Post Office
I recently visited the Nisa Shop in Awsworth, alongside Councillor Lydia Ball, where we met with Zeeshan. I was very concerned to hear that following a change in family ownership, the shop had reapplied to be a Post Office and had been denied. This had a huge effect on the local community since they lost the Post Office Services originally and it is essential it is restored.
I will be contacting the Post Office for an explanation and will continue to fight for the service to be restored.
Toton Sidings
The Rail Minister, Huw Merriman MP, and I visited the site at Toton Sidings of DB Cargo UK, which is the UK’s leading rail freight operator.
They are a fantastic large employer here in Broxtowe providing many jobs and apprenticeships and will be a key part of joining up transport and infrastructure in our region with our incoming Freeport in the East Midlands.
Earth Day
I want to congratulate Sam at Kimberley Town Council for arranging the ‘Big Clean’ on Saturday 22 April for Earth Day. I was partnered with Trevor, the Chairman, to litter pick on a route that included the area of the Stag Recreation Ground and the Chapel on the Hill.
Residents Meeting Regarding the Damaged Water Main in Beeston
On 7 March a construction company damaged a water main in Beeston. The impact to the water main caused destruction to many homes, and I have since spoken and met with many of the constituents involved to hear how the incident has impacted their lives.
When I went to the recent residents meeting it was clear that many of my constituents have been left without answers. This is not acceptable. There must be a process in place for accountability.
I spoke in Parliament (for more information please see below under the title ‘Raising Houses in Multiple Occupation in Parliament!’). I will continue to liaise with those impacted, the contractors and local authorities accordingly.
I would like to offer my thanks to all those who helped when the incident occurred, especially Christ Church Chilwell, local councillors and other people of the community.
Grewal Chemist the community pharmacy
I had the pleasure of visiting Grewal Chemist the community pharmacy in Beeston. The pharmacy is a fantastic local asset. I met with Suri and the team in order to understand more about some of the issues the pharmacy has faced.
They provide a huge range of services and work tirelessly to look after those in our community, for example by having made deliveries to those unable to go in themselves! I also bumped into one of our University of Nottingham Professors, Sir Martyn Poliakoff, I was very jealous of his canvas bag!
Stapleford Banking Hub Update
A property has been found in a central Stapleford location and negotiations are underway! I am delighted that after months of discussions, although there is still a way to go, all is on track for this vital resource to come to Stapleford.
Since the loss of the main high street banks from the Town Centre and the subsequent closure of the Post Office last summer, Stapleford has been left without banking services. I knew we needed a banking solution, online banking can work for some, but for many it is not accessible or workable.
So I am delighted that following multiple meetings, 'Cash For Access' has agreed to open this new Hub. I will ensure to keep my constituents updated on the progress, which by the current timeline looks like it will be delivered by January 2024.
Active Travel
Recently I have been focusing on Active Travel both in the constituency and Parliament.
On 18 April I attended the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Cycling and Walking Showcase. At this event I met with Raleigh, who are based in Broxtowe Borough, Nottinghamshire. We have a long history of cycling in our County, and I am determined this continues with the exciting walking, wheeling and cycling projects coming to Broxtowe.
I have spoken to many in my constituency about what improvements they believe are needed, for example, on 24 April I had a meeting with a Nottingham Trent University student regarding E-bikes.
I was delighted to be reappointed as an Officer for the APPG for Cycling and Walking, reaffirming my commitment to improve active travel in Broxtowe.
Policing
I am delighted to announce that we have fulfilled our manifesto commitment of recruiting 20,000 new police officers in the UK. Many of which have been employed in Nottinghamshire, ensuring that our streets are safer, and our communities are protected.
Nottinghamshire crime rates are down on burglary, robbery and drug offences thanks to the incredible work of our police force and I am confident this will continue following this target being reached. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39lDPEh79FA
In the Chamber I discussed the ongoing problems that have been occurring with antisocial behaviour in Beeston and Chilwell, which is an issue that has been raised with me by my constituents. I have held previous talks with the Policing Minister, the Neighbourhood Police Inspector and Broxtowe Borough Council on this issue and will meet with all parties to ensure improvements are achieved.
Lastly, I raised the brand new Service Leavers Pathway to Policing course, pioneered in Nottinghamshire and certain to ensure Police numbers rise even further!
Raising Houses in Multiple Occupation in Parliament
I raised the issue of Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) in Parliament. In the towns of Beeston and Chilwell in my constituency I have received a growing number HMOs being approved by the Government following initial rejection by the local council. One of these HMOs resulted in contractors causing damage to a water main and multiple houses being destroyed as a result. We must ensure that when considering HMOs we are putting the local community at the forefront of the decision. Following my question to the Leader of the House of Commons, Penny Mordaunt, I applied for a debate on this topic.
I have contacted The Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities requesting a meeting to discuss this rising issue.
My application was successful and I held my adjournment debate yesterday. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPXjWKA40uU&t=16s
Dentists
I spoke in a Parliamentary Debate asking the Government to do more for those struggling to get NHS dentist appointments.
I raised the cases of Sacha and Joan from Broxtowe, both of whom have not been able to access appointments. They are just two of the many constituents this issue is affecting. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOVs3_WHffU
I will continue to raise this issue with the Department of Health and Social Care until we: improve financial incentives for dental practices, support new practices take on patients and assist people with dental costs. The Department of Health and Social Care has stated that it will be publishing a plan for dentistry in the coming months and I will await this report eagerly.
In the meantime, I will continue to do all I can for those in Broxtowe struggling to access NHS dental care.
Parliamentary Events
I met with Cadent in Parliament to discuss the future of Hydrogen in the East Midlands. I was excited to hear about their brand-new hydrogen boilers!
The East Midlands has huge potential to lead on green technologies and we must continue to drive forward investment.
I attended an event to hear testimonies from those who have lost their loved ones to suicide whilst studying at university. The event called for a statutory duty of care to be created for universities towards their students. Starting university can be an incredibly daunting experience and the mental health of those studying should be a top priority.
During the Covid-19 pandemic I held a roundtable with students from my constituency where we discussed the impact of university life during a pandemic on their mental health. I was struck by the scale of the issue and will continue to do all I can to improve mental health support.
I took part in a meeting with the Minister for Mental Health. Topics discussed included: student mental health, mental health first aid training, high risk groups and more funding for support. I also raised the issues of suicide among the Veteran community and improving early intervention services for young people.
Last week I met with Diabetes UK. Recently I have heard from my constituents who struggle with Diabetes daily, it is so important that they receive the care and support they need.
It was particularly interesting to hear that there are 73,626 people diagnosed with diabetes in the Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Integrated Care System. Untreated diabetes is likely to get worse and cause long-term health problems, so it is vital that it is diagnosed as early as possible and that all measures are in place to make this happen here in Nottinghamshire.
Shared Parental Leave
I bobbed in Prime Minister's Questions (PMQs) in the hope of once again asking the Prime Minister to address the gap in the law that exists around Shared Parental Leave. Since my constituent, Aaron, came to me about his situation I have campaigned tirelessly to introduce a new Bill to change the law. Unfortunately, I was not selected to speak in PMQ's. However, I will continue to fight for this important issue to be resolved and have followed up by writing to the Prime Minister accordingly. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGSRH_tkHrw
The Coronation of The King and The Queen
I hope that everyone in Broxtowe had a very happy Coronation weekend.
As part of the celebrations I visited the Coronation Celebration Beer Festival at the Commercial Inn in Beeston! It was a fantastic event and lovely to see so many people.
Data Protection and Digital Information (No. 2) Bill Committee
I am a member of the Data Protection and Digital Information (No. 2) Bill Committee. This is a Bill sponsored by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and it will “create a new UK data rights regime tailor-made for our needs”. I and fellow members will be scrutinising this Bill by reading written evidence, hearing oral evidence and debating each clause of the Bill.
