Welcome to my first digital newsletter!
Since being elected last year, I have had the honour of serving as your Member of Parliament. I want to make sure I am accessible to all residents in our area both in person and digitally.
As always, if you need any support on an issue, please get in touch with me and my office on matthew.patrick.mp@parliament.uk.
Antisocial behaviour (ASB)
A key priority of mine has been dealing with the appalling incidents of antisocial behaviour across Wirral West. I ran a survey to hear your experiences and ideas for tackling ASB. I also visited Hoylake Grove Park to speak to residents who were concerned with ASB on their doorstep.
I held a coffee morning in West Kirby with the council’s ASB team and the police to amplify the experiences people across our area have shared and to figure out how we can work together to tackle it.
I shared the results of this engagement with the Wirral’s chief police officer, Superintendent Moscrop at a meeting and walk around on the Woodchurch. I also met with Emily Spurrell, our Police and Crime Commissioner, to press her to ensure the Wirral gets its fair share of police resources.
In Parliament, I spoke to the Home Secretary about the importance of taking action on ASB and supporting victims of this crime.
Labour is committed to getting a grip on this issue, by putting more bobbies on the beat and giving police officers with new powers to deal with the perpetrators. Through the Labour Government’s Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee – a commitment to strengthen visible, accessible, and locally accountable policing – Wirral West is set to see an uplift of six police officers. These officers will play a vital role in increasing community engagement and improving visibility. More widely, this Guarantee will put 13,000 more officers into communities by 2029, an increase of more than 50%.
NHS
One of the most frequent things I hear when speaking to people in our community is the need to get the NHS back on its feet. As part of the Government’s national conversation on the long-term plans to reform our NHS, I hosted an engaging ‘Wirral Talks’ event at Arrowe Park Hospital which drew on the vast expertise in our area.
Following the event, I shared the feedback you gave me with the Department for Health, and I will be keeping the conversations we had in mind as I continue to advocate for the rapid change needed in our health services. I welcome the 10 Year Plan and highlighted the event in Parliament.
In a marked change from previous administrations, we have already seen the choices of the new government make a difference for people across the country. Waiting times have fallen. We delivered on our commitment to deliver an extra two million appointments seven months early. We’ve invested more than £100 million in upgrading GP facilities, including two in Wirral West: Spital Surgery and Commonfield on the Woodchurch Estate. This is the change people voted for.
The Labour government has also invested more than £130,000 in Wirral St John Hospice and £172,000 in Claire House, allowing them to continue providing important services to people in our area. I visited them both to learn about the inspiring work they do, their plans for the future and how I can support them.
Arrowe Park Hospital will receive more than £3.6 million for equipment fixes, while the Clatterbridge Cancer Centre will see a £175,000 investment in its energy system.
The Government have also announced solar panels for hospitals to cut energy bills and will result in more money going to frontline services. Across Wirral, three NHS Foundation Trusts will receive a share of over £1.7 million of funding – The Clatterbridge Centre, Wirral University Teaching Hospital, and Cheshire and Wirral Partnership. Over their lifetime, the solar panels are set to save these local Trusts between £2.5 million and £3.3 million.
Businesses
Small businesses are the engine of the Wirral and our high streets. That’s why I was so pleased to join the Heswall and District Business Association to discuss how we can work together to support SMEs.
I was grateful so many business owners gave up their evening to talk through challenges and opportunities ahead.
For too long, the last Government neglected our high streets. I was grateful the Local Government Minister highlighted schemes to help communities bring disused shops back into use when I asked about how we are changing the story and revitalising high streets like Heswall’s. I’ll be working with local councillors and residents to ensure local businesses, and our high streets have the chance to thrive.
Street cleaning
It was great to have a good, old-fashioned litter pick in Greasby with councillor Mark Skillicorn at the back of Norwood Court. As a former councillor I know the importance of working to make sure our local areas are kept tidy and safe.
Supporting victim-survivors of abuse and victim
As part of my work on tackling violence against women and girls (VAWG), I also raised the case of a constituent, who is a victim survivor of rape, in Parliament and the delays she’s faced in getting justice. The Solicitor General outlined the important work being done to ensure swift resolution for all victim-survivors, including the enhanced partnership between Merseyside Police and the Crown Prosecution Service.
Best wishes,
Matthew
Matthew Patrick MP
Member of Parliament for Wirral West
Bus survey
PS. I’m running a survey on school bus services, as I’ve heard from parents and teachers that they cannot rely on public buses getting children to school on time. The survey will help me highlight the scale of this issue with the bus companies. Please fill it out here: School bus survey – Matthew Patrick for Wirral West
Matthew Patrick MP 