After the drag of the winter nights, we are finally through the first month of the year and into February. At home, the highlight of this month is always Mrs Snowden’s birthday. Of course it is a happy occasion in its own right, but we also love this time of year because you can start to feel and see the first signs of spring. After weeks of dark mornings and cold evenings, there is a real sense that the corner is finally being turned.
The sunlight through the window feels that bit warmer. You notice it is not going dark quite so early. And this week we even saw the first little shoots of new life starting to appear through the grass as the earliest bulbs begin to push their way up. It might seem a small thing, but it lifts the spirits every year.
Spring has always been a season that symbolises fresh starts and new beginnings. After the long winter months, it brings the promise of brighter and warmer times ahead. In many ways, that feels like a good way to look at what I hope the year ahead can bring for Fylde as well.
Despite the national picture often feeling gloomy, there really are some encouraging green shoots locally. Thanks to a multi-million pound investment from Fylde Council, Kirkham Baths has been saved and work will soon begin to reopen it. Our pool in St Annes is also receiving a major refurbishment to provide modern facilities which will benefit local families for years to come.
We are bringing the banks back to our high streets, with new banking hubs opening or in the pipeline in Kirkham, Poulton and St Annes. These hubs will restore essential services to our town centres and help keep high streets alive. In St Anne’s, the public realm improvements are taking shape as well, giving the town the refreshed and attractive centre it deserves.
Our local economy continues to be powered by world class aerospace and advanced manufacturing. I am hopeful we will see further export orders for Typhoon aircraft, and I will keep pushing hard in Westminster for the Government to stop dragging its feet and commit to a new RAF order to secure skilled jobs and apprenticeships here in Fylde.
None of this means the challenges have disappeared. The storm clouds of winter are still with us nationally. The Chancellor’s budget has placed huge burdens on businesses and working families across Fylde, and many people are understandably worried about rising costs.
So there is no room for complacency. My job remains to fight Fylde’s corner, to stand up for common sense policies and to keep pushing for the investment our communities need.
But even in tougher times it is important to recognise progress where it is happening. Just as those first spring shoots remind us that warmer days are coming, there are genuine reasons to feel positive about what lies ahead. As February begins, let’s look for those glimmers of spring sunshine and approach the months ahead with a bit of optimism.
