Press Release 29th February 2010

Local MP for Basingstoke, Maria Miller visited Queen Mary’s College to talk with staff and students.

Maria was quizzed by students in various local and national issues.

Maria said “I found the Q&A session most interesting, it’s always good to see youngsters being so actively involved in local and national issues.”

Press Release 29th February 2010

Basingstoke’s MP, Maria Miller visited Aldworth Science College to see the new IT facilities.

Maria said “Up-to-date and good quality IT equipment is extremely important for students and teachers alike. Good IT skills are extremely important in the job sector. It is fantastic to see that the new facilities in the college, will offer students and teachers the opportunity to gain the much needed good IT skills.”

Press Release 29th February 2010

MP Maria Miller is calling for a new law to tackle the growing number of unauthorised traveller sites in Basingstoke.

Maria wants to see a new criminal offence of intentional trespass, as already in place in the Republic Of Ireland. Trespassers who refuse to move after being asked to do so by a uniformed police officer will face arrest. At present, trespass (which does not involve criminal damage) is a civil offence - forcing the landowner to go to court. This will allow both squatters and travellers occupying property without permission of the landowner to be removed quickly.

Maria said, “There has been an unacceptable 20% increase in the number of illegal traveler and gypsy encampments in Basingstoke over the past year.

All too often, these camps are on verges and on open land in residential areas, creating considerable problems for residents until the encampment is moved on. Then there are mounting expenses for Council Tax payers who have to foot the bill for legal costs and the clean-up.

I am concerned that some gypsies and travelers can take advantage of planning and human rights laws to avoid eviction from land on which they have no permission to camp. I think a change in the law is long over due to better protect ordinary residents.

I would like to see a new criminal offence of “intentional trespass,” similar to laws in place in the Republic of Ireland to give the police the power to arrest trespassers who refused to move on after being asked to do so by a uniformed officer.

At present, unless there is criminal damage, trespass is treated as a civil offence, and landowners are forced to go to court to remove encampments, creating delay and extra cost. Basingstoke residents have had enough – all I want to see is fair play. “

Press Release 26th February 2010

MP Maria Miller has called on the Government to back plans to end the parking nightmare resident’s face as a result of pressures to reduce parking spaces.

Maria said, “Restricting the number of parking places in new developments has created chaos for many. Every community is different. Locally elected representatives know the needs of their community are the best placed to assess realistic levels of parking – it is absurd that these decisions are taken in Whitehall.

Unrealistic limits on parking just lead to chaos with pavements blocked and roads made more dangerous. I would like to see the current restrictions on the number of parking places in new developments scraped and locally accountable representatives given the responsibility to make these decisions based on the needs of the community.”

Press Release 25th February 2010

MP Maria Miller is meeting BT with The Basingstoke Broadband campaign group to help get BTs pilot of Superfast broadband back on track after thousands of residents have found out they are not currently due to get the promised upgrade.

Maria said, “Basingstoke is the right place for BT to test out its new commitment to superfast broadband. We are a key centre for employment and many residents rely on the ability to work from home. At the moment too many businesses and households can only get very slow access to broadband or no access at all.

I will be asking BT whether they have under estimated the scale of demand for this new and important service and whether they can change their approach to the pilot scheme in Basingstoke to give priority to those areas that have the worst broadband speeds – those residential areas that are furthest from the telephone exchange. “

Press release 24th February 2010

New plans for employee-owned co-operatives to help improve local services 

Public sector workers across Basingstoke could become their own boss and deliver better services under new Conservative plans, backed by local MP for Basingstoke Maria Miller, this week. Under bold proposals, public sector workers would have a powerful new right to form employee-owned co-operatives to take over the services they deliver. This will empower thousands of public sector workers across Basingstoke. 

The new right to form employee-owned co-operatives will apply throughout the vast majority of the public sector – including JobCentre Plus offices, community nursing teams and primary schools. Employee-owned co-operatives will continue to be funded by the state so long as they meet national standards, but will be freed from centralised bureaucracy and political micromanagement. They will be voluntary sector, not-for-profit organisations; any financial surpluses would be reinvested into the service and the staff who work there, rather than distributed to external shareholders. 

Maria said: “Public sector workers should have the chance to become their own boss. Employee-owned co-operatives can help cut waste and deliver better services for everyone across Basingstoke. This could be the biggest shift of power from government to people since the right to buy your council house in the 1980s. 

“This shows how Conservatives will give power to the public sector workers who are fed up with the Government’s top-down control of their working lives.”

Press Release 15th February 2010

Local taxpayers left to pick up the tab for changes to elder changes

Maria Miller MP for Basingstoke has warned that Basingstoke residents face a massive bill to pay for new social care plans. Plans for free personal care at home could put £26 a year on the average council tax bill, on top of other local pressures because of an estimated £580 million black hole left by the government.

Senior councillors in Hampshire have warned that Gordon Brown’s plans “are unclear, unfunded and are likely to have a significant impact on existing local services, including possible cuts and rises in council tax”.

Town hall experts at the Local Government Association have added that “this is clearly a new burden” on councils, while Social Services directors from across the country have asserted that Gordon Brown has “significantly underestimated the true costs involved.”

On top of the council tax hike, there is also the threat of an additional £20,000 “death tax” by Gordon Brown to pay for new National Care Service proposals.

Maria  said:

“Access to personal care is one of the most pressing problems that we face in Hampshire. The present situation leaves many older residents facing having to sell their homes to pay for the care there loved ones need. Everybody wants to give older people more support in their old age, especially the most vulnerable. That is why I want to see a voluntary Home Protection Scheme to allow people – for a one off £8,000 payment – to make sure they never have to sell their home to pay for residential care.

“The Government’s plans to extend free personal care and to introduce a National Care Service are in chaos. To pay for it, Ministers are considering levying a compulsory death tax of up to £20,000 on every person in England, and now it looks like they’ll put another £26 a year on Basingstoke’s council tax.”

Press Release 15th February 2010

Maria Miller MP for Basingstoke, has been thanked for pledging to do her bit for the British Armed Forces family.

Maria met with a delegation from The Royal British Legion at Westminster to get behind the charity’s call for general election candidates of all parties to support the whole Armed Forces family. Maria also discussed the Legion’s manifesto and the changes that it is calling for.

The manifesto sets out priorities for the next Government to improve conditions for the British Armed Forces past and present and their families. It encourages MPs o “do their bit” for Service Personnel and their families, the bereaved, veterans and dependants.

During the meeting, Maria was photographed with a giant replica of the personalised pledge card, which she has been given by the Legion in recognition of her pledge.

Kevin Shinkwin, the Legion’s Head of Public Affairs, said, “We’re delighted to give Maria her pledge card in recognition of her pledge to do her bit. Our message to every MP and candidate standing at the general election is very simple: “It’s time to do your bit. How you do that is entirely up to you but pledging publicly at www.timetodoyourbit.org.uk is a great way of showing your support for the whole Armed Forces family, both now and beyond the general election.”

“Both the serving and ex-Service community need the support of politicians,” he added. “Our manifesto outlines practical ways the next government can help, and we hope all the parties will give it serious consideration”.

Maria said, “We have a number of forces families living in Basingstoke. I have met British Legion members locally and know just how much they do to support forces families, particularly during these difficult times. I am pleased to support the Legion’s campaign. It’s so important we all get behind them. As Shadow Minister for the Family I have been involved in the development of some of the Conservative policies which will put in place the support forces families need. There will be further details included in our manifesto”.