2025: Week 14 - Easter Recess
This Easter has been a mixed bag of sunshine and torrential rain, more than just April showers. I hope that if you had any time off over the Easter break that the weather didn’t spoil it for you.
I’ve been mostly out and about in the constituency talking to local residents about the forthcoming County Council elections on May 1st. I was joined on the campaign trail by the MP Christine Jardine, who wanted to see more of the issues of the Dawlish rail resilience programme after the 2014 storm – and also see the Black swans and try out the ice cream from the Local Scoop in Dawlish.
As we get closer to the next spending review I will be pushing for funding for the fifth and final phase between Dawlish and Teignmouth.
I was delighted to attend the official unveiling of the newest mural in Newton Abbot. The Community Tree is the work of landscape graffiti artist Joe Webster, and has been funded by the Town Council, Rotary and levelling up funding via Teignbridge.
It was great to see the final amazing image on the wall, having both contributed words to the project and had a part in seeing that the funding went to arts and culture projects in Teignbridge.
Last week saw the annual beer festival outside Tuckers maltings, MaltingsFest. With my office next door, I was pleased to be able to help in the judging and awarding prizes to the winning brewers.
One thing that MPs can do is raise Early Day Motions. These are used for a variety of purposes, and often to draw attention to local issues and events. I raised such a motion concerning the local brewing industry and the MaltingsFest, calling for recognition of the need to support those businesses across the constituency struggling with the hike in the cost-of-business including the increases in utilities, business rates, and National Insurance contributions.
During this recess my team and I took the opportunity to see quite how many motions and questions we had raised. I have submitted 589 written parliamentary questions on a range of issues – which all demand an answer from the government department.
One such line of questions on the brightness of LED headlights has now obtained a promise of a review of brightness, and I will be following that up - seeking a parliamentary debate and holding the government to action on this dazzling concern.
Back to Westminster next week, and after easter recess I am looking forward to the debate on some of our property management companies, including FirstPort. I have received a number of complaints and issues from residents, and so have several of my MP colleagues. Collectively we will push for action.
The increasing level of fees people are paying for often poor services is a huge local and nationwide issue. It is time that this market and the management of both freehold and leasehold property is reformed so that it is fairer and transparent for residents.
Let’s see what we can do to get some help…