MP Newsletter - libaries, bins, and a new government - 15 July 2024

Newsletter
Author

Laurence

Published

July 15, 2024

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MP NEWSLETTER – 14 JULY 2024 – LIBRARIES, BIN COLLECTIONS, AND A NEW GOVERNMENT

Good morning and thank you for subscribing to my regular newsletter. This email – sent weekly when Parliament is meeting – provides an update on local news and national politics. It also allows me to ask your views on important topics.

Election result

Welcome to my first MP newsletter. It is truly an honour to be elected to serve the Birmingham Northfield constituency.

When I was elected, I said that I would aim to deliver the highest standards of public service, and that I will work hard every day to repay the faith that has been shown in me. I will strive to be true to those values.

Voters delivered a resounding mandate for change. That was true in all the communities in Northfield constituency – including in Kings Norton North and Northfield Wards, where Carmel Corrigan and Esther Rai were also elected as Labour councillors.

It was also true across the country. The Labour majority of 5,389 in Birmingham Northfield is the best result in the seat since 2005. But many people did not vote for either of the two main parties. And many voted Labour for the first time as an instruction to deliver political stability and better public services.

I said at the election count that I want to represent all my constituents, including those who did not vote Labour, or who voted Labour for the first time. From Green voters to those who backed the Conservatives or Reform, one of the tasks of an MP is to work hard and win trust. That is what I intend to do.

I also paid tribute to my immediate predecessor, Gary Sambrook. We live in an age when politics is dangerously fractured and divided, and it is more important than ever that politicians try to work across party lines. I am sure that this is not the end for Gary in Birmingham politics, and I wish him well.

You can read more about the election (and see the results) here.

Birmingham news

Libraries

Photo of meeting with the Friends of Northfield Library Group

Last week, I attended a public meeting organised by the Friends of Northfield Library. The City Council’s consultation closes on Wednesday and all library services are under review, including the future of the libraries in Frankley, Kings Norton, Northfield, and Weoley Castle. The Council is exploring alternative ways of delivering services in some areas, and it is possible that some sites will shut completely.

There is a wider story about Birmingham’s finances, and a national lack of funding for libraries. More than 300 public libraries have closed in England since 2010. But I am deeply concerned about the current state of library services and the consultation itself.

The internet has had an effect on the number of people who use libraries but public services in decline can become a self-fulfilling prophecy. None of the libraries in the Northfield constituency now open after 17:00. Cuts to staffing, including to qualified staff, have meant that the service is less reliable (Northfield library was closed last Saturday due to staff shortages).

I spent some time knocking on doors in Frankley yesterday to talk to residents about the future of the library. Many people said that they relied on the library, particularly older people, and parents. There was a more general concern about the effect on the estate if another amenity was lost, and about the lack of public transport to alternatives.

Photo of Labour campaigners outside Frankley Community Library

I am making a submission to the consultation and I want to make sure that residents’ views are represented. The consultation itself – at 66 questions – is not, in my view, accessible to many library users, such as those with English as an additional language, or some people with accessibility requirements. There has to be a better way of consulting on the future of essential local services.

Bin collections

One of the issues that came up on the doorstep most frequently during the election was bin collections. Service reliability fell significantly during last few weeks. I have been making individual representations to the Council about missed collections, and I also set out to get a substantial update on the situation.

The Council is spending serious money to remedy its aging vehicles and to put on ‘catch-up’ collections, but it will be some time before the service has recovered. You can read my letter to the Council, and the Council’s reply, here.

Birmingham City Council finances

It is hard to talk about libraries without also talking about the City Council’s finances, and the Section 114 notice. There are still many unanswered questions about what happened last year, including how the estimate for the city’s equal pay liability – which was backed by external auditors – was got so badly wrong.

I believe that the way that Michael Gove sent in the Commissioners cannot be separated from the politics of the General Election campaign. I have submitted a number of questions in Parliament on the issue. There will be more to say on this important issue, but it was heartening to hear from Richard Parker – West Midlands Mayor – this week that early discussions with the new Government had been positive.

There does need to be accountability locally – and I have backed calls for a public inquiry. The scale of the cuts to Birmingham’s funding is difficult to overstate. Accounting for inflation, more than 40p in the pound was cut for each person in the city. Difficult decisions lie ahead, but it is already making a difference to no longer have a government that is determined to talk Birmingham down for narrow political ends.

Cycling safety

A cyclist was hit and received advanced emergency care on Thursday in South Road, off the Bristol Road and near Northfield Station. I was in the area and I saw the extent of the police and ambulance presence that night. Although it is usually best to avoid commenting on a specific incident until the facts are known, the roads should be safe for all their users, including cyclists.

Sadly, 60 young cyclists alone were killed or seriously injured on the city’s streets between 2016 and 2020. We know what works: segregated infrastructure, or dedicated cycleways, have been shown to keep people safe, reduce congestion, and encourage more people to cycle. Birmingham City Council is due to publish a consultation on the proposed A38 Cycleway extension later this year, and I look forward to seeing the details. My thoughts are with the cyclist who sustained those serious injuries.

School news

Congratulations to the staff and pupils at the University of Birmingham School for winning the ‘Secondary School of the Year’ award at the Midlands Education Awards this year.

MP office update

Following the election, I am now in the process of recruiting staff and setting up a constituency office. Two roles have been advertised on the ‘Work 4 MP’ service, and more posts will be advertised this week.

As I am currently working without an office, I must ask that people be patient about correspondence. I am currently receiving around a hundred emails from constituents each day, and I am obliged to prioritise urgent casework. I have made representations this week on a number of issues, including on housing, SEND transport, and urgent visa issues.

If you do not receive a response then I would encourage you to follow up with me on: laurence.turner.mp@parliament.uk.

In Parliament

Parliament is now sitting but the scrutiny of legislation has not yet begun. However, while some events (like MPs being ‘sworn in’) have taken place in public, a lot of work is happening behind the scenes.

Keir Starmer spoke to the new Labour MPs earlier this week. He reminded us how unusual Labour governments are, and how precious the time that have in power is. As a Labour supporter, after 14 long years in opposition, it was an uplifting and emotional moment.

The new Government’s legislative programme will be set out in the King’s Speech on Wednesday. We don’t know yet what it will contain, but I’m heartened by the steps that the new Government has already taken in these first few days, including:

I’ll be looking out in particular on Wednesday for an announcement on the New Deal for Working People. I hope and believe that Labour’s plans to end the race to the bottom on employment rights will be remembered as one of this Government’s finest achievements. There will be more to report in next week’s newsletter.

The full business of Parliament will start again after the King’s Speech, but MPs can submit questions at this point. I have tabled questions on issues such as: local GP practice coverage; SEND and the timetable for the opening of the new Frankley Hill autism-specialism school; the Birmingham Section 114 notice; the ambulance workforce; and some specific issues raised by constituents. I will report back on any answers received.

What do you think?

Ahead of the Birmingham library consultation closing: do you use your local library? What do you think the effects of closures or service reductions would be on you and the community? Thinking over the longer-term, are there things that Birmingham’s libraries could do differently, or better?

Your views would be much appreciated ahead of Wednesday’s deadline. I will share my response to the consultation online, and in next week’s newsletter.

Best wishes

Laurence Turner
Labour MP, Birmingham Northfield