Sean Woodcock MP October Update
October has given me time to work on issues both in Parliament and in the constituency, with the Conference Recess allowing me more time for constituency visits.
In the constituency…
I’ve been holding casework surgeries, constituency coffee mornings and meetings with individual constituents in my office to help work on any concerns.
I’ve been paying visits to various groups and businesses, such as Ladbrokes, the Sunshine Centre, the Banbury Baby College, the Charlbury Probus and the Chipping Norton Theatre, among others. I also went along to the Henry Cornish Centre in Chipping Norton, to discuss potential options for its future, following an Oxfordshire County Council proposal to close the centre which has understandably concerned the community. I want to reassure people that I am doing all I can to ensure the centre is able to continue serving the area.
Additionally, I campaigned for Cherwell District Council to change their misleading parking signs, which led to many constituents being fined despite trying to do the right thing. After writing to them, and speaking on local radio stations about the issue, they have amended the signage. I was also calling on them to remove overnight parking charges, which I felt would damage the nighttime economy. I was therefore delighted that these were abolished – another win for local people.
In Westminster…
I have also been meeting organisations that constituents have highlighted to me, such as ParalympicsGB and the Royal Osteoporosis Society, to understand the aims of their campaigns. I am always pleased to meet interest groups and charities that are important to my constituents, and I will look to advocate for their interests where possible.
On public water ownership, I have written to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), highlighting that public ownership is the public’s priority for our broken water system and asking that the Government commit to investigating the feasibility of complete public ownership.
On the social media ban for under-16s, I have signed a joint letter, setting out practical steps the Government could take to implement an effective ban, while encouraging platforms to adopt safety-by-design principles that ensure children’s safety is built into platforms from the outset. I also raised this point directly in a Westminster Hall debate, emphasising that children’s safety should be the priority.
The Budget
Another big event in Westminster was the Budget. Along with various measures to ease the cost-of-living pressure for working families, such as a £100 Council Tax rebate for 35,530 households across the constituency, it also brought confirmation of a new Mayoral Strategic Authority for the Thames Valley. This is something I have repeatedly called for over recent months, as it will help us to tackle infrastructure-based problems such as transport, and further accelerate growth that is already happening in the area.
Following this, I raised a question on Local Government Reorganisation timescales in the Chamber to ensure Banbury and North Oxfordshire can see the benefits of this as quickly as possible.
Thank you to all the constituents who have been in touch or spoken with me this month, and for advocating your interests. As always, the views of local people and the area will inform my work.
As always, I am contactable at sean.woodcock.mp
Sean
Member of Parliament for Banbury