Visiting people who are making a difference
in their community is one of the delights of
my job. Last weekend I went to Middleton St
George Community Centre to see their latest
efforts which were the addition of a new car
park. Then the week (commencing Monday
30th October) started with a catch up with the
Integrated Care Board for North East and North
Cumbria (ICB) and Tees, Esk and Wear Valley
(TEWV) Mental Health Trust. The meeting was
about many things, but, in particular, I raised
the issues constituents are having with getting
support through Children and Adolescent
Mental Health Service (CAMHs) and Education
Health and Care Plans (EHCPs). I am currently
meeting as many affected parties as possible
and welcome approaches from anyone else
who is affected.
I also had several briefings over the week
on what is happening in Gaza. This is a truly
horrific situation and the sooner a solution
can be found the better. I have been able to
listen to many people closely impacted and
getting to the truth behind the media stories is
a challenge. As I said last week, Parliament
is prorogued. Prorogation is the formal name
given to the period between the end of a
session of Parliament and the State Opening
of Parliament that begins the next session but
that does not mean it stops working. Whilst the
actual Chamber is not in operation and laws
are not being updated the Ministers and Civil
Servants continue to work in Westminster and
the rest of us are active in our Constituencies.
Therefore, despite the prorogation, I still
had my weekly catch up with the Treasury
Ministerial team. This was a Teams meeting but
still meant I could feed in important issues for
us.
As I said earlier, I am having many meetings
around Mental Health support and these
continued with Constituents this week and I
will be talking to schools and providers as well
as support agencies. I also called into Moore
Lane Eco Centre, the new home for Greenfield
Arts, an organisation who are passionate
about creative learning and inspiring all ages.
I look forward to them developing in their new
home. I also took the opportunity to call into
Hub of Wishes, they are a fantastic bunch of
professional staff and skilled volunteers. It was
an absolute pleasure to chat to a number of
them and their guests. On Wednesday I was
also able to call in at the Newton Aycliffe PACT
(Police and Communities Together) Meeting
at The Big Club, this is not normally possible
due to me being in Westminster. Biggest issues
raised were anti-social behaviour and off-road
bikes. Concerns were also discussed about
the courts not being as robust as people would
like. I also was able to join the meeting for
the Aycliffe Hub Steering Group. I have been
supportive of the creation of a Community Hub
in the Town Centre for a number of years, I am
delighted they are now making real progress
and I will do all I can to support them. I also
went up to Wheatley Hill for a meeting with
Constituents.
On Wednesday I spent the morning with
veterans selling poppies etc for the Royal
British Legion appeal. The Constituency
Garden of Remembrance, in partnership
with the Royal British Legion, opens on New
Palace Yard in Westminster on Monday 6th
November. This is where each MP can place
a cross. We typically look to personalise the
cross to associate to the Constituency and in
previous years I have referenced the Durham
Light Infantry and the Aycliffe Angels. This year
I reached to Bill Cooksey, after his incredible
efforts, and Bill has referenced the Middle East
Command where he served and I will be proud
to place this in the Garden of Remembrance in
the Palace of Westminster.
I should have had a meeting with the Police
and Crime Commissioner (PCC) for County
Durham and Darlington on Friday 3rd
November, to be briefed on several issues with
other MPs and I was going to raise the ongoing
frustrations with the Newton Aycliffe Police
Station as well as the issues from the PACT
meeting but unfortunately this was cancelled
at short notice. I have a one-to-one meeting
scheduled later in the month so, if that takes
place, I can raise the issues then. The week
finished with a trip to Sedgefield Farmers
Market which takes place on the first Sunday
morning of each month and is well worth a visit.
Week commencing Monday 6th November
will start with more Constituency meetings
before The King’s Speech on Tuesday and I
will be at Faslane as part of the Armed Forces
Parliamentary Scheme at the end of the
week before a full weekend of Remembrance
Parades and wreath laying.
If you want to catch up - please give me a call
on Aycliffe 01325 790580 or email me at paul.
[email protected]
