March 2026

As we head into spring, I wanted to take a moment to share an update on the work I’ve been doing on your behalf. It’s been a really busy few months both here in Suffolk Coastal and in Parliament. 

Over recent months, I’ve been pushing forward lots of big issues that matter locally – from supporting communities affected by coastal erosion in Thorpeness and launching a new campaign to improve train services, to continuing my work to restore access to banking in Felixstowe. These are issues I know matter to so many across our community, and I’ve been determined to drive them forward and get results. 

There have also been some really big wins locally. I was absolutely delighted to see Suffolk County Council finally agree to move forward with a new SEND school in Saxmundham after a huge community campaign – more than 700 people backed my campaign to get the former SET Saxmundham school reopened as a specialist school for children with special educational needs. Moments like these show what’s possible when we make a strong case and keep the pressure on. 

My work on SEND continues though - on April 8th I will be hosting my own SEND Conference in Leiston. It will be a chance to share experiences, discuss what’s working and what needs to improve, and hear more about proposed reforms to the SEND system. With Georgia Gould - Minister of State for School standards joining us for part of the day and a strong focus on practical, constructive discussion, it’s set to be an important day for families across Suffolk Coastal. Registering is essential and you can RSVP for the event here: https://getcampaigning.co.uk/events/suffolkcoastal-send-conference

Alongside this, I’ve been continuing to raise other big, long-term challenges facing our area – from the impact of large-scale energy projects on our coast, to making sure our farmers’ voices are heard directly by Government. These are two big areas of my work in parliament – and are a constant for me.  

There’s plenty more in this newsletter on all of that and more. As always, if there’s something affecting you or your family that you think I should know about, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. I hope you’re able to enjoy the longer days and a bit of spring sunshine in the weeks ahead.

Jenny

Please note this comes from a no-reply email. For any correspondence, please contact jenny.riddellcarpenter.mp@parliament.uk.

Heating Oil

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been working hard to support households hit by the sharp rise in heating oil and LPG prices due to the conflict in the Middle East. Off-grid homes in rural areas like Suffolk Coastal have been hardest hit, with costs more than doubling in just a few days. 

As Chair of the Labour Rural Research Group, I’ve been in constant contact with Ministers, Treasury and Energy officials, and colleagues across rural constituencies to push for urgent action. This has included weekend calls, ministerial meetings, and reviewing evidence from over 1,500 respondents to our national off-grid energy survey. 

I welcome the Government’s announcement of an additional £53 million to support households struggling with heating costs. Suffolk has been allocated the third highest amount in England, and I’m pressing Suffolk County Council to ensure all vulnerable households benefit, not just those on benefits. My team is ready to help deliver this support quickly and fairly. 

Beyond emergency help, I’m pushing for longer-term solutions: 

• Proper regulation and price caps for the off-grid heating market.  

• Fairer pricing and stronger oversight to protect households.  

• Tackling wider rural poverty, including education, welfare, housing, employment, and digital access.  

I’ve also raised concerns about heating oil theft with the Chief Constable and Police and Crime Commissioner. 

If you’re affected and need help with heating oil or LPG costs, do get in touch with my team by emailing jenny.riddellcarpenter.mp@parliament.uk  

LRRG  

At the beginning of March, the Labour Rural Research Group (LRRG) - which I chair - published a major new report on rural poverty. 

Drawing on evidence from councils, NHS bodies, charities, rural businesses and residents themselves, the findings are clear: people in rural communities are too often expected to travel further, pay more, and rely on fewer services – yet national funding and policy still assume urban living. 

Rural poverty is very real – but too often hidden. It is driven by what we describe as the “rural penalty” higher costs for essentials like transport, energy and housing, alongside weaker infrastructure and fewer opportunities. 

That’s why the LRRG has set out 24 recommendations for a comprehensive Rural Strategy – focused on tackling the root causes of hardship, not just the symptoms. 

Rural communities placed their trust in a Labour Government to deliver change. This report is about making sure that trust is repaid, and that rural voices are heard at the heart of Government. 

You can read the full report and its recommendations here: www.labourruralresearchgroup.com  

SENDinSax  

Since being elected in 2024 I have been campaigning to secure a new SEND school in Saxmundham – and I’m delighted that Suffolk County Council has now agreed to move forward with it. 

I worked closely with Government to help secure the new funding for this school – around £20million -  which will provide around 120 specialist places for children with the most complex needs. It will make use of the former Saxmundham SET site, which is already built and ready, with a trust in place to run it. This was a real opportunity we could not afford to lose. 

However, despite funding being agreed, the County Council delayed their decision, raising concerns about costs and putting this vital provision at risk. At a time when too many children in Suffolk are without suitable school places, or travelling long distances to access support, I knew we had to act. 

Together, we launched the SENDinSax campaign – and the response was incredible. Over 700 people signed the petition, with families, carers and local residents speaking up about the urgent need for more specialist SEND provision. Your voices made it clear that this school had to go ahead. 

This result did not happen by accident – it happened because our community came together and refused to be ignored. 

While this is a major step forward, my work doesn’t stop here. I will be closely monitoring progress from approval to opening, holding the Council to delivery timescales, and making sure families are kept informed and involved every step of the way. 

Thank you to everyone who supported the campaign – this will make a real difference to children and families across Suffolk Coastal. 

Coffee Mornings  

So far this year, I’ve held coffee mornings in Waldringfield, Kirton, and Sudbourne, and it’s been fantastic to meet so many local residents and hear directly about the issues that matter to them. 

These drop-in coffee mornings are informal and a great opportunity to share with residents of small villages what I’m up to in the constituency and in parliament and to hear from constituents about the issues impacting them most  – whether it’s a local matter, a question about services, or even a positive development in your community. 

Past coffee mornings have already helped me find solutions for residents on issues such as housing, transport, and anti-social behaviour. 

My next coffee morning is in Bawdsey with lots of other planned throughout the constituency over the next 12 months.  

Thorpeness  

 The rapid erosion in Thorpeness this winter has been devastating. Eleven homes have now been demolished, and i’ve heard first hand about the very painful impact this has had on families and the wider village.  

That is why I have made Thorpeness a major focus of my recent work. I have convened two public forums in the village and will be hosting a third at the end of April, bringing together the key agencies involved so residents can hear directly from decision-makers, ask questions, and press for clear answers on both the immediate response and the longer-term future of the coastline. Those meetings have been an important way of ensuring local people are not simply talked about, but properly talked with. 

There has now been some movement on immediate protection. Temporary defences are being put in place to help protect some homes at immediate risk, the rock bag scheme that has now begun on site. This is an important step and reflects the determination of the local community, working alongside East Suffolk Council, to secure urgent action. But these measures are short-term, and they are not a substitute for the longer-term plan Thorpeness still needs.  

Alongside that local work, I have also raised Thorpeness directly in Parliament and as a member of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee’s I have presented a report on this topic- Erosion of trust: the impact of coastal erosion on communities. In the House, I spoke about the human cost of what is happening in Thorpeness and the need for a more joined-up, long-term response for communities facing the loss of their homes. 

I have also pushed the fact that companies benefiting from our coastline must do more to help protect it. Major energy developers, including Sizewell C, are here because they need the Suffolk coast. If they rely on this coastline to make their projects possible, they should also be part of the solution in helping safeguard the communities and places that depend on it. That is why I will keep pushing for Sizewell and other developers to step up and do more to support our coast for the long term. 

Pride in Place  

As you may have seen, Felixstowe West has been awarded £20 million through the Government’s Pride in Place programme – £2 million every year for the next decade. After pushing for investment and making the case in Westminster, I was delighted to help secure this funding for Western Felixstowe. 

Pride in Place is a long-term programme focused on regenerating local areas – improving high streets, public spaces, and investing in what matters most to communities. This funding gives us a real opportunity to deliver lasting improvements in Felixstowe. 

Crucially, how this money is spent will be shaped by local people. This isn’t about decisions being made behind closed doors – the community will have a direct say in setting priorities and guiding investment. 

The programme will be led locally, with a dedicated board for Felixstowe. Recruitment is now underway for a Chair, followed by board members, and it’s vital that local voices are at the heart of this work. 

I’ll be sharing more details soon on how you can get involved and help shape the future of our town. This is a major opportunity for Felixstowe, and I’m determined to make sure we get it right. 

WHD – Energy Levy  

I recently secured and led a Westminster Hall debate in Parliament on the case for a levy on major energy developers – to make sure that they are legally required to co-ordinate 

Here in Suffolk Coastal, we are seeing multiple large-scale energy projects come forward at once. While each is considered separately, their combined impact on our communities, environment and infrastructure is significant – and at the moment, there is nothing in law that requires developers to properly coordinate. 

In the debate, I made the case for a new levy on energy developers to fund better coordination, shared infrastructure, and mitigation of the cumulative impact on local areas. This is about ensuring that those delivering – and profiting from – major energy projects contribute fairly to managing their impact. 

This is not about increasing costs for bill payers. Developers have the resources to do this, and better coordination would in fact reduce overall build costs. It’s a common-sense solution. 

I’m pleased that the Minister recognised the issue and has agreed to meet with me to discuss these proposals further. I will keep pushing for changes to ensure our communities are properly protected and treated as partners in the transition to clean energy. 

Banking hub  

Felixstowe has lost  too many  high street bank branches following the closures of Santander and Halifax in 2025 – and I’m campaigning for urgent action to restore access to banking services in our town. 

This leaves residents and businesses relying on Post Offices and a limited number of ATMs, which were never designed to replace full bank branches. In a town of over 24,000 people, with more than 1,200 businesses and a major international port, this is already putting real pressure on our community. 

More than 30% of Felixstowe’s population is aged over 65, and many people still rely on face-to-face banking. Travelling to Ipswich is simply not a realistic option for many, particularly older and disabled residents. Local businesses are also being affected, especially those that depend on cash deposits and in-person services. 

That’s why I’m calling for a Banking Hub in Felixstowe – a shared banking space where customers of multiple banks can access essential services in one place. 

I will keep pushing for this with the banks and the Government, because access to cash and in-person banking is not a luxury – it’s a necessity for our community and local economy. 

You can join over 600 people in signing the petition here

Visit from Dame Angela Eagle DBE

I was really pleased to welcome the Farming Minister, Angela Eagle, to Suffolk Coastal for a roundtable with local farmers and growers in Blaxhall. 

I invited the Minister to meet directly with those working in the sector so she could hear first-hand about the realities of farming in our area. It was a really valuable and open discussion, with farmers sharing both the challenges they face day-to-day and the opportunities they see for the future. 

A clear message throughout the conversation was the pressure many farms are under – from rising costs to ongoing uncertainty – and the need for better support to help businesses remain viable and adapt. Farmers spoke about the importance of being able to diversify, and the role that clearer, more supportive planning rules could play in enabling that. 

There was also strong discussion around the Sustainable Farming Incentive and the need for long-term certainty, so farmers can plan ahead with confidence. Broader issues such as water management, food security, and access to seasonal labour were also raised, all of which are critical to the long-term resilience of the sector. 

This visit builds on the work I’ve already been doing with colleagues over the last year to stand up for rural communities. Just before Christmas, following significant pressure from MPs and the farming sector, the Government changed its approach to inheritance tax on farms – increasing the threshold for full relief from £1 million to £2.5 million, helping to protect many family farms.  

What was particularly important was ensuring that these issues were heard directly by the Minister from the people experiencing them. I’m pleased she listened carefully to the concerns raised and will take them forward in her work. 

I will continue working closely with local farmers and Ministers to make sure Suffolk Coastal’s voice is heard and that our farming communities get the support they need to thrive. 

Rail 

As part of my campaign to improve rail services across our area, I am inviting residents, commuters and local businesses to take part in a live survey to help build the strongest possible case for change. 

I am gathering evidence on the improvements people most want to see, including better early morning and late evening services, a regular half-hourly service on the Ipswich–Lowestoft line, and a renewed push to reinstate the direct Lowestoft–London service. 

With Sizewell C and other major energy projects placing even more pressure on local roads, the need for better rail links has never been clearer. More frequent and reliable train services would help reduce congestion, support local jobs and town centres, and provide a more sustainable way for people to travel. 

This survey is an important opportunity to make sure local experience is properly reflected in the case for improvement. By gathering clear evidence from the people who use these routes, and from the businesses that depend on better connectivity, we can show why investment in our rail services matters. 

Alongside this, I will also be convening a meeting with the relevant stakeholders to help move this work forward and press the case for practical improvements. My aim is to make sure that local voices are not only heard, but backed by clear evidence and brought directly into the conversations that shape decisions. 

If you live, work or travel in the area, I would encourage you to take part and help strengthen the campaign for a rail service that works better for our communities. 

Click here to join the campaign and take part in the survey

Buses 

Last year, I launched a comprehensive survey on local bus services, because too many communities across Suffolk Coastal are being left behind. 

I regularly hear from residents about “ghost routes” that have disappeared altogether, as well as unreliable services that make it difficult to plan daily life. For many people, this means struggling to get to work, education, healthcare, or even stay connected to family and friends. 

Reliable public transport isn’t a luxury – it’s essential. That’s why I want to hear directly from you. Whether you rely on buses, used to, or would like to but can’t, your experiences will help build a clearer picture of where the gaps are and what needs to change. 

The results of this survey will inform my work locally and in Parliament, and I will also be bringing together service providers, decision-makers and residents for a roundtable later this year to push for improvements. 

If you can, please take a few minutes to complete the survey and share your views. Together, we can make the case for better, more reliable bus services across Suffolk Coastal. 

Surgeries  

I hold regular advice surgeries at locations across the constituency. 

If you’d like to speak with me directly about an issue or concern, you can request a surgery here: https://www.jennyforsuffolkcoastal.org/request-a-surgery  

Surgeries are by appointment in 20 minute slots. Appointments are often in high demand, and I will always prioritise urgent cases first. 

These sessions are a chance for me to hear from you and help wherever I can - whether it’s a local matter, a policy concern, or something more personal.