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Welcome to my November newsletter, with updates of what I have been up to as your MP to support the residents of East Thanet.
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. |
Action in the budget to tackle the cost of living |
The budget is the most important event in the political calendar, where the government sets out what it will do over the next year to drive the country forward. I was therefore really pleased to see the Chancellor put action to tackle the cost of living at the budget’s core, with £150 taken off the average household energy bill - that will make a huge difference to families in Thanet. I also strongly welcome the freeze in rail fares – the first time in 30 years that train ticket prices have been frozen – which means a cut in prices when inflation is factored in. It’s also great to see prescription charges being frozen, and an end to the unfair and ineffective two-child benefit cap, which will see more than 3,000 children in Thanet – many of whom live in working households – lifted out of poverty. |
Launch of my Special Educational Needs and Disabilities survey |
This month, I launched my survey for parents and carers of children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). I know how big some of the problems are in the SEND system, with constituents frequently sharing their frustrations about poor access, a system that is difficult to navigate, and a lack of support for pupils in mainstream education. While I welcome the £1 billion increase in SEND funding announced by the government already, I know more needs to be done. Next year, the government will set out new proposals to improve SEND support, so I want to hear from parents in East Thanet about their experiences of the system, so your views can help shape what comes next. I’ll be sharing all the findings with the government, so please take a moment to fill in my survey by clicking here. |
On a recent visit to the Westwood Stagecoach depot to champion better buses |
Have your say! Campaigning for better buses in Thanet |
Improving bus services in Thanet is one of my highest priorities, because I regularly hear from people that inadequate, unreliable, and expensive services are letting people down or preventing them from accessing work or education. I’m pleased that the government has given Kent £23 million in additional funding to improve bus services, and I want to see Thanet get its fair share of that money. Earlier this year I launched my petition to bring back the Number 9 bus between Ramsgate, Broadstairs, and Canterbury – you can sign it here. I’ve also now launched a Thanet bus survey, so you can have your say about how you think bus services can be improved. Please do take five minutes to fill it out and share your views with me. |
Marking Remembrance Day in Ramsgate |
Remembrance Week in Thanet and Westminster |
It was an honour to plant a Remembrance Cross in New Palace Yard in Westminster, to attend the St George’s Remembrance Service in Ramsgate, and to have lunch with the Royal British Legion in Ramsgate during Remembrance Week this year, to remember all those in East Thanet who made huge sacrifices for our country. As the years pass, we all know fewer and fewer people who served in the Second World War, but we do know those who served in later conflicts and who continue to serve. I use this time of year in particular to accord them our respect and attention. They deserve a better deal from our country than they have had recently, which is why the new Veterans Covenant is so important, as is the government’s commitment to spend £9 billion refurbishing 40,000 military homes, which is something we can all be proud of. |
Constituency coffee mornings |
It was wonderful to hold one of my community coffee mornings in Beacon Road ward in Broadstairs, where I discussed local issues with residents including traffic and road safety, access to SEND education, and housing. I have another coffee morning planned on 6 December at Northdown Road Family Hub with local district councillors, so please do come along if you are a local resident. Full details and how to RSVP can be found here. |
With residents and councillors at my Beacon Road coffee morning in Broadstairs |
Help for small businesses in the budget |
Small- and medium-sized businesses are the bedrock of Thanet’s economy. For months, I have been pushing the Chancellor to do more to support coastal economies like ours, so I am delighted by the announcement of a permanent cut to business rates for over 2,600 retail, hospitality, and leisure businesses in Thanet to the lowest level since 1991. I also welcome transitional arrangements introduced to protect businesses from dramatic changes to valuations that have occurred as a result of the pandemic’s impact. In early November I attended an event for South East small business owners hosted by the Chancellor at Number 11 Downing Street, accompanied by Katy Lassen, the owner of Harbour & Tide, a sustainable gift and beach-accessories shop on Margate seafront. It was great to see the Chancellor take on board what I and Thanet’s small businesses have been telling her about the need to drive down business costs. |
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Margate business owner Katy Lassen speaks to Chancellor Rachel Reeves at a Downing Street event for small business owners from the South East |
Pride in Place funding – share your views |
As many of you already know, Thanet is getting £1.5 million in government funding for Pride in Place projects, with Ramsgate also receiving £20 million for regeneration. I want to hear from you about what you think this money should be spent on, so please do have your say, which you can do through my website. |
I have visited some fantastic local organisations and initiatives this month, including: I met with the team behind Thanet Community Development Trust, who run a number of community clubs that you can go along to, including job club, craft club, and history club. Find out more by clicking here. I visited a new project being led by Social Enterprise Kent, who are working with local food producers to ensure leftover food reaches families and restaurants, instead of being wasted. I spent time in Margate High Street stocking up on Christmas presents and meeting the incredible teenage creatives on their stalls at the Teenage Market. It was inspiring to speaking to them about their entrepreneurialism and find out about how they make their stock.
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This month me and my team have been able to assist many residents to resolve issues that they’ve been experiencing. I helped resolve an issue with Child Maintenance payments, enabling a parent to maximise income for their children. I worked with the Home Office to settle a longstanding issue regarding a constituent's indefinite leave to remain. I supported a veteran to access their service records. I worked with Kent and Thanet councils to clear long-standing obstructions to a local footpath.
I’m always happy to support residents. If you think I could be of assistance, please get in touch by clicking here and I will see what I can do to help. |
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