Hello and welcome to this week's edition of the Denton and Reddish weekly news. 

If you're anything like me - you will have been glued to your screen watching the Lionesses claim victoria against Nigeria in the Women's World Cup last weekend. Best of luck to England as they take on Columbia this weekend! 

A non-football related reminder too that this Saturday FoTV Committee Member Rob Hardman is hosting the first of his bramble clearing events in the Shepley Wood. Scroll down to the community board to find out more!
 

Andrew Gwynne, MP for Denton and Reddish, is supporting a new survey from the charity Dogs Trust which aims to provide better support to people who may need to give up their dogs, with the goal of improving the welfare of both dogs and people.

Dogs Trust reached out to Gwynne, as an MP with a rehoming centre in his constituency, to spread awareness of this unique survey that aims to understand the painful circumstances that lead to someone relinquishing their dog.

Data released by Dogs Trust last year revealed that the charity was receiving a record number of calls from people asking the charity to take in their dogs, in the face of the increased cost of living. An online poll recently carried out for Dogs Trust found that one in ten dog owners (13%) has been forced into debt in order to care for their dog, with 15% saying that they would struggle to pay an unexpected vet bill of £100.

The Dogs Trust contact centre in Denton had one of the busiest years in its history last year. Dogs Trust’s Contact Centre can be contacted Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm, on 020 7837 0006 or at [email protected]

Commenting, Andrew Gwynne said:

“This is an incredibly complex and emotional issue, and I’m really pleased that Dog’s Trust UK are working proactively to address it.

“As the cost-of-living crisis continues to put pressure on ordinary people, the need to support dog owners and their pets couldn’t be more important.

“If you’re a dog owner who’s struggling, or have relinquished a pet in the past, please do fill in this anonymous survey. It’ll help inform the brilliant work of Dogs Trust UK, so that future dogs won’t have to suffer or be separated from their loving owners unnecessarily.”

Those wishing to fill out the survey can do so by clicking here.

Andrew Gwynne, MP for Denton and Reddish, has welcomed Labour’s plans to tackle the decline in bus routes by empowering local communities to have more say in their public transport.

The news comes after Labour analysis revealed that available bus routes have nearly halved since Labour left office. Official data from the Traffic Commissioners shows 17,394 registered bus routes in 2010, a figure that has plummeted to 8,781. The number of services in the North West alone has fallen by 52%.

Gwynne has backed the decision of Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham to bring bus services back under public control, with a new franchising system (the Bee Network) starting its roll-out next month.

Following their analysis, Labour has said that if it gets into power at the next General Election, it will allow all local authorities to do the same as Burnham, and lift the 2017 Tory ban on councils setting up their own bus companies.

Last year, following the hard work of local Labour councillors, Transport for Greater Manchester intervened to save the 7/7A bus route serving Heaton Chapel, Reddish and Dane Bank until the planned franchising of the bus service begins to take effect.

Commenting on Labour’s plans, Andrew Gwynne said:

“It’s shocking that in just 13 years, communities in the North West have lost over 50% of their local bus routes.

“This needs to change, so I’m proud to support Andy Burnham’s ambitious transformation of bus services here in Greater Manchester.

“I’m also really pleased that Labour wants to prioritise improving connectivity across the country, and will support local communities to do just that by handing them the powers to improve bus services.

“We all deserve good public transport provision, no matter where we live.”

Andrew Gwynne, Member of Parliament for Denton and Reddish, has been asked to become an honorary Vice President of the Local Government Association (LGA).

The LGA is the national membership body for local authorities in England and Wales. The core membership of the group comprises 315 of the 317 councils in England and includes district, county, metropolitan and unitary authorities along with London boroughs and the City of London Corporation.

The LGA was formed as a cross-party organisation working on behalf of councils to ensure local government has a strong, credible voice within national government. Every year, the four political groups at the LGA invite parliamentary representatives from the House of Commons and the House of Lords to serve as vice presidents. The current President of the LGA is the crossbench peer and former Paralympian Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson.

Gwynne, a long-time advocate for local government and former Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, said he was ‘delighted’ to be asked to become the group’s Vice President.

As Vice President, Gwynne will work with the LGA to deliver better outcomes for local communities and help scrutinise policy and legislation.

Commenting, Andrew Gwynne said:

“I’m really humbled and delighted to have been asked to become a Vice President of the Local Government Association.

“As someone who started out as a local councillor before becoming a Member of Parliament, I know how vital local government is to communities right across the country.

“I feel very passionately that local government should have a voice in Parliament, and that parliamentarians of all stripes should work closely with groups like the LGA to ensure communities get the very best outcomes.”

Summer Days in Tameside

🌞I was really pleased to give my Tameside summer recommendations in the latest edition of the Tameside Reporter.

If you're running out of ideas to fill the summer holidays, take a look here. Thanks, as always, to all the volunteers and community groups making our local area such a brilliant and vibrant place to live.

READ: In the latest edition of The Heaton's Post, I've written about the ongoing campaign to save local ticket offices, and why they must be protected.

I'll continue to fight tooth and nail to protect valuable ticket offices right across the community. The Government must think again.

Read the full article here.