September 2023
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As far as my dog Alfie is concerned, me being stuck at home with a broken ankle is terrific news. 

 

He doesn’t know why I'm suddenly here all the time, but he’s determined to make the most of it - and by following me around the house constantly he is doing a great job of cheering me up.  

 

As many of you will know earlier this month I was involved in a nasty road accident on the A252 which left me needing surgery on my ankle. 

 

Thankfully the emergency services were on hand quickly and were so professional and kind to me and my daughters. I am hugely grateful to them and to everyone who came to help in the minutes after the accident. It made such a difference at a horrible time, and I have been so moved by the countless kind messages that people have sent since. 

 

I hope to be back on my feet soon, but in the meantime I am getting on with work from home as normal – although I have been sad to miss the start of a new sitting in Parliament.

 

Constituency and ministerial work doesn’t stop over the summer though and both have been keeping me busy. 

 

In the Health Department we’re working hard to get our health and care system [prepared for the coming winter]([link removed]), and I have been looking at ways we can help keep people out of hospital when they'd be better off recovering at home.  

 

That includes schemes like the Disables Facilities Grant which you can find out more about in the video below. 

 

We’ve also just brought forward the [autumn vaccine campaign]([link removed]), and it’s so important that people get their jabs when they’re invited. Please do keep an eye out if you think you might be eligible. 


Over the summer my team and I have also been busy locally, including analysing more than 2,000 responses to my housing survey and writing to the Housing Secretary with the results. 

 

In the letter I set out our local red lines: that development should come with proper improvements to local services, and shouldn’t come at the expense of our beautiful countryside. If you haven’t read the letter yet you can find it [here]([link removed]). 

 

I spent the early part of the summer calling for [Operation Brock]([link removed]) to be stood down which it then was in July, and I’m hoping that my recent letter to the Transport Secretary about [ticket office closures]([link removed]) is also successful. 

 

The Farming Minister Mark Spencer came to [visit us in Graveney]([link removed]) and talked to local growers about some of the challenges they’re facing, and the Sentencing Minister Ed Argar [came to Lenham]([link removed]) as part of our crackdown on rural crime. 

 

That crackdown has been a team effort with local councillors, farmers, and the police, and it’s such a good example of what we can achieve when we come together locally to work on a problem.

 

That’s why this autumn I’m launching [five local priorities]([link removed]) which I want to bring people together to work on. They include helping local businesses to grow, and boosting the number of GP and dentist appointments – things I know will make life better locally.

 

Of course, I’m not going to hit pause on my other campaigns – like getting a new swing bridge for Faversham or keeping up the fight for a Leeds/Langley relief road. But I want to see just how much progress we can make on these issues if we put our collective might together.

 

Keep an eye out for more information in the coming weeks, and please do have a think if you can get involved in any way. Once I’m back on my feet I want us to hit the ground running!


**Minister in Lenham for rural crime crackdown**
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I'm working with Councillors and local police to tackle rural crime in Kent - backed by the Sentencing Minister.

[Read about the progress being]([link removed]) made


**My letter to the Housing Secretary**
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I surveyed over 2,000 local residents about housing policy and wrote to the Housing Secretary with the results

[Read my letter here]([link removed])


**SEND improvements for children and parents**
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I've been meeting leaders at KCC to talk about much-needed SEND education improvements in Kent.

[Find out more]([link removed])


**Let's bid for local defibrillators **
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I want our towns and villages to benefit from a new £1 million fund to put defibrillators into communities.

[Find out how to bid]([link removed])


**A new banking hub for Faversham**
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The banking hub I campaigned for is now open in Faversham Post Office - good news for local businesses. 

[Read more]([link removed])


**The Farming Minister talks to our local growers**
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Mark Spencer came to Graveney over the summer to talk about the challenges local farmers are facing

[Read about the meeting]([link removed])


**Good news in the fight against fly-parking**
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Kent has won a big share of funding which will help stop dangerous lorry fly-parking.

[Find out more]([link removed])


**Flooding action for Faversham Rec**
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KCC have now completed improvements which local councillors and I campaigned for over the winter.

[Read about them here]([link removed])


**Making sure passengers aren't left behind**
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Modernising our railway is essential, but it has to work for older and disabled passengers too.

[Read my letter to the Transport Sec.]([link removed])


**Launching my 5 local priorities **
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I want us to come together to work on 5 things that will help make people's lives better locally.

[Find out what they are]([link removed])


If there's anything else I can help you with please email me at [email protected]

Please pass this email onto anyone you think might be interested and encourage them to sign up to these newsletters on my website, [here]([link removed]).


*Copyright © 2023 Member of Parliament for Faversham and Mid-Kent, All rights reserved.*
 

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