As I get older it is not months that seem to fly by but seasons! Here we are in Autumn already, dare I say it, with Christmas around the corner.
My mailbag continues to be filled with both local and national issues with the latest on BREXIT of course, dominating.
With Parliament not sitting at the moment, it gives me a great opportunity to get out and about and catch up with what is going on in the constituency.
It is always good for me to get out of Westminster whenever possible, back to the real world up here in Lancashire. I do spend a great deal of time traveling back and forth to London but that is a choice I have made in order live with my family in Lancashire.
As your local MP it is very important for me to understand the issues that affect local people and businesses. While I do receive many letters, there is no substitute to visiting businesses to understand the everyday challenges they face. With this in mind please do not hesitate to contact my office to arrange a visit.
I have recently met with the Leader of the County Council and one of the issues discussed was highways. As I have mentioned before in this article, many rural roads have been improved with major works being carried out on the A588. I continue to work with local County Councillors to address safety issues with a view to improving safety.
One issue that seems to happen on a regular basis and has happened on the A588 recently, is that just days after the road was resurfaced it was dug up again by a utility company to service a nearby development.
The County has assured me that Officers do seek to co-ordinate road works and require companies to apply for a street works licence. Unfortunately, in the case of the A588 the company involved had not applied for a licence. After I highlighted this case to the County Council, Officers are to inspect the section of road and ensure that the road is resurfaced. I would like to thank residents for bringing this to my attention.
Highways England are continuing to work on Norcross roundabout and I am keeping a close eye on how this is affecting local roads in the area, again please do not hesitate to contact me if you have views on this issue.
Although, as you know Parliament is not sitting at the moment, I do encourage constituents to visit if it interests them. With this in mind, please remember tours of Parliament are possible on Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays on sitting days.
To request a tour my office would need the size of the group visiting and some possible dates. Tours can be booked five months in advance and given the limited nature of the tours can book up quickly.
With regard to gallery access, whenever the House of Commons or House of Lords are in session members of the general public can come in and watch proceedings from the Public Galleries.
On Mondays to Thursdays the queue opens one hour before the sitting times. On sitting Fridays visitors can queue from 9:00am. You can find more information here: www.parliament.uk/visiting/
Tickets for Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesdays need to be secured through my Office. Unfortunately, MPs are given a limited number of allocated tickets so it is best if we can receive requests in advance. There is no charge for Gallery Tickets or tours booked through my Office.
I continue to meet residents at my advice surgeries to discuss a wide range of issues. Please remember if you would like to attend one of my surgeries, the most effective way to contact me is by email, with a brief description of the issues you wish to raise and your contact details.
It is worth bearing in mind that I can often offer assistance without the need for a meeting. As in previous months national issues continue to fill my mailbag. Please remember I am here to represent you and your views are important to me so please keep them coming.
If I can be of any assistance to you please ring my Office at the House of Commons on 02072 195 804 or my Constituency Office on (01995) 672976, email me at [email protected] or write to me at the House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA.