This week, in Parliament, I voted to bring our railways back into public ownership.
The Conservatives oversaw disastrous rail privatisation which saw customers paying more for less. As a long-suffering passenger of Avanti West Coast, I know this all too well. The rail operator has been deemed the worst performing in the whole country, with less than half of Avanti trains arriving on time.
I’m proud to have voted for the Passenger Rail Services (Public Ownership) alongside my Labour colleagues. The bill will mean that rail services will be brought back into public control when their contracts expire.
In our manifesto, we promised to put passengers first: this is proof that Labour is delivering early on the change the country voted for last month.
Dangerous driving
After submitting an FOI to West Midlands Police, I was shocked to discover that less than 1% of proceeds of crime money was being used for road harm reduction.
From 2017-2023, £14,438,393 was recovered from the proceeds of crime, yet just £62,346 from that budget was dedicated to bringing in more road safety initiatives.
It’s clear that road safety is not getting the attention it demands. Since June last year, 23 people have tragically died on Birmingham’s roads as a result of dangerous driving. In just the last two months, two people have died in my constituency.
We need stakeholders to come together to improve safety on our roads. I'm glad to be working with local leaders and the police to make sure improving road safety is a priority.
More on the story here:
Saif Lodge
This week, I raised my concerns with the council after it became clear that a property in North Edgbaston had been turned into a cannabis farm. The property in question is formerly exempt accommodation Saif Lodge. In 2021, I worked with police to close down the site after discovering the appalling state of the facilities inside, no support for occupants and the impact of antisocial behaviour on residents nearby.
Given the history of this property, it almost certainly shows that the owners are incapable of managing this site and have ignored the concerns of local residents for far too long.
I’ve written to the council, asking them to consider making a compulsory purchase or confiscation order on the property for the benefit of North Edgbaston residents.
Harborne Day Centre
Many of my constituents have written to me concerned about the council’s proposed plans to close Harborne Day Centre.
Closing Harborne Day Centre would be a great detriment to its users and the carers who rely on the support it provides.
I believe that the council could assess measures to run the centre more cost-effectively, as the council reports that annual running costs are a whopping £1,501,748 each year.
I will be working with the council to explore alternative solutions to ensure Harborne Day Centre can remain open. I will be meeting with the council next week to discuss this further.
M5 trees
It’s good news that after my sustained campaigning alongside residents, the Parliamentary Health and Standards Ombudsman is carrying out a full detailed investigation into the removal of over 100 trees along the M5 in Quinton.
In 2021, Highways England ordered over 100 trees which protected 157 homes from the direct noise and air pollution of the M5 motorway to be cut down. It’s disgraceful that despite residents complaining of the “horrendous” noise and pollution in their homes for nearly 3 years, and sustained promises of improvements from Highways, next to nothing has been done to improve the situation facing residents.
I look forward to seeing the recommendations from the PHSO once the report is published.
Labour Growth Group
I was pleased to join the Labour Growth Group last week. The purpose of the group is to ensure that this Parliament is able to deliver on the homes, infrastructure and public services our country so desperately needs.
Labour’s number one mission is growth of the economy. It’s time to go for it.
I'm hiring
I am currently recruiting for a new Personal Assistant to join my team in my office in London.
If you have the skills and experience, and want to work in Parliament at an exciting juncture for the Labour Party and the country, please consider applying by clicking the button below.
Advice surgeries
There have been some updates to my advice surgeries. Please consult the new list below.
Punjab Outlook
It’s a pleasure to feature on the cover of the latest edition of Punjab Outlook!
You can read my full feature by following the link below:
Best wishes,
Preet Kaur Gill MP
Member of Parliament for Birmingham Edgbaston, covering Bartley Green, Edgbaston, Harborne, North Edgbaston and Quinton
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