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Patients in Southampton to benefit from hospital repairs thanks to Labour Government 

Labour has announced that they will deliver vital maintenance in hospitals to help prevent cancelled appointments and operations, with patients in Southampton set to benefit from the Government’s Plan for Change. 

Across the country, over 400 hospitals, mental health units and ambulance sites will be handed £750million to tackle long-term problems such as leaky pipes, poor ventilation and electrical issues, helping to prevent thousands of cancelled operations and appointments.    

Satvir Kaur, MP for Southampton Test described the funding as ‘crucial and urgent’ and ‘another step in our promise to fix our public services which have been on their knees for far too long.’ 

The projects include much needed works at University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, specifically the Southampton General Hospital and Princess Anne Hospital, which will help patients benefit from better services and facilities across the health system. Up and down the country, fixing the backlog of maintenance at NHS hospitals will help prevent cancellations, with services disrupted over 4,000 times in 2023/24 due to issues with poor quality buildings. 

The hospital funding package was confirmed in last year’s Autumn Budget, in which an extra £26billion was secured for the NHS by the Labour Government. 

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Southampton Test pupils to benefit from Labour’s vital repairs to crumbling schools

  • Combined £1.2billion funding in schools and hospitals part of Labour’s promise to deliver public infrastructure improvements through its Plan for Change
  • Classrooms and school facilities in Southampton upgraded to be safe and warm
  • MP backs investment to give local children the ‘best start in life’

Pupils in Southampton Test are set to benefit from essential maintenance fixes being rolled out in schools across the country thanks to the Labour government, with up to £87.2 million being invested in schools across the South East, through the Condition Improvement Fund (CIF).

Children at Freemantle Church of England Community Academy will benefit from a share of £470million for projects in education and healthcare settings, set to fix crumbling roofs and remove dangerous asbestos – restoring pride in England’s classrooms and undoing years of dangerous Conservative neglect.

The funding is part of Labour’s mission to fix the dire state of public services inherited from the Conservatives and deliver investment and reform through the Plan for Change, supporting children to get the best start in life.

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View from Westminster

Each month, I have the pleasure of writing a column for our local paper, the Daily Echo here in Southampton. Local journalism plays such a vital role in our community, and I’m proud to support it. I always enjoy the chance to share what I’ve been working on with Echo readers. Here’s my column for May:

We all know that Southampton is a proudly international city — a place where the world meets Britain. For centuries, we’ve played a key role in shaping this global perspective. So, it’s no surprise that many residents, organisations, and businesses speak to me about how the government is responding to today’s turbulent international landscape.

This week has been particularly significant, with the announcement of new trade agreements with the US, India, and the EU — all of which are major milestones. These deals will bring real benefits to jobs and livelihoods here in our city. In my additional role as Parliamentary Private Secretary for the Cabinet Office, I’ve been working closely with Ministers — particularly on the UK EU reset — to help secure the best possible deal for our country. Too many people felt constrained by previous arrangements, and I’m incredibly proud to have played a part in delivering positive change.

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Labour government funds upgrades to Brook House and Hill Lane GP surgeries

I was absolutely delighted by the Labour government’s announcement that two Southampton GP surgeries, Brook House and Hill Lane, are among a thousand nationally to receive funding for a bricks-and-mortar upgrade to their premises. By creating more usable space, this drive to modernise and refurbish practices is a ‘quick win’ and will unlock more appointments for residents.

Right now, many GP surgeries could be seeing more patients, but don’t have enough room or the right facilities to accommodate them. From creating new consultation and treatment rooms to making better use of existing space, these quick fixes will help patients be seen faster.

The national programme in its entirity represents the biggest investment in GP facilities in five years and is only possible because of the difficult but necessary choices made by the government in the Budget, allowing an extra £26 billion investment in the NHS.

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Bringing Southampton voices to the 10 Year Health Plan

The Government launched Change NHS to hear your views, experiences, and ideas, which will shape a new 10 Year Health Plan for England. Since then, the biggest-ever conversation about the future of the NHS, with over 220,000 contributions from the public and health and care staff, has taken place.

I was proud to host a workshop at Oakley Road in Southampton, bringing together colleagues from Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust’s Southampton and South West (SSW) division, along with our incredible local community, to hear how we can best protect and future-proof the NHS for everyone who works in it and uses it right here in Southampton.

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Championing young readers: celebrating Southampton’s talented pupils

As the MP for Southampton Test, I have the privilege of meeting and hearing about the achievements of so many talented young people of all ages across our city. Whether in schools, at community events, or in Parliament, I always want to champion the incredible potential of our children and encourage them to aim high.

Southampton gave me so much growing up as a child from the inner city on free school meals, and I want to ensure that this new generation are supported too.

That’s why I was absolutely delighted to hear about the fantastic achievements of pupils from the Learning Federation Partnership of Schools in the recent National Reading Champions Quiz.

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Thank you for supporting my petition to stop Lloyds Shirley closing

I would like to thank everyone who signed the petition to keep the Lloyds banking branch on Shirley Road open. While it is disappointing that the bank branch will sadly close its doors for the final time on May 7, 2025, your support has played a crucial role in highlighting the importance of this vital service on Shirley High Street.

Thanks to the pressure from the petition, Lloyds has assured me that it will step up to ensure the community receives the necessary support during the closure, alongside installing a cash access solution so that residents can still deposit cash and cash cheques.

Over 400 residents have expressed their backing for the campaign to save the branch, and I am incredibly grateful for this. I have been holding regular meetings with Lloyds to challenge them and the banking group’s data to ensure that they have considered the needs of all Shirley bank’s customers. As well as urging the banking group to consider a banking hub, an option that Lloyds has repeatedly refused.

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No Limits get £58k Government Funding Boost 

I am so pleased to share news that No Limits, an incredible youth services charity in Southampton, has been awarded £58,000 in new government funding to support young people in the city. 

The funding is part of a wider Labour Government initiative to improve the mental health of young people across England, with a focus on early intervention and specialist support. No Limits is one of 24 Early Support Hubs across the country set to receive a share of £7 million allocated to mental health services for young people. 

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Letter to RMG: fighting for leaseholders

Having heard heart-breaking stories from a number of resident groups in Southampton, I have joined a group of MPs working together to stand up for leaseholders.

As part of this work, I have signed a joint letter to property management company RMG demanding better for residents. Sadly, too many leaseholders and renters continue to face substandard living conditions, all while paying sky-high service fees for work that either doesn’t get completed or is poorly done.

I have been holding landlords and property management companies accountable for constituents, and I will keep pushing for change. From calling out bad landlords and freeholders in Parliament and achieving rent freezes for Compass Point in Redbridge, to holding Abri to account and securing an action plan for residents in Portswood, I’m fighting hard on this issue.

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Southampton Renaissance Vision: Prospectus for Change Launch

With growth being the government’s central mission and this region being placed on the priority programme for devolution, we have a once in a generation opportunity to finally stop talking about Southampton’s huge potential and start delivering on it.

It’s was great to officially welcome investors and partners last week to Southampton’s Renaissance Vision and Prospectus Launch.

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I’m proud to have played my role in setting up and currently chairing Southampton Renaissance, that brings together key city institutions, everyone in the same boat rowing in the same direction.

From growing our globally important maritime sector, to cementing us as a destination city, to being at the heart of innovation and creating the jobs of the future – Southampton is open for business, and I’m pleased so many are looking to invest and become invested in our amazing city and incredible people.

Discover the Prospectus for Change here: southamptonrenaissance.com