Jon Ashworth MP opens Craft Group Show Case Day |
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Saturday February 28 2015 |
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Jon officially opened the first anniversary celebrations of the Eyres Monsell Craft Group.
This event show cased the work which is displayed regularly at the Community Centre throughout the year.
Local Councillor, Virginia Cleaver, started the Craft Group in February 2013 after being approached by local residents who wanted to have a fun group where local people could meet regularly and share ideas.
Jon stated: “This is a great idea to combat isolation and to bring people from Eyres Monsell together to share and learn craft skills. I visit the area regularly and what is clear is the great sense of community on the estate.”
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Craft Share holds weekly meetings on a Thursday at Eyres Monsell Community Centre from 6.30pm until 8.30pm. People can come along and make their own craft items or take up the weekly challenge to make the item of the week. It is funded by Eyres Monsell Ward funds and Community First.
Councillor Cleaver, who chairs the Craft Group Committee, commented: “The Group continues to grow and often has over 20 people at a weekly session, who come along and craft together, share ideas, and have a laugh. I would like to thank the Treasurer, Judith Eastwood, the Secretary, Ann Tootell, and all group members for making Craft Share Eyres Monsell such an enjoyable experience for everyone.” |
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| Jon cuts the ribbon with (left to right) Councillors Rory Palmer and Virginia Cleaver |
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photo for enlargement |
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Jon Ashworth, Labour MP for Leicester South, calls for Government to give fairer
funding to Leicester |
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Tuesday
February 10 2015 |
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Today
in Parliament, local Labour MP Jon Ashworth highlighted
the difficulties Leicester City Council faces following
the Government’s Local Government Finance Settlement.
Speaking in a debate on the matter, Jon commented
on how Leicester scores highly on deprivation tables,
yet has simultaneously had to cope with significant
budget cuts under this Tory-led Government.
In the House of Commons, Jon said: “Some 3,000 families
across Leicester are trying to cope with the bedroom
tax. Food banks have doubled across our city over
the past two years. Our Sikh Gurdwaras report that
the number of people turning up for free food has
increased over the past two years.”
“However, by 2015-16 Leicester City Council will have
seen a real-terms cut of 45% - £95 million cut from
its budget – for a city that ranks in the league tables
as the 25th most deprived in the country.” |
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Jon then went on to highlight
how, according to the Government’s own figures of spending
per head, Leicester is losing £205 for every person
in the city. This contrasts hugely with wealthier parts
of the country, where Local Authorities in areas like
St Albans, Rushcliffe and Elmbridge have the lowest
levels of cuts.
This stark contrast has led many MPs to call for fairer
funding from Government, and for more powers for Local
Authorities to control spending.
Concluding his debate, Jon commented: “What the City
Mayor and the Local Authority need is a funding settlement
that allows them to budget for the longer term. We need
the devolution of genuine powers to our cities, because
a city such as Leicester, with its vibrant, dynamic
population, can take full advantage of those powers
and make a real difference.”
To read the full Hansard transcript of the debate, please
follow the link:
www.publications.parliament.uk/
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Jon
Ashworth MP urges local universities to take action on student
registration |
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Thursday
February 4 2015 |
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Jon
Ashworth, Labour MP for Leicester South, has written to
Leicester’s two universities calling on them to take urgent
action in registering students to vote.
Following the Government’s changes to the electoral registration
process, many people, especially students, have fallen
off the electoral register.
Today, on National Voter Registration Day, new data has
been published by Labour revealing a dramatic rise in
the number of young people aged 16 to 18 who have fallen
off the register. From March to May 2015, the number of
16 to 18 year olds added to the electoral register will
be down by over 100,000 compared to 2014.
This means that fewer than half of those young people
eligible to vote for the first time will actually be registered.
In Leicester, there has
been a fall of 11,790 people on the electoral register
in the last year. |
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Jon said:
“This is terrible for democracy. So many people – especially
young people – won’t be able to vote, meaning there’s
no way for them to make their voices heard. At a time
when young people already feel disengaged from politics,
it’s more important than ever to involve them in the process.”
“I would urge universities to take action to ensure their
students have a voice.”
Jonathan has also requested meetings with the two university
Vice Chancellors in Leicester, asking to address how more
students can be added to the electoral register.
Speaking further, Jon said: “It’s really important that
universities help their students register to vote. It
means that students are able to contribute to political
decisions, especially on education, but also means that
universities themselves can legitimately represent student
views in these discussions.” |
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