This website offers everyone in Pontefract, Castleford, Knottingley and Normanton Common a way to keep up-to-date with what I'm up to, out and about in the constituency and down in Westminster. You can find out more about my local priorities and tell me what you think I should be focusing on.

I hope you find this site useful. Please get in touch with me if there’s anything I can help you with or if there's anything you would like to know more about.
Best wishes,

Yvette

• Apprenticeship challenge – You’re Hired!
  Marking the start of Apprenticeship Week, Pontefract and Castleford MP Yvette Cooper sets local apprenticeship challenge. The MP backed government investment to create extra apprenticeships. She is now calling on local business, charities and voluntary organisations across the district to take on more apprenticeships to help local young people into work. Yvette is encouraging all local businesses to take up the new government funded Apprentice Grant for Employers (AGE) scheme, which offers a £2,500 grant for each 16 or 17-year-old apprentice taken on. Apprenticeship Week runs from 1 – 5th February. It celebrates the talents and skills of Apprentices and...
  
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• More help for local homeowners
  Pontefract and Castleford MP Yvette Cooper welcomes extra help for local homeowners to get a grip on their finances and avoid repossession. In a major campaign to promote the free help and advice available to residents struggling with housing costs, the government has announced new funding for an advertising drive and local mortgage help events. Wakefield district has been identified as an area with high risk of repossession. Starting next week, a special helpline and website to tackle repossessions will be available to local homeowners. Yvette said: “Losing your home is devastating and something that should be avoided at...
  
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• Labour wins Airedale and Ferry Fryston
  Yvette welcomes Labour’s win in Airedale and Ferry Fryston. 1330 residents backed Labour’s candidate Les Shaw, who became the new representative for the ward by securing almost 50% of the vote. The by - election followed the death of long standing Labour councillor Graham Phelps, who died last November. Support for the Conservatives and the BNP plummeted in comparison to the last time Airedale and Ferry Fryston was contested in 2008. The Tories share of the vote dropped from 18% to 10% and the BNP lost local people’s confidence too – the amount of people backing the BNP fell from...
  
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My priorities locally continue to be:

• Securing more jobs and investment in the area
• Getting the very best local health services
• Focussing on education - especially staying-on rates after 16
• Tackling crime - making the Five Towns a safe place to live
• Delivering good transport links for the area

But I also want to hear from you. What do you think my priorities for the area should be?

Click here to tell me your views.

There are plenty of ways to contact me. You can

Call: 01977 553388
Fax: 01977 559753
Email:coopery@parliament.uk
Write to:1 York Street, Castleford, WF10 1RB

When you contact Yvette please ensure that you include your own contact details including your postal address.

More information on contacting Yvette can be found here.