Commons Sense
On May 10, the Queen’s Speech marked the opening of the new Parliamentary session, setting out the Government’s programme for the year ahead.
While there were a broad array of Bills announced, there are a number which will really help deal with some of the issues that matter most to people in my constituency.
There are several Bills coming forward to help us fight crime and reduce antisocial behaviour.
During the pandemic I was in regular contact with Thames Valley Police, including the Chief Constable, to help address some of the unique problems generated by lockdown restrictions.
Now that we are mostly back to normal, I have been reengaging with constituents to make sure that police actions reflect the changing times again, meeting with our new Area Commander Superintendent Amanda Burroughs to discuss this recently.
Looking ahead, I have asked for direct feedback from residents through the crime survey which many local residents will have received already.
Another critical local issue is protecting access to cash, a problem which can have a devastating impact on our high streets.
Towns across my constituency from Marlow, to Burnham, to Beaconsfield have seen a number of bank branches close in recent years, and the way in which usage of cash fell during the pandemic has only exacerbated the problem.
In the last few months, I have been taking this right to the top of Government, writing to the Chancellor to ask him to bring forward legislation to protect access to cash.
I am delighted to say that in this year’s Queen’s Speech, the Government has announced exactly this!
Combined with the very encouraging announcements about supporting our high streets through local growth, I hope this will see a bright and busy future for our wonderful town centres.