Each weekend I make time to knock on doors and chat with constituents. It’s a little known part of an MPs routine (unless you open the door) but it’s the perfect antidote, especially right now, to the Westminster village and its exhausting 24-hour news agenda.
This month’s column is not about Brexit. Writing on a Monday morning, it’s hard to know what tomorrow brings let alone the end of the week so I will endeavour, as I always do, to keep constituents updated – on motions, amendments to motions and those moved/not moved - via www.fb.com/SteveBrineMP and my dedicated pages at www.stevebrine.com/brexit
They say to govern is to choose and that is true in local politics as much as national. My door knocking right now is in support of those hard-working individuals who put themselves forward to represent us on the local council and, in Winchester, we have a city council led by Cllr Caroline Horrill that has made its choice.
A choice for sound financial management at the Guildhall which means our council is not cutting services, it’s investing thanks to the skills of Winchester’s ‘Chancellor’ Cllr Guy Ashton. And that is a choice I see played out time and again to our benefit; whether it be new council homes I opened this month in Stanmore, the ability to freeze City council tax for 2019/20 or introduce doorstep glass recycling as part of Cllr Jan Warwick’s Green Winchester agenda that is so important to us all.
That is a choice I saw at Chesil Lodge recently, the new extra care facility in town built via a partnership between Hampshire County and Winchester City after a generous gift. It is now home to more than 50 residents, aged 55 or over, who can retain independent living with the security of access to on-site care. It’s a place of hope, it frees up family homes for the younger generation as people downsize and eases the pressure on our NHS while tackling isolation and loneliness.
Councillors matter in our community and the values they hold, shown by the choices they make, have a direct impact on our lives. I have a very different job to do, in the constituency and in Parliament/Government, but we work as a strong local team and I am always wanting to encourage new people – from different backgrounds – to come forward. People like former Hong Kong and Southampton police officer, Andy Lai, who will bring something new – and be Winchester’s first councillor from the Chinese community – if successful in Colden Common and Twyford. Women currently hold 50% of Cabinet posts in Winchester City Council and that is a (positive) choice too.
Over the course of the next six weeks, we may knock on your door. When we do, ask what your council can do for you and remember, in May, the choice becomes yours.
Finally, readers will know last Summer I published a world-leading plan to tackle childhood obesity. It’s one of the challenges of our age.
This week, and constituents may have seen it covered in national media, I announced the Government will consult on ways to protect children across TV and online from junk food adverts.
Options include a 9pm watershed ban on advertising around TV programmes, online streaming sites and social media companies. It is not right that our children are so widely and easily exposed to adverts promoting foods high in fat, sugar and salt and I am determined to act as part of a much wider plan. Do take part if this interests you.
Much more of my work, locally and in Parliament, at www.stevebrine.com
Steve Brine MP