Hartlepool MP Jonathan Brash writes: 'Hartlepool is on the up - Don’t let anyone talk us down'

With an impressive £150 million capital investment plan, we are laying the foundations for a brighter future.

The multimillion pound upgrade of Northern Studios and development of the Production Village will make Hartlepool a creative industries powerhouse, while significant redevelopment projects such as the Wesley, the new highlight leisure centre and Middleton Grange are revitalising our town.

We are investing in the next generation with multimillion skills academies for construction and health and social care, the latter being based in our hospital that is seeing services return and where waiting lists are falling.

Our commitment to local communities is unwavering, as demonstrated by our £20 million plan to enhance neighbourhoods across Hartlepool.

We've allocated an additional £10 million to our Council for vital services like social care and street cleaning, alongside a £10 million public health grant aimed at bolstering essential health services.

Furthermore, an investment of £2 million is being directed towards fixing our roads and sorting the potholes out.

We are investing £6 million in flood defences, protecting our homes and businesses alike.

There’s £7.2 million to enhance bus services and support for our vulnerable residents with a £184,000 boost for disabled facilities grants and £770,000 to tackle homelessness.

Free school breakfasts are being rolled out with Hartlepool chosen as an early adopter area.

We are rebuilding St Helen’s Primary School, investing £1 million in family hubs, and revitalising local cultural institutions with £6.8 million for the Museum of Hartlepool and £302,000 for our art gallery at Christchurch.

Our Grand Central train service has been extended until 2038, backed by a £300 million investment in new trains built here in the North-East.

We are also witnessing substantial private sector growth, with companies like JDR, Steel Benders and Tata investing millions.

Local defence and aerospace companies are expanding significantly, thanks to Labour’s ramping up of defence spending.

One company, Strabag, has made Hartlpool a world leader in manufacturing, thanks to an incredible £50 million investment that’s transformed a disused factory at our docks into the most advanced tunnel segment factory in the world!

We have our challenges, yes, but this is a time of real optimism in Hartlepool. Our town is on the up.