I hope you and your loved ones are keeping safe and well.

This has been a varied - but positive - week for me in Parliament and Broxtowe and plans are well under way for a busy summer recess in the Constituency.

On Tuesday, I hosted a virtual coffee morning to coincide with the #TimeIsNow lobby. There were lots of interesting views about what we can do personally, locally and nationally to make Broxtowe a more environmentally friendly place to work and live. My team and I have been thinking about what we can do at a lower level to make our office eco-friendlier too - such as using less paper or cutting down on plastic use - and I would be keen to hear your ideas on what you have done at home or at work to make a small difference!

I am also pleased that two schools in Bramcote - Foxwood Academy and Alderman White School - have been awarded funding as part of this round of the Government’s Condition Improvement Fund allocation to continue maintenance work. This is part of a £434 million fund and is hopefully the start of positive news for local schools and students following the Government’s announcement this week that over £1 billion will be invested in new projects and upgrading existing facilities. I look forward to supporting local schools with their applications.

Broxtowe Borough Council has also been in touch with me to raise awareness of surveys they are running to hear your views; this is a chance for you to say how our local area can recover from this pandemic and your thoughts would be valued. I would encourage you to take part in the following:

-        Business Views for Broxtowe’s Recovery Plan (Deadline - 31^st July 2020)

-        Stapleford Towns Deal Masterplan Consultation Survey (Deadline - 17^th July 2020)

I have also been contacted by many residents who are concerned about the long-term future of Kimberley’s Leisure Centre. I recognise how important the Leisure Centre is to residents in Kimberley and have heard many stories about how it is where some of you learned to swim as children, including my wife, and now take your own children there too - as one resident said it is a ‘vital cog’ in our community. Like many of you, I am glad that Broxtowe Borough Council and East Midlands Education Trust have confirmed that negotiations have started positively but I understand that some of you are worried that your interests may be overlooked in the negotiations. To ensure your voices are heard, I have created an online consultation which I will present to Broxtowe Borough Council for consideration. If you would like to know more, or to take part in the consultation, please click here. 

On a final note, pubs, hair salons and much more across Broxtowe are opening this weekend. I know they have struggled in this pandemic so please continue to support local businesses as much as possible. If you have any questions about the new guidance, please visit the Government's official FAQs. 

I wish you all a lovely weekend - please remember to enjoy summer safely!