Welcome to this week's newsletter.
Many residents have been concerned about the number of empty shops in Crewe. There are no quick wins on this and I will keep pushing for Royal Arcade redevelopment (which is actually beginning to progress) and for more free parking. But one of the projects we are using the Crewe Town Deal for is funding a new scheme of grants for businesses to take on vacant premises. The scheme will launch in a few weeks, but you can register your interest by emailing rohs@cheshireeast.gov.uk.
The Government announced this week that we would be sending tanks to Ukraine so that they can better defend themselves against Russian aggression. We can be proud that the UK is leading the way in supporting the Ukrainian people in their struggle.
We learned the sad news that Holocaust survivor Zigi Shipper has passed away. He played a crucial role in teaching young people about the horrors of the holocaust, ensuring history is never forgotten. He will be sadly missed.
I recently met with Olivia, a campaigner fighting for a change in the law around hit-and-run accidents involving cats. She secured a debate in Parliament after 102,000 people signed her petition. I look forward to seeing her important campaign progress.
In Parliament, new laws were brought forward by the Government to tackle disruptive protests. The tactics used by some individuals and groups are dangerous, blocking roads and stopping emergency vehicles from getting to those in need. Police will now have more powers to crack down on these protests.
Have you had any issues around the Crewe Memorial Bus Stop? Some residents have experienced antisocial behaviour, which I will raise with the police. Let me know your experiences by emailing me at kieran.mullan.mp@parliament.uk or calling 01270 583 432.
I wish to congratulate Rebecca Owen, a teacher at Hungerford Primary Academy who has been accepted to attend the UK Parliament Teacher Ambassador Programme later this month. I hope you get a lot out of this fantastic opportunity!
I met with the Culture Secretary this week to reaffirm my support for the Fan-Led Review of Football. This is an important step that will ensure we have a regulator and an approach to deliver for all fans.
I have also launched this year's School Sports Programme, where I pair up local schools and sports clubs to bring pupils high-quality taster sessions in various sports. Please let me know if you are with a club or school and would like to participate.
Congratulations to the Crewe Clean Team, who received the Green Can Award for collecting over 200,000 drinking cans. It is well deserved!
In other goods news, Crewe Town Council has set aside £100,000 to improve the play area facilities at Frank Webb Avenue. They are asking residents and users of the park to let them know their thoughts.
You can complete the questionnaire online: https://forms.office.com/e/1ZGx6UWJcb.
Lastly, I am looking for data entry volunteers! If you'd like to help my campaigns by doing an hour or two of data entry at the Conservative Party office in Nantwich I'd be most grateful!
Have a great weekend.
Plan to Tackle Empty Shops
UK Sending Tanks to Ukraine
RIP Zigi Shipper - Holocaust Survivor
Cat Hit-And-Run Laws
Cracking Down on Distruptive Protests
Crewe War Memorial Bus Stop
UK Parliament Teacher Ambassador Programme
Fan-Led Review of Football
School Sports Programme
Crewe Clean Team
Frank Webb Avenue Playground Upgrade
Traffic Report
Plan to Tackle Empty Shops
The number of empty shops in Crewe is something that so many people raise with me that is bringing our town down. here are no quick wins on this and I will keep pushing for Royal Arcade redevelopment. They are actually working on the car park and bus station now the demolition is finished so slowly but surely we are making progress! I am also ready to go to campaign for more free car parking when Cheshire East come back with their latest proposals.
In the meantime it is great to announce that the Crewe Town Deal is funding a new scheme of grants for businesses to take on empty premises. The scheme will launch in a few weeks, but you can register your interest by emailing rohs@cheshireeast.gov.uk.
Maybe you are an online business wanting a premise, or you want to move to bigger premises to grow your business. Grab this opportunity and help lift up Crewe!
This is another part of the £22.9 million Crewe Town Deal I campaigned for us to get. Find out more at www.weareallcrewe.co.uk.
UK Sending Tanks to Ukraine
The Government has announced that the UK will send tanks to Ukraine to help them defend themselves against Putin's aggression.
It has been almost a year since Russia illegally invaded Ukraine, and the UK has stood side-by-side with the Ukrainian people since day one. We are now taking this support further by supplying them with 14 Challenger 2 Tanks and 30 Artillery Guns.
We can be proud as a country that we have, and continue to, lead the way in international support to Ukraine - putting Ukraine in a stronger position to achieve a lasting peace.
RIP Zigi Shipper - Holocaust Survivor
I was very sad to hear that holocaust survivor Zigi Shipper passed away this week - on his 93rd Birthday.
Zigi survived the Lodz Ghetto and the Auschwitz and Stutthof concentration camps before being liberated by British Troops in 1945. He then came to the UK in 1947.
He spent the rest of his life educating young people about the horrors of the holocaust - ensuring that history is never repeated.
Find out more about his story here: https://www.het.org.uk/news-and-events/1174-zigi-shipper-bem-1930-2023.
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Holocaust Memorial Day is also next week, on 27th January. I will be attending events in Parliament to pay respect to those who lost their lives in this darkest period of history and ensure that the message Zigi spent his whole life spreading is never forgotten.
Cat Hit-And-Run Laws
It was great to recently meet Olivia, a campaigner who has secured a debate in Parliament to change the law on car collisions involving cats.
Under current law, you must inform the police if you hit animals such as dogs, pigs, and horses with your car - but not cats. Olivia took on this issue after her pet cat was tragically killed on the road, and the driver drove off without stopping.
She set up a petition signed by over 102,000 people and debated in Parliament last week.
Well done for all your hard work so far. I look forward to seeing more progress in getting this important change to the law.
Cracking Down on Distruptive Protests
The Government has put forward an amendment to the Public Order Bill, giving police greater powers to stop disruptive protests.
Last year we saw far too often groups like Just Stop Oil were able to bring roads to a standstill. While inconvenient for many, it also risks lives, stopping ambulances from getting to people in need.
This amendment ensures that police are clear on their powers to intervene. This includes being able to act before a disruption occurs, as well as considering the total impact of a series of protests by the same group.
Find out more here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/pm-takes-action-to-stop-disruptive-protests.
Crewe War Memorial Bus Stop
Have you ever experienced antisocial behaviour at the bus stop opposite Crewe War Memorial?
Some residents have contacted me after seeing drunk people sleeping and shouting in and around the stop.
To help me raise this with the police, I'd like to hear from other people if they have experience with this. Let me know your experiences by emailing me at kieran.mullan.mp@parliament.uk or calling 01270 583 432.
UK Parliament Teacher Ambassador Programme
Congratulations to Rebecca Owen, a teacher at Hungerford Primary Academy who has been accepted to attend the UK Parliament Teacher Ambassador Programme later this month.
Attendees at the programme will engage in a Q&A with the speaker of the House of Commons, the Lord Speaker, and MPs from all parties about their work.
The teachers can then return to their school and give their students a better understanding of the UK Parliament and democracy.
I hope you and your students get a lot out of this experience!
Find out more here: https://learning.parliament.uk/en/session-workshop/uk-parliament-teacher-ambassador-programme/.
Fan Led Review of Football
Following my meeting with Crewe Alexandra Director Tony Davison and the Chairman of the English Football League, I met with Culture Secretary in charge of the fan-led review, Michelle Donelan MP.
I reiterated my support for the recommendations that will make sure we have a regulator and an approach that is going to deliver for all fans including ones at clubs like Crewe.
School Sports Programme
One of my goals is to get more young people interested and active in sports - improving lifelong health, mental health and well-being. For many children, PE in school is the only exercise they get. I want more young people to be getting active in their own time through local clubs and groups.
Last year we worked together on pairing up local schools and community sports clubs to provide fun, expert sessions for pupils. The programme got kids active and was an excellent opportunity to experience new sports they may have yet to try.
It also was a chance for local clubs to reach out to potential new members, who may consider taking up the new sport after the session.
I plan to go further this year, providing more sessions for local pupils than ever before.
If you are involved with a local school or sports club and would like to participate, please email me at kieran.mullan.mp@parliament.uk.
Crewe Clean Team
Congratulations to Crewe Clean Team for receiving the Green Can Award for collecting over 200,000 drinking cans over the last 10 years.
The team do fantastic work organising community litter picks across Crewe and the surrounding area, so it is great to see their hard work recognised!
Frank Webb Avenue Playground Upgrade
Crewe Town Council has set aside £100,000 to improve the play area facilities at Frank Webb Avenue. They are asking residents and users of the park to let them know their thoughts.
You can complete the questionnaire online: https://forms.office.com/e/1ZGx6UWJcb.
If you would like to contact them directly, please email park@crewetowncouncil.gov.uk.
Deadline: Sunday, 29th January 2023.
Traffic Report
The following are road closures for the week ahead, as reported by Cheshire East.
Middlewich Road - Find out more here: https://www.facebook.com/KieranMullanUK/posts/pfbid0anK63SQyzag2hqXJvW19BiFzNZoUdFKs7g57q7jr4tz2DBMbPVXqAJy9fxZQpNwel
Waterloo Road, Haslington (Between Cross Road and Field Road) - 18th January until 7th February
Mill Lane, Oakhanger - 16th January until 14th April
Lime Tree Avenue, Crewe - 19th January until 3rd March
Flag Lane, Crewe - 18th January until 10th April
Delamere Street (Between Flag Lane and Saint Mary's Street) - 18th January until 10th April
St Andrews Avenue, Crewe - until 3rd February
Clay Lane (Between Clay Lane and Maw Lane) - 23rd January until 3rd February
Closed for the Battle of Nantwich - 21st January, Welsh Row, High Street (Between Waterlode and Swine Market) and Oat Market