Rosie supports the Secretary of State's decision on Everton Stadium
(26/11/09)

In response to the decision by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government on the Everton / Kirkby planning application West Lancashire MP Rosie Cooper said:

"I am absolutely delighted that the Secretary of State has taken a brave and ultimately the right decision; one that is consistent with Government planning policy."

"It is a clear message that big business with big money doesn't always get their own way and they have to adhere to planning regulations."

"It is great news for the people of Skelmersdale that gives them a renewed sense of hope for the future redevelopment of the town."

"Throughout this whole campaign I have fought hard to defend the interests of my constituents and believed that refusal of this application was always the right decision. I am just pleased the Secretary of State has supported those arguments by his decision."

"We now need to ensure that there should be regeneration of both towns. I have always said publicly that we need to regenerate both towns, not one at the expense of the other. Liverpool City Council now needs to renew their efforts to find Everton a ground within their home City."

"The Secretary of State's decision means that we can now get on with the plan to develop Skelmersdale town centre, especially as we have also recently secured Government investment to build a new college in town centre."

"I will be seeking urgent talks with St Modwen to discuss how quickly we can get this project moving. Whilst these plans may have been delayed for a couple of years by the Tesco application, residents have been waiting 40 years for the regeneration of Skelmersdale."

"A constituent once told me that Skelmersdale has had more visions than Saint Bernadette. Lots of plans which never materialised, well I am determined that this one will."

“This decision means we may now deliver a vision for Skelmersdale that the people of the town have long deserved."

Rosie continued:

“Everton supporters were never 100% behind this move to Kirkby. It was made clear to me that they believed Liverpool City Council needed to do more to keep Everton in the city. This debate now needs to happen and urge the city council to look again at keeping Everton in the city."

“We want to see Liverpool represented if England are to host the World Cup, which has yet to be decided. There is plenty of time for the city council to sit down with both football clubs and find a solution and hope they will do so.”

You can read the full report on the decision below:

MP secures guarantee – No Scarisbrick Prison
(11/11/09)

West Lancashire MP Rosie Cooper moved quickly this week to squash fears that Scarisbrick may be used as a location for a new prison.

Rosie used parliamentary question time with the Justice Secretary Jack Straw to raise the issue asking:

“Will the Secretary of State reaffirm what he said in his answer to me on the 21st July, which is that there will be no prison, Titan or any other size of prison in Scarisbrick? Will he also confirm that in writing for the benefit of Tory Councillors, colleagues of the opposition, who seem not to be able to believe in the record according to Hansard?”

Mr Straw replied that there will be no prison in Scarisbrick and agreed to confirm this in writing.

Rosie Said afterwards:

“I am sure that, once and for all, this latest announcement from the Justice Secretary will provide the necessary assurance to residents of Scarisbrick that there will be no prison site in their village. I can absolutely guarantee that. It is now time for the local Tories in that area to move on and find another issue with which to scaremonger."

“I only wish I could get as satisfactory and unequivocal answer about the future of primary schools in West Lancashire from the Conservative Leader of Lancashire County Council.”

MP Rosie Cooper urges investment for Skelmersdale
(03/11/09)

The M.P. For West Lancashire, Rosie Cooper, has urged the Minister for the Region Phil Woolas M.P. to support her efforts to win additional investment for Skelmersdale.

Speaking at the latest North West Grand Committee meeting in Liverpool last week, Rosie said:

“As the Minister will be aware, the Government has been particularly successful during the last ten years in regenerating cities as the drivers of economic change, including the two great cities of the North West, Manchester, and the place we meet today, Liverpool, which is virtually unrecognisable from how it looked back in 1997."

“We all welcome the efforts, commitments and investment that has been made to deliver such fabulous results."

“However, I am speaking today to articulate the need for a similar approach to one of the regions ‘forgotten’ towns, one, ironically, that was developed back in the late sixties, to deal with what was described at the time as Liverpool’s ‘overspill’."

“Ever since its birth as a new town, Skelmersdale, which forms a major part of my West Lancashire Constituency, has suffered from fly by night employers who took the grants and ran in the seventies; through to some appalling architecture and bad planning."

“Sub standard housing; a road network that would leave even the most proficient ‘Krypton Factor’ contestant baffled, high levels of unemployment, much of this long term, and the lack of a real town centre, means that Skelmersdale has failed the ambitions that past decision makers promised – and most importantly failed the 40,000 residents of the town, who often feel that they have been abandoned."

“As a location, the town can boast superb access to the motorway network, via the M58. It is possible to get to any major North West destination in 30-40 minutes from Skem. Unfortunately, the location for business investment loses part of its attraction due to the absence of a railway station/link – despite plans being put in place for such a facility over thirty years ago.”

Rosie added:

“I referred earlier to the fact that the town does not have a centre. Indeed, the local Asda is seen by local people as their town centre. The hope of developing a vibrant, dynamic Skelmersdale town centre has been in abeyance for several years now, latterly delayed not because of the economic downturn, but because of Everton and Tesco’s plans to construct a stadium and retail park in Kirkby, which is only 7 miles away. The preferred developer of the Skelmersdale project, St Modwens, have made it clear that should the Everton/Tesco plan get the green light, then they will not have the appetite to proceed with the planned regeneration of Skelmersdale Town Centre."

“I firmly believe that I have made a compelling case to those who will make the final decision on that particular planning matter. Nonetheless, having witnessed far too many false dawns in the past, I am determined that Skelmersdale will not be let down again.

“I have been somewhat dismayed by the actions, or rather the inaction, of our local Tory Council, who have failed to recognize the dangers that the existing blue print for town centre redevelopment faces – they do not have a plan ‘B’.”

The M.P. concluded:

“With this in mind, I have facilitated a gathering of the main agencies that can contribute and participate in a debate and discussion about the towns future."

“My objective is to establish an agenda for change that will transform not only Skelmersdale’s centre – but also address those problems I spoke of earlier on the housing estates that have been so poorly maintained over the last forty years."

“I am hoping to produce a strategy that identifies key actions that will begin to address the deep-seated, and long term problems that the town has suffered – as well as putting in place building blocks that will enable Skelmersdale to flourish and grow in the future."

“We have already had one major success – convincing the Government and the Learning and Skills Council to go ahead with its commitment to build a multi million pound new college facility in the town."

“I hope the Minister will support the efforts of the various stakeholders and agencies who will be working in partnership to deliver an agenda for change that will finally give the people of Skelmersdale the facilities; infrastructure and investment that they deserve.”

Rosie hosted the Skelmersdale Summit at Hope House in the heart of the community in Little Digmoor with senior officers from the Homes and Communities Agency, North West Development Agency, Government Office North West, Lanacashire County Council and West Lancashire Borough Council.

Earlier in the week Rosie raised the importance of investment in, and the regeneration of West Lancashire with Gordon Brown, at Prime Ministers Questions.