Despite Parliament being in recess, this has been another busy and challenging week for Broxtowe. From 0.01 am this morning (Friday 30th October), the entire County of Nottinghamshire went into the Very High (Tier 3) COVID-19 Alert Level, resulting in new restrictions for local residents and businesses.
This is a serious elevation of status and it is not a step taken lightly. We need to protect our families, our loved ones, our communities, and maintain the capacity in Nottingham University Hospitals so we can help those in need.
Listening to people in Broxtowe, I know that for every person who does not support us entering Tier 3, there are just as many people who wish we entered it a while ago.
This is a tough time for us, but let us work together in Broxtowe, and we will get through this. For the full guidance on the restrictions now in place across Nottinghamshire please click on the link below:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/local-covid-alert-level-very-high-nottinghamshire
The additional closures required in Nottinghamshire are particularly concerning for Broxtowe residents and I remain in regular contact with public health and local authority officials to discuss the best way in controlling the spread of the virus and regularly reviewing the level of restrictions in place. Any business required to close as a result of Nottinghamshire being placed in the Very High (Tier 3) category can access financial support. Details of which can be found here:
https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus/business-support
Bounceback Loans:
The Government’s bounceback loan scheme is launching to help businesses recover in the best possible way from the effects of the pandemic. Applications can be made below:
New Job Support Scheme:
The Job Support Scheme will be open from 1 November 2020 and run for 6 months, until 30 April 2021. The Government will review the terms of the scheme in January. Employers will be able to claim in arrears from 8 December 2020, with payments made after the claim has been approved. Neither the employer nor the employee needs to have benefitted from the Coronavirus Job Retention (Furlough) Scheme to be eligible for the Job Support Scheme. Further details can be found here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-job-support-scheme/the-job-support-scheme
Green Homes Grant:
The Government strongly recognizes the need to address the affects of Climate Change and to help get the UK to be net zero carbon by 2050, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has announced over £1.5 billion to fund home energy improvements to over 600,000 UK homes with a particular focus on the private and social rented sector. Grants of up to £10,000 are available and the application information can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/apply-for-the-green-homes-grant-scheme
East Midlands Development Corporation Launch
This week was the launch of the East Midlands Development Corporation. I am co-chair of Midlands Engine APPG helping to coordinate investment into the Midlands including the East Midlands. Wednesday's launch of the East Midlands Development Corporation is good news as our region has been under invested in for too long and there is so much potential here. My main focus as Member of Parliament for Broxtowe is to provide homes, jobs and skills for a new post covid era. We have an golden opportunity to revitalise Broxtowe centred around the HS2 East Midlands Station, an innovation hub creating 6000 highly skilled jobs , the national skills academy and a zero carbon community of 4500 homes.
I am really pushing Government to enable us to start key infrastructure improvements such as the Toton Link Road that will connect these projects with the A52 and the M1. This is all about driving investment to Fire up the Midlands Engine and to help Broxtowe.
As I prepare for a return to Parliament next week, this is going to be an incredibly challenging time but I will continue to push for more support for Broxtowe at every opportunity.