Cold Weather Payments

A number of constituents contacted Paul in 2006 regarding cold weather payments. Some pensioners in the Rochdale constituency were receiving them, while others were not. Paul investigated and discovered that this was due to the use of two different weather stations, one in Manchester and one in Bingley. Paul wrote to the Met Office and the Department of Work and Pensions and pushed to get all Rochdale postcodes included in the Bingley weather station, which gave more accurate temperatures for Rochdale and meant all pensioners in Rochdale would be equally eligible for cold weather payments. Paul was successful; the OL11 postcode is now linked to Bingley weather station and all pensioners in Rochdale now fall under the same weather station and are eligible for cold weather payments.

“Paul was very helpful!”

A Daveron, Rochdale

School Places

Five children from Rochdale applied to Haslingden High School but were refused in March 2009. Their parents appealed this decision, but much to the disappointment of the children, the appeals were rejected.

In June 2009, Haslingden High School then offered the children places as some spaces had become available. The children attended an induction day where they were allocated a tutor, assigned a house and given summer work to do.

The families refused their second preference places, but then in July, Haslingden High contacted the families and informed them that the offers were being withdrawn. The families were informed that Haslingden High had not acted through the correct channels, and did not have the authority to issue these places.

Paul held a meeting with the Chief Education Officer and persuaded the education authorities to hold another appeal which would take in to account the situation and the distress it had caused the families. The families went on to win these appeals, and started at Haslingden High in September 2009.

“Without your intervention, things could have been a whole lot different and the out-come would not have been so positive….thank you and all your staff so much for handling our plight so efficiently and in such a caring manner.”

J Tetlow, Shawclough

Noisy Neighbours

An elderly lady in Smallbridge had a very noisy neighbour who would continually play loud music on his stereo system. Paul took on her case and got the stereo equipment confiscated. When the loud resident continued to cause noise disturbances and great distress for the elderly lady, Paul intervened again and the individual was eventually evicted.

“My grateful thanks to you all.”

Anonymous

Complaints Process

A local constituent gave birth to her daughter in May 2009 at Rochdale Infirmary, but was concerned about a red mark on the right side of her daughter’s face. The hospital finally diagnosed her daughter with the rare condition of haemangioma, but refused to take the constituents concerns seriously. The constituent was forced to contact Great Ormond Street Hospital, who rushed them in for treatment.

Paul took the case on, writing to the Department for Health and helping the constituent through the complaints process. Paul pushed the Department to improve awareness amongst health authorities about the condition and to make them aware of the treatments available so that no-one else had to go through what this family had to in order to get their daughter treated.

“Many thanks to Paul for all your help. You have been a great help for me and my family. Keep up the good work you and your team do.”

M Sheikh, Rochdale

Health Services

Paul intervened on behalf of a constituent from Wardle who had serious health problems, and helped her in her dealings with Pennine Acute Hospitals Trust.

“I am convinced that if it had not been for your intervention and help in cutting through red tape, thus finally getting hospital departments to coordinate, she would not have survived.”

VR