Getting back to Parliament at the beginning of a New Year you are constantly bumping into MPs with New Year’s resolutions about taking more exercise, eating less and working harder. Well I am signed up to all of that and more but also am committed to some new year’s resolutions for South Thanet.
I want to hold many more large meetings with special interest groups – with voluntary groups on the Localism Bill; meetings to discuss our changes in benefits with organisations that work with the disadvantaged; discussions with green campaigners about a new vision for our economy and also with our small business sector to ensure that they get the support that they need.
We need to ensure that Ministers come and see how unique Thanet and Sandwich are – both in a positive and challenging light. I am very pleased that Richard Benyon MP the fishing minister is planning to come down in the next few months to talk about the future of fishing and the flood defences for Sandwich. Our communications and cultural minister Ed VAisey should be coming to Thanet around the launch of the Turner Contemporary but it will give us an opportunity to bend his ear about TV reception again. I also intend to take him to see his aunt’s old home in Ramsgate. I am also inviting one of our health ministers to come to discuss with our health professionals the forthcoming changes that will deliver greater local control over health provision.
But this year has already been positive. We have been secured more funds for cancer diagnosis – crucial to us combating the ravages of this disease. £750 million is going into early diagnosis and new cancer treatments that will aim to save an additional 5,000 lives by 2014. And we have also been credited for having some of the best stroke care into eh country with our health care staff providing some of the best services for patients.
It will be a bumpy year but with some good news on health care and ensuring that Thanet and Sandwich are seen as a priority for Ministers we hope to ensure that New Year’s resolutions result in real benefits for Thanet and East Kent.
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