Here are some of the reasons why people ask me for help.
Housing: In Leeds NE there is a chronic shortage of social housing. Many people who need a home cannot afford to buy. The shortage of housing separates generations in families who would prefer to live in the districts they know well. I cannot solve this problem. It is due to the policy failure of successive governments to build more houses. Even if the money were forthcoming, there is now little space in Leeds NE for large numbers of new houses. Sometimes I have been able to help secure greater recognition of the level of housing needs by families applying to the Leeds Council for accommodation. Of all the issues brought to my attention, the lack of social housing is the most painful and intractable. Almost as painful is the amount of social housing that is poorly maintained and now unfit for purpose. Many tenants who have paid rent faithfully for years find difficulty in getting required landlord repairs undertaken. Working with local councillors I try to make sure that desperately needed work is not neglected.
Schools: The Labour government from 1997 to 2010 has left us a wonderful legacy in Leeds NE with every single secondary school in the constituency rebuilt. The quality of secondary schools means that there are now far fewer parents of secondary age children who do not have confidence in the schools to which their children are allocated. Cases do arrive where parents do not achieve the school of their choice for a child. While I do not control the admission policies of schools controlled by Leeds City Council or the individual governing bodies of aided schools, I have intervened to try and secure a reconsideration of an admission decision. In my routine work as MP, I visit constituency schools regularly. What they do is so very important and I am very concerned to understand just how much government policies help or hinder their work. I also try to play my part in helping pupils understand a little more about how democracy works in their country.
Care for the elderly: Looking after our elderly citizens is a duty but with longer lives more and more people are needing help at home, medical treatment and sometimes residential care. This is expensive and families concerned for their elderly relatives turn to me when they experience the limits of the financial and other support the state currently provides. I will intervene to try and help secure the best support I can for constituents from present provision. I try to visit the residential and day care provision for our old people in the constituency to thank staff for their work and to find out how well current provision is or is not succeeding in helping the elderly lead as full and healthy lives as far as is possible.
Transport: Please let me know if your local bus services are poor or provide poor value for money. I will do all I can to represent your transport needs to the managers of the bus providers and work with Leeds Councillors to press for better provision via the West Yorkshire Metro. After years of lobbying, I am desperately disappointed by the failure to provide a modern urban transport system for Leeds and I fear for the timescale of the project to connect Leeds to London via a high-speed rail line.
Crime and security: As your MP, I am in regular contact with the West Yorkshire Police responsible for Leeds North East. We frequently discuss issues relating to crime, drugs, house breaking, anti social behaviour and general policing. If you have any local concerns, please bring them to my attention and I will ensure that they are looked at.
Visas and immigration: Over the years many constituents have asked for help with matters connected with visas, residence permits and citizenship. MPs do have a special role in helping to ensure that the laws on immigration are applied fairly and that decisions are taken quickly with all relevant circumstances taken into account. MPs can access a hot line to the Home Office to find out the progress with current applications. There are however hundreds of thousands of cases stuck in the system (legacy applications). These are being considered by the Home Office but there is nothing any MP can do to accelerate the decision on any particular case. With the help of my staff, I will try to understand and offer what help I can to any constituent concerned with asylum, visas and immigration but please remember that MPs have no responsibility for or discretion over individual applications. For applicants whose leave to remain has been refused and where an appeal has been refused, Home Office ministers may exercise some discretion under the law. I am very willing to plead the special circumstances of applicants in this situation.
Planning and urban development: There have been many occasions when constituents have become concerned about proposed developments and while change may be inevitable, it is important that the local environment and community is not disadvantaged. I have been very pleased to champion the campaigns to protect the Yorkshire Bank Playing Fields from residential development and to protest against the extensive redevelopment of the Tesco supermarket in Roundhay Road where support from local councillors was weak. I have also intervened with councillors and planning officers on numerous occasions over smaller proposed developments. If you feel that the planning process is not working properly or fairly, please do not hesitate to get in touch with me for help.
Making contact: If you need to speak to me about any matter, please contact the constituency office on 0113 244 6600 and ask for an appointment at one of my regular surgeries in the constituency. If you are ill or disabled, one of my members of staff or myself can visit you in your home. The parliamentary protocols mean that I can ony help people who actually live in the constituency or whose business is located there. My staff will advise you on how to contact your own MP if the need arises.