Siôn Simon MP

Siôn Simon MP this week challenged Birmingham City Council to crackdown on fly-tipping

Mr. Simon said:

“Clean streets and a better local environment isn’t a campaigning slogan. It’s a right.

“It’s everyone’s responsibility to do their bit and show their local neighbourhood the respect it deserves. But its every resident’s right to expect that their local council will help them keep it clean and tidy.

“No one should have to put up with a sofa being dumped at the end of their road, rubbish piling up in town centre streets, dog mess, or burglar alarms ringing in the middle of the night with no sign of an end.

“Fly-tipping is an unsightly, expensive menace that costs council tax payers over a million pounds a week. That’s money that could be spent on schools, on social services or on lower council tax- and until now even if councils did spend more to prosecute the fly tippers, they wouldn’t get their costs back.

“But that’s changed with laws I voted for in Parliament. Now the people who create this filth have to pay for it to be cleaned up… and for the cost of the council tracking them down.

“Thanks to the same laws, councils have the power to remove dumped cars within 24 hours of them being reported; control the sale of spray paint to kids and deal with the menace of burglar alarms that ring and ring without no one turning up to switch them off..

“I’ll be watching our council to see if they live up to their side of the deal and use the powers I’ve given them – and I’ll be fighting day-in, day-out for a cleaner, greener, safer Erdington”

As Christmas approaches, Erdington MP Siôn Simon joined the Office of Fair Trading in urging the public to be on the lookout when giving to charity and not to get caught out by scrooges (otherwise known as bogus charity bag collectors) who prey on people’s

Attracted by the rising prices paid for second hand clothes, bogus charity bag collectors, many with links to the Baltic States, have increased in number and are even prepared to steal donations left out for genuine charities.
The Association of Charity Shops estimates that over £2 million worth of potential donations are lost each year to bogus charity bag collectors. Many genuine charities rely on doorstep collections for a large part of their shop sales and for many households, donating unwanted items is the most generous way they can support their chosen charities.
Clothes Aid is an organisation which collects doorstep donations for children’s hospitals across the UK, including Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity (GOSHCC) and Alder Hey, the largest children’s hospital in Europe. They estimate that GOSHCC alone has lost £220,000 per annum to bogus charity bag collectors. GOSHCC bags attract upwards of £500 for one tonne of donations on the black market and it is believed that up to 30 truck loads leave the UK every month destined for Lithuania alone. As a result, Clothes Aid has employed a team of ‘motorcycle guardian angels’ to patrol and protect collection areas and report thefts to the police.
The OFT has worked closely with the Charity Commission, Local Authority Trading Standards Services and the Advertising Standards Authority to crack down on the bogus charity collectors.
However, many of the recent collection leaflets give the misleading impression that the collections are on behalf of charity, but hidden in the small print they often admit that, in fact, donations are being collected for commercial purposes. The leaflets often include fake address or registration details which make them especially difficult to trace.
If consumers have any doubts about a leaflet asking for donations, or collectors they should:
* contact the Charity Commission helpline on 0870 333 0123 to check whether the collection is for, or on behalf of, a registered charity,
* give directly to a local charity shop or donate to a charity shop collection sack, which should make clear reference to the charity registration number and many will also carry the Association of Charity Shops Code of Charity Retailing logo, or
* contact the local police to report concerns or evidence of theft of donations to genuine charities.
Mr. Simon said:
“It is absolutely disgusting that there are people who are willing to take advantage people’s generosity for their own commercial gain, and are prepared to cheat charities out of much needed donations. It is highly commendable to donate unwanted clothes and items to charity, and I hope this campaign doesn’t put anyone off from doing so; I just want to ensure that people are on their guard so that all donations reach their intended target.”
Christine Wade, OFT Assistant Chief Executive, Consumer Advice and Trading Standards, said:

‘It is deplorable that some people actively cheat genuine charities out of significant sources of revenue and deprive those most in need of donations. We want people to be confident that they can give to charities but they should be careful to avoid unscrupulous individuals and companies looking to exploit their generosity and goodwill.’
David Moir, Head of Policy and Public Affairs at the Association of Charity Shops, said:

‘House to house collections remain an effective way to donate and we urge members of the public to continue their generous giving, but encourage them to exercise caution and vigilance. Legitimate charities take great care to get their message across. If a leaflet doesn’t look or sound right it probably isn’t.’
Michael Lomotey, Head of Collection Protection at Clothes Aid, said:

‘Clothes Aid is working with the police and Trading Standards to stamp out this problem and thanks to the vigilance of members of the public we have already successfully prosecuted people for theft of clothing donations. Nevertheless we urge the public to continue to give
in this way but if they notice anything suspicious to dial 999 immediately.’
NOTES
1. The Control of Misleading Advertisements Regulations (CMARs) 1988 (as amended), largely implement EU Directives on misleading and comparative advertising. They aim to protect the interests of consumers and businesses from misleading advertisements and advertisements that make prohibited comparisons.
An advertisement is misleading under the Regulations if in any way, including its presentation, it deceives or is likely to deceive the person to whom it is addressed or whom it reaches and if by reason of its deceptive nature, it is likely to affect their economic behaviour, or for those reasons injures or is likely to injure a competitor of the person whose interests the advertisement seeks to promote.’Advertisement’ for the purposes of the Regulations means any form of representation which is made in connection with a trade, business, craft or profession, in order to promote the supply or transfer of goods or services, immovable property, rights or obligations.
The OFT can take action against anyone appearing to be concerned or likely to be concerned with the publication of a misleading advertisement. It can apply to the courts for an injunction ordering such persons to comply with the law in future. It can also accept undertakings from those involved in lieu of action.

MP ASKS LOCAL RESIDENTS TO JOIN HIM IN REDUCING ENERGY CONSUMPTION

Erdington MP Siôn Simon has pledged to take simple steps to reduce his energy consumption this summer, and has urges everyone in Erdington to join him in taking simple practical steps to help turn down climate change.

Mr. Simon said:

“This July has been one of the hottest ever. Each of the last five years has been one of the ten hottest on record.

“Climate Change is science fact, not science fiction. Yet many people feel helpless, not knowing what they can do to make a difference. The Government has to do all it can to reduce carbon emissions by delivering the Kyoto agreement, encouraging low carbon energy, investing in renewable energy and leading international efforts to reduce carbon use. I’ve supported those measures in Parliament.

“But the environment is an issue for all of us, not just politicians. After all, if each of us used just a little less energy it would make a real impact on our carbon emissions.

“The average household is directly responsible for about 10 Tonnes of carbon per year. Our decisions have a major impact on the Environment. Simple small measures – from turning your TV off rather than leaving it on standby to turning your heating down a couple of degrees make a difference, which if we all make the change will be significant.

“Summer’s a good time to take action because we tend to use less energy in heating our homes. We can set habits in summer that we keep up for the rest of the year. That’s why I’m pledging to take some of the ten simple steps the Energy Saving Trust have designed for each of us to reduce our energy use.

“Of course we need to do more, but let’s do what we can immediately, then campaign to put the environment at the top of everyone’s agenda”

Erdington MP Siôn Simon this week backed tough action on drunken disorder and increased uniformed presence

Siôn Simon MP has welcomed the new Violent Crime Reduction Bill, which contains tough action to deal with the issue of binge drinking, including a power for police to impose a 48 hour ban on pubs and bars that sell alcohol irresponsibly.

Mr. Simon said:

“We all read stories in the local papers that highlight the crimes committed by drunken thugs. These stories underline the fact that dealing with drunken disorder is a vital concern for residents of Erdington.

“At the election I pledged to support recruiting extra police Community Support officers so that every community in Erdington can have its own neighbourhood policing team. These officers will be part of the frontline in the battle against drunken disorder.

“Now we need to give police the powers they need so that our communities are safe from the menace of drunken disorder. That’s why I welcome the Government’s publication of the Violent Crime Reduction Bill, which contains new measures to tackle binge drinking and the irresponsible sale of alcohol.

“The Violent Crime Reduction Bill contains strong new powers to deal with drunken criminals and to ensure that Pubs and Bars sell alcohol responsibly. Some of the key points are:

A power for police to request 48-hour bans on pubs and clubs persistently selling alcohol to underage drinkers;

On-the-spot 48-hour exclusions for those who represent a public order risk, where there is a risk of alcohol related disorder;

• Introduce ‘Drinking Banning Orders’ – which will ban those responsible for drunken disorder from certain areas and from licensed premises;
  

• Create “Alcohol Disorder Zones”, where licensed premises can be required to take collective responsibility for dealing with alcohol-related disorder – this could lead to a charge for policing being imposed.
  

I believe these new powers will help the police work with responsible landlords to make our town centres a pleasant place to socialise, while giving us all security knowing that those who cause violent drunken disorder will be swiftly and heavily dealt with”

Erdington MP Siôn Simon this week backed a Government consultation on the new schools admission code, which aims to ensure every parent knows the basis on which their child will be admitted to a school, ending unfair admissions practices by schools.

The Education and Inspections Bill, currently before Parliament, will place a statutory duty on school admissions authorities, local authorities, admission forums, school governing bodies, admission appeal panels and adjudicators “to act in accordance with” the new Code. This means that they must comply with its mandatory provisions and closes a legal loophole that allowed schools to circumvent the Code – up until now they have only had to have regard to it. The Bill will also outlaw interviewing as part of a school’s admissions arrangements, although parents are still encouraged to visit prospective schools and to meet the head teacher.

Launching the consultation, Education Secretary Alan Johnson said:

“Schools must have the flexibility to set admission arrangements that meet their needs but these arrangements must also be fair, clear and easy to understand for parents. These are the principles that underpin the new admissions code. We have toughened up the rules governing admissions so that every school and local authority knows what they can or cannot do when determining school intake. These changes will help us and schools to deliver a fair and equitable school system and banish any selection by stealth.”

Under the draft Code, schools and authorities will have the freedom to determine their own admissions policies but will do so within a strict but flexible framework that clearly rules out practices which might restrict the access of some children to schools.

Examples of unfair practices and oversubscription criteria that the new Code will ban are:
* taking account of a parent’s financial status or occupation or educational or social background;
* taking into account parents ability to financially or otherwise support the school;
* taking into account former family connections with a school.
The Draft Skeleton Code published in April set out many of the changes that are being published for formal consultation today. In addition the new Code will now also prohibit:
* placing conditions on the type of schools that parents must list on their general application form in order to be given priority for admission. At present some schools insist that all schools chosen by a parent must be of a similar make up e.g. all faith schools;
* giving higher priority to parents who make a particular school their first preference. This restricts choice and forces parents into playing an admissions game in order to secure a school place for their children.
The new Code will ensure that all children have a fair chance of attending the school they want and taken together with the Government ‘ s wider work – co-ordinated admissions, choice advisers, improvements in home-to-school transport and creating more good school places – will help parents access the right school for their child.

Mr. Simon said:

“The majority of schools in Erdington already operate completely fair and transparent admissions policies- as such, the introduction of a new code will not change their existing arrangements. However, whilst there are any schools which use unfair policies to influence their intake, new measures to end this discrimination are justified.”

“I am glad that the Government have reconised this weakness in the admissions system, and are taking steps to ensure no child is disadvantaged compared to another. There will be no return to selection, no interviews used to decide whether a child should be offered a place at a school and no consideration of such things as the marital status of parents or their ability to contribute financially to the school. The new Code will ensure that every child, regardless of background, has a fair chance of securing a place at the school they want to attend.”

Erdington MP Siôn Simon this week welcomed the news that mobile phone industry leaders have pledged that eighty per cent of stolen handsets will be blocked on all five UK networks within 48 hours of being reported stolen to their home network, ensuring sto

Working in partnership with the Government and police, the Mobile Industry Crime Action Forum (MICAF) and mobile phone industry leaders launched an industry charter detailing objectives and initiatives to help reduce mobile phone crime.

Mr. Simon joined Home Secretary John Reid in welcoming the charter, as Mr. Reid pledged £1.35 million funding for a national centre of excellence – the National Mobile Phone Crime Unit (NMPCU) – to bolster local and national action to disrupt stolen phone markets.

The charter represents a major improvement in the process of blocking stolen mobile phones, making them less attractive to criminals. The blocking target represents a world first in using this type of process, and shows industry leaders’ commitment to play their part in helping to reduce mobile phone theft in the UK. The Home Secretary is also backing the industry charter with a cash-point advertising campaign during August 2006 in the areas most affected by robbery, raising public awareness about keeping valuables safe on the street.

Mr Reid said:

“I welcome this commitment by the mobile phone industry leaders, to make mobile phones less attractive to thieves and demonstrate their clear commitment to their customers’ safety.
“I believe the public should be free to carry valuable items, such as mobile phones and MP3 players, on the streets without fear of becoming a target for robbers. Today there are 21,000 fewer robberies on the streets than five years ago. We are determined to drive robbery levels down even further.
“The latest crime statistics show that most robbery is concentrated in a relatively small number of hotspot areas throughout England and Wales, the majority of which are in major cities. The Home Office is already working with these local Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships (CDRPs) to help them tackle their problems, through expert advice, and dedicated action plans for their areas.
“Working hand in hand with the industry, we are taking important steps to reduce street crime, and fear of crime, and keep our public spaces safe.”

Mobile Industry Crime Action Forum (MICAF) Chair Jack Wraith said:

“The mobile phone industry has a history of close partnership working with the Home Office, the Department for Trade and Industry (DTI) and the National Mobile Phone Crime Unit, and we are committed to doing all we can to reduce the number of phones being stolen in the UK.
“This charter documents the future commitment of the mobile phone industry, via MICAF, to continue to work in partnership with law enforcement agencies and the Home Office on these very important issues. The charter clearly sets out the key steps the industry will take to help cut mobile phone theft further so as to ensure that people can continue to use their phones, safe in the knowledge that measures are in place that will make them worthless to thieves if they are stolen.
“The charter also documents the importance of consumer awareness and the need for people to register their phones, so as to increase the chances of their phone being returned safely should it be recovered after being lost or stolen.
“The industry has already achieved a great deal, being the first in the world to introduce, in conjunction with the GSM Association, a central database which enables the exchange of information on those handsets reported as stolen by customers thus enabling them to be blocked across all UK Networks. Also, in conjunction with our other partners, we have raised consumer awareness to help them help us and prevent their phones being stolen in the first place.
“We have also continued to provide technical expertise and advice to the National Mobile Phone Crime Unit to assist them in their very important role in tackling mobile phone crime. The steps outlined in our charter today are aimed at building on this sound foundation and demonstrates our commitment to help reduce further the number of mobile phones being stolen in the UK.”
Mr. Simon said:
“If thieves know that a mobile phone will be a useless piece of plastic within 48 hours of being stolen, the incentive for the crime will simply be removed.
“This new charter represents a concerted effort by the Government to tackle a particular type of street crime that can affect anyone who carries a mobile phone. I am pleased to see the Government working with industry leaders to find a solution to a relatively new brand of crime. By producing innovative solutions such as the new charter, the Government remains a step ahead of the thieves, and ensures people feel safe to carry their mobile phones on their person at all times without fear of robbery.”

Erdington MP Siôn Simon this week welcomed Government plans to crack down on the misuse of tiny, noisy motorcycles.

The popularity of shin-high motorcycles marketed as toys but used illegally throughout the country by aggressive riders, is skyrocketing, and Home Secretary John Reid has asked police to target those who create a nuisance by riding on public streets and pavements, knocking pedestrians out of their path and sending cars scrambling to avoid collisions.
The Motorcycle Industry Association estimates that sales of mini-moto-style bikes have risen from 10,000 in 2002 to more than 100,000 in 2005. The mini-bikes are known for their loud engines, small stature, and ability to reach speeds as high as 60 miles per hour.

Mr. Simon said:

“My opposition to these mini-motorcycles, and those that ride them, is well known in Erdington. As such, I am extremely pleased that following a spate of accidents and thousands of complaints across the country, police are cracking down on the misuse of the noisy, tiny motorcycles.”

“One of the measures announced this week by the Government is that those who are caught riding the bikes illegally could be awarded points on their driving licenses – even if they don’t yet have a driving license. This will affect the cost of their car insurance, while children who receive points in advance of receiving a license could be refused car insurance altogether when they do begin to drive legally. This is exactly the kind of tough penalty I have long campaigned for, and am delighted to hear the police will now have extra powers with which to tackle mini-moto misuse”

Learn the rules before you ride
It is only legal to ride miniature motorcycles on private property or on dedicated tracks. It is almost always illegal to ride them on pavements, in parks or on public streets.
Those who are caught riding the bikes illegally could be awarded points on their driving licenses – even if they don’t yet have a driving license. This will affect the cost of their car insurance, while children who receive points in advance of receiving a license could be refused car insurance altogether when they do begin to drive legally.
To ensure that people understand the rules regarding the bikes, the Respect Task Force has produced a guide on the laws affecting mini-motos.

Dr Reid said:

“These vehicles are not toys, and I want to see irresponsible drivers stopped, and if necessary their bikes crushed.”

Louise Casey, Government Coordinator for Respect, warned:

“Parents should be aware of the penalties their child faces for misuse, and think twice before allowing them to have one.”

Respect is giving £200,000 to 28 communities to step up enforcement of laws affecting the bikes this summer. All police forces are also receiving practical guidelines for tackling local misuse of the vehicles.

Erdington MP Siôn Simon wants to know if anti-social behaviour in your area is being dealt with properly.

Mr. Simon says:

“Thousands of communities across Britain are feeling the benefits of giving new powers to police forces, local councils and communities to deal with persistent low level trouble causers. Across the country, graffiti, noise, drunken behaviour, street gangs and nuisance neighbours are being dealt with.”

“Where they’re being used, these new laws are making people’s lives better. But I know that some people are frustrated that action is not happening quickly enough, like yobs not being given ASBOs or graffiti not being cleaned up.”

“But thanks to a new Government task force, people in Erdington can now call in the experts to help local authorities take action. The new ‘Respect Squad’ is a crack team of experts who can be called in to tackle incidents of persistent anti-social behaviour which are causing misery to local communities in and around Erdington.”

“The ten-strong squad can be called on by MPs to sort out problems when it seems nothing else can be done.”

“I want to make sure that if you and your neighbours feel your fight against anti-social behaviour is being held up for no good reason, or you have reached a dead end, let me know so I can get the Respect Squad on the case.”

Mr. Simon can be contacted via the link on this website, or by email at bridgmanl@parliament.uk.

Siôn Simon, MP for Erdington, this week attended the ceremony and luncheon for the installation Birmingham’s Lord Mayor, Cllr Mike Sharpe as Chancellor of the University of Central England.

The ceremony took place at the university’s School of Jewellery in Hockley, Birmingham.

Mr Simon said:

“I know the new chancellor will do a great job of promoting the university and helping to build links with the local community to promote the benefit of life long learning. The UCE works hard to meet the needs of individuals and the economy by working in partnership with employers, community groups and other educational institutions. The university is a great institution for those who want to benefit form further education, and it is practically on our doorstep here in Erdington.”

Siôn Simon, MP for Erdington and Kingstanding, this week met College High School head, Kim Popratnjak.

The school’s exam results have improved considerably since she became head teacher. Their last Ofsted report was also very positive about the school, which is one of six recently awarded ‘Specialist College’ status.

Mr Simon said:

“Even though the school has officially closed for the summer holidays, it is a hive of activity. It is a measure of the school’s success that the kids want to be there during the holidays. It is good to see that the school is a fantastic asset to the local community all year around and not just in term time.”