Josh Dean MP on the fight to keep Leventhorpe pool afloat plus the historic vote on assisted dying

Following the announcement in October of the proposed closure of the Leventhorpe and Fanshawe swimming pools in Sawbridgeworth and Ware, I’ve been working with local stakeholders and Government colleagues to explore potential solutions that would allow these much-loved facilities to remain open.

Last week, I met Stephen Morgan MP, the minister for early education, and officials at the Department for Education. They confirmed that new guidance has recently been issued on exceptional circumstances funding for 2025-26.

This means that, as in previous years, Hertfordshire County Council can apply for a further 12 months of funding. I subsequently wrote to the county council alerting them to this opportunity and encouraging them to make an urgent application.

However, I appreciate that a year-on-year funding application is not a perfect solution. These pools play an important role in our communities and I’ve been touched by the number of residents reaching out to me to share personal stories of the positive impacts they have had on their lives. If we want to protect these facilities in the long term, we must address this insecure funding settlement.

An additional year of funding for 2025-26 would not only enable our pools to remain open but provide time for our local councils, schools and community stakeholders to explore a more sustainable long-term solution, such as a model of community ownership. I am keen to support this conversation with all our local stakeholders so that together we can find a sustainable model for our pools and protect them not just in the short term but for future generations too.

I strongly believe that every effort must be made to keep these facilities open for the benefit of our community. I remain committed to working with all local people and stakeholders to find a viable path forward.

On Friday, the House of Commons voted on the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill. This Private Member’s Bill, brought forward by Kim Leadbeater MP, would allow those with a terminal illness, with less than six months to live, the right to request and receive medical assistance to end their life if that is their express wish.

Those who have met with me in previous weeks will know that I strongly felt that although the final decision on which voting lobby to walk through rested with me as our MP, I would not have felt comfortable walking through either lobby without having heard from as many of our residents as possible. I remain deeply grateful to everyone who took the time to share their thoughts, feelings and personal experiences with me ahead of Friday’s vote.

After extensive deliberation, I voted in favour of the Bill. I believe that those facing a terminal diagnosis should have the right to make informed choices about how they wish to approach the end of their life.

The law as it stands does not allow for this, leaving many of those facing a terminal illness to endure prolonged suffering or travel abroad to seek assistance in dying.

I believe this Bill offers a compassionate and tightly regulated alternative, ensuring that the most vulnerable are protected while giving agency to those who meet its strict criteria to end their lives at a time of their choosing.

This Bill proposes robust safeguards to ensure that those who choose to end their life do so voluntarily, in an informed way and without coercion.

Importantly, it does not allow for anyone to seek an assisted death based on disability, mental ill health or acute pain. I want to be clear that I would not have voted for it if it did, nor would I vote for any legislation which sought to do so.

I’m pleased that this debate has seen a renewed call for improvements in palliative care from across the House of Commons. Choice at the end of life must mean a choice in how you end your life, not a binary choice between life and death, and this Bill should act as a complement to these existing services for the small number of people for whom existing options fall short.

It is important to note that Friday’s vote was only on a second reading of the Bill and that this is not the final stage of its journey. Having passed second reading, the Bill will now progress through a process of scrutiny in the Houses of Parliament, and I will continue to monitor its progress to ensure that the legislation remains fair, compassionate and safe.

This is a deeply emotive issue where many residents will, rightly, have deeply held views. Not everyone will agree with the decision I have taken, but I want to reassure you that I have listened carefully to both sides of this debate and I remain incredibly grateful to everyone who has shared their views with me as part of this process.

In this week’s column, I’ve chosen to focus on two issues that I know will be of great importance to our residents. As always, I want to hear from you, and you’re welcome to write to me or attend one of my upcoming surgeries ahead of Christmas: Fri Dec 6 (online - Teams), Fri Dec 13 (Hertford).

Please email josh.dean.mp@parliament.uk with your full name, postal address including postcode and as much detail about your case as possible to book your appointment.