East Suffolk Labour

28/02/2026

The current energy price cap stands at £1,758.

I am glad to see that today this will be reduced to £1,641 from April – and therefore energy bills will fall by £117 for millions of households across the country.

The cost of living remains the biggest issue facing residents and whilst there is much more to do – I am glad to see that progress is being made and that families will be able to spend less on energy.

This comes on top of the Government’s warm homes discount which provides £150 of support for 6 million households this winter.

Today’s news is a big step towards this Government’s pledge to reduce energy bills by £300 by 2030.

28/02/2026

I am pleased to see new data that shows in the first 7 months of 2025/26, the NHS delivered 1.8 million more courses of dental treatment than the same period prior to the election.

The Government made a pledge to deliver 700,000 extra urgent dental appointments and local integrated care boards have commissioned nearly 1 million appointments in line with this commitment.

However, from talking to residents I know that what is clinically considered ‘urgent’ can be quite narrow – and I therefore welcome the Government’s announcement this week to broaden the scope of this target to include all dental appointments so that more people are able to access the care they need.

You can read more here: https://www.nationalhealthexecutive.com/articles/government-expands-dental-access-support-urgent-care

In our area, we urgently need more dentists and more appointments, and I have consistently raised this in Parliament. In fact, it was the first ever thing I spoke about in the House of Commons after being elected: https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2024-07-25/debates/78EE5485-FDEC-4461-AC9E-D4649B05349A/details -AD48E18D-428A-4B8C-9BD9-277E0E11017A

I have spoken to many residents on the doorstep and over email about this, I have worked with the Association of Dental Groups to campaign for more dentists, and last year I organised a roundtable with our local dentists to try to find a way forward.

There is lots more to do – including renegotiating the dental contract – but the new data shows progress is being made and I am glad the Government is acting to ensure more people are eligible.

28/02/2026

Felixstowe West and Lowestoft Central have each been awarded £20 million of funding through the Government’s ‘Pride in Place’ programme – a major opportunity for local people to shape the future of their neighbourhood and deliver lasting, positive change.

We are now seeking an Independent Chair for a Pride in Place Neighbourhood Board in each location, to help ensure this investment is guided by the voices, priorities, and lived experience of the community.

The independent chairs will be responsible for championing the views of local people and making sure that decisions are inclusive, evidence-based and transparent. They will work with the Board to create a long-term plan for the area and build positive relationships with the community.

Find out more and apply using the link in the comments.

Jess Asato for Lowestoft Jenny Riddell-Carpenter MP

28/02/2026

STATEMENT REGARDING THE CLOSURE OF ACCESS COMMUNITY TRUST:

East Suffolk Council is leading a coordinated, multi-agency response to this devastating news, involving its Housing, Legal, Finance and Procurement teams, alongside key external partners.

Access Community Trust currently provides 87 bed spaces for homeless and rough sleeper services across East Suffolk. We are deeply concerned that all Access delivered services including Bridge View Day Centre, Sam’s Café and Employment Services are at risk of immediate closure, however we have made significant progress regarding beds.

Our priority is to ensure that nobody is left without a safe place to stay or access to essential support services. Therefore, we have activated an Emergency Response Plan to ensure that all vulnerable residents currently supported by Access Community Trust continue to receive safe and appropriate accommodation.

Through working in partnership with recognised providers during the past 48 hours, we have been able to ensure 75 of the bed spaces will be retained and that residents will be able to remain, with an alternative, trusted support service. We have also agreed a short-term solution to the remaining 12 beds, meaning that no-one will be asked to leave their home today.

We also recognise that Access is a significant local employer, with more than 200 staff and volunteers, many of whom have themselves experienced similar issues. We are preparing to support staff wherever possible, and work is under way with partners to provide urgent advice and assistance to staff who may face sudden financial uncertainty due to unpaid wages or potential redundancies.

Our overarching aim is to minimise hardship for everyone affected by this and we are entirely committed to safeguarding residents, supporting staff and maintaining essential services during this challenging period.

18/12/2025

📢Have you had your say on what three upgraded play areas in East Suffolk could look like?

We're asking local people and groups to take part in surveys to share their views on the equipment they would like to see and what ideas they have for the spaces at:
🛝Dale End in Gisleham
♟️Newnham Avenue in Woodbridge
🧩Staplehurst in Carlton Colville

➡ Don't forget to share this post with parents, carers, organisations so that everyone can share their thoughts!

Hurry - the deadline to have your say is Friday 19 December!

👇Take part in the three surveys by following the link below.

14/10/2025

30/09/2025

East Suffolk

30/09/2025

25/09/2025

13/08/2025

Are you the parent or guardian of a home-educated child in Lowestoft, Beccles, or one of our local villages?

I'm hosting a special Parliament tour in Westminster for home-schooled young people in our area, and I’d love them to be part of it.

I regularly welcome local schools to Westminster, and I’m really pleased to now offer the same opportunity to home-educated students too.

Sign up here: https://jessasato.org.uk/home-schooled-student-parliament-tour

Please do share with any families who home-educate. 👩‍🏫

13/08/2025

I’ve seen some disinformation being spread about the future of Abigail Court on Yarmouth Road. I have sought reassurances from both the owner of the property which you can read below and East Suffolk Council who told me:

Abigail Court “has lawful use for 32 independent flats. There is a building regulation application for 37 HMO units and not yet signed off. Final inspection is imminent.”

I would urge residents to ask for real evidence of owner intentions and the planning department rather than relying on unsubstantiated accounts which could quickly lead to division and misunderstanding.

I will of course be keeping a close eye on this development and other HMO applications. Please do email me if you have concerns and I can make sure we have accurate evidence, or do contact East Suffolk Council yourselves. [email protected]