From: Conor Burns MP news@conorburns.

com
Subject: News Bulletin from Conor Burns MP #140
Date: 14 January 2016 at 09:57
To: news@conorburns.com

Issue 140 - Thursday 14th January 2015

In this edition:

Since the last edition, Conor has:

Conor's Diary
Photo news:
Employment Minister visits
Parvalux Motors in
Bournemouth

Hosted a delegation from the Chinese Tourism Academy at

the Houses of Parliament following their visit to Bournemouth
last summer.
Hosted the House of Commons launch of English UKs
economic impact report, which looked at the contribution of
English language schools to the UK.
Attended the funeral of Cllr Phillip Whitelegg who
represented Redhill Park on Bournemouth Borough Council
from 1953 to 2003.
Delivered the opening speech at the Dorset Business Angels
Investing Conference in Bournemouth.
Opened Santas new grotto at the Westbourne Christmas
Festival and visited local high street shops as part of Small
Business Saturday.
Welcomed Priti Patel, Minister of State for Employment, to
the constituency, visiting Bournemouth University and
Parvalux Electric Motors Ltd.
Taken part in a Q&A session with Oak Academy Sixth Form
students during their visit to the Houses of Parliament.
Attended the Animals Service at St. Ambrose Church and the
Christmas Eve Festival of Nine Lessons & Carols at St. Peters
Church.

Minister for Employment

visits Bournemouth
University
Conor in the Media:
MPs support launch of first
major report into value of
UK ELT
Conor in the papers:
'He lived a life that
mattered': town says
goodbye to public servant
Philip Whitelegg
Photo news:
Westminster Q & A with
Oak Academy Sixth Form
Dorset Business Angels
Hold Investors' Conference
in Bournemouth
Conor in the papers:
More than 43% boost in
trade thanks to Small
Business Saturday
Conor in the papers:
Chamber chief: Let's
celebrate our businesses
big and small
Photo news:
St. Peter's Festival of Nine
Lessons & Carols
How to contact
Conor Burns MP

Photo news:

Employment Minister visits Parvalux

Motors in Bournemouth

Conor Burns and Priti Patel at Parvalux Motors Ltd, Europes

leading motor gearbox manufacturer based in Bournemouth.

Conor and Priti Patel, Employment Minister, inspects

components at Parvalux Motors.

Minister for Employment visits

Bournemouth University

Conor Burns with Priti Patel and awardees at the Bournemouth

Disability Conference.

Conor chats with Priti Patel during the conference at

Bournemouth University.
The Minister for Employment, The Rt Hon Priti Patel MP, praised BUs
placement and employment opportunities while visiting the university.
She met with BU students and staff from the Placements & Careers
and Additional Learning Support services, and heard about the work
placement and graduate employment opportunities and support
available to students.
All full-time undergraduate students at BU have the opportunity to take
a year-long work placement, and the latest national figures show that
93.3% of graduates are in work or further study six months after
graduating from BU.
Id say Bournemouth is clearly leading the way when it comes to
employability and employer placements as well," the Minister said.
I dont think Ive been to a university of this kind before where the
focus is very clearly on getting into work, on those employability
schemes. What a wonderful opportunity to have a work placement for
a year in a range of sectors, but importantly to get those skills while
studying at the same time.
She added: Having spoken to some of the outstanding students here
today Ive seen that at first hand and have heard from them the great
employment experiences that they have had, but also the
opportunities that they will have going forward because theyve had
that experience of work.
The Minister also heard about the additional support on offer for those
who have disabilities - both on campus and while on placement - and
spoke to students with additional learning needs about their own
personal experiences in the workplace.
She was at Talbot Campus with Bournemouth West MP Conor Burns
for a Department of Work and Pension event called Working Together
to Grow Your Business What we can offer employers who want to
employ a diverse workforce.
Representatives from regional and national employers alongside
disability support services and charities attended the event, which
focused on what the government is doing to increase diverse
workforces and the benefits of employing a person with a disability or
health condition.
The Minister said: We are speaking about the personalisation and the
pathfinder that my department is running locally in the jobcentre with
my colleagues from the Department of Work and Pensions.
Its a really important scheme because the pathfinder is all about how
we can support people with disabilities to get back into work and
achieve sustained employment outcomes as well.
She added: Ive met some brilliant employers and people who can
really identify and understand many of the barriers that some people
will have, particularly those with disabilities, to get back into work.
The Minister also had some words of advice for BU students and
graduates making their way into the world of work.
Id say to them all to be highly motivated, and look at every
opportunity that comes your way in a very positive light, she said.
You always have the opportunity to learn in the job that you are
doing, you can never stand still - you constantly need to learn and just
embrace the opportunities that come your way.

Conor with AFC Bournemouth player Callum Wilson and David

McArthur MBE from the Department of Work and Pensions.

Conor in the Media:

MPs support launch of first major report

into value of UK ELT
English UK
Friday 4th December 2015

Conor Burns at the launch of English UKs economic impact

report with (l-r) Jane Dancaster from the Wimbledon School of
English, Timothy Blake of the London School of English, Huan
Japes from English UK and Guido Schillig from Bournemouths
own Anglo-Continental English language school.
MPs and their advisors joined members and staff of English UK and
industry stakeholders at the House of Commons for the launch of our
research into the value of English language teaching.
The report shows that international English language students'
spending was worth 1.2bn to the UK last year, supporting around
26,500 jobs and contributing more money to the government than their
cost to public services. Supporting the British economy through
teaching English as a foreign language, produced for English UK by
Capital Economics, contains the first rigorous assessment of the ELT
sector's value although estimates have been extrapolated from
broader research in the past.
Exeter MP Ben Bradshaw, attending the launch, said he was in regular
contact with English UK member centres. "I feel very angry about the
adverse impact of Conservative policy on my language schools in
Exeter and the huge extra difficulty and expense they are having to go
through to protect their services to their international students and the
knock-on effect on my local economy."
Bournemouth MP Conor Burns, who made his maiden speech in the
Commons on the ELT industry, was also interested in the report.
Looking at the report, he said: "My belief is that students should be
taken out of the migration figures: they are visitors."
English UK Chair Steve Phillips said: "I was very pleased to see how
many MPs came and that we had serious conversations with them
about the importance of our sector.
"This is just part of the process: we need to get this valuable
information and our key points over to the Government, because we
need government support to help our industry grow.
"Now we are asking our members to get involved even more. We want
them to use this research and continue their engagement with local
MPs. UK ELT is a vital part of our export economy and MPs should
help by putting pressure on the Government to support us."
Other MPs dropping in to the launch were Andy Slaughter
(Hammersmith), Craig McKinley (South Thanet), John Pugh
(Southport), Jonathan Lord (Woking) and finally Paula Sherriff
(Dewsbury and Mirfield) and Rupa Huq (Ealing Central) who dashed
in to ask questions about the industry just before being called to a
vote. Some MPs, including Caroline Flint and Caroline Ansell of Don
Valley and Eastbourne, sent advisors in their place. All of them took
away a copy of the report as well as a single-page summary.
Answering MPs' questions were English UK Chair Steve Phillips,
board and former board members including Timothy Blake and Jane
Dancaster, plus Guido Schillig, managing director of Anglo-Continental
in Bournemouth, English UK Deputy Chief Executive Huan
Japes, Policy Manager Naadiya Rawat and Finance Manager Paddy
Zervudachi. Stakeholders included Mark Hilton of London First, John
Knagg of the British Council and Henry Tolley of Trinity College
London.
Huan Japes said it was good to have hard facts about the value of
ELT for the first time, and that the report would be useful not only for
English UK to campaign for government support, but also for friendly
MPs to do so.

Conor in the papers:

He lived a life that mattered: town says

goodbye to public servant Philip Whitelegg
Darren Slade, Bournemouth Echo
Saturday 5th December 2015
A half-century of public service
was celebrated on Friday as
Bournemouth said goodbye to long-serving councillor Philip Whitelegg.
Mr Whitelegg, who died aged 98, represented Redhill Park
on Bournemouth Borough Council from 1953 to 2003.
He was a former mayor, an alderman and a freeman of the borough,
and had a major road, Whitelegg Way, named in his honour.
Councillors and honorary aldermen walked in procession from the
Town Hall to St Peters Church for the service celebrating his life
ahead of a private committal at Bournemouth Crematorium.
Council leader Cllr John Beesley paid tribute, as did the mayor, Cllr
John Adams, who also played Abide With Me on the bagpipes.
Cllr Beesley spoke of Mr Whiteleggs tenacity and persistence as
well as his sense of civic pride and responsibility.
He remembered Mr Whitelegg as being always driven by his passion
for the cause of the moment, and usually entering the council chamber
with that twinkle in his eye and just a hint of mischief, ready to respond
in the strongest terms if the result he was looking for wasnt
forthcoming.
He said Mr Whitelegg chose to live a life that mattered.
He added: I can only guess at how many causes Philip touched
during the course of his many years. In a lifetime of public service, can
we ever know how many he helped or how much he was really
appreciated?
Born in Cheshire, Philip Whitelegg ran an estate agency in Winton,
while on the council he chaired the housing, fire and transport and
works committees. He was mayor in 1966-67 and welcomed the
Queen to the town.
Former mayor Cllr Anne Rey, one of his two daughters, read the poem
Death Is Nothing At All at the funeral, which was conducted by town
centre rector the Rev Ian Terry.
Cllr Rey said afterwards: It was a lovely service. Dad would have
been proud of it.
MP Conor Burns, who had his nomination papers signed by Mr
Whitelegg when he first stood for parliament in Bournemouth West,
said: He served for almost 50 years the same ward, the same
electorate. Today was a great celebration of that long public service.
Mr Whitelegg ended his days at Sunrise Senior Living in Westbourne,
where he had his typewriter in his room and continued to write letters
to the Echo.
His wife Dorothy died in 1979 and he is survived by his two daughters,
Anne and Sandra.

Photo news:

Westminster Q & A with Oak Academy

Sixth Form

Conor Burns talking to Oak Academy Sixth Form students in

Westminster.

Dorset Business Angels Hold Investors

Conference in Bournemouth

Conor Burns at the Dorset Business Angels Conference with

Peter Eales (Dorset Business Angels), Sarah Wadham (Enterprise
Investment Scheme Association), Craig Wareham, Simon Hulme,
Jenny Tooth (UK Business Angels Association), Sarah Abrahams
(Grant Thornton) and Cllr Don McQueen (Dorset Business
Angels).
Dorset Business Angels (DBA) hosted an Angel Investor Conference
in Bournemouth in December and welcomed an impressive line-up of
prestigious speakers, potential investors and introducers to the event
which took place at the Pavilion Dance in town. Over 120 guests were
able to learn about the work of the Dorset Business Angels and the
exciting investor opportunities available.
DBA was formed in 2013 with the aim of being a catalyst in Dorset to
bring together entrepreneurs and investors to help accelerate the
growth of start-up businesses. Their vision is to turn Dorset into one of
the UKs best regions for setting up high growth and start-up
businesses by providing quality private equity investment opportunities
to local high net wort and sophisticated investors.
There was a diverse mix of speakers to enthral the audience. These
included Conor Burns MP, Leader of Bournemouth Council John
Beesley, Jenny Tooth, CEO of the UK British Angels Association,
Sarah Wadham, Director General of the EIS Association, DBA
Chairman and Angel Don McQueen, Angel investor Simon Hulme,
Sarah Abrahams, Head of Growth Finance for Grant Thornton UK,
Angel Investee Craig Wareham, Bournemouth Councils Bill Cotton.
To round off the Conference a panel of speakers took their place on
the stage and a lively conversation ensued as the panel received
questions from the audience.
Conor Burns commented on the day, It is really encouraging to see
the growth of these networks within our thriving conurbation and we
are fortunate to have the alignment of two cutting edge universities
and also Bournemouth & Poole College, combined with one of the
most attractive places to both live and work. With the growth of the
Angel Investors networks I am very confident that we will see a large
increase in the number of new and growing businesses locally. I look
forward to supporting the work of DBA in the year ahead.
DBA Don McQueen enthused, We are hugely proud of what we have
achieved at this conference and the diverse mix of people that we
have brought together. We are keen to attract more businesses to
pitch to our network and ensure that much of our investments go to
businesses from within Dorset and surrounding areas.
The Angels conference was sponsored by Saffery Champness
Chartered Accountants, Bournemouth Borough Council, Investec and
Bright Blue Day. Nick Fernyhough, Partner at Saffery Champness
commented, Bournemouth is building momentum as both a hub for
new digital business and a centre for entrepreneurs to base their
enterprises. At Safferys we are very happy to support organisations
such as Dorset Business Angels that keep that momentum going by
encouraging private investment in local businesses. This conference
has brought together investors, entrepreneurs, experts, professionals
and local government to help ensure that the opportunity Dorset now
has, to become an even more attractive destination for existing
businesses and an incubator for new start-ups, is maximised.
Anyone wishing to find out more about Dorset Business Angels is
urged to visit dorsetbusinessangels.co.uk/About.aspx or
telephone Peter Eales on 01202 706 975 or email
contact@dorsetbusinessangels.co.uk.

Conor in the papers:

More than 43% boost in trade thanks to

Small Business Saturday
Kate Wilson, Bournemouth Echo
Tuesday 15th December 2015

Conor with Ian Girling, Steve Taylor and Paul Angel at

Westbourne Books during Small Business Saturday.

Conor Burns chats to Gemma Slaymaker of Gemmas Ladies

Shoes in Westbourne.
Small
Business
Saturday
proved to be a huge success
for Westbourne thanks in part to the special guest appearance of
legendary musician Ray Dorset, alias Mungo Jerry.
The Bournemouth suburb saw a staggering increase in footfall of 46.3
per cent on Small Business Saturday compared to the Saturday of the
previous week.
Westbourne Business Association Chairman, Steve Taylor, welcomed
MP Conor Burns, leader of Bournemouth Borough Council John
Beesley and chief executive of Dorset Chamber of Commerce and
Industry, Ian Girling, to experience the village on one of the busiest
days of the year.
Despite the poor weather Westbourne, which has been bucking the
national trend with footfall figures throughout the year, was delighted
to maintain roughly the same footfall as the same day last year when
there had been blue sky and sunshine.
Steve Taylor said: We specifically chose December 5 for this years
Christmas event as it coincides with Small Business Saturday a
national initiative which exists to support, inspire and promote small
businesses and encourage people to go out and buy locally.
We want everyone to know that Westbourne is a fantastic place to
visit with so many independent retailers for great shopping, plus a
really diverse choice of places to enjoy a coffee, have a snack or wine
and dine in style.
Westbourne Bookshop co-owner Paul Angel said it was the busiest
day he'd seen in the shop in the last six months.
"Sales were significantly up and we could tell everyone was having fun
and we certainly had a fantastic day ourselves.
"We enjoyed meeting lots of new customers who have just discovered
us.
Small Business Saturday is in its third year in the UK, having
originated in 2010 in the USA.
Ian Girling added: I thoroughly enjoyed visiting many of the shop
owners and there is definitely a real buzz going on in Westbourne.
"It was impressive to see how many businesses were putting on
special tastings and events as part of Small Business Saturday and
the Christmas Festival and it was great to see that locals were
showing their commitment and loyalty to their favourite independent
retailers.

Conor presents the Westbourne Best Dressed Window award to

Attico, with judges Ian Girling, CEO of Dorset Chamber of
Commerce and John Beesley, leader of Bournemouth Borough
Council.

Conor in the papers:

Chamber chief: Let's celebrate our

businesses big and small
Ian Girling, Chief Executive of Dorset Commerce and Industry
Bournemouth Echo
Tuesday 8th December 2015
On Thursday November 26 we
held
the
21st
Dorset
Business Awards at the BIC; our largest to date. Over 700 guests
attended an incredible evening celebrating the diversity and success
of the excellent businesses we have here in Dorset.
Visually stunning, it was an amazing evening and the glitz, glamour,
scale and magnitude of the event made it our most successful so far
and what a great night it was. We celebrated the success of
entrepreneurs in Dorset in true style showcasing businesses of all
sizes from all sectors across the county, really promoting and
highlighting the talent we have here in Dorset.
I would like to congratulate all our great winners and finalists on their
success. I would also like to thank our sponsors for their highly
appreciated support and all who attended and we look forward to
building on this incredible celebration of the success and talent of our
businesses. The Dorset Business Awards continues to grow in terms
of scale and reputation and offers great public recognition for the
success and achievements for Dorset businesses and 2016 will be
even bigger. We will be profiling our winners in the press over the
coming year.
This weekend we also celebrated Small Business Saturday, a national
campaign to highlight the value of small businesses to the economy.
Small Business Saturday promotes small businesses and encourages
people to shop local and really appreciate the value of small
businesses.
I was invited by Westbourne Business Association CIC to get involved
with their Christmas celebrations. On Friday morning I had the
privilege of judging the brilliant Christmas shop windows displays and
on Saturday morning we presented the award for the best dressed
window. I also had the chance to visit several shops in Westbourne
with Westbourne Business Association chairman Steve Taylor,
Bournemouth West MP Conor Burns and leader of the council John
Beesley.
Its been a while since Ive have had the chance to spend some time
to walk around Westbourne and what a great place it is. Bridging
Bournemouth and Poole, Westbourne is a real gem and home to a
delightful and diverse range of high-quality and individual independent
shops and small businesses. It really does showcase the role and
importance of independent retailers. I visited some great shops selling
beautiful shoes, clothes, food, books as well as galleries showcasing
local artists.
Its a lovely place to spend some time and have a wander and a
refreshing break from the national chain stores. I was also struck by
the strength of teamwork and genuine commitment and
professionalism by the retailers in working together to do the very best
for Westbourne. I would like to say thank you for the very warm
welcome I received from all I met and also congratulate Westbourne
Business Association for pulling together such a strong business
community.
The commitment of the Westbourne retailers to a high-quality
experience is evident from the great Christmas window displays. It
was clear everyone had put in a huge amount of effort and I would like
to offer my warm congratulations to worthy winners Attico and highly
commended Gemma Ladies Shoe Boutique, Tiger Lily, Polished Nail
Salon and Boutique, Gallery 65 and Chocol8. It was a very difficult
decision and you are all winners!

Photo news:

St. Peters Festival of Nine Lessons &

Carols

Conor Burns with Rev. Ian Terry and verger Theodore Irvine.

Three ways to contact Conor Burns MP:

By Phone: 01202 534 888
By email: mail@conorburns.com
By post: Conor Burns MP
House of Commons
London SW1A 0AA

www.conorburns.com

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