Dear Resident,
After an extremely difficult sixteen months, I'm pleased to see that we were able to return to a relatively normal life. However, the virus continues to exist within our community and so it remains important for people to exercise caution and get their first and second doses.
Indeed, as of this past Saturday, all 16-17 year olds can grab a jab from our vaccination centre on the first floor of The Ironstone Centre. Teens can pop in anytime between 8.30am and 7pm this week.
Residents will know that the situation in Afghanistan remains harrowing and time-sensitive, and I attended Parliament when it was recalled last week. My team have been working hard over the past week to help those in our area directly affected, and I have shared some mental health support for veterans on my social media.
Parliament is now back in summer recess, which has allowed me to focus my time on more local projects. This is a really exciting time for our area, with work underway on Scunthorpe General Hospital and our new M181 junction. For local community groups, funding was recently available from the government's Community Ownership Fund along with the Postcode Neighbourhood Trust fund still open for local "good causes".
I am also delighted to confirm that North Lincolnshire Council have successfully put forward their £90 million bid for the "Levelling Up Fund". Looking to develop our Cultural Offer, build an integrated Health, and Emergency Services Hub, improve transport links and acquire buildings of community interest in our town centre, the bid is a really exciting proposal for our town. Indeed, I have written a letter of support as part of the bid.
As ever, please find below my progress reports on key local issues:
Progress reports:
- Take Back our Tests: Working with residents to stop the planned closure of Theory Test Centre
- Protecting and promoting our world-class British Steel
- Upgrading Scunthorpe Hospital
- Rejuvenating Our Local Roads
- Supporting our local businesses, community groups, and building up our high street
- Working with our schools
- Useful information and links for residents
My campaign to keep driving theory tests in Scunthorpe
Residents may have heard that Scunthorpe's Theory Testing Centre was marked for closure in September by the Driver Vehicle and Safety Agency last month. Having done my own theory test in Scunthorpe years ago, I know how important is it to be able to learn, pass and drive in the place we live. As a result, I have been campaigning with Andrew Percy MP to reverse this decision. The steps I have taken include:
- Working with North Lincolnshire Council to offer Council-owned building space to DVSA for future Theory Tests.
- Writing a joint letter with Andrew Percy MP to the Transport Secretary to express my opposition to the planned closure.
- Tabling seven Written Questions to probe for the assessments made by DVSA to reach their decision.
- Co-opting a letter to the Under-Secretary of State for Transport highlighting the impact of the proposed closure and extending North Lincolnshire Council's offer of building use.
- Speaking to BBC Humberside about my own experiences of local Test Centres and those of residents.
As of last week, NLC Leader Cllr Rob Waltham has written himself to the Transport Minister, again extending the offer of Council-owned space for Theory Tests. I am grateful to Cllr Waltham for taking this step, and have myself written to the Chief Executive of the DVSA again to extend this offer. I will continue to provide updates on my website as we fight to save our centre.
You can follow future updates on my website here.
Progress Report:
Protecting and promoting our world-class British steel
What is being done?
Following last month's huge campaign success to maintain steel safeguards on all steel products produced in our local steelworks (see my last 'Special' Local Update for more info), the Trade Minister wrote back to me in response to our successful campaign.
Whilst there is so much more we can do to improve the chances for our steel industry, this move by the government has saved the steel industry £100 million a year and jobs in our area. I hope we can continue to see our steelworks grow now that safeguards have been retained.
What's next?
Work continues during recess as my team and I research and prepare for further discussions on what can be done to protect and promote our steel in the coming Parliamentary term.
Progress Report:
Improving our local health offering, upgrading Scunthorpe Hospital
What is being done?
It was a privilege to meet Brain Tumour campaigner Tom Parker in Parliament in July to discuss his experiences and what we can do as MPs to make things better. Tom suffers from Grade 4 glioblastoma, the same kind of malignant brain tumour as local father David Hopkins. David and his family face similar challenges - as we can read on Team Hopkins' Facebook Page.
Brain Tumours are uniquely challenging diseases with uniquely devastating consequences, and my colleagues and I are working to push for more funding and support for those researching for a cure.
I was also very fortunate to visit the newly opened flower bed in Kingsway Gardens, dedicated to Scunthorpe Samaritans. We all know someone who has been affected by mental health or gone through difficult times – especially during the COVID 19 pandemic, whether this be in school, at a place of work or at home. The charity provides a valuable service to our community 24 hours a day for 7-days-a-week, and I am pleased that their work has been recognised locally.
If you do need to talk to someone please contact the Samaritans, either via telephone on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org. I have previously put together a wider list of mental health support in our area on my website.
What's Next?
Scunthorpe General Hospital is beginning many of its much-needed renovations, with A&E Department construction underway and a decked car park to be built by late Summer. I look forward to seeing the results of their hard work.
Progress Report:
Improving our local roads
What is being done?
Over the past couple of weeks, you may have learned that Scunthorpe Ridgeway is getting an extension from Burringham Road to Hammerton Road in Scunthorpe. This £500,000 project, funded by government through charity Sustrans, will connect more people to employment, education and leisure opportunities.
This one-kilometre extension will properly connect the North and South of Scunthorpe, and will be 3.5 metres wide to accommodate both cyclists and walkers. Lights will also be put up along the route to make it accessible at all times. As part of this project, new parallel crossings will be installed at the crossings of Ferriby Road, Spilsby Road, Manby Road and Enderby Road.
Residents are also invited to have their say on proposals that could see changes made to the Brumby Wood Lane junctions that join the Kingsway (A18) in Scunthorpe. Vehicles would no longer be able to turn right onto Kingsway, potentially reducing traffic collisions on the busy route into the town centre. Residents on Brumby Wood Lane should have received the consultation by now, but if not, you can comment on the consultation by emailing traffic@northlincs.gov.uk.
It was also great to meet Contractor Esh Construction in mid-July to discuss the real kicking-off of works on the new M181 junction. As I have mentioned previously, this will do plenty to ease congestion at Berkeley Circle, and I look forward to seeing this work take effect over the coming year.
What's Next?
I will continue to work with the Council and local campaigners to make our streets safer for drivers and pedestrians. As ever please do get in touch if there are any local road issues you would like to raise.
Progress Report:
Supporting our local businesses, community groups, and building up our High Street
What is being done?
I was pleased to visit Westcliff with officials from North Lincs Council, ONGO, and our new Police and Crime Commissioner, Jonathan Evision, to discuss what needs to be done to make improvements to the local area.
I can confirm that North Lincs Council has agreed to pull together a local taskforce in Westcliff which I will attend and be part of. I will, of course, continue to work with residents who have been in touch on addressing antisocial behaviours and community issues.
Residents can contact me via hollymumbycroft.org.uk/contact to share their views on what needs to be done.
As we emerge from Coronavirus restrictions, I have been meeting with local hospitality leaders and working alongside North Lincolnshire Council to promote the Council’s new Stay Safe and Well campaign which local businesses can sign up too- you can find out more about this at northlincs.gov.uk/safe-well.
Following Ashby Councillor Joanne Saunby's campaign to put up fences around Everest Road play area, it is fantastic to see that North Lincolnshire Council will be fencing the area to make it more secure. Work should begin next week.
Calling all charities and "good cause"- The Postcode Neighbourhood Trust have opened August applications for funding- organisations that engage in one of the following aims could be eligible for project or core funding:
- Improving mental wellbeing
- Enabling community participation in the arts
- Preventing or reducing the impact of poverty
- Supporting marginalised groups and promoting equality
- Improving biodiversity & green spaces
- Enabling participation in physical activity
- Responding to the climate emergency & promoting sustainability
- Increasing community access to outdoor space
I continue to send out "Business Updates", including three over these past two months, to make sure that our local firms are having their say on consultations and are accessing all the business support available.
Community and voluntary groups may be interested to know that the Community Ownership Fund will be opening again in December, allowing local organisations to acquire buildings of community interest with up to £250,000 match funding from the government. The initial bidding round closed on 13th August and I put some information on my website. Keep an eye out for it to go live again in the winter months!
83-year-old Bottesford resident Derrick Targett is skydiving from the heights of Hibaldstow on the 22nd September. He is doing so to raise money for Alzheimer's Research UK in memory of his late wife Denise. You can make a donation here.
You may remember Derrick from a previous superhuman stunt- fulfilling his lifelong dream by flying a Spitfire last October. Good luck Derrick!
What's next?
I continue to be available to help businesses and community groups where I can. I will be keeping a close eye on our £90 million Levelling Up Bid, along with the implementation of the almost £25m Towns Deal and £10m Future High Streets funding.
Progress Report:
Working with our Schools
What is being done?
I hope all pupils are enjoying their summer holidays and our teachers are having some much-needed rest! I know that many schools in our area have been able to take advantage of the government's Coronavirus Summer Schools Programme, and I am sure that these activities are helping to keep the kids busy.
Beyond the academic provisions in our area, I was delighted to attend the official opening of the North Lincolnshire Youth Hub and to meet and speak to our local Youth Hub team.
The Hub, which is part of North Lincolnshire Council’s Action Station, is dedicated to helping our young, local people find work. They provide advice, support, and training for those who need help. This is part of the wider support package established by North Lincolnshire Council in partnership with the Department for Work and Pensions.
The Hub has already had its success stories in helping local young people secure opportunities such as Kickstart apprenticeships in our area. For more information please get in touch with the action station via their email action.station@northlincs.gov.uk.
There is still more we can do to increase opportunity in our area and I plan to see more provisions come in place in the coming years through our Towns Fund plan.
It is good to see that, on top of the Covid support packages brought in by the government, Scunthorpe will see a 3.2% increase in per-pupil funding for primary and secondary schools for the 2022/2023 academic year. Having contacted several schools recently to hear about their pupils' work and thank the staff for their continuous efforts, I am delighted that they will be receiving the support they need to carry on their teaching.
This comes on top of this week's news that both John Leggott and North Lindsey College stand to benefit from the government's £65 million Skills Accelerator fund thanks to a joint bid with other colleges across North Lincolnshire and Humberside. The project aims to focus on priority skills needs aligned to local strategies, and builds on work we are doing to create courses for skills gaps in our area. It is fantastic news and I look forward to seeing the outcome of this funding.
You may be interested to know that the government is consulting on their School Rebuilding Programme. For any schools that are suffering from building deprivation, it may be worth contributing to this so that our area has the best chance of receiving a fair consideration. The consultation opened on 19 July and will close on 8 October.
What's next?
When the return to school eventually arrives, I am keen to work with local schools, North Lincolnshire Council and the government to further improve the education offer we have in Scunthorpe. I will look to consult stakeholders on the government review of Lateral Flow Testing in schools at the end of September, and I also look forward to making more in-person visits during this upcoming year!
Useful information and links for residents:
- Latest Business Update
- Live Events Reinsurance Scheme announced: Letter from Chancellor and Culture Secretary
- Additional funding injection into Social Care Covid-19 Fund
- Interview with Look North on the easing of restrictions
- Scunthorpe Telegraph - Holly Mumby-Croft MP fights for safety changes at dangerous junction
- Scunthorpe Telegraph: Holly meets with shopkeepers backing scheme to keep us safe through reopening
- Scunthorpe Telegraph - Holly Mumby-Croft MP fights to keep driving theory tests in town
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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