HELLO & welcome to my weekly update no.335
 

This is my final newsletter before Christmas, and sadly the year closes with devastating shootings at Bondi Beach yesterday. But the best of humanity is always around too, as I say on my visit to the dementia group and Christmas lunch at Rowleys in Cranleigh on Friday. It capped off a week when I was honoured to receive my knighthood from the King at Windsor Castle. As it’s my last newsletter of the year, I want to thank my team. With their help I have responded to nearly 20,000 emails (about 80 a day) alongside thousands of comments on my social media posts. We’ll be back in the New Year but ahead of then will respond to any emergency casework. Have a restful and happy family Christmas!
 

WESTMINSTER WHISPERS

BONDI BRAVERY There is always evil in the world but it is still a shock when it confronts you, as with yesterday’s senseless shooting at a Hanukkah event on Bondi beach. Our thoughts are with bereaved families. And there was a sliver of hope: a heroic man (as it happens a Muslim) who risked his own life to stop the gunman. If you want to hear a calm voice of compassion on the issue, listen to a beautiful thought for the day from the Chief Rabbi this morning.

HONG KONG Earlier today, Hong Kong pro-Democracy activist Jimmy Lai was found guilty of ‘collusion with foreign forces and sedition’ under the Hong Kong national security law. I have met his son who bravely campaigns for his father. Jimmy himself is one of history’s most courageous dissidents. As it happens, I have just finished Anthony Seldon’s remarkable book Path of Light in which he walks from Switzerland to Auschwitz searching for figures who stood up to fascism. One of them, Czech dissident Růžena Vacková, imprisoned for 22 years after standing up to both the Nazis and the Communists, said something memorable and relevant to Jimmy Lai today: 'Freedom is not something that is given to you. It is within you. And no one can take it away from you, even if you are in prison, even if you are condemned to silence.’

LEADERSHIP RUMBLES Whispers of a left wing plot to remove Sir Keir Starmer as PM have started circulating Westminster. We are all disappointed by the last year but should remember that any successor would be chosen not by the electorate but by the Labour party - in other words it would be someone more left wing. As this recent Telegraph article spells out, the economic damage of that would be even more eyewatering.
 

ARISE SIR JEREMY More happily, Tuesday was a very special day for the Hunt family as we attended my investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle. I told the King I had been busy writing a book on how to make Britain again. ‘Well keep trying,’ he said with a twinkle in his eye. An even better end to the week was his announcement that he will be able to reduce his cancer treatment. It was widely praised with one cancer checker website getting 100,000 visits within 24 hours. We are lucky with our King.

LOCAL LIFE

£5M SHOCK RISE IN LEISURE CENTRE COSTS Hot on the heels of delays, this week we learned the budget for Cranleigh’s new leisure centre has surged to an astonishing £36 million which means it will now take over 50 years to cover the construction cost. Originally given the green light in 2021 for a £20 million budget, it has now gone up massively. The layout of the new centre means Cranleigh Swimming Club are saying they may have to stop competitive swimming as the poolside capacity is also being massively reduced. Feels like the project needs a big rethink.
 

INFRASTRUCTURE WOES  Alfold has already doubled in size and another doubling is on the cards – but where is the infrastructure? See this video with Cllr Kevin Deanus and Cllr Jane Austin.

A281 TWO YEARS OF ROADWORKS Residents have been despairing for years about being stuck in traffic on the A281….and here’s one reason: in just two years, the stretch between Bramley and Guildford has had an astonishing 269 emergency and urgent utility failures, with SGN and Thames Water the worst offenders. Shalford’s Cllr Matt Furniss and Bramley’s Cllr Jane Austin met me on Friday to explain why they are pushing for a change in the law so roadworks are coordinated rather than random under “emergency” permits which are often not emergencies at all. At least Surrey can now charge up to £2,000 per day for works on the most congested roads. As if to make the point Thames Water yesterday closed the Shamley Green B2128 - with no notice! 

ROWLEYS CHRISTMAS LUNCH Brilliant to pop in to Rowley’s Community Centre just ahead of their delicious looking Christmas lunch on Friday. Rowley's is a wonderful place; year round the team of volunteers work extraordinarily hard to make the place special for those who use it. I am so proud to be a patron. 

AN M&S CHRISTMAS…NEXT YEAR? Many of you have been eagerly watching as M&S contractors have been busy working away on Godalming’s former Homebase site. Waverley’s planning team have advised they expect to finalise negotiations on the change of use to a food store in early 2026….so watch this space. And let’s see how Waitrose reacts to the competition…
 

BINSCOMBE MEDICAL CENTRE Huge congratulations to the Binscombe team with the news on Friday the CQC has rated the care as Outstanding. Here’s a link to the inspection report which says “we found a practice that puts people at the heart of everything it does, and staff who went above and beyond to ensure everyone could access the care they needed in a way that worked for them.” 
 

AGE UK Did you know over Christmas and the festive period, almost a million older people will face a crisis of loneliness? Age UK do amazing work; here is their guide on how to support to the elderly this winter. Well worth a read.
 

CANCER CAMPAIGN BOOST I was delighted to attend a cheque presentation at The West Surrey Golf Club on Friday evening. The Club has been fundraising for the Cancer & Surgical Innovation Centre campaign throughout the year as its chosen charity. Members have raised an incredible £109,500 – quite unbelievable. Massive thanks to Club captains Gary Chalcroft and Jenny Blake Thomas who led the charge – a huge boost to the campaign!
 

YOUNG MINDS. REAL WORK. REAL INSIGHT Godalming College is introducing a practical business bootcamp that connects students with local SMEs. Over five days, students research a live business challenge and present data-driven recommendations. It boosts skills, supports local enterprise and builds stronger links between education and the Surrey Hills economy. Local businesses can register interest for the 2026 pilot week. Please contact [email protected] or follow her at @insighteducat for further details. 
 

SURGERY CALLS My first call was to a Farley Green resident about university spin outs. It’s of big interest to me as I have always thought our opportunity is to be the world’s next Silicon Valley. He has direct experience both in the UK and internationally and says we still have a lot of work to do to catch up with best practice in the US and Singapore. I will take it up with Liz Kendall. I then spoke to someone who has had his right to be a British citizen revoked even though he has been here for 26 years. It’s a very complicated case which doesn’t sound remotely fair so I will take up with the Home Secretary.
 

JOIN ME Want to get more involved with my brilliant election-winning team locally? Email me at [email protected] to help support our work in our community. If you would like more regular updates of my work locally and nationally, do follow me on Facebook, X (Twitter), TikTok or Instagram (although email me rather than comment for a guaranteed reply.) 
 

AND FINALLY For all of you still pining for a Christmas Tree there are myriad options - Hans Christmas Anderson in Rowly, Oxenford Farm, Elstead and Ramster Hall Chiddingfold to name but a few. For those of you wondering how the Hunt family tree is looking, take a peek at the vid below!