A Letter From Your MP

It was wonderful to see many of you join for Pearl Pluess’s funeral recently, who was widely loved and cherished in the village and beyond. It was a very touching ceremony to celebrate an absolutely brilliant woman, and I know she will be deeply missed by all.

One important local issue is the ongoing concerns raised with me by parents and pupils at Launceston College. After the announcement that the CEO of the school’s trust (Athena Learning Trust) will be step-ping down, I wanted to reassure constituents that I have been actively engaging with the Trust over several concerns around SEND provision,

the school’s culture, suspensions and other issues. I have already met directly with the Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson, about these matters, and another meeting is scheduled soon with senior Athena representatives and also Department for Education officials. While I welcome the news that the Trust is now seeking new leadership, it is vital that the concerns raised by families are not just tossed aside, but properly addressed – and that actual change is brought about.

There was some very positive economic news for Cornwall, with the official launch of the new £30-million Kernow Industrial Growth Fund. After months of cross-party work and meetings I had with Treasury Ministers, it is fantastic to see this funding being made available to support ‘invest-ment-ready’ projects in Cornwall’s industries like renewable energy, marine innovation, critical minerals and space. Unfortunately, we have a history of missing out on investment like this com-pared with many regions, so I am determined that those businesses run by people in and around St Teath (and of course the rest of North Cornwall!) benefit fully from this opportunity. I absolutely encourage any local businesses to fill out an expression of interest with Cornwall Council, so that any ambitious projects can explore the scheme further and bring growth to our constituency.

I also had the opportunity to visit Fitness 4 U Cornwall in St Columb Major, joined by Leigh Frost (Leader of Cornwall Council), which is doing brilliant work teaching children and adults to swim, alongside providing aquatic therapy and rehabilitation services. Local facilities like this are incredi-bly important for our communities, particularly in rural areas like ours where access to specialist support can be limited. However, like many organisations at the moment, they are under pressure from rising energy costs and increased National Insurance bills, meaning that I will now be pushing for possible funding options from Cornwall Council (and others) to help support their future.

In Parliament recently, I had the opportunity to raise the worsening humanitarian crisis in Sudan directly with the Foreign Secretary. Millions of people have been displaced by the ongoing civil war, with famine and humanitarian need escalating. So many North Cornwall constituents have written to me about this catastrophe and urged me to speak up on their behalf. I challenged the Govern-ment on reports that aid deliveries are being obstructed by armed groups, worsening an already terrible situation. My constituents asked me to ensure that Sudan is not forgotten, so I’ll continue to press the Government to work urgently with international allies to address the crisis on their behalf.

Finally, it was great to attend the first Bodmin Feast of the summer and see so many fantastic local food and drink businesses showcasing what Cornwall has to offer. Local events like these are really important for boosting Cornish businesses, and bring communities onto the street to be together. I would absolutely recommend stopping by one of the upcoming events over the coming months!

Ben Maguire | Liberal Democrat MP for North Cornwall ben.maguire.mp@parliament.uk