As we look ahead into the New Year, here are my seven local priorities for 2026.

The first of these relates to Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). As with the Local Government Funding settlement, I’m keen to establish a fairer funding settlement for SEND. For too long Cornwall’s higher needs funding has lagged behind other areas and has not taken adequate account of the cost of provision in remote coastal areas. So I will meet with Department for Education officials to discuss and try to achieve a more equitable settlement in 2026.

Priority number two will be ensuring that a Cornwall-only devolution deal includes social housing support from Homes England. The government has announced £39-billion for social housing and I intend to fight for Cornwall’s fair share. Poor housing and extortionately high private rents mean that housing affordability for many in Cornwall cripples family finances. That needs to change with every community stepping up to provide more affordable housing for our young people and the key workers that we so desperately need.

Thirdly, and linked to devolution, I will ensure that not only does the Council of Europe sign off Part 3 status for the Cornish language, but that Westminster follows through with obligations that come with Part 3 status, including allowing schools to teach Cornish as a GCSE. We need to ensure that those who want to learn Cornish, of any age, can access the tools that they need.

Fourth, a long-standing issue in Camborne, Redruth and Hayle has been the lack of affordable dentistry. I intend to follow this up relentlessly with our Integrated Care Board (ICB) so that local people can access the oral care that they need. We already know that one of the main reasons young children are admitted to hospital today is tooth decay, a clear sign of a broken system.

Fifth, I will continue to lead the campaign in Westminster to push for a complete ban on trail hunting, which is used as a smoke-screen for fox hunting. As my inbox testifies, very many of us who have lived in rural communities almost our whole lives know that fox hunting is a barbaric activity and has no place in 21st century Britain.

Sixth, our local economy needs more investment to grow businesses across Camborne, Redruth and Hayle. Although we have seen the National Wealth Fund invest £28-million into South Crofty and £31-million into Cornish Lithium, we now have the Kernow Industrial Growth Fund of £30-million and some of the £50-million coming from the government’s Critical Minerals Strategy which should be coming our way. I’ll be meeting the British Business Bank to discuss its support for Cornish SMEs.

Seven, last but by no means least, I will be pushing for skills funding for Cornwall College for key trades such as construction, welding and plumbing. In order to unleash the Cornish Celtic Tiger, we need more of our young people to be given the opportunity to learn a hands-on trade that will last them a lifetime. Lots done. Lots more to do!