COLUMN: A fair deal for our school children

Alison Bennett MP outside the Burgess Hill Academy

By Alison Bennett MP as printed in the Thursday, 18 July 2024, print edition of the Mid Sussex Times.

My top priority in my first week in Parliament has been to push for action to resolve the funding dispute at three Mid Sussex schools.

The Burgess Hill Academy, Lindfield Primary Academy and Blackthorns Community Primary Academy are part of the University of Brighton Academy Trust. Multi Academy Trusts can decide how much of each school’s funding it retains for central overheads, and concerns have been growing in recent months that at The Burgess Hill Academy, the amount being retained is three times the national average. During the election campaign I attended a meeting of parents and staff and pledged that should I be elected, I would support their campaign.

With strike days impacting children in Burgess Hill and the possibility of industrial action at Lindfield and Blackthorns, I wrote to the Secretary of State for Education asking for her to step in. Parents and teachers deserve certainty, and our children deserve a stable, properly funded school environment. 

Back home in Mid Sussex, I enjoyed being a panellist on BBC Politics South East last weekend. As well as discussions on housing and fly tipping, we looked at the English wine industry. Here in Mid Sussex we are lucky to have some amazing vineyards, who not only produce high quality delicious wines, but also do much to boost tourism and hospitality. I dropped into the Albourne Estate on Saturday to pick up some gifts for people who worked hard during the general election. 

When we think about what the government should do to support our wine industry, we need to think about the needs of rural communities as a whole. Having the right people with the right skills in place is vital, but rural areas must have the services they need to thrive - be that fast fibre or a bus network to help tourists visit easily and sustainably. Whether you are running a vineyard, or someone in a remote village who doesn’t have a car, supporting our rural communities and its economy is vital. As your MP, I will be working hard to champion our rural communities and businesses.