Spending Review delivers on local priorities

Yesterday the Chancellor set out the government’s spending plans for next year, 2021/22. These announcements deliver on the government’s promises to residents in Elmbridge, and include important measures to tackle Coronavirus, but also to deliver on other priorities including policing and schools.

First, Coronavirus. The government is spending £280 billion this year to get the country through the pandemic, including through the furlough scheme, business loans and grants, and tax relief. Next year, public services will receive £55 billion to tackle Coronavirus, including an initial £18 billion to fund programmes on testing, PPE and vaccines. This will support the national fight against the pandemic, and our local effort in Elmbridge.

Beyond Coronavirus, the Spending Review contained good news for some key local priorities. On schools, the Chancellor confirmed that funding will increase by £2.2 billion next year. As a result, our local primary schools will see a 4.2% per pupil funding increase, and local secondary schools will see a 2.7% per pupil increase. You can read more about this here.

On policing, Surrey Police will benefit from a £400 million national funding boost for policing, enabling the recruitment of 6,000 more officers across England and Wales next year. While we don’t yet know what Surrey Police’s share of these officers will be, it’s good news that the force is on track to meet its target of recruiting 78 new officers this year.

The Chancellor also announced significant new funding for the NHS, including a £6.3 billion boost to general spending, £3 billion dedicated to supporting the NHS in recovering from the pandemic, and £325m for new diagnostic equipment. As ever, I’ll be making sure that this translates into better outcomes locally.

Finally, there was an important announcement about social care, which is particularly relevant for us locally. I know that the sector has been under pressure during the pandemic, so it’s good news that the £1 billion social care grant divided between local authorities this year will be provided again next year, and complemented by an extra £300 million grant.

Coronavirus continues to be a challenge. But there is now light at the end of the tunnel, and with more testing and vaccines becoming available, the government will also be focussing on addressing the important, everyday issues that can really make a difference locally.

Thames Ditton Junior School assembly on internet safety

I enjoyed taking part in a virtual assembly about internet safety at Thames Ditton Junior School on Friday. The assembly was organised by Google and Parent Zone, an organisation which helps families to navigate the internet safely and confidently.

With everyone spending more time online at the moment, it’s important that we teach children how to benefit from the internet in a safe and secure way. This assembly gave me a chance to help with this, encouraging the children to “Be Internet Legends” by following some key tips to stay safe online.

Joining the assembly was also a good opportunity to thank all of the teachers and staff at Thames Ditton Junior School, who have been working so hard during the pandemic.

My thanks to everybody at Google, Parent Zone and Thames Ditton Junior School for inviting me.

New Coronavirus testing site in Hersham

Yesterday, I was encouraged to receive a letter from the Department of Health and Social Care, informing me that a new Coronavirus testing site will soon be opening at Hersham Village Hall. This is good news for the community, as it will make it easier to access tests and tackle the virus.

The new testing site is part of an expansion of ‘walk-through’ sites across the UK, complementing the existing drive-through testing network, home testing and the Mobile Testing Units which have been travelling across the country. This will help the NHS Test and Trace service (which has processed more than 38 million tests since the pandemic began) to expand testing even further.

It is important to remember that anybody with Coronavirus symptoms can get a test. So, if you are experiencing a high temperature, a new, continuous cough, or a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste, you can book a test at nhs.uk/coronavirus, by calling 119, or by using the NHS Covid-19 app. You will be told where the nearest testing site is and have the option to order a home testing kit if you cannot reach a testing site.

Of course, you and anyone you live with must self-isolate as soon as you develop symptoms. If you are working and receiving benefits, you may be eligible for a £500 payment to support you during the period of self-isolation. More information on this is available here.

Local residents have continued to show great resolve in recent weeks. While the winter months will be tough, I encourage everyone to keep up the good work, sticking to the rules and keeping each other safe.

Catching up with local Residents Associations

On Friday afternoon I had a valuable catch up (via Zoom) with the Cobham and Downside Residents Association (CDRA) and Federation of Oxshott Residents and Associations (FEDORA).

We had a good discussion about the forthcoming Elmbridge Local Plan, which Elmbridge Borough Council recently announced will be published for consultation in the new year. Local Conservative councillors are clear – we oppose the option with development on Green Belt land. We call on the Lib Dems and Residents Associations running the council to follow our lead in protecting the Green Belt.

We also spoke about the government’s reforms to the planning system. I talked the associations through my responses to the relevant government consultations. I also questioned why the current coalition of Lib Dems and (other) Residents Associations running Elmbridge Borough Council have left us vulnerable to higher housing targets through their failure to put a Local Plan in place – despite having been in control of the council for three out of the last four years.

Finally, the associations gave me a useful update on the stretch of the A244 which runs through Oxshott. There have been important safety concerns about the road, which I am taking up on residents’ behalf with Surrey County Council. My thanks to the CDRA and FEDORA for taking the time to discuss these important local issues.

Packing Christmas parcels with East Elmbridge Foodbank

Earlier this afternoon I was at Holy Trinity Church in Claygate, with Jenny French, their vicar Patrick Bateman, and a team of volunteers from the East Elmbridge Foodbank. I joined the team in preparing parcels of Christmas food and essentials, carefully observing the rules for volunteering during the current Coronavirus restrictions. These parcels will be going out to clients of the foodbank and local families who need a bit of help at this time of year.

This was also a good opportunity to catch up with Jenny and the foodbank team, who have been doing a terrific job recently to help the most vulnerable in our communities. Since we first met up, back in March, to discuss how to get support to those who need it during the pandemic, the foodbank has transformed its operation.  With the generous support of the local community, they’ve adapted to the challenges of Coronavirus, including by moving to a doorstep delivery service.

The foodbank is a great example of local community spirit. If you are able, you can support them here – https://eastelmbridge.foodbank.org.uk/.

Dom by the river in Molesey (before Coronavirus) with East Molesey and Esher councillor Peter Szanto

Update on review of flood insurance

Earlier this year, I posted about the government’s independent review of flood insurance, which was established after serious flooding in some areas of the country last winter.

While this review was to focus on the situation in Doncaster (which was particularly badly affected), it was also asked to look at any systemic issues in the provision of flood insurance. This is important in Elmbridge, given the proximity of communities like Walton and Molesey to the River Thames and the River Mole, and our previous experience of flooding.

The review has now been published, and makes 12 recommendations to help residents access sufficient insurance cover for flooding. For example, there is a call for Flood Re (the scheme that helps people in at-risk areas to access insurance at reasonable prices) to reduce the costs of its contents insurance premium for certain properties. The government is looking carefully at this, as well as the other recommendations made in the review.

This is not the only work going on in this area. Over the summer, the government also announced that it will consult on wider changes to the Flood Re scheme, as part of a broader long-term plan to tackle the risk of flooding. One of the possible changes, for example, could see homeowners who have fitted flood resilience measures offered discounted premiums.

The Flood Re scheme now covers over 1,300 properties in Esher and Walton, so these changes could make a real difference locally. I will be paying close attention to the progress of this work over the coming months.

Dom volunteering locally earlier this year.

Government support for local charities

I was very encouraged to hear that eight local charities have received over £124,000 of government funding during the Coronavirus pandemic, through the National Lottery Community Fund.

This figure includes £10,000 for the R C Sherriff Trust (which works to advance the arts across Elmbridge) and more than £30,000 for Music in Hospitals & Care, which provides live music sessions for people in hospitals and hospices.

Citizens Advice Elmbridge (West) has also received more than £40,000 to support their essential work. I visited the great team there last month and was, as always, very impressed by their dedication.

It’s been heartening to see how communities have pulled together during these difficult times, and local charities have been at the centre of these efforts. It’s very welcome that these vital organisations have received government support to continue their work.

The other local charities which have received government funding are:

  • Oasis Children’s Charity (a service helping to keep vulnerable children in Elmbridge out of the social care system and with their own families) – £9,609;
  • ‘It’s Not Your Birthday But’ (an artistic organisation helping people to communicate by post) – £9,750;
  • Peterson’s Fund for Children (a charity supporting children who struggle with mental and physical disabilities) – £9,400;
  • Hersham Youth Trust (a local youth charity) – £8,000;
  • Harrison’s Fund (a Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy charity) – £5,400.
Dom helping out at the East Elmbridge Foodbank earlier this year.

Extra support for the vulnerable this winter

Last week, the Department for Work and Pensions announced that Surrey will receive £2.1m to support vulnerable families and individuals this winter.

This funding, from a new Covid Winter Support Grant Scheme, will allow Surrey County Council (SCC) to directly help the hardest-hit families and individuals, as well as providing food for children who need it over the holidays. At least 80% of the funding will be earmarked to support people with food and bills. SCC will receive the funding at the beginning of December, with the support lasting until April next year.

In addition to this, local children who are eligible for Free School Meals will soon benefit from an expansion of the Holiday Activities and Food Programme. This programme, which provides healthy food and enriching activities during school holidays, will be available across England next year thanks to a funding boost of up to £220 million. This means that all local children eligible for Free School Meals will have the option to join a holiday-time programme during the Easter, summer and Christmas holidays in 2021.

These developments are welcome news for local residents. While Coronavirus remains a real challenge, these steps will offer significant help to the most vulnerable in our communities.

Catching up with Citizens Advice Elmbridge (West)

It was good to catch up with Alison Mein and the team at the Citizens Advice Elmbridge (West) offices in Walton on Friday. They have all been doing an amazing job during the pandemic, helping residents with almost 3,000 issues over the past six months.

I heard about the team’s ongoing support for the elderly population in Elmbridge, as well as their plans to develop a bespoke service for 16-24 year olds. This will make their presence even more valuable to the local community.

We covered measures that the government introduced to support private renters during the pandemic (first a total ban on evictions for six months, and now notice periods of six months), as well as the options for homeowners with mortgages who are facing difficulties. Since my visit, and following the announcement of new national restrictions to drive down the level of Coronavirus, the availability of mortgage repayment holidays has been extended.

I also had a chance to talk to the domestic abuse team, which has seen an increase in referrals from residents over the past six months. The team does an invaluable job, providing support via phone and video calls to people in incredibly difficult and dangerous situations.

Finally, I had the opportunity to thank (via Zoom) some of the volunteers who have got used to working from home in recent months. These volunteers, and everyone working in Citizens Advice branches, are on the front line locally. I am grateful to them for all they do and will continue to support them over the coming weeks and months.

New national measures to combat Coronavirus

As residents will be aware, on Saturday the Prime Minister announced that new national restrictions will be introduced from Thursday, as part of the government’s ongoing effort to drive down the level of Coronavirus.

These measures mean that, from Thursday, everyone must stay at home, only leaving for a limited set of reasons. These reasons include for education, work (if you cannot work from home) and to shop for food and essentials. There is more detail, including other reasons you can leave home for, available here. Until Thursday, the current “high” alert level restrictions remain in place in Elmbridge.

I know that these latest measures will be frustrating for Elmbridge residents, particularly given the efforts that have been made to follow the “high” alert level restrictions. These new measures have, however, become essential. As the Prime Minister, the Chief Medical Officer and the Chief Scientific Adviser set out on Saturday, the virus is now spreading faster than the reasonable worst case scenario of the government’s scientific advisers. As a result, while the recent local action we have taken has made a difference, we must now take further measures.

Neither I nor the government underestimate the pressures that this will place on residents and businesses in Elmbridge. This is why the Chancellor has extended the furlough scheme until 2 December, made the self-employment scheme more generous, extended the deadlines for applying for the business loan schemes, and ensured that mortgage payment holidays will continue to be available.

In addition, local businesses which are forced to close will receive up to £3,000 per month. The grants which were made available when Elmbridge entered “high” level restrictions (worth up to £2,100 per month) will still be provided for the period that these restrictions applied.

Local residents have shown great resolve over the past seven months, and I know that everybody will continue to do so over the next few weeks. As ever, residents can contact me for assistance at dominic.raab.mp@parliament.uk.