I was delighted to hear earlier this week that my application for the UK Finance Access to Cash Pilot has been accepted and Burslem is one of the few areas that has been chosen.
Access to cash is one of the main issues my constituents contact me about and this scheme will aim to provide solutions to this.
Thank you to my colleagues, Jack Brereton MP and Jo Gideon MP, local Stoke-on-Trent City Council Councillors Councillor Lesley Adams and Stoke on Trent Conservatives, Aspire Housing, The Federation of Small Businesses,
Tariq Mahmood and the Financial Inclusion Group which includes the likes of Saltbox, Job Centre Plus and YMCA North Staffordshire.
Now we have been selected, members of the board, chaired by Natalie Ceeney CBE, will visit to decide which solution provider would be the best fit for the needs of the community, this is then rolled out as a pilot scheme. The UK government has already committed to introduce legislation to support the cash infrastructure, so the aim is that these pilots can inform longer term government action, as well as support local communities right now.
I look forward to working with Access to Cash, local businesses and residents to help secure some long term solutions that will help rebuild our high street once again.