Club Speaker MP Kim Leadbeater

Mon, Oct 11th 2021 at 7:15 pm - 9:15 pm

Club Speaker Batley and Spen MP Kim Leadbeater

Rotary Club of Birstall Luddites
Speaker Kim Leadbeater Batley and Spen Valley MP

On Oct 11th at the Needless Inn the club had the pleasure of a visit from our local Member of
Parliament Kim Leadbeater.
She spoke of the very busy 13 weeks since the By-Election.
Kim said it was essentially a business, getting staff up to speed. She said she had 2 offices - one in Westminster and one near the Ponderosa at Heckmondwike. She introduced Omar who accompanied Kim on the night. With chief of staff Lance they work 3 days a week in London, she has 2 core workers and 2 support officers.
Kim said she had 8 weeks in the summer where she toured the constituency listening to people. This included road safety, meeting businesses, voluntary groups and worked with the
Joe Cox Foundation.
Her aim is to get private and public to work together and to get a skate park in Cleckheaton re-established for young people.
She said her priorities in Westminster were mental health being brought into schools. Political education highlighting that only 47% of people turned out to vote showing a disengagement with voters to politics.
Kim said she was a Lecturer at Bradford college and had run her own business for 20 years.

Kim then took questions from Luddites.

Keith spoke about the situation with speeding cars and motor bikes and asked about motor bike training at Bumpy.
Kim said this was the biggest issue in the by-election in areas around Batley and Spen and said there were 20 hot spots. She had organised a meeting with the Deputy Mayor the chief Inspector and council road officials with the need for Police action. But Police highlighted the numbers they have only 2 on shift and catching them by police car is a problem with youths on bikes. Edith noted that youths without helmets just with black hoods cannot be chased for safety reasons. Kim said there were dirt bike riders but youths had disappeared by the time they got to an incident. She said lots of areas asked for road bumps but they cost 60K to install. She said people must report incidents to the police so that the problems are visible. She talked of traffic wardens working in Batley with car parking.
John Keen explained to Kim our role in the community and how we could work with her in Birstall. She had a example where she had got posters to advertise Birstall Market with Donna.
Steve asked about her maiden speech in Parliament and she thought it had gone down well by just by being herself.
She spoke of the disconnect between Westminster and local people and wants to be a local MP trying to do ber best .
John Broadhead gave a vote of thanks to Kim and she said she wants to be visible and contactable.

LINK Contact Kim

LINKS Kim Leadbeater artical - Politic.co.uk

LINKS Kim entering the Westminster Chamber to be sworn in as an MP. TWITTER

LINKS Bye Election result

LINKS Kim Leadbeater Facebook

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