Medway Messenger

Every couple of months, in rotation with other Medway MPs and Council and opposition leaders, I submit an article to the Medway Messenger on a local matter or on a national matter with significant local impact. The articles are printed in the Medway Messenger and below; I hope you enjoy reading them.

 

March 2017 - Social Work

Last week, Tuesday 21 March, marked World Social Work Day. It was fantastic that on this day I was also elected as Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Social Work which is supported by the British Association of Social Workers.

My sister is a social worker and for over ten years I have been an independent visitor for a local looked-after child. From this small window, it is my opinion that social workers have never had the credit that they deserve. We never hear about all the good work they are doing day in, day out in protecting families. The perception too many people have of social work has to change.

Earlier this month saw the final stages of the Children and Social Work Bill; a landmark piece of legislation that unfortunately did not hit its potential but could have been worse. Working closely with a small group of MPs and peers we were successful in lobbying the Secretary of State to drop clauses relating to local authorities’ power to innovate. Authorities operate at different levels and standards and we risked harming too many children’s futures in those underequipped areas.

There was also the issue of care for unaccompanied asylum-seeking children. Of course young refugees should be cared for, but for too long the likes of Kent and Croydon have taken the greatest share. We hear that many local authorities around the country have capacity, and it is time we see that support in action.

However, what we really need is a real championing of the need to find foster carers and social workers to look after the children we are already struggling to place in some parts of the country, not just for unaccompanied asylum-seeking children. We are not selling the fact that becoming a foster carer is an amazing and rewarding thing to do. Investment in our young people will always pay off and I encourage anyone to take the step into fostering.

 

January 2017 - Local Plan Consultation

This week has been a historic week for the country and for Medway, following the House of Commons vote on the European Union Notification of Withdrawal Act 2017, which allows the Prime Minister to trigger Article 50. But here in Medway we have seen the start of the consultation of the next phase of the Local plan.

The Plan will dictate how Medway will develop over the next 15-20 years. Importantly, it will state where we will see new housing built. Medway Council commissioned a housing needs assessment, which concluded that here in Medway we need to build 29,463 new homes by 2035. I find this number to be extremely high, putting us in a position where we will be trying to deliver the highest number of new homes compared to our neighbouring authorities.

Delivering this amount of new homes across Medway could very much change the face of our towns and particularly my constituency of Rochester and Strood, where it is suggested much of the housing will be built. This of course creates big questions for local residents about how they will move around our already congested towns, how they will access stretched vital health care services, where the school places will be, where the jobs will be created and how public transport will improve with it.

The consultation will run until Monday 6th March and it is vitally important that local residents have their say, and make their views known to the local council. Over the last 12 months I have received many representations from residents highlighting their views on whether we should leave or remain in the EU. I therefore hope that local residents will be as vocal in the Local Plan process which in my view is equally important, if not more important, when it comes to the impact on our everyday lives here in Medway.

 

December 2016 - Supreme Court & Article 50

Looking back over the past few weeks and months, who would have thought that after the Referendum of 23rd June where the country by a majority voted to leave the EU we would be debating at length the triggering Article 50. This week we have seen the start of the formal process at the Supreme Court, where government will outline their appeal against the High Court ruling that only Parliament has the authority to trigger Article 50.

In June, I voted to remain in the EU because this was a referendum vote in which I was representing myself, NOT my constituency. However, there is no doubt that if the Supreme Court rules that Parliament needs to take the decision itself, I will be voting in favour of triggering Article 50. The people of Medway voted convincingly to leave the EU, and it is here where I shall be representing them with my vote as their member of parliament. Despite voting to remain, I unreservedly respect the outcome of the Referendum, which was one of the largest democratic events that has happened in my life time, and the lives of millions of others.

That is why I am extremely disappointed by the debate that has ensued since the result. Democracy has spoken and the UK will leave the EU, regardless of which body triggers Article 50. Fortunately, the majority of my colleagues – no matter their vote in June – are behind the British peoples’ decision and want to push forward an agenda with the best interest at heart for Britain and our individual communities. The unfortunate side to all of this debate, however, is that it will only work to delay our country’s progress, leaving our economy in state of limbo while disrespecting the millions who voted in June.

 

October 2016 - Medway Local Plan

Medway is currently going through its Local Plan process, which provides details around the number of houses to be built over a period of time, where they will be built, as well as identifying infrastructure requirements to satisfy the demand developments bring. An independent housing needs assessment was carried out on behalf of Medway Council, which forecast a need to build 29,463 new homes across Medway over a 15-20 year period.

This number of new homes would absolutely change the face of Medway, if delivered over a 15 year period. To put this in context, looking at the Lodge Hill application on the Peninsula is for 5,000 homes, we would need another 5 developments of that size to meet the forecast. Last Friday evening I attended a public meeting at which over 200 residents attended to discuss a 225 home development on the edge of their village, expressing real concerns about infrastructure, access to services and quite rightly they are worried. We live in one of the most populated parts of the south east and it is accepted by most residents that we do need to build homes and provide affordable homes for our young people and families in Medway, but infrastructure and services need to be delivered alongside not only to provide for new homes, but to satisfy the current local need.

Medway has a lot to be proud off, it's my home and I love it, but we must have a clear vision of what we want Medway to look like in the next 20-30 years. Where or what will the jobs be? What our town centres will look like? These big questions and challenges must be discussed and addressed if we are to stand any chance of delivering a significant amount of new homes and to successfully create the dynamic, aspirational, prosperous place of which I know residents of Medway want.

 

August 2016 - Grammar Schools

The mid-point of August marks exam results time with GCSEs and A levels results coming next week. I wish the young people of Medway all the very best for results day, and the strength to make the decisions required over the next few weeks about their futures.

Grammar schools have again become a topic of debate; will the government allow the expansion of, or build of new grammar schools?  In Medway we are blessed with having many great grammars, which have for many years delivered great outcomes for many of our young people. I did not benefit from a local grammar education, I attended Chapter School (now Strood Academy), however, I am a supporter of the grammar system, and I believe they work for the young people who attend. Medway’s are heavily subscribed, and I would welcome a decision to allow the expansion of those schools, which would see even more local young people benefiting.

Whilst the rights and wrongs of a potential policy is debated, my focus remains on the quality of education delivered across our whole education system. All young people deserve access to a high quality education through a range of settings which allow our young people to go on to create their own success. It is also for us as a community to promote high aspirations for the place we call home and the young people within it.

A greater improvement of the quality of education delivered at our primary schools, the correct funding of our secondary sector, colleges and our UTC, is where focus needs to be dedicated in order to target the needs of our community. This must continue to be the focus for our government, in order that our young people are able to develop the skills, knowledge and confidence to go on to make the most of the opportunities today, but also to contribute to the future success of our towns.

 

June 2016 - Medway Maritime Hospital

Medway Hospital is so very important to the residents of Medway, we have all used our hospital or have family or friends who have. Medway has had some challenging times over recent years but I do believe the future is good for our hospital. I have had the opportunity to get to know much more about what goes on there and meet some of the most driven and dedicated people I have ever met. People who in their own areas are making a difference not only to the health of Medway residents but to the whole of the NHS.

What is less well known is that Medway is a research centre and is at the forefront of some of the highest quality care research in the county, undertaking research projects and clinical trials of national importance, focused at improving the quality of care of patients and outcomes for patients. This Includes work amongst an elite group of institutions, such as Kings College and University College London, researching pre-eclampsia prevention, early prediction of gestational diabetes, as well as new studies around preventing adverse pregnancy and stillbirths, of which the UK has the highest rate in the EU.

I have mentioned only a few projects but there are over 100 research project and trials being undertaken. We should be proud of the work that is taking place at Medway, clinical trialling works and yields great results for the patients who take part, and for those that benefit from the results. The National institute for Health Research (NIHR) ‘OK to Ask’ campaign calls on patients, families and carers to ask their nurse or doctor about taking part in health research. Patients taking part in research is vital to the success of our local NHS trust and the success that keeps enhancing patient care when we need it most.