MP Alison Hume column: 'Focus remains on delivering positive change'
It’s certainly been busier than usual in Westminster lately.
My focus, though, has never wavered from the most important part of my job, and that is striving to deliver the best possible outcomes for Scarborough, Whitby and the villages.
There’s still plenty of work ahead.
The government knows it hasn’t got everything right.
Nevertheless, despite all the noise, this Labour government has made changes which positively impact people in our part of the world.
They include the Employment Rights Act, which outlaws exploitative zero hours contracts and strengthens protections for workers, the Renters Rights Act which scraps Section 21 ‘No Fault’ evictions and introduces other key protections and various measures designed to lift children out of poverty.
Travel costs for families with children undergoing cancer treatment are going to be covered. The National Cancer Plan, designed to transform outcomes for those diagnosed with this horrible disease, specifically mentioned coastal regions such as ours and has been welcomed by those working in the field.
The benefits of these improvements will soon filter through. Other programmes being rolled-out are already transforming things on the ground.
Seven schools across Scarborough and Whitby are now providing free breakfast clubs, meaning 950 young pupils are guaranteed the best start to their day.
One of those schools has been able to expand its nursery provision thanks to £150,000 of government funding. Another school, catering for secondary students, is installing solar panels after receiving a slice of the £255m being spent on boosting infrastructure.
Scarborough Hospital was handed £8.6m to upgrade its energy system. Like Graham School, they’re also set to enjoy savings on their bills after being helped to go solar by Great British Energy.
Both Whitby and Scarborough are set to submit bids to become the UK’s first Town of Culture, albeit in different categories. In my opinion, they’re obvious choices to triumph.
Scarborough, meanwhile, is receiving up to £20m of Pride in Place funding over the next decade, with locals given the power to decide how its spent.
All of these things, I think, are worth celebrating. That’s why, after publicly backing the Prime Minister last week, I’m staying focused on delivering the positive change we promised in our manifesto.