- Advertisement Feature - David’s 25th Anniversary NUMBER OF Dinner LETTERS TO MPS David celebrates 25 years in the Commons (from left): Anne Widdecombe MP, Mark François MP, his daughter Katherine, David, his wife Julia, Frank Carson and HM Queen Elizabeth SOARS IN impersonator, Mary Reynolds James awards winners of Christmas card competition ECONOMIC CRISIS James hosted the winners of his annual Christmas MP and David Amess Card design competition in the Houses of Parliament MP have become aware of a significant in early December. increase in the number of letters they The five students from local schools were selected from over 100 entries to have their designs printed on James’s Christmas receive from constituents since the Card which is then sent out to over 1,000 people in Rochford, economic problems of the country have Southend and London. The theme of this year’s competition started to take hold in Southend. was ‘Christmas in Westminster’ and the winning card which showed Santa climbing Big Ben was designed by David James, who is Member of rate cuts, and others are Mackay from Hinguar Primary School. Parliament for Rochford having to move house to The four runners up, who feature on the back of James’ card and Southend East, and bring their bills back in line were: David who is MP for with what they can afford.” • Lola Goss - Hamstel Infant School Southend West have both • Harry Fuller - Great Wakering Primary School seen a dramatic rise in With the economy in the • Noor-ul-Huda - Temple Sutton Primary School the numbers of difficulty it is, both James • Woody Marron - Bourne’s Green Junior School constituents asking for and David are doing The five winning children and their parents were invited to the help with financial related everything they can to House of Commons for a tour following which the children problems. help constituents who were presented with their certificates and goody bags as prizes. contact them about James said, “I am so pleased that the Christmas card James said, “Constituents problems. economic troubles, with either David or I as soon competition got so many entries again this year from so many will often write to me about talented young artists. all manner of things - such David added, “I am many people who were as they think they may be as problems they’re particularly concerned for reluctant to tighten their getting into financial “I really enjoyed meeting the winner and runners up of my having with housing, or the elderly population of Christmas spending. Now trouble, and we will do Christmas card competition in Westminster and I hope that Southend. Elderly people everything we can to help. they enjoyed their day. Congratulations to David and the wanting to express their that the festive season has runners up for their wonderful designs.” opinion on a contentious are hardest hit in times of passed the issue of issue like immigration, the recession as they receive financial difficulties can no “The Citizens Advice European Union or a diminishing pension at longer be avoided. Bureau is also an Southend Airport. As their the same time as having extremely helpful MP I want to listen to to face higher energy bills. James said, “That is why organisation which can people and take note of I would urge anyone who it is really important that offer detailed advice on a which issues are is troubled by the state of people get in touch with range of scenarios.” particularly affecting their finances to contact residents. me.” Inside cover: “Recently I have noticed James is also concerned Find out who’s your local MP that many more people about how the economy - and how to contact him are writing about financial and Southend residents Inside back cover: problems they are having. will fare once we’re well Southend Womens Aid Some are struggling to get into the New Year. He credit, others can’t keep believes that much of the Back cover: up their mortgage population has not yet felt Help for Business repayments despite the the full impact of the PromotedINSIDE: on their own behalves by James Duddridge MP and David Amess MP, both of House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA and paid for from their respective Communications Allowances. Your local MPs working together for Southend Who’s your local MP? David Amess and James Duddridge work together for the residents of Southend - but only one of them is your local representative in Parliament. If you need help or advice, or want to speak to your MP for any reason, here’s who Foulness you should Island

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Representing the Representing the Southend wards of: Southend wards of: Belfairs, Kursaal, Milton, Blenheim Park, Prittlewell (east side), St Luke’s, Chalkwell, Shoeburyness, Southchurch, Eastwood Park, Thorpe, Victoria and West Leigh, Shoebury Prittlewell (west side), St Laurence, Representing the Rochford wards of: West Leigh and Barling & Sutton, Foulness & Westborough Great Wakering and Rochford

MP for Southend MP for Rochford & West Southend East David Amess James Duddridge Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected]

Tel: 020 7219 3452 Tel: 01702 616 135

Fax: 020 7219 2245 Fax: 01702 619 071

Write to: Write to: David Amess MP James Duddridge MP House of Commons Strand House London SW1A 0AA 742 Southchurch Road, SS1 2PS www.davidamessmp.com www.jamesduddridge.com

If you want to be totally certain, visit www..com and enter your postcode It’s warm on the Southend front On Friday 28th November, Lampard to celebrate the fact his ensure that the home is David visited constituent home is now warm all year round! adequately and affordably heated Mr Eric Lampard at his David is an enthusiastic supporter and the occupants are free from home in Belfairs Park Drive the health risks posed by cold, of the Warm Homes Campaign, damp homes; a factor known to to promote the 2008 Warm especially since he was the exacerbate conditions such as Homes Campaign which is architect of the Warm Homes and circulatory and respiratory being run by the National Energy Conservation Act of 2000, disease. Energy Action group. which requires the Government to alleviate and eventually With latest figures from National Mr Lampard lives in a detached eradicate fuel poverty. During Energy Action stating that 17.2% house which he owns. With the the winter of 2006-2007 there of households in Southend West help of National Energy Action, were more than 22,000 excess are living in fuel poverty, David his home has benefited from the winter deaths in England. More and James are urging all those installation of loft insulation, two than 90% of these deaths occur across Southend as a whole to new radiators and low-energy in the pensioner population. With find out if they might be eligible lightbulbs, and he has received recent fuel price increases, there for help from the Warm Front energy advice. This work was is no better time to help avert scheme. carried out under the Warm Front such a high number of Scheme which Mr Lampard is preventable deaths. Energy eligible for as he is in receipt of efficiency schemes such as You can call Pension Credit. David is pictured Warm Front provide heating and 0800 316 2805 or visit David with Southend resident and Warm Front enjoying a hot drink with Mr insulation improvements to www.warmfront.co.uk beneficiary, Mr Eric Lampard

MPs attend official opening of Fire Station Headquarters

James and David with staff from the Southend Women’s Aid and representatives from the Big Lottery Fund Southend Women’s Aid In October James and scheme of work with victims of Project is available to the women David visited a charitable domestic violence. The and children of Southend who may, project in Southend which programme of support and tragically, one day need to call on had received funding from counselling on offer aims to its services. The staff here are James and David with other Essex MPs at the opening develop services for sufferers to committed to their work and of the Essex Fire Service Headquarters the Lottery to help its work. include parenting skills, individual committed to the people who Southend Women’s Aid in therapy, communication skills and approach them for help.” James and David were invited to attend the opening Southend East, or the Dove trauma recovery. Individual of the new Essex Fire Service Headquarters in Project as it is called in Southend therapy is provided to children Whilst Southend Women’s Aid was Kelvedon. West, provides a support facility experiencing emotional and fortunate to receive the funding to help victims of domestic they did, David has become The Essex County and Fire Service relocated to the new educational difficulties as a result premises from their previous headquarters in Rayleigh Close. violence in Southend. The of domestic violence and a increasingly concerned that other charity is part of a national charities in Southend have not Kelvedon Park has the facilities to allow the Fire Service to 'parental support package' is develop a training and management centre to support its network which works to end tailored to each family's needs. been receiving a fair share of lottery violence against women and funding. Following a meeting with staff. children through policy influence, Following his visit to the centre, the Big Lottery Fund’s chief of staff, James, pictured with other Essex MPs, said, “The new prevention of abuse and James commented, “It is Peter Wanless, David has secured headquarters at Kelvedon Park are very modern and spacious. provision of support. immensely reassuring to know an event in February for local As it allows the Fire Service to bring certain operations back that the facilities and dedicated charities to discuss options funding together under one roof this will mean a more efficient and The project in Southend aims to support offered by Southend options and improve awareness of develop and expand an on-going effective Fire Service for everyone in Southend, as well as Women’s Aid and the Dove the sources available. the wider Essex area.” More information on Women’s Aid can be found at; www.womensaid.org.uk

James Duddridge, MP for Rochford and Southend disagree with this estimate and it is consumers and James East, released earlier this year a business survey businesses who will suffer. which was sent to small businesses in the area. “I conducted this survey to help give me a better idea of The aim of the survey was to determine how local businesses what local businesses are going through and let business asks local are being affected by the economic downturn. owners know that their MP is listening to them and they can approach me for help.” 59% of businesses replied saying they felt their businesses had been negatively affected by the downturn. A staggering The survey also revealed that people feel nervous about businesses 98% felt that more should be done to reduce the burden the state of the economy and the town around them. 61% on local businesses, and 67% expected their profitability to expected local unemployment to go up, whilst 57% expected go down. local house prices to fall. 33% believed that a reduction in what they business rates would help them through financial difficulties, James expressed his concern, saying, "The results of the although 80% expected their personal taxes to increase. survey were very worrying. For local businesses - who do think not rely on exports - the economic crisis will have a very James went on to say, “I will be conducting another survey severe impact on their profits and may ultimately lead to next year to assess the progressive impact of the credit the closing of businesses and job losses across Southend. crisis, so if any businesses did not receive the last survey The Government is saying the recession will only last 18 but would like to add their contribution to the next one please months but many financial institutions and business groups get in touch with me using the contact details on page 2.” Help for WORKING FOR SOUTHEND AND ROCHFORD small As the two local Members of Parliament for Southend East or Southend West, we work together on behalf of your interests. businesses As your MPs we will try help out wherever possible if you contact us with a problem - no matter how you voted at the General Election. We are very concerned at the impact the national economic problems are having on Southend and will in Essex continue to monitor how Southend residents are coping AS a way of helping out in throughout 2009. difficult economic times, James and David would like You can contact us through the details on page 2 if you need to encourage businesses to look into taking up the help with a problem and we both hold regular surgeries at Small Business Rate Relief. which we can meet with constituents in person. Roughly half of eligible businesses do not claim the We hope you have enjoyed reading this wraparound and if relief, simply because they don’t know it exists. there are any concerns or comments you have please feel Yet it could save local shops up to £1,100 per annum. free to get in touch with us. Although we work together on The relief is eligible to those properties with a rateable many issues, a strict Parliamentary convention prevents us value of less than £5,000 who will get 50% rate relief. The relief is also available above £5,000 but by 1% for from dealing with any one else’s constituents. So to find out every £100, below a maximum rate of £10,000 rateable if you’re a resident of Southend East or Southend West please value. have a look at the map on page 2 to find out which one of us is your local MP. The relief is only available for ratepayers who either: We look forward to hearing from you. Have one property and are not in receipt of any other relief. Have one main property not in receipt of any other relief and other additional properties with values of less than £2,200, to a total value £15,000 outside David Amess James Duddridge London or £21,500 inside London. MP for Rochford & Southend East MP for Southend West The local billing authority will calculate the exact reduction. James with Charlie and Mohinder Bhogal The rate is calculated to each celebrating outside the Sutton Road Post chargeable day. David, James, Office after hearing it had been spared Mayor Gwen from closure The relief is not automatic and Horrigan and Cllr Hilary must be applied for. Davison at David’s fourth James is urging small businesses to visit the website: annual Centenarians’ www.leaseholdersunited.com Tea Party If a business is eligible it can then print out a form, fill it in and send it to their Council. David switches on Leigh Lights James said, “Our shops and businesses are facing tough at St Clements Church with Mayor Gwen Horrigan and times but they are the life blood of our economy and our ‘Never Mind the Buzzcocks’ star Phill Jupitus community. We want to help them and this online tool is a simple way of achieving this. It will point them in the right direction to ensure they’re not losing out on David with Olympic gold what could be critically important funds”. medallist Rebecca Romero

Are you registered to vote in local and national elections? Remember, local Council elections and the Euro elections are in June and a General Election could be called at any time, so it’s important that you keep your registration details up-to-date to ensure that you can have your say. To find out if you are registered, and to complete the necessary form, contact the Electoral Registration Officer at Southend-on-Sea Borough Council on: 01702 215 116 If you live in Rochford, call Rochford District Council’s Elections Line on: 01702 318 187