Increasing opportunities for Mid Bedfordshire’s young people...
Giving local young people the best start in life is at the centre of why I got into politics. At a time of rising youth unemployment, giving young people in Mid Bedfordshire a leg up has never been more important.
I have been fighting for the new free school in Bedford Borough to deliver more school capacity to cope with the demands placed our communities from housing developments. And it means working to ensure that the three tier to two tier transition in Central Bedfordshire improves school standards and attainment – and doesn’t cause disruption to the education of our children.
I’ve been fighting for more choice for parents by opposing Labour’s decision to impose VAT on private school fees. That policy reduces parents’ options and is pushing more children into the state school sector, leaving everyone worse off.
For some young people, more help is needed for them and their parents to ensure that they can take advantage of their full potential. That’s why I am fighting for sensible SEND reforms that ensure that our local schools have the resources they need to support children who need a bit of extra help. I am also working to support kinship carers and their families.
We are lucky to have the world-class Cranfield University in our constituency and I have been working to support them, including by fighting the Government’s plan to slash funding for Level 7 apprenticeships for over 22s. We must build on the excellence of Cranfield University, which is why I will be supporting them to maximise the benefits to local people from their merger with King’s College London.
With the Universal UK Resort and other major construction projects coming to our area, I want to make sure local people have the ability to take advantage of the careers they will bring. That’s why I pushed for and secured a new Technical Excellence College in Construction right here in Bedfordshire, to open up opportunities for local young people.
It is important that we equip young people with the tools they need to live a good life – and that means more than just the skills they need for a good career. In particular, I have been pushing for improved financial education, to give young people the confidence they need to manage their money and invest in an ever-more complicated world.
