Westminster Report - Leigh-on-Sea

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Leigh On Sea News: Westminster Report – BY David Burton-Sampson MP for Southend West & Leigh.

Westminster Report – BY David Burton-Sampson MP for Southend West & Leigh.

BY David Burton-Sampson MP for Southend West & Leigh.

THE lighting of the parliamentary Christmas tree was a really special occasion. It undoubtably marks the start of the festive season, whatever you celebrate.

Several carols were beautifully sung by the choristers of St Margaret’s Church and yes, yours truly did join in! The Speaker, Lindsay Hoyle, pressed the button and the lights twinkled, as he announced with a little surprise: “They came on!”

I helped the Southend Foodbank collection at the Tesco on Prince Avenue recently. You can donate all year using trolleys at the front of the store, but it feels particularly important at this time of year to think of people less fortunate than ourselves, so please spare a thought for families who are struggling, if you can.

We, as a government, are determined to drive down poverty and the use of food banks in coming years, but for now, please do support Southend Foodbank if you are able.

The big news has been the announcement that Southend’s railway lines are to be among the first to be brought back into public ownership next year. I am delighted that we have been chosen to pioneer the renationalisation programme, which has just passed into law.

Both c2c and Greater Anglia, which serve our constituency of Southend West and Leigh, will move into Public Ownership under Great British Railways: c2c in July and Greater Anglia by the autumn.

It is a great opportunity to improve reliability, punctuality and introduce fairer ticketing across the country. It’s another promise that we have kept, supporting the government’s number one priority, of driving economic growth, as we encourage more people to use our railways.

I am hoping Labour’s new government-backed free breakfast clubs will help families too. We are working with our primary schools to make sure they sign up early, so I urge schools in Southend West and Leigh to get involved.

Breakfast clubs are proven to boost attendance and attainment, ensuring all children start the day with food in their bellies, and provide a valuable source of childcare for parents at the beginning of the day, helping parents back into work.

A quick reminder to please register for pension credits if you think you might be eligible, before December 21st. It’s a vital benefit, not only is it worth £3,900 a year on average but it also entitles you to other benefits too, like help with Council Tax, Housing Benefit and the Winter Fuel Payment.

So, I urge all pensioners and their friends and family to check if their loved ones could be getting this additional support. Pensioners whose weekly income is below £218.15 for a single person or £332.95 for a couple should check to see if they could be eligible. Don’t forget, even pensioners who own their own home, have savings or a private pension could still qualify for payments.

I was proud to support staff in schools, who do an amazing job for pupils, parents and the wider community. ‘Stars in our Schools’ recognises the great job they do and the fantastic contribution of support staff in our schools in Southend West and Leigh.

It is an annual celebration to mark how school support staff help children learn, keep them safe and make sure schools run smoothly. It takes a whole team to make a school a safe and happy place for all children and we celebrate them: the caterers, admin staff, finance officers, teaching assistants, librarians, ICT technicians and many more.

With Christmas nearly upon us, just a quick word about scammers. As you may know, I am advocating for better financial education in parliament, so please be careful of fake websites while you are shopping for presents. Scammers can be difficult to spot, but one tip is to check contacts. Legitimate companies always provide a way to get in touch.

Do make sure you get in touch with me, if you need any help over this festive period and may I offer seasons greetings to you all.

Email: [email protected]. Website: https://www.davidburtonsampson.co.uk. By post: Parliamentary office, House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA.

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