This week, this Conservative government announced our plan to spend 2.5% of GDP on defence by 2030. This increase in defence spending starts from now and will mean an extra £75 billion over the next six years, making the UK the biggest defence power in Europe, second only to the US in NATO.
Thank you to Rail Minister, Huw Merriman, for meeting with me and Cllr John Cope at Walton Station to celebrate the new footbridge with lifts, funded by the Government’s £390 million ‘Access for All’ scheme.
Elmbridge Rentstart has a great track record of working with landlords to get homeless people into rented accommodation. It was valuable to meet with them recently both in their office in Walton and up in Westminster to hear more about what we can do to end homelessness in Elmbridge.
In July 2022, I reached an agreement with Elmbridge Borough Council to invest a share of £260,000 from the government funded UK Shared Prosperity Fund to upgrade West Molesey, Grovelands and Hurst Pool parks.
I recently stopped by Thames Ditton Community Centre to meet with Boomerang Bags and Men in Sheds based at the centre. It was great to see so many people coming together and hear how much these community groups mean to local people.
Great to hear that this Conservative Government is investing £150,000 in local business, Fumb Games, to help the company hire more staff, secure publishing deals, and unlock more private investment.
Prior to the previous Labour government, fuel poverty in England was at 13.5% in 1996. By the end of the Labour government in 2010, this had risen to 22%. Last year, under the Conservatives, the fuel poverty rate in England fell back to 13%.
It was great to stop by Church Road to check in on the works to install road safety improvements, including a zebra crossing, outside St Lawrence Junior School.
Great news that the Government is investing £131,284 in Xcel swimming pool in Walton, giving more people the opportunity to swim. The investment will fund PV panels and new pool covers, relieving financial pressure by reducing running costs.
