Coming into a busy February, Julian warmly welcomed the news that the Government have increased North Yorkshire Council’s budget by nearly £45 million for 2024-25 as part of the £64.7 billion Local Government Finance Settlement. The Council’s Core Spending Power will increase from £614.4 million in 2023-24 to £658.9 million in 2024-25, an increase of 7.2 per cent. Additionally, the Government also announced that North Yorkshire’s Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner has seen an uplift of 5.8 per cent to their budget, totalling £40.3 million in 2024-25.
More good news for North Yorkshire came in the form of a £380 million funding boost for local transport infrastructure, meaning more and more regular bus routes, funding to tackle potholes, local train stations upgraded, congestion reduced, and more. It is the first transport budget of its kind that is specifically targeted at smaller cities, towns and rural areas; and will empower local people and leaders to invest in the local transport projects that matter most to their communities.
The Government also announced a new NHS Dental Recovery Plan, backed by £200 million of additional funding, which will deliver an extra 2.5 million NHS dental appointments over the next year. To help improve access in the short term, new dental vans are being launched to help reach more isolated communities, including across rural areas. In the longer term, there will be greater incentivisation for dentists to take on new NHS patients, trainee dental places will be expanded by 40 per cent, and expanded prevention care is also being rolled out for younger children.
Aware of the critical importance of the farming industry in this country, the Prime Minister also announced this month the Government’s plan to back British farmers. Building on the commitment to spend an average of £2.4 billion every year on the farming sector over this Parliament, the Government will invest in sustainable, resilient farm businesses; improve the services and support available to farmers and cut red tape which stands in the way of farming diversification; and strengthen food security. It is very welcome news for farmers across Skipton and Ripon, who have received £34 million of government investment since April 2023.
Across the constituency, Julian has continued to enjoy meeting residents and businesses on visits and through surgery appointments. One highlight was a visit to Farewells Funerals, newly established in Masham, which offers bespoke funeral services to families that are also environmentally friendly, with trees planted to offset their carbon footprint. Julian also learned about sustainable businesses at Sally Farm, which utilises heat exchange technology and a Ground Source Heat Pump whilst promoting a low carbon policy for the running of one of the largest poultry farms in the UK.
Julian was pleased to hear that Barclays will provide a new face-to-face replacement service when their current Skipton branch closes in March. He was deeply disappointed by the decision to close the popular Skipton branch and met with Barclays to ensure that residents and businesses could continue to access the necessary services. Since then, he has continued to press Barclays on the matter, regularly passing on the concerns of constituents who have contacted him. The new Hub, based at The Swadford Centre, will operate from Monday to Friday, 9.30am-12.30pm and 1pm-4pm, offering face-to-face financial support and education for customers. Services will include assistance with everyday finances and money management, free digital skills workshops and fraud and scam awareness events for the community. The site will, however, be cashless, meaning everyday banking transactions, including cash deposits and withdrawals, will need to be completed at a local Post Office.
Julian thoroughly enjoyed meeting school pupils this month. In the constituency, he visited Bradleys Both Community Primary School, meeting the Head Boy, two schools council leaders, the Headteacher, Barry Rogers, Head of Governors, Becky Stapleton, and Jo Robinson, CEO of The Yorkshire Collaborative Academy Trust. During his visit Julian was shown around the school and spoke with Barry, Becky and Jo about the school’s funding concerns and their new plan for catering. In Westminster, he welcomed students from Nidderdale High School to the Houses of Parliament as part of their trip to London. There was also time in London to attend the British Holiday and Home Parks Association Conference in Westminster, at the invitation of constituent Thomas Marshall, who is also the Chairman of the Association. Amongst some lively discussions, it was a useful opportunity to learn more about what’s on the horizon for holiday businesses, with new innovations like AI offering opportunities for businesses to evolve.
One particularly memorable visit this month was to Skipton Job Club to sit in on one of their workshops. Run by Christians Against Poverty and hosted by Stephen Hudson at Champions Church alongside a number of volunteers, the workshop was part of an eight-week course designed to offer support and practical advice to unemployed people. Many of the volunteers have been in the same situation as those they now help, whether homeless or jobless, and are now trained to help people develop job-seeking skills such as letter-writing, preparation of CVs and interview techniques.
Julian has continued to hold his regular slate of surgery appointments and would encourage constituents to contact him at [email protected].
