Following the Prime Ministers announcement of our road map out of lockdown, I welcome the cautious easing of restrictions over the coming months which will lead us back to our more normal way of life.
This is in part due to the success of the vaccination rollout, alongside falling infections and hospitalisations, which is certainly the case across our constituency. It is also due to the patience of members of our community who have been complying with lockdown restrictions and also to the hard work of so many on the frontline of this pandemic.
It has always been my firm belief that getting children back into school has had to be a top priority and I am glad the government has made this clear. I welcomed the announcement that from 8 March all children and students will return to face to face education in schools and college.
I have certainly found looking after three very young children at home while working fulltime in 3 roles incredibly challenging. I know first-hand what parents up and down the constituency have been dealing with. It is also vital that pupils across the constituency have the support to catch up on lost time due to school closures if they need it. This is why the Government has announced £1 billion of funding to support children and young people as part of the ‘catch up fund’. I will continue to work closely with local headteachers to ensure the right support is in place for them, their colleagues, and pupils.
The changes to restrictions over the last year understandably have left many local businesses feeling worried and anxious about their future. The unprecedented support has been a lifeline for many, but I know this roadmap will provide local businesses with the certainty they need to plan for the months ahead. The PMs roadmap is in conjunction with the Budget announced last week and continues to provide the financial support residents and our local businesses require in order for us to build back better. More details on the budget and how it supports our constituency can be found on my website: www.kemi.badenoch.org.uk
As our vaccination programme continues at pace, the Government has set an ambitious target to offer a first dose of the vaccine to every adult by the end of July. So far over 30,000 residents across the Saffron Walden constituency, which includes Boreham, Broomfield, Writtle and surrounding villages, have already received their first dose. However, it is important to remember that we must continue to adhere to the current restrictions and not undo all the hard work we have already
done, as this will delay any easing of restrictions. I look forward to having more positive news in my next update.
