Ten young people from Leicester were joined by their local MP to show how they are helping to keep British Gas customers safe and warm this winter.

Leicester South MP, Jon Ashworth, met with the first ten apprentices employed by British Gas at its Aylestone Road contact centre. They joined the 900-strong contact centre last November. 

British Gas Services created 120 new positions at the contact centre last year to help get ready for winter. The team now handles around 200,000 customer calls per month- over a third (38%) more compared with the previous year. 

William Gonga, 22, from Highfields showed Jon how he’s enjoying putting what he’s learnt so far into practice. William, who’s now in his first full-time job, said: “I'm enjoying the apprenticeship a lot. I have confidence now, I'm learning every day and I enjoy coming to work. It's the best thing that's happened to me. Helping customers to get the heating on or hot water working again is a great feeling. It's such a sense of satisfaction when you come off the phone knowing you've helped someone.”

Jon and Councillors Aqbany, Chowdhury and Dawood met with local residents on Gwendolen Road who are concerned about the deliveries made to the BR Environmental Services site.

For a number of months Jon Ashworth, along with the local Councillors, has been working to resolve the problems caused by the deliveries to the factory site.

The residents are concerned that the regular deliveries make parking difficult in the area, endanger road safety, especially for school children, and cause noise when unloading.

Jon said: “As the local MP I’ve been involved with this matter for many months now. Although it was confirmed the factory is not in contravention of any planning laws, I’m really pleased that a plan of action is now being taken forward in partnership with the Police and the City Council. This plan will address the concerns raised by my constituents.”

Part of this plan has involved the City Council’s Highways Department installing bollards on the pavement on the corners of Drinkstone Road.

Councillor Dawood stated: “I’m pleased that these bollards have been put up so quickly. They will protect people using the footpath and stop lorries driving onto the footpaths when turning at the junction."

Jon, and Councillors Cutkelvin and Clarke, met with Jodie Cooper and Council officers to look at ways of improving road safety on Saffron Lane.

Jon tweeted Jodie following the story in the Mercury about her e-petition to have a speed camera on Saffron Lane. A meeting was then held in late November between Jodie and Jon and Councillor Cutkelvin, who represents the Saffron area.

As a result of this meeting a site visit was arranged that included the City Council’s Head of Highways and other Council staff.

Jon said: “As the local MP I always want to work with people I represent, and I hope today’s meeting will lead to road safety improvements. It was clear from the meeting I had with Jodie that something has to be done. As well as the tragic incident that led to the death of Paige Jackson and her unborn child, I’m aware there have been other car crashes on that stretch of Saffron Lane.”

Jodie Cooper, who went to school with Paige, commented: “I am pleased that Jon and Councillor Cutkelvin were able to organise this visit. I now have over 1700 signatures on my petition which shows the strength of feeling in the area.

Jon Ashworth has today welcomed news that the ban on importing India’s famous Alphonso mangoes has been lifted.

The ban was announced in April last year, and at the time Jon wrote to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs raising his deep concerns. He also raised the issue in September, as the ban threatened to adversely affect wholesalers, retailers and many Indian restaurants in Leicester.

However, today the European Union voted to lift its ban, following significant improvements in India’s mango export system.

Jon stated: “This is fantastic news for businesses in Leicester. Now that the ban has been lifted, retailers can go about their business and customers can enjoy these mangoes again – a mango lasi on Evington Road can be a real treat!”

“I’d also like to congratulate the National Asian Business Association for running such a good campaign on this. I’d contacted Government Ministers myself, but the work done by NABA in pressing the issue has really been impressive.”

Alphonso mango imports will resume in one month, once the new EU legislation has been formally published.

Jon Ashworth has expressed concerns amid recent news that NHS hospitals across the country are facing A&E crises, and urged the Health Secretary to take action.

Yesterday it emerged that hospitals in England have struggled to cope with the demands of NHS pressures over winter. The Government set a target that 95% of patients in A&E should be seen within four hours, but performance at the end of last year was only 92.6% in England.

Hospitals in Leicester fell well below the 95% target, only managing to see 87.5% of patients within the four hour waiting time. News also broke yesterday that University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust is currently on an ‘internal major incident’ because of the pressures.

Speaking in the House of Commons, Jon said:

“The Secretary of State will know that major incident status was declared at the Leicester hospitals this week. I believe that is the seventh time in the previous three months. In the week before Christmas at Leicester Royal in my constituency, just 67% of patients were seen within the four hour target and clinicians who are working flat out expect pressures to increase over the next months. So can the Secretary of State tell me what he is now going to do to support clinicians in Leicester and get a grip of the situation?”

After speaking in the Chamber, Jon commented further: “I want to be very clear and say that this isn’t the fault of NHS staff. They’re doing a tremendous job trying to keep our local hospitals running, but they’re facing unprecedented pressures and are having to do the best they can under the circumstances.”

“I wanted the Government to today explain how they are now going to get a grip of the situation. Sadly the Government were unable to explain how they will support Leicester hospitals to cope with the increased pressures clinicians expect over the next three months.”