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Keep updated on the latest news, campaigns and my work on behalf of voters in Ashford.
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Ashford MP Raises Pothole Concerns with Transport Department
Following a high number of contacts from constituents regarding potholes Sojan Joseph MP wrote to the Department for Transport on 15th October, the question stated:
15/10/2024Read More -
KentOnline – Kent County Council receives £12m investment for new SEND service
A new multi-million-pound investment is set to transform support for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) across the county.
Today (April 15), the government has awarded Kent County Council (KCC) with £12,155,170 to provide a brand new service.
15/04/2026Read More -
Press Release – Labour provides Kent County Council with £12,155,170 for brand new SEND service
Sojan Joseph, MP for Ashford, Hawkinge, and the Villages has today (15/04/2026) welcomed significant investment from the Labour government into local SEND provision. Kent County Council is to be allocated £12,155,170 to set up a new ‘Experts at Hand’ offer.
As announced in February’s Schools White Paper, the service is designed to provide children with early support and fast access to professionals like speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, and educational psychologists. The offer will involve partnerships between special schools, alternative provision, and mainstream settings to put support in place without needing to go through lengthy assessment processes.Families in Kent have expressed concerns about long waits in the SEND system, which has led to issues escalating to crisis point before intervention. Labour’s reforms set out in the Schools White Paper, including the introduction of Experts at Hand, are designed to move support earlier in the process, closer to home, without parents having to fight for it.
The final guidance for Experts at Hand will be published next month, setting out how Kent County Council should use the funding to start standing up the service and the grant conditions associated with it.15/04/2026Read More
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This afternoon, I secured a Westminster Hall debate on water supply in Kent.
The ongoing issues, caused by South East Water’s lack of investment and its prioritisation of profits over customers, are unacceptable. The company must deliver a long-term solution and raise standards.
You can watch the full debate here: https://parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/68fd6916-2b62-4835-b30b-ea5a38e95703
Today I will be holding a Westminster Hall debate on water supply in Kent.
The shortages, caused by South East Water’s lack of investment and prioritising profit over service, are unacceptable. I will press for a long-term solution.
Watch the debate live: https://www.parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/241b2287-287b-4f79-8de1-ea3628f7f659
It was a pleasure to co-host Mind’s (@MindCharity) drop-in today in Parliament! Keeping mental health high on the agenda is a key priority of mine—thank you to Mind for all that you do to raise awareness of the issue!
This government will not stand by while children are put at risk online.
Today I am calling on the tech companies to introduce device-level controls to prevent children from taking, sharing or viewing nude images.
And if they don’t act, we will.
82 years ago, on the beaches of Normandy, brave British and Allied forces changed the course of history forever.
We must never forget the service and sacrifice of those courageous men and women.
Our debt to them can never be repaid.
Some really positive and constructive discussions at this morning’s coffee morning at Elham Village Hall! Thank you to everyone who came along!
Thank you to everyone who attended my advice surgery at Hawkinge Village Hall today! It was wonderful to meet so many residents and talk through a variety of casework matters and local issues!
A very positive visit to Hawkinge House this morning, one of the biggest care homes in my constituency.
Thank you to all the staff for taking time out of your busy day to speak with me and show me the challenges you face in our care system and the changes needed.
Henry Nowak was 18 - a kind and hard-working student with his life ahead of him. His murder – at the hands of Vickrum Digwa - was a horrifying and evil act. Digwa murdered Henry and then lied about him, as he lay dying - falsely accusing him of racism.
The Nowak family deserve
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