Dear Constituent,
This week has been the start of Conference recess, so I have predominantly been in the constituency, however, I do have some updates from ongoing parliamentary meetings and department responses on local issues.
Before you read further, last Sunday, my wife and I, alongside other friends completed the 50-mile Farnham Cycle ride in aid of Royal Surrey Hospital’s new cancer unit. While our cycle is over, the donation page is open for another week. So if you would like to, I would be enormously grateful for any donations - we are so close to the £2,000 target: https://www.justgiving.com/page/gregory-stafford-1724859101479?utm_medium=fundraising&utm_content=page%2Fgregory-stafford-1724859101479&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=pfp-share. Thank you for your support.
As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please do send me an email via [email protected], and my team and I will endeavour to help where possible.
With every good wish,
WHAT'S GOING ON IN WESTMINSTER
WINTER FUEL PAYMENT CAMPAIGN
After last week’s disappointing vote against the Winter Fuel Payment by the Labour Government, my colleagues and I are still encouraging constituents to participate in our petition: keepwinterfuel.com
If this petition reaches 100,000 signatures the Government will be forced to revisit it in the House of Commons.
NUCLEAR TESTING BETERAN INFORMATION SESSION
In 2019, the Labour Party promised to compensate every surviving veteran exposed to radiation from British nuclear tests since the 1950s. The party says each of an estimated 1,500 surviving former personnel will receive a lump-sum £50,000 in compensation, which could a total of around £75 million. However, since being in Government, the veterans I spoke to revealed their disappointment with the Government’s silence on the issue.
Unlike his predecessors, Keir Starmer is the only Prime Minister who has been presented with the Ministry of Defence’s results on veteran and nuclear testing. For this reason, he holds the moral duty to ensure that these brave men and women are compensated like other victims of justice miscarriage have been.
WHAT'S GOING ON IN FARNHAM AND BORDON
CONNECTING BORDON: THE BANKING HUB AND RAIL-BUS LINK
Bordon is a growing town with more development and housing coming over the next few years, and I am working to ensure that there is the necessary infrastructure to sustain the changing community.
Bordon to Liphook Rail-Bus Link
The wider area is currently lacking in reliable access to our rail network, limiting residents’ opportunities to travel to locations like London and Portsmouth by train for work or leisure.
As a result, I have been in contact with the Department for Transport and the local authority, and I am happy to say I have secured a meeting from the Minister for Local Transport to discuss the matter further.
Prior to this meeting, I am inviting residents of Bordon, Whitehill, Lindford and nearby areas to complete a short survey on a potential rail-bus link to Liphook station. I strongly encourage those of you in the area to take the time to contribute to this discussion as it will provide me with additional evidence to present to the relevant stakeholders.
https://www.gregorystafford.co.uk/campaigns/bordon-rail-bus-link
The Banking Hub
I know that access to physical banking spaces makes a big difference for elderly and disabled members of our community, as well as small business owners and local tradespeople.
I am delighted to say that Bordon, which lost its last bank branch back in 2017, is set to gain a banking hub by May next year. Cash Access UK hosted a pop-up event last Friday and I spent a good amount of time there talking to residents and local councillors about the benefits the new hub is going to bring. I know there is a lot of interest around where the new hub will open, and once the formal commercial negotiations are finalised, I am looking forward to finding out and sharing the location with you all.
FARNHAM CHARITY 50-MILE CYCLE IN AID OF ROYAL SURREY HOSPITAL CANCER UNIT
In the early afternoon on Sunday my wife and I successfully crossed the finish line at The Maltings in Farnham after our fifty-mile ride around Surrey and Hampshire. As you may have read in my previous newsletters and on social media, we rode this year once again in support of the Royal Surrey Charity, the amazing work of which has seen the Hospital’s treatment capacity increased by more than seven thousand patients a year, and new technologies brought into surgical fields. Alongside the rest of our team on the day we have raised more than £3,500 for the charity. Our JustGiving page is still active for another week or so, so if you haven’t already and would consider sponsoring, please do so.
The ride was a success and followed by a lovely visit to St Andrews Church, down the road in Farnham to the Civic Service with the Mayor and Mayoress of Farnham.
SUPPORTING RURAL BUSINESSES
A large area of this constituency is rural and less connected than the town centres, and I am keen to support those running businesses based in these areas.
On Wednesday I was invited to join the East Hampshire Rural Business Network meeting in Passfield, where I spoke about how as the local MP, I am committed to supporting rural businesses on a range of issues.
We heard from local apprenticeship experts about the benefits of taking on a new apprentice or upskilling your existing workforce through these fantastic schemes. If you are a rural business owner based anywhere in Farnham & Bordon, please do get in touch if I can offer your business support.
CELEBRATING 85 YEARS OF CITIZENS ADVICE
Last week, I attended a fantastic 85th celebration for Citizens Advice with the Rt Hon Damian Hinds at the Forest Centre in Bordon.
Founded in 1939 at the start of World War II, CA began helping people navigate the challenges of rationing, evacuation, and the effects of bombing. Today, they continue that mission, offering support in areas like debt, benefits, housing, employment, and consumer rights.
To this day, Citizen’s Advice provides both my constituents and my team valuable assistance and knowledge at a local level, with two active operating centres across Surrey and East Hampshire.
RAISING YOUR CONCERNS ABOUT OUR RAIL NETWORK
Yesterday at Haslemere Train Station, I met with South Western Railways and Network Rail to discuss some of your concerns including the Government’s plans on rail franchising, as well as more immediate issues like train reliability and maintenance.
I was grateful for all the information that was shared at our meeting, including around the upgrades to the signalling system which I know is causing some issues for those of us that use the London-Portsmouth line. There is no doubt the system needs updating from the current technology, and they confirmed they are looking to complete all the required works in the next 14 months. The new system will improve reliability and make the whole network more efficient.
OUT AND ABOUT WITH NATIONAL TRUST
The aforementioned rural areas in Farnham & Bordon are in part so beautiful thanks to the hard work of organisations like the National Trust. I joined Stephanie and rangers Matt and James at Frensham Little Pond to talk about conservation and the medium-to-long term future of the common land across the constituency.
I am pleased to say that at both a local and national level there is progress being made to ensure these areas are protected and kept as special places to visit for years to come. I am going to be working with the National Trust going forward to ensure the right decisions are made for our common land and we can all continue to benefit from the outstanding natural beauty of Surrey and Hampshire.
CHARITY SPOTLIGHT: CANCER REASEARCH UK
I met with Tilford resident Yolanda and her colleague Sarah from Cancer Research UK to discuss the charities strategic goals and local campaigns in Surrey and Hampshire.
We are so lucky to have so many dedicated local charities that support issues here but larger charities like Cancer Research also play an enormously important role; the projects and research funded by the charity’s efforts make a real difference to people all over the country affected by cancer, so I am proud to be supporting them in my capacity as an MP. The day after my meeting I popped into the Cancer Research store in Haslemere to chat to their retail staff and volunteers as well.
