"As Secretary of State for disabled people, I was delighted to attend the Heritage Flame Lighting Celebration in Stoke Mandeville last week - the birthplace of the Paralympics. I’m also in Toyko this week, representing the UK government, as our talented Paralympians compete against the best disability athletes from across the world. The daughter of the founder of the Paralympics, Eve Loeffler OBE, who volunteered at the first Stoke Mandeville Games, lives in the Aldeburgh area – and I’m delighted our area does so much to support disability sport. From Riding for the Disabled near Woodbridge to our leisure centres in Leiston, Woodbridge and Felixstowe, all of which have great accessibility and some exclusive use of their pools.
I was pleased to back Suffolk’s bid for a County Deal from government – devolving powers and resources to local communities - to improve lives and to boost economic growth. The bid to become a pilot area ahead of Levelling Up White Paper has the potential to deliver a large number of additional resources to our county. Our rurality, coastal communities, market towns and larger urban centres makes Suffolk the perfect place to help government demonstrate how levelling up can work in diverse geographies. I’m delighted that Suffolk County Council’s bid has the backing of all the District and Borough Councils in our County as well as the Police and Crime Commissioner. I’ll also be lobbying Local Government Ministers, urging them to select Suffolk.
Finally, I continue to play an active part in the planning application for Sizewell C. Mindful of the delicate and limited water resource in this part of the country, particularly with regard to abstraction, I’ve indicated my support for a temporary desalination plant to supply potable water during the construction phase. It’s absolutely vital that the water demands for Sizewell doesn’t negatively affect our existing supply – and I consider that it may be necessary for a permanent plant to be considered in the future. All my consultation responses are available at: www.theresecoffey.co.uk/sizewell-c."