It was wonderful to have the Prime Minster in Mansfield last week, visiting MyPlace at Westfield Folkhouse Young People’s Centre, as we announced a £3.2 million investment into youth services for our town.
The investment is only possible because of the £20 million Levelling Up Partnership Mansfield has with Government, and it’s great to see progress being made and specific funding commitments getting announced, there’s loads more to come!
This latest investment will deliver a new Youth and Community Centre for the Bellamy Estate, providing a range of positive opportunities and trusted professionals for information, advice, guidance, and support.
Early help and prevention services are a huge priority for me. We’re working to get in early and support young people when they need it, so they don’t end up in children’s residential care or in acute care settings.
Growing up I wanted to be a teacher, and since being elected I’ve passionately campaigned for better youth services locally and more funding from Westminster.
I’m pleased that working with Government, we’ve been able to identify that the Bellamy Estate in particular currently has no facilities to deliver youth services. I know this new hub will make a huge difference to young people there, and we will also work with partners to ensure that it’s a vibrant community hub for all sorts of other services too.
For the last year or so I’ve spoken a lot about Levelling Up investment across the town in terms of figures. £72 million in total for projects like the new Warsop Leisure Hub, like putting Beales back to good use, and tackling long-term issues like youth services, so it’s fantastic we can start announcing more of the projects that this money will fund.
There are more announcements coming our way, and 2024 is the year when a lot of our early work, like the Towns Fund agreed in 2022, will become reality. Warsop Leisure Centre will be finished. Parking improvements will be done this year. Berry Hill Park improvements done. Our Community Diagnostic Centre will begin to be built. We’ve a lot to look forward to.
It’s a testament to the Levelling Up Partnership that we’re able to secure all this funding, especially with the backdrop of inflation squeezing all our public services, but the PM’s visit gives me confidence that the Government are listening and they’re investing into vital local services.
Following this announcement, and a Q&A with youth work staff, business leaders and Councillors, we headed over to Mansfield Woodhouse Library, which I’m reliably informed is the first recorded visit of a Prime Minister to Woodhouse!
There the PM spoke with local community groups Hetty’s, Mansfield CVS and Unanima Theatre, along with also learning about some Woodhouse history from the Heritage Link and Community Development Group.
It’s brilliant to have the PM out in our community to meet and thank people who do so much, and for him to see first-hand the massive impact Levelling Up is going to have on our town.
I will continue to do all I can to keep bringing Ministers to our town, and to work with Government and local authorities to get more of our Levelling Up money committed to life-changing new projects.
