Keep up to date with the latest news from around Denton & Reddish

This week in Denton & Reddish
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** Dear Constituent,
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A warm welcome to Denton and Reddish weekly news. Tomorrow is Small Business Saturday, so I'll be announcing the winners and runners-up of my 2021 Local Business Awards. Keep your eyes peeled!

It's also starting to get a bit festive across Denton and Reddish, so scroll down to the community board to see how you can get involved!
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Headlines


** Gwynne welcomes change in law to protect shopworkers
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Andrew Gwynne, MP for Denton and Reddish, has welcomed the news that assaulting a public-facing worker will become a specific aggravated criminal offense. The news comes after years of activism from campaigners, and just weeks ([link removed]) after Gwynne met with Co-op workers in Audenshaw to discuss the issue.

Retail crime has increased rapidly over the course of the pandemic. The Co-op has seen a 650% rise in violence towards its staff between 2016 and 2020. Over half of the physical attacks staff have faced involve weapons. The British Retail Consortium has also estimated that the continued rising trend in incidents of violence and abuse amounts to the equivalent of over 50 incidents an hour (or almost one a minute during a typical 9-hour shopping day). Despite these shocking statistics, the Government had been holding firm in its belief that a new specific offense was not needed.

After significant public and political pressure, the Government U-turned late on Wednesday night, and it was announced that the Government will table an amendment to the Police, Crime, Sentencing & Courts Bill to make an attack on anyone providing a public service/duty (including shopworkers) an aggravated offence.

Commenting on the success of the campaign, Andrew Gwynne said:

“This is really positive news, and will make a world of difference to front-facing staff who have faced disgraceful abuse without proper legal protection. I am really glad that the Home Office has finally decided to implement these simple, but vital changes in law.

I would like to specifically congratulate Alex Norris MP, USDAW and the Co-Operative for their tireless work in this regard. Just weeks ago I met with Co-op staff in Audenshaw and was absolutely stunned by the level of intimidation and abuse they face on a daily basis.

No one should face abuse at their place of work, and that’s why specifically legislating against this problem is such a positive step.”

Pictured: Gwynne with Co-op staff and USDAW representatives last month discussing retail violence.


** Gwynne slams decision to close TSB Denton Branch

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Andrew Gwynne, MP for Denton and Reddish, has slammed the planned closure of the TSB Denton Branch.

Earlier this week, Gwynne was informed by TSB representatives that the Denton Branch will close on the 17^th of May 2022. The bank has cited a decline in in-person banking exacerbated by the pandemic as part of the reason behind the closure.

It will be one of 70 branches to shut by the end of June, leaving just 220 across the UK. This marks a decline of over 250 in just one year.

The closure of the TSB Branch in Denton will leave the Halifax on Manchester Road as the only bank in Denton Town Centre.

Commenting on the planned closure, Andrew Gwynne said:

“I’m very disappointed that TSB have taken the decision to close this branch. I understand that the number of customers banking in-person has decreased, but I feel very strongly that the presence of a local bank is important for customers and residents right across the community.

This decision will leave just one bank in Denton Town Centre. We are progressively losing access to in-person banking, and I’m concerned about the effect that this will have on those who don’t have access to online banking, or just prefer to see someone face-to-face.

Banks are important parts of our local high streets, and I would implore TSB to reconsider this short-sighted decision.”


** APPG on State Pension Inequality for Women: Minutes

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On Wednesday the 26th of November, the All-party parliamentary group on State Pension Inequality for Women met for an evidence session with 1950s-born women’s groups. The session followed a large ‘call for evidence’ from the APPG, in which it received an extraordinary amount of individual and group testimonies from 1950s-born women facing severe hardship as a result of the changes to the State Pension age and the subsequent maladministration committed by the DWP.

The session was attended by over 13 cross-party parliamentarians, and the group received presentations from the WASPI Campaign, WASPI International, Backto60 and Pension Partners For Justice (which includes WASPI 2018, Modern Day Suffragettes, WePaidInYouPaidOut, 1950s Women of Wales and beyond and several other groups).

Andrew Gwynne, Labour MP for Denton and Reddish, and Peter Aldous, Conservative MP for Waveney, are co-chair’s of the APPG and led the session on Wednesday. The remit of the APPG includes representing women who have been treated unfairly by the short-notice changes to the State Pension Age, as well as developing and promoting policy solutions to support 1950’s-born women who have faced injustice.

Commenting on the session, Andrew Gwynne said:

"This was a highly productive session, and I was pleased to see so many colleagues in attendance. Following the PHSO findings of maladministration, and its ongoing investigation, Peter and I felt that it was very important to hear the thoughts of 1950s-born women on the findings, as well as liaise directly with campaigning groups to understand their priorities moving forward.

I would like to thank all of those who participated in the session, and I look forward to continuing to work with Peter and other APPG officers to support 1950s-born women and continue to put pressure on the Government to right this historic and exceptional injustice."

The full minutes of the session can be found here. ([link removed])
Read More of This Week's Stories ([link removed])
Andrew in the Constituency


** Lancashire Day 🌹
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Last weekend I commemorated Lancashire Day and was invited to a fantastic celebration evening at Christ With All Saints Parish Church - Heaton Norris. ([link removed])

There was a bar (The Rovers Return, with Annie Walker), corned beef hash, Manchester Tart, lots of fun company, and a Real Lancashire quiz hosted by Jack Duckworth’s pigeon! 🐦

Thank you to Phil and Josh for being hilarious hosts and for inviting me and asking me to read the proclamation ([link removed]) and perform the Loyal Toast.

Thanks too to Alan and Julie for being fellow quiz team members with me and Allison ([link removed]) .


Andrew in Parliament
📜 I've spent most of this week in and working on the Skills and Post-16 Education Bill Committee. This is where a small number of MPs scrutinise a Bill line by line and make amendments to it.

They’re not televised, and this one has been running all morning and afternoon on Tuesday and Thursday this week, and will also run next Tuesday. Often people ask why the Chamber appears empty. It is because there can be 10 of these Bill committees running at the same time, plus Select Committees and Westminster Hall sessions. This Bill will make big changes to the Further Education sector, apprenticeships and BTECs.

Luckily, I still managed to get a couple of questions in the Chamber alongside the Bill Committee this week!

📺 WATCH: The Health Secretary has confirmed to the Commons the new measures the Prime Minister announced last Friday to tackle the COVID Omicron variant.

I ask for more information on the transmissibility given Australia has such stringent entry measures and this variant has still got in. 🦠
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📺 WATCH: At Foreign Office Questions I ask why the British Government hasn’t taken the initiative to take up a seat on the board for an Israeli-Palestinian international peace fund which allocates $250m towards coexistence and peace building projects.

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📺 WATCH: At Home Affairs Select Committee we have four senior legal practitioners in front of us where we question them about the Government’s rape review. I ask about the lack of support for victims through the legal process. ⚖️

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On Wednesday, I was proud to show my support for Angela Crawley MP ([link removed]) 's Private Member's Bill which is calling for an introduction of paid leave for families who experience a miscarriage before 24 weeks.

One in four pregnancies end in miscarriage, however, under current legislation, workers are only entitled to paid bereavement leave following a stillbirth after 24 weeks of pregnancy. This needs to change.

Countries like Australia have already taken the step to ensure all parents affected by miscarriage are entitled to paid leave. It's time that we followed in their footsteps. To show your support, sign the petition here www.paidmiscarriageleave.co.uk ([link removed]) 👈🏻

Andrew in the media

📰 READ: Thank you to My Stockport - Manchester Evening News ([link removed]) for publishing my views on the Heaton Chapel Low Traffic Neighbourhood following the letter from North West Ambulance Service.

Everyone wants safe streets for walking, cycling and children playing. We all want to see better air quality and a reduction in rat-running; but this trail must be judged on the evidence before a decision is made on its permanence.

If there’s an issue with the emergency services, that must be properly addressed. I hope the NWAS intervention now gives Stockport Council the ability to fix these issues for residents too. Read the full story here ([link removed]) .

📰 READ: Thank you to the Tameside Reporter for covering the closure of the TSB Denton branch, and my comments around it. I urge TSB to reconsider this decision, which will leave only one bank in Denton town centre. Read the full story here ([link removed]) .
Community Board


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Local author Leanne Brown has started writing a fantastic series of books to promote, help and raise awareness for mental health in children. Leanne wants to bring these books to schools, parents and organisations to help promote mental health in children.

You can find out more, including how to buy the books, on her website. ([link removed])

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Andrew Gwynne
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