As your MP, I’m committed to ensuring every child in Chichester receives a first-class education and can catch up on missed learning from the pandemic. I’m therefore delighted that all four education unions have decided to recommend our pay offer of 6.5%, the largest ever recommendation from the School Teachers’ Review Body (STRB) which we have agreed to accept in full. Under last week’s National Funding Formula (NFF) announcement, we will also see Chichester receive over £70 million in school funding for 2024-25, a record for the area. This money can go towards staff salaries, classroom equipment and school trips, and will mean our brilliant teachers have the resources they need to inspire the next generation. It’s fantastic news and will keep us on track to deliver the education every child deserves.

We’re also going further on waterways this week, with huge new penalties confirmed for water companies that fail to meet the mark. The new Plan for Water will force water companies in Chichester, and the rest of the country, to do better or face potentially unlimited fines, giving our regulators the tools to go much further in enforcing the environmental permits protecting our streams, coasts and rivers. Fines are obviously only a piece of the puzzle – I’ve already made it clear I’m supporting comprehensive network investment, restrictions on shareholder payouts and greater transparency from Southern Water - but it’s an important step, and another promising sign on the back of the Chalk Stream Restoration Strategy announcement we made recently.

It was a great pleasure to meet the team at Chichester Grain last week, over at Priors Leaze Farm in Hambrook. The grain store is a brilliant initiative led by more than 30 farmers from across Sussex and Hampshire, each of whom has come together to create an affordable crop storage solution for farmers in the area. It’s a hugely impressive operation, and I had a great behind-the-scenes look at the kind of work that goes into driving our amazing agricultural economy. Chichester has always punched above its weight in the fresh food and drink industry, particularly in wheat production, and I know we have what it takes to become the ‘breadbasket’ of the UK. Thank you again to Phil, Bethan, Andrew and Chets for taking the time to meet and show me around – I look forward to speaking again soon!