YORK Central MP Rachael Maskell outlines her priorities for 2021:

I TRUST 2021 is a better year for everyone. It will certainly be a challenge as the Covid-19 crisis is set to continue.

My priority is to keep you safe and ensure that your needs are met. The chaotic handling and confusion must end, and more support provided.

I will continue to take every opportunity in Parliament to scrutinise the Government however the pandemic has exposed a number of key issues which must be addressed.

The social care system is broken and new challenges face the NHS. In 2010 Labour had a roadmap for social care, however over the past decade Government has just promised one.

I will work to secure a way forward, with colleagues, so we are not just talking but acting.

With NHS waiting lists at an all-time high, I will be calling for a strategy for managing this, while investing more into public health, mental health and social prescribing services.

Addressing the scale of the economic, business and jobs crisis here in York is my priority as more people than ever face an uncertain future and new levels of poverty.

Priorities have to change, as York is paying a heavy price for not investing in good quality jobs. I will work alongside our business community and others to secure a clear economic vision for the city, drawing on emerging industries to secure jobs for all. For the thousands of self-employed and workers who have struggled this last year we need new ways to provide resilience and security and will work with those impacted by the pandemic on this.For the thousands of self-employed and workers who have struggled this last year we need new ways to provide resilience and security and I will work with those impacted by the pandemic on this.

Reshaping our city centre to help it thrive requires broader investments using space better, drawing on our communities and investing in the rich diversity of York’s heritage and culture. Making York a family-friendly city is a priority, as it would become truly accessible to everyone.

The planning system is in a mess, and the council’s excuses for building more and more luxury apartments is unforgivable when families need good homes to rent and buy.

Priorities for York Central and other sites must change to build strong, sustainable and safe communities.

Alongside housing we need our challenged transport system addressing. Successive councils have not been ambitious to deliver the changes we need. We need to address this, this year, with a plan that works for everyone, not least as the UK is hosting the crucial COP26 Climate conference where we need to embed transformative measures to address this urgent issue.

These are my priorities for 2021, although with a world in turmoil, as our relationship with the EU is uncertain, and new challenges face us, I recognise that we need to root strong foundations this year to weather the challenges ahead.