Stupid decision of the day : Post Office loses government contract for pension and benefit payments

Given the talk before the last general election of saving the ‘Post Office’, I hope the that the details reported in the Guardian of the Post Office losing the contract from the department of works and pensions to cash ‘giros’ in the Post Office will be reviewed and reconsidered.

This contract which the Unite union say’s is worth £20 million to the Post Office network, and will potentially effect 350,000 people across the country will have a far wider effect than just the loss of this contract and will as outlined in the Unite press release undoubtedly be a further death knell to the sustainability of the Post Office network, which as well as losing the contract will also lose from the reduced ‘footfall’ from ‘benefit recipients’ going elsewhere.

Now whilst I have no particular objections about the company that has being awarded the contact, I do agree with the comments from the General Secretary of the National Federation of SubPostmasters George Thomson who said :

“This is a bitterly disappointing decision from the government. Benefits cheque customers rely on their local post office to provide this important service, with subpostmasters and trained Post Office staff providing assistance to hundreds of thousands of vulnerable customers each week. Many of these customers will be unwilling or unable to travel to a Paypoint outlet such as an off-licence or garage forecourt to claim their weekly pension or benefit allowance.”

Sunday's Power Cut

Image via Wikipedia

At just after 5.00pm yesterday (14th November) around 600 homes in the Gamesley area experienced a power cut.

I'm currently awaiting details from Electricity North West who are the company that owns, operates and maintains the electricity network in our area, as to what the problem was that caused the power cut.

I've also flagged up with them following a number of calls last night, problems around getting through to the information on the problem whilst using their emergency number, and I'll let you know what there reply is.

Glossop Remembrance Sunday Service - Problems noted

Photo from the Glossop Advertiser - www.glossopadvertiser.co.uk

It was great on Sunday morning, to see an even bigger crowd of locals than last year paying their respect's at the Remembrance Sunday Service.

It was particularly good to see an ever crowing number of younger folk in the Army Cadets and the various other uniformed organisations taking part.

Whilst the greater numbers is good to see, a number of locals both following the service and since then have contacted me to raise a number of concerns.

These concerns mainly centre around problems with the sound / pa system (which meant many people could not hear the service), a lack of service sheets, and problems around the amount of traffic that continued going past during the service.

I've raised these concerns with the Chief Executive of the Council (who was in attendance at Glossop on Sunday), and our local Police Inspector to see what steps we can take to assist the organisers for next years service, and ensure that all attending can hear and take part in the service.

End legal loan sharking and support credit unions

I've recently written to our MP, asking him to support work being done by Compass (and others) around ending legal loan sharking and supporting credit unions.

The main ask was to attend a debate in parliament that has being organised by Stella Creasy MP, along with signing an early day motion on the issue (no 660).

The text of my letter is as below :

Dear Andrew,

Some loan and credit companies are charging annual interest rates equivalent to over 2500% (despite the Bank of England base rate being just 0.5%), whilst some door to door lenders charge up to £82 for every £100 borrowed. This is legal loan sharking, a national scandal which must be stopped.

Borrowing at these rates repeatedly tips customers into inescapable cycles of debt and poverty. High debt repayments are linked to rent, council tax and utility arrears, constraints on job seeking behaviour, poor diets, cold homes, and mental and physical health problems.

Stella Creasy MP has secured an adjournment debate on the topic of Consumer credit regulation on Tuesday 9th November at 11am in Westminster Hall.

Locally HPCH and HPBC are working with others organisations to extend credit union facilities into the area to give an alternative, but action is needed now to end legal loan sharking and I urge you to attend this debate and ask the government what steps it is taking to end legal loan sharking.

If you haven't already I also urge you to sign EDM 660 - Loan Sharks.

Kind Regards

Anthony Mckeown

The reply back received so far from our MP's staff thanked me from bringing the debate to our MP's notice and advised if his diary allows he will look in on the debate and pass on my concerns. I'll follow up on if he arrived later.

There's also an additional early day motion that's worth signing that I forgot to mention which is no 872

If you would like to support the campaign or even just find out more information, you can go to their website at : http://www.endlegalloansharks.org.uk/

Football Focus

Gamesley’s first team returned to winning form on Saturday (9^th October) with a 1 – 0 win at home to Golbourne Sports, the reserves however had no opportunity to try and return to winning ways with there away tie to Middlewich Town Reserves being postponed.

Gamesley Villa’s Saturday 13’s lost 4 – 3 away to Heyside JFC 13’s, another unlucky tie for Villa’s Sunday 12’s (10^th October) with a 5 – 1 defeat at home to Chaddy End’s 12’s, this now sees them occupy the bottom spot in the league. Villa’s 11’s however are doing much better with a 14 – 0 win away to Manchester Maccabi 11's which now leaves them 5 points clear at the top of the league.

Next Saturday (16^th October) sees Gamesley Villa’s 13’s in Cup action with a home tie to current league leaders Ardwick JFC (kick off 10.00am at New Shaw Lane). Villa’s Sunday 12’s (17^th October) are away to Moston JFC’s 12’s, with the 11’s at home to Cuzon Ashton 11’s (kick off 2.00pm)

For Gamesley FC, next Saturday (16^th October) sees the firsts away to Lostock Gralam and the reserves at home to Greenalls Padgate ST O (kick off 3.00pm).

Melandra Tip - Bridge Update

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An update has being received from United Utilities advising that the bailey bridge will be installed on top of the existing bridge during the 8th / 9th October.

To allow them to do this a road closure order for the evening / night of the 8th/9th October has being arranged.

They have also advised that no planning permission is required and that if everything runs to plan the new bridge will be available for all users by the 9th October.

However there is no update are to what this means for the tip and also whilst the bridge will meet all the weight requirements etc it is only a temporary installation (for up to 5 years) whilst discussions continue on a permanent replacement.