27 October 2023
Visit to Peels Farm, Rocklands – Mid Norfolk NFU meeting

Farming is one of our region’s most vital sectors and, having grown up on my stepfather’s farm and represented a largely rural constituency for over thirteen years, I have always placed great importance on supporting our local agricultural industries.

That’s why I was delighted to visit Peels Farm in Rocklands again this past week to meet with members of the local Mid Norfolk NFU and discuss a range of issues from:

  • Farm Diversification and Renewable Energy Production
  • Farming skills training for local people
  • Bird Flu (Avian Influenza)
  • Biological Controls and Protections
  • The impact of road closures on agricultural businesses

Our farmers not only produce the food we eat, they also play a key role in protecting and enhancing the landscapes and habitats that make our area such a nice place to live. I am determined to do all I can to ensure our local farmers, who know their land best and have a wealth of farming expertise, are heard at the very highest levels.

Rest assured, I will continue to fight for East Anglian farming here in Norfolk, and in Westminster.

To find out more about my previous campaign work on these issues, please visit my ‘Food, Farming and the Environment’ campaign page here

26 October 2023
Visit to H Young Structures

Norfolk (and the East) is home to some of the most exciting businesses across science, research, innovation, technology and innovation – but too few policymakers in Whitehall are aware of the breadth of this expertise and enterprise which is driving huge economic opportunities in our part of the world.

That’s why I try and visit one of these businesses every Constituency Friday – as part of my determined effort to put the Norfolk Innovation Economy firmly on the map.

This past Friday, I was delighted to visit H Young Structures in Wymondham – a fantastic company specialising in the highest quality steelwork and precision engineering. It was a pleasure to meet with Barry Tipple, their Commercial Director, and learn more about the sector leading work their staff do each and every day – including on major infrastructure projects across the UK.

A part of the brilliant Ayton Road industrial estate engineering cluster for the past 28 years, H Young Structures provide highly skilled jobs and opportunities to local people – and I welcomed the chance to see their team in action, in addition to their new HiSpan facility under construction across the road.

If we are to unlock economic growth and spread prosperity in our area, creating the jobs of tomorrow for our local people and breathing fresh life and investment into our local communities, we must be better at telling the world that there is more to East Anglia than Cambridge and highlight world class high growth businesses like H Young Structures.

Rest assured, I am committed to doing just that – championing our Norfolk Innovation Economy.

To learn more about my campaign work on this issue, please visit my campaign page here

To find out more about my visit to H Young Structures, please see the video below.

25 October 2023
Attleborough Flooding

Storm Babet has reminded us again why we must continue to take flooding seriously.

Attleborough was one of several Mid Norfolk communities badly impacted, with severe flooding on Mill Lane, Norwich Road, Ferguson Way and other nearby streets. For some, it was the fourth time they had been flooded in 30 years – and the second time in just under three years. I appreciate, and share, the immense anger and frustration felt by those that have been forced to leave their homes as a result of the damage suffered this past weekend.

That’s why I held an emergency meeting today with Norfolk County Council and their Norfolk Strategic Flooding Alliance, Anglian Water and Breckland District Council to get to the bottom of what is causing the flooding at the watercourse and culvert on Mill Lane, as well as ensure that those with statutory flooding responsibilities come together and develop an urgent action plan.

While NCC began working on proposals to address flooding at this location in light of the December 2020 flooding, Storm Babet has brought into sharper focus the need to upscale and accelerate those proposals, and address other issues such as questions around which authority is responsible for the culvert and watercourse and therefore who should be maintaining them.

I had made clear that there needs to be:

  1. A proper plan for ensuring affected residents (and the wider community) are protected from further flooding this winter.
  2. An acceleration and upscaling of efforts to put in place a long term solution.
  3. A proper plan for who is going to be responsible for this culvert and watercourse in due course.
  4. Agreement on who is going to keep the culvert and watercourse clear NOW – while the longer term plan is being developed and implemented.

I am in close contact with local district councillors and a number of those worst affected by the flooding and am determined to help them work with key stakeholders to develop a solution.

We must see action. This must not be allowed to happen again. And residents should not be risking their own safety to try and keep this culvert clear during storms and heavy rainfall.

More widely, I will be reconvening the Mid Norfolk Flood Partnership I established as a result of the Winter 2020/21 flooding to help support those affected by Storm Babet and ensure our communities have the strongest possible voice heading into this autumn/winter.

Rest assured, I will continue to support councillors and residents in the days, weeks and months ahead.

To see my Flooding Update earlier this week, please click here

To find out more about my historic campaign work on flooding, please visit my campaign page here

25 October 2023
Visit to Hethel Engineering Centre

Norfolk and the East are at the forefront of some of the most exciting sectors of tomorrow – across science, research, innovation, technology and engineering.

That’s why, throughout my time as an MP, I have done my utmost to put the Norfolk Innovation economy on the map. (See my campaign page here).

These sectors are already spreading prosperity in our area, creating the jobs of tomorrow for our local people and increasingly seeing more and more exciting businesses “spinning-out” and establishing themselves in our local towns and villages, breathing fresh life into our communities and services.

I am determined to ensure our area grips those opportunities, which is why I was delighted to visit the Hethel Engineering Centre again this past week to meet with their CEO Alice Reeve.

Hethel is one of a number of fantastic hubs driving this revolution in our area and it was great to discuss with Alice how we can better support that growth in the months and years to come.

To find out more, please see the video below.

24 October 2023
RSHE Content

Who is ultimately responsible for the health and welfare of children? The state? Schools and teachers? Parents?

We all have a role but for me it’s parents. It’s not fair on teachers or school to expect them to provide all of the parenting some parents don’t.

It cuts both ways. Parents have rights and responsibilities too – and for me the right to know what schools are teaching our children (especially about gender, sex and religion) is one of them.

Happily most schools and teachers get this right – with few complaints here in Mid Norfolk – but I support making clear that parents who are concerned can see the material.

To find out more about the Government’s announcement, please visit the Gov.uk website here.

23 October 2023
Flooding – Storm Babet Update

Flooding has long been a concern for many in our part of Norfolk – which is why it has been a major campaign of mine throughout my time as the local MP.

Over the years, I have supported a number of households, businesses and communities affected by local flooding and, in response to the awful flooding during the winter of 2020/21, I established the Mid Norfolk Flood Partnership – to give local councillors, community groups and affected individuals a stronger voice and hold the authorities responsible for flooding response and water management more firmly to account. I have been proud of the progress made to date, but continue to support my Mid Norfolk communities as we work to ensure these problems are treated with the seriousness they deserve.

(Full details of all my work can be found on my website campaign page here – including the list of 14 recommendations developed by the MNFP, which were almost entirely adopted by Norfolk County Council’s then newly formed Norfolk Strategic Flooding Alliance and have since formed the basis of much of the positive work being done across the county to improve future flood responses and strengthen long term flooding resilience)

Storm Babet has shown again why we must not be complacent – and brings into even sharper focus the importance of local services like the Norfolk Urban Search and Rescue team that I helped secure a funding extension for earlier this year. (See more here and here)

In the past few days, I have been in contact with several affected individuals, as well as their local councillors, and continue to offer what advice and support I can.

I intend to reconvene the Mid Norfolk Flood Partnership for another summit with Norfolk County Council, Anglian Water and the Environment Agency – and will continue to ensure Mid Norfolk’s voice is being heard at the highest levels.

While I am pleased that various Mid Norfolk flooding “blackspots” (Necton, Watton, Saham Toney, Mattishall, Yaxham, Cranworth, Dereham and Shipdham) have been included in the NSFA’s early tranches for improved support following individual and MNFP representations, there is still much more work to be done. I am determined to do all I can to help ensure all our local flooding “blackspots” are getting the attention they require – with more done to improve our overall flood resilience too.

If YOU have been affected by the awful rainfall over recent days, please visit the Norfolk Strategic Flooding Alliance’s website here and/or call the Norfolk Flood Helpline (that the MNFP recommended be established) on 0344 800 8013 – where you will be able to access urgent support.

To see more about my work, please see the video below.

20 October 2023
Wymondham Railway Underpass Improvements

The Wymondham Railway underpass has long been a serious “bottleneck” causing traffic disruption and putting pedestrians and cyclists at risk.

That’s why I welcomed the commencement of works this month to deliver improvements at this vitally important location in the town.

A decade ago, I wholeheartedly supported South Norfolk Council as they worked to protect the Tiffey Valley and ensure new housing was instead located to the south of the town close to the railway line and A11. As part of that work, South Norfolk secured a commitment that the developers would address this problem “hotspot” and construct a new subway that better supported drivers, pedestrians and cyclists.

Enabling works for the building of a new, additional subway located between Wymondham Station and the Station Road Railway Underpass have now finally begun – with the existing footpath under the Station Road Underpass also being removed, helping to enhance the flow of traffic.

Full construction of the new subway and completion of the works should be completed by the end of 2024.

This is hugely positive news and I remain committed to working with South Norfolk Council as they work to deliver further improvements at this location.

I also continue to work with South Norfolk on the Wymondham Station Access issue at Platform 2 – which I believe should be Step 1 of a wider regeneration plan for the entire Station site. (More information can be found on my campaign page here)

To find out more about my wider campaign work on Road and Rail Improvements in our region, please click here and here.