I wanted to take a moment to share some updates on the progress we’ve made to improve our communities – and country – over the past three months.
As we approach the budget this week, we understand that fixing 14 years of economic failure – and a £22billion black hole – isn’t going to be done overnight.
We desperately need a change of course, with an emphasis on fiscal responsibility which will start the change we desperately need to see in our towns.
One of the important bits of investment is our proposed towns fund and levelling up. I’ve been actively meeting with ministers to advocate for this.
Our communities deserve the regeneration that will enhance local life.
I recently joined borough MPs – Lisa Nandy, Josh Simons and Michael Wheeler – to discuss the challenges facing Wigan with council leader David Molyneux and CEO Alison McKenzie-Folan.
These conversations are essential for finding effective ways to support our residents and local businesses.
In our constituency, I remain focused on key priorities such as tackling crime, improving our town centres and transport infrastructure, and ensuring affordable housing for all.
I recently met with the chief prosecutor for the CPS in the Northwest to address local crime issues.
Additionally, I supported the announcement of a new travel hub in Tyldesley and engaged with a developer working to provide affordable homes in Atherton.
Recently, the Government have also introduced a new child poverty strategy aimed at enhancing the life chances of future generations.
In education, we’ve allocated £1.4 billion for rebuilding schools, reaffirming our commitment to enhancing educational facilities.
We’ve also launched the first funding round for Labour’s school-based nurseries programme, aiming to establish 3,000 nurseries nationwide.
In the realm of employment, we’re making strides in workers’ rights with the new Employment Rights Bill.
This bill will provide crucial protections, such as ending fire and re-hire practices, ensuring fair treatment from day one and strengthening whistleblower protections. Our goal is to ensure that as our economy grows, everyone benefits.
On the roads, the Government is dedicated to improving safety and saving working people money.
We’ve exceeded our goal of fixing a million potholes annually and have announced an additional £500 million for local road repairs.
A new taskforce will also focus on reducing the high cost of car insurance.
The Government’s transformative agenda on climate change will reverse years of Tory recklessness that has seen Britain fall off the world stage in leading the fight against the climate crisis.
We’ve launched a major review to clean up our waterways and taking major steps in establishing a publicly-owned energy company, GB Energy.
While we’ve made considerable progress in just a few months, I understand that reversing the impact of the past 14 years will take time.
As part of the cross-party Modernisation Committee, I’m committed to enhancing standards and making Parliament more effective for everyone.
Locally, my team and I are here to support residents in Leigh, Atherton, Tyldesley, Lowton, Golborne and parts of Astley.
If you need assistance, please don’t hesitate to reach out to my office. My staff, including a specialist advisor, are ready to help you find the support you need.
If you’d like to get in touch, feel free to email me at: jo.platt.mp@parliament.uk. Your concerns are important to me.
Note: This article was originally published on the Wigan Today website, on Tuesday 29 October, 2024.