Robert Largan Column: I’m proud of my record and what we’ve achieved together

​I sincerely wish them both the best of luck in their roles. I will do my best to work with them, on a cross-party basis, to deliver for Derbyshire.

Obviously, I supported other candidates but the results weren’t a surprise given the national opinion polls.

Turnout was very low, only 30 per cent in High Peak.

Over the course of the campaign, lots of you told me that you wouldn’t be voting because you didn’t want a Mayor or because you were really unhappy with all the squabbling down in Westminster. I can completely understand that sentiment.

Ben Houchen’s re-election against the odds as the Mayor of Tees Valley was an interesting result. It shows that, despite the national polls, an elected representative with a strong local record of delivery can defy the odds.

I was struck by the large number of local people that told me they weren’t voting in this election or were voting for another party but intended to vote to re-elect me come the general election.

I’m proud of my record locally and what we’ve achieved together so far, on everything from reinstalling the breast cancer screening mobile unit to getting the £145million Hope Valley railway line upgrade built.

We’ve worked together to secure £10million to regenerate Buxton town centre, £5million in Levelling Up funding, £47million to improve local bus services, £176million to fix the potholes.

Then there’s the £7million to restore Glossop Town Hall & Market Hall, £228million to build the Mottram Bypass.

We’re building two new urgent care centres at Tameside and Stepping Hil, opened two specialist mental health units. We’ve tripled funding to restore our local moors, saved 77 acres of local green belt and created the High Peak Nature Recovery Programme, and together we’ve established the High Peak Jobs & Apprenticeships Fair, helping an extra 1,000 local people into work. There’s lots done but there’s lots more to do.

Whatever the next few months bring, I’ll keep working with you all to make the High Peak even better!