James Naish MP writes his January update for Rushcliffe constituents.
James writes:
“First of all, I want to wish everyone in Rushcliffe and beyond a very happy New Year.
I’d also like to say thank you to constituents who worked over the holiday period, notably those in health, social care and emergency services roles. In addition to keeping the rest of us safe, I hope that you managed to get some rest over the Christmas period and enjoy time off with family and friends.
December was a busy month, with lots of activities coming to a conclusion before the holidays – so there are a number of things to cover in this column, starting with some good news…
I’ve raised the need for investment in local health services directly with ministers and local health leaders, and we’re starting to see results on the ground.
For example, just before Christmas, the Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Integrated Care Board approved initial plans for a single-storey extension at Radcliffe-on-Trent Health Centre. This would include six new clinical rooms and a new pharmacy hub. There are still several steps to go through, including seeking planning permission, but this is an important milestone for the village.
Six new clinical rooms are also due to be built at Gamston Medical Centre, with work starting in mid-January. This is very welcome news. I also continue to push the need to rebuild the health centre at East Leake as one of 250 new health centres announced at the recent budget. There will be lots of competition for these sites, but I’ll keep pushing…
There was also some positive news for local government in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire when the Draft Local Government Finance Settlement for 2026/27 to 2028/29 was announced.
Over the course of this Parliament, Nottinghamshire County Council is set to receive an extra £234 million – a 30% uplift before accounting for inflation – while Nottingham City Council will receive an additional £154 million. Altogether, councils across Nottinghamshire are due to receive more than £400 million in extra funding by 2028/29.
This is the first multi-year settlement in several years and should help councils plan ahead and protect the services that people rely on. Nonetheless, I’ve raised concerns in Parliament about short-term funding gaps and the higher cost of delivering services in rural areas like Rushcliffe, and I will continue to press ministers on these points.
Another big national issue discussed in Parliament before Christmas was our relationship with Europe, which continues to slowly climb the political agenda.
From January 2027, British students will once again be able to take part in the £23 billion Erasmus Plus programme. This means young people from Rushcliffe will have more opportunities to study and train in Europe. It’s also good news for hundreds of Rushcliffe constituents who work as academics and researchers at Nottingham’s two universities.
Elsewhere, progress is being made on closer UK–EU cooperation in areas such as energy and trade, including efforts to cut unnecessary paperwork for food and drink exporters. These changes should help local businesses and support jobs in our region.
Turning to more local matters, thank you to everyone who signed the petition calling for the reinstatement of the Radcliffe-on-Trent to Cotgrave Greenway, which was presented to Parliament on 15 December. More than 2,600 people added their names to the petition, which shows just how strongly people feel about this issue.
I’ve also hand-delivered the petition to Nottinghamshire County Council alongside Councillors Roger Upton and Richard Butler. We made it clear that while we understand that council budgets are under pressure, residents need certainty.
Our request was therefore simple: that funding for the Greenway is clearly set out in the County Council’s 2026/27 budget, which is being finalised at the moment. This clarity is what local people are asking for.
I’ve also spent time working on local education, following the University of Nottingham’s announcement that it plans to reduce the number of courses it offers – including at the Sutton Bonington campus in Rushcliffe.
I recently met with the Vice-Chancellor of the University to discuss the proposals. I raised concerns about the impact on local social mobility and pushed for full transparency on its Equalities Impact Assessment. Courses such as mental health nursing are vital to our region and should only ever be cut as a last resort. I’ll continue working with all involved to explore alternatives, protect jobs where possible and make sure the University continues to serve its local communities.
And, of course, December was a very difficult month for the parents, children and teachers of St Peter’s CofE Primary School in Ruddington, where the school building has been condemned for safety reasons. A huge thank you to everybody for their initial responses, which demonstrated the very best of local people and organisations. I am in touch with the Department for Education about next steps and will make sure that the school community is updated as soon as possible about short- and long-term solutions.
As part of the Tanglewood Winter Warmer Initiative, Trent Bridge Care Home is welcoming local residents aged 65 and over to drop in for a hot meal and a friendly chat. It’s a small gesture, but one that can make a big difference during the colder months, especially for people who live alone. Please tell someone who you think might benefit.
Later this month, I’ll be hosting a panel and round-table discussion on smartphone access and usage by young people. Thank you to over 200 residents who have already shared their views with me – they’ve been really helpful in shaping the planned discussion. I’ll share an update once the session has taken place.
As always, my team and I are here to help with any local or national concerns. Please get in touch at james.naish.mp@parliament.uk or call 0115 646 6404.”
