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This month ,it has been 1 year since Trelander Community Centre sadly burnt down. On September 24, I met with Cornwall Council and the Community Centre Committee to hear more about the next steps, as the building is far from being rebuilt. Surveys have been carried out, and Cornwall Council are in conversation with the insurers, but we need quicker action. So many fantastic groups ran out of the Community Hall and it is clear that Trelander needs this space back.

It was a big, bold and hopeful Labour Party Conference in Liverpool this year with a speech from the new Prime Minister, Andy Burnham. He pledged to set up a National Care Service providing personal care for older people that would be free at the point of use, as NHS care currently is. He vowed to put Britain on a path of greater public control over water, energy and housing, such as a new publicly owned Great British Grid, which will speed up connections and the removal of the Thatcher-era ban on government ownership of water companies so we can have a water system that works in the public interest. Andy Burnham’s speech was about bringing back hope through honestly confronting the important but difficult issues we face – making the longer-term fixes along with immediate action to give people breathing space, including capping bus fares at £2 in 2027, taking VAT off electricity bills, and the First Home scheme to help people without the bank of mum and dad get on the property ladder.

The Social Housing Bill recently went through Parliament. With almost 180,000 children across the country growing up without a permanent home and over 23,000 households on the Housing Waiting List in Cornwall alone, this Labour government wants to do everything we can to get councils building council houses. Cornwall has sold off approximately 11,000 council homes since Right to Buy was introduced and only has 10,400 left. The Bill makes it harder to sell off council houses. It needs to be made easier for councils to build new homes, and owners of ex-council houses that are being rented out as holiday lets should be reminded that this is a breach of the covenant in their deeds. The government’s new registration scheme for holiday lets is also coming next Spring. This Social Housing Bill will protect our social housing stock and incentivise the building of more social rented homes and support social tenants who are victims and survivors of domestic abuse by creating a fairer system with greater protections. This Government has invested a once-in-a-generation £39 billion for affordable and social/council housing over the next 10 years.

The Post Office’s counter and shop within TJ Jones on Pydar Street will close on 6 October. Truro city centre needs a Post Office; it is an important part of our high street and community. For many, it is a place to access cash, with the Post Office stepping in as banks withdraw from towns and cities. It offers essential services, from collecting pensions and returning parcels to renewing passports and driving licences. At a time when more services move online, Post Offices provide important in-person support, particularly for older and more vulnerable residents; and these services are a lifeline for small businesses. I have already been working with the Post Office and the owners of TJ Jones in Parliament to ensure we do not lose it. Now that a formal notice has been given the Post Office is working with me, Truro City Council and Cornwall Council to find an alternative location. I have already held an urgent meeting to begin planning the relocation and minimise disruption. The response from Truro has been immediate, with many coming forward expressing interest in a post office application, demonstrating just how valued the service is within the community. The Post Office are now working through the information to find a new home for it and I used a Parliamentary debate this week to rasie the issue with the Minister . I will continue to fight for a better postal service and to ensure Truro retains a Post Office in the city centre.

On 28 August I held my second Politics Summer School, which was hosted at Truro College. 28 young people aged 15 – 19, living or studying in the Truro and Falmouth constituency, spent the day learning how politics works and how they can get involved in public life. Attendees heard about the work of MPs and councillors, took part in a cross-party panel discussion chaired by University of Exeter lecturer Katya, and met local journalists to learn about the role of media in democracy and accountability. We also welcomed Simon Neild, videographer and presenter at Falmouth community radio station Source FM, who ran a session on the different forms of media, the role of film and photography in political communication, and the value of stories that matter to local communities. My favourite part was the mock parliamentary debate on the recent social media ban for under-16s. I stood in as Speaker and listened to some fantastic speeches from young people who grew in confidence throughout the day. Their debating skills were as good as many MPs! As the Representation of the People Bill reaches its final stages in Parliament, which could lower the voting age to 16, it feels more important than ever to help young people understand how our democracy works and how they can make their voices heard

I invited our new Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, down to Cornwall and was glad when he wanted to visit Colwyn Farm near Perranwell within the first month of his premiership. Farming Minister, Stephen Morgan and Tom Bradshaw from the National Farmers’ Union also joined. The Prime Minister made some announcements about the action the Government is taking to relieve the pressure on farmers, who are dealing with the effects of one of the driest summers in living memory. That includes more flexibility in Environmental schemes, meaning farmers affected by drought can continue to receive payments and protect their livestock, crops and land, and increasing the Sustainable Farming Incentive budget by £50m to fund more drought-resilient farming practices. £15m of investment will be used to build reservoirs to help farmers store water, with updated planning guidance and Environment Agency support to simplify water abstraction procedures. The Prime Minister wanted to make his commitment to supporting farmers, sustainable farming and food production crystal clear. I updated the Farming Minister on the bluetongue virus that is sweeping through Cornwall, Devon and Somerset. He went on to visit an affected farm after he was in Truro. Government departments are working on speeding up testing, vaccine availability and removal of fallen stock.

This Summer Recess I have been around the constituency holding ‘Tea with MP’ events to see what issues communities in Truro and Falmouth are dealing with. I was able to get out and visit residents across Budock Water, Gerrans and Portscatho, Mylor Bridge, and Carnon Downs. Residents raised issues including local policing, mobile library services, water quality, SEND provision, NHS dentistry and social housing. I have already followed up with Devon and Cornwall Police, South West Water and Cornwall Council. I have found these events a great way to hear directly from constituents and ensure local concerns are acted upon - particularly for those who might not otherwise get in touch online or through my MP inbox.

Back in July, I attended Lys Kernow for the dentistry summit. It was good to catch up with councillors and health leaders to discuss the issues with dentistry in Cornwall, which has very poor access to dental care. We live in a dental desert, and so many people have contacted me about this increasing issue. In Cornwall, more than a quarter of practices that previously offered NHS treatment have stopped doing so, and between 2017 and 2026 there has been a 26.9% reduction in NHS practices. In fact, Cornwall, Devon and the wider South West have seen some of the biggest reductions in the number of practices offering NHS care. I am writing to the new dental minister about this stark reality and will push the need for special attention to be paid to Cornwall. People in Truro & Falmouth should not have to choose between going private and going without care. Access to NHS dentistry should not depend on where you live, and I will continue pushing to make sure Cornwall gets the healthcare it deserves. Please use the Dentistry helpline if you need urgent or follow-up care. They will direct you where to go. Call Smile Together on: 0333 405 0290 – this is Cornwall’s emergency dental service.

I attended the original People's Emergency Briefing in Westminster Hall and have since attended many screenings across the constituency. I have also written to the new Prime Minister about the issues it raises. When I go to the showings, I do talk about the actions the Government is taking and planning. Ed Miliband’s pledge for our power to be carbon-free by 2030 is important for our national security so we aren’t relying on other countries for our energy, as well as for tackling climate change. For that we need renewable energy from wind, geothermal, solar and the floating wind in the Celtic Sea. That could be so good for Cornwall economically, bringing jobs to our young people as well as providing safe, clean, local energy. The Government has also set up GB Energy to invest £1 billion into community energy where local people own their own energy sources. GB Energy has already put solar panels on schools and Falmouth Hospital and Falmouth Fire Station. The Government is delivering the largest ever investment in home upgrades, through the £15 billion Warm Homes Plan that will help millions of families benefit from the solar panels, batteries, heat pumps and insulation that can keep energy bills down. There is a lot happening, and although I know there is so much more we need to do, I want that message of hope to also get out there amongst the urgency of the crisis.

Andy Burnham is making the same pledge that Tony Blair did in 1999 to end rough sleeping - and he’s put a hard deadline on getting everyone in by Christmas. The rough sleeper count on one night in November last year in Cornwall was 65 people, but we know there are more that weren’t found by the volunteer counters that night. The plan will be backed by a £442 million package to help local authorities rise to the challenge. Cornwall will get £3.8 million to make it happen. The new Rough Sleeping Programme combines immediate provision to help people sleeping rough access accommodation and support before Christmas 2026, with settled accommodation and intensive wraparound support for people who have experienced the longest periods of rough sleeping and face the greatest barriers to leaving the streets permanently. I am pleased, especially after my letter of support, that St. Petroc's in Cornwall will receive a share of the Ending Homelessness in Communities Fund.

When people take on a social tenancy, many are handed an empty box and must find the money for carpets, furniture and essential appliances such as a cooker and fridge. These are necessities, but the cost of providing them can be overwhelming for those with very little. This month I hosted a Housing Summit in Truro with social housing providers from across Cornwall, advice services, charities and campaign groups to discuss how to tackle furniture poverty and reduce the costs people face when starting a new social tenancy. There are charities in Cornwall, such as Hidden Help and Acts 435, that help people experiencing furniture poverty, but this is not enough to fill the gaps. The Government has allocated £8.25 million to Cornwall Council through the Crisis and Resilience Fund in 2026–27 to support households facing financial hardship. I have written to Cornwall Council asking it to review the criteria for payments from this fund to ensure it covers people experiencing dire furniture poverty at the start of a tenancy. I will also keep pressing this issue in Parliament, including making the case for floor coverings to be recognised within the Decent Homes Standard.

From January, this Government will cap single bus fares at £2, making it more affordable to travel across Cornwall. I know there is more to do - particularly on transport for people at college and in training - but this cap will help and is a good first step. On 23 July, I held a Bus Summit in Falmouth for those whose apprenticeship, work experience, training or studies have been disrupted by a lack of transport. The system across the country in rural areas to travel to compulsory 16-19 education is expensive and difficult. It’s something colleges, local and national government need to work to fix. I will continue to do that and raise it at a national level.