Well where do I start … to say the General Election announcement came as a surprise, would be an understatement, but I'm looking forward to the next six weeks, speaking with residents is my favourite part of the job, so I hope to see some of you soon!
This will be my last update as your MP during this Parliament. I hope to be able to resume these newsletters in July, but ultimately, that will be down to residents across the constituency.
Regardless of how the next few weeks play out, I hope you have found these newsletter updates informative and useful. I have tried to be as accessible and as communicative as possible over the last four years, I don't get everything right and sometimes you can never win in politics, but I can honestly say I have represented the constituency to the very best of my ability.
This edition contains all of my work as your MP during the month of May and a special thank you and recap of my work in office since I was elected in 2019.
Its now time for me to get my steps in, so thank you once again for giving me the greatest honour of my life, being your Member of Parliament.
Best wishes,
Mark
Thank You
It’s been the greatest honour of my life serving as your Member of Parliament over the last four years. We have experienced some incredibly challenging times like the Covid-19 Pandemic, war in Ukraine and the subsequent energy crisis. I am incredibly proud to be part of a Government that supported families throughout these difficult times with unprecedented financial support schemes, like furlough and paying up to 50% of our energy bills.
We have also made some great progress across the Bolsover constituency. Whether that’s returning post-16 provision to the area with a new sixth form, stopping HS2 with safeguarding to be lifted this summer, a new NHS dentist in Bolsover, £15 million in levelling-up funding, £40 million for new A&E’s at Chesterfield Royal and Bassetlaw Hospital, new community diagnostics centres, £47 million for better bus services like the new on-demand service for North Derbyshire, thousands of new jobs thanks to my campaign for the East Midlands Freeport and Investment Zones, £176 million for potholes, or the 351 extra police officers helping to keep our streets safe.
We’ve made real progress over the last few years despite the challenges nationally, and we’re not even halfway through our plan. I want to see our plan through.
That means continuing my campaigns for improvements to junctions 28 and 29 of the M1, a new school for Tibshelf, upgrades to Darfoulds Bridge and Treble Bob Roundabout, new rail links by reopening the Maid Marian Line, as well as improvements to the A617 and A61. Plus much more - I know there’s more work to do!
I’ll also continue to stand up for residents against the Council over inappropriate developments such as Clowne Garden Village or ridiculous tax rises on working families, like the 93% rise in Creswell.
I’ll also continue to be an active, hard-working, constituency focused MP. Just look at my work over the last four years. I’ve tirelessly campaigned on local projects both here and in Westminster. I’ve visited every community across our constituency and spoke to thousands of residents knocking on doors to listen to your views. And I’ve engaged with hundreds of businesses, schools, charities, community groups, and the various councils.
Thank you for your support over the past four and a half years. I have done my very best to represent every single constituent regardless of who you did or didn’t vote for. And I promise to do the same should I have the privilege of being re-elected. It’s a promise you can believe because I’ve made it before, and I’ve stuck to it.
It’s humbling when people tell me things have been different since you elected me. And like you, I don’t want to see our area neglected again.
Let’s see our local plan through and build a brighter future for local families across the Bolsover constituency.
Casework Update
Since 2019, my team and I have handled almost 30,000 cases for Bolsover residents, always aiming to resolve your issues or assist when other options were exhausted.
With the General Election called, I need to explain how this affects casework. This week, I will write to everyone with an open case.
My office will function normally until Wednesday. After that, I will no longer be your Member of Parliament, but a candidate. Public bodies like the council, NHS, Home Office, DVLA and many more won't be able to respond to me as they did before.
My team can only work on urgent cases until after the election, but the threshold for urgency is high, so they might not be able to help with many cases.
If I am re-elected, I will continue to support Bolsover residents with their casework as always and return to holding my regular constituent's surgeries as soon as possible.
Thank you for your understanding.
Inflation Falling
Inflation has fallen to 2.3% - the lowest level in three years. This is very welcome news which should further ease the burden on people and families across Bolsover. More evidence our economic plan is working and the economy is turning a corner after the challenges of recent years.
ONS figures show the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) rose by 2.3%, down from 3.2% in the 12 months to March.
Levelling-Up Funding Update
I'm pleased to be able to announce that earlier this week the amended plans for the £15 million regeneration funding I secured have been approved by the Department of Levelling-Up!
Here's what’s coming to Bolsover town:
- Transformation of the Co-Op area
- Redevelopment of the BCVS/Croft Vets building on Market Place
- Interior renovation of the White Swan for Community Use
- Extensive public realm improvements through the town centre
But that's not all! Funding will also benefit other parts of our district:
- Shopfront enhancement scheme offered across our High Streets and Market Places
- A new Green Skills Hub in Shirebrook
- Renovation of St Helen's Church Hall in Pinxton
- New Town Council building in Shirebrook Market Place
I'm committed to ensuring every part of our community thrives. I will continue to fight to secure similar levels of funding for our other towns and villages.
Awe & Wonder Room Opening at Stubbin Wood
I was pleased to join Sarah Baker, CEO of TEAM Education Trust, in officially opening Stubbin Wood School's new Awe and Wonder classroom. As the MP for Bolsover, I've witnessed first-hand the Trust's commitment to SEN education and community engagement in Shirebrook, and across our constituency. The new state-of-the-art classroom boasts 21st-century sensory learning, complete with captivating technology.
From a giant pterodactyl model hanging from the ceiling to interactive robots, it's an exciting addition to the school that promises to inspire students and promote inclusivity. I'm looking forward to seeing how the space further develops aspirations in STEM through exploration and innovation. This marks a significant step forward in providing our SEN young people with the best opportunities to understand and appreciate the world around them.
Clowne Garden Village Update
I have just written to Derbyshire County Council, as a statutory consultee in the planning process, to request further analysis be conducted into flooding concerns and the impact of 1,800 houses on the local road network.
It seems staggering to me that one of the core considerations for approving an application (its impact on local infrastructure) is being based on data from traffic surveys over 6 years ago, when the number of houses - and therefore cars - has increased significantly during this time.
I’ve also asked for further analysis into residents concerns around flooding and Harlesthorpe Dam, especially after we saw the impact of the storms on Clowne over the Autumn-Winter months.
I’ll update residents further as soon as I receive a response.
Youth Market in Bolsover
It was brilliant to meet so many young and talented entrepreneurs at the recent youth market in Bolsover Town Square. A fantastic initiative from Old Bolsover Town Council in their newly refurbished square. I hope this will be the first of many such events.
Nuclear Test Veterans Event
I was honoured to be invited to the British Nuclear Test Veteran medal presentation event this morning at Chesterfield’s Masonic Hall by my constituent, Denise Ward, daughter of Corporal John Ward, who took part in Operation Grapple on Christmas Island between 1957 and 1959.
The medals were presented by Mrs Elizabeth Fothergill CBE HM Lord-Lieutenant of Derbyshire to some of our local veterans who served on Operation Grapple - Corporal John Ward, Marine Roy Richardson, Lance Corporal Jim Thompson, Lance Corporal Anthony Judge and Mrs Shirley Cleal on behalf of her late husband, Officer Michael Cleal.
North East Derbyshire MP Lee Rowley, also attended along with family and friends of those being awarded.
Thank you to Denise for her hardwork and dedication in creating this extremely special ceremony for our veterans.
Rok-Ard Kickboxing and SNaP Youth
I had some great fun earlier this month at The Post Mill Centre supporting Rok-Ard Kickboxing and SNaP Youth with their 50/50 fundraiser. They completed a 12 hour spar to raise funds for keeping their youth groups going with cakes, tombola, raffle and sparring. Thank you to Georgina for the invite and for being kind on me!
Support for Local Farmers
I know farmers across Bolsover, and the country, are facing big challenges, which is why I invited Farming Minister, Sir Mark Spencer MP, to Calow to meet with some of our local Farmers a few weeks ago, and have made it clear the Government must continue to do all it can to support British farmers and protect our domestic food production.
I'm delighted to see the Government’s new plans to support British farmers, helping to boost domestic food production and support food security across the UK. New measures include the first ever UK Food Security Index, a new plan for the fruit and vegetable sector, cutting red tape on British farming businesses, investing in farming resilience and ensuring supply chain fairness.
It is hugely important that farmers get a fair price for their products, so I was pleased to see them announce the next steps in the supply chain reviews for eggs, fresh produce and pigs. In all three sectors legislation will be introduced to enhance fairness and transparency, and a new Supply Chain Adjudicator who will be appointed to focus on ensuring fairness in the supply chain is being effectively enforced.
Although we can, and will, go further, these steps will start to make a huge difference to farmers across Bolsover and help protect British farming for generations to come.
National Grid – Pylon Consultation
National Grid are asking people for their views on a new overhead electricity line between a new substation at Chesterfield and the existing Willington substation in Derbyshire.
They’re proposing to build approximately 60 km of new 400 kV overhead electricity line between Chesterfield and Willington to allow them to carry more energy between the North of England and the Midlands.
**The proposed route will run through the Bolsover Constituency in the ‘Chesterfield to Stretton’ section, which potentially affects Calow, Sutton Scarsdale, Heath, Ault Hucknall, Lower Pilsley and Pilsley.
And then the ‘Stretton to Ripley’ section, which potentially affects Woolley Moor, Higham, Shirland and Wessington.**
You can find more information and have your say by visiting: nationalgrid.com/chesterfieldtowillington
The consultation is now open and will close on 9 July.
For more info and to have your say, visit: nationalgrid.com/chesterfieldtowillington
Potholes in Shirebrook
I have received a number of work notifications from Derbyshire County Council for potholes on the following roads: Central Drive, Main Street, Little Lane, Park Road, Laburnum Avenue, and Springfield Avenue.
I know this has taken longer than we would all have liked, but I’m glad they’re finally being fixed. Please rest assured I’ll keep pushing the County Council on other potholes across Shirebrook and the wider constituency.
Just driving around the patch the roads do seem in a much better state than a few months ago, but please do keep letting me know about the roads in your area and I’ll work to get them fixed.
Rolls Royce - Sheffield
Great news that Rolls Royce will be building a new Small Modular Reactor manufacturing facility in Sheffield, bringing millions in investment & providing high quality jobs locally.
The UK will be one of the first countries to have this new cheap energy up and running. This is exciting times for our region as we are at the heart of world-leading industries in energy and nuclear technology, like SMR and the STEP Fusion site right next door in North Nottinghamshire.
Energy Price Cap Reduced
The plan is working - Ofgem have announced a further reduction in the Energy Price Cap meaning households will pay less for their electricity and gas this summer.
From 1 July to 30 September the price for energy a typical household who use electricity and gas and pay by Direct Debit will go down to £1568 per year. This is £122 per year lower than the price cap set from 1 April to 30 June 2024 (£1690), and is far far lower than the £2,500 cap set in September 2022.
I understand householder's concerns about the continued high level of the Standing Charge - there is a consultation about whether to remove Standing Charges which is currently under consideration by the regulator and the results will be published in the Summer.
