Welcome to this latest edition of my newsletter, where you can read about all my latest work as a Member of Parliament for Stoke-on-Trent South.
During these past few months, I have been working hard to take our area forward, to hear your concerns and to make sure your voices are well represented in parliament. I have received so many emails, and together with my team we are working hard to come back to you as quickly as possible. With the support of our fantastic local Councillors and volunteers I am also working my way across Stoke-on-Trent South delivering my annual report, this also includes a freepost survey so please do return it to let me know your views when you receive it. A reminder that I am always here to help! Do not hesitate to get in touch if you need assistance.
Meanwhile, the UK has achieved another fantastic milestone in the fight against COVID-19. Even though the Omicron variant has been hitting this country hard, we have been better prepared than almost anywhere else in the world to fight this virus. Boosting at record speed and increasing the vaccination rate, we are protecting ourselves and others, turning the tide on COVID-19. 38 million have now received their booster jab. The delivery of vital booster jabs averaged one million per week thanks to the amazing work of our vaccination teams and volunteers. The number of people testing positive for COVID-19 and becoming seriously ill has decreased significantly, proof that vaccines provide strong protection against the virus. This has meant that England is the most open country in Europe and final Covid restrictions are able to be lifted and replaced with guidance.
I urge everybody to make sure you get your jabs if you have yet to do so to protect yourself and your loved ones.
We welcomed the Chancellor to Stoke-on-Trent
It was a privilege to be able to welcome the Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, to Stoke-on-Trent to discuss the importance of levelling up opportunities for our city.
This follows us securing record investment for our city. The Chancellor announced at the end of last year that Stoke-on-Trent would receive £56 million from the Government's Levelling Up Fund, the largest amount for amount awarded across the whole country from this fund. This clearly showed that like us, the Government believes in the huge potential our city has.
I was very excited to show the Chancellor around Stoke-on-Trent, along with the other two Stoke-on-Trent MPs and representatives from Stoke-on-Trent City Council. We were also joined by local business from across the city who were given the opportunity to speak directly with the Chancellor and set out their ambitions for continuing to grow skilled well paid jobs locally.
Government support is essential if we are to level up Stoke-on-Trent. I am personally extremely grateful for the Chancellor taking the time to stop by and speak to members from across our community.
I welcome the focus on improving Stoke-on-Trent schools and Ministerial visit
I welcomed the news that schools in Stoke-on-Trent will receive extra support as one of 55 new Education Investment Areas under plans to Level Up education for children and young people across England.
As part of the Government’s Levelling Up White Paper, 55 areas across the country will receive targeted support to help young people from all backgrounds receive the highest standards of education.
Also, thank you to Belgrave St. Bartholomew's Academy for hosting the Minister for the School System, Baroness Barran recently. It was a great opportunity for the Minister to hear from local teachers and see the excellent work schools locally are doing to support our young people to achieve their best.
My visit to local firm, Mantec Technical Ceramics
Mantec Technical Ceramics is a local firm in the ceramic industry that has taken great strides forwards in terms of environmental impact. I am glad to have learnt about the firm’s declaration that three of its energy saving ranges have been officially classified as Carbon Neutral Products. This will save around 30% of energy costs for ceramic businesses.
Mantec is also a founding member of Midlands Industrial Ceramics Group (MICG), established to ensure that advanced ceramics help drive the competitiveness and success of Midlands advanced manufacturing by tackling key innovation challenges, MICG was recently awarded more than £18million to further develop advanced ceramic technologies in our area. With increasing energy costs investing in new more energy efficient technology has never been more pressing for industries like ceramic. These important local industries are continuing to support the high skilled, high wage employment opportunities our city needs.
My efforts to see a continuation of support for our young people
I was pleased to speak in a House of Commons debate on children's mental health about the work being done to improve mental health services for young people in Stoke-on-Trent.
I made clear that preventative support must start from an early age, and it was particularly good to hear the Minister recognise this and the work being led by Stoke-on-Trent City Council to develop family hubs locally.
Whilst in parliament, I also attended the drop-in event organized by Place2Be, a charity providing mental health support in schools across the UK. There, I had the opportunity to discuss children’s mental health and talk about the step that must be taken to make sure young people in Stroke-on-Trent are assisted with appropriate mental health services.
I will continue to support our local schools and mental health services to ensure our young people’s needs are met.
CRACKING DOWN ON UNFAIR PARKING FINES!
During this last year, I have been contacted by a great number of constituents who have received fined after parking in the shared Matalan and Sports Direct car park in Longton.
I have been pushing hard for the cancellation of such unfair charges, and I am now proud to announce that, following my intervention, over £7,000 worth of parking charge notices have been cancelled.
Following my lobbying of the Government, I welcomed the tough new approach to private parking firms introduced by the Government that will see unfair high private parking charge notices scrapped and better protection for drivers.
It is so important that we ensure drivers are not taken advantage of and I am very pleased to see a clamp down on parking cowboys. Given the distress caused to so many people locally, there was a clear need for some very big changes to be made and the Government’s recognition of the needed changes will be welcome news to many drivers in Stoke-on-Trent.
Government Levelling Up White Paper release
The Government recently released its “Levelling Up White Paper”, setting out the strategies to help cities such as Stoke-on-Trent to take forward, and to help the UK more broadly by spreading opportunities around the whole country.
Residents of Stroke-on-Trent have so much to offer, locally, nationally, and internationally speaking, and I am truly pleased to know that Stroke-on-Trent constituents will now have equal opportunities and will not be left behind anymore.
The White Paper contains 12 new National Missions to be achieved by 2030, through which the Government will deliver on its vision for the future with greater opportunity in every part of the country; transport connectivity improving; faster broadband in every community; violent crime falling and better access to the highest standard of education, amongst others.
Residents will be pleased to know that, among other things, the white paper set out that the Government will fund ambitious plans to advance the local public transport network and make sure there are more bus services across Stroke-on-Trent.
Since the Government is further committed to improving local infrastructure networks, it has also been announced that an additional £2.6 billion will go towards improving Housing and Communities in Stoke-on-Trent.
Stroke-on-Trent has also been mentioned numerous times by The Secretary of State for Levelling up during his speech to the House of Commons. There, it was announced that 100% of Arts Council funding announced at SR21 will go to areas outside of London, and I have already put forward my intention to ensure Stoke-on-Trent receives a good portion of these funds.
LIVING WITH COVID PLAN ANNOUNCED
This afternoon, the Prime Minister updated the House of Commons on Government plans to move England more towards normality.
Thanks to the extraordinary success of our vaccine rollout, we are now one of the 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗘𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲.
You can read the Prime Minister full statement on my website HERE
Read the Government's 𝐋𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐂𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐝 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧 HERE
