As this is my final column of 2025, it is an opportunity to look back at the year. One of the most important and rewarding parts of my role is helping constituents. Over the last 12 months, I have received and responded to 15,000 emails covering individual casework requests, as well as policy issues.
A huge range of topics have been covered. Some of the most frequent were QEH, dentistry, cost of living pressures, the Budget, special educational needs, housing, Anglian Water and pollution, winter fuel payments, solar and pylons projects, anti-social behaviour, and even unfortunately rats.
While I cannot guarantee being able to resolve everyone’s issues, I and my hardworking team will do all we can to help. Some highlights include getting a state pension reinstated and backdated, helping people get medical appointments in a timely fashion, and saving a local business over £10,000 on rates.
My top priority remains the QEH and we have continued to make progress albeit it slower than I would like. In April, the health minister guaranteed to me funding of up to £1.5 billion was secure. When I met the Norfolk and Waveney NHS Group Chief Executive and the Chief Delivery Officer recently, I was assured work on relocating the bus station to enable the car park work to begin is on track for February. The latest report saying the hospital is safe beyond 2030 does not mean there is time to waste – the Health Secretary’s decision to delay the new hospital by two years is a mistake and we need to get on with it as soon as possible.
It has been a challenging time in the economy with businesses struggling with higher national insurance costs. Nonetheless, firms are showing resilience and unemployment locally is below the national average. Unfortunately, the Budget put up taxes again and the business rates raid on hospitality firms will threaten their viability – as I said to the Chancellor last week, she must rethink these plans.
I am grateful to the thousands of people who have responded to my surveys. Through my mobile and broadband survey, I helped secure commitments to improved coverage including along the coast and in Hunstanton. The results of my energy infrastructure survey will be used with National Grid and ministers to try and influence plans for pylons and substations. My train survey has been used with Great Northern and Network Rail to highlight issues from punctuality to toilets out of use and recognition of the need for improvements.
A welcome development was improved bathing water classifications with sufficient for Heacham, as well as good for Hunstanton. While some just point at the problem, since the poor rating was given at Heacham I have worked with the Environment Agency, council, Anglian Water and others to tackle the issues. This is good news for locals and visitors alike as well as our hospitality business.
The £25 million Town Deal agreed with the last Conservative government is now coming to fruition. The new King’s Lynn library is set to open early next year. The restoration work has begun on Shakespeare’s St. George’s Guildhall. With a further £20 million approved for the town, next year will see the opportunity for local people to shape more projects.
In Parliament, I have spoken in debates and asked questions on a range of issues from the economy, healthcare, hospitality, energy infrastructure, farming, the environment, cost of living, welfare reform, crime and justice, defence and security, homelessness, policing, through to transport.
So, as for everyone, it has been a busy year and I look forward to next year and continuing to be a strong local voice for North West Norfolk in Westminster.
