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9th January 2012

Hello again,

I have a number of important dates and announcements plus a summary of my work in the last week and some very good news about the Foresters Arms, Newthorpe.

The death of John McGrath
Thursday will be a very important day for the family of Stapleford man John McGrath who was killed by his grandson, William Barnard. Will, as his family know him, was extremely ill at the time with a mental illness and you may remember I secured a debate in Parliament on this terrible case. The report commissioned by the Strategic Health Authority makes for disturbing reading revealing, in my view, a systemic failure in the care and supervision of a mentally ill and vulnerable young man. The report will be published on Thursday and my hope is that its conclusions and recommendations will ensure no other family has to suffer as the McGrath family have.

Field Farm Public Meeting
I do hope as many people as possible will attend the public meeting at the Jaguar Pub at the top of Hickings Lane this Saturday January 14th at 2pm in opposition to the planning application to build 450 houses on Field Farm. The Stapleford and Trowell Action Group (STRAG) have done an outstanding job publicising the event and my thanks to them. Field Farm is green belt land and has been designated a "prefered site" for development by Broxtowe Borough Council - in the face of considerable opposition which I hope will be demonstarted on Saturday.

Councillor Tom Pettengell
Following on from my last email newsletter, Tom's funeral will take place on Monday January 16th at the Bramcote crematorium at 11am. there was a lovely obituary in the Nottingham Post which you can read by clicking on This is Nottingham

"Meet the Minister" Thursday February 9th
I have invited the Minister for Business and Enterprise, Mark Prisk MP to a meeting with local small and medium sized businesses on Thursday February 9th at 1.30. I’ve arranged the meeting with my colleague Jessica Lee MP who represents Erewash – we tossed a coin and she won so the event is being held “over the border” in Long Eaton at Mayfield House. Please email me back for more details. This is a genuine opportunity for people running and working in small and medium business to ask any question of the Minister charged with helping them succeed.

Success for the Save Our Foresters Arms!
I am very pleased to announce that Greene King have had a change of heart and instead of seeking to demolish The Foresters Arms in Newthorpe have offered the land lord, Adrian Naylor a three year lease. My grateful thanks to everyone who supported the campaign and signed the petition which I received. In turn I handed it to the leader of Broxtowe Borough Council, Milan Radulovic and my thanks to Milan for all his efforts. Now we must all “use it or lose it”.

Armed Forces Community Covenant signing
Today I attended the signing of a local "covenant" bewteen Broxtowe Borough Council and representatives of the armed forces based, in the main, at Chetwynd Barracks.
Details can be viewed on the Councils web site www.broxtowe.gov.uk

Attenborough Cricket Club
I’ve been contacted by Attenborough Cricket Club who are seeking to improve their facilities notably for the disabled and for female cricketers and I have gladly agreed to support their various bids for funding. The ground will remain closed whilst the new flood wall is built providing the club with a great opportunity to create a first class Club House.

Bramcote Hills Sixth Form College
I received a suitably tough grilling from Politics students at Bramcote Hills last week. My thanks to all concerned!

Payne Security
The Giltbrook company celebrated one hundred years in business and another Queen’s Award last year. I paid them another visit last week to get a better understanding of their products and the challenges they face.

Gideon Bible presentation
My thanks to the Gideon Society who presented me with an inscribed copy of the Bible at the constituency office on Friday.

Chinese New Year Celebrations
The Lakeside Arts Centre has already started the celebrations with an exhibition and talks. This weekend sees a taster of the full event with a workshop here at Barton House. Broxtowe Borough Council's web site www.broxtowe.gov.uk has all the details including the programme for the main events on Saturday 28th January in Beeston.

Surgery details
Please call or email me for an appointment at my next surgery on Saturday 21st January at the Temple Centre in Nuthall.
Contact Anna at Barton House, 61 High Road, Chilwell NG9 4AJ
0115 9436507 anna.soubry.mp@parliament.uk

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19th September 2011

Hello again,

I have an immediate apology, as I had hoped to send this email newsletter some time ago.

Unfortunately, I have been unwell requiring a stay in the QMC. It was certainly a novel way to meet a number of constituents who were good enough to stop and ask how I was (they received a muffled response as I was wearing an oxygen mask at the time!).

So forgive me, but I have not been as active as normal in the last few weeks. I continue to post more detailed information on a number of topics on my web site www.annasoubry.org.uk

Scroll down for updates on:

Saving our green belt/ The Foresters Arms/Bramwell residential home/Police meeting - Kimberley Police Station and Contact Points /Doing Business in Broxtowe/ Stapleford Walk In Centre/ Toton Trees/ Toton Connect Bus/ Bendigo Blue Plaque/Boundary changes/Surgery dates

Save our green belt
There has been considerable controversy both locally and nationally about how the Government's policy on planning and development will impact on green field land and green belt land. There is a difference and there has been much confusion. In Broxtowe we only have brownfield sites and green belt land available for development and the Government has pledged to retain the special protection given to green belt land.

As the Prime Minister said last week: "we are not changing the rules on national parks, on the green belt and areas of outstanding natural beauty."

Whilst politicians slug it out I would urge everyone please to take part in the consultation being conducted by Broxtowe Borough Council on their plans for the future of housing development in the constituency.

The deadline for submissions is October 3rd and my view is that the plans pose a very real and profound threat to the green belt in Broxtowe.

I've explained my views in a series of letters and emails to all Borough Councillors and you can read more by clicking the Save our Green Belt tab on the tool bar of my web site www.annasoubry.org.uk.
Please read the proposals by clicking on the Councils web site www.broxtowe.gov.uk and then on the "Core Stategy" item on the home page. This will lead you to various documents including the form for you to have your say.

The Borough is conducting a number of public meetings; please click here for details from the Council’s web site.

I attended the meeting in Nuthall but Parliamentary business prevented me from attending a number of others, perhaps most notably the meeting in Bramcote, so please read the report on Bramcote Today

At the Nuthall meeting I was not alone in concluding that Broxtowe has agreed a housing target that effectively gives the go ahead to thousands of houses on the Borough's green belt. I believe Broxtowe is wrong to accept this target and should wait for the Localism Bill to come into force and most importantly consult with residents before agreeing to any target - a course Rushcliffe Council has adopted. I am however heartened that at least one of the ruling Labour/Lib Dem group on Broxtowe has said the figures could be reduced down after the public consultation.

With local Councillors, I have organised a public meeting in Toton on Saturday September 24th at the Greenwood Centre from 2pm until 4pm

I have applied for a debate in Parliament on the future of the green belt.

I have also spoken to the Secretary of State Eric Pickles who made it clear Broxtowe does not have to accept the housing target set down by the last Government. Eric told Parliament last week that, "the green belt will be protected under this coalition Government, unlike under the previous Labour Government, who promised to build on it."

In defence of our green belt I have done interviews on Radio Nottingham and reports for the Nottingham Post.

I have been somewhat surprised and disappointed at the reaction from the controlling group who refused a debate on the issue at the recent council meeting. This led at least one brave Lib Dem to resign the whip (Beeston Councillor Steve Carr).

The response to my letter and emails from one Labour Councillor was an email to me to the effect I should get my priorities right and read his views on the riots rather than "spurious green belt concerns"! I am sorry to disappoint him, but I take the view that this is precisely the sort of local issue that an MP should be concerned with and I will not be bullied out of protecting our green belt or in taking that fight to Parliament.

I believe in development, which includes building houses - especially more affordable ones for first time buyers. We have brown field sites in Broxtowe where we can build two thousand new homes and create jobs. The rest of our available land is green belt and we have precious little left. It needs our protection, not for Broxtowe Borough Council to be handing it over to developers, as I fear they already have on Field Farm and with the fields north of Toton opposite Bardills.

There is a real danger of Broxtowe becoming one huge urban sprawl from Nottingham to the Derbyshire border. Broxtowe should be waiting for the Localism Bill which will hand power back to the communities and I hope you will ask them why they are rushing into the hands of developers.

SOFA so good!
On a more positive note, Greene King have withdrawn their planning application to demolish the Foresters Arms in Newthorpe in favour of housing. However, there is a need to remain vigilant, as a spokesperson from the Brewery has stated in the Nottingham Post that Greene King “anticipate (they) will re-submit another planning application for potential residential use in the near future."
It has been a pleasure to support this campaign; I wrote to Greene King representing the 700 people who had signed a petition in support of the Foresters Arms. In turn I presented the petition to the leader of Broxtowe Borough Council (full details of which can be found on my web site).
Bramwell Care and Residential Home
Notts County Council have found a buyer for six residential and care homes including Bramwell. This is obviously very disappointing to those of us who have been opposed to the sale of Bramwell. I took the view that the excellent services provided at Bramwell should continue as they were in the public sector. The counter view (and I publicly fell out with the Conservative ruling group on the County Council on this matter) is that money raised by the sale and the savings that would flow would be re-invested in improving services for our elderly throughout the County.
However, only half the homes have found a buyer which presumably reduces the amount of savings to be made and the purchase price is £2.5 million, far lower than expected. So there is real concern that this sale may not deliver the funds to improve services as was planned. I have written to the leader of the County Council asking a series of questions all of which I hope will be explored during Thursday’s council meeting. I am also working with Lib Dem Councillor Stan Heptinstall who has worked tirelessly on behalf of the Friends of Bramwell.

Police Meeting/Kimberley Police Station/ Contact Points in Nuthall, Stapleford and Toton
I attended an MPs' briefing at the Police Force Headquarters where, as you might imagine, there was considerable discussion about how our police dealt with a number of incidents during last months "riots". The agreed view was the police did a very good job.

We discussed the review of police stations. I made representations on behalf of many people in Kimberley who do not want the police station to close and I also expressed my opposition to the closure of the front counter at Eastwood. I said there was considerable support for a police contact point in Stapleford, Nuthall and Toton.

Doing business in Broxtowe
I have met with a number of local businesses since my election last year and I am keen to meet with many more. Recently, I visited Bridgeway Consulting Ltd on Beeston Business Park and was impressed by their training and apprenticeship programmes. It was also a real honour to go to Payne Security in Giltbrook for the presentation of the Queen's Award for Enterprise. This is their second Queen's Award and they are an outstanding company with a world class reputation.

I appreciate that, for small businesses in particular, these are tough times and as the local MP I very much want to do all I can to help - whether it's raising over regulation with Ministers or getting the banks to honour overdraft and loan agreements - I am keen to do all I can do to assist.

Stapleford Walk-in Centre
The centre is set to close at the end of the month and I had another meeting with the PCT to discuss how they plan to replicate this popular service. I had asked for a better appointment policy and system at GP surgeries covering Stapleford which they assure me is happening. I would be grateful for any experiences to the contrary! I know there has been an increase in the number of surgeries but there are a number of matters which I believe still need to be addressed, namely the restoration of a service to change dressings and an improvement in the parking situation at the QMC. Generally I am in favour of more services currently being provided only at the City or the QMC being moved out to GP surgeries.

Notts County Council is also not satisfied the PCT has done enough to make up for the closure of the Stapleford Walk-In Centre so I anticipate there will be more improvements before the end of the month.

Toton Trees updates
I have had a reply from Lord Henley to my letter on behalf of residents who were angry that the land owner had not been punished in some ways for the destruction of the trees. You can read the letter by clicking here for the link to the web site. I was also copied in to a letter from Peter Acton
of the Nottinghamshire Biological and Geological Record Centre which supported the amendments to the re-stocking notice.

Anthony Nolan recruitment campaign
I have been written to by John Woodcock MP, and contacted by a number of constituents regarding the campaign by the Anthony Nolan Trust to recruit 10 constituents to their stem cell donor list.

I am more than happy to promote this on behalf of the 1600 people currently in need of a Stem Cell transplant.

To read more about the campaign, and to sign up for yourself, please click here

Toton Connect
I have had a good meeting with Premiere, who have extended the 17 service to make up for the loss of the Toton Connect bus. I am meeting Trent Barton next week as we all want the Connect service restored!

Bendigo Blue Plaque
Our latest Blue Plaque will read: "All-England champion bare-knuckle prize-fighter, a reformed drunkard turned evangelist who retired to a cottage on the site". That is how Bendigo (William Thompson) will be remembered at the unveiling on Tuesday 11 October at 10.30 am in the Pearson Centre, Nuart Road, Beeston- the 200th Anniversary of Bendigo's birth. Congratulations as ever to Beeston & District Local History Society, Stapleford & District Local History Society, the Beeston and District Civic Society and now also the Bramcote Conservation Society on marking the achievement of another great Broxtowe resident.

Boundary Changes
As you may already know the Boundary Commission proposed adding Gotham to Broxtowe as part of the plans to make constituencies of equal size and to reduce the number of MP's which will save us about £12 million. I would be honoured to represent Gotham; I know the village and it has a lot in common with much of Broxtowe, even though it is about 15 miles away, south of the river! You might have seen me on the BBC Politics Show welcoming the change which now undergoes a two year consultation process.

OUT AND ABOUT IN BROXTOWE

Moor Green Show
I enjoy the Moor Green Show though it is fair to say we were all disappointed in the weather and smaller crowds this year. I understand BBC Radio Nottingham's John Holmes is taking up the Presidency next year and I wish him great success. I think he could be the boost that is needed to keep Moor Green a great show.

Stapleford Carnival
Was it just me, or maybe it was the warm sunny weather, but this year's Stapleford Carnival seemed to be the best in a few years? Congratulations to Hemlock stone Lions who organise it and to everyone who made it a lovely day.

Awsworth and Cossall Best in Bunch
I attended the Awsworth and Cossall Village Produce Association's Annual Show. Each year I am impressed by the dedication of all those who display in the show, and long may it continue.

Advice Surgeries:
Saturday 24th September 11am - 1pm
Friday 14th October, 3pm - 5:00pm
Please contact the Constituency Office to book an appointment. If it's an emergency an appointment is not necessary.

Best Wishes,

Anna Soubry MP

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