Greetings.
This is the February edition of my newsletter. It helps me to keep you posted on what I've been doing around the constituency and in Westminster, working on your behalf. It's been a pleasure to meet many of you out and about!
Around the constituency
My staff have been doing a tremendous job catching up with residents’ emails. Helping residents with their concerns is the most vital and rewarding part of my role, and I hope you will get in touch if there is anything I, and my team, can assist you with.
We are now fully moved into a permanent office at Elmfield in Witney. If there is anything I can do to help, we can best be reached by emailing charlie.maynard.mp@parliament.uk.
Please do get in touch if you would like to book a slot at my weekly online surgery. Additionally, if you represent an organisation or business that you would like me to visit please do contact me and my team will be happy to arrange this.
On 6th February, I met up with local Lib Dem supporters at the Como Lounge in Witney for a drink and a chat. I explained a bit about what I’d been up to at Westminster over the past six months and fielded some questions. It was also an opportunity for me to thank the party’s volunteers for the tireless work they do on its behalf – and for getting me elected last summer!
On the 7th February I was pleased to visit Madley Brook School in Witney, where I met with staff and Year 6 pupils. I answered lots of questions that pupils had prepared for me in advance. A good range of topics came up such as the workings of Parliament, my life before politics, what I want to achieve as Witney’s MP and local environmental issues. I also spoke to staff about class sizing, teaching assistant (TA) support, SEND (special educational needs and disabilities) and general educational funding. Thank you to everyone for hosting me.
On Thursday 13th I visited Wood Green School in Witney at the request of the headteacher Rob Shadbolt. Rob wanted to discuss the increasing requirement for offsite alternative provision, where pupils don’t fit into the mainstream offering provided by any school. Rob explained that, of around 1,300 in the school, 49 had EHCPs (education, health and care plans), 240 had some sort of special educational needs, and 325 need some sort of inclusion intervention, including those for whom English is a second language. Improving the SEND provision in the constituency is one of my top priorities!
On Friday 14th, I met local supporters of Make Votes Matter, who presented me with a Valentine’s Day card which read: ‘we want to congratulate you on standing up for Proportional Representation – in your role as a member of the APPG for Fair Elections and by your participation in Parliamentary debates'. England is the only part of the United Kingdom that continues to adhere to First Past the Post (FPTP) for local elections.
Also on the 14th, I visited the Defence Academy at Shrivenham, where I was given an overview of what the academy did in terms of the education it offers and the outputs it delivers. It was a great opportunity to get some insights into the challenges facing our military personnel.
First thing on Monday 17th my team had the pleasure to meet representatives from Oxfordshire Age UK to discuss ways in which we could work with Age UK to help constituents. They explained their roll in hospital discharge, GP social prescribing, adult social care, bereavement support, dementia support, exercise and wellbeing. They also run various groups, including Chatterbox in Witney, a monthly club where older people can have tea and cake and get advice on a myriad subjects including security, scams, volunteering etc. They do great work and my team and I look forward to working with them in the future.
Later that morning of the 17th I had a great time at the Zumba Gold class in Shrivenham. Many thanks to Richard Fisher for organising and to our local contingency of the nation-wide 'Let's Dance' campaign, to get more people out to enjoy the physical, social and mental health benefits of dance/exercise.
In the afternoon of the 17th I visited Matthews Cotswold Flour Mill and their offices in Shipton-under-Wychwood. The team, led by Bertie Matthews, pride themselves on producing the highest quality flour to sell to customers locally and nationally. It was a pleasure to see the Mill at work and we had some good discussions, too, about local issues. Thank you to Bertie and the team for an enjoyable visit and tour!
On the 18th I visited Miller Grange Care Home in Witney, where I had the opportunity to meet staff and wish one of the residents, John, a very happy 101st birthday. It was also an opportunity to admire John’s work as an artist, which hangs on the walls. Thank you to all the staff and residents for making me so welcome – and for all the tea and cake!
On the 19th I was invited to meet the team at Bradwell Grove estate. Hosted by the brilliant Reggie Hayworth in the Manor House at Cotswold Wildlife Park, we discussed the challenges faced by farmers in the local area, and work surrounding sustainable food production. I was given a tour of the estate to get an insight into local farming. Thank you to Reggie, Charles and Sam for such an interesting afternoon!
On Thursday 20th, I visited Atlantic Aviation Group (AAG) at their UK headquarters at RAF Brize Norton. Director Mark Townsend gave me an overview of AAG's work, providing engineering and maintenance support to the RAFs A400M Atlas Fleet and showed me around their purpose built hangar and offices. I also got the chance to see an airframe that was undergoing major base maintenance.
In Parliament
This month I have continued to campaign very hard on the need for the Government to get tough with failing Thames Water.
This month I have continued to campaign very hard on the need for the Government to get tough with failing Thames Water.
I have spoken in the press and in Parliament, about the distress that the water bill increase is causing people in Witney, especially at a time when household budgets are so tight.
Early in February, Thames Water asked the High Court to let them take on another £3bn of debt which I think is unacceptable and will only make their financial position worse. Working alongside Windrush Against Sewage Pollution (WASP), I submitted evidence to the court urging them to reject the proposal as I do not believe it is in the interest of Thames Water’s customers. After all, we are the ones who will pay for the debt through our bills!
Regrettably, the Judge ruled to let the bail-out go ahead. My next step will be to appeal this judgement. I still hope this expensive, short-term and ultimately futile plan can be stopped.
You can read more about my work on this in the Guardian, Sky, Oxford Mail, Telegraph and BBC.
In my role on the Business and Trade Select Committee, I get the chance to question Ministers and other key decision makers about how we can tackle the cost-of-living crisis and get our economy growing again.
Recently I asked the Chief Policy and Campaigns Officer from the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) if he thought joining the single market and customs union would help economic growth. He replied that making trade with Europe more efficient, cheaper and with fewer barriers would “of course boost growth” and be “hugely beneficial to British businesses”.
I have also asked about the Government's painfully slow progress to make changes which would make it easier for customers to cancel contracts they no longer need. I also urged the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to look at the event ticketing market, where consumers are in some cases paying hugely inflated prices.
I have also attended a series of fascinating parliamentary receptions this month including:
A meeting with the British Dentistry Association where I asked them about the appalling state of NHS dentistry across the country.
A joint event by the Yellow Wellies charity and NFU Mutual, highlighting mental health awareness for farmers.
A Cancer Research UK reception for World Cancer Day where we discussed the importance of detecting and diagnosing cancers earlier to improve survival rates.
Along with other Liberal Democrat MPs in Oxfordshire, I have also written to the Secretary of State for Health about the lack of adult ADHD services in our county. We have called on the Government to work with Integrated Care Boards to ensure everyone who needs to access ADHD services is able to get the support they need.
With very best wishes,
Charlie Maynard MP
Witney