The Rt. Hon Edward Argar MP Member of Parliament for Melton & Syston

I wanted to take the opportunity in Syston Town News to update local residents on my stance on the proposals recently put forward for the reorganisation of our local councils, as well as to highlight a fantastic local community initiative that I was able to visit in Syston over the Easter recess.
An issue that has hit the news locally in recently months is the different proposals put forward to the Government for the reorganisation of local councils, following the Government’s decision to scrap county, borough and district councils and to replace them in the coming years with single-tier unitary local Government, and to propose further devolution of powers. The Government have made it clear it will simply impose changes, if local areas don’t make their own proposals, so we have seen the county council, borough and district councils, and City Mayor of Leicester each put forward their own, different, initial proposals to the Government. While the proposals recently put forward are only outline initial proposals, back in January I set out my concerns to BBC Radio Leicester and the Press, and I have to say these have been increased recently by the Mayor of Leicester’s proposals for a land-grab by the city to take over areas firmly in the county at present, like Thurmaston and Syston, proposals that understandably have sparked huge concern among local residents. 
I have been clear that, in looking at the different proposals, we cannot simply be presented with a set of proposals on a take it or leave it basis, there must be genuine engagement and partnership working with our communities and our local residents, who must be listened to; whatever emerges from this process must not break or distance those vital local democratic links of accountability, and local services, between local councillors, decision-making, and our local communities; but for me the most important red line is that we must oppose strongly the Labour City Mayor’s attempt to absorb Thurmaston, Syston, and a swathe of other local county villages and towns into an expanded city of Leicester – Syston is firmly in the county, and should remain so – as Syston’s local MP I will continue to fight any plans for the city to swallow Syston. 
On another local matter, I also recently joined Raj and the team at the Timeless Connections Dementia Friendly Cafe, funded by our local NHS and donations, which is held every Thursday between 1pm and 4.30pm in the Community Hub Cafe on Syston’s High Street. It was great to meet Raj and the team, who have created not just a cafe, but as they put it, a haven for heartfelt moments, which helps create memories in a warm, friendly space, where people come together and build friendships – and all with a nice cuppa and some cake! Although Syston is a town, I always feel that it still has the friendliness of a village about it, with so many individuals volunteering and so many organisations and initiatives to help support and strengthen the community, and the Dementia Friendly Cafe is a part of that – huge credit to the whole team for the fantastic work they do. 
And finally, I write this article as we approach the Easter weekend, which makes it timely for me to mention the front page story in the last edition of STN. Syston’s parish church of St Peter and St Paul plays a huge part in community life in Syston, whether for those of faith, or for people who attend community functions in the church – I have lost count of the number of events I have been to in the church over the last decade, both as the local MP and also in a personal capacity. It is also a central part of the history of the town – but as was set out in the last STN, its ancient boiler is in urgent need of replacement and, although it may seem a way off as we approach summer, anyone who has been in the church in the height of winter knows how important that boiler is! I would encourage anyone who is able to to support this very good fundraising cause.