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Welcome to my January newsletter, with updates of what I have been up to as your MP. I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and New Years. If there is anything you think I should know, or anything you think I could help you with, please get in touch by clicking here. |
Labour’s Pride in Place funding saves Pie Factory Music in Ramsgate |
I’m delighted to confirm that some of Labour’s £20m Pride in Place funding for Ramsgate will be used to save Pie Factory Music and secure the future of Ramsgate Youth Centre. Thanks to the Ramsgate Pride in Place Board, with support from Thanet District Council, Pie Factory has been saved from being sold to private bidders by Reform UK-controlled Kent County Council. This is exactly what Labour’s Pride in Place programme is about — investing in communities after years of Conservative austerity. There’s still time to let me know what you want to see the £20 million spent on in Ramsgate – you can complete my survey by clicking here. |
Let’s make Thanet the UK’s Isle of Culture! |
I am backing Thanet’s bid to become the UK’s first ‘Isle of Culture’ and am encouraging residents to have their say through a new survey. More than 70 organisations are supporting the bid, so it’s a really exciting opportunity to bring the whole of Thanet together for a year of creativity, celebration and transformation – backed by £10 million from the government. Thanet has such a rich story to tell and a bright future to shape. I want as many people as possible to help shape this bid by sharing their views on what makes Thanet’s arts and culture special. You can complete the survey by clicking here. |
Labour boosts funding for our councils, while Reform UK break their promise on council tax |
I welcome the government’s announcement of a £459 million funding boost for Kent County Council – equivalent to a 32% increase – alongside a 16% uplift for Thanet District Council. After years of cuts under the Conservatives, this investment is a vital step towards restoring our local services.
Meanwhile, Reform UK promised voters they would ‘reduce waste and cut your taxes’ on their leaflets, but it’s clear they had no plan to deliver on that pledge and they are now raising council tax by nearly 4%. Since Reform arrived at Kent County Council, it’s been nothing but chaos, and I won’t stop holding them to account on your behalf. |
At Ramsgate Arts Primary with school standards minister Georgia Gould |
Schools Minister accepts my invitation to visit Ramsgate Arts Primary |
I was proud to show school standards minister, Georgia Gould MP, around Ramsgate Arts Primary, to highlight the transformative impact of good arts provision on children’s achievement and wellbeing. It was fantastic that she got to see the inspiring artwork and vibrant dance and drama classes RAPS provides to children who struggle in mainstream classrooms. As she works to reintroduce the arts into the curriculum after years of cuts under the last government, I know she will take valuable lessons from her visit to help strengthen arts education nationwide. |
Shock figures show Kent County Council spent just 2.3% of their bus funding in Thanet last year |
It’s shocking that Thanet received just 2.3% (£550,000) of Kent bus funding last year – the lowest in the county – despite being its most deprived district. Meanwhile, wealthy areas like Sevenoaks and Tunbridge Wells received millions. This year, Reform UK in Kent need to ensure Thanet gets its fair share of the £78 million government funding for Kent’s buses – starting by reinstating the Number 9 to Canterbury. There’s still time to fill out my bus survey by clicking here, and to sign my petition to bring back the Number 9 by clicking here.
Hundreds of you have already filled out my bus survey, telling me how much you liked the local bus drivers but were fed up with route cancellations and bus delays. You can read more about what you said by clicking here. |
On a recent visit to the Westwood Cross bus depot |
Complete my survey! – keeping young people safe online |
I know there has been a lot of discussion recently about the possibility of banning under 16s from social media. I share the concerns residents gave raised with me about the impact social media is having on young people – whether it’s body image issues, online grooming, violent or misogynistic content, or trouble sleeping. I want to hear from constituents – especially parents, teachers and young people – about their experiences of social media and what action you want to see from the government. I’ve launched a residents’ survey, and I’d be grateful if you could complete it by clicking here. |
Raising Minster Marshes in Parliament |
I sit on the parliamentary committee scrutinising the government’s clean power plans, and this month I challenged the government over the Minster Marshes Sea Link project, raising serious concerns about its impact on nature and our local community. I have consistently urged National Grid to rethink Sea Link to ensure nature is protected and Thanet benefits. You can watch the video by clicking here. |
Meeting the RNLI mascot Stormy Stan at Ramsgate Harbour |
I have visited some fantastic local organisations and initiatives this month, including: In December, I got into the festive spirit by visiting Ramsgate Harbour to see Father Christmas on the RNLI Lifeboat, donating food to the Chartwell House food drive, and visiting the Ramsgate Post office to hear about how posties cope with the Christmas rush. I hosted a coffee morning in Cliftonville West with local councillors to help local residents with any issues they wanted to talk to me about. Keep an eye out for the date of my next coffee morning soon! I was given a tour of Thanet Earth and found out about how they supply fruit and vegetables across the UK. I had visited Priory Infants, Ramsgate Arts Primary, and Chilton Primary, where I presented the Ramsgate Football Club prizes to the children who won my Christmas card design competition. I hosted a meeting with local businesses from across East Thanet to discuss action to support our vital small enterprises. I spent time at QEQM hospital, speaking with the managing director about how the hospital is tackling winter pressures and working to support patients.
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Over the last couple of months, my team and I have been able to assist residents to resolve issues that they’ve been experiencing. Secured a commitment from QEQM hospital to make changes to their service for women in the early stages of pregnancy. This includes early scans not taking place in the maternity ward, a dedicated 24hr early pregnancy triage phone line, and reviews into their communications. Following a resident enquiry into the lack of DVLA eye test sites in East Thanet, I contacted Specsavers who have now upgraded their Ramsgate branch to include this service. Helped a resident secure a refund of thousands of pounds from British Gas. Secured a disabled constituent Personal Independence Payments for the next ten years.
I’m always happy to help. If you think I could be of assistance, please get in touch by clicking here and I will see what I can do. |
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