Yvette Cooper, Labour MP for Pontefract and Castleford Constituency

$All about the Pontefract and Castleford constituency$

Latest Campaigns
We use this page to help keep everyone up-to-date with some of the activities in the constituency, in particular, some of the important campaigns.

$Pontefract and Castleford MP Yvette Cooper$

Updates on Campaigns

Update Pontefract Transport Summit (see original article at foot of this page)
I asked Wakefield Council to organise the transport summit because I wanted professionals working on buses, roads, rail, and traffic management to hear first hand from local people about their problems and ideas. Hundreds of people came, and it got quite congested at the beginning – a bit like driving through Pontefract. But it just shows how strongly people feel.

There was a clear message that transport engineers need to look again at Town End junction, as well as strong support for new station facilities and road links around the town and I will keep campaigning with local groups and councillors to get some progress.

To tell me your views on transport please contact my office for a copy of my Pontefract transport survey, or email me at coopery@parliament.uk.

Victory in campaign for a new sign for Pontefract
I’m really pleased at the Highways Agency’s decision to erect permanent signs to Pontefract and Castleford on the new stretch of southbound A1 following my campaign alongside local residents. The Highways Agency initially erected temporary signs, but after more pressure and a consultation, they have now replaced them with permanent signs. See original article...

Campaigns

PGI

As you may have seen building work is well underway on the £50m new hospital at Pontefract. New high class facilities will be really welcome and I think they are essential to prevent long term decline at PGI. I’m really proud of the progress we have made so far with the Trust promising:

• 90% of patients’ visits would continue to be at PGI
• a 24 hour consultant led A&E will be maintained at PGI

However I am continuing to press to make sure local services are kept local.I am concerned that some local health staff have been exploring options for transferring certain routine services out of both Pontefract and Pinderfields and into Dewsbury.

I am also pressing for a review of the beds plans across the district to make sure there are sufficient beds in each hospital.

Hardwick Road Post Office

I have now received news from the Post Office that our campaign to save Hardwick Road Post Office has been successful.

It’s great news that the Post Office have listened to local people’s views and withdrawn their plans to close the Hardwick Road branch. This has been a really strong local campaign and I wanted to thank everyone who contacted me and the Post Office to show them the strength of local feeling.

As you know I met with the Post Office and Postwatch to strongly urge them to change their minds. The proposals were completely unfair on Pontefract residents and my detailed research showed they went against the Post Office's own rules because the alternative branches were too far away.

The closure of Hardwick Road would have meant serious problems for Pontefract residents getting to and using an alternative branch so I’m really glad the Post Office listened to our campaign.

Children’s Play Areas

Which play areas do you think should be improved?

I’ve had a great response so far with parents keen to see action taken to improve and maintain play areas.

The recent Children’s Plan has promised £225 million of government investment for local councils to improve opportunities for play.

The full details and timing of the investment have not yet been published so I will let you know when there are further details. In the meantime I am also looking into grants and other sources of money, to work with community groups on their plans.

I have also written to the Council and the Police about improving the maintenance of existing facilities.

$Pontefract and Castleford MP Yvette Cooper, campaigning for improved Children’s Play Areas$

I want to hear parents and children’s views. Please contact my office on
01977 553388 or email coopery@parliament.uk with your ideas!

More information on the Children’s Plan is available on the Department for Children, Schools and Families Website http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/publications/childrensplan

Calling all Land Girls...

The Government recently announced the first official recognition of the contribution made by members of the Women's Land Army.
Learn more…

The Badges are now being issued and Yvette is urging all Land Girls to come forward and claim
the newly announced Land Girls Badges to commemorate their tremendous efforts during
the First and Second World Wars.

Any Land Girls who wish to apply can get in touch with Leonie in my office on 01977553388; send their details to 1 York Street, Castleford, WF10 1JS or click here to send me an email at coopery@parliament.uk

Photo right shows Yvette presenting Elsie Bushell with her Land Girls Badge

Don’t miss out on your Veteran’s Badge

Yvette is campaigning to make sure that all veterans in Pontefract, Knottingley and Castleford receive the newly extended Veterans Badge. The Veteran Badges are being issued by the Ministry of Defence to everyone enlisted before December 31 1994 and honour the enormous contribution made by veterans in the last century.

To find out how to claim your badge, click here

Yvette Cooper MP has hosted three award ceremonies to present over 100 local veterans their Veteran’s Lapel Badges. Two services took place at St Giles’ Church in Pontefract and one in Castleford Parish Church in front of hundreds of friends and family. Many thanks to Rev Bob Cooper and Rev Stan Bindoff for their help and support in organising the events.

Presenting the badges, Yvette Cooper said: "Everyone was looking forward to the ceremonies but I think they were even more special than we had expected. I was delighted to present badges to all of these brave men and women, especially in front of so many proud friends and family."

Photo below shows the Pontefract Veterans award ceremony which took place on 20 January at the Church of St Giles in Pontefract with Yvette Cooper MP and Rev Bob Cooper.

Picture courtesy of the Pontefract and Castleford Express

Cas Tigers Success!

Yvette Cooper opening the new deaf and hearing impaired base and new reception at Castleford High School.

Yvette with Richard Wright and Councillors Mark Burns-Williamson, Denise Jeffrey and Peter Box at the proposed site
(click photo to enlarge)

I was delighted by the planning committee’s decision to grant planning permission for the new stadium at Glasshoughton.

It’s a fantastic result and after a lot of campaigning I’m glad that finally the problems were resolved so that the stadium could get the go-ahead.

I then met with Richard Wright and Councillors Mark Burns-Williamson, Denise Jeffrey and Peter Box at the site to discuss the next steps forward to get the funding for the stadium in place.

Pontefract Transport Summit

I have joined with Councillor Trevor Izon to call on the Council to hold a Transport Summit to deal with the growing problems in Pontefract.

We are concerned that the town faces increasing problems such as the Town End lights, and the need for better rail and bus services, and want a major summit for local people to put forward their views.

Wakefield Council has agreed to draw up a new transport plan for the town to respond to growing concerns. But Trevor and I want to make sure local people get to put forward their own ideas about how the town’s transport problems need to be improved.

Things like the Town End lights have been a long term headache for Pontefract. We should also have much better rail services for a town this size, for example a direct rail link to London could bring in tourism and jobs. And I think it’s vital we get a station upgrade for Monkhill to make it easier for people to travel by train. Now that the Council are drawing up a transport plan for the town I want to make sure local people can have a say on what the priorities and solutions should be.

For more details contact my office or email me at coopery@parliament.uk

Yvette and Councillor Trevor Izon at Town End lights, Pontefract

Yvette Cooper MP
Constituency Office: 1 York Street | CASTLEFORD | WF10 1JS
Tel 01977 553388 | e-mail:coopery@parliament.uk