Mr Bayo Alaba

I thank the hon. Member for North Norfolk (Steff Aquarone) for securing this debate. It is an honour to be here today among MPs representing coastal communities. I represent Southend East and Rochford. I was born on Green Street in east London, and growing up I spent a lot of time going to Southend for days out, as a lot of east-enders did at the time—they still do, in fact. However, tourism has changed, consumer habits have altered and industries and coastal communities are typically centred around agriculture, social care, retail and hospitality, which are all usually low-paying sectors. According to the independent commission on neighbourhoods, Southend East and Rochford contains 17 neighbourhoods identified with the highest need. High deprivation and a lack of social infrastructure has had a knock-on effect on life expectancy, education outcomes and job opportunities. Where someone lives should not negatively impact their future. My constituency is a centre for creative arts and heritage buildings, such as the Freight House, the Kursaal, the Cliffs Pavilion, Southchurch Hall and more. Residents have a passion and a determination to create a sustainable future for Southend East and Rochford, as do I, but we need a coastal communities strategy that differentiates coastal communities from our inland and rural partners and seeks to address the unique challenges we face. For long-term change, we must diversify industry in coastal communities, so that hospitality, heritage and tourism can thrive alongside finance, tech and industry.