Karen Lumley MP for Redditch County, was extremely pleased to hear that £1 million will be invested into Church Hill in Redditch over a period of ten years as part of Big Local, a groundbreaking long-term Lottery programme to achieve lasting change in 150 small areas across England.

“ I am excited by the announcement from the Big Lottery Fund that there will be such a huge investment into Redditch over the coming years. I am most enthusiastic about the fact that funding and support to the area will be delivered by the Local Trust, a new independent organisation set up by the Community Development Foundation and its consortium partners to run Big Local. Local Trust will work closely with local residents so that they can have a real say into what issues should be a priority for funding. The aim is to empower local people to improve the places in which they live in a sustainable and innovative way. This is great news for the residents of Church Hill and is a fantastic opportunity for local local groups, charities, the public sector and local businesses and residents to work together for a brighter future in Redditch.”

A week-long series of events in Redditch and Bromsgrove marking the National Apprenticeship Week culminated on Friday 10th February with local MP Karen Lumley visiting NEW College.

Ms. Lumley joined College tutors at the Redditch campus to congratulate some of the young students who had won various skills competitions that have been taking place over the week.

National Apprenticeship Week is the time when all eyes are on Apprenticeships and it’s all about raising the profile amongst employers, individuals, teachers, parents and the media. Business Secretary Vince Cable launched the fifth annual Apprenticeship Week, which is on course to be the biggest event to-date.

Vince Cable said, “I am very proud of the fact that at a time of financial constraint this Government has prioritized investment in apprenticeships. This has led to the creation of record numbers of apprenticeships combined with tough new standards to drive up quality. Apprenticeships are at the centre of the Government’s skills policy because we know that they work. Not only do they provide individuals with the skills they need for prosperous and rewarding careers, they also boost businesses’ profits and drive growth in the wider economy. We are providing extra help to enable small employers to hire their first apprentices. We will also continue to develop new advanced and higher-level apprenticeships to deliver the world-class skills individuals and firms need to get ahead.”

Amongst the activities at NEW College this week were Automotive Engineering ‘Head to Head’ and ‘pit stop’ challenges where students competed against each other and the clock, an inspirational talk from local entrepreneur and business woman Fiona Hudson-Kelly of Smart Assessor and Hairdressing and Beauty Therapy demonstrations from previous College apprentices. The Hospitality and Catering students also took part in a ‘MasterChef’ style challenge, whilst down at the Construction Training Centre employers and students from local schools were invited along to a whole days worth of events including competitions, an employer forum and the Olympic Skill Build.

Speaking about the drive to create more Apprenticeships, Principal of NEW College John Callaghan said, “We are also keen to demonstrate the skills that our Apprentices have acquired at NEW College and to show local businesses the benefits that they can reap by employing such talented individuals.”

Trevor Jarvis of Trevita Homes Ltd said, “The apprenticeship programs offered through the college are first class and the conditions and facilities at the college are excellent. We have had a few lads who have been through this system and are now employed by our company and we wouldn’t hesitate to take more in the future.”

Karen Lumley MP added, “It’s always good to see a successful apprenticeship scheme as we are investing heavily in investing in our young people. It was good to meet everybody involved today and celebrate their hard work.”

Anyone wanting to complete an apprenticeship or take on an apprentice can contact Ann Isherwood at NEW College on telephone number 01527 548871.

Bradley Farrington, 17 from Redditch is studying full-time Level 2 Bench Joinery and came first in the Level 2 Bent Joinery competition during the Olympic Skill Build that took place on Wednesday 8th February as part of National Apprenticeship Week at the Construction Centre.   Jake Eaborn, 17 from Redditch is studying full-time Level 2 Site Carpentryand came first in the Level 2 Site Carpentry competition that took place also. Both were previous students at Kingsley College.

Karen is pictured with Bradley Farrington, Andy Moule, Programme Area Manager for Construction, ESOL, SFL and Community Learning, Trevor Jarvis of Trevita Homes who judges the Carpentry competition, College Principal John Callaghan and Jake Eaborn.

Local MP Karen Lumley has joined with 105 other MPs from the four largest political parties represented in the House of Commons and written to the Prime Minister urging a reduction in the amount of subsidy given to onshore wind.

The joint letter also asks for amendments to be made to the National Planning Policy Framework to help protect the rural landscape and heritage sites across the country. It also asks for the Planning Inspectorate to be told that these factors, as well as the views of local residents, been given more weight in their decisions so as to counter-balance recent decisions which have given more weight to regional, national and European renewable energy targets.

Karen said, “I have spoken several times in the House on this issue and I know that it is an matter of concern to many people in Redditch. I’m delighted to be part of this campaign. Not only is onshore wind production inefficient and intermittent, it also increases the price of energy bills to every home and business in my constituency. I am keen to see the amount of money available in subsidy for onshore wind reduced and this saving spread across other renewable energy types and also spent on local energy efficiency measures. It is also important that the new planning regime the Government is introducing ensures that local peoples’ views are taken fully into account and that the system recognises the importance of the beautiful countryside and heritage assets we have.”

Karen Lumley, MP for Redditch, has welcomed Government funding to build more affordable homes in the area. Through the New Homes Bonus, Redditch Borough Council has been granted £308,485 this year to build much-needed housing in the local area.

The New Homes Bonus is a multi-billion pound programme that rewards communities when they accept more house building in their area. The Bonus includes an extra reward for building new affordable homes, and for getting long-term empty homes back into use.

Building on the flagship Housing Strategy, the Government has unveiled a range of measures to help first time buyers onto the housing ladder, provide support for millions who have been left languishing on social housing waiting lists and get construction on the move.

Karen Lumley MP for Redditch County, said, “Labour led Britain into a housing crisis – the number of affordable homes fell, waiting lists almost doubled and first-time buyer numbers collapsed to their lowest level for a generation. House building is already up a quarter under the Coalition Government, but there is more to do. I am delighted to welcome this funding for new homes in Redditch. The Government’s actions will help local people onto the housing ladder, provide more affordable housing and create local jobs”.

Young people in Redditch given the Chance to be Chancellor and share their opinions on the Youth Budget 2012

Karen Lumley is supporting the launch of Chance to be Chancellor 2012 and is calling on schools and young people in Redditch to take up in the challenge to learn about, and share their opinions on, Budget 2012.  Run by the Citizenship Foundation, in partnership with Aviva, Chance to be Chancellor is open to all 14-18 year olds across the UK.

Running until the 20^th February, participants can enter into a national competition to win great prizes and visit HM Treasury in London.

To find out more and get involved visit: www.chancetobechancellor.org.uk