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Tewkesbury Constituency
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SITE LINKS
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CONSTITUENCY NEWS
The Tewkesbury Constituency covers some 176 square miles, representing 72,000 electorate. There are many and varied types of businesses from aerospace to village crafts and farming. From Cotswold villages like Snowshill in the North East to Churchdown and Brockworth in the South West of the Constituency there can be a huge range of problems.
With such a large and diverse area, there are many issues, both large and small. I regularly visit businesses, schools, hospitals and individuals to discuss ways in which I might help. This page shows some of the current big issues that affect everyone in the Constituency.
As well as personal visits, I do hold regular surgeries around the Constituency. Anyone with a problem they think I might be able to help with is welcome to attend, and there is no need for an appointment.
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The local health trusts have proposed closure of Winchcombe Hospital. I have opposed this by organising a march and rally, raising it with the Prime Minister in the House of Commons, discussing it with the Health Secretary, holding my own debate in Parliament on the matter and presenting a petition of almost 4,000 names to Parliament and the health trusts.
The position now is that I am heading a team in Winchcombe to promote the concept of a replacement hospital being built on the site of the new doctor's surgery, perhaps linked to sheltered housing and care. I hope I will be able to bring together interested parties and stakeholders and persuade the new Primary Care Trust to accept and work with this proposal.
The government proposed to merge Gloucestershire Constabulary with other forces, probably to create a single Police Force for the whole of the South West. I opposed this proposal and held my own debate in parliament to discuss it.
The government recently announced it was backing down on these proposals and, for now, the Gloucestershire Constabulary will be allowed to stand alone as a force.
The government changed the way large-scale housing is proposed. Now, the Regional Spatial Strategy is responsible for making such plans and they are proposing thousands of houses be built north of Cheltenham and of Gloucester by 2026.
I have objected to these plans for a number of reasons. I object to things being planned by "region". I disagree with the philosophy of predict and provide. This area has taken far too many houses in the recent past. And it would involve an encroachment on the Green Belt, as well as causing a large number of extra traffic movements and other environmental problems.
The consultation period has now ended and the Regional Spacial Strategy is now with the Minister to consider. Again I am putting strong pressure on to have the proposals rejected.
For further details see www.southwest-re.gov.uk
I have met representatives from the airport at Staverton to discuss their current activities and plans and organised and chaired a public meeting to give residents the chance to question them.
The airport plans to make certain changes which, they say, will not increase traffic movements or noise levels. I will monitor this situation and keep in touch with them and the shareholders, Cheltenham Borough and Gloucester City Councils.
Many people are still displaced from their homes following last year's floods. I am working to try to help as many people as possible with regards to repairs, insurance problems and many other issues.
Unprecedented the rainfall may have been, but lessons need to be learnt from what happened. There should be no further building in flood risk areas. The ditches and waterways should be cleared out and sewers, culverts and drains repaired and maintained. We need a stronger body than the Environment Agency to help protect the area. And we need to prioritise those people and buildings which are vulnerable.
I am in constant contact with the government and all the local agencies trying to bring about these changes, and have given evidence to the DEFRA Select Committee and to Sir Michael Pitt, who is carrying out the government's Inquiry into the flooding.
I am opposing the closure of six Post Office branches in my constituency, at Twyning, Stanway, Mitton, Woodmancote, Twigworth and Witcombe.
Post Offices are important to people in rural communities and especially older people. They provide services as well as places for people to meet. Closing these branches would force people to drive to other branches in order to access the services, thereby increasing congestion and CO2 emissions - which the government says we are supposed to be cutting down on.
At a time when fuel costs are so high, bus services are rare and when village pubs and shops are struggling, closing village Post Offices adds impetus to the trend of reducing the quality of village life.
I have, therefore, collected many petition signatures and have held meetings with the relevant people at the Post Office to oppose these closure proposals.
