New Year, Better Blackpool
January news and updates from Chris Webb, MP for Blackpool South
Welcome to the first instalment of my Born & Bred newsletter. If you’re receiving this, it means you have already engaged with me as your MP for Blackpool South. When I was elected in the by-election in May I made a promise then to be the most open and accessible MP our town has ever had and, along with my regular work in the community, this newsletter is part of that commitment.
I’ll be sharing Born & Bred with you at the end of each month to update you on the work I’m doing both in my constituency of Blackpool South and in parliament, the big topics I’m concerned about, and to share ways you can join me in my mission to Build A Better Blackpool.
Please share this newsletter with anyone you know who might be interested in receiving it.
Record investment for Blackpool
It feels like our hard work is really starting to pay off now that the government has announced record funding for the town.
With the government’s Provisional Local Government Finance Settlement for 2024/2025, Blackpool will see the fourth-largest percentage increase in its finances of any local authority in the country – 9.1%. That translates to £17.7 million more than it received last year under the Tories and £196 million for 2024/2025.
Among a raft of investments, £2.86m has also been pledged to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping, £2.3m to repair our roads, and £1m+ Start for Life funding to expand the work of Blackpool’s Family Hubs.
I have brought several senior government ministers to Blackpool including the prime minister, deputy prime minister and the secretary of state for culture, media and sport. I’ve been showing them that Blackpool already has the answers to its problems – we just need the investment to unlock our potential.
How I’m ensuring access to infant formula
Parents in Blackpool can now access baby milk from Blackpool Foodbank and other charities, after two key victories in my campaign for affordable and accessible infant formula.
After holding a debate on the topic in the House of Commons (see video below), the Department of Health and Social Care wrote to me this month to confirm that food banks can provide infant formula to families and that families are able to use vouchers to purchase it.
Over the past two years, the cheapest brand of formula has risen by 45% with an average price hike of 25%. Many parents are resorting to extreme and unsafe measures to feed their babies.
Infant milk is one of the most commonly shoplifted items. We are seeing a worrying trend in ‘formula foraging’, with parents seeking out cheap or free milk online. Parents are skipping feeds, ignoring expiry dates, over-diluting it, or bulking formula out using foods – all of which can harm an infant’s health.
Meanwhile, there’s a worrying rise in childhood malnutrition. Up to 47% of hospitalised children are at risk of under-nourishment and, last year, Blackpool Teaching Hospitals’ admissions for malnutrition almost doubled. In Blackpool, hospital admissions for under ones with gastro-intestinal problems are almost triple the national average.
Following the clarification from the health minister – which had not been forthcoming under the Tories – I have received a huge donation of formula and nappies from Aldi, which I have passed on to Blackpool Foodbank and Helping Hearts baby bank to ensure baby milk is now readily available to families in Blackpool. I have also kept a stock within my constituency office to supply directly to vulnerable constituents who request it.
This victory is just the beginning – we need a sustainable solution so that families don’t have to rely on donations. I’m campaigning to increase the value of Healthy Start vouchers and to introduce a price cap on baby formula.
We must ensure that every child in Blackpool can have a healthy start in life. We cannot continue to allow our children to be failed before they have even taken their first steps.
To access infant formula in Blackpool South please contact my office. Email: chris.webb.mp@parliament.uk. Call: 01253 532401. Follow me on social media @chriswebbmp.
In January I asked seven questions in the House of Commons, advocating for Blackpool on topics including asylum seekers housed in the Metropole Hotel, operations at Blackpool Airport, child sexual exploitation, violence against women and girls, and standards in the private rented sector. Visit my YouTube channel to see me in action.
Over on my website, I post regular updates throughout the month. Head over to chriswebb.org/news to keep up to date and check out these highlights from January below.
Blackpool’s Institute of Technology is a game changer
Bringing back family doctors to Blackpool South
What Labour has done on immigration
A Year of Change: My top 10 moments of 2024
Blackpool Jobs Fair
If you’re looking for your next career opportunity, don’t miss my jobs fair in February.
This massive recruitment event will feature over 100 employers from industries including hospitality, healthcare, retail, and tourism, offering around 1,000 job opportunities.
Meet top employers like Blackpool Pleasure Beach, Premier Inn, and Haven Holidays, and land a job on the spot with informal interviews and on-the-day hiring.
Visit chriswebb.org/jobsfair for more info and to sign up.
Street Surgeries
I’m hosting two street surgeries in February – one in Haweside on the 6th and one in Tyldesley on the 26th. Residents will receive a letter through their door telling them when I’ll be on their street. If they have things they’d like to discuss, they can display the poster on the reverse of the letter in their window and I’ll knock on for a chat. This means people don’t need to make the effort to travel to my office to be able to tell me about their concerns.
Chat With Chris
My next Chat With Chris event will be held in Victoria ward on 8th February, 12pm-2pm. This is an opportunity for constituents to come and see me in an informal setting, hear an update on my work in parliament and the constituency, and ask any questions you may have.
Sign up to attend Chat With Chris here. The location of the event will be emailed to you ahead of the event.
I’m working to Build a Better Blackpool, but I can’t do it alone. Throughout 2025 I am going to be building my Born & Bred Activist Network – a group of local people who are interested in taking action to bring about real change in our town.
If you’re interested in getting involved please email me at chris.webb.mp@parliament.uk writing ‘Born & Bred Activist Network’ in the subject line.
Each month I’ll also ask Born & Bred newsletter subscribers to take some small actions that could make a big difference.
Take my survey: The Impact of the Cost of Living on Childhood in Blackpool South
This survey is aimed at gathering insights from parents, carers, and professionals who work with children in Blackpool South. It seeks to understand the challenges children face, particularly as many families are currently struggling with the cost of living. Your responses will provide valuable information that will inform the government's Child Poverty Taskforce, ensuring that the needs of children in Blackpool are considered when developing policies to improve their lives.
Take the survey here, and please help to spread the word by sharing it with people you know whose voices should be heard.
Share my Jobs Fair event
Please help me reach more job seekers and employers by sharing the Facebook event for Blackpool Jobs Fair.
Share my Blackpool South Directory
When carrying out casework in my constituency, there are some services that I have found myself consistently signposting to. My office is working hard to bring together an extensive directory of places in Blackpool South that can help with concerns around benefits, housing, health and more. I have highlighted some of the key services here.
📧 Email me at chris.webb.mp@parliament.uk
☎️ Call my constituency office on 01253 532401
👍 Follow me on Facebook
❤️ Follow me on Instagram
🐦 Follow me on Twitter
🌌 Follow me on Bluesky
🎥 Follow me on TikTok
🤝 Follow me on LinkedIn