Dear Resident,
January and February Local Update
I hope you are keeping well. It has been a difficult start to the year for all of us. However with the government hitting its target to offer vaccinations to the top 4 most vulnerable groups, and more than 15 million people vaccinated nationally, we can now start to work on our next steps.
- The government has committed to offering vaccinations to all over-50s by the end of April
- If you know anyone who is over 65 OR Clinically Extremely Vulnerable who have yet to be vaccinated please let them know that they can book their appointment here.
- The government will also review existing data and will publish its plans to "unlock" next Monday. These plans will help us better understand how we can slowly ease restrictions in the upcoming weeks and months.
Locally,
Our local health team and volunteers have led the nation in our vaccination efforts - with both the Health Secretary and the Vaccines Minister congratulating them on their progress. We should also be hearing more about our local Long Covid Clinic, and other infrastructure to support vaccinations in our area soon.
I will, of course, continue to work closely with our local health team and offer them all the support they need to protect our residents.
Working with residents
As I have said in my previous update, I have been working with local residents to raise awareness regarding Brain Tumour.
Last month I asked the Prime Minister to look into supporting more research, and I have subsequently been in touch with two Brain Tumour related charities to work with them on this important issue. You can follow their journey and support them here.
As ever, please find below my progress reports on key local issues:
Progress reports:
- Upgrading Scunthorpe Hospital
- Protecting and promoting our world-class British Steel
- Rejuvenating Our Local Roads
- Supporting our local businesses, community groups, and building up our high street
- Useful information and links for residents
Progress Report:
Upgrading Scunthorpe Hospital
What is being done?
You may have heard that the recent government investment in our Hospital has been put into action, and that work is beginning on-the-ground in Scunthorpe General Hospital to improve our A&E and carry out other work.
This, of course, will help with local short to mid-term health needs, although there is no denying that more must be done. I secured a one-to-one meeting with the Health Secretary to discuss the needs of our area in detail and will be working with our local Trust and CCG to push for long-term solutions.
As I have said before, our local health team have done a fantastic job on vaccinations. I have asked the Vaccine Ministers to ensure that they continue to receive the vaccines they need to deliver the government's commitment to vaccinate residents.
Supporting our carers
Carers in our area have been the understated heroes of this pandemic, and I have been keen to show my support. Working with the Council and relatives of dementia patients, we have ensured that Personal Assistants have access to Covid Secure guidance and that local charities have benefitted from the discretionary grant scheme. I have also tabled a number of Written Questions on care home visits, expanding carers’ allowance eligibility and providing ‘key worker’ status to unpaid carers.
I continue to share mental health resources on my website and on social media, so please utilise these local and online outlets if you need them.
What's next?
As I have said above I will continue to work closely with our local health team to support them on both our short term (vaccine rollout) and long term (local health facilities) goal.
Progress Report:
Protecting and promoting our world-class British Steel
What is being done?
As you may know, domestic electricity prices for our steel threaten to put our steelworks at a competitive disadvantage to our international competitors, and so I have tabled questions in Parliament and written an article in the Times along with my Steel Parliamentary Group co-chair to highlight this issue.
Given the challenges we face in moving to low-carbon production already, it is vital that the government helps our steel companies obtain cheaper production cost. I’m keen to work in a genuine cross-party way with other Steel MP’s.
What's next?
I believe that our steel town could play a monumental part in the post-pandemic ‘Build Back Better’ programme, and I want the government to give us the support to do so - I will continue to work closely with British Steel and Parliamentary colleagues to push for more support for steel.
Progress Report:
Improving our local roads
What is being done?
After Scunthorpe was selected for the government’s e-scooter trails, I am pleased to say that ten e-scooters have been made available in our area since January.
The idea of the trial is to see if these scooters can help people get around in an eco-friendly, safe way. These scooters are lockable traceable through an app, and geofencing technology controls where the scooters can and cannot be used – such as pedestrian areas – and also if they are not returned to a charging station.
Preliminary data suggest that these scooters are popular with key workers needing to the town quickly to get a couple of items. As with all trials, data regarding safety and practicality will be closely monitored for review.
What's Next?
With the announcement of new infrastructure spending in the Chancellor’s spending review, I hope we can secure the funding to improve our local A-roads. If you know of anyone with road safety concerns please ask them to get in touch with me directly.
Progress Report:
Supporting our local businesses, community groups, and building up our High Street
What is being done?
Last week I gave a short speech on the Towns Fund debate backing up our application for a share of the fund. If granted this fund would be a massive help for our plan to improve jobs, education, and health opportunities in our area.
As I said in the speech, we aren't backwards in coming forward in North Lincs. Last year alone we have received
- £50m+ additional funding for our local NHS Trust
- £10.7m High Street Fund
- £400k to improve vaccine communication
- £190k Active Travel Fund money to improve cycling and walking routes
- £50k to explore options to restore the re-opening of train services in our area
This is of course in addition to the additional covid grants, Discretionary Grant money, care home support grants, Winter Grant Scheme, grants for school repairs, and the Holiday Activities and Food Programme.
Freeport in our area?
As part of our ongoing effort to boost our regional economy, I have joined local Conservative MPs to push for ports in Grimsby and Immingham to be given "Freeport" status. This will provide a range of benefits that will boost trade and businesses in our area.
Standing up for our businesses
I continue to work with our local businesses to counteract the Covid impact. I am sure that all business owners in our area have their eyes peeled for the release of the government’s ‘roadmap’ for easing restrictions on the 22nd February, and I will be issuing a business update shortly after.
I recently attended a Hospitality Roundtable with Treasury and Health officials, where colleagues and I highlighted the large fixed costs continuing to affect businesses. In addition, the Northern Research Group met to discuss the impact of business rates on firms in our areas, whilst I also met government officials to discuss a roadmap for weddings businesses.
You can read in detail the steps I have taken to support our local businesses in my recent business updates here, here and here. If you haven’t yet signed up for it, you can join my Business Update mailing list here.
Support for those in financial difficulty
I have been working with colleagues since last year to press for the £20 uplift to UC, which the government put in place for one year last April, to be extended for a further year. Of course, decisions on the uplift, as with most budget-related decisions, are subject to review and will be announced in the upcoming March budget.
If you know of any residents who are struggling financially please ask them to look at North Lincs Council's website here for the support available:
They could also get in touch with my office to discuss their issues in detail - we may be able to help. North Lincs Council is also providing £500 track-and-trace support for those in financial hardship which you can read about here.
What's next?
These changes to improve our local area will take time to come into effect, but I want to make sure that residents can see and feel the positive changes that are coming. There is much more work to be done, and I will continue to work closely with our Councillors at North Lincs Council to help secure more government grants and support.
Progress Report:
Working with our Schools
What is being done?
Since my last update, two big changes have taken place that has affected young people and parents in our area. Schools have been closed to all but key worker’s children, and this year’s exams have been cancelled.
These were incredibly difficult decisions to make and I know that Year 11 and 13 students may be disappointed that they can't take exams this year. There has been a public consultation on how teacher-assessed grades will be carried out this year, and I have written back to those who have previously expressed an interest in the issue.
As you will remember, I worked with colleagues to try and close the ‘Covid Education Divide’ that was growing between already disadvantaged areas that had to undergo more self-isolation periods and areas that had more in-person learning. To remedy the effects of this lockdown, I have worked with our local primary schools to ensure that DofE provided enough laptops for disadvantaged pupils.
After all the work that we have also done to secure Council funding for vulnerable children, it is good to hear that North Lincs Council have confirmed that they will be providing vouchers for around 6,000 children through the Easter Holidays. After receiving concerns about a small number of substandard FSM boxes last month, I met with the Children's Minister to raise these concerns. I was pleased to see that the government recognised the problem and issued stronger guidance.
The efforts that teachers have undertaken for their pupils this year has not been lost on me, and it has been a pleasure to work with headteachers on key campaigns, and teachers during ‘Parliament Week’. Indeed, last month, I stood up in the Commons to encourage the government to consider pay increases for teachers at upcoming pay reviews.
What's next?
As ever, I will continue to be in contact with our local schools and residents on these key issues.
Useful information and links for residents:
- Latest Business Update
- Response to January Written Question on Hospitality Support
- Latest update on shielding advice here
If you need anything over the next few weeks, please get in touch with me and I will get back to you when I can.
Take care and stay safe,
Holly
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