This week I passed the milestone of my first 100 days as
your MP. It remains the biggest honour
of my life that I have this role. Although I am aware that that this is a five
year marathon, I was also determined to get off to a positive start. I have
worked hard to live up to the trust that you placed in me.
It was especially important to me that we worked to keep our
promises both personally and as a party.
Prior to the election the Prime Minister and the Chancellor of the
Exchequer had made pledges to Cornwall and I was keen to ensure that these
became reality.
Therefore I am delighted that both David Cameron and George
Osborne have come to this constituency in the first weeks of this Government to
demonstrate our commitment to deliver on our promises.
Some of the things I have worked on in the past 100 days include:
·
Worked with George Osborne to secure £1.5m to
develop the plan for a new road from St Austell to the A30 by-passing Bugle and
Roche
·
Hosted a meeting with the Prime Minister to
launch the new Tourism Strategy
·
Worked with the PM, Government Ministers and
Cornish MPs to secure the ‘Deal for Cornwall’
·
Held meeting with ministers to address local
concerns regarding wind turbines and solar farms and work to develop
geo-thermal energy
·
Raised questions in the House of Commons to
address concerns regarding the school holiday rules and the impact on tourism –
and have now secured a meeting with the Treasury
·
Raised the concerns of local people with the
Government regarding aggressive seagulls
·
Held eight Advice Surgeries and handled hundreds
of pieces of casework
·
Visited 5 schools and welcomed 3 local schools
to visit Parliament
·
Visited numerous local businesses and met with
business leaders in Newquay and St Austell
·
Held meetings with the local NHS providers to
raise local concerns and work to improve services
·
Met with local farmers and the NFU in
Westminster to understand the challenges they face and provide support
·
Met with local Parish Councils to understand
their concerns and raised the issue of public toilet closures with the Prime
Minister and sought his support to change the rules of businesses rates
·
Met with fellow West Country MPs to lobby for
better funding for our local services
·
Elected Chair of Protect Our Waves All Party
Parliamentary Group and chaired the first meeting.
I have also recruited my team of excellent staff to work
with me in serving the people of mid-Cornwall.
I am under no illusion that there is a great deal more to be
done. This area has be overlooked for too long and I am determined to do all I
can to make sure we deliver positive change and economic growth.
The first 100 days of this Parliament have seen the first
Conservative Government in 18 years move forward confidently with the new brand of modern, One Nation,
compassionate conservatism. Six
Conservative MPs who operate at the heart of this new Government now represent
Cornwall. We have made great strides in
the first 100 days, but this is only the beginning; there is much more to do in
the next five years.
