Welcome to my April e-newsletter.
I am pleased to confirm that the Government has delivered its promise to recruit 20,000 additional police. That means 3468 extra for London, confirming that the Met now have more uniformed officers than at any time in their history. Now we need to ensure that Barnet gets its fair share of officers and that they are visible on the beat. That will continue to be a top priority for me and comes up on the doorstep time after time. To give me your views on policing and crime, please complete my online survey here.
My continuing work on cost-of-living issues included a question in Parliament on energy bills this month. The Government has been paying roughly half the energy bills of everyone in the country, but we need to ensure that inflation comes down so the cost-of-living becomes more manageable.
I attended a protest organised by constituents campaigning to restore the Potters Bar to Barnet section of the 84 bus route. It is deeply worrying that the Mayor of London is introducing new charges on driving at the same time as important bus routes like the 84 are being shortened and removed from Barnet. I made this point in Parliament and I also met representatives of bus operators and Herts County Council to try to find a solution to restore this important service.
My environmental focus this month included a meeting with NGOs, such as the RSPB, to discuss how to secure the delivery of commitments on biodiversity and nature conservation made at the Montreal summit on this issue last year. I also backed a ban on plastic-based wet wipes, after being asked to do this by local group, the Dollis Brookers; and I rejoined the All Party Parliamentary Group for Woods and Trees as vice chair.
Campaigning against inappropriate development is an important part of my plan for a better Barnet, and I have expressed strong opposition to proposals for six storey blocks of flats at the Spires shopping centre. I met Spires owners BYM Capital this morning to set out the concerns raised with me by residents who oppose these plans.
Further information on my campaigns and activities is available in the links below to articles on my website. Please forward this email to anyone you think would be interested to read it or might like to join this mailing list.
All the best
Rt. Hon. Theresa Villiers
Member of Parliament for Chipping Barnet
More police for London than ever before
Chipping Barnet MP Theresa Villiers has welcomed nearly 3500 extra police officers for London. In Parliament she highlighted the importance of saving Barnet police station so these new officers would have a place in her constituency from which to work. Read more….
Villiers keeps up the pressure on the 84 bus
As part of her continuing campaign to restore the Potters Barnet to Barnet section of the 84 bus, Theresa Villiers MP this week met representatives of Sullivan Buses and Hertfordshire County Council. Dean Sullivan said policies from the Mayor of London on ULEZ, and other issues, are making it much harder to run ‘cross-border’ services into London from towns outside the capital. Read more….
Villiers condemns Spires redevelopment plans
Your local MP has said she will strongly oppose plans to redevelop Chipping Barnet town centre unless substantial revisions are made, including lowering the height of the buildings proposed.
BYM Capital, who own the Spires shopping centre, want to build 250 apartments up to six storeys high as part of their plan for the site. This would overturn the height limits that have ensured that the landmark tower of St John the Baptist Church can be seen from several directions. Read more….
Pensioners in Chipping Barnet to receive biggest ever increase in state pension
Millions of pensioners across the UK live on fixed incomes making them particularly vulnerable to rising prices. So the Government is giving over 12.5 million people across the UK will benefit from a 10.1 per cent increase in the Basic State Pension from April 2023. Nearly 20,000 pensioners living in the Chipping Barnet constituency will automatically receive this uplift. Read more….
Barnet boosted by extra funding to help with cost-of-living hardship
The Government’s extended Household Support Fund Allocations for local authorities will be available from this week. Barnet Council will receive £4,910,366 in this latest round of funding to help families pay for essentials. The money is aimed at people suffering hardship who may not be eligible for other Government support schemes. Read more….
Additional funds for school sport welcomed
A keen supporter of programmes encouraging young people to live healthier, more active lives, and get involved in school sport, Theresa Villiers MP has published this article on new funding from the Government: "School sport is important for children’s development, health and resilience and ensuring it is well funded is something I have raised with Ministers on several occasions over the past few years.” Read more….
All-Party Parliamentary Group for Events re-elects Theresa Villiers as chair
At its official Annual General Meeting, the All Party Parliamentary Group for Events re-elected the Rt Hon Theresa Villiers MP, Member of Parliament for Chipping Barnet, as its Chair. Read more….
How to contact Theresa
The best way to get help from Theresa is to email her on [email protected], ring her constituency office on 020 8449 7345, or write to her at 163 High Street, Barnet, Herts, EN5 5SU.
Theresa’s next diarised surgery takes place on the afternoon of Friday 5th May at her constituency office at 163 High Street. Constituents wishing to see Theresa or her staff will need to make an appointment in advance. You will NOT be seen if you turn up without a pre-booked appointment. Bookings for face-to-face meetings or Zoom calls can be made using the contact details set out in the preceding paragraph.
