Residents will be aware of my campaign for a new NHS Hub in Hornchurch on the former St George’s Hospital site. I am really pleased to update that the business case got formally approved this month, which means we are one step closer to getting spades in the ground. It is testament to the hard work of the team behind the project that it has jumped this big hurdle, and we hope there will be even more detail to share with everyone soon about the services proposed and the way the building will look.
Last month, I spoke at the Boundary Commission’s public hearing in Havering Town Hall to object to Emerson Park moving out of the Hornchurch and Upminster constituency and into the Romford seat at the next election. This follows the significant concern expressed to me from Emerson Park residents about the plan and its impact on community ties.
The Mayor of London has disappointingly announced his intention to expand his ultra-low emission zone (ULEZ) to include outer London boroughs. I completely oppose these plans as they would have a significant impact on our community, particularly vulnerable and elderly people who rely on their vehicles for seeing family and friends. I am also concerned about the impact of the ULEZ on local businesses when we are starting to see the local economy get back on its feet after covid. The London mayoral system and the funding of outer London boroughs was raised as an issue by local residents with Levelling Up Secretary, Michael Gove, when I arranged for him to visit Upminster Golf Club this month.
Understandably, a lot of residents have been in touch with me and my team about the despicable actions of Russia in Ukraine. Our thoughts are with the Ukrainian people at this difficult time and I have set out to constituents and on my website some of the work we have been doing to aid residents with Ukrainian family members at a local level, the national government response and the work I have been engaged in through my role as Minister for Media, Data & Digital Infrastructure.
Finally, my team and I visited Queen’s Hospital this month to catch up with the amazing lead chaplain, Rev Phil Wright, and Chief Executive, Matthew Trainer. Phil and I talked about his experience of the pandemic and the way in which it has changed the hospital’s approach to bereavement support services, while Matthew set out some of the work underway to address residents’ concerns about emergency services and the management of the hospital’s front door.
