With a Junior Doctors’ strike looming ever large, this is what Jeremy Hunt MP for SW Surrey has been telling his merry band of followers.
It’s hard to believe it’s been nearly six months since the election – what a busy time it’s been in the ensuing months – but lots of progress made locally. More than 70 people have attended surgery appointments in the period covering a range of topics, concerns and issues. So too have there been a number of visits and meetings throughout the Constituency with schools, hospitals, charities and organisations enabling me to listen, learn and support individuals and groups.
Recently, I co-chaired a further meeting of The Godalming Flood Alleviation Sponsor Group which was very productive resulting in a number of important decisions being agreed by all the stakeholders. It is now agreed the proposed plan of action will be presented (following some final work and research) to residents of Godalming at a Public Consultation meeting in January 2016 – date and venue to follow. In the meantime the Environmental Agency has launched a new website for anyone interested in flooding http://www.gov.uk/floodsdestroy
Elsewhere in the Constituency, I am delighted to confirm that following discussions with South West Trains, they have confirmed that they will provide a further 160 car park spaces at Haslemere station and an additional 180 spaces at Farnham station by the end of 2016. This is excellent news and will go a long way to help alleviate the parking concerns and issues so many of you have raised with me over the last year. The exact specification and design of the structure is to be finalised with the respective local councils but I am delighted that we have made real progress in this important area that affects so many of us using the train network.
Pedestrianisation in Farnham too is making some progress. I enjoyed a very productive meeting with Farnham Mayor and Councillor, Pat Frost, earlier in the year when we agreed on the proposals moving forward. I am pleased that Surrey County Council has confirmed it will run a trial, more details of which will follow. I am hoping we can publish details of this early in the New Year.
In Farnham we can hardly wait!
Meanwhile, there was the Party Conference which afforded me the opportunity and privilege to address attendees and highlight a number of issues. It’s been a busy few months in the Department of Health of course…
We bet it has! And about to get even busier…