As I write my column today I am sat in my constituency offices and I have just looked at my diary for the next couple of months. I am delighted to be able to spend time in the constituency as the House has now broken up for the summer recess which means my time will be focused on constituency engagements. There is a long standing myth that MP’s have long summer holidays but actually it is just that, a myth!
Since I left London on Tuesday I have already had a variety of engagements. On Wednesday morning I was delighted to be able to officially open the refurbished Thorpe Bay Station. The station has recently undergone a £500,000 refurbishment programme including an improved ticket hall, new ticket machines, video information screens, waiting room refurbishment and the station redecorated. In addition to the refurbishment, c2c launched Thorpe Bay as their first smart station.
Yesterday I spent the day with the Crouch Harbour Authority on their annual ‘Beat the Bounds’ event. We set off from the Essex Marina and we stopped off for lunch at the Plough and Sail and had a fantastic Ploughmans lunch. I had a really interesting cider that was brewed in Paglesham, a diversion from my usual choice of real ale!
Later on today I am attending an event hosted by Networking on Sea at the Park Inn Hotel. There are a number of businesses attending and I will be addressing the attendees and also taking questions from them. You can never tell what topics are going to be raised, business owners and representatives may have a range of issues they want to talk to me about and I am really looking forward to the event.
Looking forward over the next few weeks, as I said, I have many different events across the entire constituency and I am looking forward to sharing my visits with you throughout the recess.