I have been asked to write for this issue and mulling over the past week or two, I thought I would write about coastal communities and why I believe that the work and campaigning that I do locally and in Parliament on this subject, is one of utmost importance for me to engage with in my role as the MP for beautiful Hastings and Rye.
The challenges affecting our coastal communities, both rural and urban, cover a wide range of issues including water quality, education (including up-skilling and re-skilling), digital and transport connectivity and infrastructure, diversity of employment, health, housing, policing and so much more. Coastal communities are also the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, with coastal flooding and erosion posing an ever-greater risk to our natural and built environment.
Coastal towns like Rye have their challenges, but they have so much potential to unleash if given the opportunities to do so. This means the Government must have a targeted focus and strategic plan for our coastal communities. We are all familiar with the term ‘levelling-up’ and my argument with ministers is that in order to deliver the Government’s spending, investment, taxation and regeneration policies, coastal communities must be at the heart of the Government’s levelling-up plans. Afterall, we are an island nation, and our coastal communities are vital to our social, economic and environmental well-being and prosperity.
I am campaigning for a minister for the coast, a national strategy for coastal communities and a cross-government departmental taskforce whose responsibility is to focus on the needs, challenges and opportunities of our coastal communities. We know that no one size fits all; Rye and Hastings, as an example, have commonality of challenges and solutions but they each have their own unique character and strengths. Devising a national strategy would therefore need to be somewhat flexible – but very definitely achievable.
As part of the work I do, I chair both the All Party Parliamentary Group in Parliament for the Ocean and the APPG for Coastal Communities. A cross-party group of MPs and members of the House of Lords meet regularly for each APPG. For the Coastal Communities APPG, we consider current issues affecting coastal communities and actively seek strategies to address these challenges to enhance economic and social well-being, education and infrastructure. We had our AGM recently and discussed the inquiries we have published over the past year. These have been extensive, including levelling-up, skills and aspiration, health, Year of the Coast 2023, coastal erosion and ocean literacy. We were involved in a report published by Pragmatix Advisory called ‘Communities on the Edge’ which is around 120 pages. The report assesses the need for levelling-up in coastal communities and I was keen that the report also looked at opportunities, as we have had so many reports over the years commissioned by both Labour and Conservative governments on the challenges, I felt it was vital to look at the opportunities too.
The APPG for the Ocean published a detailed report ‘The Ocean: Turning the Tide on Climate Change’, following our in-depth inquiry into blue carbon and ocean-based solutions to climate change. Our report called for a blue carbon revolution to tackle climate change and made a number of key recommendations to Government, a number of which, I am delighted to highlight, were included into policy in the Government’s recent Environment Improvement Plan. It is great to see the Government recognise the crucial role that blue carbon habitats like saltmarsh and seagrass can play in adaptation and resilience.
Opportunities for coastal towns like Rye are in tourism, health and well-being, renewable energy, employment in fishing and fishing-based industries including aquaculture. Harnessing nature-based solutions – both land and sea - to combat climate change, coastal flooding and water quality will also drive social and economic benefits. Our coasts and seas contain some of the UK’s most varied ecosystems; if these are restored, maintained and protected they can help boost our coastal economies. Investing in coastal restoration and adaptation projects offer employment opportunities in food production, health and leisure, tourism, environment and conservation and even transport.
I am determined to ensure that coastal communities like Rye, Rye Harbour, Winchelsea Beach and Camber – as well as Hastings – receive the right support and focus to flourish so that rather than be a problem to solve, we can become a resource to the UK and contribute so much more.