Page 62 - Phonebox Magazine April 2011

Out and About with Mark Lancaster
Our local MP
It’s IdIosyncratIc, It’s traditional and it’s the event that puts our town on the international map. the olney Pancake race was a cracker this year, with the sun shining as the townsfolk (and many more besides) watched competitors strive for that prestigious shrove tuesday crown. I was honoured to have been able to start one of the children’s races. yet again, it made me proud to be MP for this area, and also a resident of olney.
one in 11 boys leaves primary school unable to read. But at Wood End school, those who are struggling are
being fast
tracked
towards
improvement
thanks to an
intensive
technique,
reading
recovery. observing pupil saizar Mcconnell and teacher Helen stickland’s lesson was a lesson in itself. after all, the ability to learn to read is the fundamental function of schooling. these thirty minute one-to-one tutoring over 20 weeks radically improves the attainment of five and six year olds. I am delighted that it is being taken up in Milton Keynes, and also that head teachers have the freedom to commission such services where needed. I had the additional honour, alongside Iain stewart MP, of cutting the ribbon to officially open the school’s new door, which has replaced a window. no wonder the
children were so excited – the door leads to the playground.
Mark starts one of the children’s races. ‘Ready Steady Go!’
at the event I was lucky enough to meet some pupils from olney Middle school (which I actually visited recently), who have devised a special town map – the olney Heritage Walk. no excuses for me not to follow the trail myself – the starting point is pretty much on my doorstep – and the outdoors are beginning to look more inviting now spring is on its way.
Mark meets Ollie Badger on the MK Dons SET bus providing interative learning for communities.
shrove tuesday saw an additional asset arriving in the town – but unfortunately a temporary one. the ‘dons on tour’ bus, the latest project from the MK dons sport and Education trust, is a mobile interactive classroom. It aims to promote
Mark Lancaster MP and Iain Stewart MP officially open Wood End School's new door.
Hope is on the horizon for those in the area who are struggling to get decent broadband speeds. alongside my colleague Iain stewart MP, last month I called a meeting with the top brass of Bt, who are rolling out improvements to the system throughout Milton Keynes. My understanding is that Bt is committed to upgrading 60-70 per cent of the network here, so people have access to superfast broadband. they are keen to extend this to 90 per cent – but in order to do so the city needs to develop a ‘broadband strategy’. I am eager to feed constituents’ views into this, so please do not hesitate to contact me with your input. We are a high speed city – we need high speed broadband to match, and I will continue to push for this.
a healthy lifestyle to schools and communities, as well as a hub for learning, boasting a set of computers for people to master basic It skills. Given that my constituency is largely rural, I am delighted to see the dons providing something that endeavours to benefit the villages.
speaking of buses, I am pleased to have received reassurance over the fate of a bus route. constituents had contacted me about the number 36, which links the villages such as stoke Goldington and Gayhurst with northampton, olney and newport Pagnell. I wrote to operator stagecoach who explained that northamptonshire county council has withdrawn its share of the funding of the service. However, a response from Milton Keynes council states clearly that a bus service will be maintained for residents in this area. I intend to keep pressure on them to ensure that the transport links remain sufficient for our rural communities.
over in stantonbury I was lucky to witness a new strategy for improving the literacy of schoolchildren. according to a recent report,
Mark Lancaster, Saizar McConnell, Helen Stickland, Iain Stewart MP after Saizar's Reading Recovery lesson.
62 Phonebox Magazine
ContaCt information:
mark Lancaster tD mP
Suite 102, milton Keynes Business Centre, foxhunter Drive, Linford Wood, milton Keynes mK14 6GD
tel: 01908 686830