News Andy Burnham Mp

Total records: 43  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 next

22/07/2008 - New figures show big fall in crime

But Leigh MP says more must be done to make communities feel safer

The last decade has seen a major reduction in crime, according to official figures released last week.

Since 1997, all crime (as measured by the British Crime Survey) has fallen by nearly two-fifths. Annual BCS statistics (from 1997 to the year ending March 2008) reveal that:

*Overall crime is down 39 per cent.
*Domestic burglary down 55 per cent
*All vehicle-related thefts down 57 per cent
*All household crime down 39 per cent
*All BCS violence down 40 per cent
*All personal crime down 39 per cent

The risk of being a victim of crime has fallen to 22 per cent, the lowest level ever recorded since the BCS began in 1981.

But Leigh MP Andy Burnham acknowledges that more needs to be done to make communities feel safer. Despite the fall in crime, 65% of people feel it has in fact risen.

In 2005, the Government set a tough challenge to reduce all crime by 15 per cent by 2007/08. The new figures show that we have exceeded this – with an overall crime reduction of 18 per cent since the 2002/03 baseline for the target.

Andy said, “When we came into Government, we said we would be tough on crime. I don't claim that we have got everything right and there is still a long way to go. But we can point to these figures as evidence that we have delivered on this promise."

“More than anything, this fall in crime is a tribute to the work of the Police and I hope they will take great pride in the progress that has been made."

“However, it is a cause for real concern that people don't feel safer. We need to redouble our efforts to give people accurate information about the true picture in their locality.

"We must also deliver further reductions in the crimes that most concern people, particularly violence involving knives and guns."

“At the start of April, here in the Leigh area, we reached the landmark of a Neighbourhood Policing Team – putting a dedicated team of police officers and community support officers in every local community. I will work with our new Inspector Ian Kennedy to make sure this new system delivers a good service and maximum reassurance to the public."

The BCS is a victimisation survey in which adults living in private households are asked about their experiences of crimes. For the crime types it covers, the BCS can provide a better reflection of the true extent of crime because it includes crimes that are not reported to the police and crimes which are not recorded by them. The BCS also gives a better indication of trends in crime over time because it is unaffected by changes in levels of reporting to the police, and in police recording practices. The methodology of the BCS has remained the same since the survey began in 1981.

08/07/2008 - Council's 'Big Splash': Swimming to go free for all from April 2009

Borough is first in country to sign up to Labour's Olympic ambition.

People of all ages in the Wigan borough will be able to swim in local pools for free from next April.

The ground-breaking move comes after Culture Secretary Andy Burnham announced a new fund to help as many councils as possible make swimming free for all in time for 2012.

The flagship policy is part of the Government's national drive to get two million more people active by the time of the London Olympics in 2012.

Culture Secretary Andy Burnham said, "We are only a few weeks away now from the handover of the Olympic flag to Britain in Beijing. It will be an exciting moment for this country and I hope we can use the next four years to get more and more people active. It is a source of great pride to me that my own local authority is setting the lead for others to follow. The vision of Peter Smith and the Council has now become a national drive."

Wigan Council leader Peter Smith has said that he is looking to extend the Council's pioneering free swim scheme following the Government's announcement.

Launched in 2005, the local scheme now offers free swimming for under 16s and over 60s. Across the borough, over 300,000 free swims have been undertaken with a 50% increase in swimming from young and old alike since the local free scheme was introduced.

Andy Burnham has hailed the Wigan borough scheme as the inspiration behind the new national policy.

He continued, “Swimming’s appeal is universal. Whether you are young or old, swimming is something people can do as a family that is fun and also good for your health. It is the perfect antidote to the couch potato culture. Here in Leigh, it is just great news that our brand new pool at Leigh Sports Village will be free for all to enjoy.”

“Peter Smith and his Labour colleagues are very much the inspiration behind my announcement last month and they are to be congratulated for their vision. Making sport free for all is a real Labour policy."

"In our borough, we have all worked together to deliver sporting facilities which are the best of anywhere in the country. Now that our Council is making them free for all, let's set ourselves the goal of being the most active borough in Britain by 2012."

02/07/2008 - Ten point check-list to avoid mobile phone bill shock

Andy Burnham MP is asking holidaymakers - 'Do you know the true price of surfing on the beach?'

With the summer holiday season underway Andy Burnham is urging Leigh holidaymakers to be aware of the costs of making calls, surfing the internet or sending emails from mobile phones when overseas.

The call comes after a number of reported cases in which people using mobile phones to download data when abroad have been greeted with massive bills upon their return. These include:

1. A consumer who used a 5GB limit data roaming card in Austria and received a bill for over £4,000 for usage, after being informed that the operator’s limit was only 50MB.

2. Another who used a mobile phone to surf the web in France and was charged over £400 for 15 minutes of access.(source: Ofcom)

Andy Burnham MP said, “More and more people are using their mobile phones, or new mobile “dongles” with laptops to surf the web or send emails while out and about. With price plans starting from £5 per month most people know what their charges will be when used in the UK."

“But using these devices in the same way when overseas – including within the EU – can run up bills of hundreds or even thousands of pounds. Even downloading a 79p song from iTunes can cost £20."

“This can be avoided if people follow just a few simple steps, both before they go and while on holiday."

“I’m urging everyone who is heading overseas this summer to make sure that when sorting out their holiday insurance and foreign currency, they know the score when it comes to using their mobiles abroad. The last thing people want when they get back from their summer break is a huge bill sitting on the doormat.”

The ten-point check list is:

1. Enable your mobile phone: Check with your mobile provider that your phone has been enabled to use abroad. Operators are obliged to provide this information to customers.
2. Check your handset: Check with your mobile provider that your handset will work in the country you are travelling to.
3. Check the prices before you leave: Contact your mobile provider to check your tariff before you travel to help avoid unexpectedly high bills.
4. Ensure you are getting the best deal: Check international packages offered by operators before you travel to ensure you are getting the best deal.
5. The new Eurotariff excludes web, email or texting: The new pan European mobile phone tariff (Eurotariff) only applies to voice calls, not to texting and data downloads. It is available from all operators, across most European countries but is not available in Switzerland, Turkey or Croatia.
6. Check your bundles: Don’t assume that the price of calls made abroad are included in your bundled package.
7. Don’t forget voicemail: Picking up voicemail from abroad can cost the same as making a call to the UK – check with your provider if in doubt. You may also be charged every time someone leaves a message on your voicemail. If you want to avoid these charges, you can switch off your voicemail before you leave the UK.
8. Using mobile internet abroad: Be aware that when connecting to the internet via a mobile handset, dongle or data card (a portable modem which provides internet access via the 3G network) while abroad could cost significantly more than when using them at home.
9. The local SIM option: If you are out of the country for a long period time, it could be cheaper to buy a local SIM card that can be used in your handset or a local dongle.
10. Alert your operator immediately if your phone is lost or stolen: If your phone is lost or stolen when you are abroad remember that you could be liable for the cost of the calls made in that country. Make a note of the contact details of your operator before you travel to ensure that you can get in touch with them as soon as possible to report the loss.