Busy three months for new Blackpool MP Scott

It has been a whirlwind three months for MP Scott Benton since he won the Blackpool South seat at the December General Election.
Scott Benton at the General Election count in DecemberScott Benton at the General Election count in December
Scott Benton at the General Election count in December

Scott, 32, secured the constituency for the Conservatives from Labour's Gordon Marsden who had held it for 22 years.

Since then he has bought a house in South Shore, opened and staffed his offices, made his maiden speech in Parliament and been busy getting his face known around the town.

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Monday to Wednesday is spent in Westminster, before heading back to the Fylde coast which has become home since he stepped up from his job as a councillor in Calderdale to represent Blackpool South in Westminster.

Scott Benton with Education Secretary Gavin Williamson meeting pupils from St George's School in BlackpoolScott Benton with Education Secretary Gavin Williamson meeting pupils from St George's School in Blackpool
Scott Benton with Education Secretary Gavin Williamson meeting pupils from St George's School in Blackpool

He said: "My main priority is to visit as many local groups and organisations as I can, and today I've been to the Tower to meet up with the Merlin group and make sure everything in the town is supporting them.

"I've appointed four full-time equivalent members of staff to do casework and support inquiries from surgeries.

"We have dealt with a huge amount of casework so far with 700 inquiries over the last 10 weeks. My bag is incredibly diverse from helping people with housing and health issues to supporting businesses."

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Scott has located his constituency office on Amy Johnson Way in South Shore but aims to get out into the community with at least three surgeries a month in places like supermarkets and other community spaces, with one recently held at the Marton Institute.

His key aims for the town are around transport, particularly Blackpool Airport, education and health which, along with supporting Brexit, also formed the basis for much of his election campaign which saw him succeed with a majority of 3,690 votes over Gordon Marsden.

Scott admits his pledge to re-open the airport to passenger flights will be a tough one to deliver.

He said: "I'm meeting with the Transport Secretary in the next few weeks and the government is looking at a review of all regional airports.

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"I want to ask what it would take to help the council get that airport back into use for commercial flights.

"It's not going to happen overnight, but it is one of my longer term ambitions."

On the NHS, he wants to ensure Blackpool gets its share of additional resources given to the health service by the government, while he has visited schools including Armfield Academy and Revoe Learning Academy to meet with education chiefs and hear about their priorities.

Scott said: "There has been a 5.9 per cent increase in the schools budget from the government which is the highest we have had for a long time.

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"And we need to make sure schools are using that to deliver first class education and to make sure they are facing the particular problems of Blackpool."

Scott has been a member of Calderdale Council in West Yorkshire since 2011, representing Brighouse and previously serving as deputy leader of the council, but says he expects to resign from the council soon.

He said: "To step down would cause a by-election and that costs £25,000. I will be resigning as a councillor there as my full-time role is here.

"A lot of the newly elected MPs are in that position and I will make sure it happens very quickly."

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He previously also worked as an aid for Calder Valley Conservative MP Craig Whittaker and prior to his political career was a primary school teacher where he focused on supporting under-privileged children.

But what he has learned quickly is that his new constituency is one which will demand a lot from him.

Scott said: "The number of selfless individuals, fantastic organisations and the brilliant work they do in the community which I have come across already has been amazing.

"And that's something I will dedicate myself to, getting around to see them and see some of the brilliant work they do."