Campaigns – my priorities for Mersea and Pyefleet
1. Protecting the rural character of our area
2. Action on local sea level rise
3. Tackling coastal erosion
4. Ensuring access to NHS and local GP services
5. Supporting the rural economy
6. A better local council
2. Action on local sea level rise
3. Tackling coastal erosion
4. Ensuring access to NHS and local GP services
5. Supporting the rural economy
6. A better local council
|
|
1. Protecting the rural character of our area
When the borough of Colchester became a “city” I publicly raised concerns about Abberton/Langenhoe, Fingringhoe, Peldon, East and West Mersea being included within the new city boundary. I will fight hard to ensure our area continues to be treated as rural.
The recent changes to the planning law by the new Labour government requiring local councils to “inform” the minister if they are likely to refuse planning permission for any development of 150 or more houses, so that ministers can grant permission themselves are a wholly unacceptable interference in local democracy.
The recent changes to the planning law by the new Labour government requiring local councils to “inform” the minister if they are likely to refuse planning permission for any development of 150 or more houses, so that ministers can grant permission themselves are a wholly unacceptable interference in local democracy.
- Stop overdevelopment
- Protect the countryside
- Keep it rural!
2. Action on sea-level rise
Whilst Reform who now control all the county councils in East Anglia are trying to tell us that climate change is not a significant issue, as you can see from the graph which is based on a recent analysis of tide gauges in ports across the country, UK sea levels have already risen 30cm (that’s a foot in old money!) since 1900.
The 1953 floods
In fact, sea level is now 17cm higher than in 1953 when 326 people lost their lives their lives in a storm surge – with the East Coast by far the worst affected region (119 lives lost in Essex, 80+ in Norfolk and 44 in Suffolk).
Current sea-level rise
While sea level across the UK is currently rising by 3mm a year. In fact, in East Anglian and Essex relative sea-level is actually rising by around 4mm a year because the land here is slowly sinking (what geologists call ‘Isostatic adjustment’). That means high spring tides are now 4cm higher than a decade ago - so much more likely to overtop sea walls.
The next 25 years i.e. 2050
This rise in sea level is primarily due to what climate scientists call ‘thermal expansion of seawater’ i.e. warmer water taking up a slightly bigger volume than cooler water (a bit like if you pour boiling water from a kettle into a cup and leave it for 5 minutes you’ll find the level has dropped as it cools!). That’s why the latest mid-range estimates from the Met Office are that in the next 25 years UK sea level will rise a further 20-30cm.
While recent research produced by the University of East Anglia found that 200,000 properties will be at risk from sea-level rise in the next 25 years, with East Anglia, particularly Essex and North Norfolk among the most vulnerable areas.
This means
That is why there is now an urgent need to raise the height of the sea-walls, many of
which were built in response to the 1953 floods, in which 326 people lost their lives, 24,000 homes were flooded and the equivalent of £1.2 billion of damage was caused to roads, railways, water and power supplies.
The 1953 floods
In fact, sea level is now 17cm higher than in 1953 when 326 people lost their lives their lives in a storm surge – with the East Coast by far the worst affected region (119 lives lost in Essex, 80+ in Norfolk and 44 in Suffolk).
Current sea-level rise
While sea level across the UK is currently rising by 3mm a year. In fact, in East Anglian and Essex relative sea-level is actually rising by around 4mm a year because the land here is slowly sinking (what geologists call ‘Isostatic adjustment’). That means high spring tides are now 4cm higher than a decade ago - so much more likely to overtop sea walls.
The next 25 years i.e. 2050
This rise in sea level is primarily due to what climate scientists call ‘thermal expansion of seawater’ i.e. warmer water taking up a slightly bigger volume than cooler water (a bit like if you pour boiling water from a kettle into a cup and leave it for 5 minutes you’ll find the level has dropped as it cools!). That’s why the latest mid-range estimates from the Met Office are that in the next 25 years UK sea level will rise a further 20-30cm.
While recent research produced by the University of East Anglia found that 200,000 properties will be at risk from sea-level rise in the next 25 years, with East Anglia, particularly Essex and North Norfolk among the most vulnerable areas.
This means
- Flooding will happen more often in places like Fingringhoe, Mersea and Peldon as sea walls are overtopped more frequently.
- The Strood causeway connecting Mersea Island to the mainland will be cut off twice as many days as at present.
- The worst floods, such as those in 1953 and 2013 will occur more often.
That is why there is now an urgent need to raise the height of the sea-walls, many of
which were built in response to the 1953 floods, in which 326 people lost their lives, 24,000 homes were flooded and the equivalent of £1.2 billion of damage was caused to roads, railways, water and power supplies.
3. Tackling coastal erosion
We are already seeing significant coastal erosion around in our area.
Coastal erosion is increasing
However, the latest research expects this to massively increase as sea level rises. Recent research from Imperial College London suggests that this century even on rocky coasts erosion rates are likely to increase by at least 3x and possibly up to 10x their current rates.
Why our area is particularly vulnerable
Much of the coast of Essex and East Anglia is particularly vulnerable due to its local geology with sandy crag material sitting on top of a bed of clay. When the clay gets wet – either through rainfall dripping through the overlying sandy material or waves reaching the base of the cliff, it becomes unstable and collapses.
We cannot stop coastal erosion – but we can slow it.
Why we need changes to government policy on sea defence
However, the current system of coast protection does not work well. The Environment Agency has ‘permissive powers’ to undertake coast protection works but it not legally required to do anything. However, they do have the power to stop local councils doing their own sea defence schemes.
The 2010 Flood and Water Management Act, which was rushed through parliament without proper scrutiny by MPs when Gordon Brown called the 2010 general election, gives wide ranging powers to the Environment Agency to actually create coastal erosion or flooding for reasons such as nature conservation.
This is simply far too much power to give to unelected officials.
Colchester City Council
Locally, since I was elected to Colchester City Council in 2024, I have been fighting to change the ridiculous situation where the council, which has been controlled by a combination of Labour, the Lib-Dems and sometimes Greens for 17 of the last 18 years, spends nearly half a million pounds on ‘responding to the climate emergency’ – which it claims is its No.1 priority. But does absolutely nothing to tackle the most obvious local effects of climate change such as sea-level rise and the increased coastal erosion it brings. As a result of my efforts your Conservative councillors put forward budget amendments in both 2025 and 2026 to re-allocate a significant proportion of this budget to local sea -defence. Sadly, those moves were defeated by Lib-Dem, Labour and Green councillors voting against them.
Coastal erosion is increasing
However, the latest research expects this to massively increase as sea level rises. Recent research from Imperial College London suggests that this century even on rocky coasts erosion rates are likely to increase by at least 3x and possibly up to 10x their current rates.
Why our area is particularly vulnerable
Much of the coast of Essex and East Anglia is particularly vulnerable due to its local geology with sandy crag material sitting on top of a bed of clay. When the clay gets wet – either through rainfall dripping through the overlying sandy material or waves reaching the base of the cliff, it becomes unstable and collapses.
We cannot stop coastal erosion – but we can slow it.
Why we need changes to government policy on sea defence
However, the current system of coast protection does not work well. The Environment Agency has ‘permissive powers’ to undertake coast protection works but it not legally required to do anything. However, they do have the power to stop local councils doing their own sea defence schemes.
The 2010 Flood and Water Management Act, which was rushed through parliament without proper scrutiny by MPs when Gordon Brown called the 2010 general election, gives wide ranging powers to the Environment Agency to actually create coastal erosion or flooding for reasons such as nature conservation.
This is simply far too much power to give to unelected officials.
Colchester City Council
Locally, since I was elected to Colchester City Council in 2024, I have been fighting to change the ridiculous situation where the council, which has been controlled by a combination of Labour, the Lib-Dems and sometimes Greens for 17 of the last 18 years, spends nearly half a million pounds on ‘responding to the climate emergency’ – which it claims is its No.1 priority. But does absolutely nothing to tackle the most obvious local effects of climate change such as sea-level rise and the increased coastal erosion it brings. As a result of my efforts your Conservative councillors put forward budget amendments in both 2025 and 2026 to re-allocate a significant proportion of this budget to local sea -defence. Sadly, those moves were defeated by Lib-Dem, Labour and Green councillors voting against them.
4. Ensuring access to NHS and local GP services
Personally, I am one of those fortunate people who hardly ever need to visit a doctor, but I am very aware that the more birthdays you have the more likely you are to need the NHS!
Our aging population need the NHS!
Because our area is so beautiful we attract a lot of people wanting to retire here. That is why Mersea and Pyefleet ward, which I have the privilege to represent, has 38% - twice the national average - of people aged 65+. In fact, on Mersea Island itself, it is probably 50%.
GP closure of list to new patients
In summer 2024 our only GP surgery on Mersea closed its books to new patients. To be clear this is not the surgery’s fault – they put out a letter saying that it was because of the increase in Mersea’s population resulting from recent housing developments, which meant they felt they could not safely take on any more patients.
Mersea residents who had not registered with a GP when they first moved onto the island, immediately began contacting us as local councillors about this.
GP practices are, like dentists, opticians and pharmacists, private practices who provide services under contract to the NHS, so they are actually responsible for providing their own premises. However, as your local Conservative councillors we have been working very closely with Sir Bernard Jenkin MP on this.
What we have done
There is a now a three stage plan in progress
Our aging population need the NHS!
Because our area is so beautiful we attract a lot of people wanting to retire here. That is why Mersea and Pyefleet ward, which I have the privilege to represent, has 38% - twice the national average - of people aged 65+. In fact, on Mersea Island itself, it is probably 50%.
GP closure of list to new patients
In summer 2024 our only GP surgery on Mersea closed its books to new patients. To be clear this is not the surgery’s fault – they put out a letter saying that it was because of the increase in Mersea’s population resulting from recent housing developments, which meant they felt they could not safely take on any more patients.
Mersea residents who had not registered with a GP when they first moved onto the island, immediately began contacting us as local councillors about this.
GP practices are, like dentists, opticians and pharmacists, private practices who provide services under contract to the NHS, so they are actually responsible for providing their own premises. However, as your local Conservative councillors we have been working very closely with Sir Bernard Jenkin MP on this.
What we have done
- In October 2024 I drafted a letter from your local Conservative councillors to the Health Secretary, Wes Streeting asking him to a) seek an immediate meeting Housing Secretary, Angela Rayner to stop any more housing developments on Mersea as this would make the situation even worse b) resolve the situation.
- In November 2025 I organised a meeting for local councillors with the leadership of (then) NHS Suffolk and North Essex Integrated Care Board.
- In December 2025 I persuaded Colchester City Council’s head of planning to put a restriction on the proposed housing development at Dawes Lane, so that planning permission would not be given until the GP situation on Mersea was resolved, so that all new residents would register with a GP on the island.
There is a now a three stage plan in progress
- Renovation of the NHS facility on Barfield Road, West Mersea, so that the GPs can use it for extra consulting rooms.
- Building an extra floor on the current surgery on Barfield Road (planning permission now granted)
- Those patients living on Mersea who have had to register with GP surgeries on the mainland (some at quite a distance away) will be offered the chance to register with the Mersea GP surgery. As there are more than 200 people in this situation, this will be phased offer so as not to overwhelm the surgery.
- When that has been completed, there should then be sufficient consulting rooms and GP capacity to re-open the surgery’s list to new patients.
5. Supporting the rural economy
Keeping jobs in the rural community, helping small business start ups and yes I will keep pushing the County Council to ensure we get potholes and highways issues sorted! (and have had some local success there recently!)
However, we also need to clear that the biggest problems for the rural economy come from the policies of the present Labour government, including
BY THE WAY...if Reform knock on your door - you might like to ask them WHY Reform MPs failed to join Conservatives in voting against the Family Farm Tax...
However, we also need to clear that the biggest problems for the rural economy come from the policies of the present Labour government, including
- Cutting the point at which employers start paying National Insurance from £9,100 to £5,000
- Increasing employer’s National Insurance contributions to 15%. Both of these are basically a tax on jobs – and particularly affect the hospitality sector.
- An increase in the minimum wage which was 9% above inflation – sounds great until you ask how employers are going to pay it. A local employer I spoke to recently told me he had just decided not to take on two apprentices because of this…So, that’s two more local young people without a job…
- The ‘family farm tax’ - making all but the very smallest farms pay inheritance tax. This will have a devastating effect on both farmers and the wider rural economy. Farmers will have to sell off some of the land they inherit just to pay inheritance tax – which massively reduces their incentive to invest in farm improvements. While the people most likely to buy up their land will not be other farmers, they will be property developers who think the countryside is a great place to build housing estates…
BY THE WAY...if Reform knock on your door - you might like to ask them WHY Reform MPs failed to join Conservatives in voting against the Family Farm Tax...