Rachel is making progress in delivering on the priorities she set out at the beginning of 2023.
The 11 clear priorities are:
- Support constituents with the cost of living.
- To get the Garden Suite back to the Alex before 2024.
- Fight to return a maternity and children’s service.
- Ensure the Acute Trust delivers the promised investment in the Alex.
- Back policies to Level Up Redditch.
- Continue work to tackle violence against women and girls.
- Work with local and national government to secure the future of bus travel.
- Back policies to tackle illegal immigration and to end the small boat crossings.
- Support policies to tackle climate change.
- Improving mobile and broadband connectivity across the constituency.
- Ensure schools in Redditch continue to receive more funding.
Here's what Rachel has achieved so far this year:
Support constituents with the cost of living
Rachel has backed Government measures to support constituents with the cost of living and held cost of living drop-in events across Redditch.
This includes the Energy Bills Support Scheme which gave every household in Redditch and the villages a £400 discount on their bills for winter 2022 and 2023, the Energy Price Guarantee which reduced the typical household energy bill for dual-fuel gas and electricity households, a £400 payment for those living in a park, mobile or care home, or off the electricity grid, and a £200 payment for households off the gas grid using alternative fuel sources.
To get the Garden Suite back to the Alex before 2024
Rachel has secured the return of the Garden Suite Chemotherapy Unit to the Alexandra Hospital. The service is now back at the hospital and treating patients.
Fight to return a maternity and children’s service
Rachel is continuing the fight to return a maternity and children’s service by backing a plan to train doctors in Worcestershire. She has also published a Long-Term Plan for the Delivery of Health and Social Care in Redditch and the Villages which sets out how Rachel believes these services can be returned to the Alex.
Ensure the Acute Trust delivers the promised investment in the Alex
The multi-million-pound operating theatre complex is under construction at the Alex and is due to open in September 2023.
The Government is also investing £3.9 million in the Alex to expand endoscopy services. The work due to be completed by the end of 2023.
Back policies to Level Up Redditch
£800,000 in Government funding has been secured for Your Ideas to Level Up Redditch. The funding boost will be used to transform Your Ideas’ Bengrove Close site in Woodrow. Planning permission has already been secured to redevelop this site. Rachel threw her support behind Your Ideas’ Youth Investment Fund bid and worked hard to lobby Ministers to secure this funding.
Continue work to tackle violence against women and girls
Rachel helped to secure tougher sentences for domestic abusers who kill their partners or ex-partners. The law will be changed so a history of coercive or controlling behaviour against the victim or the use of excessive or gratuitous violence are made aggravating factors in sentencing decisions for murder.
The Government is also making progress in improving the criminal justice system response to rape.
Work with local & national government to secure the future of bus travel
£1.4 million in Government funding has been secured to support local bus services.
The Government has also extended the scheme to cap single bus fares at £2 until October 2023. With Diamond Bus taking part in the scheme, bus users in Redditch can benefit from the fare cap.
Back policies to tackle illegal immigration & to stop the boats
Rachel voted for the Illegal Migration Act to stop the boats. It has now become law.
The Illegal Migration Act will remove any incentive for someone to come to the UK illegally. if someone enters the UK illegally, they will be detained immediately and removed to a safe country within weeks – with no ability to make spurious and late claims to frustrate removal.
Support policies to tackle climate change
To help meet our net zero targets, £1.6 million in Government funding has been secured to boost the heating efficiency of council homes in Redditch.
The Government has launched Great British Nuclear to boost our energy security, grow the economy and provide better opportunities to build and invest in UK Nuclear.
The Government has also taken steps through a £170 million investment to speed up construction work at Sizewell C Nuclear Power Station.
Improving mobile and broadband connectivity across the constituency
Rachel has stepped up her efforts to secure mobile connectivity improvements by writing to Ofcom and mobile network operators following the results of her survey.
Ensure schools in Redditch continue to receive more funding
Delivered £2.1 million in extra funding for schools in Redditch and the Villages. Two schools in Redditch have also received a share of £450 million to improve buildings.
Rachel said:
"Others can often overcomplicate politics, but for me it’s really quite simple: get on, do the job and deliver results – that’s how I’ve always operated as your MP.
“And delivering results is exactly what I’ve been doing. Now we’re more than halfway through 2023, I’m proud to look back and say that I’m delivering on all of the priorities I set out at the beginning of the year.
“This includes securing the return of the Garden Suite and more investment in the Alex, levelling up school funding, more money for local bus services, backing policies to tackle illegal migration and much more. I could go on!
“It remains the honour of my life to be your MP and I’ll keep working flat out to deliver on the promises I have made to you.”
