Michael Wins Millions for Northampton!
Northamptonshire has won over £3.3million following my year-long campaign to get much needed funds to fix potholes in Northampton!
I am delighted that the Government have allocated more than £3million to fix potholes in our county – it is estimated that some 62,000 potholes can be fixed with this money.
My campaign to secure extra funds from the Government means that this money will have a direct effect on the state of the roads in our town.
In total Northamptonshire will receive £3,322,275 from the special pothole fund specifically created by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rt. Hon. George Osborne MP, in direct response to my campaign against potholes in Northampton.
When announcing the fund in the Budget in March the Chancellor said:
“My Hon. Friend for Northampton North [Michael Ellis] has been a very persistent campaigner for resources to repair potholes in his constituency and across the country.
This persistence has paid off and I’m making £200 million available which local authorities can bid for and I trust Northampton will be making an application.”
Later the County Council made a formal application to the Government, with my help, and I have worked closely together with them- and I will continue to do so over the coming months as the money is used to fix roads in Northampton North.
Announcing the allocation of resources the Secretary of State for Transport, Rt. Hon. Patrick McLoughlin MP said:
"Potholes are the bane of all our lives and the funding announced today is an important step in ridding our roads of this menace. But it is only one part of a massive programme of investment to get our country up to speed as part of this Government's long term economic plan. By building, repairing and renewing our key infrastructure we will ensure the future growth and prosperity of this county."
I would like to see this money spent over the next six months to get our roads in a better shape. I am pleased that the Conservative-led Government is committed to improving our road surfaces – I know just how important this issue is to everyone who drives on our roads.
Without our campaign, all those residents who signed the petition, filled out surveys, and contacted me- this money would not have been made available by the Government and I am chuffed to bits to have won millions of pounds for my home town.
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(Photo Above: Michael Ellis MP with Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne MP in the House of Commons, 18th June 2014)
