The first few weeks of the year have flown by and as ever, I remain focused on standing up for Telford and importantly ensuring that the momentum we’ve built up continues. The past week has brought good updates from parliament that are important for our town and worth sharing with you below. And while Parliament never truly stops, I’m grateful for the half-term break, which gives me a little more time at home with my family and also to meet and listen to residents in our town. This week, I’m hosting an event with the Exotic Zoo for local families with experience of SEND provision in Telford to share their views. This follows the roundtable I held late last year and is the next step in making sure Telford’s voices are heard by decision-makers in Westminster. I will continue listening to and supporting families until we see the improvements and investment our community needs.

In the last week we have also seen the Government announce the largest investment in community energy in British history. Through Great British Energy, a £1bn Local Power Plan will support local energy projects and boost community ownership nationwide. Green energy can cut bills and empower communities, and I’ll work to secure funding for Telford’s projects.

Also unveiled were new plans to tackle youth knife crime by preventing reoffending. Police will be required to refer every young person caught carrying a knife to a Youth Offending Team for a tailored, mandatory action plan. The plans are backed by major investment, including £300m for youth justice over three years, £5m for regional innovation partnerships, and £15m for early intervention through the Turnaround programme.

Many of you are still contacting me about problems with our local postal services, and I continue to press these issues in Parliament. I have met with Royal Mail in person and raised concerns directly with Ofcom. Local posties have privately told me they are being instructed to prioritise parcel deliveries over letters, which is simply not acceptable. While some residents have reported minor improvements, problems remain. I have also met with the responsible Minister to make clear just how much our community has been affected, and I will keep pushing for the reliable service you deserve.

I have now met with all of the mobile network providers that many of you told me you are struggling with when it comes to 5G signal, and they are investigating the issues I raised. However, it does not end there. I know this is not something that will be fixed overnight, but I will continue to push, challenge and monitor progress until we see real and measurable improvements. This is not just about being able to make calls or send messages. Reliable mobile signal is essential for residents, but it is also critical for our small businesses, particularly those relying on card transactions and digital payments. Poor connectivity affects livelihoods as well as daily life. The surveys on both of these issues remain open for you to keep me updated on the situation.

Following my latest call for Madeley Court to close and be returned to our community, I can confirm the hotel will shut within weeks. Since my election in July 2024, I have repeatedly raised this in Parliament, with Home Office Ministers and the Prime Minister, making clear that hotels are not the right place to house asylum seekers. Madeley Court is a legacy of the previous government’s failed system, which left people stuck in hotels while private companies profited. It hasn’t been fair on our community or on those waiting months — even years — for decisions.

This Government is fixing the system by ending the use of hotels for asylum accommodation and making decisions faster, so places like Madeley Court can be returned to the community. Hotel use is down by 50% since the election and this has been achieved by the Home Office processing applications faster, deporting those whose claims are rejected in record numbers and requiring the claimants who are successful get into work.