Blackburn MP Kate Hollern meets residents to hear concerns

Last week, I had the opportunity to meet with residents of the Infirmary area of Blackburn at our first residents' meeting since the onset of the pandemic.

I, alongside Denise Park, chief executive of Blackburn with Darwen Council; Cllr Mohammed Khan, leader of Blackburn with Darwen Council; Chief Superintendent Mark Winstanley, head of Eastern Police Division, Martin Eden, director of place at Blackburn with Darwen Council and other local leaders, were able to hear directly from residents about the issues and challenges that most concern them and articulate their day-to-day lives.

It was a brief return to our routinely held residents’ meetings, a chance to bring together local leaders and the community, giving our ears to the issues that matter to them. Like my advice surgeries, these are the places and spaces where we can reason together and work together to move things forward and get the job done. I really value these meetings and I think local residents do too, as they continue to be well attended regardless of the time of year.

These opportunities, which the pandemic has made more difficult, are a welcome reality check – helping us see the real needs in neighbourhoods across our town – and I look forward to getting back into the routine and feeding back to residents what we are doing to make everyday life that bit better.

Traffic, street lighting and speeding issues alongside problems of anti-social behaviour, bins, and fly tipping were among the key issues that residents raised. Local leaders and I have already begun engaging and making enquiries into these issues and will continue to ensure these neighbourhoods are safe and kept clean.

Unfortunately, as we’re just getting back into the swing of things, we’re once again having to hunker down, as Covid-19 rears its head, and work together to safeguard our own health and the health of those around us by following the rules we’ve become so accustomed to: compulsory face masks in shops and public transport; contacts of suspected Omicron cases having to self-isolate, regardless of their age or vaccination status; and all international arrivals to take a Day 2 PCR test and self-isolate until they receive a negative test.

Blackburn, despite being one of the hardest hit communities throughout the pandemic, has shown time and time again how quickly and thoroughly we can be in coming to terms with the situation and following through with the rules. I am confident that, as we wait for the science on the Omicron variant, and if Government is able to move fast and go far enough in ensuring those coming from abroad go through adequate testing and as many as are eligible take up their booster jabs, we will be having a great holiday season.

And with Blackburn’s long-established strengths as a community that likes to talk, I look forward to a full resumption of public meetings around town.