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Keep updated on the latest news, campaigns and my work on behalf of voters in Ashford.
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Ashford MP Raises Pothole Concerns with Transport Department
Following a high number of contacts from constituents regarding potholes Sojan Joseph MP wrote to the Department for Transport on 15th October, the question stated:
15/10/2024Read More -
KentOnline – Kent County Council receives £12m investment for new SEND service
A new multi-million-pound investment is set to transform support for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) across the county.
Today (April 15), the government has awarded Kent County Council (KCC) with £12,155,170 to provide a brand new service.
15/04/2026Read More -
Press Release – Labour provides Kent County Council with £12,155,170 for brand new SEND service
Sojan Joseph, MP for Ashford, Hawkinge, and the Villages has today (15/04/2026) welcomed significant investment from the Labour government into local SEND provision. Kent County Council is to be allocated £12,155,170 to set up a new ‘Experts at Hand’ offer.
As announced in February’s Schools White Paper, the service is designed to provide children with early support and fast access to professionals like speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, and educational psychologists. The offer will involve partnerships between special schools, alternative provision, and mainstream settings to put support in place without needing to go through lengthy assessment processes.Families in Kent have expressed concerns about long waits in the SEND system, which has led to issues escalating to crisis point before intervention. Labour’s reforms set out in the Schools White Paper, including the introduction of Experts at Hand, are designed to move support earlier in the process, closer to home, without parents having to fight for it.
The final guidance for Experts at Hand will be published next month, setting out how Kent County Council should use the funding to start standing up the service and the grant conditions associated with it.15/04/2026Read More
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It was a pleasure to speak with pupils from Lyminge Primary School in Westminster today and answer their questions about my work as their Member of Parliament!
As Chair of the APPG on Mental Health, I welcome the announcement of a new cross-government mental health strategy and encourage anyone with relevant experience or expertise to contribute to the call for evidence, which closes on 10 July 2026.
Informing the mental health strategy for England
We are seeking practical examples and implementation evidence to inform a mental health strategy for England.
www.gov.uk
Great to join Willesborough Schools at their celebration of winning a Platinum OPAL Award!
Outdoor play and learning are important for children’s mental health, wellbeing, and early-years education, it’s great to see Willesborough Schools doing excellent work. Congratulations!
Reform's council leader in Kent opposes Labour's free breakfast clubs. There are 29 of them in Kent, with more to come.
I will be hosting another community coffee morning on 6th June 2026 from 9:30–10:30am at Elham Village Hall, High St, CT4 6SX. Come down and share the issues that matter to you over a hot drink! ☕️
https://www.sojanjosephmp.com/surgeries/coffee-morning/
It was a pleasure to speak in today’s King’s Speech debate on the great work this Labour Government has done to deliver positive change over the past 22 months, and on how we must continue to go further and faster to build upon it.
This week is Mental Health Awareness Week 2026, coordinated by the Mental Health Foundation (@mentalhealth). This year's theme is "Action"—raising awareness of how individual and collective action can give people hope.
#MentalHealthAwarenessWeek
I also have tabled an EDM to coincide with #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek:
Mental Health Awareness Week 2026 - Early Day Motions - UK Parliament
That this House recognises that Mental Health Awareness Week, coordinated by the Mental Health Foundation, is between ...
edm.parliament.uk
This morning I spoke with @JKyleOfficial on @TalkTV about why we need to continue delivering positive change under Keir Starmer’s leadership:
NHS investment is UP
NHS waiting times are DOWN
Transport investment is UP
Number of asylum hotels are DOWN
Deportations are UP
I will be hosting two advice surgeries in June:
Friday 5 June — 13:00–15:00 — #Hawkinge
Saturday 27 June — 09:30–11:30 — Central #Ashford
To make a booking, please visit:
https://www.sojanjosephmp.com/surgeries/
GET IN TOUCH
As your local MP there are a number of different things I can help you with or offer advice on, such as; benefits, immigration, tax issues, problems with the NHS, child maintenance and education matters.
I would love to hear from you about what you think my priorities should be as your MP for Ashford and what matters most to you.
Please use the contact form to get in touch with me. Please remember to provide as many details as possible, including your name, address and full details of your issue.