Easter 2011
 
Welcome to my most recent email bulletin and Happy Easter to you all.
 
The last couple of months have been as busy as ever with the Budget taking centre stage in Westminster and the next month or so is likely to be just as frenetic with the Local Elections and Referendum on voting reform on the 5^thMay. That along with the upcoming Royal Wedding at the end of the month should make for a very exciting period.
 
Lets hope that the weather holds up for the two long weekends just around the corner.
 
As always, you can find a taster of what’s happening in Chester below, but for more information, please visit www.chestermp.com. 
 

Best Wishes,
 

Stephen Mosley
Member of Parliament for The City of Chester
 

Local Council Elections – 5th May
 
The council elections are vastly important and decide how our local services in Chester will be run over the coming years. Since the Conservatives took control of the Council in 2007 we’ve seen local investment, real improvements, a reduction in waste, and no cuts to essential services.
 
While many Labour run Councils across the country have been refusing to cut waste and inefficiencies, and are instead cutting vital public services, Cheshire West and Chester Council have made £53 million of savings whilst safeguarding the services that all of us rely on.
 
The Conservatives have started to renew Chester after the mess left behind by Labour; it would be a shame if we let Labour back in to undo the good work that has been done.

Chester Responsible Drinking Area Consultation

Cheshire West and Chester Council have recently announced, in response to concerns expressed to the Council and to local Police by residents and businesses about alcohol related anti-social behaviour in certain parts of Chester, that they are considering making a Designated Public Place Order to address the problem.

Designated Public Place Orders allow local authorities to designate places where restrictions on drinking in public places apply. Within these areas, the police, and the Council's Community Safety Wardens, can ask people to stop drinking or confiscate alcohol from them if they are behaving in an anti-social manner.
 
Cheshire West and Chester Council are asking for your input, and for more information about contributing to the consultation, please click the following link: Responsible Drinking Consultation
 
The Budget
 
Last month I became the first Chester MP in over 15 years to speak in a Budget Debate, addressing the important issues of relaxing central Government interference with and regulation of business:
 
“Last year’s Emergency Budget and the Comprehensive Spending Review laid the foundations to rescue our economy and restore our public finances to balance. Now reform is needed to steer our country to prosperity, and at the heart of these reforms is the knowledge that less interference and regulation from central Government are the natural precursors to growth and efficiency.
 
“Last week the Chancellor said, ‘We want the words 'made in Britain, created in Britain, designed in Britain, invented in Britain' to drive our nation forward. Only through a simplification of regulations will we allow such an overhaul of our economy, and I believe the measures outlined in the budget are the first steps towards achieving that goal.”
 
For a full transcript of my speech, please click the following link: Stephen Mosley MP Budget Speech 2011
 
Chester Food, Drink and Lifestyle Festival:    23^rd – 25^th April
 
This year marks the 10^th Anniversary of the Chester Food, Drink and Lifestyle Festival.
 
This huge and growing success held annually on the banks of the River Dee at Chester Racecourse where the very best producers, farmers, craft makers and chefs descend on the Roodee for three delicious days of all things food, drink and lifestyle is always a fantastic event.
 
Treat your senses to an explosion of tastes, smells and sights of the very finest food and drink Cheshire has to offer. Meander through the many stalls and sample mouth watering cheeses, ice-cream, fudge, chocolate and then fill your shopping bags with delicious freshly baked bread, the freshest of fish and perhaps, if you’re adventurous, the more unusual such as chocolate beer, ostrich meat and wild boar salami.
 
More information can be found online at: www.chesterfoodanddrink.com
 
I hope to see you there!
 

AV Referendum
 
Whilst much has been spoken and written in the national press about the AV referendum, it is clear that many people still fail to understand the confusing AV system.
 
My own opinion is that AV is a typical politician’s fix. It would limit the ability of the people to eject MPs and Governments at a General Election, and instead hand more power to politicians to do backroom deals after an election.
 
AV is also very complicated, with a corresponding increase in the cost of running elections. It is not surprising that one of the largest financial backers of the Yes campaign also owns a company making electronic vote counting machines that may need to be used in AV Elections.
 
AV is also very unfair. It will end our tradition of One Person, One Vote, and result in a situation where some people have their vote counted several times, and others just once. It can also produce obscure results where the candidate finishing in 3^rdplace is elected.
 
Since AV is unfair, obscure, complicated, expensive and undemocratic, I will have no hesitation in voting No.
 

Out and About in Chester

Since my last bulletin, I have...

• Attended the 2011 launch of Chester the Giant City
• Met with the Chief Executive of Cheshire West and Chester Council to discuss issues relating to Chester
• Visited Chester Zoo as part of National Tourism Weekto discuss the importance of the Zoo to our community
• Met with representatives from the Bank of Scotland to discuss their operations in Chester
• Watched the Cheshire Jets beat the Leicester Riders 117 – 94
• Met with Trade Union representatives from DSG Sealand
• Inspected progress of Chester and District Housing Trust’s new developments in Lache
• Attended the opening of the Chester social cohesion project, Men in Sheds
• Visited Northrop Grumman’s Sealand Road manufacturing site
• Met with representatives of Cheshire Landscape Trust
• Met with Barclays Bank Corporate Banking to discuss support for businesses in Chester
• Met with the Chief Executive of the Countess of Chester Hospital
• Met with the local branch of the National Farmers Union to discuss Government policy on agriculture
• Attended Chester Library’s World Book Night event
•  Viewed the University of Chester’s consultation on future student accommodation developments
• Took part in the Upton Local History Day event
• Met with Cheshire Community Action to discuss the voluntary sector in Chester
• Held numerous constituency surgeries  

  Representing Chester in Parliament  
 
I have since my last bulletin...

• Become the first Chester MP in over 15 years to speak in a Budget debate
• Met with the Ambassador of El Salvador
• Met with the Prime Minister to discuss the reasons to keep our ‘first past the post’ voting system
• Campaigned with Sir Steve Redgrave as part of Fairtrade Fortnight
• Met with representatives of the North West Housing Forum to discuss housing development in the region
• Welcomed 6^thFormers from Christleton High School on a tour of Parliament
• Met two students from Chester who were finalists in the British Science Association’s National Science & Engineering Competition
• Met constituents taking part in the National Autistic Society’s lobby of Parliament
• Hosted the launch of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority’s 5 year strategy
• Supported the National Stroke Association’s Know Your Blood Pressure campaign
• Took part in a debate about the UK’s proposed High Speed Rail Network
• Met with University of Chester Vice Chancellor Professor Tim Wheeler and Universities Minister David Willetts MP to discuss Government reforms of Higher Education funding
• Met local nature conservation organisation Cheshire Wildlife Trust and the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) to discuss the value of funding nature and conservation.
• Backed the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW)’s ivory surrender campaign
• Asked oral questionsto:
  • Education Minister John Hayes about apprenticeship schemes and Chester FC
  • Defence Secretary Liam Fox about Armed Force redundancies
  • Health Secretary Andrew Lansley about raising awareness of prostate cancer
  • Work and Pensions Minister Maria Miller about the potential effects of extended maternity and paternity leave on small businesses
  • Home Secretary Theresa May about clamping down on bogus student immigration routes
  • Business Secretary Vince Cable about future funding of science and research
• Submitted written questions to numerous Government Ministers on a variety of subjects.

You can also view in full my contributions in Parliament. Please see my website http://www.chestermp.com/in-parliament 
 

7 Ways to Get in Touch
 
By post:                                Stephen Mosley MP
                                             House of Commons
                                             London
                                             SW1A 0AA
 
Telephone:                           01244 458120
 
Email:                                   stephen@chestermp.com
 
Website:                              www.chestermp.com
 
Twitter:                                @mp4chester
 
Facebook:                            Stephen Mosley MP on Facebook
 
In person:                            Additionally, you can come and meet me at one of my regular surgeries in Chester. Call 01244 458120 to book an appointment.