Antoinette Sandbach Newsletter

Since the last newsletter Antoinette has...
* Welcomed the news that unemployment across the UK remains at the joint lowest rate for over a decade
* Asked the Prime Minister a question on pupil funding rates in Cheshire at Prime Minister's Questions
* Thanked Cheshire West Citizens Advice service for their tips on dealing with Christmas delivery problems
* Welcomed news that Eddisbury road users will benefit from a dedicated £1,416,000 pothole fund for Cheshire's councils
* Met with industry representatives of the Aldersgate Group to discuss the UK's industrial strategy
* Did a Q&A with students and staff at the University of Chester about the Government's approach to education
* Backed calls for rural businesses in Eddisbury to be part of the Government's industrial strategy
* Visited Cotswold House which provides accommodation for homeless women and babies
* Discussed engaging younger people in politics with an Eddisbury student who had worked as a volunteer on US Presidential Campaign trail
* Had a meeting with Matt Hancock, DCMS minister, to discuss broadband and mobile network issues in Eddisbury
* Met with the Country Land and Business Association to discuss the impact of HS2 on rural areas
* Held a surgery for her constituents at her Winsford office
* Attended a briefing on the Northern Caucus
* Met with school's minister Nick Gibb to discuss fair school funding
* Participated in a Grenada TV debate where Brexit strategy, Theresa May's recent speech and greenbelt housing development were discussed.

Funding for Road Repairs in Eddisbury
I welcomed news that those who use Eddisbury's roads will benefit from part of a dedicated £1,416,000 pothole fund, which will keep the country moving and build a country that works for everyone. The money is a part of a £1.2 billion fund for local roads that the Conservative Government is allocating to councils to repair and rebuild our transport links. The funds will improve roads, cut congestion and improve journey times.

Prime Minister's Questions
I was delighted to have the chance to ask the Prime Minister a question during the first Prime Minister's Questions of 2017. As I am concerned that the new funding formula will result in Cheshire schools receiving some of the lowest per-pupil funding rates in the country, I asked Theresa May whether she agreed that the funding discrepancies should be addressed. Following my question, I will be making representations as part of the Department of Education's consultation to support my constituents concerns.
Antoinette asks Prime Minister Theresa May about how the new funding formula will affect Cheshire schools

Positive Employment Figures
I was pleased to hear the news that unemployment across the UK remains at the joint lowest rate for over a decade -- down nearly 900,000 since 2010 -- according to the latest set of labour market figures released today, with 192,000 more people in work within the North West than in 2010. In Eddisbury the number of people claiming the key out-of-work benefits has fallen by 842 (a 61 per cent drop) since 2010.

Granada Debate
I engaged in a productive ITV Granada debate with fellow Chris Matheson, MP for Chester and Campaign to Protect Rural England representative Martin Crookston. We enjoyed a lively debate and discussed a number of subjects including Brexit and the approach to greenbelt land in the context of development.

Meeting with Matt Hancock
I met with The Rt Hon Matt Hancock MP, Minister of State for Culture, Communications and Creative Industries to discuss the status of broadband in Eddisbury. I made clear to the minister the deep problems that Eddisbury has had with its broadband coverage and how the constituency needs drastically improved broadband. Fibre broadband coverage now covers 78% of the constituency and the minister assured me that by the end of 2017, no more that 748 premises will have a broadband speed under 10 mbps. I will continue to push Connecting Cheshire to deliver broadband to all of the remaining homes and businesses that are not connected to fibre.

Visit to Cotswold House
I enjoyed an inspiring visit to Cotswold House, Winsford where I met many of the residents and the staff. The Lottery funded residence, on the Over estate, in Winsford, provides accommodation and support for women between the age of 16 and 35 who find themselves with nowhere else to go. Cotswold House also provides accommodation for babies and provides a safe and secure premises for vulnerable women.

CLA Rural Business Conference
It was a pleasure to support the CLA's (Country Land & Business Association) Rural Business Conference in Westminster, which was attended by more than 400 rural business owners. They were shown new research commissioned by the CLA which revealed that landowning businesses in rural England and Wales are currently investing more than £13 billion a year. I echo calls made by the CLA to ensure that the Government's Industrial Strategy and the 25-year Plan for Food and Farming unlock the investment potential of the countryside.

Meeting Constituents in Winsford
I was delighted to meet a young constituent during a surgery I held in my Winsford office. Beth Gray has recently returned from the United States where she had been volunteering on Hilary Clinton's campaign trail as part of a scheme called 'Forty Five for the Forty Fifth'. The scheme's purpose is to improve youth engagement in the UK's democracy and inspire the next generation of British politicians. Despite the former Secretary of State's defeat, Beth very much enjoyed her experience and I wish her all the best for the future.

This article is from our news archive. As a result pictures or videos originally associated with it may have been removed and some of the content may no longer be accurate or relevant.