September Scribbles

Welcome!

I hope you have all had a great September and thank you for taking the time to read this! I wanted to reflect on a busy first month back in Parliament after the summer recess.

“Insta”

This autumn, a Communications Officer joined my team to make sure my work is reaching you, and you’re able to reach me as your MP. I’ve been told I need to modernise, so hopefully in the months to come, you’ll be on your phone or computer and think, “Gosh, Tris’ communications have improved.”

As part of this ‘modernisation’, I’ve joined Instagram! You can find me using @trisosbornemp – I’ll be posting photos and videos from the constituency and Parliament, including visits, events, and behind-the-scenes moments of my time as your MP for Chatham and Aylesford.

Must Have Ideas

There’s a local business that started around a dining room table in Snodland eight years ago – and last week, I was honoured to attend the opening of their new 250,000ft² home. Whilst there, I was struck by what Amy, Rob and Chris have built. Must Have Ideas is a bold project which has been turned into a multi-million-pound business with more than 220 employees, over 13 million transactions and an annual turnover of more than £100 million.

 

They’ve made a huge impact on the Kent economy, becoming champions for local business in the constituency.

I think there is a crucial lesson here – you don’t have to start in a city with millions of pounds behind you to build something really successful. You can start right here, in our constituency, around a dinner table with a good idea and the determination to make it work.

Must Have Ideas shows what is possible when local entrepreneurs are given the space to grow – and they are a great example of the talent and ambition we have right here on our doorstep.

Pride in Place: Luton

There’s also been progress with the Pride in Place scheme in Luton.

Pride in Place is about putting local people in the driving seat and giving the Luton community a real say in how a £20 million investment is spent.

A celebration event is coming up in October, with local businesses and entertainers getting involved. If you’ve got a connection to Luton, bring your family along from 3:15 – 6PM at Luton Primary School on Friday 9th October. There will be free pizza!

Before we decide what comes next, I want to hear from the Luton community. What matters to you? What has changed? And most importantly, what challenges do you and your household face? Please complete the survey below and let me know.

Applications to the board have closed and the full membership will be announced in the coming weeks. I’m really looking forward to working with Fiona, our chair, and the entire team to turn the ideas and ambition we’ve heard into real improvements on the ground.

 

Assisted Dying

The importance of listening to people has been particularly clear this month, as the issue of assisted dying came back to the forefront of the news when my neighbouring colleague and friend, Lauren Edwards MP brought the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill back to Parliament.

As hundreds of you will already know, I supported the Bill the first time around, and again this time too. I’m especially grateful to Stephen, Matthew and Ellie, who specifically wanted to sit down with me and tell me their perspectives on the Bill. Whilst there was some disagreement, we agreed on how this Bill, and any such conversation, should be approached.

On the day of the vote, I met with Ellie again, who was part of one of many campaign groups heading to Parliament that day. She spoke about her late grandfather, who sadly spent the last year of his life in pain, and his wish was to pass on his own terms, peacefully and pain-free.

Though the Bill did not pass, I am glad Lauren reintroduced the debate and I hope that colleagues on both sides of the argument can come together to provide meaningful reforms to our social and palliative care system.

Out & About

Usually during this time of year, I’m travelling across the country to the Labour Party conference, but this year, for the first time in more than a decade, I’m at home in Medway and no, there’s not a defection incoming. Instead, I’ve been spending the time catching up on the doorstep. I’ve been doing the rounds on Ordnance St, Pagitt St, Grosvenor Avenue and Palmerston Road.

Whether it’s an issue about local services, housing, roads, the cost of living or simply putting a name to a face, it’s literally my job to listen and to respond. I’ll keep getting out and about across the constituency, knocking on doors, meeting residents and making sure your views are being heard.

Ocean Conservation and Stewardship Debate

As vice-chair of the APPG for the Ocean, I led a debate on ocean conservation and stewardship a few weeks ago, which highlighted the vital importance of protecting our seas and the communities and industries that depend on them.

The debate covered a wide range of issues, including marine protected areas, sustainable fisheries, marine pollution, plastic waste and the need to restore habitats such as seagrass and salt marsh.

During my speech, I highlighted the words of David Attenborough: “We are living in the greatest age of ocean discovery, yet we are also witnessing its greatest peril.”

I was pleased to hear that DEFRA is engaging with the Ministry of Justice to tighten the enforcement regime for environmental offences, so that pollution offences have real consequences and provide a meaningful deterrent. The Minister also made clear the roles of the Environment Agency and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency in dealing with pollution incidents. I welcome the work being done to make sure the rules are properly enforced and that those responsible for pollution are held to account.

PAC

One of the questions I have been coming back to in Parliament this month is how we make sure that decisions about our communities are taken as close to those communities as possible, while ensuring that taxpayers’ money remains properly accounted for.

That was at the heart of our work on the Public Accounts Committee this month, when we took evidence on the Government’s plans to devolve more power across England.

I heard from local leaders and senior officials, including Steve Rotheram, Metro Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, about the opportunities that greater local decision-making could bring, as well as the challenges relating to funding, scrutiny and accountability.

Decisions about transport, skills, economic development and other local priorities should reflect the needs of communities like ours in Medway and Kent, rather than everything being decided from Westminster. I believe that greater local control must also come with strong local scrutiny and proper transparency.

You can watch the full session here.

Lastly

As always, here are 5 reasons to be hopeful:

1. Children and young people in Medway are feeling happier and safer. A survey of more than 5,000 children and young people found that 85% said they were happy with their lives, while the proportion saying they felt safe rose to 77%.
2. Mental health support is expanding. Up to 159 new NHS mental health facilities are due to open across England, backed by £343 million of investment to help people access specialist care closer to home.
3. There’s progress on SEND services across Kent. The latest inspection found improvements in inclusive support in schools and earlier help for some children and young people, providing encouraging news for families.
4. Investment is creating more opportunities for jobs and skills. The National Wealth Fund is being used to create and support a further 130,000 jobs across the UK by 2030, including in AI, technology, defence and clean energy.
5. More Medway residents are getting support to stay healthy and independent.More than 500 people have now completed Medway’s falls-prevention programme, with almost three-quarters reporting improved wellbeing.