Beverley and Holderness Parliamentary constituency to be broken up under proposed boundary changes

THE REVIEW of Parliamentary constituency boundaries starts formally today with the publication of the Boundary Commission for England's (BCE) initial proposals, which sets out to reduce the number of constituencies and equalise the size of each.

If implemented the proposals will introduce substantial changes leading to the break-up of the Beverley and Holderness constituency. It will reduce the number of constituencies in Yorkshire and the Humber from 55 to 50. Major changes proposed, include:

• South West Holderness ward will be included in the East Hull Constituency (see Hedon Blog); 
• the wards of Mid-Holderness, North Holderness and South-East Holderness will be included in a new Bridlington constituency;
• A new Beverley constituency will be formed covering three Beverley wards and the wards of Driffield and Rural, Pocklington Provincial, and Wolds Weighton.

Karl Turner MP for the East Hull constituency had already expressed his discontent at any proposed changes with a page (published prior to today's BCE announcements) on his website stating his opposition:

"The Bill that is being forced through parliament is arbitrary and partisan. It is a cynical ploy designed to protect coalition parties and to hurt the Labour Party. I believe it disenfranchises young people, minority groups and low income voters. In other words, it neglects to count those who need counting the most. The arbitrary nature of the Bill means the redrawing of constituencies takes no account of local authorities or even natural landmarks."

The proposals for Yorkshire and Humber have been reproduced below. Copies are also available from the East Riding Council's Customer Service Centres.

The initial consultation about these proposals closes on 5th December 2011.

Boundary Changes 2011-08-23 Yorkshire-humber Online

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No cuts to Holderness Sure Start Centres

SPENDING ON "SURE START" CHILDREN'S CENTRES in Holderness, which aim to give children from birth to 5-years old the "best possible start in life", is expected to increase during the next financial year. This is welcome news considering that elsewhere in the country there are fears that up to 250 centres may close within one year and 3,100 centres will have a reduced budget.

The East Riding Council has confirmed via a Freedom of Information request that the proposed budget for Holderness children's centres for 2011-2012 is £551,518. This represents a small increase in spending of just over £88,000 on last year's expenditure. This figure includes spending on all operational costs (premises, service delivery and advice) in Holderness which includes centres in Hedon, Withernsea and an outreach in Patrington.

The council has said that its proposed budgets are only preliminary but there will be an increase to the East Riding children's centre budget and there will be some new posts established and recruitment in 2011-2012.

The issue of Sure Start funding was a controversial issue during last years general election campaign in the Beverley and Holderness constituency, see Beverley Hustings - Sure Start Row.

See the Freedom of Information request and response on WhatDoTheyKnow - Funding for Sure Start Centres in Holderness.

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Health Watchdog leaders seek to appoint new Chair

LOCAL HEALTH WATCHDOGS the East Riding of Yorkshire LINk have lost their Chair who has resigned "due to unforseen circumstances". The organisation which meets in Beverley next week for a crucial discussion on the Government's Health Bill now seeks to appoint a new Chair from within its leading group of activists.

Under its existing rules the organisation would have to organise a hustings of its entire membership to elect a new Chair - so the organisation's governance document is being changed to allow the LINk's Lead Group to elect this important role.

It would seem to make sense that the Chair is elected by the body in which she/he will spend the most time facilitating, but members will have the opportunity to accept or reject this, along with other proposed policy and procedure changes, at the meeting on Thursday February 24th.

See Beverley Forum on the ERYLINk website.

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ERYLINk Forum - Giving you a stronger voice on Health and Social Care

BEVERLEY IS THE LOCATION for the next Forum Meeting of health watch-dogs the ERYLINk (East Riding of Yorkshire Local Involvement Network).

Taking place at the Beverley Arms Hotel, on Thursday 24th February, the Forum is an opportunity to hear about how the Government's health reforms will affect you. Proposals to set up the new 'HealthWatch' initiative, which aims to "put patients at the heart of the NHS", will also be under discussion. The Forum takes place from 10:30am - 3:00pm.

The ERYLINk has over 400 groups and individuals involved and has carried out some major investigations into local health issues. The Beverley Forum is an opportunity to discuss how these successes can be built upon and help provide a vision of how HealthWatch East Riding of Yorkshire might work.

Contact the ERYLINk on 01377 232 135 for more information or e-mail erylink@hwrcc.org.uk.

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Wind turbine manufacturing plant will bring local benefits

HULL HAS BEEN CHOSEN by Siemens as the location for a new wind turbine manufacturing plant, which could bring local benefits to Holderness.

Siemens and Associated British Ports (ABP) have announced that they have signed up to the idea of the proposed Green Port Hull development at Alexandra Dock, Hull and will work to develop plans for a new the construction of a new offshore and wind turbine manufacturing plant.

Green Port Hull, a partnership formed by ABP, Hull City Council, East Riding Council and the University of Hull, was set up in December 2010 to attract turbine manufacturers to locate in the city. It is believed that up to 10,000 new jobs could be created with the further development of land owned by ABP if the vision of Green Port Hull is realised.

Local MP Graham Stuart has welcomed the announcement: 

“This is fantastic news and shows just how well placed Hull and the East Riding is to become the heart of the green energy revolution in this country. I am sure that when Siemens does come to the docks it will be the start of a rapid expansion of businesses in the area which could well see important Associated British Ports land in the Beverley and Holderness constituency developed with many new jobs being created.”

The news of new jobs and investment will be generally welcomed in the HU12 area, although people will want to see more details of what the proposals will mean in terms of increased local traffic and inconvenience. Also, following the scrapping last year of plans by DONG Energy to build a new bio-mass power station at Hull docks, local people will want to see more firm plans in place before making their voices heard.

Claims  of thousands of new jobs being created will also be taken with a large pinch of salt. It was clear from the discussion with DONG Energy that claims of a 'jobs bonanza' were a media invention - while some local jobs would have been created, the actual effect would have be an import of people into Hull and Holderness from other areas of the country and from Scandavian countries were the essential job skills needed already existed.

However, the final words of encouragement for this initiative come again from Graham Stuart:

“This is both an ambitious plan and one which could really put the area on the map as a centre of excellence for renewable energy.”

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East Riding LINk publishes 'Enter and View' Reports into hospital wards

COMMUNITY HEALTH WATCHDOG the East Riding of Yorkshire Local Involvement Network - or ERYLINk - has published its first reports resulting from 'Enter and View' visits into health services.

LINks were set up by an Act of Parliament in April 2008 and funded through Local Authorities in England. One of the activities carried out by LINks is 'Enter and View'. This activity includes training individuals from the community to visit hospitals and care homes, on behalf of patients and the public, to observe and assess service provision. These should then lead to positive recommendations to improve services.

The ERYLINk has published six reports on its website as a result of visits to hospital wards at Castle Hill Hospital and Hull Royal Infirmary; and residential care homes Lindum House and Old School House in Beverley, and Wold Haven, Pocklington.

The reports are available to download from the ERYLINk website.

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Big Society 'red tape' purge

GRAHAM STUART, MP for Beverley and Holderness MP, is calling on all charities, social enterprises and voluntary groups to help in the fight against excessive red tape.

His call comes as the Government launches a joint Cabinet Office and Department of Business, Innovation and Skills task force to look at ways of making life easier for groups working in the voluntary and social sector. The Government has said that it is committed to making it easier to run charities, voluntary groups and social enterprises. Reducing bureaucratic burdens will free-up time and resources for these organisations to make a difference in their communities and help mobilise the Big Society.

Graham said: “I have, with the help of the East Riding Voluntary Action Services and Virtual Riders, contacted nearly every charity, social enterprise and voluntary group in the constituency. It is vital they contribute as much evidence as possible to the task force so it can make meaningful changes to the processes which these groups need to go through. As we push forward with the idea of a Big Society it is important Government does as much as possible to smooth the path for the very groups and organisations which communities rely on. I do not want to see them entangled in red tape which could easily have been slashed.”

The task force is a commitment in the Cabinet Office Structural Reform Plan. Its purpose is to investigate and recommend measures to reduce the burdens on small organisations and it is a vital tool in achieving the Government's aim to make it easier to run a charity, social enterprise or voluntary organisation.

The chairman will be Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbots, who has spent his career advising and working with small and medium sized enterprises, and is currently NCVO President (National Council for Voluntary Organisations).

Evidence can be submitted by filling in a form at www.grahamstuart.com/cutting-red-tape/ or by emailing red.tape.taskforce@cabinetoffice.x.gsi.gov.uk

Useful Links:

• ERVAS
• Virtual Riders
• NCVO

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What is the best option for growing local business enterprise?

THE GOVERNMENT is abolishing Yorkshire Forward the Regional Development Agency by 2012 and has invited local councils and businesses to work together to form local enterprise partnerships to promote economic growth and jobs.

There is a lively debate taking place over which model or models of partnership should be formed in Yorkshire.

Hull City and East Riding of Yorkshire councils believe that the starting point, which can build on the significant and growing amount of joint working taking place, would be a ‘North Bank’ local enterprise partnership covering the East Riding. Such an arrangement recognises the established economic geography that links the economy of Hull with the rest of East Yorkshire.

Lincolnshire councils and some maritime businesses meanwhile have backed the idea of a 'Humber-wide' partnership claiming the approach would have more depth than each authority vying for its own pitch and competing.

Other business leaders and councils have called for a wider 'Yorkshire Enterprise Partnership' to be formed in addition to any local model of partnership. Supporters behind the YEP idea argue that Yorkshire needs a bigger organisation to look after its interests at national and international level. Some functions, such as promoting the Yorkshire brand and tourism, are best carried out at a regional level.

The views of business are the key factor in this process and councils are consulting with and listening to the business community. The two local councils have jointly launched an on-line survey to give all businesses the chance to have their say. To give your views, follow the link to the survey below by 26th August 2010:

http://www.eastriding.gov.uk/corp-survey/snapform/localenterprisepartnership/lepproposal.htm

More about this story on HumberBusiness.com website.

Update on key meeting of Council leaders yesterday from The Business Desk: Councillors open door for YEP plan (may have to register to read full article).

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Graham Stuart Re-elected as MP for Beverley and Holderness

Congratulations to Graham Stuart on his re-election as Member of Parliament for the Beverley and Holderness Constituency.

The results of the poll are as follows:

• Graham Stuart – Conservative - 25,063
• Craig Dobson – Liberal Democrats – 12,076
• Ian Saunders – Labour Party – 11,224
• Neil Whitelam – British National Party – 2,080
• Andy Horsfield – United Kingdom Independence Party – 1,845
• Bill Rigby – Green Party – 686
• Ron Hughes – Independent - 225

Majority 12,987 (24.4%)
Turnout 53,199 (66.8%)

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