Chatham and Aylesford is a unique place. One moment, you’re in the middle of a busy town, and the next, you’re struggling for phone signal in a quiet, picturesque village.
That’s why I make it a priority to tour the area every fortnight, whether through surgeries, coffee mornings, afternoons, or evenings, visiting different communities at different times to hear what matters most to people. This month, it was Snodland and White Road’s turn.
I’m always incredibly grateful to those who take the time to meet me, put their trust in my team and me, and share their thoughts. Disappointingly, for security reasons, we’ve been advised not to advertise these too far in advance, but if we’re near you soon, we’ll notify you.
What’s next for Kent and Medway? Continued…
Last month, I told you about Kent and Medway’s disappointing devolution decision and I’m back with another update.
The Interim Plan for Local Government Reorganisation is in, with our local authority leaders backing a shift to three or four unitary authorities across Kent. This will mean big, yet positive changes where our current 14 councils will be replaced with larger, more efficient bodies better equipped to serve local communities. Imagine Medway joining forces with Gravesham, Dartford, and possibly Swale for example. Reorganisation brings challenges, but it’s also a huge opportunity. Rightly, these authorities want to explore how reorganisation could align with devolution, ensuring new councils have the powers needed to deliver real change for you.
The full proposal is due in November 2025, and there’s still much to do.
Boaty McBoatface and Beyond
Sometimes it’s helpful to get hands-on and hear directly from experts. This month, that meant visiting the National Oceanography Centre in Southampton as Vice Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Oceans.
APPGs bring MPs, like me, and peers together to focus on key issues. The APPG on Oceans examines climate change, marine health, and technology. While Chatham and Aylesford may not have a coastline, our connection to rivers and historic waterways is obvious.
At the Centre, I saw cutting-edge research on climate change, genetic governance, and new technology being used to explore our oceans. This includes autonomous submarines and underwater gliders, gathering vital data about marine life, water temperature, and climate patterns. I even got to meet the legendary Boaty McBoatface.
The work done here shapes global policy, from coastal protection to food security.
Requires Improvement
The long-awaited Care Quality Commission (CQC) report on Medway Maritime Hospital confirms what we all have long known: our hospital requires improvement.
Granted, there has been progress since the February 2024 inspection, including reduced waiting times, smoother ambulance handovers, a new ward, and dedicated improvement huddles. And yes, there is some good data more broadly, the Kent and Medway ICB had the highest percentage of patients waiting under 4 hours in A&E, but we are far from the finish line.
Nationally, change is coming. A £20bn investment is modernising the NHS, two million extra appointments have been delivered ahead of schedule, and over 50,000 new staff have been recruited. We need that same strategic, ambitious thinking locally to turn things around.
Talking Parks, Potholes, and Plastics
A Game Changer
It’s 1989. Another Day in Paradise by Phil Collins tops the charts, and the debate over the Lower Thames Crossing begins with the Roads for Prosperity white paper.
Thirty-six years and 359,070 pages of paperwork later, our Chancellor has given the green light for this long-awaited infrastructure project. For years, I have seen how congestion has held back our region, and this crossing promises to unlock growth. Nearly 200 Medway businesses are already part of the supply chain, bringing skilled jobs, local investment, and a boost to tourism.
Lastly
If you need support, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me and my team using the contact details below. I also welcome any success stories—it’s just as important for me to know what’s working as it is to understand what isn’t, so that we can share best practices across the constituency.
