I agreed to meet constituents coming to the environmental lobby today. In the end only one came for the meeting, but we had a good conversation with a number of positive ideas.
My constituent raised the issue of too much plastic getting into the oceans. I explained how the UK government was leading the charge to try to cut plastic use and to stop so much ending up in the seas. The UK can do more to substitute degradable materials for plastic, and cut down the presence of single used plastics dramatically. We can also improve enforcement of laws against litter to ensure more waste is properly contained and processed by our domestic and commercial waste systems.
I was asked about motorcycle noise. I agreed to look in to standards and controls over noisy bikes. The problem of fast bicycles not using bells to warn pedestrians of their presence was also a matter of concern.
I was shown a number of containers and plastic cutlery items where better design and different materials could make a difference. I agreed to pursue with Wokingham Borough what more they can do to offer green leadership by their own purchases, I explained that the new leadership of the Council is seeking to pursue greener policies and are currently reviewing just these matters. I agreed to write to them encouraging a review of the Council’s practises to offer good leadership on recycling and the use of suitable materials.
June 27, 2019
To say that only 1 person came is somewhat misleading – I was there, and I saw at least 15 others, but due to the excessive queues to get into Westminster Hall, we missed our appointment time by 30 minutes. Unlike many other MPs, John Redwood declined to meet us outside in the lobby line, and we were given no indication of how long it would take to get in – we mistakenly thought that a bit more than an hour would be plenty, but in the end it was over 1.5 hours. We will try to meet up at one or more of the surgery meetings to raise the issues that we were unable to put to Sir John yesterday.
Reply I was not told there so many people elsewhere in a queue. I thought I should be where I promised to be and talk to those who turned up which is what I did.
June 27, 2019
But we called your office to let you know our situation
Reply I was in the meeting as arranged
June 27, 2019
Dear Sir John,
15 of us tried very hard to make our 3.30pm appointment with you yesterday . Sadly leaving over an hour of queuing time to enter the House proved insufficient. We look forward to meeting you at a surgery soon to raise our concerns. Best wishes, Clare Hartley
Reply. I am sorry you were delayed. I was not told so many were trying to see me and thought it best to keep to the arrangement and talk to anyone who did turn up.
June 28, 2019
Dear Sir John,
I was part of the group that queued for 1 1/2 hours to meet with you and perhaps because we didn’t get to see each other, we have been given a greater stimulus to campaign further as a group of both strangers and old friends, that we turned out to be, when we met.
I understand that we are requesting to come to your surgery on 9th August, to have the discussion we were hoping to have on Wednesday.
I like the analogy of the boiled frog when it comes to necessary change. Perhaps if we get, some even more extreme weather conditions, we will rightly react like a frog thrown into boiling water and jump out and make changes, rather than just sit in a warming pan and slowly die, without taking any action.
Best regards,
Julia Tredgett
Reply Thank you for your email. I was sorry you were made to wait 1.56 hours to get in. I did not know that or wished that on you, and was at the meeting on time as requested. I felt I needed to keep my promise of being at the meeting and talking to those who did attend it.