My first meeting is at 9am at Di Paolo’s for breakfast with our new District Council candidates for Bexhill (the General and District Elections are on the same day this time around). I live in Five Ashes, so I have time to drop my eldest daughter at school before driving to Bexhill. I meet the District candidates, advise them how the job works (I am a serving District Councillor) and, after chatting with other diners, we head of to a very cold seafront.
I then say my farewells to the candidates and head off to meet Greg Barker MP for our first meeting at Bexhill Police Station with the Divisional and District Commanders (Ch.Supt Neil Warren and Ch.Insp Warren Franklin). The Commanders are rightly proud that crime rates are at record lows (despite reductions in the budget). Their insight into modern and targeted policing is hugely reassuring albeit I am struck by the challenges of future budget reductions. We leave and I am left with a mix of pride and awe at the job the police do for us all.
I dash back to the office at Amherst Road for some election planning and then meet Greg again at Bexhill Hospital. We are meeting Dr Roger Elias and Amanda Philpott from the Hastings and Rother Clinical Commissioning Group (a group of GPs and professionals who decide which NHS services to buy for patients). It is interesting to hear how the NHS reforms are working to deliver health outcomes locally in Bexhill, rather than solely relying on travel to large hospitals, and to have our hospitals specialise on specific areas of excellence rather than all performing the same functions. I am left reassured that health professionals such as Roger and Amanda are now running the NHS – not politicians.
We then go from the hospital to classroom, meeting the staff and students at Bexhill High. This is a stunning new school with a fantastic new Principal, Heidi Brown, and dedicated staff but with classrooms designed to teach 90 students at a time. The school have applied for funding to turn the classrooms back to the usual size. Greg is keen to help with the application. I leave impressed with the dedication and am determined to help deliver new classrooms to enhance the needs of staff and students.
I then head to Sidley, where I am meeting Cllr Jim Carroll and new candidate Becky Bowley. We meet shoppers and retailers and then head to see how the new link road is progressing in Sidley. Work is progressing well and it is exciting to imagine this area as it should be: a hive of new employment and housing for Bexhill. I continue with my ward meetings, visiting Kewhurst ward with Cllrs Brian Kentfield and Martin Kenward, before visiting St John’s Centre, on Victoria Road. Cllr Michael Ensor and team have turned this former church into a hive of activities for young people in Bexhill. I meet the staff and volunteers and leave full of admiration for volunteers who give so much time to help others in our community.
My last stop is with the Bexhill Town Forum where I am joining the attendees for coffee before the meeting starts. After being led through the agenda by Cllr Joy Hughes, and being introduced to new BTF Chairman, I catch up with the Cllrs and town leaders before leaving them to their meeting. I then head off for home, picking up a curry at Heathfield for the family before getting back at 8pm. We sprawl out watching Friday night TV. Another interesting day and many reasons why I am so excited to be a Parliamentary Candidate for Bexhill and Battle.