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A warm welcome to a bumper edition of the Denton and Reddish Weekly News!
I hope that you had a wonderful long weekend, and enjoyed the Platinum Jubilee celebrations across Denton and Reddish.
It's been a busy week in the constituency and Westminster, so scroll down to find out more!
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Gwynne encourages residents to complete 'Restoring Rail' surveys
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Andrew Gwynne, MP for Denton and Reddish, is encouraging residents to take part in a short survey to inform the Strategic Outline Business Case for the reopening of a passenger line from Stockport through Reddish South and Denton to Ashton Moss and then on to Manchester Victoria, as well as link Rose Hill (Marple) to Stockport via Reddish South.
The survey comes after Gwynne was successful in the third round of his ‘Restoring Your Railway Fund’ bid last year.
Transport for Greater Manchester is running two survey’s relating to the scheme, which residents can access below:
Commenting, Andrew Gwynne said:
“This scheme would massively improve transport connectivity for people right across Denton and Reddish.
I’m therefore really grateful to TfGM for running these two surveys, and using the views of residents to inform the Strategic Outline Business Case for this scheme.
I would encourage people across Denton and Reddish to complete these surveys, and have your say on the development of this new line.”
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Gwynne supports Soccer Aid Schools Challenge
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Andrew Gwynne, MP for Denton and Reddish, is encouraging local schools to take part in the nation-wide ‘Soccer Aid Schools Challenge’, which is officially today.
The Soccer Aid Challenge aims to raise money to help UNICEF’s work for children around the world. The challenge invites schools to team up with pupils to develop a fun football obstacle course to take on together. The annual challenge hasn’t been able to take place over the last two years due to the pandemic, but this year is back better than ever.
Schools who wish to take part can do so by signing up for a fundraising pack. The pack will be full of tips from planning obstacle courses, to making sure as much money is raised for children worldwide.
Commenting, Andrew Gwynne said:
“Soccer Aid is an incredible initiative, which has raised an enormous amount of money for children right across the globe.
The Soccer Aid Schools Challenge is a fun and easy way to get involved. I know lots of students and staff at local schools who are football mad, and would encourage them to take part in this unique challenge which contributes to such a worthy cause.”
Schools looking to sign up for the challenge can do so by clicking here.
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Gwynne urges Government intervention for Tameside Children's Services
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Denton and Reddish MP Andrew Gwynne has called on Government Ministers to take action to address the ongoing poor levels of service from Tameside Children’s Services.
The call comes after the publication of the latest OFSTED monitoring letter into the service which continues to find failings across the department.
Whilst OFSTED recognises the appointment of a new Director of Children’s Services, who has made some changes in the department, the latest report raises serious concerns about both the adequacy and effectiveness of the previous ‘improvement plan’ produced by the Council, and also issued a stark warning about the ability of the ‘political, corporate and operational leaders’ to manage the service stating that “…they do not know their services and the impact for children well enough.”
OFSTED have pinpointed several areas where they expect to see improvements including on child protection and assessment timings with Greater Manchester Police; frequency and quality of supervision (of children); social worker caseloads; inconsistency in outcomes following assessments; to name but a few highlighted by the regulator.
Andrew Gwynne MP said:
“It just cannot be right that Tameside Children’s Services is allowed to limp on with considerable issues for another year when both neighbouring Manchester and Stockport are now rated as ‘Good’ by OFSTED. As a cross-borough MP how can it be acceptable that a child and family in the Stockport part of my constituency will get a much better quality of service to children and families in the Tameside part?”
“Nor is this solely about money. Tameside Council have, to their credit, tripled the Children’s Services budget in recent years, but OFSTED seem to have singled out the lack of political drive or understanding, together with corporate and operational failings in the department as the main blockage for change. And that’s a big worry for me.”
“That’s why I’m calling on Tameside to voluntarily hand their Children’s Services over to an independent Children’s Trust. This is precisely what Sunderland Council did after a string of bad OFSTED reports. That service then went from ‘inadequate’ to ‘outstanding’ in the short space of two years. That’s the pace of transformation Tameside needs to see.”
“I will be asking for a meeting with the Children’s Social Care Minister, Will Quince MP, to urge him to take all steps necessary to assist Tameside to improve this key council service, because at the end of the day the current situation is letting children and families down.”
The full Ofsted findings can be read here.
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Andrew in the constituency
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👑 Jubilee (and birthday) celebrations! 👑
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I had a fantastic long weekend last week, visiting a number of brilliant local Jubilee events and celebrating my birthday, here are some of the highlights 👇
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Beacon lighting in Haughton Green 
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On Thursday I marked the start of the Jubilee weekend at Haughton Green’s #PlatinumJubilee Beacon lighting. A huge well done to Eventfull Community Team for organising. It was one of thousands lit across Britain and the Commonwealth.
A lovely historic event for Haughton Green.  |
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Jubilee Party #2
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Then on to the second birthday/Jubilee Party of the day: Dane Road, Dane Bank.
Another great event with Councillor Brenda Warrington and Councillor George Jones… well done to the residents of Dane Road in Dane Bank for showing such a great community spirit, and for the amazing warm welcome! Hope you had a great day. And thanks for the face painting!
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Jubilee Party #3 
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I then went to another great event on Dale View in Haughton Green.
A great afternoon with local residents and Team Denton South in Haughton Green, enjoying the sunshine and jubilee festivities. Thanks to all for making me feel so welcome. And thanks for all the birthday wishes too! 
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I then spent a wonderful evening in Leechbrook Avenue where the residents took over the children’s play area for a street party.
It was great to catch up with the organisers Karen and Colin and even better that they’re raising funding for The Christie NHS Foundation Trust - a cause close to my heart right now!
Thanks for making myself, Allison and Councillor Charlotte Martin feel so welcome, and thanks for
all the birthday wishes too!
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And last but not least... 🦕
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Pentecost Sunday 
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Last Sunday was Pentecost Sunday. I've always attended Dukinfield's Whit Walks… this year they had a joint service hosting all of Dukinfield’s churches at Old Chapel instead.
As it was pouring down with rain outside we moved into this magnificent church, and it was great to see all the traditional Whit features: a band, the banners and all the Dukinfield congregations coming together.
Thank you for inviting me and Councillor Naila Sharif, and for making us so welcome, as always.
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 WATCH: There’s a question on tackling regional inequality. The Minister thinks they’re doing a great job. I ask which she’s most proud of: increasing child and pensioner poverty, life expectancy stalling or the gap between richest and poorest growing over 12 years of a Tory Government?
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WATCH: 12 years of cuts to public services, rising inequality and poverty, civic pride in decline as a consequence. I want to believe the Government’s desire to “level-up” but I just don’t see it. I use the plight of Russell Scott Primary School as an example where Government can act.
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WATCH: In the closing speeches the Minister referred to strengthening green belt protection and lessening the importance of housing targets on councils. I raise the issue of Stockport which pulled out of GMSF and now have to (in theory) identify more land for housing as a consequence. An interesting reply.
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WATCH: The Secretary of State, in moving the Levelling-Up Bill has said he’s changing the planning framework to strengthen the protection of green spaces and to remove the strict requirement for councils to meet centralised housing targets. I ask him about Two Trees in Haughton Green.
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WATCH: There’s a question on tackling fraud, and Jacob Rees-Mogg waxes lyrically about the need to clamp down on fraud to bank the money for the taxpayer. I ask if he’s going to claw back the £4.9bn of fraudulent Bounce Back Loans. What a reply.
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WATCH: The Cabinet Office is in charge of co-ordinating the Government’s approach to small boat crossings in the Channel, alongside the Home Office. I ask why both the Chancellor of the Duchy and Home Secretary have refused to meet the Independent Chief Inspector of Immigration and Borders about this issue.
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WATCH: At Business Questions I ask the Leader of the House for a statement from the Health Secretary to explain why the transformational drug Evusheld has not yet been rolled-out to the clinically vulnerable and immunosuppressed. He seems to think we are waiting for it to be licensed!!! That’s happened. It’s now up to Ministers to get it out there.
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 READ: Thank you to the Manchester Evening News for covering my comments on Tameside Children's Services.
I'll be asking for a meeting with the Children's Social Care Minister, and urge him to take all steps necessary to assist Tameside to improve this key council service.
Read the full article here.👈
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READ: Thanks to Politics.co.uk for covering my question to Jacob Rees-Mogg earlier this week. The Government don't seem to be interested in getting £5bn back for the taxpayer!
Read the full story here.👈
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☝️
To access the full survey click here. |
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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.
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This was part of the 4-day Jubilee Extravaganza organised by 
