August: reporting back after a full year
August has been a full and busy month. Parliament may have been in recess, but that has given me the opportunity to spend more time in Erewash, meeting with residents, businesses, community groups and local campaigners. It has been a chance to celebrate the very best of our towns while also tackling some of the serious challenges we face. From launching new campaigns and supporting petitions, to celebrating community heritage and standing in remembrance of those who served, it has been a month filled with energy, commitment and purpose.
Supporting our heroes
The month began with a fascinating visit to the Air Ambulance base just south of Keyworth. Their helicopters cover almost the entire East Midlands, and I was struck by the professionalism and dedication of their teams, many of them veterans of the NHS, RAF and armed forces. Watching a helicopter come back into base and learning how their crews train for every scenario was inspiring. It reminded me that behind the headlines, extraordinary people are working every day to keep us safe, and I hope to support their work further.
Preserving our heritage
From there I turned to a different kind of heritage, visiting the Sandiacre Lock Cottages with the Erewash Canal Association. They are a gem of our industrial and social history, and it was a pleasure to hear about the stories of the canal and the challenges it faces. One of those challenges is the problem of abandoned boats, left to rot and spoil the waterway. I will be pursuing this with the Canal and Rivers Trust to ensure we protect both the heritage and the environment of our local canals.
At the Ilkeston Heritage and Classic Vehicle Show I joined thousands of people in admiring cars, buses and bikes from across the decades, a reminder of how community events bring us together.
Keeping our communities safe
Road safety was next on the agenda with the Sawley Speedwatch team. These volunteers give up their time to record speeding and raise awareness, and it was a pleasure to spend a morning out with them.
A number of people have contacted me about the unfair treatment they receive from private car parks, so I used the opportunity of the government consultation on the new Private Parking Code of Practice to highlight what changes are needed. Clearer rules, fairer appeals and proper caps on fines would make a real difference to people who are often being exploited.
Remembering our past
August was also a month of remembrance. On the 8th, I attended the funeral of Donald Rose, a veteran of the Second World War and a true hero of Ilkeston. Donald served in Italy and North Africa, stormed the beaches on D-Day, and saw first-hand the horrors of Bergen-Belsen. Hundreds lined the streets to pay their respects, and it was moving to see how deeply his life had touched our community.
Later in the month we also marked the 80th anniversary of VJ Day. In Parliament before the recess, I shared the story of Major Paul Robinson from Ilkeston, who was captured at Singapore and forced to work on the Burma-Thailand railway, while his wife Hope inspired thousands with her ‘Letters of Hope’. These stories matter, and I will continue to ensure they are remembered.
Backing local business and industry
At Johnsons Aggregates in Ilkeston I learned about their pioneering work recycling incinerator bottom ash, turning waste into valuable metals and creating jobs in the process. Ilkeston is fast becoming a centre of excellence in recycling technology, and I want to see that celebrated nationally.
Mid-month I also visited Oxford University as part of the Royal Society’s scheme to connect MPs with scientists. As a former researcher myself, it was a privilege to discuss the intersection of science and politics, and to see first-hand the work of researchers who are shaping the future.
Campaigning for safer streets
Mid-month, I launched two important local campaigns. The first was a petition to make Ilkeston Market Place and Bath Street safer, set up in collaboration with the family of Samuel Wilson who was tragically killed last year. We have already gathered hundreds of signatures, and I will be presenting this to Parliament to urge Derbyshire County Council to act.
The second was the Big Bleed Kits Campaign. Working with local businesses, the Borough Council and the Police and Crime Commissioner, I want to see life-saving bleed control kits installed in Ilkeston town centre. These kits, like defibrillators, can make the difference between life and death. I will be walking from Sawley to Cotmanhay in September to raise money for this cause, and I am delighted that we have already raised over £1000.
Strengthening our community
Community voices have also been central in my work with Erewash’s Hongkonger community. At Long Eaton Town Hall I met with families who have come here as part of the British Nationals Overseas scheme. We talked about everyday concerns such as schools and healthcare, but also the very real fear of surveillance from the Chinese state. I will continue to support them in making Erewash their safe home.
Investing in public spaces
Investment in our public spaces has been another theme of August. Victoria Park in Ilkeston will see £700,000 of improvements, including new lighting and an overhaul of the play area, while Johnny’s Park is finally set to receive a much-needed upgrade with new accessible play facilities. Both projects will give local families better, safer spaces to enjoy, and they are long overdue.
Building for the future
Infrastructure was also high on the agenda. I am pressing for Junction 25A of the M1 to relieve pressure on Sandiacre and surrounding roads, and for the re-opening of the Stanton rail link to ensure new jobs at Stanton Park are supported by sustainable transport. These are long-term goals, but I have already raised them with ministers and National Highways, and I will continue to push.
Housing is another long-term challenge. The spread of houses in multiple occupation across Erewash has left too many families priced out and too many poor-quality conversions blighting neighbourhoods. I am pleased that the Borough Council has agreed to pursue an Article 4 Direction requiring planning permission for new HMOs across the urban area. It will take time, but it is the right step, and in the meantime enforcement against bad landlords will be stepped up.
Fighting for our town centres
In Long Eaton, the closure of banks has left the town at risk of becoming a banking desert. That is why I have written to LINK to demand a new banking hub, building on the success of similar schemes in nearby towns. Access to cash and in-person banking remains essential, particularly for older and disabled residents, and I will keep pressing until Long Eaton gets the services it needs.
I have also reported back on the pledges I made before the general election. On apprenticeships and local manufacturing, I am proud to have supported new training in Sandiacre and Beeston, while backing national reforms to the apprenticeships levy. On the cost of living, I have voted for the Employment Rights Bill and Renters Rights Bill, while supporting free breakfast clubs in schools such as Chaucer Infants in Ilkeston. On crime and antisocial behaviour, I have backed respect orders in Parliament while working locally with Derbyshire Police and launching petitions and fundraising to make Ilkeston safer. On town centres, I have pushed for reform of business rates while supporting local regeneration projects, from new shop signs to the Long Eaton Town Deal.
Being accessible and reliable
Finally, I have made accessibility and visibility a priority as your MP, holding surgeries across the constituency and dealing with hundreds of pieces of casework every week. SEND provision and housing repairs remain the most pressing local issues, and my team and I are working tirelessly to help families get the support they need. The month ended with another advice surgery in Long Eaton, which went ahead despite some last-minute venue challenges.
Celebrating local businesses
It has not all been politics. I was delighted to drop in to The Bakery in Sawley as they celebrated their 20th anniversary, and though I missed out on the 2005 prices on the day itself, I made sure to return for some well-earned cake. Local businesses like The Bakery are part of what makes our towns special, and they deserve our support.
Wins this month
As always, my team have been doing all manner of work supporting individuals and families with anything and everything. Here’s a selection of the wins we achieved this month:
- Helped a resident retrieve their passport from the DVLA in time for a holiday.
- Secured a home for a mother and daughter in Ilkeston after two years of sofa surfing.
- Got fire safety officers to investigate a building breaching regulations.
- Pressured Network Rail to carry out remedial works on Ilkeston Station Railway Bridge.
- Secured repairs to Ferndene Drive Play Area in Long Eaton, fixing dangerous surfaces.
- Ensured a resident’s son kept funding for his final year at a special needs school.
- Secured an education place for a resident’s daughter after council delays.
- Restored Disabled Child Element of Universal Credit wrongly withheld for months.
- Secured over £5,000 in Disability Living Allowance arrears for a resident’s daughter.
- Got outstanding pothole repairs completed in Long Eaton.
- Arranged a safety assessment for a large tree in Ilkeston.
- Found an NHS dentist for a resident needing urgent treatment.
- Secured specialist school placement for a child after a two-year EHCP delay.
- Confirmed a school place closer to home for a child with additional needs.
- Got sunken boats removed from Erewash Canal at Sandiacre Lock.
- Cleared an alleyway in Kirk Hallam after reports of graffiti and rubbish.
- Secured £250 reimbursement for an Ilkeston resident after landlord delays.
- Got repairs completed in a social housing kitchen damaged by pests.
- Raised parking concerns on a dangerous bend in Long Eaton; council to investigate.
- Pressured EMH Homes to bring an abandoned property back into use.
Looking ahead
August has shown once again the richness and resilience of our community. From veterans to volunteers, from scientists to small business owners, from campaigners to councillors, I have had the privilege of working alongside many people striving to make Erewash better. As summer turns to autumn, I will take the energy of this month into the campaigns and causes that lie ahead.