placed for adoption and for post-adoption support. If you are an adoptive parent and you think your child would benefit from receiving the parcels then please contact the Letter Box Club on 020 8516 2993. Alternatively, for further general information please see: http://www.letterboxclub.org.uk/.

Stephen Metcalfe MP says “Thank You” to everyone who made submissions about the new Lower Thames Crossing

Last week Stephen Metcalfe, local MP for South Basildon and East Thurrock, supported by local Ward Councillors Mike Revell and Sue Little joined a local group of resident in Orsett in a final push to encourage people to take part in the consultation regarding a new lower Thames crossing.

The whole day was a huge success with hundreds of people making submissions on the day via the online portal that had been set up. Cllr’s , residents, and the MP were on hand throughout the day to talk through the Options and to explain why they were particularly opposing Option C.

The submissions made will provide further evidence of local opposition to the Government’s proposals to locate a crossing connecting the M2 with the A13 and the M25 between junctions 29 and 30.

Stephen Metcalfe, who recently submitted his own response to the lower Thames crossing consultation, commented: “I was extremely pleased to have the opportunity to get into the community and talk to local people about their views on the lower Thames crossing consultation. It is abundantly clear that Option C is not right for the local area and I made this very clear in my submission to the Department for Transport. I would therefore like to thank everyone who took part either in organising the final push or for submitting their view to the consultation.”

Cllr Sue Little said: “I am delighted at the positive response received by local residents and would like to thank all those who participated in this campaign against option C.”

The consultation on the crossing is now closed and responses are currently being analysed. The outcome of this analysis will be available to download soon from: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/options-for-a-new-lower-thames-crossing. 

The local MP added: “We must now wait for the outcome of the consultation before deciding on our next course of action. Ideally, the Government will have listened and taken note of the very reasonable opposition to Option C. If this is the case, we can then move forward to looking at solutions for reducing traffic at the Dartford Crossing that do not have such a detrimental impact on the local community.”

Stephen Metcalfe MP calls on Government to support Basildon Hospital as it is placed in special measures

Stephen Metcalfe, local MP for South Basildon and East Thurrock, has welcomed the findings of the Keogh Review and has expressed his confidence that the new management regime has the ability to put right the failures of the past.

Stephen Metcalfe MP said: “It was not a surprise that Basildon Hospital was one of 14 Hospitals selected to be investigated and again, not surprising that it is one of eleven hospitals now in special measures as a result of the Keogh review.”

“We have known for a long time that the hospital faces a number of serious challenges and I am pleased that these are now being addressed in a robust fashion. Under the new leadership, progress has been made and we are undoubtedly heading in the right direction.”

“There is clearly still a lot to do and this will take time but I have every confidence that the Hospital can rise to the challenge of meeting the measures outlined in the Keogh report.  I will do all I can to support this process and look forward to seeing a much improved hospital serving the local community in the future.”

“The shame is it has taken nearly 12 years to get to a point where we are really tackling the challenges. As early as 2001 it was identified that the hospitals had higher than expected mortality rates and yet nothing seemed to be done until 2009 when an investigation was launched, four weeks after the Hospital had been rated ‘Good’ by the previous now failed inspection regime. For each of the preceding years the Hospital was judged to be “Good” while the mortality rate was vastly higher than expected, this begs the question – why was nothing done before 2009, and why was no one highlighting the discrepancy between the rating and the reality?”

Since 2010 and with work behind the scenes from local MPs, the Hospital has started to make progress – the Hospital now have a new Chairman, a new Chief Executive and a new board and management team, we all now must support this new regime to make the changes need to deliver safe hospital and quality healthcare.

In response to a question from Stephen Metcalfe in the House of Commons yesterday, Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt, replied: “We will, of course, give every support to the management at Basildon to turn around their hospitals.” He also commented on the number of nurses which have increased by 100 since the last election, and will increase by a further 200 in light of the report.

After the statement, Mr Metcalfe congratulated the Secretary of State for putting patients first and for starting to create a more open and transparent National Health Service.

Stephen Metcalfe MP visits Ryedene Community Primary School to promote Christmas stamp competition

Stephen Metcalfe, local MP for South Basildon and East Thurrock, paid a visit to Ryedene Community Primary School this week to promote Royal Mail’s Christmas stamp competition.

When Mr Metcalfe arrived, the children were busy painting their designs for the competition which will give local primary schoolchildren the chance to create an official Christmas stamp for the first time in more than 30 years.

Launched by children’s author and illustrator Lauren Child, the competition is open to primary school aged pupils from 4-11, and will give two winners the chance to see their design used by millions of people sending festive greetings to friends and family across the country.

The theme of the competition is “What does the Christmas season mean to you?” and the designs can be religious or secular. As with all Special Stamps issued by Royal Mail, both winning designs will have to be approved by The Queen.

Two winning designs from children will be selected by a panel of judges, and their designs will appear on one of the 1^st and one of the 2^nd Class Christmas Stamps from this year’s range.

Mr Metcalfe wrote to all primary schools in South Basildon and East Thurrock encouraging them to take part in the competition and was said to be delighted that Ryedene Community Primary School are participating.

After his visit he commented: “It was brilliant to visit Ryedene and to see what ideas the children have had for their entries. It was great to see so many students getting involved - the standard really was fantastic and I wish every student the best of luck with their entry.”

“I would like to thank Royal Mail for giving the young people this once in a lifetime opportunity and I hope that this year I will be sending my Christmas cards using stamps designed by a child in South Basildon and East Thurrock!”

Stephen Metcalfe MP calls for oil pricing inquiry

Stephen Metcalfe, local MP for South Basildon and East Thurrock, today joined colleagues from across the House and lead spokesmen for FairFuelUK, Quentin Willson, to petition the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) for a full and transparent inquiry into the oil pricing process.

The FairFuelUK petition contains over 30,000 signatures from campaign supporters collected in just 5 days and asks the OFT to actively investigate oil price manipulation – something European and American regulators are already doing.

A banner was also unveiled as part of a call for a vigorous inquiry by the UK’s Fair Market Protection body.

Mr Metcalfe commented: “When the global price of oil goes up, naturally, the cost of fuel at the pumps goes up. My constituents won’t be surprised to learn that when the price of oil comes down, the cost of fuel does not always follow suit.”

“This has to change. The price of fuel affects everyone, from businesses to families with the poorest being hit twice as hard as the rich. This is unacceptable and I was therefore extremely keen to make the most of an opportunity to lobby the OFT on this issue.”

The average Briton spends 10% of their disposable income on fuel, whilst the poorest spend 27%.

In response to the meeting, the OFT released a statement saying: “The OFT recognises that the price of petrol and diesel is a subject of significant public concern...We continue to welcome any new information about this market. Where we receive credible evidence of potentially anti-competitive behaviour, we will look to take action, as we have done in other markets.”

Mr Metcalfe added: “My colleagues, FairFuelUK, and I, believe that the evidence is there. We will continue to campaign for a full investigation like our American and European counterparts so that our constituents get a fair price at the pumps.”

Stephen Metcalfe MP praises a ‘Fantastique’ performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Stephen Metcalfe, local MP for South Basildon and East Thurrock, has heaped praise on La Danse Fantastique’s recent musical performance of Shakespeare’s ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’.

Mr Metcalfe, who has supported the local performing arts school on numerous occasions, said that: “The performance was brilliant. Le Danse Fantastique well and truly lived up to their name and I would like to congratulate all those involved.”

Le Danse Fantastique was founded in 1994 and has since grown into a tremendously successful performing arts school with over 130 students of all ages and abilities.  Able bodied students are taught alongside those with physical problems, sensory impairments, and learning difficulties, opening up the world of music and dance to all young people and making inclusion and integration the norm.

The performance featured a 39 strong cast of young people alongside some seasoned professionals and was directed by Le Danse Fantastique’s founder, Moira Brock.

The local MP added: “Aside from the brilliant performances, one of my favourite things about Le Danse Fantastique is their commitment to inclusivity. This show demonstrates that the highest of standards can be attained without excluding anyone and this is something to be very proud of.”

“I look forward to supporting the school at their future events and once again I would like to congratulate all involved in A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”

Stephen Metcalfe MP invites public contributions to stop and search consultation

Stephen Metcalfe MP has welcomed a six-week consultation on changes to how police in England and Wales use stop-and-search powers and he is inviting local people in South Basildon and East Thurrock to make their own contribution.

Announcing the consultation Home Secretary Theresa May told the House of Commons that around one million stop-and-searches take place each year – but with only 9 per cent leading to an arrest.

She added that it takes an average of 16 minutes to conduct a stop and search and process the details, amounting to 312,000 hours each year - the equivalent of 145 full-time police officers.

In Essex 3,816 stop and searches were carried out in 2011/12 with 373 resultant arrests: an arrest rate of 10%. This compares to a national rate of 9 per cent.

Welcoming the consultation, Mr Metcalfe said: “Police stop and search powers are important in the daily fight against crime, especially in combating gangs, knife crime and drug offences.”

“But the powers must be applied fairly and in a way that builds community confidence in the police.  When stop and search is misapplied, it can be a waste of police time and public money.”

“I encourage local people in South Basildon and East Thurrock to respond to the consultation so that their views and experiences can be taken into account as the Government reviews these powers.”

For further information and to take part in the consultation, please visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/stop-and-search