Following the torrential downpour that started on Wednesday evening there was flooding in parts of Broxtowe, this was particularly severe in Beeston, Attenborough, Trowell and Bramcote. I would like to say a massive thank you to all of the councillors for all of their efforts, both on the ground and virtually, in coordinating the effort to support local residents and businesses here in Broxtowe. I have had constructive conversations with Nottinghamshire County Council, Broxtowe Borough Council and the Environment Agency and they have informed me that they have been working with local residents and businesses on the ground. As you can see from the video below, Councillors Richard Jackson and Eric Kerry are amongst those doing excellent work to support the local community. Here is a link to the grants available to those affected by the floods.
I am keen to be in contact with the residents who have been the hardest hit, personally, to offer my support. Please feel free to contact me by phone or email, writing ‘flooding’ in the subject line. I would like to reiterate my commitment to supporting everyone in Broxtowe as best as I can. From the floods to the national response to COVID-19, this has been a challenging year for the people of Broxtowe, but I am confident that we can work together to ensure our community is supported. I will keep you updated of my efforts to ensure the Government is supporting the people most affected by these floods. I have submitted a number of written questions to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government which can be viewed here. I am hosting virtual surgeries every other Saturday; if you would like an appointment, please do not hesitate to get in touch and include all of your details and a summary of what I may help you with.
Businesses are the backbone of our economy and I am keen to ensure they are supported and represented in Parliament and to the Government. This week, I have virtually met with a number of small local businesses to discuss grants and how they are preparing to reopen in the coming weeks. I also spoke to Seb James and Tricia Kennerley from Boots today to hear about how they have kept their stores open in these challenging times and what I can do to help them prepare for the future. On Monday, I will be participating in a Federation for Small Business (FSB) event called Boosting Small Business in Broxtowe. The key aim is to bring together key policy makers to discuss and examine how local entrepreneurs in the borough can be helped during COVID-19 and after. On the panel with me will be Broxtowe Borough Council's Leader, Milan Radulovic MBE, and Jason Pacey, Senior Engagement Manager for HS2, who will provide an update on progress and plans for the HS2 East Midlands Hub in Toton and the benefits that local small business could gain from the project long-term. If you would like to know more or sign up, please visit this link.
On the topic of HS2, on 15th June 2020, I had a meeting with two local residents to discuss how my team and I can help them with compensation and mitigation in relation to HS2. I am absolutely committed to supporting everyone who is affected by HS2 in Broxtowe, and I am here to help you receive the compensation you deserve. Please do contact me if you believe that I can help you with this, writing 'HS2 Compensation' in the subject line.
I made ‘Investing in our High Streets’ one of my core priorities during the last general election campaign; regenerating town centres and local businesses is a core part of my 6-point plan for Broxtowe. Now more than ever, because of COVID-19, our high streets are going to need all the investment they can get, and we need to support local businesses. I have been driving forward the Towns Fund agenda in Parliament to ensure that Broxtowe is not left behind. I am in regular contact with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) in pushing forward the Stapleford Towns Fund. I am really pleased that on 15th June 2020 the Department published its Towns Fund guidance. The link to the guidance can be found here. I will be pushing for the Town Deal Board and Broxtowe Borough Council to have the Town Investment Plan ready to submit for the October 2020 cohort.
On a lighter note, it brought me great pleasure to be back at the Canalside Heritage Centre (CHC) this afternoon as they have now resumed a takeaway service. I recently wrote to Nicola Wood, the manager, to offer my support for securing funding for the CHC - to ensure future generations may enjoy it as much as my wife and I do - and was thrilled to catch up today over a socially distanced coffee and cheese scone!
Stay safe,
Darren