GOOD AFTERNOON & welcome to my weekly update - no.252

Lots of Westminster focus this week has been health-related (vapes and pharmacies) - a topic I really care about as a Health Secretary veteran. Locally, I had a really constructive meeting with OFWAT about the Thames Water shortages and had lots of useful conversations door-knocking in Witley and Elstead. I am going to put in a few more photos/videos in this newsletter going forward - all feedback welcome!

WHAT’S GOING ON IN WESTMINSTER 

NORTHERN IRELAND Incredibly important news this week for both Northern Ireland and the state of the Union: after two years without a fully functioning devolved government and exhaustive (and exhausting) talks between Northern Ireland politicians and the government, the Executive and Assembly will now be restored. For 2 million people in the province it is really important to have local democratic leadership and although a funding commitment from the Treasury was a key part of the deal it was one overwhelmingly necessary in the national interest.

VAPES Are you, like me, sick and tired of vapes littering our roads, pavements and railway platforms? If so, it will hopefully be welcome news that Rishi Sunak announced this week that disposable vapes will be banned in the UK. Alongside this for refillable vapes there will now be restrictions on flavours, packaging and shop display to try to reduce their appeal to teenagers. The number of children using vapes has tripled in the past three years with too many becoming addicted - but whilst they are less dangerous for your health than cigarettes (and therefore important for people trying to quit smoking) we don’t want a new nicotine addiction problem in their place. The Prime Minister also announced in October that cigarettes will be phased out so that children who turn 15 this year or younger will never legally be allowed to buy cigarettes. Hooray for the Hunt children, all of whom are under 15. For me - and I suspect most parents - kids’ health more than trumps libertarian concerns on this issue.

PHARMACIES On Wednesday pharmacists (including the brilliant Farncombe Boots pharmacy which we all successfully saved from closure) were given more powers to treat seven common health conditions so patients don’t need to see their GP. You can now can assessed for sinusitis, sore throats, earaches, infected insect bites, impetigo (a skin infection), shingles, and uncomplicated urinary tract infections (for women under 65) in a landmark change that will free up a massive ten million GP appointments and get more people the treatments they need quickly. Thank you to our son of a pharmacist PM for being keen on that one - which will also speed up GP appointments for everyone else. 

ECONOMIC GROWTH UPDATE Lots of work is going into the Budget in Treasury Towers as March 6th edges ever closer– something I spoke about on the Peston show last night which you can watch here. Two main messages from me: I do believe lower tax economies grow faster so intend to carry on cutting taxes - but will only do so responsibly. I also wrote in this week’s Herald about what we are doing to make sure our economy grows and continues to do so sustainably. My diary during the World Economic Forum at Davos was packed full of meetings with CEOs of companies from the likes of Microsoft and Open AI to Moderna and KPMG and contrary to the somewhat ridiculous press about the UK being in decline they not just want to invest here but see us as one of the most exciting and innovative economies in the world. You can see it is already happening – in the last two recorded years we got more foreign direct investment than anywhere in the world except the USA. I often write about the fact that we are Europe’s Silicon Valley, something underlined by Google’s recent $1 billion commitment for a new data centre in Hertfordshire. But these things don’t happen by accident: full expensing, childcare expansion, and the 2% cut to National Insurance (reflected in everyone’s last payslip) attracts investment and means companies can fill their vacancies so want to invest more. We need to stick to the plan!

MEETINGS WITH THOSE IMPORTANT INDUSTRIES This week I met the CEO of Macquarie and we discussed their plans to support more than £12 billion investment in 10 areas of sustainable infrastructure across the UK. We talked openly and frankly about the water industry given their previous ownership of Thames Water. I also met Larry Fink, CEO of the world’s largest asset manager. Blackrock has invested over £500 billion in our economy. Finally, it was a pleasure to meet the CEO of Warner Bros David Zaslav – their recent investment into Leavesden Studios where Harry Potter and Barbie were made will add 4,000 jobs…watch the video below. And if you haven’t taken your children/grandchildren to the Harry Potter Studio Tour I can highly recommend having taken three Hunts there over Christmas (but it is knackering!)  

WHAT’S GOING ON LOCALLY

THAMES WATER  On Monday I met OFWAT CEO David Black and Chair Ian Coucher, together with my neighbouring Guildford MP Angela Richardson to follow up on TW issues, as I speak about in this video. Both our constituencies were massively affected by the water outage last November, and we continue to experience fragile supply and resilience problems. OFWAT is the regulator for the water industry so their main job is to protect the interests of customers and make sure water companies do what they say they are going to do. We raised with OFWAT the supply and resilience issues we have been having, as well as the appalling communication and compensation problems which customers are still battling their way through. I want to see rapid delivery of the promised £90m investment in Water Treatment Works upgrades and the construction of a new East/West pipe but also fair treatment for customers - as OFWAT says, customers must not "pay twice to make good their (TW's) past failures". I have invited OFWAT to the next public meeting which is now looking like early April - I will confirm this as soon as I can. If you would like more details about the meeting, do take a look at my Facebook post here. 

BRAMLEY FUEL LEAK For Bramley residents– ASDA and EPS Environmental Consultants have agreed to join us for a public meeting when they will provide a progress update and answer any queries you might have. I will be joined by Waverley Borough Councillors Jane Austin, Michael Goodridge, and Lauren Atkins. It will be held on 13th February 6pm-7pm– do email [email protected] to reserve a place.

NEIGHBOURHOOD PLANS One of my key campaigning aims in the last few years has been to increase protections for our Neighbourhood Plans. This week I sat down with Michael Gove to discuss progress made by recent updates to the NPPF (National Planning Policy Framework). Neighbourhood Plans enable local people to have a say in what development is appropriate in their area. Because of changes to the NPPF which came into force in December 2023 development protections provided by Neighbourhood Plans are now extended from 2 years to 5 years. This is especially important where a local plan (which sits above a Neighbourhood Plan) cannot demonstrate a 5 year forward housing supply - in our area has meant significant development outside of the sites allocated in the Local and Neighbourhood plan in recent years. It’s so important we ensure houses are built - but we must make sure they are built in the right locations, with the right infrastructure in place and with the majority consent of local people. Recent changes to the NPPF and strengthening the protections of Neighbourhood Plans are a big step forward to ensure this happens.

WEST END COMES TO GODALMING The first fundraiser of the year for my Cancer campaign with the Royal Surrey takes place on Saturday 24th February in Godalming. Organised by the fabulous Anne Gray and The Rotary Club of Godalming, it looks like a brilliant evening full of uplifting songs from some of our most loved West End musicals. It will take place at the Borough Hall with tickets just £20.00 each. Don't miss it - it's set to be a wonderful event… click here to reserve your seats. 

ELSTEAD ZEBRA CROSSING As outlined in this video, there is enormous worry that the paint on the B3001 zebra crossing has worn away on a road which can see up to 100 cars an hour. I met Pat Murphy, Chair of Elstead Parish Council, to discuss this on Friday. He also pointed out that one of the beacons is not working. Lots of children use this crossing so I spoke to Tim Oliver, leader of Surrey County Council when I met him in Witley on Saturday. Surrey County Council is now looking at this crossing and we expect improvements to be made early in the new financial year.

GODALMING FLOOD DEFENCES After I wrote about the Godalming flood defences, I received lots of feedback that the river needs dredging again. I previously wrote to the landowner andtheir agent as the EA no longer has an obligation to dredge this stretch. I will take this up with the EA and landowner again as this is an issue. 
 

CRANLEIGH There are lots of discussions about plans to change the centre of Cranleigh, something I also discussed with Tim Oliver on Saturday. I sent out a survey to Cranleigh residents and would love to hear your thoughts so please do send back a response if you have received one.

BEWLEY HOMES LAND - ASH What will happen to the plot of land that Bewley Homes set aside for the construction of a new GP surgery in Ash now that the NHS has said it doesn’t want the land? Guildford Borough Council has said it is actively exploring the use of the land for community purposes. I want to see this happen - and quickly - in a way that benefits local residents so have sent out a survey to every household in Ash and Ash Vale on the future of the area to understand more about what this would look like. We have had an excellent response so far but please get your reply in if you have not done so. In another part of Ash, it was disappointing to see a coach striking Ash bridge as it tried to fit under it. 

LOCAL PHOTOGRAPHERS Thought I would share some beautiful pictures of Broadwater Lake, Thursley boardwalks (now happily reopened) and of a cold morning in Godalming (of which we have been having a few).

SOCIAL MEDIA If you would like more regular updates of my work locally and nationally, do follow me on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram. 

JOIN ME Want to get more involved locally? Email me at [email protected] to join my growing team supporting our work in our community.

PICTURE OF THE WEEK… Best way to spend a Sunday morning: on Hascombe Hill with Poppy!
 

AND FINALLY… This US scientist has caused quite the ‘stir’ this week by claiming that adding salt makes for the perfect tea. It’s a no from me! 

As always, if you know anyone (a friend or neighbour perhaps?) who might like to receive this email, please do forward it on. Anyone can sign up here to receive them and can unsubscribe at any time by clicking on the box below or emailing me