Newspaper column 9 June - Jubilee and more!

I hope everyone was able to take some time over the long weekend to celebrate our Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. I was able to attend events in Truro and Falmouth and the sense of community spirit, of people coming together to pay tribute to the seventy years of Her Majesty’s public service to our country, was simply awe-inspiring. Well done and thank you to both Her Majesty and also everyone who worked so hard to make sure the national and local events went off so memorably, even with some rather changeable weather in the latter part of the festivities.

Parliament has now returned to sitting following the Whitsun Recess, and this week sees debate taking place on Levelling Up – the Government’s mission to ensure every part of our country is able to move forward positively after Brexit, with no one left behind. At the time of writing I am hoping to speak in this debate, and will as ever, be bringing my Ministerial colleagues’ attention to both some of the excellent work already being done in Truro and Falmouth, but also what we hope to achieve in the future with the Government’s help, unlocking some of our tremendous Cornish potential that is waiting to be tapped into.

To me, levelling up isn’t just about pumping money into projects to fit pre-determined outcomes, which is what we saw to often lesser impact with the old EU structural funding. It is about allowing local decision-makers the power to choose how to spend and share the funds, to invest in high skilled and well-paid jobs, like we are seeing with the specific money already set aside for Spaceport Cornwall, to name but one. It means investing in our burgeoning renewable energy sector, the exciting deep geothermal power potential at United Downs and other sites across our Duchy. And of course harnessing our indomitable Cornish community spirit to build the genuinely affordable housing we need with sustainable communities with the health and transport infrastructure alongside to support them.

Cornwall was given a prominent position in the government’s major levelling up white paper, which was released earlier this year, and as well as the bids for levelling up funding, which will be submitted by July, we are also looking to bid for a devolution deal for our Duchy, which could see more powers given to local decision-makers than ever before.

Alongside this Cornwall has been made an Education Investment Area, which means help will be provided to improve pupils’ results and opportunities, targeting investment, support and action that will boost children from all backgrounds and areas to succeed at the very highest levels.

And on top of all of this, Cornwall has £132million from the Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund for more local investment - more money per head from this fund than any local authority area in England.

These are exciting times for Cornwall and as your Member of Parliament I will be doing I can to ensure that our vibrant, positive and forward facing outlook in Truro and Falmouth is matched by the support needed from Government to give us what we need to match our ambitions.

As ever, if you need my assistance with anything then my team and I are here to help. Please get in touch with me by email at Cherilyn.mackrory.mp@parliament.uk , or by telephone on 01872 229698. My regular constituency advice surgeries are held in a covid-safe environment at my office, so please do get in touch should you wish to meet me about any matters that I can be of assistance with.