Andrew Stunell

Lib Dem Communities Minister and Hazel Grove MP Andrew Stunell today invited community and voluntary organisations to apply for a share of £100 million that will help revitalise communities and bring the empty homes blighting their areas back into use.

Mr Stunell said that the Government cash would help tackle this national scandal, creating more affordable housing and giving a new lease of life to homes and communities.

There will be no more Post Offices closures in Stockport after Lib Dems in government secured a ten-year deal between the Post Office and the Royal Mail. Hazel Grove MP Andrew Stunell, a long-standing campaigner against Post Office closures, hailed the new deal as "a very welcome move" that will safeguard the future of the Post Office.

A host of new powers to put communities back in charge of their own affairs has become a reality as the Coalition Government's localism agenda takes another major step forward.

The Localism Act, which received Royal Assent in November 2011, takes power from central government and hands it back to local authorities and communities - giving them the freedom and flexibility to achieve their own ambitions.

Hazel Grove MP Andrew Stunell has warmly welcomed the announcement that the full High Speed Rail route from London to Manchester is to get the go-ahead.

Commenting today from Westminster he said:

"It will be a huge boost for jobs in Greater Manchester, it will make it easier for freight to get off our motorway network and onto rail, and it will give us the best ever connections with Birmingham and London.

Households' energy debts have increased by a fifth across the UK in the last year, with six in ten people in Greater Manchester and the North West

saying they are unsure whether they can afford to pay their energy bills this winter, according to a new survey. Now, Hazel Grove MP Andrew Stunell is calling on energy companies to do more to help their customers with soaring energy prices.

An extra 2,000 of the most disadvantaged pupils in Stockport are set to benefit from a cash boost to the Lib Dems' Pupil Premium, according to Hazel Grove MP Andrew Stunell.

Lib Dem Children's Minister Sarah Teather announced this week that next year the government are extending the Pupil Premium to cover any child that has been registered for Free School Meals (FSM) in the past six years - not just the children currently registered.

Families across the country in need of a stable home could benefit from thousands of formerly long term empty homes being made available, Lib Dem Communities Minister Andrew Stunell has said.

Latest figures show that over the past year the numbers of long-term empty homes has fallen by over 21,000 - the biggest year-on-year drop since 2004.

Almost 2,000 unemployed youngsters in Stockport could be set to benefit from a new plan put forward by the Lib Dems to tackle youth unemployment, according to Hazel Grove MP Andrew Stunell.

Liberal Democrat Leader and Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg has announced a £1 billion pound Youth Contract to tackle youth unemployment, which aims to ensure that all jobless young people are earning or learning again before long-term damage is done.

Councils in Greater Manchester received a cash boost today as Lib Dem Communities Minister and Hazel Grove MP Andrew Stunell announced £16m of extra funding for the area through the New Homes Bonus.

Councils are rewarded for building new homes, and bringing empty homes back into use. Council Tax on each home is matched by the Government for six years, with an extra £350 premium for every affordable home.

Communities Minister Andrew Stunell has today called on farmers and rural councils to "think outside the box" to deliver more affordable housing.

The average house price in rural areas is £250,000, yet the average salary is only £21,000 a year, meaning many local people struggle to get on the housing ladder. Mr Stunell wants to see farmers identify disused farm buildings that could be converted into new affordable homes for local people, and wants councils to look favourably on their planning applications.