Shailesh Vara MP recently hosted a meeting in Parliament to discuss a number of local policing matters. Huntingdon MP Jonathan Djanogly also attended as did Cambridgeshire Police and Crime Commissioner Darryl Preston and Chief Constable Nick Dean.

Among the issues discussed was the disparity in payment of the South East Allowance. This is an additional payment made to police officers in some forces to reflect the cost of living in the South East region. While the allowance is provided to officers in neighbouring areas, such as Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire, it is not extended to Cambridgeshire officers.

Moreover, Liz Groom, Chair of the Cambridgeshire Police Federation, also attended the meeting and spoke of the need to change the national police funding formula, which is the process by which financial resources are distributed to police forces more generally. It is felt that Cambridgeshire does not receive its due allocation and this can be rectified by reviewing the funding formula.

It was agreed that Mr Vara, along with Mr Djanogly and other Cambridgeshire MPs, would follow up some of the issues with the Home Secretary, James Cleverly MP, especially regarding the disparity in the allocation of the South East Allowance.

Following the meeting, Mr Vara said:

“I was very pleased to host this meeting and there is clearly much to be done to ensure that there is fair treatment and payment for Cambridgeshire police officers.  

“I will be working with my colleague Jonathan Djanogly and other Cambridgeshire MPs to take matters up with James Cleverly, the Home Secretary, especially with respect to the payment of the South East Allowance.

“It simply isn’t right that while officers in Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire receive this allowance, their colleagues in Cambridgeshire are excluded from it, despite the very close collaboration between the forces.”

Photo: (from left to right) Joshua Richards (from the office of Lucy Frazer MP), Jonathan Djanogly MP, Darryl Preston, Tiffany Lynch, Belinda Goodwin, Stuart Taylor, Liz Groom, Shailesh Vara MP and Nick Dean.

Shailesh Vara MP has written to Barclays Bank to protest about the closure of Sibson-cum-Stibbington Parish Council’s bank account.

Ms Marge Beuttell, Chair of Sibson-cum-Stibbington Parish Council and also Councillor with Huntingdonshire District Council, complained to the bank about the Parish Council’s treatment. However, after months of correspondence the bank abruptly closed the account, despite assurances that the account would remain open.

Prior to closing the account, Barclays made several promises that the Parish Council’s complaint would be resolved by specified dates, but all the dates passed, and the matter remained unresolved.

Moreover, the bank made contradictory statements, either delayed responding to or ignored some emails, and requested information that had already been provided.

Mr Vara’s letter to Mr C S Venkatakrishnan, Chief Executive of Barclays Bank, and Mr Nigel Higgins, Chairman of Barclays Bank, speaks of both the closure of the account and the poor treatment by Barclays to the Council.

A copy of the letter from Mr Vara to Mr Venkatakrishnan is attached.

Mr Vara said:

“This is appalling treatment by Barclays bank of Sibson-cum-Stibbington Parish Council. This is not the way that they should be dealing with customers.

“I have had sight of the correspondence between the Parish council and the Bank, and it does not show Barclays in any good light at all.

“For months, there has been poor treatment of the Council, culminating in the closure of their account without any explanation, despite promises to the contrary.

“I have asked Mr Venkatakrishnan to personally look into this case and I hope that the matter will be quickly resolved with the account being opened again.”

Ms Marge Beuttell added:

“The sudden and unexplained closure of this account left the Parish Council unable to pay the Parish Clerk and also other service providers for over three months, which was extremely embarrassing and frustrating.”

Photo: Cllr Marge Beuttell with Shailesh Vara MP.

Shailesh Vara MP, together with Cllr Steve Corney, recently met with local businesses in Ramsey for a coffee morning.

Local business owners discussed national and local issues, such as the recent Autumn Statement made by Jeremy Hunt MP, Chancellor of the Exchequer, as well as measures to support local businesses. Specific matters discussed included better provision of vocational courses in education and a reduction in bureaucracy for small businesses.

Delays with planning applications were a particular concern, along with the condition of roads in and around Ramsey. As well as ensuring pot holes were filled in a timely manner, concerns were also expressed about the quality of material used, as many holes need regular refilling.

The provision of renewable energy was discussed, and whilst there was general agreement on its importance, it was agreed that relevant sites should be established in the right locations. 

Mr Vara, along with Cllr Corney, who sits on Huntingdonshire District Council and Cambridgeshire County Council, agreed to follow up some of the issues including the need for better and more modern industrial workplaces to support local businesses.

Following the meeting, Mr Vara said:

“It is always a pleasure to meet with local businesses. They are the lifeblood of our communities. As well as providing employment, the businesses play a key role in the success and prosperity of the local economy.

“A number of issues were raised, both local and national, and Cllr Steve Corney and I will be following up on some of them.”

Cllr Steve Corney added:

“It was great to able to introduce Shailesh to some of our Ramsey business owners and give them the chance to ask him any questions they have, as well as let them know that he is there for them should they need his help. We are looking forward to doing the same again in the new year.”

Photo: Chris Aubin, Tom Bedford, Shane Howell, Ed Hunter-Dodds, Cllr Steve Corney, Andy Hamilton and Shailesh Vara MP.

Shailesh Vara MP hosted a reception for the UK Police Memorial Trust today in the House of Commons.

The event paid tribute to the 4,500 Police Officers and staff who have lost their lives in the line of service since the introduction of the Bow Street Runners in 1749. Those attending included relatives and colleagues of some of the fallen officers. 

The physical memorial is at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire, which was dedicated in 2021 by HRH The King, then HRH The Prince of Wales.

Now a digital version, believed to be the first of its kind in the world, has also been produced to achieve the Trust’s vision of celebrating lives lived, as well as remembering lives lost.

Along with Mr Vara, other speakers were the Rt Hon Chris Philp MP, Minister for Policing, and Chief Constable Gavin Stephens, Chair of Trustees and Chair of the National Police Chief’s Council.

Relatives of fallen officers present received leaves cut from the material used for the memorial, which were inscribed with the names of the policewomen and men.

Mr Vara, as a former Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, presented a leaf to Chief Constable Jon Boucher of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) who collected it on behalf of the family of Constable Stephen Carroll.

Constable Carroll was shot on 9th March 2009 when responding to a 999 call near a Catholic Church at Lismore Manor, 26 miles south-west of Belfast.

The gunman fatally injured Constable Carroll, who was the first member of the PSNI to be murdered by Paramilitaries since it was established in 2001, replacing the former Royal Ulster Constabulary.

Following the event, Mr Vara said:

“It was a great privilege and honour to host this very special occasion in Parliament to remember the extraordinary women and men in the Police force who gave their lives in the line of duty.

“It was a very moving occasion, and it is important that we never forget their sacrifices as they sought to protect us and serve their communities.

“As well as the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire, I am very pleased that there will also be a digital memorial, which can be accessed by people from across the world.”

https://www.ukpolicememorial.com/

https://digital.ukpolicememorial.org/

Photos: (above) Shailesh Vara MP along with Chief Constable Gavin Stephens. (below from left to right) Shailesh Vara MP, Chief Constable Jon Boucher and Sir Hugh Orde, former Chief Constable of PSNI.

Members of Peterborough's Bharat Hindu Samaj were recently invited to a reception in the House of Commons to celebrate Diwali. They were met by local MP Shailesh Vara, whose constituency of North West Cambridgeshire includes the southern half of the city.

Diwali is one of Hinduism's most important occasions. Also known as the Festival of Lights, it marks the triumph of good over evil, knowledge over ignorance and light over darkness.

Hindus across the world celebrate Diwali by lighting candles and lamps as part of the celebration.

Following the reception, Mr Vara said:

“I was very pleased to welcome to Parliament members from the local Hindu community for this very important Hindu festival.

“The message of the triumph of good over evil and light over darkness is highly appropriate given all the problems that the world faces today.”

Mr Kishor Ladwa, President of the Bharat Hindu Samaj added:

“On behalf of Peterborough’s Bharat Hindu Samaj I would like to thank Mr Shailesh Vara for looking after us so well on our recent visit to Parliament.

“It was a lovely occasion and an opportunity to celebrate Diwali with people from other parts of the UK, with candles being lit to wish for a better future for all of us.”

Mr Vishal Vichare, who lives in Hampton Water in Peterborough, commented:

“Diwali is a special occasion for Hindus and it was a great privilege to be able to celebrate it in the magnificent setting of the Palace of Westminster.

“It was a wonderful evening as Hindus pray for a better future in these troubled times.”

Photo: from left to right, front row: Ashish Pathak, Bina Pankhania, and Nagasayan Puppala. Back row: Rajni Reddy, Jayshree Mehta, Ramnik Mashru, Kishor Ladwa, Amit Mehta, Shailesh Vara MP, Vishal Vichare, and Dr Subhash Kandikatt.

Shailesh Vara MP has met with Nikki Morris BEM of Deafblind UK, who has been Chief Executive of the charity since January 2023.

They discussed the progress made by the organisation, founded in 1928, and the support that it offers to the 450,000 individuals who are affected in the UK. This includes helping and supporting individuals who are deaf and blind, as well as training and support for their families and carers.

The charity has a shop in Broadway Shopping Centre in Yaxley, which helps towards fund raising and recently work has started to convert its premises in Peterborough into two accessible flats for use by those who are deaf and blind.

Ms Morris spoke of a schools’ programme which seeks to inform children about the charity’s work and also important research being carried out to help with better diagnosis and treatment of the condition.

Following the meeting, Mr Vara said:

“I was very pleased to meet with Nikki Morris and to hear of the fantastic work that is being done by Deafblind UK.

“This is a wonderful charity that takes care of those who are affected by the condition from birth, as well as those who are born deaf and develop blindness later on in life.

“The support offered is vital for many children and adults, as well as for families and carers, and it is good to hear of the progress that is being made.”

Ms Morris added:

“We are extremely grateful to Rt Hon Shailesh Vara MP for a highly productive and valuable meeting. His support of our work is invaluable and we are looking forward to working together in the future to meet the needs of increasing numbers of people living with deafblindness.”

Photo: Shailesh Vara MP with Nikki Morris BEM.