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Dominic's Constituency Newsletter
John xxxxxx,
On Monday, I announced that I will be standing down as the Member of Parliament for Esher and Walton constituency at the next general election.

It has been a huge honour to represent this wonderful constituency since 2010. Living here with my family, I feel the impact of local issues - from planning and schools, to policing and healthcare - on our community.

Over the past 13 years, I have worked tirelessly alongside our excellent local councillors, community groups and residents of all political persuasions to secure the best outcomes for our area.

I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to everyone who has joined us along the way.

In the meantime, my door remains open to all of my constituents. I will continue to campaign on the issues that matter, including the extension of Zone 6 to more stations across the constituency, securing safer roads around local schools, and putting an end to illegal mooring along our riverbank.

Read on for an update on these campaigns and more.

As ever, if you are a constituent in need of my assistance, please do not hesitate to get in touch at the details below.

With best wishes,

Dominic

07 June 2010: Making my maiden speech in the House of Commons.

In this week's newsletter:

Meeting with the Environment Agency (EA) to stop illegal mooring across Elmbridge.

New government funding for Esher High School.

An update on improving school safety in Molesey.

£2 bus fare offer extended until October 2023.

Tackling antisocial behaviour in the St John's Estate, Walton-on-Thames.

Working with British Transport Police and Surrey Police to prevent bike thefts at local stations.

NEW: Westminster Watch - a roundup of my recent contributions in the House of Commons.
Meeting the Environment Agency to tackle illegal moorings
This afternoon, I met with Environment Agency (EA) Area Director, Julia Simpson, and Waterways Manager, Maria Herlihy, along the riverbank in Molesey to discuss the ongoing problem with illegal moorings.

Illegally-moored boats have been a blight on both council-owned and EA-owned land in Elmbridge.

In January, following my campaign for a Public Space Protection Order to be implemented against the boats, Elmbridge Borough Council (EBC) confirmed they will consult the Elmbridge community on this measure.

However, on stretches of the riverbank owned by the EA, it is the responsibility of the EA - not EBC - to enforce against the moorings.

I am joining Elmbridge Borough Council and local river users' groups in calling for joined up approach to enforcement along the entire riverbank and the permanent removal of illegal moorings from Elmbridge.
Esher High School to receive new government investment
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Esher High School is set to receive a share of £456 million in extra funding to improve school buildings, which is supporting over 1,000 projects across England to deliver safe, well-maintained facilities.

This new investment will upgrade and improve school and college facilities, providing pupils with safer and warmer classrooms, and more energy efficient school buildings.

This government announced £1.8 billion of capital funding for the financial year 2023 – 2024 to improve the condition of school buildings – including £1.1 billion for local authorities, large multi-academy trusts and voluntary aided bodies.

As part of Our Plan for Esher and Walton constituency, I am supporting the creation of enough 'Good' and 'Outstanding' school places for every local family. I helped deliver the permanent site for Cobham Free School in 2021, and will work to deliver Heathside Walton School on its permanent site in 2023.
St Lawrence Junior School crossing
Today, I also met with governors and the headteacher of St Lawrence CofE Junior School, Damian Tucker, regarding the construction of crossings and road safety measures on the roads surrounding the school.

There is particular concern around the impact of such a scheme to the local community, and residents have asked me why they have not been consulted on this matter.

I have been assured by Surrey County Council that no scheme will be implemented without the full and proper consultation of Molesey residents.

We discussed a way forward that balances the need to improve road safety for local families with the needs of the wider Molesey community. I look forward to seeing Surrey County Council start work on a scheme to improve safety for children travelling to and from the school.

Thank you to Damian and the team for meeting with me.
£2 bus fare offer extended until October 2023
Last week, the government announced that the £2 bus fare offer will be extended to 31 October 2023, with single fares capped at £2.50 until November 2024.

This represents great value for Esher and Walton constituents, with savings of up to 50% on some routes in the constituency - encouraging more local commuters to make use of local public transport.

A new £300 million government investment will help protect and improve bus services and keep travel affordable. This funding builds on over 3 years’ worth of government support totalling over £2 billion to help the sector recover from the pandemic.
Tackling antisocial behaviour in St John's Estate
It was great to join Surrey Police and Crime Commissioner, Lisa Townsend, in St John's Estate, Walton-on-Thames. Over recent months, residents have shared concerns about antisocial behaviour in the local area.

In March 2023, it was announced that the Elmbridge Community and Safety Partnership was awarded £5,000 by the Police and Crime Commissioner to tackle antisocial behaviour on the estate.

Antisocial behaviour has a detrimental impact on quality of life and can cause distress to law-abiding, hardworking families.

Lisa and I are determined to tackle pockets of antisocial behaviour in Elmbridge. I look forward to working with Surrey Police and Elmbridge Borough Council to improve quality of life for affected residents.
Bike thefts at local railway stations
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Following a string of recent bike thefts, I raised the concerns of local commuters with PC Michael Thompson from the Elmbridge neighbourhood policing team, senior officers from British Transport Police and Mark Lever from South Western Railway.

It was reassuring to hear CCTV is being increased at local stations, including at Walton Station, where back in January we successfully secured additional CCTV in the bike storage area to cover a blind spot.

The British Transport Police are also promoting preventative measures, including more secure locks and bike registration to deter thefts. You can find out more at the button below:
** British Transport Police: Keep your bike safe ([link removed])

I understand there can be some confusion as to who you should contact if your bike is stolen.

If your bike is stolen from a local railway station, you should contact the British Transport Police. You can contact them here:
** [link removed] ([link removed])
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If your bike is stolen elsewhere, you should contact Surrey Police. You can contact them at the link below.

** [link removed] ([link removed])
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Westminster Watch
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17 May: I asked the Minister for Tech and the Digital Economy for his assurances that the UK Competition and Markets Authority will be given the necessary tools to deal with the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on competition in the UK. ** Watch that here. ([link removed])

11 May: I asked the Secretary of State for Business and Trade to continue to publish a department-by-department breakdown of EU laws currently on our statute book that can be reformed or revoked. ** Video here. ([link removed])

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