I’d like to thank every one of you for the support you’ve shown me during 2022!
I can’t say this year has been easy for any of us. But I have been working nonstop for the people of Burnley and Padiham. And as it comes to a close we can look back and be proud of how we have handled the challenges - and how we’ve seen more improvements come to our borough.
Here’s a brief snapshot of the past 12 months:
Burnley College became an Institute of Technology and has seen further expansion.
Pioneer Place, after years of being spoken about, got off the ground thanks to Government funding and is being built at speed ready to open in the summer
Support with energy bills was and continues to be provided - both to households and businesses
Two new diagnostics hubs have been secured at Burnley General Hospital with extra NHS funding.
More policer officers have joined the ranks in Burnley and Padiham - with more still to come
Organisations like BYT have been boosted with extra Government funding
The Fan Led Review of football is to be implemented with another meeting on this scheduled for the first week back in January
The borough came together to celebrate the late Queen’s Platinum Jubilee - and then also to mark her passing.
The future of Towneley Hall has been assured with funding allocated for a full repair so there’s no reason for the council to keep coming and asking for ever more tax increases
We boosted funding in our primary and secondary schools to record levels.
I held 43 surgeries right across the borough, with no resident more than 1.5 miles away
Received and answered over 10,000 emails, phone calls, letters and social media messages from residents.
Visited almost 20 schools locally as part of my school tour to talk about Parliament, democracy, debating skills and public speaking
Delivered more than 100,000 leaflets to update residents on the progress we’re making
Knocked on thousands of doors.
Spoke in Parliament on behalf of our borough 43 times - voting on 209 issues.
Helped resolve issues for more than 4,500 residents and businesses locally
And crucially we’ve given Burnley and Padiham a strong voice in Parliament.
So as we welcome 2023 and all that’s yet to come I want to wish you and your family health, happiness, and prosperity in the new year.
I also want to say a huge thank you to those in my team who work tirelessly to support me and, in turn, the thousands of people who contact me looking for help.
2023 leaves much more to do and come the new year I’ll be back at it, working just as hard for our borough.
But for now have a very Happy New Year!
