Stephen Metcalfe MP helps bring about a national
change to make street parties easier
 
Stephen Metcalfe, The Member of Parliament for South Basildon and East Thurrock has successfully helped cut red tape and bring about a national change to help make holding street parties ahead of the Royal Wedding easier.
 
Stephen recently asked the Prime Minister during Prime Ministers Question Time “Please may I ask the Prime Minister to encourage local councils to look favourably and flexibly on community groups that wish to have roads closed to hold street parties to celebrate the forthcoming royal wedding?” to which the Prime responded “I will certainly do that. I know that, outside some of the large trade unions that fund the Opposition, everyone wants to have a real celebration for the Olympics, the diamond jubilee and the royal wedding, and I think we should certainly make it easier for people to close streets and have street parties.”
 
Following the Question, Stephen was contacted by Streets Alive, an organisation which has been campaigning for three years to bring about changes, making street parties easier to hold. Streets Alive informed Stephen that the biggest problem was caused by red tape from the Department of Transport.
 
Stephen contacted several Ministers concerning this issue and was subsequently informed on 7th February that the campaign has been successful as Whitehall red tape is being cut in order to make it easier for local communities to hold street parties to celebrate the Royal Wedding.
 
Stephen said “This is the Big Society in action as local communities will find it easier to hold street parties, not only for the Royal Wedding, but for any occasion that they deem worthy. Local Councils now have little excuse for preventing such occasions. In this 24hr world, with internet, mobile phones and I-Pads, people can stay friends with people in Australia but barely know their neighbours.  This provides the opportunity to revive that community spirit that was so common in the min-twentieth century, not through Government interference, but by community empowerment.”
 
“I do hope to see people celebrating the Royal Wedding in South Basildon and East Thurrock; it will be a day of national pride.  We have a proud history and the Royal Wedding is a traditional day for the nation to unite and celebrate all things British.”

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