I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and New Year and had some time off with family and friends to celebrate and reconnect. I loved being with Rotarians and their guests on the 25th for their Alone at Christmas event.
It’s now back to work in earnest and a new year lies before us. I am certain it will be a general election year too.
Here in Eastbourne much of the work and investment I have championed is coming closer to fruition.
2024 will see substantial progress on the building of a new elective hub at DGH which will deliver 8,453 operations a year and represents the first wave of new hospital development.
Almost £20 million of Levelling Up money awarded to Eastbourne by the government will also make its mark as Black Robin Farm begins its transformation to a world class destination. The time on the background preparatory work has felt like an age.
This year should see further progress on my campaign to see Eastbourne’s sea bathing water move towards excellent. Late last year our rating was upgraded to ‘good’ thanks to fixing misconnected pipes.
But we have stubborn challenges, and one is housing, both availability and affordability of rental properties and opening up the market to home ownership. We need a new year of new homes on brownfield council sites like Bedfordwell Road.
More immediately, I will be picking up the bus lane proposal which has caused such consternation for businesses and residents in Seaside and also concerns over plans to change paediatric pathways at the DGH which having a child with complex medical needs myself, I understand all too well.
On New Year’s resolutions, mine is to get fit – again! Maybe joining the gym at Meads Sports Centre will be the value-added I need for motivation? This important community asset will need new members for life beyond Brighton University’s campus closure.
Whatever this year holds for you, I stand ready to support you in any way I can. 2024 marks the start of my 7th year as your Member of Parliament and it is an honour to do so.
I return to Parliament next week but also very much looking forward to welcoming Coronation ‘sword-bearer’ and Commons Leader Penny Mordaunt MP to Eastbourne in the new year too.
