**
------------------------------------------------------------
GOOD AFTERNOON & welcome to my South West Surrey update No. 204 This has been a quieter week following the previous week’s autumn statement. Locally I had a busy constituency day starting with an excellent roundtable in Godalming, organised by the Federation of Small Businesses to help me gauge reaction to my statement. I also hosted a very productive public meeting on sewage discharges into the River Wey. National duties took me to see the extraordinary new HS2 interchange site in Birmingham and to Solihull Hospital where I discussed current pressures on the NHS.

WHAT’S GOING ON IN WESTMINSTER

GROWTH AHOY - At the Autumn Statement on 17^th November I promised to protect capital spending on our major infrastructure projects which are vital for growth. So last week I went to see one of the most significant of them all – HS2. It was great to meet apprentices working on this transformative programme and to talk to local leaders like Andy Street about the impact the project is already having in terms of job creation and will have in the future. As I explained in this short video, ([link removed]) despite the challenging economic circumstances we face, the government is not going to compromise on the big projects that make a difference to our economy ([link removed]) - and help spread wealth throughout the country.

BACK TO MY OLD STOMPING GROUND A second major plank of the autumn statement was the additional support I announced for the NHS which has been under enormous pressure. Totalling nearly £8bn this funding will help clear the covid backlog and ensure there is a properly funded social care sector to discharge hospital patients into. So whilst in the Midlands I also visited Solihull Hospital ([link removed]) . It was good to visit the frontline again and hear how important the new workforce plan is going to be to deal with shortages across most major specialties.

COVID UPDATE As of Friday 25th November, the total number of Covid cases in England in the community has continued to decrease, with the ONS now reporting that 1 in 65 have the virus ([link removed]) , compared to 1 in 60 the previous week. The government’s Coronavirus dashboard ([link removed]) data confirms this decrease with cases down 6.7% in the last 7 days, hospitalisations down 2.5% and deaths down 32.7%. We’ve come a long way since last winter, but this is largely down to vaccines and their uptake. So, if you haven’t already, and are eligible, please do schedule your Covid bivalent booster jab here ([link removed]) .

The key number remains 0300 200 1008 for anyone with pandemic related difficulties. Also please check out my full list of local groups ([link removed]) working to support vulnerable residents.

WHAT’S GOING ON IN SOUTH WEST SURREY

STOP THE SEWAGE For a year now I have been running a Green Spaces campaign to reduce and stop sewage overflow discharges into the River Wey and a tributary of the River Arun that flows through Chiddingfold. Yesterday, we had a major victory ([link removed]) in stopping the sewage - I can now confirm that money from water company fines will be ring-fenced for work to fix pollution and improve water quality. I’m delighted that one of the first decisions I was able to make as Chancellor has made a real difference to the environment in South West Surrey and across the country.

This policy change will make a real difference in South West Surrey, as last week I wrote in the Heralds ([link removed]) that in 2021 alone, we had the equivalent of 65 continuous days of sewage being pumped into our local rivers. 2000 local residents have signed my petition to cut these sewage discharges which happen when rain causes wastewater systems to overflow. This year the government also passed a law requiring water companies to invest £56 bn to stop this problem by 2050.

On Friday, we had a public meeting in Bramley at which the guests were Sarah Bentley, CEO of Thames Water, Kay Taylor, Chief Customer Officer of Southern Water and Alan Lovell, Chair of the Environment Agency. There were lots of issues covered including whether planning regulations should be changed to require developers to connect rainwater pipes to the surface water system as opposed to the wastewater system; whether it is safe to swim and why it takes so long to clear up problems when people contact the water companies. Both the water company representatives were very honest about their failure to tackle this issue to date and both are under new management which has not been taking out dividends.

I wanted to know whether we are going to see progress from them soon. Because the Wey is a sensitive catchment area environmentally, it will see investments that mean an 80% reduction in discharges by 2030. Weather variability means we cannot guarantee discharges will go down year on year but I was promised imminent investment (e.g. next year) by both water companies and will post what that is going to be when they let me know.

HOPPING INTO CHRISTMAS Waverley Hoppa Community Transport has now been serving our local community for 20 years! Hoppa buses can be used by anyone who lives in Waverley, and who does not have access to transport - you do not need to be a certain age or have a disability to use Hoppa. As you may be aware, drivers collect passengers from their home and take them to their chosen destination which could be the local supermarket, town centre shops, the doctors or the hospital. If you’d like to learn more about the service, click here ([link removed]) to watch Hoppa’s short video. If you like what you see and want to register as a new user, click here ([link removed]) . In the name of Christmas cheer, you can travel free on the ‘Hoppa Shoppa’ service between 1st-23rd December.

SURGERY STORIES My first surgery call on Friday was to a Milford mum about the cost of getting a bus to Chandler School in Witley. It is £600 a year which means many more people drive and use the very congested cul-de-sac that leads to the school, so I will take it up with Surrey County Council as the price is based on 5 children travelling when in practice many more use it. Following that I spoke to a chartered financial planner from Busbridge with a clever idea to encourage people to save in a tax-free account to pay for their tuition fees along the lines of the ISA model, something I will take back to the Treasury. I then spoke to a Godalming resident who has been hosting a Ukrainian mum and two children and is worried they will not be able to find accommodation when the sponsorship period ends without the local council acting as a guarantor as the mum does not yet have a job. It sounds like a very sensible suggestion which I will take up with Michael Gove. Finally I spoke to a Hindhead
resident concerned about an application to turn a field in an AONB into a football pitch. Thank you to everyone - these conversations are incredibly useful to me as I contribute to the government's policy solutions in a range of areas.

HASLEMERE XMAS MARKET This Sunday between 10am - 4pm, the wonderful Haslemere Christmas Market is back for its 21st event. As usual, there will be a fantastic range of gifts and local produce on offer, and with over 100 stalls booked, you will be spoilt for choice on Christmas presents. One of the stalls, Friends of CASIC, will be raising funds outside the White Horse Pub for the amazing new Cancer & Surgical Innovation Centre ([link removed]) at The Royal Surrey, so please do pay them a visit too. Finally, please be aware that the town centre will be closed to traffic from 6am-9pm and diversions will be in place. If you live in the affected area and have any concerns, you can contact the organisers via email: [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) or by mobile (in an emergency on the day): 07771922873. A free Hoppa service will run from Lion Green, St Christopher’s Green, Weydon Road car park and Haslemere Station throughout the day.

AND FINALLY…Were you one of the people who sneakily watched clips of my former colleague Matt Hancock on ITV’s I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here? I have to confess I did watch him eat an unmentionable part of a sheep’s anatomy. In the end he managed to come third ([link removed]) and achieve a certain infamy, perhaps what he planned all along…

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 ([link removed]) to receive them and can unsubscribe at any time by clicking on the box below or emailing me.

This email and any attachments to it (the 'Email') are intended for a specific recipient(s) and its contents may be confidential, privileged and/or otherwise protected by law. If you are not the intended recipient or have received this Email in error, please notify the sender immediately by telephone or email, and delete it from your records. You must not disclose, distribute, copy or otherwise use this Email. Please note that email is not a secure form of communication and that the Conservative Party ('the Party') is not responsible for loss arising from viruses contained in this Email nor any loss arising from its receipt or use. Any opinion expressed in this Email is not necessarily that of the Party and may be personal to the sender.

Promoted by Sean Donovan-Smith on behalf of Jeremy Hunt MP and South West Surrey Conservatives, all at 2 Royal Parade, Tilford Road, Hindhead, Surrey GU26 6TD.

============================================================

This email was sent to [email protected] (mailto:[email protected])
why did I get this? ([link removed]) unsubscribe from this list ([link removed]) update subscription preferences ([link removed])
South West Surrey Conservative Association . 2 Royal Parade, Tilford Road . Hindhead . Surrey, GU26 6TD . United Kingdom