My Personally Speaking column in The Sentinel (9 April 2026) The people of our com­munity spoke this month and elec­ted a new major­ity at the bor­ough coun­cil. I con­grat­u­late all those who won their seats and thank all those who weren’t suc­cess­ful, for their ser­vice and for put­ting their hands up to serve the com­munity. I will be work­ing every day to hold the bor­ough coun­cil to account so that we get the rep­res­ent­a­tion we deserve. Our area has a rich cul­ture

The Stoke on Trent & North Staffordshire Theatre Trust, which operates the New Vic Theatre, is set to receive a share of the Labour government’s £127.8 million investment in cultural venues. Our local arts and cultural spaces are at the heart of our community, bringing people together and celebrating what makes Newcastle-under-Lyme special. The New Vic is a pioneering example of the powerful cultural impact we have right here in Newcastle-under-Lyme. While storytelling in-the

This week I was pleased to welcome the Culture and Tourism Minister, and the Minister for Data Protection and Telecoms, Chris Bryant MP, to Newcastle-under-Lyme for a day of visits across the constituency. It was a great opportunity to showcase the strength of our local visitor economy, cultural life and the innovation taking place at Keele University. Tourism roundtable at Brampton Museum We began the day at Brampton Museum, where the Minister toured the museum and joined a