Category Archives: Coronavirus

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.

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.

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 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.

Supporting Walton and Hersham Foodbank

On Friday, I joined local councillor Mary Sheldon at the Walton and Hersham foodbank. We visited the warehouse on Faulkner’s Road, where donations are received, to catch up with the manager Nina and meet Diana, one of the foodbank’s volunteers.

As I saw with the East Elmbridge foodbank during lockdown, everyone at Walton and Hersham has been doing a great job to respond to increased local demand during the pandemic. It has been a very challenging time, so I know the whole community is grateful for the hard work Nina and the volunteers have been putting in.

After visiting the warehouse, we walked over to the additional premises that the foodbank has recently acquired in Snellings Road, to meet some more volunteers preparing food parcels. It was good to be able to thank them personally for everything they are doing.

I know that this is still a difficult time for some people. If you need support of any kind, there is a useful tool on the government’s Coronavirus website, here, which can point you in the right direction. Residents can also always contact me at dominic.raab.mp@parliament.uk. I would be happy to help.

Visiting local businesses in Stoke D’Abernon

It was good to be out in Stoke D’Abernon on Friday, meeting local businesses with councillors David and Mary Lewis. Almost two weeks after Elmbridge entered the “high” COVID alert level, I wanted to see how businesses have been finding the restrictions and raise awareness of the new government support available.

The businesses I’ve visited across Elmbridge have been doing a great job in supporting their communities in recent months, and Stoke D’Abernon was no exception. Bruce’s Doggy Day Care, for example, ensured that key workers with pets could carry on doing their jobs. The Mace convenience store, Zara’s Patisserie and ‘Good Elf’ delicatessen all stayed open during lockdown to support the community, with the latter expanding their product range to make sure residents could access what they needed. I saw another great example of this community spirit when I met the volunteers running Chatterbus, a not for profit bus service which now takes children to Cobham Free School.

It was very welcome to find out how government support has kept businesses going. I heard from Corinne, at Baloolah hairdressers, that both the furlough scheme and one of the small business grants had made a real difference. At Bruce’s Doggy Day Care, the furlough scheme saved over 50 jobs and everyone is now back at work.

It’s clear that, while businesses owners and staff are putting in a huge amount of effort, this is still a challenging time. The government has made more help available, and I encourage residents to support local businesses (as much as possible in line with current restrictions) through this period.

Supporting Walton High Street

On Friday, I joined local councillor Christine Richardson and Conservative candidate Kris Januszajtis-Neale for a tour of Walton High Street. With Elmbridge now under the “high” COVID alert level, I wanted to check in with local businesses and make sure they have the support they need.

First up, we dropped into some shops on the High Street and New Zealand Avenue, including Hope’s Barber, the tech shop Click Save and Print and the window furnishers Pleats and Folds. We also spoke to staff at the Surrey Coffee Company. Like many of the businesses I’ve visited in recent weeks, many explained how they are keeping their businesses going by switching to a takeaway service.

Next, we moved on to Bridge Street, where we visited Artielli Jewellers, County Carpets, Walton Stitch and the Escape hair and beauty salon. Finally, we heard about how the Eat Out To Help Out scheme helped to keep business going at Morts Wine Bar.

Many of these businesses have already accessed government support this year, but I know that the new “high” alert level in Elmbridge may present challenges – particularly for the hospitality sector. With this in mind, it was good to have a chance to talk to retailers about the new support that the Chancellor announced last week. This includes grants for businesses under “high” alert restrictions, and a more generous Job Support Scheme to keep on staff who are working fewer hours.

I would encourage local businesses to take a close look at the new support available, and local residents to support them if you can.