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This week in Denton & Reddish
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** Dear Constituent,
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Here's your latest edition of Denton and Reddish Weekly News.

This is a reminder of the guidance that the Government has produced for the local lockdown in place in Greater Manchester:
Full Government Guidance ([link removed])
Take care and stay safe.
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Headlines


** The Great British bus scam
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One of the things that is a little unusual about being an MP is living part of the week in London (before the lockdown at least) and part of the week in your constituency. There are, of course, many differences between life in London and life here in Tameside and I’m very lucky to get to experience these differences on a weekly basis. One significant difference – and where Tameside loses out massively – is buses.

In London, there are far more buses, running far more frequently and charging far less. A bus journey in London is just £1.50 and, what’s more, you can “hop” between multiple buses within half an hour of the start of your journey without paying any more. That means that if you work in a completely different part of the city, you can get to work and back for £3.

So why are buses so much better in London than in Greater Manchester?

The Thatcher Government passed a law which meant that all bus services in England, Scotland and Wales were deregulated – but crucially not in London. This deregulation introduced competition into the system, with rival companies fighting over the best routes and dropping any routes deemed not to make enough profit, however vital to the local community.

Here in Greater Manchester, councils got together to create a single bus company out of the old bus network called GM Buses. Bus wars ensued but other companies struggled to challenge GM Buses. The Major Government forced the break-up of GM Buses into GM Buses North and GM Buses South and their privatisation. Both were initially sold to the workforce as cooperatives but it wasn’t long before the “Big Two” moved in like vultures – FirstBus took over GMN and Stagecoach GMS.

Unfortunately, we are still living with the legacy of deregulation. At the end of this month Stagecoach are making major changes to multiple routes across Greater Manchester without having consulted at all beforehand. In my own constituency, the most damaging of these changes is the decision to shorten the 205 bus route. This means that there will no longer be any bus link between Dane Bank and Denton Town Centre – a whole community cut off from the town centre services that they use.

This just goes to underline the importance of re-regulation of bus services. We need a public transport system that works for the community and isn’t based solely on squeezing the greatest amount of profit out of passengers. Luckily, this is a priority for GM Mayor Andy Burnham and the Bus Services Act will allow him to create a much better system that works for local people.


** Gwynne calls for action to avoid jobs crisis
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Andrew Gwynne, MP for Denton and Reddish, has expressed concern at recent employment statistics and joined calls for the Government to act now to avoid a crisis in unemployment.

Before the Coronavirus crisis, there were 1,985 people in the Denton and Reddish constituency claiming unemployment benefits. The number in July 2020 had almost doubled to 3,935. This represents 7.2% of the population aged 16-64, higher than the UK rate of 6.3%. Over 20% of claimants in Denton and Reddish in July 2020 were aged between 18 and 24

A further 13,400 people in the constituency were furloughed under the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme in July 2020 – 31% of the eligible workforce. Around 3,000 Denton and Reddish residents made a claim under the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) to the end of June 2020.

The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (furlough) is due to finish at the end of October.

Gwynne is supporting Labour’s five-point plan for jobs:
1. Fight for jobs: fix the furlough scheme to support people in the worst-hit industries.
2. Back our businesses: with a £1.7 billion fightback fund to stop firms going under and save our high streets
3. Leave no-one behind: with targeted support for areas forced back into lockdown.
4. Keep workers safe: by protecting workers’ rights, by boosting sick pay, making workplaces safe, and giving our NHS and care services the resources to stop a second wave.
5. Drive job creation: by investing in infrastructure, speeding up progress to zero-carbon economy and improving access to skills and training.

Andrew Gwynne said:

“I’m really concerned by the latest jobs figures for the Denton and Reddish constituency; unemployment has almost doubled since the Coronavirus outbreak began and I’m concerned that it will grow significantly again when support schemes like furlough are ended.


“We need the Government to take the looming unemployment crisis more seriously and to work to avert it.


“I’m concerned that their current approach will not do this and that’s why I’d urge them to take on the kind of flexible approach that the Labour Party has laid out.”

The Labour Party wants to know what you think the Government should do for you and the local economy in your area. Click here to fill out a short survey. ([link removed])


** Gwynne welcomes funding for local hospital upgrades
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Andrew Gwynne, MP for Denton and Reddish, has welcomed capital funding for hospital upgrades in Tameside and Stockport.

The Department of Health and Social Care have announced £300 million of additional capital funding for hospital upgrades, as part of the winter preparations for the NHS this year.

In addition to winter pressures, the funding is also intended to reduce the risks associated with further outbreaks of Covid.

Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust will received around £1.9 million, whilst Stockport NHS Foundation Trust will receive around £3.6 million.

Andrew Gwynne said:

“It’s going to be a very tough winter for our NHS, with a seasonal flu, winter pressures and the potential for further Coronavirus spikes.


“I’m very glad that this capital funding has been made available for our local hospitals so that they can prepare for this difficult winter.


“I’d like to take this opportunity to again thank those working at Tameside Hospital and Stepping Hill Hospital for all their amazing work throughout this crisis.”

Read More of This Week's Stories ([link removed])
Andrew in the constituency

🚌 DANE BANK-DENTON BUS LINK UPDATE:
Well Stagecoach Manchester certainly knows how to boil my blood. 🤬

I've had their response to cutting-off Dane Bank and Denton and it was basically "it's happening". This, ladies and gentlemen is the last gasps of bus deregulation, where our services have been run solely for the profits of the private bus companies rather than for the needs of the local community.

I haven't given up, and nor have the Denton West Councillors. Here's our reply back to Stagecoach. We are still offering to meet up with them. Let's see if there's a last minute rapprochement and change of heart. A solution exists IF Stagecoach wants one.
Andrew in the media

Thanks to the Manchester Evening News for covering the cross-party work to protect rail services on the Rose Hill Marple line (which effectively closes Fairfield station in Audenshaw until December).

While the response from Northern hasn’t been brilliant - they’re adamant they don’t have the staff to run the trains - we are still pushing on this.

We’ve also told them they will need to provide rail replacement services (something they aren’t keen at doing) and ticket interoperability with bus and tram (necessary for those with train season tickets now being told to use another mode of public transport).

You can read the full article here. ([link removed])
Community Board

2020/21 Under 7 (Year 2) Rugby Intake Now Open!

Come and join us at Aldwinians RUFC

Is your son or daughter interested in learning Rugby Union in a fun and safe environment? Sign up now for the September 2020 intake (Covid-19 allowing).

Your player must be 6 years old on 1st September 2020 - no other requirements necessary!

More information including how to sign up here. ([link removed])

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Andrew Gwynne
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Manchester, Greater Manchester M34 3DY
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Andrew Gwynne . 139 St Annes Road . Denton . Manchester, Greater Manchester M34 3DY . United Kingdom

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