Category Archives: Wokingham and West Berkshire Issues

Happy birthday to In Toto kitchens, who celebrated their ten years in business locally last week-end. I visited them in their Peach Street shopand saw a good display of new kitchen items.

On Friday I enjoyed a home made hot cross bun and the warm welcome given to me at Norreys Church, followed by the service. We then walked to the Market Place where we witnessed an energetic and interesting drama based around the death of Jesus Christ. I wish to thank all involved in organising and […]

Today produced great news. Unemployment in Wokingham is now down to just 1% of the working age population. There are 330 fewer people out of work than a year ago, and just 550 left without a job. I wish them every success in finding something soon, in a local economy that feels much stronger and […]

On Friday 11th April I gave out certificates to a group of energetic and enterprising people in Wokingham Town Hall. They had just completed a 12 week course, providing them with practical training to run their own businesses. Last Friday they each presented their business idea to a Dragon’s Den, pitching for some financial assistance […]

  Several constituents wrote to me saying that Mrs Miller should resign from the Cabinet. Other soundings I took showed this was a common view. I made sure the leadership of the Conservative party were informed of the strong feelings, as did many other MPs from their constituencies. Mrs Miller has now resigned. She did […]

The package includes:   a new £1,000 business rates discount for small shops, restaurants and pubs for 2014-15 and 2015-16; a further extension of small business rate relief; a new reoccupation relief to help get empty shops back into use; the opportunity for firms to choose to pay bills over 12 month instalments to help […]

  On Friday 28 th March I visited the Willink School to talk to the 6th Form  about Parliament and some topical issues. They had heard a Lib Dem representative the previous week. I briefly sketched the evolution of Parliament, why it came about and what it seeks to do. I mentioned the recent debate on […]

  I visited the recent exhibition given by the Highways Agency to consult on  its proposals for a managed motorway on the M4 from London. The plan includes converting the hard shoulder into an additional lane for traffic, widening  bridges over the motorway, putting in new lay bys for vehicles in trouble, putting in speed […]

  On Saturday evening I was the guest of Wokingham Choral Society at All Saints Church. The choir sang unaccompanied with great style and passion. They filled the Church with their voices and did justice to a complex work in a difficult language. I would like to thank all involved for an excellent evening.

  Conscious of the need to mend our roads I have ben lobbying the Transport department for more money to help us carry out repairs after a bad winter. I have raised it with the Secretary of State in private and in the House. Today I received a letter from the Transport Secretary telling me […]