August/September Newsletter

Dear Constituent,

Welcome to my latest newsletter to keep you updated on my work in Parliament and what I’ve been up to in Amber Valley.

As always, you’ll find a selection of what I’ve been up to over the last month or so below. You’ll also find information about my appearances in Parliament, surgeries and upcoming events.

Jobs Fair – 16th October 2015:

I’m delighted to announce that I’m holding my fourth Jobs Fair on 16^th October 2015. The event will take place at Ripley Leisure Centre from 10am to 4pm.

Previous events have seen thousands of constituents attend, with hundreds finding work or training opportunities as a direct result.

Many local employers are already signed up to attend the Jobs Fair, including the Manthorpe Group, Owen Taylor & Son, BPI Recycled Products, Birchwood Homecaring Services, HL Plastics, McDonalds, Derby County Football Club, Rock Fall UK, GI Group, IKEA and Deb, as well as many more.

Also attending are education, training and apprenticeships providers such as Chesterfield College’s Learning Unlimited, WEBS Training, the National Citizen Service, Being Your Own Boss and QA Associates.

As always, the fair is free of charge to attend for both constituents and businesses. A limited number of stands are still available for employers and training providers: please email nigel.mills.mp@parliament.uk or ring 01773 744341 to register.

Amber Valley Borough Council are providing free car parking to those attending the fair and Trentbarton are offering a half-price zigzag ticket for people travelling to the fair on the day – the voucher can be downloaded here.

These jobs fairs are a great way to bring employers, training providers and job-seekers together, to bring unemployment in Amber Valley down even further. There will be a wide range of organisations offering a variety of opportunities for full-time and part-time positions, and for people of all ages. I hope to see you there.

Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Liz Truss visits BPI:

I recently visited BPI Recycled Products in Heanor with the Rt. Hon Elizabeth Truss MP, the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

BPI are the largest recycler in Europe and they have recently invested in the washing and recycling of farm films such as bale wrap and crop cover – which would otherwise go into landfill or be burnt.

This farm film technology is unique to BPI and produces exceptionally strong film as well a range market-leading refuse sacks which are helping to drastically reduce the carbon footprint of refuse sacks.

The machine in the background of the picture below was recently installed at BPI in Heanor, and is the world’s largest plastic film recycler, with a recycling capacity in excess of 2,000 kilos per hour!

It was great to show the Secretary of State around BPI and discuss the continued growth of the factory. I know we were both very impressed by the innovative and world-leading work and recycling taking place in the heart of Heanor.

In Parliament:

Nigel Mills MP Calls on the Government again to Un-Pause Midland Main Line Electrification:

On Wednesday 16^th September, I spoke in the Westminster Hall debate on the Midland Main Line (Electrification) to represent my constituents and echo my earlier support for the work to be resumed as soon as possible.

As many of you will know, earlier this year, the Government announced that due to spiraling costs, the scheme to electrify the Midland Main Line – which would include parts of the line running through Amber Valley – would be paused. In response to this announcement, I was vocal in my support for this scheme and urged the Government to resume the project as soon as possible and I took this opportunity to reiterate my support and represent my constituents.

You can read my contributions to this debate here and you can read more here.

Nigel Mills MP calls on Minister to support British Food and Drink and local Christmas pudding manufacturer Matthew Walker:

On Thursday 10^th September, I asked the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Rt. Hon Elizabeth Truss MP about what support the Government offers to promote British food and drink. I welcome the Secretary of State’s response and support for local Christmas pudding manufacturer, Matthew Walker, which I visited with the Secretary of State last year.

Matthew Walker supplies 96% of the UK’s Christmas puddings and it’s great to have the world’s oldest Christmas pudding manufacturer here in Amber Valley! I welcomed the opportunity to highlight their fantastic heritage and success in the House. I was glad to hear of the Secretary of State’s commitment to supporting small businesses to export their food product and welcome the Government’s initiatives in the area with the Great British Food unit and further integration with UK Trade and Investment (UKTI). You can read more here.

Nigel Mills MP supports Government’s 21% Increase in Apprentice Pay:

On Thursday 10^th September, I served on a Draft Legislative Committee, which met to consider the National Minimum Wage (Amendment) Regulations 2015. This Amendment will see increases in the National Minimum Wage (NMW) across the board, most notably including a 21% increase in the NMW for apprentices. This amendment will increase the Apprentice NMW by 21% to £3.30 – 50p/hour higher than what the LPC recommendation!

I welcome the Government’s move to introduce this amendment to increase the Apprentice NMW by 21%, which will go a long way to help to make apprenticeships more attractive, especially to local young people here in Amber Valley. I have long supported the Government’s commitment to apprenticeships, which give young people the chance to earn a salary and gain a qualification whilst gaining valuable workplace skills and experience. You can read more here.

Don’t forget, if you’d like to receive regular updates of my appearances in Parliament straight to your inbox, you can sign up to receive email alerts every time I represent you in Parliament, click here to sign up!

I also regularly update my website with blog posts on issues I am raising in Parliament.

Alfreton Train Station Disabled Access Campaign Update:

Network Rail and East Midlands Trains recently held a drop-in public information event at Alfreton Train Station. The event showcased the disabled access improvements that will be installed at the station next year.

A display of the alterations that will make the station accessible for all was on show: this includes step free access to platforms and a new footbridge with lifts. There was also an exhibition of the plans for Alfreton’s new Station building. I’m pleased to hear that this will include a ticket office, waiting area, toilets and retail space.

These plans are great news as I know the improvements are much needed and long-awaited by the community, and I look forward to work starting soon.

Visit to Leaderflush Shapland Laidlaw:

Leaderflush Shapland Laidlaw invited me to one of their recent Apprentice Open Days at their base in Langley Mill.

Leaderflush are the UK’s leading manufacturer of performance doorsets, making doors for hospitals, libraries, and even 10 Downing Street!

They specialise in fire doors, and it was interesting to see a live fire test on one of their doors as part of a tour of the factory with the potential apprentices.

The open day was part of Leaderflush’s great new apprenticeship programme, in partnership with WEBS Training, with the aim of employing 20 apprentices this year and then developing an ongoing programme for the future. I know that the Open Day was a success, and I wish the best of luck to the people who have just started at Leaderflush as part of this brilliant new scheme.

Heanor Gate Association:

Over the summer recess, I also visited Heanor Gate Association Limited. The Heanor Gate Association is a brilliant non-profit-making community interest scheme which provides security and CCTV monitoring for schools, churches and parks around the area, as well as for Heanor Gate Industrial Estate.

It was a pleasure to see how far the scheme has grown over the last few years, and the success they have had: we now have amongst the lowest crime rates in the East Midlands.

The Heanor Gate Association should also be commended for the way their employment is organised: they work closely with the Shaw Trust and TCV Employment and Training Services to offer flexibility, train and help people back into work. It was fantastic to hear that many of HGA’s employees have already received commendations for their work, and I hope to visit again soon to hear of more successes!

Visit to Denby Pottery:

I was delighted to recently visit Denby Pottery with Pauline Latham OBE MP to celebrate an innovative business collaboration between the 200-year-old ceramics firm and Belper-based designer Sarah Marley.

During a tour of the Denby Pottery Visitor Centre, we viewed Mrs Marley’s stunning collection of tea-themed art, which was designed and created in Derbyshire, and so shares the same ‘Made in Derbyshire’ ethos as Denby Pottery.

It was a pleasure to visit Denby Pottery to meet Sarah and discuss her ‘Just my Cup of Tea’ exhibition. This fantastic initiative encapsulates Denby Pottery’s heritage, as well as the continued growth of Denby’s Visitor Centre into a great Amber Valley shopping and tourist destination. It’s great to see local businesses working together, and I hope it paves the way for future collaborations.

Voices of Youth/Community Rangers Visit:

I was pleased to support the Voices of Youth project and meet Voices of Youth Community Rangers as part of their recent Taster Days.

It was great to talk to the youth group about how issues are debated and voted on in Parliament, and explain how politics, and the introduction of new policies, impact all aspects of housing.

Schemes such as Help-to-Buy, Get Britain Building and the Local Infrastructure Fund are helping to make the aspiration of home ownership a reality for more people across Amber Valley and the rest of the country.

Community News – Heage Windmill & Ripley Referendum:

Heage Windmill – Trouble at Mill Appeal:

During recent routine maintenance, millwrights at Heage Windmill discovered severe wet rot in some major structural components of the mill. The Mill remains open to the public but the sails won’t be turning. The Heage Windmill Society are therefore asking for support with fundraising activities, and you can read more here. I hope that the desperately needed repairs to this iconic and loved landmark can be done soon, to enable the sails to turn again!

Ripley Referendum:

People living in Ripley, Heage and Ambergate will be receiving ballot papers to vote in a referendum on whether to accept the Ripley Neighbourhood Plan. Many constituents have contacted me to ask where they can find more information, so that they can make an informed decision. Copies of the proposed plan can be found here, and paper copies are also available in the Town Hall and Ripley Library for you to view.

Latest Columns:

You can read my latest Derby Telegraph Column, regarding devolution proposals for Derbyshire, here.