George attended the opening of Hunters Gate today; a new affordable housing development in Handforth.
The site, which was previously home to Honford Court, comprises of 36 2-bedroom apartments available at affordable rent.
George was able to have a look round the new apartments and then officially opened the development by cutting a ribbon with Mrs Hunter, whose late husband Glenn was a valued member of Peaks and Plains Housing Trust’s TrustFix team.
George commented:
“I was pleased to meet Mrs Hunter and open this impressive new housing development, which has been named after her late husband, Glenn Hunter. It’s great that this new housing will be made available to local people in the Handforth area.”
George visited AstraZeneca in Alderley Business Park today to attend a meeting to discuss the company's plans for development. He said:
“I was very pleased to visit Astra Zeneca and discuss their plans for growth for the future.”
Today George visited a dairy farm in Byley to discuss with local farmers, Robert and David Williams, the problems they are currently facing and to see their business firsthand.
George commented:
“Having met the Williams family in Westminster recently, it was good to visit the farm and see the challenges that their family business faces for myself. We had a good discussion and I have taken their concerns back to Downing Street.”
Today George greeted a trio of fundraisers in Downing Street as they reached their London leg of a UK trip.
Joanne Flitcroft, Nicole Xodo and Hannah Reeves are travelling the country in a customised auto rickshaw, accompanied by Joanne’s fiancé, Andrew Forsyth, taking photos. Joanne and her team are raising money for Genesis Breast Cancer Prevention after she was diagnosed and successfully treated for breast cancer in July 2011.
So far they have had stop-offs in Carlisle, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Leeds and Nottingham before reaching No11 Downing Street to meet their local MP and Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne. They will now go on to visit Bristol, Cardiff and Birmingham before reaching the finish line at Panacea in Alderley Edge on Sunday 8th July.
George, who met the team early on Thursday morning, said:
“I was delighted to welcome Joanne, Nicole, Hannah, and the Pink Ribbon Rickshaw to Downing Street this morning. They are undertaking a remarkable feat, and in doing so are raising money for fantastic cause. I congratulate them and wish them every success for the remainder of their journey.”
Supporters can follow their journey on Joanne’s blog at http://www.pinkribbonrickshaw.co.uk/ and donate to Genesis Breast Cancer Prevention via her Just Giving page at http://www.justgiving.com/pinkribbonrickshaw
Today Knutsford Academy visited Westminster to have a tour of the Houses of Parliament, organised by George, and were also able to visit Downing Street for some photos.
On June 15, George and Manchester Airports Group (MAG) announced a compensation package to several hundred homeowners in the Knutsford and Mobberley areas affected by the building of the airport’s second runway a decade ago.
George has been working very closely with Knutsford campaigner, Jeff Gazzard, for several years to bring this about. Mr Gazzard’s local amenity group, the Manchester Airport Environment Network (MAEN) invited residents to register potential claims early last year which were subsequently presented to the airport during negotiations.
The total compensation package agreed by Manchester Airport is worth over £1 million and will pay a fixed payment to 583 homeowners and 6 local schools as well as paying the entire council tax precept, or supplement, that is levied to fund Knutsford Town Council and Mobberley Parish Council for one year. This will benefit every household in Knutsford and Mobberley.
George said “Years of hard campaigning have finally paid off. I want to thank local people for their support and Jeff Gazzard for all his work – he has been a star. At last we have a fair deal for local communities.”
Letters from George regarding the compensation have been sent to all successful claimants. These constituents will also shortly receive a further envelope containing a claim form from Mr Gazzard.
Today George visited the site of Water Corporation's new headquarters located on the A538 Altrincham Road in Wilmslow. The company, which designs, manufactures, sells and services analytical technologies: liquid chromatography, mass spectrometry, and thermal analysis, will consolidate its four current sites around South Manchester and Altrincham.
Waters Corporation currently operates in 27 countries, including 11 manufacturing facilities. Locally it employs over 500 people.
The new headquarters are due to be completed in 2014 and George helped plant a Copper Beech tree to mark the occasion.
George said:
"It is a great honour to be part of this special day. Water Corporation's decision to make this major investment in Wilmslow is a vote of confidence in the Cheshire economy and the British economy. I welcome the jobs and innovation Waters Corporation will bring."
On Thursday 31st May, the Olympic Torch relay reached Knutsford and students Jane and Ted from Knutsford Academy caught up with George for an interview.
School reporters from schools throughout the country have been following the Olympic relay route in their area to produce a daily page on all 70 days of the relay for the BBC.
George said:
"It feels great, I was really excited when I actually saw the torch. I remember when the Olympics were first awarded to London about six or seven years ago, people wondered whether if in the north-west of England, in Cheshire, if it would mean anything to us here.
"But it does because it's a national event and the fact you've got thousands of kids here today at Tatton Park and lining the streets of Knutsford goes to show that."
To watch the highlights of the visit, a video can be found at the following address: http://www.london2012.com/torch-relay/video/video=torch-relay-day13.html
Today George visited Mobica in Wilmslow to open their new offices in the Crown Centre.
The company employs 60 people in the town, developing software that goes into phones, tablets, televisions, set top boxes and satnavs.
Mobica has been listed in the Deloitte’s Index of the fastest growing technology companies in Europe, Middle East and Africa and achieved the Macclesfield and Wilmslow Entrepreneur of the Year Award.
George said:
"I was delighted to visit the Mobica and open their new offices in Wilmslow town centre. Having been founded in 2004 in Wilmslow, the company now employs 60 people and grew 50% in 2011. This is great news for local business and for the north west."
On Friday George met with the recently appointed Leader of Cheshire East Council to discuss the Draft Wilmslow Vision consultation.
George commented:
“I have been contacted by many local residents who are concerned about possible development. Whilst there is a need for new housing in the area, I believe there should be a balance of development in the town. I want to see new homes for people that they can afford but I feel more appropriate sites can be found - I will leave that to the council to point out where they can be. It’s a credit to the town that so many people have got involved and in a sense it’s a victory for local people. This is not about no change, it is about the right change.
I have passed on my constituents’ views. The options are still out for consultation and this period has now been extended to Thursday 31 May 2012. I urge you to make your views known and to visit the exhibition at the Leisure Centre.
Draft Proposals for re-development of the town centre will be put on hold until consultation on this stage of the local plan has been concluded.”