Winter Wind-up

Welcome!

 

Every Penny Counts

In October, I was honoured to have been elected to the Public Accounts Committee in the House of Commons. The PAC is where we scrutinise whether your, taxpayers’, money is being spent wisely, asking tough questions about value for money on projects, contracts and programmes.

When something goes wrong, a project runs massively over budget, a contract delivers poor results, or taxpayers are left picking up the bill, the PAC tries to get to the bottom of it.

Over the years, the committee has investigated some of the biggest and most controversial public spending decisions, including HS2, COVID era contracts, asylum accommodation and hotel use, and the performance of the NHS.

I’ll be pushing hard to make sure the voices of Chatham & Aylesford are heard when big spending decisions are examined. There are 60 investigations ongoing and, if any of those spark your interest personally or professionally, I’m more than happy to facilitate you visiting Parliament to see the committee at work.

TMBC Local Plan

For those of you outside of my Medway boundary, decisions like these shape our lives for a generation, where homes go, what infrastructure follows, and how green spaces are protected. By the time this lands in your mailbox, Tonbridge & Malling Borough Council’s consultation on the Local Plan 2024 to 2042 will be underway. I’ve written to countless residents about this, supported many of you to make your own representations, met town councillors to hear concerns, facilitated a public meeting and I’m currently preparing my formal submission too.

My stance on planning is nuanced, which means I’m probably going to annoy someone. Like the Government, I recognise the urgent need for homes, especially affordable ones. These homes will have to be built somewhere, and we need to do it quickly. But urgency doesn’t give us a free pass, we must act responsibly.

Like many of you, I’m particularly concerned about the Housing Allocation SN1 and WO1. SN1 would allocate around 1,300 homes for Snodland and Ham Hill, with proposals extending development from Peters Bridge Roundabout toward Upper Halling and down Pilgrims Way to Snodland Road.

 

I fully appreciate that, as the nights draw in and Christmas approaches, the last thing many of you may want to do (including me), is read page after page of planning policy. However, I cannot overstate how important this consultation is to the future of our villages and Snodland.

Find out more: https://www.tmbc.gov.uk/local-plan/local-plan-updates

Quantum Matters

This autumn, I had the pleasure of visiting the Quantum Computing team at the University of Sussex. In simple terms, the computers we use today are great at many tasks, but quantum computers can solve certain problems, such as simulating molecules, optimising complex systems, or tackling some cryptography challenges, much faster. This will lead to breakthroughs in medicine, climate modelling, secure communications, and other high value industries here in the UK.

 

The race for quantum is on worldwide. Countries like the US and China are investing heavily, and we are working hard to stay competitive. If we get this right, the potential is huge. It could mean new jobs, new companies, stronger national security, and global influence in places like Chatham and Aylesford for decades to come.

Coming Home

As a former teacher, visiting a classroom can feel a bit like coming home. There is something distinctly familiar about it. My visits to Victory Academy, All Saints CoE, and Luton Primary this autumn were no different. It was a season of celebrations as I toured the new SEN and sixth form provisions at Victory and cheered alongside 176 Year 8 students who achieved their Bronze Arts Award.

 

The school has come such a long way since its days as Bishop of Rochester Academy and Medway Community College, and I am excited to see it continue to reach new heights.

At Luton Primary, I joined Medway Council Leader Vince Maple to officially open their new nursery provision, led by a beautiful choir of young pupils. At All Saints Primary, the celebrations continued as I led their rewards assembly, recognising those who live out the school’s vision and values. I look forward to welcoming All Saints’ school council to Parliament in a matter of weeks too.

A special thank you to their heads, Olly, Liz, and Jo, for their endless and often thankless commitment to the young people of Chatham.

A New School?

In November, I met with Children’s Minister Josh MacAlister to discuss the urgent need for secondary school places in Chatham given continued population and housebuilding growth.

 

We also discussed the ongoing work to address RAAC, reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete, issues at existing sites in Chatham and Aylesford. This is a real, practical challenge. We need extra capacity in the right places, and safe, long term plans to deal with any temporary disruption. I’ll keep you updated as plans and funding come through.

FirstPort

Those of you who have written to me regarding casework on FirstPort will know that I’ve been keen to meet with them for some time, and I was pleased to find an opportunity before the Christmas chaos begins. I met with some of their leadership team in Peters Village, Wouldham, to discuss the long-standing concerns raised by you about repeated management failures. These issues have undermined your confidence and quality of life for far too long. I was frank in my delivery: residents expect better, and I am determined to work closely with FirstPort to ensure they listen, improve their service, and deliver the standard of management you deserve (and pay for).

A few other things I’m proud of…

• Selective and additional licensing schemes are coming to a number of wards in Medway, including Luton and Chatham Central, finally. After years and a considerable amount of effort, we will see rogue and absentee landlords held accountable for the condition of their properties and the misery they cause to the day to day existence of tenants.

• I had the pleasure of inviting Aaron of Nucleus Arts Centre & Cafe Nucleus to No. 11 Downing Street to discuss SMEs and how government can support the growth of enterprise.

• I was thrilled to be in Windsor a couple of weeks ago to see my brother, Commander Osborne, honored with an MBE by the King for his outstanding service aboard HMS Queen Elizabeth. It was a proud and unforgettable moment for our family.

 

Lastly,

Finally, as we approach the festive season, I’d like to wish you and your family a Christmas full of joy and laughter. If I don’t get the chance to see you at events or on the doorstep beforehand, I hope you have a wonderful season and a bright start to the New Year.

Christmas can be difficult for some; support is available.

📧 [email protected] 📱01634 816 002