July Highlights

Before Westminster rose for the summer, I was pleased to return to the House of Commons despite my ongoing knee injury. As always, I used the opportunity to continue championing the issues that matter to Newbury and West Berkshire, from community safety and clean water to support for local businesses and public services. I was also honoured to lead Parliament's weekly Page-Turning Ceremony, remembering Lance Corporal James Cunningham Adamson, who lost his life at the Battle of the Somme aged just 22.

Summer recess provides an important opportunity to spend more time in the constituency, meeting residents, businesses, charities, and community groups, and taking those conversations back to Westminster when Parliament returns in September. Throughout July, I continued campaigning on clean water, support for rural communities, NHS services, family farming, and the future of our high streets. I also hosted another Clean Water for Newbury roundtable, bringing together key organisations to discuss progress on water quality and the health of our precious chalk streams. Alongside this, I met with a range of local organisations, including Newbury BID, Newbury Canoe Club, and the Campaign for Dark Skies Network, to hear more about their work protecting our natural environment. Community safety remains a priority, so it was also encouraging to meet Thames Valley Police's mounted division as they joined local neighbourhood policing teams as part of efforts to tackle anti-social behaviour in Newbury town centre and surrounding parks

My team has also been working hard behind the scenes supporting constituents with a wide range of casework and enquiries. A significant number of residents contacted us this month about North Sea oil and gas drilling proposals, as well as ongoing concerns over Thames Water's performance and sewage pollution. We also continued helping residents with individual cases covering everything from housing and SEND provision to pensions, healthcare, immigration, and environmental concerns. Every case matters, and my team works hard to ensure residents get the support and answers they need.

This month also saw the launch of my Summer Surgery Tour. It was great to meet residents at Thatcham Lakes and the Stockcross Community Pub, discussing local concerns and how my office can help. Further dates will be announced throughout the summer, but if you have an urgent issue, please do get in touch with my team.

Supporting local businesses remains a priority, which is why I launched my Independent Coffee Shop Survey. Our independent cafés and coffee shops play an important role in the character of our towns and villages, and I want to better understand both the opportunities and challenges facing these valued local businesses.

Looking ahead, preparations are well under way for my Newbury Jobs Fair on 11 September, which will bring together employers and jobseekers from across the district. As always, thank you to everyone who has attended a surgery, completed a survey, or contacted my office this month. Your experiences continue to shape the work I do, both here in Newbury and in Westminster.