York Press column: Looking ahead to 2023
December 28, 2022
With the dust not yet settled on 2022, there is already a lot to look forward and be hopeful for in 2023 as we aim to make it the best year yet for York.
Only days ago, I received notification from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities that due to the quality of bids for the latest round of levelling up funding the Government is increasing the total awarded by £400 million to £2.1 billion. This bodes well for York as we have two bids; one to transform the riverside along Coney Street and the other to improve action travel options at a new railway station in Haxby.
The latter has already had successful bids to the Restoring York Railway fund and I hope 2023 will see further progress as the Government continues to place a vote of confidence in the project with increased funding.
Sticking with the topic of railways, next year there will see legislative time set aside to bring back our transformational Transport Bill which will resume the hunt for a home for Great British Railways. I have worked to ensure York remains an attractive option for Ministers and I will continue to lobby Government into the new year as we look to write the next chapter in our city’s history with the railways.
2023 could also see our city’s seven decade wait for a new Local Plan come to an end as our latest submission undergoes its final assessment and consultation phase ahead of adoption. If formally adopted, it would draw to a close decades of uncertainty for residents who were hostages to the lottery of our planning system which saw inconsistent decisions being made across the city.
Looking beyond our city, I am very excited to work alongside crossbench colleagues in the All Party Group for Antibiotics to ensure the forthcoming year sees real progress being made in our battle against antibiotic resistance. It is not an understatement to say antibiotic resistance is the greatest health challenge facing our country and we need to act now to avoid catastrophic consequences. The positive news is the political will to face this issue head on is growing and I anticipate real progress to be made in 2023.
On a more general note, I hope in the year ahead pantomime season will be relegated to only being in December. Our new Prime Minister is providing steady leadership and as an adopted no nonsense Yorkshireman he knows the public wants nothing more than for him to just get on with the job.
So, while there will certainly be challenges in the next year, I am optimistic that 2023 will be kind to York. As ever, in everything I do and every vote I cast I will put the interests of our city and residents at the forefront of my decision making.
No matter what 2023 holds politically, I wish all residents happiness, peace and prosperity for the new year ahead.
