Weekly Update
My Weekly Parliamentary Update
This Labour Government will always act in the national interest. That’s why Parliament was recently recalled on a Saturday - the first time this has happened since 1982. On that occasion, the House of Commons sat at the weekend following the outbreak of the Falklands War.
I was only too pleased to attend the weekend session to ensure this unprecedented legislation passed, allowing the Government to keep the blast furnaces running in Scunthorpe, while protecting the jobs of thousands of workers.
Delivering security and renewal for working people is at the heart of our Plan for Change.
You can read the Prime Minister’s statement below ⤵️
🍳Start the day sunny side up – Free breakfast clubs now in Enfield North!
🥣 This week the government rolled out the first 750 free breakfast clubs in primary schools across the UK, and I am delighted two of the schools are in Enfield North.
Carterhatch Infant School and St Matthew’s CofE Primary School are part of this early roll out to help boost children’s learning, school attendance and support working parents with the continual juggle of fitting work around the school day.
Breakfast clubs are also proven to boost school attendance and improve behaviour because children have a chance to settle down and start their day with friends, not going straight into lessons.
This roll out will also save parents £450 a year compared to paid-for breakfast clubs, putting money back in parent’s pockets. I look forward to this scheme being rolled out across all schools in Enfield North in future.
🌳 Felling of the Oak Tree in Whitewebbs
I know you were probably as upset as I was to hear about the felling of the 500-year-old oak tree in Whitewebbs.
The tree was on council land leased to the Toby Carvery who said they cut down the tree because they believed the dead wood posed a health and safety risk.
The owner has since apologised for the cutting down of the oak and admitted "we need to tighten our protocols.”
After talking with constituents and the Leader of Enfield Council, I was pleased to see that an emergency Tree Preservation Order has been placed over the entire area leased to Toby Carvery to ensure that an incident like this does not happen again, and to allow the oak to regenerate.
In the wake of the incident, I appreciated the opportunity to speak with the Woodland Trust about the felling of the tree.
I was encouraged to hear about the Trust’s vital work in protecting ancient trees across the country and their dedication to safeguarding our natural legacy for future generations. I’ll continue working to strengthen protections for Enfield’s green spaces and historic woodlands.
🚂 Time to get Enfield North’s train services back on track
I had a very constructive meeting this week with Lord Hendy, Minister of State for Rail, to talk about the issues many of you face on Great Northern and Greater Anglia in Enfield North rail services.
I have invited Lord Hendy to Enfield so he can see first-hand the challenges we face, and I will keep pushing until our rail services deliver the reliability and standards that constituents deserve.
⚡ My Visit to the Kelly Energy Training Centre
I had the pleasure of visiting the Kelly Energy training centre in Enfield North to learn more about their outstanding work equipping young people with the skills they need to succeed.
Their commitment to delivering high-quality, hands-on training is helping to open up exciting career opportunities in the energy, utilities, and communications sectors - all vital industries for the UK’s future.
It's great to see such a strong focus on practical learning that directly responds to the needs of local employers and supports the next generation into secure, skilled jobs.
♻️ Enfield North schools benefit from the Mayor's Greener Schools fund
I am delighted that two schools in Enfield North - Capel Manor Primary School and Durants School - will receive funding through the Mayor of London’s Greener Schools Fund.
This investment will support the installation of new solar panels and heat pumps, helping to reduce energy bills by up to £15,000 a year while lowering carbon emissions.
These upgrades are not only a win for the environment, but also a valuable opportunity for students to learn about sustainability in action. It is fantastic to see our local schools leading the way in building a greener, more energy-efficient future for all of us.
☕ Coffee Morning in Carterhatch
The recent coffee morning I held at Boleyn Hall in Carterhatch ward was well attended by constituents. Issues I helped address included housing (Warmer Home Scheme, suitability of accommodation), adult social care (disability care) and transport (bus routes in Enfield and illegal parking).
Keep a look out on my website for details of the next coffee morning➡️ https://www.feryalclark.org.uk/events