In the Local Area

I’m back down to Parliament today for a busy week.

Some of the things I’ll be doing include being in the chamber for Gen Kitchen being sworn in – after winning the by-election in Wellingborough last week, I’ll be meeting with Severn Trent Water regarding the expansion of Chesterfield Canal, attending a meeting around unlocking infrastructure in the East Midlands, and attempting to speak in the debate on Palestine and Israel, amongst attending many other events, meetings and debates before I am back up in Chesterfield later in the week.

We’ve been talking about the issues at the Erin Landfill for some time, but the smells recently in Poolsbrook and Duckmanton are worse than local people have known.

I spoke to Cllr Anne Frances Hayes and Channi Khera about the issues.

We urge the Environmental Agency and Valencia to deliver on the promises they have made to local people.

Many businesses at the First Stage Business Park have found that they are not eligible for the small grant that the Government are providing. The Government say they don’t want to reward bad business practices but many of these businesses could not get flood insurance because of the history of flooding.

Tune in to ITV Calendar tonight to see more.

I signed Chesterfield Borough Council’s Holocaust Memorial Book of Condolence at the Town Hall. You can sign the book at the Town Hall between now and Friday ahead of Holocaust Memorial Day on Saturday 27th January.

Today is #NationalPotholeDay

Derbyshire has recently been named the worst area in the whole of England for potholes.

Far too often, we see the same stretch of road being closed numerous times so that different organisations – such as highways, broadband installers and utility companies – dig up our roads, needing repeated closures or temporary traffic lights.

We also need proper repairs to our roads, rather than this sticking plaster approach to potholes that again means the Highways Team have to complete the same repairs over and over.

I have written to Derbyshire County Council calling for a different infrastructure strategy to improve road safety and reduce the disruption to local roads. I have also written to the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities urging the Government to give the County a fairer share of funds being allocated for pothole repairs.

Everyone is fed up with the chaos on our roads that the County Council are presiding over. We all appreciate the challenging weather, but these are longstanding problems with mismanagement and council policy. We need a long-term strategy rather than this constant firefighting and disruption.

Last week I visited Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice. They support families with children with life-limiting conditions across Derbyshire. Watch this short film to learn more.

I’m back down in Parliament today where I am hoping to get an opportunity to raise the floods that have taken place this weekend. I’ll be looking to raise with the Environment Secretary about the response from the Environment Agency, about the warnings that took place in advance and also to try and understand why all the flood remediation works that had been put in place hadn’t actually worked.

I’ll be doing the parliamentary part of my job today and then back to Chesterfield as soon as I can to make sure that I am aware of the situation that’s ongoing because we don’t want people feeling abandoned.

If anyone does feel they need help, they aren’t getting the help they need, they can still contact my Office and we’ll be there to respond as quickly as we can.

Interviewing Paul and Sarah from Lifehouse Church about their day supporting flood victims in Chesterfield

Careless and thoughtless pavement parking might take a second, but Penny on Guide Dogs UK stand at the Labour Party Conference explains for a blind person it can mean terror, a day ruined and a dangerous dash onto a busy road.

6 Macmillan Coffee Morning visits, scores of volunteers, 6 teas, several cakes, another inch on the waistline, but great pride in the work people across Chesterforld have put in to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support

Chesterfield hedgehog rescue & rehabilitation is an incredibly important organisation. Hedgehogs need support. They’re so important and they are so endangered.

I met with Donna Hatton from Chesterfield Hedgehog Rescue and Rehabilitation to see the work she is doing and discuss the challenges she is facing.

If you’re able to support Donna’s charity please visit the organisation’s Facebook page and give it any support you possibly can.

A number of constituents have contacted me about the Robinson’s site. I recently met with Guy Robinson regarding plans for the site. See my update here.

This Saturday and Sunday Staveley Canal Basin hosts the Staveley Canal Festival. I spoke to Mark Potter, from the Chesterfield Canal Trust and Tricia Gilby for Brimington and Tapton to look ahead to the weekend’s festivities.

This Saturday is Small Business Saturday. I have been inviting people across Chesterfield to nominate their favourite small businesses and we’ve had a number of different businesses nominated.

I’m going to be going out on Small Business Saturday to highlight all of those great places to do your Christmas shopping. We don’t need everyone on the internet buying from the massive companies when we have got so many great retailers around Chesterfield.

Many People in Chesterfield have been asking about booster vaccine availability.

I had a long conversation about it today and thisis the full local picture

I spoke to Derbyshire CCG this afternoon and they had not been given the assurances needed to deliver the expansion of the Booster Programme the Prime Minister promised yesterday.

I have just raised their concerns with Sajid Javid – here’s what he had to say

I visited the Stagecoach depot in Chesterfield today where we discussed their efforts to increase recruitment to address staff shortages.

I also got the chance to drive a bus. Anyone fancy me driving the number 39 next week?

With Gaz Jackson, from National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) discussing their compaign to improve staff wages and end the bus driver shortage here in Chesterfield. I have also spoken to Stagecoach today and I hope they can agree a deal so that industrial action is averted.

This year it is important that as many people as possible receive the flu jab. I went to Peak Pharmacy to get mine and discussed why this year’s rollout was so critical.

Today I visited Juniper Training, a provider of training and apprenticeships in Chesterfield.

I discussed Labour’s wage subsidy idea and challenges and opportunities in apprenticeships with management and learners.

Proud to give my support to @AoC_info #LoveOurColleges Week.

Colleges are the heart of our communities and essential to our post-Covid recovery #CollegesWeek During #LoveOurColleges Week I’d like to pay tribute to our FE colleges who perform sterling work in the face of a decade of govt cuts #CollegesWeek

Labour want Colleges to have the resources they need to help lead Britain out of a jobs crisis. That’s why we #loveourcolleges #collegesweek

Toby Perkins’ message to local people after the news earlier that Chesterfield will move to the High Covid alert level from midnight on Friday.

Toby Perkins visits Chesterfield College on GCSE results day but is woried about the delays to BTEC results being released

Toby Perkins, , gives his views on Adoption UK’s Better Futures report and what needs to be done to properly support adopted young people in education.

Toby Perkins visits the Coronavirus Testing Centre at the Proact Stadium which has just opened for the general public

Ross Kemp visited Chesterfield to show his support for Toby Perkins ahead of the General Election.