Sean Woodcock MP Monthly Update
Please see below a summary from Sean Woodcock MP on his work throughout October.
Cerys Upstone
Policy and Communications Officer for Sean Woodcock MP
Email: cerys.upstone
October Round up
October started by returning back to Banbury from Liverpool after the Labour Party Conference. As Parliament was still on recess for a little while longer, I was able to continue prioritising local businesses and organisations. I am always out and about around Banbury and North Oxfordshire, meeting with people and speaking to residents.
This has included schools and education providers, like Bloxham Grove Academy, Wykham Park Academy, and Orchard Fields School. I also visited Banbury College to mark T Levels week, celebrating the amazing vocational courses offered to post-16s to train them up for the future.
I have also been out celebrating successes and listening to the concerns of local businesses, including Cleenol, Revival MK 2, Cross Embroidery, Wyatt’s Garden Centre, and many more. These visits give me an opportunity to speak with staff and managers about any possible issues, and if any casework is raised, my team and I can then intervene to help where I can.
Speaking to individual residents about their issues has also been a priority. I have held drop-ins for people in the constituency to speak to me and have held meetings with constituents to understand how they need my assistance.
I have been lucky enough to also attend some new local developments, such as the opening of the new PlayZone in Princess Diana park and the Grand Opening of Rosalie nursing home. These new facilities will be great for local people, catering for different groups of people with different priorities.
In Parliament, I have spent time sitting on the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill Committee, which aims to put power back in our regions and communities. I have also been elected to the Housing, Communities and Local Government Select Committee. Housing is the most common issue that constituents bring to me in casework, so I look forward to using this new role to represent their issues more effectively.
Concerns regarding FirstPort is also something I have been working on, having attended a meeting where witnesses from across the UK shared harrowing accounts of their experiences with FirstPort, the country’s largest property management company. The testimonies were deeply troubling and revealed a consistent pattern of neglect and mistreatment of leaseholders. Despite recent scrutiny, it’s clear that FirstPort has made little meaningful progress. FirstPort must take real responsibility and deliver the accountability and reform that residents deserve. I was pleased that the Minister of State for Housing, Matthew Pennycook, has acknowledged this and confirmed that action is being taken.
I have been attending lots of meetings on the issues that matter to constituents, such as on warm homes and delivering for rural consumers, a drop in on ‘care week’, and a meeting on enforcing the hunting ban. I have also visited the Army as part of the Armed Forces Parliamentary Scheme I am on, which is teaching me lots about those working on the frontline. I also met with the Water Minister, Emma Hardy, about Thames Water. I was pleased to hear that the number of fines are being increased, and that any increase in bills must be spent on infrastructure, with refunds given if Thames Water don’t deliver. I will continue fighting so local people get the service they deserve,
In terms of local wins, I have been delighted to hear that the Secretary of State for Housing and Local Government has said he will not call in the OUFC Stadium application and it’s back to Cherwell District Council for final sign offs. I hope the new stadium can go ahead as speedily as possible, something which I have been campaigning for on behalf of local fans. I have also welcomed the start of work being done to the Maternity unit at the Horton, following a £3.3m investment into our local hospital.
As always, any issues, please email me at sean.woodcock.mp