Raising the Issue in Parliament With snowy and icy conditions continuing across Newcastle-under-Lyme, and further severe weather forecast as Storm Goretti approaches, I raised concerns on the floor of the House of Commons last night about the failure to grit roads and keep residents safe. Point of Order in the House of Commons (7 January 2026) When I travelled from Newcastle-under-Lyme to Parliament earlier this week, the weather was already very bad following heavy snowfall

Visiting Specsavers on Castle Walk (19 December 2025) Just before the festive break, I was pleased to visit Specsavers on Castle Walk to congratulate the team on winning the Professional Services Award at the LoveNUL Business Awards. The LoveNUL awards celebrate the people and businesses that power our local economy – and this recognition is a real testament to the professionalism, care and dedication shown by the Specsavers team here in Newcastle-under-Lyme every day. During

Yesterday, following widespread disruption caused by icy and untreated roads across Newcastle-under-Lyme, I wrote again to Staffordshire County Council to raise serious concerns about how winter gritting and road safety were handled. I had already raised concerns about winter gritting and preparedness ahead of the festive season, precisely to avoid the situation many residents have experienced. You can read that earlier update here: Snow Across Newcastle-under-Lyme: Gritting

Ahead of the festive season, I wrote to Staffordshire County Council to ask what preparations were in place for winter weather and gritting across Newcastle-under-Lyme. While none of us can control how much snow falls, we can plan properly and respond properly. That is why I raised these concerns in advance, rather than waiting until severe winter weather arrived. On 18 December, I received a response from the Chief Executive of Staffordshire County Council outlining the Coun

At Home Office Questions, I raised the need for rural crime to be treated with the same seriousness as crime in our towns and city centres. For people in Newcastle-under-Lyme and across Staffordshire, a crime is a crime – wherever it happens. I welcome the Government’s approach to neighbourhood policing, but it is vital that rural communities see the real, on-the-ground benefits of it in practice.

Over the past week, many residents have contacted me about proposals to install fencing around College Fields, the field next to Madeley School. The field forms part of the school estate and has been used informally by the wider community for many years. Recent instructions for fencing to be installed would restrict public access, which has caused significant concern locally given the long-standing community use of the land. Last Friday, during my constituency surgery, I met

'Quarries: Planning Policy' Debate in Westminster Hall (16 December 2025) Earlier today, I raised Walleys Quarry during a Westminster Hall debate on quarries and planning policy. What happened there exposed serious failures in the planning system and had a devastating impact on people in Newcastle-on-Lyme. While the site is now closed, the lessons must be learned – and the system fixed – so no community is ever put through this again. Read my Recent Walleys Quarry update for

It has now been over a year since the closure notice was issued at Walleys Quarry – 147 days after I was elected. While it is sobering to reflect on how long local people were forced to live with the impacts of the site, the position today is significantly better than it was before the closure notice was issued. The closure notice has delivered a clear improvement for those who live, learn and work in Newcastle-under-Lyme, and there is no doubt that it was necessary. Latest P

Staffordshire will receive an additional £54.8 million in incentive funding  to tackle potholes and improve road conditions, as part of Labour’s record investment in fixing Britain’s broken roads. This is a major boost for our county, and it will make a real difference to the everyday journeys people make to work, to school, to local shops and to see family and friends. This extra funding is on top of the £147 million in baseline roads funding already allocated to Staffordshi

On Friday, I joined the Minnie Pit commemoration steering group, the Mayor and local residents in Halmer End for a very special moment – the planting of a new “Tree of Hope” at the memorial garden. The sapling is one of 49 grown by the National Trust from seeds taken from the Sycamore Gap tree, which was illegally felled in 2023. The number of saplings reflects the height of the original tree in feet, and it’s wonderful that one of the first has now been planted here in our c

My Personally Speaking Column in The Sentinel (20 November 2025) One of the best things of being our local Member of Parliament is getting out across Newcastle-under-Lyme to meet the people and businesses that drive our local community and our local economy. In recent weeks, that’s included visits to Meighs & Westleys in Holditch and Broxap in Chesterton – two examples of the many long standing businesses rooted in our community. At Meighs & Westleys, or the Westley Group, I

Following the recent announcement about the future of Betley GP Surgery, the NHS Integrated Care Board (ICB) for Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent has opened a consultation to gather views from patients registered at the practice. The current contract for Betley Surgery ends in March 2026, and the ICB must decide how patients will access GP services in the future. They are asking patients to complete a short survey to share their priorities and experiences. Responses are confi

On site with representatives from Audley Parish Council, National Highways, Staffordshire County Council and Staffordshire Police. This morning, I brought representatives from National Highways, Staffordshire County Council, Staffordshire Police, Audley Parish Council and the office of Sarah Russell MP – Member of Parliament for Congleton – together on site at the Audley A500 slip road to press for further safety improvements. Residents have been raising concerns about this j

I have today been informed by the NHS Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Integrated Care Board that Betley GP surgery will close at the end of March 2026. The current providers have taken the decision to hand back their contract for personal reasons, and the private premises currently used for the surgery will not be available after that point. While services will continue as normal until March 2026, this will understandably be worrying news for residents who rely on the surger

In House of Commons Business Questions (30 October 2025) In recent days and weeks, there have been disturbing reports of people being spiked by injection in Newcastle town centre. I’ve heard from residents who are fearful and angry — and I share their concern. No one should feel unsafe on a night out. Our town centre must be safe, welcoming and secure for everyone. Yesterday I raised this issue directly in Parliament during Business Questions to the Leader of the House, calli

I’m very concerned by recent reports of people being spiked by injection in Newcastle town centre. These incidents have understandably caused alarm among residents and visitors, and a number of constituents have contacted me directly to share their fears about safety on nights out. Everyone should be able to enjoy themselves without worrying about their safety. Our town centre must be a place where people feel safe, welcome and protected – not somewhere where fear or uncertai

Today, I received confirmation from Transport Minister, Simon Lightwood MP, that safety improvements are being progressed at the A500 Audley Slip Road – a direct result of the pressure we’ve been applying locally and in Parliament. The Minister was responding to the letter I sent to the Secretary of State for Transport earlier this month, in which I urged the Government to step in and ensure action was finally taken to make this junction safe. In his reply, the Transport Mini

Walleys Quarry has been at the heart of community concern in Newcastle‑under‑Lyme for far too long. Residents have lived with the consequences of poor management and a lack of accountability, and it’s vital that progress continues to be made to restore the site safely and hold those responsible to account. Today, I have written to Mary Creagh CBE MP, the Minister for Nature, following her recent correspondence with Newcastle‑under‑Lyme Borough Council. In this, I reiterated m

Presenting the Petition to Parliament (14 October 2025) Yesterday, I presented a petition to the House of Commons on behalf of residents across Newcastle-under-Lyme calling for urgent action to improve safety at the A500 Audley slip road. This is an issue that local people have been raising with me for some time. The junction where the A500 slip road meets Alsager Road has seen far too many accidents and near-misses — and it’s clear that changes are needed to make this stretc

I’ve called on Staffordshire County Council to reverse its decision to cut funding for a vital Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) outreach programme led by Merryfields School in Newcastle-under-Lyme. The County Council’s £40,000 cut ended Merryfields’ outreach work supporting children with SEND in mainstream schools across our community. This is a programme that made a real difference – helping teachers and pupils to get the support they need to thrive. Merryf