Have a say on countryside representation
Last week, I was at Crawley Town Football Club to attend the Boundary Commission’s public hearing on how it proposes to reform constituency shapes and sizes in West Sussex.
Last summer during its first-stage consultation, more than 1,000 residents expressed concern about losing the last truly rural parliamentary constituency in West Sussex. Many did not want to see their historic communities either side of the Arun Valley separated. Or countryside villages lying north of the South Downs forced into a new constituency with Shoreham. This is not a partypolitical thing. In fact, in my remarks I was able to quote from similar sentiments expressed by all of the different parties. There is now a second and final chance for residents to have their say. We can stop this happening and maintain strong countryside representation in Parliament for vital local issues – such as fighting over-development, rural policing, access to GPs, dentists and village schools or faster and more reliable broadband. All the details on how to have your own say are on my website.
The deadline is days away, on April 4, so don’t delay.
I am aware of lots of fabulous individuals and community groups keen to assist Ukrainian refugees in any way that they can. The government’s Homes for Ukraine scheme has attracted massive interest and I have set up a dedicated page on my website with information of how constituents can help. I would like to thank From Sussex With Love, Storrington Village Hall, Petworth Ukraine Relief, Arundel for Ukraine, the West Chiltington Refugee Community Network and the South Downs Appeal for Medical Aid for Ukraine – but please let me know if your community are doing things, too.
As blossom appears and daffodils spring up, it has been wonderful to spend time across the South Downs communities as spring has finally arrived. I recently visited the thriving Squires Garden Centre in Ashington to mark the season and to offer my support to the horticultural industry.
I was one of the MPs in Westminster calling for the urgent reopening of garden centres during the first lockdown – as more of us spend time outside, or at home, garden centres across the UK saw sales soar.
I also thanked the garden centre for its support for my South Downs Pub Guide, which launched last year, detailing the facilities on offer at many rural pubs across the South Downs.