Local MP Tim Farron has today issued a challenge to the new Prime Minister Gordon Brown to consider postponing the planned closure of thousands of local post offices until the Sustainable Communities Bill has come into effect. Mr Farron has been a leading campaigner for the Sustainable Communities Bill which would give local people the power to decide on the future of their local services.
Local MP, Tim Farron has today written to Health Minister Ivan Lewis about abuse in care homes. Last week, Mr Farron questioned the Minister during Health Questions, where Mr Lewis conceded that the situation was "shocking".
Tim Farron, Liberal Democrat MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale and Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Hill Farming has welcomed a statement from new Secretary of State for the Environment regarding Single Farm Payments, which commits the Department to paying interest to farmers paid after the cut-off date of June 30th 2007.
Local MP Tim Farron today gave a limited welcome to the announcement that Sainsbury's plan to raise the farm gate price it pays to farmers for milk, but has argued that one pence per litre is simply inadequate. Many farmers are currently facing financial difficulties and Sainsbury's decision is part of what they describe as their continued commitment to the dairy industry. However, the average prices paid to farmers for a litre of milk has dropped considerably over the last few years, from 20.43p in July 2001 to just 17.17p in July 2006. At the same time the price of milk has increased with the average supermarket mark up on milk almost tripling from 11% in 2002 to the current 30%, bearing no reflection on production costs which have not altered.
Local MP Tim Farron has welcomed the news that the proposed strike of Network Rail staff has been cancelled after an improved offer was made and accepted. Staff had threatened a two day walkout as a result of their bonuses being docked but the Rail Management and Transport union announced this afternoon that a deal had been reached. Services in Scotland and Cumbria would have been seriously affected by the strike.
Local campaigners for the A&E and maternity services at the PRH took their fight to Downing Street on Wednesday as Gordon Brown took over as Prime Minister. They joined campaigners from other Sussex and Surrey hospitals outside the gates so that the new Prime Minister passed them on his way to and from Buckingham Palace.
