Happy New Year!

I hope you had a good holiday season and were able to spend time with family and friends. As the New Year gets underway, I’m focused on the challenges ahead, guided by what matters most to people in our communities. Looking ahead to 2026, I remain committed to listening, learning, and representing the issues that matter most to people across Newbury and West Berkshire.

Over the past year, thousands and thousands of you have been in touch. Emails, letters, meetings, school visits, surgeries, and community events all feed into how I prioritise my work. That constant conversation is essential; it keeps me grounded in the realities people face day to day.

Supporting our rural economy is central to life in West Berkshire. That includes continuing work around equestrian road safety and the progress of the Equestrian Road Safety Bill, improving rural connectivity, standing up for farmers, and recognising the importance of horse racing and related industries to local jobs and communities.

The NHS remains a top priority. I will continue to push for progress on West Berkshire Community Hospital, raise concerns about access to dentists and pharmacies, and make sure local voices are heard as decisions are made that affect health services across our area.

Transport and safety issues, including the A34, train services, and Thatcham level crossing, remain a regular feature of conversations with residents. I will keep engaging with the relevant authorities to press for updates, improvements, and transparency.

Sewage, water quality, and the protection of our precious chalk streams are vital areas. Bringing key stakeholders together, challenging poor performance, and pushing for meaningful action will remain a priority.

SEND and education continue to be raised time and again by families, schools, and professionals. I will carry on holding roundtables, meetings, and discussions to understand what is working, and what isn’t, so that concerns are properly fed into decision-making.

Housing, including social housing, affordability, and quality, is another area where listening matters. Through engagement with the Housing, Communities and Local Government Select Committee and local partners, I will continue to raise issues affecting residents and communities.

Alongside all of this sit the ongoing pressures of the cost-of-living crisis, protecting our environment, pensions, and many other local and national issues that matter to people here.

I’m under no illusion about the scale of the challenges ahead. What I can commit to, and what I will always prioritise, is listening, being present, and using the thousands of emails and conversations each month to guide my work on behalf of Newbury and West Berkshire.

Thank you to everyone who takes the time to get in touch. Your voices shape what I do, and I am grateful for the trust you place in me.