As many parents have been sorting out uniforms, books and all the other things we need to remember for the school term, thoughts are very much with everyone involved with Milford Junior School which has had to close because of concerns over safety of the building.
It is a huge and ongoing effort to make alternative provision for the children and they will stay together in their classes on different sites this term but the aim is to get them back together on one site as soon as possible. I have spoken to the CEO of Somerset County Council and have also written to the Department for Education to ensure maximum support is given.
In South Somerset we have had successes with schools applying for Conditional Improvement Funds from the Government to help with building repairs and updating, and the inspection that prompted this closure on safety grounds was with a view to an upgrade. The safety of children and staff must always be the top priority but this unexpected closure is tough on all concerned.
The race to be the next Conservative leader will shortly conclude and I do hope that a fair way can be found in future for it not to take so long. It has at least prompted a thorough discussion of policies and for me the biggest areas are how to get through the huge spike in energy prices and ambitions to reform the economy with lower and, crucially, simpler taxes. Boris Johnson made some mistakes but I think history will reflect that with the big calls, ending lockdowns, the vaccine rollout and the support for Ukraine, he did a good job in very difficult circumstances. However, events allowed no time for the kind of root and branch reform that we need to help people in hard times and unleash our nation’s potential.
I have been campaigning for positive changes to enable us to better manage the transition to clean energy too and the fact that promises about 2050 won’t heat your home this winter is one that Liz Truss really gets. Energy price caps might seem like a good idea but they actually only damage investment in desperately needed supply.
The Government has moved quickly in putting together support to help pay fuel bills and it will continue to support people struggling to the extent that it can. The Treasury are working on options to be taken up shortly and I have been trying to add a helpful steer to that. In particular, I know some businesses are looking at unaffordable rises in their bills and they need to be offered help too, even if it is impossible to insulate people from the rises completely. A strategy for energy ant the economy that is sustainable is the most important thing and that is what other political parties never quite understand.
If you fancy trying something new this autumn, Yeovil Lifesaving Club are running rookie lifeguard classes on Friday evenings. New members are welcome and I think it’s a great initiative and should be fun too. Details are online.
As always, if you would like to get in touch please do email marcus.fysh.mp@parliament.uk or call 01935314321.