Last week I spoke with the Post Office about access to cash and the work they are doing to fill the void left by the closure of high street bank branches following the rise of online banking. While Post Offices offer a fantastic service and ensure continued access to cash, the Government recognises that some services can only be provided face-to-face by a fully-fledged retail bank and are supporting the creation of new banking hubs. Once opened, the Hubs are shared between different commercial banks, offering the full range of banking services, from business banking to advice about loans and mortgages.
The application process is competitive but, as the home to dozens of local businesses, a growing local population and serving as the focal point for much of rural Fylde, I believe Kirkham would benefit hugely from a banking hub. This is a case that I have pushed with LINK, who are overseeing the roll out of these hubs, during an initial meeting earlier this year and again following their visit to the town last Thursday. I now await LINK’s decision but remain determined to bring a new banking hub to Kirkham.
Leasehold issues remain a problem locally and nationally. The longer the current situation persists then the more households will face the kind of issues that many in Fylde are currently experiencing, be it with adoption by local councils, upkeep of shared areas or large increases in maintenance fees. I want to see major reform to the leasehold system, which presently leaves residents left in a grey area, with roads unadopted by local Councils while developer’s interest moves onto newer projects.
It is a topic that I have been raising with local Councils, housing developers and Government Ministers, and I am currently working with residents on a number of local estates to try and resolve ongoing issues there. Earlier this week I signed a letter from Conservative colleagues to the Secretary of State for Housing, Michael Gove MP, who has long spoken of the need to reform this area, to ask that he redouble efforts on the passing of the Leasehold Reform Bill through Parliament.
On Wednesday I visited AWOL Adventure, a really innovative event photography and video business, who are developing an application using facial recognition technology to help sort photos from events. The idea has real potential, ending the need for countless hours filing through photos and enabling people to find photos of themselves at the click of a button.
But this technology also has uses beyond parties or sporting events and Greg Goodall, Managing Director, explained the work that AWOL are doing with the UK Space Agency, another example of the cutting edge business we have here in Fylde.