North East Derbyshire needs an MP who gets things done for our area – and that is exactly what I have tried to do over the last 7 years.
I have a track record of getting stuck in, solving problems and fighting for our area. And, in the last few years alone, I’ve helped to win over £200 million of infrastructure investment for North Derbyshire.
2024 and beyond is going to be absolutely crucial to keep that momentum up. We have some massive decisions coming in the years ahead and we need to make sure that we deliver what we have already won. You need an MP who can make sure that happens – and that is exactly what I want to continue to do.
And I’m going to keep relentlessly focused on working for you over the year ahead. Here is My Plan for 2024 and beyond:
Delivering for all of North East Derbyshire: making sure all of our hard-won promises on schools, rail and regeneration happen!
Since 2019, I’ve helped to win us over £100 million pounds of infrastructure upgrades in North Derbyshire – including two transformational regeneration deals for Clay Cross and Staveley, a new primary school for Wingerworth, further improvements to the Royal, the new Sharley Park and two new train stations for Killamarsh and Staveley. Delivering all of this takes time and needs a relentless focus from your MP on making sure the people in charge deliver them all. And that’s what I’m committed to focusing on. I won’t stop until all of these improvements are complete and open!
Fighting for North East Derbyshire’s commuters: action on congestion
And there is much more to do in terms of winning more funding. Our next three priority projects are making breakthroughs on reducing congestion on Derby Road for the long-term, finally winning funding after 90 years for the Staveley bypass and making the case to re-open a railway station at Clay Cross. I’ve worked on these projects for half a decade – and I’m determined to get more for our area!
Supporting North East Derbyshire’s towns: more action to improve our town centres
In recent years, we’ve seen or are seeing improvements to Killamarsh, Clay Cross and Staveley town centres. Now we need to do the same for both Dronfield and Eckington. I’ll work with the owners of the Civic Centre in Dronfield to try to get a viable regeneration plan in place and, along with Eckington Parish Council, will look for funding opportunities for their ‘Elevate Eckington’ blueprint.
Protecting North East Derbyshire’s beauty and character: speaking out against over development and inappropriate planning
After 16 years of Labour failure which saw 1,000 more houses built in our area than needed, it was North East Derbyshire Conservatives that finally fixed our long-standing planning problems in 2021 when the District Council put a new plan in place. That has significantly slowed new and inappropriate development. During my time as your MP, I have committed to fighting inappropriate developments, protecting the rural character of North East Derbyshire and maintaining greenbelt. We do need more houses – but we need them in the right places – and I will support residents wherever I can on that.
Supporting North East Derbyshire: help local communities on the cost of living and improving our area
Times have been tough in recent years, first with covid, then Ukraine and inflation. It’s been really challenging but we’ve got through a lot together. As inflation comes down, I know that there is still more to do on the cost of living – trying to work to bring energy and food costs down, and make life easier in our area.
Common Sense for North East Derbyshire’s taxpayers: calling out the Labour District Council when they get it wrong
Back last May, Labour just managed to take control of North East Derbyshire District Council once again – and, already, they are making daft decisions which will come back to bite our area. From the outcry they caused when they tried to strip out keys parts of the redevelopment plan for Clay Cross, to the cancellation of the parking plan designed to alleviate under-capacity on estates to the recent approvals of greenbelt development, the Labour Party are again proving they can’t be trusted with power in North East Derbyshire. Along with LibDems, Independents and Greens who spend more time talking about national, rather than local issues, I am committed to standing up for common sense in North East Derbyshire. Where other parties get it right, I will say so. And, where they get it wrong, I will be your voice in calling it out.
Speaking up for North East Derbyshire’s residents: fighting for better quality local services
Getting things going again since covid has taken time and I’ve worked with local public service providers to try to improve things where residents have told me there have been problems. And I’ll keep doing that. Where GP services need to improve, like in Killamarsh, I’ll keep the pressure on. Where bus services are unreliable, like in Holymoorside, Staveley and elsewhere, I’ll keep pushing local bus companies to get better. Following the recent flooding in Clay Cross, Renishaw and New Whittington, I’ll fight to try to find real, long-term solutions. I won’t always win every battle – but I’ll try my hardest and I’ll always be in your corner. My job is to fight for you.