GOOD MORNING and welcome to my South West Surrey update No.192. Well, my leadership bid wasn’t to be, but we’ve managed to select two great candidates to put forward to the membership. I’m backing Rishi as I think he has the experience and character needed to be Prime Minister, but for the moment it’s a bit of a relief to get my summer back!
WHAT’S GOING ON IN WESTMINSTER
LEADERSHIP Westminster has been distracted by the ups and downs of the Tory leadership contest but it really is important we focus on who our next Prime Minister will be. The quality of candidates, including some fresh faces like Tom Tugenhadt and Kemi Badenoch, has given many optimism for the future of the party even if there has been too much blue on blue for my liking. I’ve set out in more detail why Rishi Sunak has my support in this week’s Herald but in short character and experience seem to me to matter more in this case than individual policies.
GREEN SPACES UPDATE I’ve had a great response to my green spaces survey - just under 1000 replies so far so many thanks to those who’ve taken the time to reply. So far, 88% of respondents have agreed to sign my petition to Thames Water and Southern Water calling on them to urgently reduce sewage discharges and bring forward a plan to eliminate them completely. 82% have agreed to sign my letter to Environment Secretary George Eustice calling for the Surrey Hills AONB to be given National Park Status. Just 3% thought we shouldn’t worry about climate change and only 6% thought we should stop pursuing net zero. So, significant support for both the campaign aims and general action on climate change which is not a surprise but also encouraging.
HEALTH CAMPAIGNS UPDATE As one door closes another one opens…and this week I have continued my campaign to bring back the family GP by pressing the new junior Minister responsible during the most recent Select Committee session and the new Health Secretary in his first oral questions outing on Tuesday. Both seemed open to the idea: remember you are 30% less likely to go to hospital and 25% less likely to die if you see the same doctor over many years, so we need to bring back individual GP lists as we had pre-2004.
COVID UPDATE The ONS has reported a significant increase in the number of cases of the virus in England with 1 in 19 having it in the week ending 15th July compared to 1 in 25 in the previous week. The dashboard shows things may have started to turn for the better though as in the last 7 days cases have decreased 14%, hospitalisations are down 8%, but deaths are up 15%. Talking to many colleagues in the health service it still feels like an amber rather than a red light - but given the other pressures in the NHS it is a big worry nonetheless. As of 8am the Covid dashboard shows that we have had a total of 22,243,150 positive cases of COVID-19 with 198,552 confirmed deaths in the UK. There have been 42,213 confirmed cases in Waverley and sadly 338 confirmed deaths, with an estimated 414 currently active cases in Waverley.
The key number remains 0300 200 1008 for anyone with pandemic related difficulties. Also please check out my full list of local groups working to support vulnerable residents.
WHAT’S GOING ON IN SOUTH WEST SURREY
RACE FOR LIFE Despite the heat wave, I have been carefully continuing my training for Sunday’s big charity runs in Guildford’s Stoke Park. I’ll be taking part in the Cancer Research Race for Life alongside Guildford MP, Angela Richardson and Haslemere resident, Rod Pluthero. As you may know, we are raising funds for a new Cancer and Surgical Innovation centre at the Royal Surrey County Hospital (RSCH). There’s still time to sponsor us here if you are feeling generous! Fundraising continues for this campaign and huge thanks to South West Surrey Conservative’s Farnham branch who recently raised £550 at two local events. If you’d like to organise your own event to raise funds for this brilliant new centre, please do get in touch with the RSCH charity fundraising team via email [email protected]
FRENSHAM PONDS As with last year, the heat wave has brought issues for Frensham Great Pond & Common and current advice is to avoid heading to the beach there this weekend. The site (which is a Special Protection Area and sanctuary for wildlife) has seen a huge influx of visitors over the past few weekends, resulting in a number of issues including dangerous parking, BBQs, littering, dog fouling and threatening behaviour. As well as working hard to clear up litter, some of which was dumped by empty bins, the council’s countryside rangers and enforcement officers also had to remind several visitors not to light BBQs despite obvious signage pointing out the risks. Please pass on the word - we do not want a fire here as we had on Thursley Common with devastating impact before. And please park safely and considerately especially if the car parks are full.
HELP SHAPE FARNHAM’S FUTURE People who live, visit, study or travel in Farnham are all encouraged to engage in a major consultation which is proposing substantial changes to the town centre. The Farnham Infrastructure Programme, which is made up of Surrey County Council, Waverley Borough Council, Farnham Town Council and yours truly, have been looking for ways to improve the town, including making it more attractive for shoppers, reducing congestion and improving air quality. To see the detailed proposals for the town centre and to have your say, please click here. The programme has been holding exhibitions which give people the opportunity to put questions to the programme team. The next session is Thursday 21 July 3.45 - 6.45pm at Farnham Leisure Centre, Dogflud Way, GU9 7UD.
LOCAL INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDING Groups and organisations in Waverley looking to deliver strategic infrastructure benefiting the residents and businesses in the borough are once again being invited to bid for Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) funding by Waverley Borough Council. CIL is a planning charge that councils can use to ensure new developments contribute towards the cost of infrastructure and can be used to fund road networks, schools and health or leisure centres. The bidding round opened on 1st July and will close for bids on 14th October 2022 using this application pack and be accompanied by relevant supporting material.
FARNHAM TOWN FC Farnham Town Football Club has recently announced that due to the commitment and financial contributions from their community partners, they will be promoting and supporting the work of the fantastic Farnham Foodbank over the next two seasons. Thank you! If your business is interested in teaming up with Farnham Town FC and assisting this initiative by becoming a Farnham Town Community Partner, please contact [email protected]. If you would like to know more about how you can help Farnham Foodbank, click here.
AND FINALLY… As you read this you can also listen to me hosting my own radio show for the first time where I am standing in for James O’Brien on LBC between 10 and 1 - local callers most welcome!
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