As this government begins its second year, I want to take this opportunity to reflect on the last 12 months. I’m proud to have supported over 5,500 Telford residents on issues from housing and healthcare to education and anti-social behaviour and stood up in parliament more than 90 times – but I know there’s still much more to do and get right for our town. As a Telford resident raising my family here, I see our challenges first-hand and I remain focused on delivering real securing the investment our community needs. The work is far from over.
You may have seen the Government’s new 10-year NHS plan. We all know the challenges Telford faces with local healthcare—many of you share your experiences with me, and my family uses these services too. We deserve better. This plan is a big step forward: more care at home, smarter tech for patients and staff, and earlier, easier access to support—backed by £29bn a year by 2029. It also cuts red tape to free up frontline staff. I will never stop fighting for the improvements Telford urgently needs when it comes to our local healthcare services.
In the last 10 days we have also seen the launch of the Better Futures Fund – the biggest government-backed fund of its kind in the world. This will break down barriers for children with the toughest start in life. The new £500m fund will help up to 200,000 young people with safer housing and communities and better education opportunities so they can thrive.
A £600m grant for drivers, under the Electric Car scheme will support drivers by giving them up to £3750 off new EVs. Drivers in towns like ours have had a raw deal in recent years, with rising costs and not enough support. After extending the fuel duty freeze, this Government is lowering costs for drivers ahead of the transition towards EVs.
We are helping first-time buyers get on the property ladder. By expanding mortgage eligibility to enable those on lower salaries to get mortgages, this Government will help 10,000 more people every year buy their first home.
At last, the new M54 to M6 link road has been approved. This £200m project will boost capacity, cut journey times, and improve connections between Telford, Wolverhampton, Staffordshire, and beyond. It could take 19,000 vehicles off local roads daily and bring over £600m in economic benefits. After a decade of pushing for this—and years of delays under the last government—it’s fantastic to see it finally get the go-ahead.
Finally, I have been pushing for West Mercia Police to reconsider their decision to stop PSCOs patrolling past 8pm in Telford. As your MP, I am urging them to justify the decision and find the cost savings elsewhere. I have raised this issue in parliament and more than 400 of you have backed my petition so far which you can find here.
Over the past year, I’ve made it a priority to meet hundreds of residents and businesses across Telford—because listening to you, face-to-face, is at the heart of what I do. In September, I’ll be heading to Lightmoor and would love for you to join me. Save the date: Friday 13 September.
