Alex Norris column: Andy Burnham is already delivering for Britain
MPs have just returned to Parliament after spending the summer in their constituencies, but our new Prime Minister kept the announcements coming all the way through.
All of his work over the summer was aimed at bringing back hope, whether that’s improving our high streets, building more housing, or helping young people into work.
I know in our local community and on high streets in Kimberley, Bulwell and across Nottingham more widely, there is real concern among residents about what is happening on our high streets.
In recent years, we have seen a proliferation of vape shops, barbers and adult gaming centres.
The Prime Minister announced that the Government will be putting power back in the hands of local communities with new planning rules that will give them a real say over what opens on their high street and stronger powers to stop the businesses and eyesores that are hollowing out town centres.
This will mean vape shops and adult gaming centres can’t just pop up without local people having a say.
I know from many conversations with local residents that tackling fly-tipping is another high priority, whether that be in urban areas in the city or rural areas in Nottinghamshire.
Waste crime costs the English economy £1bn every year, with an estimated 20 per cent of all waste illegally managed – scarring communities and undercutting honest businesses.
Better use of drones, a bigger role for the police and the National Crime Agency, and a steep rise in fines will deter, catch and punish those who dump illegally.
More robust punishment of offenders will also be introduced.
Fixed Penalty Notices issued by the Environment Agency for waste will rise from £300 to £5,000 for the most serious waste offences and we’re consulting on ordering fly-tippers to complete unpaid work cleaning up the streets, to put right their own mess.
Andy Burnham also launched the Social and Affordable Homes Programme, investing a record £39bn in funding to support the delivery of more than 70,000 homes, with nearly two-thirds being for genuinely affordable social rent homes.
Importantly, for the first time, councils outside London will be awarded Strategic Partner status, directly giving them money to build, helping put them firmly back at the heart of housebuilding.
That means decisions about housing being made here in the East Midlands rather than in London.
The Government also announced that the first young people supported by the Jobs Guarantee Scheme for long-term unemployed young people have started their jobs.
The scheme offers a direct route into work for young people who claim Universal Credit and looking for work for 18 months. Roles on offer are matched to the individual’s skillset
More than 90,000 young people will be supported into work by the scheme in the next three years, with the first cohort of young people having already started positions at retail giant Boots.
It’s great that young people in Nottingham will be the very first to benefit from this scheme before it is rolled out across Britain.
The Prime Minister is off to a strong start, but there’ll be much more to come – watch this space.