This week we hit the 30 million mark for vaccinations administered and our local programme continues to go very well according to our local NHS leaders who I spoke with a few days ago. While much of the focus is still on COVID and making sure we progress through the Roadmap out of restrictions, non-COVID work for MPs certainly hasn’t stopped.
Last week the Police and Crime Bill passed through the House of Commons and I voted Aye. I have written many times in this column about the need to support our police force, to do whatever we can to protect them, our neighbours, friends and family. This bill will bring tougher sentences for serious criminals such as child murderers and sexual offenders. It will reform the way we bring justice to young offenders through community sentences, as well as increase the sentence for attacks on our emergency service workers who face danger every day.
We are fortunate that we have a relatively low crime rate across most of our towns and surrounding villages, but that is not to say that crime does not occur. The Police & Crime Commissioner, Marc Jones, and I recently carried out a short online crime survey of residents to hear more about local issues. Fly-tipping, anti-social behaviour, and burglary all featured heavily in responses from Grantham and I will be taking the survey results up with Lincolnshire Police soon.
Off-road vehicle damage to byways around Grantham is also something that has been raised with me and I recently went to see for myself on a visit to Skillington. While not illegal, motorbikes churning up walkways for local residents is unfair and unpleasant, and so I have asked ministers for advice on what can be done to address this.
Part of the solution to anti-social behaviour is having more dedicated community areas where younger people can exercise, play sport and hang out with friends. I was really pleased to swing by Elsea Park in Bourne last Friday to see their new £1.4m artificial grass pitch. A surface fit for David Beckham, this new facility is wonderful news for local residents as well Bourne Town Football Club who will play their matches there.
As part of the COVID Roadmap, schools went back on the 8th March and I have been keen to hear how the new testing process and resumption of classes has been going. On a call with the West Grantham Church of England Academy in the Earlsfield I heard that their reopening has gone very smoothly and just how pleased everyone is being back in class. I plan to visit them soon to see the arrangements that have been put in place for myself.
Furthermore this week, the Government made announcements on our defence policy with the Defence Command Paper which sets out how our national defence will be equipped to face new and emerging threats. It follows last week’s Integrated Review of those threats, including cyber and space related issues, and follows the £24bn in new funding announced for the military.
We have one of the largest populations of veterans in the country, the RAF zip over our heads from nearby bases every week and we are home to the Prince William of Gloucester Barracks which trains our new reservists. Therefore more support for our men and women in uniform is something I know many locally will warmly welcome.
Finally, even during the height of the pandemic, the environment has remained one of the biggest issues which many Stamfordians have contacted me about I was pleased to recently join the Stamford Town Council Climate Action Group to discuss their ideas for a new water fountain on Stamford’s high street and efforts to reduce single-use plastics in the town. We were also joined by a group seeking to tackle river sewage and I was shocked to hear that 40% of UK rivers are polluted by sewage. I’ve agreed to go out with them soon (wearing wellies!) to help clear up some of the rubbish around the Welland in our area.
As we head towards COP26 later in the year when the world’s leaders will gather in Scotland to discuss climate action, this will become a more prominent issue on the national agenda so I am pleased that here in Stamford, action is already underway.
As we head towards COP26 later in the year when the world’s leaders will gather in Scotland to discuss climate action, this will become a more prominent issue on the national agenda so I am pleased that here in Stamford, action is already underway.
