Good Evening john,

This week’s newsletter includes visits to St Matthews Catholic Primary School and Prudhoe Community Allotment, positive new economic growth figures, and progress on Haltwhistle Working Men's Club.

As ever, if you have an issue you would like to raise with me as your local Member of Parliament, please email me at: [email protected].

📚 Record investment delivering better results for our local schools



Last week, I was delighted to visit the fantastic St Matthew's Catholic Primary School in Prudhoe, along with my colleague Gordon Stewart, the County Councillor for the area.

It was a pleasure to meet with the school’s headteacher, Martin Gray, to congratulate him on the school’s recent success in both their Ofsted and catholic school’s inspections, where the incredible education that this school provides was accredited with five outstanding judgements out of eight areas inspected.

The record levels of investment delivered by the Conservative Government have led to better teaching and education for our children, with additional funding being provided for primary and secondary schools across England. Under this government, St Matthew’s is receiving over £50,000 more per year than ever before.

I also met with the remarkable pupils on the student council, who did not hesitate to grill me as their local MP, questioning me on a wide range of issues.

Their enthusiasm was clear to see, and I look forward to giving them a behind-the-scenes tour when they make their way down to London for a trip to parliament in July.

My thanks go out to Mr Gray and all the teachers who work with such passion every day to ensure that the children at this school get an incredible education and the very best start in life.
 

📈 A growing economy delivering higher living standards for all



This week we received new figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) that show that the economy is growing, as UK GDP increased by 0.6% in the first quarter of 2024.

This news is hugely encouraging, placing our economy as one of the fastest-growing economies, growing more rapidly than the US, France or Germany.

These figures are extremely positive for everyone living in Tynedale and Ponteland, as strong growth means more jobs and prosperity for local people, and shows we are turning a corner after a difficult few years.

The government is committed to sticking to the plan, and inflation has been more than halved. Wages have also been rising faster than inflation for nine consecutive months, meaning people in Northumberland have more money in their pockets.

As your local MP, I am determined to ensure that these improvements make a real and positive difference to the standards of living for households across Tynedale and Ponteland.
 

🌳 Celebrating the Success of the Prudhoe Community Allotment

 

It was a real joy to visit the Prudhoe Community Allotment ahead of their annual open day on the 31st of July.

This ‘access to all’ allotment right at the heart of Prudhoe is a truly special organisation, and the hard-working volunteers have done such great work to completely transform a site that would otherwise have gone to waste into a welcoming community, with opportunities for everyone. It is an honour to be their president.

Well done to all those involved in this transformation for creating a space that is so cherished by the local people.

As we enter the warmer summer months, I would encourage everyone to try to get down to the allotment to try their hand at gardening and get to know other allotment gardeners over a friendly chat and a coffee.

The group meets every Wednesday and Friday from 10 am to 1 pm, and is always looking for friendly new members.

👷‍♂️ Encouraging progress for Haltwhistle Working Men’s Club

 

Finally, some great news for the Haltwhistle Working Men’s Club as insurers have now been given the green light to begin demolition works. This shows progress towards getting the club back up and running.

I know just how much the venue was cherished by the town for many years as a place where local people could get together. The fire at the club devastated the local community.

I have met nearby residents, businesses and stakeholders multiple times to discuss the next steps for the club, and the club itself will also be meeting later this week.

It is understandable that people are upset and frustrated that the site remains derelict, and I have been urging the insurers to act quickly so that Haltwhistle can return to the market town it once was as soon as possible.

Progress is now being made and I will continue to liaise with the key stakeholders to encourage a quick and positive resolution.

Guy Opperman MP

Member of Parliament for Tynedale and Ponteland