Issues

DAEDALUS

One of Caroline’s key election pledges was to secure the best possible future for the Daedalus site. She has worked tirelessly to ensure that the site reaches its full potential and provides the community with jobs and an economic boost. Last October she chaired a mini summit with all the key stakeholders, including Eric Pickles’ PPS from the Communities & Local Government team.  Caroline then formed a Daedalus Action Group which will meet regularly to ensure progress is made.  The site will be handed over from SEEDA to a Local Economic Partnership this year, and Caroline will work closely with the LEP to ensure the plan to develop a marine and aviation based business park becomes a reality.  This could create in the region of 6000 local jobs.

The SEEDA Masterplan for the Daedalus site can be accessed below.

PENINSULAR ACCESS

Caroline is dedicated to tackling the problem of congestion on the A32 and other access roads on the Peninsula. She has held a number of meetings about the issue of the road congestion around the Constituency.  A small sum of money has been made available for improvements to Newgate Lane and Caroline will continue to work hard to find solutions to the problems of access. 

HMS SULTAN

Caroline fought from the very start to protect HMS Sultan. She knows that the Navy is a vital part of Gosport’s community and history, and so she spoke in the Commons and lobbied the Prime Minister and the Defence Secretary to secure its future in our area. While Caroline is delighted that the Training School will be saved for now, she will continue to take every opportunity to fight for the future of the Navy in this area.

MARITIME RESCUE

Last summer Caroline welcomed the Transport Minister to Lee-on-the-Solent to tour the Maritime and Coastguard Agency site. In December she was relieved to hear that Daedalus is in the running to become one of two nationwide Maritime Operation Centres. If successful, this will see the creation of more local jobs.

ECONOMIC REGENERATION

With half a job per working adult in our area this is the most important issue. Increasing jobs and training opportunities will take cars off our access roads and improve economic prosperity.  Caroline met with the Chief Executive of the British Marine Federation who has agreed to send a team to advise us on how to promote and grow our thriving maritime sector. She has consulted the British Retail Consortium about how to improve our shopping areas. Caroline works closely with Gosport’s biggest employers and works hard to persuade potential investors that this is a great place to do business.

EDUCATION AND TRAINING

Caroline was delighted to open the new Adult Education Department within the Nimrod Centre at Rowner. This fantastic venture will help our local community and support the long-term unemployed to gain the skills and confidence they need to get back into work.

She works closely with local schools and recently opened the new Gosport College which focuses on vocation and skills based training for our young people.

BLAKE MATERNITY CENTRE

Caroline has secured a direct commitment from the Secretary of State for Health to look into threats to the future of Blake Maternity Centre at the War Memorial Hospital. This is a vital resource for the local area, especially because of Gosport's peninsula location. While it is a relief that it has reopened, Caroline will continue to fight to ensure this midwife-led centre stays open in the long-term.