MP JESSICA Toale has said Bournemouth “can and will be the safe and thriving hub it once was” during her maiden speech. 

The first ever woman MP and Labour MP for Bournemouth West recognised the town centre has taken a decline recently. 

But said Labour’s “mission-led” government will “build the shared future and reignite this sense of hope” across her constituency. 

Speaking in Parliament on October 17, Mrs Toale said: “Bournemouth is a relatively new town, but parts of my constituency such as Kinson were mentioned in the Domesday book.  

“Scratch the surface just a little bit, and you will find a growing and vibrant community of innovators and creatives.” 

She mentioned the "world-leading" graphic effects and post-production companies, the "vibrant” high streets in Winton and Westbourne, the “burgeoning” tech sector and the two “world-leading” universities. 

“Of course, there are challenges,” she added. “Like all seaside towns, we have seen our town centre decline.  

“More than a decade of cuts to public services has meant that people now struggle to get an NHS dentist.  

“Crime and anti-social behaviour are at the forefront of people’s minds as, for me, are parents who will not let their daughters go into the town centre at night. 

“Knife crime has destroyed lives, the housing market too often locks out young people and young families, and do not even get me started on sewage.” 

Mrs Toale mentioned a “collective spirit” she has found in the town since moving here, such as “Fran and Jesse at the Henry Brown centre and Kerry and her team at the Bourne community hub working against the odds to build their communities and transform lives in neighbourhoods such as West Howe and Alderney”. 

She added: “This is all really exciting stuff and I know that, with a new mission-led government, our town can and will be the safe and thriving hub it once was.  

“I know that kids in West Howe can and will have the same opportunities that our young people in Talbot Woods do to get a world-class education in their schools, colleges and universities. 

“I want graduates who fall in love with Bournemouth to find great jobs and affordable housing so that they stay and build their lives there. 

“I want all of our businesses to thrive in the vibrant ecosystems that we are now developing, and families in Wallisdown to get the support they need in their schools and not to worry about getting a dentist or a doctor. 

“All of our residents, regardless of age or income, should feel proud of their town and their local neighbourhoods."