Latest news with #MattVickers
BBC News
5 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Plans to build 600 new homes near Yarm unveiled
Plans to build 600 new homes near a market town have been unveiled. Developer Taylor Wimpey is preparing an outline plan for the development on land south of Green Lane, in firm is holding a two-week consultation on the plans which include building two to five-bedroom homes, including up to 20% of affordable housing as well as homes to rent. Stockton West Conservative MP Matt Vickers said he was against the "barmy" development and there were already too many properties in the town. Taylor Wimpey says feedback from the consultation will shape the planning application which it intends to submit to Stockton Borough Council in the summer, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said. Vickers said: "The idea of building yet more housing in Yarm is utterly barmy."In recent years the Labour council has allowed the packing, stacking and racking of thousands of homes on green field sites and created unbearable pressure on our local infrastructure, from roads to schools to healthcare services. "We must ensure Yarm's unique character is preserved."The council said it could not comment on the proposals because it had not yet received a planning application. An exhibition event will be held at Yarm Sports and Social Club on Leven Road on Thursday between 15:00 and 19:00 BST. Follow BBC Tees on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
The Sun
10-05-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
Thieves who nick tradesmen's tools should face harsh penalties, says MP
THIEVES who nick tradesmen's tools should face harsher penalties, a Tory MP says. Matt Vickers said the scourge of equipment theft has reached 'crisis levels'. 3 He is putting forward amendments to strengthen Labour's Crime and Policing Bill. It includes counting tool theft as an aggravating factor. This means stricter sentences for criminals who rob tradesmen. He is also calling for fines to reflect the cost of replacing stolen goods, repairing damage and compensating victims for lost income. Trading Standards would have to introduce enforcement plans to clamp down on sales at car boots and market stalls. The shadow policing minister told the Sun on Sunday: 'This crime is through the roof. This has a real harm on peoples' lives. 'Tradesmen know the heartache for them and their families when they can't go to work. 'Then they go down to a car boot sale and see someone in broad daylight selling vast quantities of tools.' Mr Vickers also revealed his dad and brother - who are both builders - have been targeted. He said figures show self-employed tradespeople are 38 per cent more likely than employed counterparts to fall victim to this type of crime. And only one per cent of stolen tools are ever recovered. Meanwhile, victims face an average cost of £2,730 to replace stolen tools, £1,320 in vehicle or property repairs, and £1,900 in lost work and business disruption. Thief confronted by victim who uses the tools stolen from his van to smash up getaway car 3
The Sun
10-05-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
Thieves who nick tradesmen's tools should face harsh penalties, MP says
THIEVES who nick tradesmen's tools should face harsher penalties, a Tory MP says. Matt Vickers said the scourge of equipment theft has reached 'crisis levels'. 3 3 He is putting forward amendments to strengthen Labour's Crime and Policing Bill. It includes counting tool theft as an aggravating factor. This means stricter sentences for criminals who rob tradesmen. He is also calling for fines to reflect the cost of replacing stolen goods, repairing damage and compensating victims for lost income. Trading Standards would have to introduce enforcement plans to clamp down on sales at car boots and market stalls. The shadow policing minister told the Sun on Sunday: 'This crime is through the roof. This has a real harm on peoples' lives. 'Tradesmen know the heartache for them and their families when they can't go to work. 'Then they go down to a car boot sale and see someone in broad daylight selling vast quantities of tools.' Mr Vickers also revealed his dad and brother - who are both builders - have been targeted. 3 He said figures show self-employed tradespeople are 38 per cent more likely than employed counterparts to fall victim to this type of crime. And only one per cent of stolen tools are ever recovered. Meanwhile, victims face an average cost of £2,730 to replace stolen tools, £1,320 in vehicle or property repairs, and £1,900 in lost work and business disruption.
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Old hospital 'not a single penny' investment claim
Conservatives and Labour have clashed over investment in a crumbling hospital. Stockton West Tory MP Matt Vickers said the government had "failed to allocate a single penny" to North Tees Hospital in a recent review of the New Hospital Programme. However, Labour said the hospital was never included in the Conservatives' scheme to deliver 40 new hospitals by 2030 and accused Mr Vickers of failing to get it on the list. A recent review said it was clear the programme, promised by the Tories in their 2019 election manifesto, was "undeliverable and unaffordable". Hospital chiefs said they were working on an outline case to get investment after claiming in 2023 that buildings on the estate in Hardwick only had "eight years of life left" and could cost up to £300m to maintain. This is part of an infrastructure strategy being drawn up by the North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board, but it currently has no agreed funding route. The North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust previously made a £380m bid for investment, but it was not chosen to be included in the programme. Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen pledged to rebuild the hospital in his re-election campaign last year. Mr Vickers said: "Labour campaigned on the promise of investment and change, yet their first opportunity to deliver for the people of Teesside has resulted in a complete betrayal. "The people of Teesside deserve better and I will continue fighting to ensure we get the funding our hospital desperately needs." The MP said the previous government had provided "unprecedented funding" in NHS facilities in Stockton, including £40m towards new radiology equipment. A Labour source told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "So spectacular has Mr Vickers' failure been as an MP that he wasn't even able to get his hospital on the list for replacement when his own party was in office. "Now, Labour is dealing with the mess they left and their imaginary 40 new hospitals that never even included North Tees." In a statement Steve Taylor, group director of estates at University Hospitals Tees, said the facility had challenges because of an "ageing infrastructure". "This remains a major concern and we continue to seek the capital funding needed for long-term solutions to this, but there are no immediate clinical risks," he said. The Department of Health and Social Care said the government had inherited NHS buildings and equipment that had been "left to crumble". It also said as well as the hospitals programme, more than £1bn had been set aside to "make inroads into the existing backlog of critical maintenance, repairs and upgrades". Follow BBC Tees on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram. Send your story ideas here. Government to review most Tory new-hospital schemes 'Crumbling' hospital needs to save £20m 'Urgent' bid for new hospital cash submitted Local Democracy Reporting Service North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust
BBC News
19-02-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Tories and Labour clash over crumbling North Tees Hospital
Conservatives and Labour have clashed over investment in a crumbling West Tory MP Matt Vickers said the government had "failed to allocate a single penny" to North Tees Hospital in a recent review of the New Hospital Labour said the hospital was never included in the Conservatives' scheme to deliver 40 new hospitals by 2030 and accused Mr Vickers of failing to get it on the list.A recent review said it was clear the programme, promised by the Tories in their 2019 election manifesto, was "undeliverable and unaffordable". Hospital chiefs said they were working on an outline case to get investment after claiming in 2023 that buildings on the estate in Hardwick only had "eight years of life left" and could cost up to £300m to maintain. This is part of an infrastructure strategy being drawn up by the North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board, but it currently has no agreed funding North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust previously made a £380m bid for investment, but it was not chosen to be included in the Valley mayor Ben Houchen pledged to rebuild the hospital in his re-election campaign last year. Mr Vickers said: "Labour campaigned on the promise of investment and change, yet their first opportunity to deliver for the people of Teesside has resulted in a complete betrayal. "The people of Teesside deserve better and I will continue fighting to ensure we get the funding our hospital desperately needs."The MP said the previous government had provided "unprecedented funding" in NHS facilities in Stockton, including £40m towards new radiology equipment.A Labour source told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "So spectacular has Mr Vickers' failure been as an MP that he wasn't even able to get his hospital on the list for replacement when his own party was in office. "Now, Labour is dealing with the mess they left and their imaginary 40 new hospitals that never even included North Tees." 'Ageing infrastructure' In a statement Steve Taylor, group director of estates at University Hospitals Tees, said the facility had challenges because of an "ageing infrastructure"."This remains a major concern and we continue to seek the capital funding needed for long-term solutions to this, but there are no immediate clinical risks," he Department of Health and Social Care said the government had inherited NHS buildings and equipment that had been "left to crumble".It also said as well as the hospitals programme, more than £1bn had been set aside to "make inroads into the existing backlog of critical maintenance, repairs and upgrades". Follow BBC Tees on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram. Send your story ideas here.
