James Naish MP writes his monthly update for Rushcliffe constituents for this month.
James writes:
‘I’ve been working hard on a major issue impacting our city: looking into the proposals for significant redundancies at the University of Nottingham. The plans have understandably caused widespread concern, not only among staff and students but also among local businesses, including those near the Sutton Bonington campus in Rushcliffe.
‘I was able to host a roundtable for Rushcliffe residents in early June, attended by a mix of academics and non-academics, and have subsequently written to the University, the Office for Students and the Department for Education about my concerns. I’ve also met again with the University and the University and College Union this month.
‘I’m pleased to have received reassurances that there are no plans to withdraw from Sutton Bonington, with the campus expected to play an important role in the University’s long-term future. However, I have also been clear that every effort must be made to protect jobs, that all alternative proposals should be fairly and properly considered, and that historic management failures must be addressed. The University is one of our area’s biggest employers and an internationally recognised institution, so these decisions matter enormously for many families across Rushcliffe.
‘Looking beyond these three challenges, there has been some welcome progress in other policy areas this month.
‘One piece of particularly good news came after I repeatedly raised the issue of independent prescribing in Parliament, following conversations with local pharmacists, including Evans Pharmacy in East Leake. While community pharmacies already do an incredible amount to support local people, they would be more effective if qualified pharmacists could assess patients and prescribe medicines directly for core conditions. I’m delighted, therefore, that the government has now confirmed NHS-funded independent prescribing will be rolled out across community pharmacies in England from autumn 2026.
‘There was also welcome news for local families after almost £6 million was confirmed for Nottinghamshire to improve support for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities. This investment, allocated through the Inclusive Mainstream Fund, will help schools, colleges and early years settings strengthen support and improve local facilities, so more children can receive the help they need closer to home.
‘Many residents have also contacted me about recent changes to bus services across Rushcliffe, some of which we’d been pushing for for several months. The key changes include a new Number 9 service linking Ruddington with Central Avenue, a new Bingham to Cropwell and Nottingham route, the return of the shorter Number 11 Lady Bay service, additional evening and Sunday journeys, and the introduction of more electric buses. My team and I are staying in regular contact with Nottingham City Transport and trentbarton as the new routes become established, so if you have any thoughts, please get in touch.
‘It has also been a pleasure getting out and about across the constituency this month.
‘In addition to a spot of lawn bowls in Willoughby-on-the-Wolds and watching a few hours’ cricket at Trent Bridge, I’ve been out on the water with Paddle UK for its ‘Big Paddle Cleanup’ of our local waterways. Sadly, it didn’t take long to fill a bag full of litter. It’s a reminder of how much work still needs to be done to properly protect our rivers and canals, but it also demonstrates how much local volunteers can achieve when they come together. Initiatives such as the Deposit Return Scheme, due in 2027, will hopefully help to reduce plastic pollution in the years ahead.
‘Finally this month, I was delighted to welcome 10 sixth-form students to my constituency office for a second day of work experience after a previous day in Westminster. We discussed how an MP’s office works, how casework supports local residents, and how young people can build careers in public service, politics and/or communications. We were joined by former BBC Regional Political Editor John Hess, who shared his insights into regional and national journalism. I’ll be doing more of the same in July when up to 40 Year 11s will be joining me for a three-day ‘Summer School’ in Rushcliffe and London, kindly sponsored by Saint-Gobain. There are all sorts of amazing brands involved … but I’ve run out of space, so more on that next time!’
