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GOOD AFTERNOON & welcome to my South West Surrey update No.211
A busy week nationally and locally: I met with Ireland’s Minister for Finance ([link removed]) along with CEO’s and senior representatives from the life sciences businesses ([link removed]) of which we have a number in Farnham and where the UK is the European champion. I also delivered my long-awaited speech on how to grow the economy ([link removed]) at the Bloomberg HQ in London and hosted my first Treasury Connect ([link removed]) to discuss how the UK can become the world’s next Silicon Valley. Locally, I was selected as the Conservative Candidate for the new Godalming and Ash parliamentary seat (an impossible choice) and also visited the site of the sewage leak in Bramley ([link removed]) .

WHAT’S GOING ON IN WESTMINSTER

GROWTH GROWTH GROWTH My plan as Chancellor has always been to start by restoring stability with a strong plan to tackle inflation (as set out in the Autumn Statement ([link removed]) ) and then focus on long term growth. So Bloomberg was the venue on Friday for the plan for growth and prosperity. You can read the speech here ([link removed]) in which I tackled head on the ‘declinism’ that is taking hold at the moment: two statistics that should make anyone sit up are that last year we became only the third country in the world to have a trillion dollar tech economy and PWC rated us the third a PWC survey of global chief executives ([link removed]) rated us the third most appealing country to grow a business in after the US and China (and equal with Germany). But we have a productivity
issue so I outlined my four pillars to resolve them, all of which start with an ‘E’: Enterprise, Education, Employment & Everywhere. That means world beating enterprises to make Britain the world’s next Silicon Valley; an education system where skills are as important as degrees; more participation from the 6.6 million adults of working age who are not in jobs and wealth spread everywhere - the levelling up agenda. You can see interviews in the Telegraph, ([link removed]) the Times, ([link removed]) as well as the reaction to my suggestion we need more older people in work. ([link removed])

TOP PRIORITY - As a former Health Secretary, the NHS is never far from my mind. It is also one of the Government’s top five priorities ([link removed]) and on Monday the Prime Minister announced a new blueprint ([link removed]) to help recover urgent and emergency care services, reduce waiting times, and improve the patient experience. Frontline capacity will be boosted further thanks to eight hundred new ambulances, including one hundred specialist mental health vehicles, and five thousand more sustainable hospital beds backed by a dedicated £1 billion fund. Improving ambulances and A & E are central and if we deliver them will be one of the biggest improvements in waiting times in NHS history.

SAFER, BETTER BUILDINGS It is a basic requirement of any advanced economy that people should feel safe in their own homes, but because of cladding issues for too many people and for far too long that has not been the case. So on Monday my Surrey neighbour Michael Gove made a statement to The House ([link removed]) about the Government’s progress in building safety in which he gave developers a six week deadline to resolve the issue or be banned from getting planning permissions going forward.

COVID UPDATE Better news as the total number of Covid cases in England has decreased yet again, with the ONS now reporting that 1 in 60 have the virus ([link removed]) compared to 1 in 40 the previous week. The government’s Coronavirus dashboard ([link removed]) corroborates this, showing that cases are down 22.7%, hospitalisations down 4.5% and most importantly, deaths down by 38.3%. Only 64.6% of all eligible people in England have now received their autumn booster, so click here ([link removed]) to book yours.

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

AN IMPOSSIBLE CHOICE I recently had to make one of the hardest decisions I’ve had to take in my political career and choose between two halves of my South West Surrey constituency because of boundary changes. Mainly because I live in the Godalming side and grew up in Shere (which is part of the new Godalming & Ash seat) I have decided to stick with that area and on Friday evening was duly adopted as the Conservative candidate. Nevertheless I remain the MP for the whole of SW Surrey until the election and will continue to work hard on issues that matter to people in Farnham and Haslemere, whether it is the Farnham Infrastructure Plan, pollution in the Wey, a Surrey Hills National Park, Haslemere flooding or the Royal Surrey Cancer Centre.

BRAMLEY SEWAGE LEAKS On Saturday I went to check out a very worrying sewage issue ([link removed]) in Bramley with local campaigner Jane Austin & Cllr Mike Goodridge. One of the two pumps that serve Gosden Common broke, and so there has been a large sewage leak. Thames Water trucks have been on site to clear it up and are replacing the pump, but I have been in touch with Sarah Bentley (CEO at Thames Water) to check it is not a like for like replacement, which would mean the same problem could arise again.

GREEN SPACES - Following on from my public meeting in November ([link removed]) with Thames Water, Southern Water and the Environment Agency, I can now show you Thames Water’s major investment plans ([link removed]) for the River Wey catchment area. The planned improvements total more than £38 million this year alone, and by the end of 2026, more than £423 million will have been invested locally. I am pleased that Sarah Bentley has taken steps to fulfil her promise made at that public meeting - to boost investment in South West Surrey, with a focus on increasing storage capacity to help contain sewage storm overflows in wet weather, upgrading the treatment works to increase the treatment capacity and to reduce the levels of phosphorus in our waterways.

CANCER CAMPAIGN After running my first marathon in London last October ([link removed]) , I have agreed to take part this year and run again to raise funds for the new Cancer and Surgical Innovation Centre at the Royal Surrey. A succour for punishment - and I have already done a 16 mile run as part of the training! The experience was something quite remarkable – totally exhilarating and made even more special by running it with my brother, Charlie. The marathon takes place this year on Sunday 23rd April – I won’t start badgering you just yet for donations – but if and when you can help me try and beat my £32,000 I would be so grateful (I promise to try and beat my time in return for your support!) For more information on the campaign. Please click here ([link removed]) .

FARNHAM REPAIR CAFE The next Farnham Repair Cafe ([link removed]) session will be on Saturday 11th February (10am - 12:30pm) at The Spire Church in Farnham (GU9 7QU). The FRC have recently hit a milestone of £150,000 savings to Farnham residents through extending the life of their products through repair. There is no charge for entry or for the volunteer’s time to assess, advise and attempt repair of your faulty goods. However, any donation towards the running of the cafe is always gratefully received.

THE HALOW PROJECT Huge congratulations to the brilliant Halow Project ([link removed]) (based in Guildford and serving surrounding areas) who have recently been awarded £8,970 by the National Lottery Community Fund ([link removed]) . The funding will be used to run gardening and cookery sessions for young people living with learning disabilities, and this project aims to improve both their mental and physical health, develop life skills and build relationships in the community. In South West Surrey, between August - November 2022, The National Lottery Community Fund awarded £28,970 to community projects!

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

AND FINALLY…did you know 34% of families in the UK have a pet dog? Poppy is not that special then…but she does get more than her share of photos in the press and has got more used to photographers since this early photo ([link removed]) .

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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.

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South West Surrey Conservative Association . 2 Royal Parade, Tilford Road . Hindhead . Surrey, GU26 6TD . United Kingdom