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Southampton MPs join Council Leader in welcoming announcement that Northam Rail Bridge and A326 schemes given green light

Heidi Alexander MP, Secretary of State Transport

The Government has announced this morning that funding for schemes to replace the failing Northam Rail Bridge and to improve the A326 Marchwood Bypass corridor have been approved.

Both schemes have now been given the green light to progress as part of the Department for Transport’s third Road Investment Strategy and Major Road Network review, published today. Heidi Alexander, Secretary of state for Transport, gave a statement to the House of Commons this morning, announcing the strategy and setting out details.

The scheme at Northam Rail Bridge will see provision of a new, widened, replacement bridge on the A3024 corridor in Southampton, and the A326 scheme will see improvements made to the Marchwood Bypass corridor, connecting into the M27 at Junction 2 and serving the Waterside area of the New Forest.

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Satvir welcomes government ‘South West Hampshire’ devolution decision

It has been announced today that Southampton will form part of new unitary authority ‘South West Hampshire’ as part of the Government’s reforms to local government, the biggest in a generation.

Read the detail in the statement from Steve Reed MP, Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government

Southampton will join Eastleigh, the Waterside, Chilworth, Rownhams and Nursling in a new local authority that will be better reflect the needs and lives of local communities.

As a former leader of Southampton City Council, I know first-hand that the existing local authority structure has held us back from reaching our full potential. It’s why, as one of the local Members of Parliament, I’ve been working hard to ensure these changes better equip local leaders with the tools they need to tackle regional challenges – such as housing supply and affordability, public transport, skills development and health inequalities – in a deep and meaningful way that has been has not been an option for leaders to date.

I’m looking forward to working with government, local authorities, and residents to make a success of this huge opportunity, and will do everything I can to ensure that we finally unlock our potential as a city and a region.

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Satvir Kaur MP welcomes government funding for more nursery places at Mansel Park and Sinclair Primary Schools

Satvir Kaur MP with students at Mansel Park Primary

It has been announced today that two schools in Southampton Test are to receive funding from the Labour Government to offer more nursery places.

Mansel Park Primary School and Sinclair Primary School are both to receive money as part of the Labour Government’s ‘Best Start’ school-based nursery programme and will be expanding their existing nursery capacity as a result.

The news has been welcomed by Satvir Kaur, Member of Parliament for Southampton Test, where both schools are based.

The schools are among 331 schools across the country successful in applying for a share of £45 million funding, to build or expand nurseries on site.

Nationwide, the new Best Start nurseries will create over 6,000 more childcare places, on top of up to 7,000 already being delivered from the first phase of the programme.

The announcement follows a report published last week showing the government’s childcare reforms have halved costs for eligible working parents since 2024.

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Satvir welcomes fly-tipping crackdown with Labour’s new Waste Crime Action Plan

The Government has today launched its new Waste Crime Action Plan – the toughest ever crackdown on illegal waste – backed by an additional £45 million for the Environment Agency to pursue fly-tippers and organised criminal gangs across England.

Waste crime costs the economy £1 billion every year, with nearly 1.3 million incidents of fly-tipping recorded last year alone.

In Southampton it is a huge problem, with the city recording over 12,000 separate incidents of fly-tipping in the year 2024-25, and areas such as Newtown and Portswood hit particularly hard.

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Southampton small businesses hosted at ministerial roundtable

Earlier in March, a group of Southampton small businesses met with Blair McDougall MP, Minister for Small Business and Economic Transformation, at a roundtable meeting hosted in parliament by two of Southampton’s MPs.

The meeting was arranged by Satvir Kaur MP, Member of Parliament for Southampton Test, and Darren Paffey MP, Member of Parliament for Southampton Itchen, in response to conversations had with Southampton small businesses – a number of whom had expressed an interest in speaking directly to ministers about key issues within their sector.

Make it Magic, Mettricks Southampton, and Alaplas Coffee were amongst the businesses attending the high-level meeting, and other attendees included Councillor Alex Winning, Leader of Southampton City Council, and Stephen Mannion, Chief Executive of Go! Southampton.

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We did it! Following petition, Satvir Kaur MP secures front counter to tackle crime in Shirley

Residents and businesses in Shirley are set to benefit from a new multi-agency face-to-face front counter on Shirley High Street, following a successful campaign and petition led by Satvir Kaur MP to bring a police counter back to Shirley.

In the wake of a particularly difficult period for Shirley High Street last summer, marked by persistent problems with anti-social behaviour and shoplifting, the Southampton Test MP launched a petition and campaigned for a permanent police front counter to be reinstated in the area.

With scores of residents signing the petition, and with the backing of local councillors, funding for the new facility has now been secured through the government’s Pride in Place Impact Fund, enabling the counter to be established within the old Housing Office in Shirley Precinct.

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Apply to be Chair of the Pride in Place Board

Really excited to share that applications are now open for Chair of the Redbridge and Millbrook Estate Pride in Place Neighbourhood Board!

APPLY NOW

Deadline for applications: Sunday 1 March

This is an incredible opportunity for someone passionate about the area to help deliver this ground-breaking project, backed by £20 million in funding from the Labour government.

Recruiting our Chair marks a massive step forward as they will be absolutely pivotal to the project, both in driving activity and convening a board that is truly representative of the community and anyone with the experience, vision and local connection should definitely put their name forward and apply.

You’ll be playing a leading role in a transformative project that will ultimately build a stronger, fairer future for Redbridge and the Millbrook Estate.

Good luck to all who apply!

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Satvir Kaur MP joined by Wombles for Shirley litter pick

The Wombles joined Southampton Test MP Satvir Kaur and local environmental campaigners for a community litter pick at Shirley Pond Park.

In a litter pick with a difference, the iconic Wombles teamed up with volunteers and Satvir Kaur MP to help tidy Shirley Pond Park. The park forms part of the Lordsdale Greenway, which has recently been designated a Local Nature Reserve.

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Local win for Southampton Test MP as two more schools are set to get a free breakfast club

More families and children in Southampton Test will soon benefit from free, daily breakfast clubs as the Labour government confirms the next 500 schools to offer the scheme from April, including St Mark’s and Mason Moor Primary School in Southampton, putting up to £450 a year back in local parents’ pockets. It represents a campaign win for Southampton Test’s Labour Member of Parliament, Satvir Kaur, who wrote to all eligible local schools to encourage them to apply to join the scheme. As a result, 1027 children in their constituency will be able to access a nutritious meal at the start of the day, as the schools join Bevois Town Primary School which was an early adopter of the free breakfast club rollout.

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Support for residents following Southampton General Hospital fire

Following the shocking fire at Southampton General Hospital yesterday, I know many local residents are understandably worried about what this means for appointments, visits to loved ones, and the safety of patients and staff.

First and foremost, I want to reassure everyone that I have been told that no one was hurt as a result of the fire. Thanks to the swift response of courageous hospital staff and our incredible emergency services, patients were moved to safety and the situation was brought under control quickly. I want to put on record my personal and heartfelt thanks to everyone involved for their professionalism and calm under such intense pressure. You are the very best of us and we are all hugely grateful to you for your bravery.

I know that many local residents are anxious about the situation, and so I have put together a brief Q&A to hopefully help with any concerns:

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