In recent years, the rise in the number of local people requiring the support of food banks has been alarming and 2017 was no different. During 2017, the B30 Food Bank based at Cotteridge Church provided food to 7501 people, including 4350 adults and 3151 children. That would not of been possible without the incredible generosity of local people who donated 63,541kgs of food. Government policy …
Many local residents will be aware that a new planning application has been submitted for a crematorium off New Inns Lane on the Birmingham/Bromsgrove border. This is the third application that has been lodged by the developers looking to build on the land. Throughout the previous planning applications I, along with Councillors Andy Cartwright, Carole Griffiths and Peter McDonald have made …
The Project, based in Rubery, is a charity providing essential support and advice to the people of South Birmingham, helping local people with a wide variety of issues such as housing and benefits problems and also running a food bank. Very sadly over the Christmas and New Year period, their premises, were broken into and items intended for individuals and families in need were stolen. Among …
This morning I was at Northfield Station to speak to rail users who are fed up by yet another increase in the price of fares on our railways. Commuters told me of their frustration and anger as they have watched train fares surge as their wages have stagnated. At the start of 2018, the Government and private train companies increased the price of rail fares by an average of 3.4%. This is the …
This week the Government announced its police and local government finance settlements, which set out funding plans for the next financial year. Yet again, it’s more bad news for our city. Birmingham has already suffered the biggest cuts in local government history approaching £700 million. To make matters worse, the Government have failed again to address the £100 million that our city is …
Alongside other Birmingham Labour MPs I have written to West Midlands Mayor, Andy Street, to call on the Mayor to use his devolved powers to expand free travel on buses and other public transport for the WASPI women who have been disproportionately affected by changes in the state pension age. The Conservative – Lib Dem Coalition Government’s decision to accelerate the rise in the women’s …
I was Labour Member of Parliament for Birmingham Northfield between 1992 and 2019 and a former Shadow Transport Minister. I now chair Healthwatch in Birmingham and Solihull, and the West Midlands Board of Remembering Srebrenica. I also work as a public affairs consultant. I am an effective community advocate and stakeholder alliance builder with a passion for human rights. I am a trustee of the Balfour Project charity and of Citizens Advice Birmingham, and a former Chair of Medical Aid for Palestinians.