Youth Services

Josh Dean Excerpts

Thursday 15th May 2025 Commons Chamber

[Josh Dean (Hertford and Stortford) (Lab)]

I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Croydon East (Natasha Irons) for securing the debate.

Far be it from me to come to the Chamber and speak only about myself, but I want to share my personal experience. I have often said that, had it not been for the youth workers in my community, I would not be stood here as the Member of Parliament for Hertford and Stortford. I dropped out of sixth form at 17 and went straight to work in Hertford town centre. I wanted to find my path, but I was left feeling directionless, struggling to connect with the right opportunities. I cannot put into words the difference that the support of local authority youth workers—like Russell, who I have mentioned in the Chamber before—made to me, as a young person who could not see the way forward.

A young person in the same position today will not have access to a similar level. Why is that? It is not because our youth workers are any less passionate or determined to support our young people. No, it is because when the cuts came under the last Government, youth services were first on the chopping block, leaving a generation of young people behind.

In Hertfordshire, there has been a 50% real-terms cut to youth services spending since 2010-11. One in eight young people are not in employment, education or training. They are at the sharp end of crises in mental health and in provision for children with special educational needs and disabilities, with charities and voluntary organisations straining every sinew to fill the gaps and ensure that our young people do not miss out. That is the legacy of the Conservative party when it comes to young people, and it is a real disappointment to see Conservative Benches so empty this afternoon.

In my remaining time, I would like to pay tribute to the Thirst youth café and the FUTUREhope group—charities and voluntary organisations that have provided fantastic support in our community. It was a pleasure to visit them when we were hosting consultations in my constituency on the national youth strategy. I hugely welcome the work that this Government are undertaking to support our young people, and I hope to play a role in that.

Football Governance Bill [Lords]

Josh Dean Excerpts

2nd reading
Monday 28th April 2025 Commons Chamber

[Josh Dean (Hertford and Stortford) (Lab)]

I welcome the opportunity to contribute to the debate on this important piece of legislation and what it will mean for football fans in Hertford and Stortford, thousands of whom travel week in, week out to premier league games in London, to which we are ably linked by our rail services.

Before I turn to the specific measures in the Bill, I would like to touch on why football is so important to communities such as mine. Since my election in July last year, it has been a pleasure to visit and watch a number of the non-league clubs across Hertford and Stortford, and to meet some of the managers, coaches, players and volunteers who keep them going and bring our community together. So many players at non-league clubs such as those go on to much larger teams in the future, too. We cannot overestimate the importance of grassroots football in our communities, and I pay tribute to Bishop’s Stortford football club, Sawbridgeworth Town FC, Hertford Town football club and Ware football club. I particularly pay tribute to Ware and Sawbridgeworth, which have just avoided relegation in the latest season.

I would also like to briefly update the House on the 93rd birthday of John Staines. Some Members may remember that I have raised the topic of Hertford Town football club’s drive to get 1,000 people down to their game against Flackwell Heath to mark John’s birthday following more than 60 years of dedicated support for the club, 30 of them as a volunteer. It was heartwarming to see our community turn out to recognise John’s contribution to the club, and I am pleased to report that we saw just over 1,000 people turn out in Hertford to do so.

It has become apparent in recent years that we need to protect our game, and I applaud the Bill’s aim of protecting and promoting the sustainability of English football in the interests of fans and the local communities that football clubs serve. I welcome its core objectives of ensuring sound club finances and systemic financial resilience and safeguarding club heritage. In particular, the creation of an independent football regulator is most welcome, delivering on this Government’s manifesto commitment to protect clubs and empower fans.

In the time I have left, I want to mention one quick point that was raised with me by some of our non-league clubs ahead of this debate, which I would be grateful if the Secretary of State could address. Clubs have highlighted the disparity in contract regulation between non-league and professional football; currently, non-league players can be offered a full-time contract only at the age of 18, while in professional football players can be contracted at 17. To ensure fairness to our grassroots clubs, will the Secretary of State consider equalising the age at which non-league clubs and professional clubs can offer full-time contracts to players in the future?

It has been my absolute pleasure to spend time speaking to our local non-league clubs. I know that our residents are immensely passionate about football, and it is fantastic that this Bill is being brought forward to put our fans right at the heart of that great game.

Market Towns: Cultural Heritage

Josh Dean Excerpts

Tuesday 4th March 2025 Westminster Hall

[Josh Dean (Hertford and Stortford) (Lab)]

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Jeremy. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Southend East and Rochford (Mr Alaba) for securing this debate.

I am proud to represent Hertford and Stortford, home to a number of significant market towns steeped in such history that many of them appeared in the Domesday Book. Hertford is my home; I am privileged to have grown up there. My parents moved to Hertford in the late 1990s because they wanted me to have the very best start in life. Parliamentary scholars will know that when plague overran London in the 1500s, Parliament moved to Hertford castle, where the gatehouse is now home to Hertford town council, on which I proudly once served.

Hertford’s old Corn Exchange, which once linked us to the corn markets of London, has been reborn as a live music venue called simply the Corn Exchange, serving the lively local music and arts scene that produced talents like George Ezra and Rupert Grint. Residents are proud of our weekly charter market in Salisbury Square. Our town centre, in which I found my first job, is home to a diverse offering of independent shops, pubs and restaurants.

Bishop’s Stortford has contributed more than its fair share of musical talent, with famous musicians including Sam Smith and Charli XCX attending local schools. Bishop’s Stortford has contributed its fair share to this Parliament, too. Upon election I became aware of at least four Members of this House, including my hon. Friend the Member for Scarborough and Whitby (Alison Hume), who attended local schools in Bishop’s Stortford.

Stansted airport, the largest single site employer in the east of England, sits right on our doorstep, offering opportunities for work, skills training and lifelong learning to our residents in Bishop’s Stortford. The direct train line between the two means that our community is readily connected to the rest of the world.

For reasons of time I cannot go into detail on all the market towns in my constituency, but there are others, including Ware and Sawbridgeworth, of which we are deeply proud. But our towns are not without challenge, so I would be grateful if the Minister could, in her response, touch on the support that the Labour Government are providing for high streets in semi-rural communities and market towns to ensure that residents can readily access vital in-person services. Also, will she touch on the support that the Government are providing for live music venues such as the Corn Exchange in Hertford, of which our residents are deeply proud?

[Sir Jeremy Wright (in the Chair)]

I am grateful for the exemplary time discipline so far.