Liam presents sponsorship from marathon success

The handover was made following Liam’s recent national nomination for a Charity Champion Award for the work he has done for older people.

Liam said:

“I was delighted with the response to my requests for sponsorship and will run again next year – if I beat my personal best I should be able to raise even more money for charity!”

“I’m pleased that I have been able to contribute to the excellent work that Age Concern do in Hodge Hill and around the whole country.”

Money was donated by individuals, friends and businesses and the total amount was split between Hodge Hill Girls School, the Jammu Kashmir Development Foundation’s Kashmir Quake Appeal and Age Concern.

In a letter to Birmingham City Council’s planning department, the Hodge Hill MP has set out his objections to Tesco’s amended planning application for the Fox and Goose, highlighting the fact that whilst Tesco will benefit immensely from the store, the local community will suffer long-lasting damage.

Liam said:

“Tesco’s plans to build on the Brockhurst playing fields are disastrous for Hodge Hill residents. Not only will we lose green space but the traffic congestion and the increase in both air and noise pollution will be unbearable.

“Tesco’s profits are sky high yet this money will stay in their highly-paid boardroom and not make its way to our community nor to local workers. Our local traders are under threat and this is damaging not just for small business owners but the whole public. Tesco will bleed us dry in Hodge Hill.”

“Tesco make a profit of £78.34 per square foot nationally, meaning the Hodge Hill store will make almost £3 million in its first year; and they are making more and more money with each year. Yet council estimates show that the one-off contribution of money they will put back into our community is likely to be around £1.5 million. In other words, Tesco will have made back its money in just 6 months and whilst Tesco continues to profit, Hodge Hill will suffer for years to come.”

Liam will speak alongside local Labour councillors at a public meeting tonight which will allow local residents to hear about the proposed changes to Tesco’s planning application and have their say.

With the consultation period for objections about to close, the presence of Cllr Paul Tilsley in his capacity as Chair of Birmingham City Council’s Property Committee will mean it is the last chance for residents of Hodge Hill to voice their objections to Tesco’s plans. Local campaigners will also be present.

Liam added:

“The strength of feeling in the area has been immense and neither Tesco nor the council can ignore it. We do not want a superstore on the playing fields and we do not want Tesco damaging our community.

“At current rates, Tesco make over £70 profit every second of every day and they will make millions each year from this store if it goes ahead whilst the people of Hodge Hill have to deal with the consequences. Tesco does not need another store here, but we need the Brockhurst playing field.”

With the support of the local community and campaign groups, Liam has pledged to continue to lead the campaign and fight all the way for Hodge Hill residents to protect their area from profit-driven supermarkets.

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The Hodge Hill MP compiled a dossier of dirt and delivered this scrapbook of residents’ photos to the meeting in which he criticised the terrible street cleaning in the area.

Liam told of how the situation was getting worse and questioned why there are no wheelie bins and why the street sweeping rotas are so disorganised. He demanded to know what the council are doing to change this and keep our streets clean.

Liam said:

“We keep having blitz after blitz after blitz. What we want is streets cleaned everyday. This is not too much to ask.

‘Birmingham is a dirty city. Why is it that other cities manage to clean their streets and we can’t? This is not fair for our residents and it is essential that the council act now.”

The annual awards recognise the campaigning work that MPs and Lords do in support of good causes and the winners will be voted for by members of both houses of parliament.

The Hodge Hill MP was nominated for the award by Help the Aged for his ‘enormous contribution to driving forward progress in how older people’s services are designed and delivered’ whilst he was a minister in the Department of Health. They praised his personal passion as well as ‘the collaborative and open approach Liam took to voluntary organisations like Help the Aged’.

Liam said:

“Whilst I am proud to have been nominated, these awards are really about highlighting the importance of the work that charities do and giving them an occasion to have their voices heard.

‘I am delighted that I have been able to make an impact on the lives of older people but would like to take this opportunity to praise the work that a variety of charities do for older people, not just nationally but also right here in Hodge Hill.”

Liam faces tough competition for the award from two other government ministers and a Lord. The results will be announced in a ceremony at the end of November.

Next week, Liam will be presenting Age Concern in Hodge Hill with the sponsorship money he raised from running the Stratford Half Marathon earlier this year.